Local leaders and residents of Ruhija Sub-County, Rubanda District, have raised concerns about the incompetence of their chief, Mr. Elias Tumukuratire, regarding service delivery.
The issue was brought to light during a tour by Rubanda District LC5 Chairperson, Mr. Ampeire Stephen Kasyaba, who was meeting local council chairpersons to discuss challenges in community sanitization, conflict resolution, and monitoring government projects.
The locals, led by Ruhija Sub-County LC3 Chairperson Mr. Beda Turyananuka, revealed that they received funds aimed at renovating the Bugarama-Rwizi-Katoma Road, which was budgeted at 6 million shillings. However, the road renovation was never completed. Shockingly, the sub-county chief allegedly colluded with one of the councilors to present fake images claiming that work had been done on the road.
Turyananuka also accused the sub-county chief of failing to provide clear accountability for the Nkukuru-Kagande-Bugonji-Kizenga Primary School road, which was allocated 7 million shillings. He further explained that a resolution was passed to purchase chairs for Kitojo 2 Primary School and Nyakaranga Anest Primary School at a cost of 5 million shillings, but no accountability was provided for the desks that were supposedly purchased.
The LC3 Chairperson noted that from May until now, there had been no council sessions or executive committee meetings. He also expressed his anger over the sub-county chief’s alleged extortion of 50,000 shillings from youth who were supposed to participate in the national census. The chief had promised them jobs, but nothing materialized.
Turyananuka attributed the sub-county chief’s daily absenteeism to his failure to provide certificates from the district for women whom he allegedly extorted between 180,000 and 400,000 shillings. Additionally, Turyananuka accused Mr. Tumukuratire of taking the attendance book for parish chiefs to Kabale, claiming that he had shifted the office from Ruhija Sub-County to Kabale District and only returns when he knows that district officials will be in the area.
Neverline Tusasibwe, the Ruhija Sub-County/Town Council LC5 Female Councilor, took the opportunity to highlight the district’s achievements in the sub-county and town council.
In response, Rubanda District LC5 Chairperson Mr. Ampeire Stephen Kasyaba pledged to follow up on these issues until they are addressed.
Efforts to reach the Ruhija Sub-County Chief were unsuccessful, as he could not be reached on any of his known phone numbers.
