Kole North MP, Dr. Samuel Opio Acuti, and Kole South MP, Hon. Peter Ocen Akalo, have called for the immediate transfer of their Chief Administrative Officer (CAO), Mr. Soita Wamburu, and are seeking an urgent meeting with the Ministers of Works and Local Government to address the situation.
Hon. Opio Acuti stated that the CAO’s failure to attend the District Roads Committee meeting, along with the Acting District Engineer, for the second consecutive time on February 14, 2025, has crippled service delivery.
This absence has stalled accountability for the UGX 1 billion road fund from the 2023/2024 financial year and planning for the current financial year.
“I sent an invite to the CAO and the District Engineer as the Chairperson of the Kole District Roads Committee. However, they haven’t turned up for the meeting nor sent any apology or representatives,” said Hon. Dr. Samuel Opio Acuti. “We have roads meant for FY 22/23 and FY 23/24 which are yet to be completed, yet we are approaching the end of the third quarter,” he added. “I now have petitions by 1,000 residents on four roads namely: Ngetta-Alito, Barpii-Anekapiri, Aboke Ginnery-Opeta, and Alyat-Aweingwec-Ocokcan roads that are impassable, yet funds are available to work on them. We are wondering if this money is still there or has been diverted.”
He added that the CAO and District Engineer’s avoidance of meetings began after they uncovered over UGX 200 million unaccounted for from the Bills of Quantities (BOQs) for the roads, including inflated and ghost accountabilities last year.
“Recently, the Inspector General of Government (IGG) also directed the Ag. District Engineer, Emmanuel Okello, to refund UGX 43 million of road funds and Julius Ojot, another engineer, to refund UGX 5 million for quarry materials. However, the District Council also directed the District Engineer to refund more than UGX 31 million of road funds that are unaccounted for and even recommended that no more funds be advanced to him. We see the CAO continuing to do so in violation of the Local Government accounting regulations, although Parliament also recommended that road funds worth UGX 62 million be refunded by Emmanuel Okello in their report on the audited accounts for Kole District dated November 2022. We expected them to update us on their status in the meeting,” fumed Opio Acuti.
Kole South MP, Hon. Ocen Peter, says that no works have begun for FY 24/25, and several of the works done are shoddy and incomplete. “The UGX 750 million is lying in the district account as we speak, yet roads are in an impassable state,” he added. “It is clear we don’t have a CAO who is interested in service delivery. We have further been informed that more than UGX 1 billion worth of development procurements for health, education, and drilling boreholes has stalled due to deliberate delays to award contracts. All these funds are likely to return to the consolidated fund,” he added.
The representative of LC3 chairpersons and mayors, Richard Ojok, says he reported to the police after funds for one of the roads in Kole Town Council, worth UGX 82 million, disappeared. “I failed to get assistance from the CAO, and it was police intervention that enabled the work to begin,” he stated. “They have committed to complete the works by February 28, 2025, after which the matter will be decided upon by the police,” he added.
The members who attended the meeting demand the transfer of the CAO for negligence of duty, incompetence, and sabotage of government programs, and further want to meet the Minister of Works and Minister of Local Government for intervention on their roads. They assert that the same CAO was transferred from Lira City on a similar basis, and it is unfair for the District to be a recipient of his incompetence.
Other demands include no more funds being advanced to the Ag. District Engineer until all road monies are refunded as directed by the District Council and the IGG, a clear work plan and equipment schedule being provided, BOQs for all roads being provided, community participation being ensured, fuel monitoring mechanisms being put in place at the equipment usage point, and assistance with road equipment, including from the ministry or a waiver to hire, among others, to bridge the delays.
The CAO did not answer repeated phone calls to respond to the allegations levied against him by the two MPs by press time.
