Hon. Awor Sarah Angweri, the workers’ representative in Lira City Council, wants the Town Clerk of Lira City, Theophilus Tibehika, investigated and interdicted over suspected irregularities in the handling of the 2.5 billion UGX USMID fund. She accused the Lira City Town Clerk of sidestepping the council by awarding a contract to fence the Mayor’s garden to a company without the knowledge or approval of the council.
“My side of the story is, we need an investigation into the procedure used for the appropriation of the money without council approval, as they brought it for approval after spending the money,” added Awor.
Awor was addressing the media regarding the letter written to the speaker of Lira City Council on February 22, 2024, by Hon. Apita Herbert, Councilor of Lira Video East ‘A’, who also serves as the Secretary of Works and Technical Services in Lira City.
Beautification of the Mayor’s garden will cost 840,000,000 UGX, while the beautification of Numa grounds or the tipper stage will cost 1,060,000,000 UGX. Installation of new solar street lights will cost 1,100,000,000 UGX. Repair of solar street lights within the CBD (central business district) will cost 300,000,000 UGX, and institutional strengthening grant will cost 182,000,000 UGX.
The letter, seen by The Ankole Times newspaper and signed by Apita Herbert, Secretary of Works and Technical Services, has been copied to Lord Mayor Sam Atul, the Town Clerk, RCC Lira City and deputies, Honorable Members of Council, and members of the Executive Council.
According to Hon. Sarah Awor Angweri, the money was allocated by the executives, not the council, which is against the law because the council is supreme.
She said as the President goes to Dokolo for a campaign on the 19th of March, 2024, he should kindly move together with a new Town Clerk to replace Theophilus Tibehika and have Theophilus arrested by the State House Anti-corruption Unit because of financial indiscipline. She accuses the Town Clerk of being involved in a form of connivance and corruption regarding the USMID-AF unspent balance of over 3 billion shillings in Lira City, yet the council could have used the money to construct roads within Lira City.
Awor has petitioned the State House Anti-corruption Unit to take over the matter and wants a court injunction to stop the ongoing illegal work in the Mayor’s garden.
She has also called upon Dr. Patricia Acan Okiria of IGG and Brigadier Henry Isoke to kindly appear in Lira City in person, hold a baraza with the Wanainchi of Lira City, and investigate the Town Clerk of Lira City over suspected irregularities in the procurement process and influence peddling of fencing the Mayor’s garden.
“How can the council spend more than 3 billion on beautification?” asked Sarah.
Awor, earlier on, while debating on Thursday on the floor of the council during a full council meeting, Hon. Ocare Julious Peter, representing the elderly, Joyce Acir of City West A, Geoffrey Bosco Ogwal representing the people of City West ‘B’ in the City council, tasked the Town Clerk on the issue of land title of the Tipper stage and Mayor’s garden before rushing to fence the Mayor’s garden, which has issues pertaining to land title.
Awor Sarah, on the other hand, wants the Town Clerk to explain properly before the State House Anti-corruption Unit why he is not clear on the issue of the 1.5 billion and 2.5 billion shillings and how he and the executive arrived at the figure and breakdown of the unspent USMID-AF fund, saying the Town Clerk should also be clear on the issue of the breakdown of 2.5 billion shillings since work has already commenced in the Mayor’s garden and every single contract is now ongoing without council approval.
The Town Clerk, in his explanations on the floor of the council, said that according to what is done, the procurement procedure is correct since “design and build” is allowed to be applied.
The Lira City Council meeting was chaired on Thursday by Hon. Okwir Patrick.
The item concerning the utilization of USMID unspent balance of 2.5 Billion has taken most Councilors by surprise, especially the 1.5 billion, and why the executive and the Town Clerk did not inform the council about who the contractor is, why he/she was chosen to do the work going on in the Mayor’s garden, what criteria were used in procurement, what cost is the work being done, was there a bidding process arrived at, and why the council and Lira City residents are not informed about the issue pertaining to the construction in the Mayor’s garden is a major concern from Hon. Sarah Awor and a section of other councilors.
One of the councilors who spoke on condition of anonymity told the media that the Town Clerk should not only be transferred but interdicted for causing financial loss and mismanagement.
Hon. Sarah Awor Angweri wanted the procedure used in the award of the contract to be investigated fully by the State House Anti-corruption unit.
Hon. Councilor called Ogwal added during his debate on the floor of council that the secretary works need to clear the air because the council needs to understand the approval of the council in the authorization of work going on in the mayor’s garden.
“We are not also sure how much savings from USMID is there because the figures are not tallying, 2.5 billion or 3 billion therefore, Theophilus and executives need to be investigated because we are suspicious and doubting them,” fumed Awor.
Omara Elem, secretary of finance, said the fencing is to protect and secure the Mayor’s garden from land grabbers and prevent other criminal people from hiding in the Mayor’s garden. 2.5 billion for the beautification of Mayor’s garden as per the council documents. He said the fear that the procedure was not followed is not true.
In response to what Hon. Joyce wanted to know, Herbert Apita said there will be fencing, paving of Mayor’s garden, half wall construction, and latrine construction in the Mayor’s garden.
The motion seeking Council approval on the utilization of USMID-AF unspent balance and the anticipated saving from the main contract was laid before the council by Hon. Herbert Apita, the secretary of works, and the clinical services.
Hon. Ocare challenged the breakdown as a blanket statement. Hon. Omara Matthew, representing PWDs in the Lira City council, noted that he has much worry about the award of the contract and it was worth for the procurement team of the city to advertise it and the procedure and processes used in awarding the contract without the knowledge of the council as the supreme body should be extensively explained and pronounced.
By the time of compiling this report, Awor was busy sending her complaint via emails to the State House Anti-corruption Unit and IGG’s online complaints desk.
The Ankole Times newspaper will follow up on the matter for more updates from the State House.
