RDC Kasese, Lt. Milton Odongo tells Police Off

After a silence of three years since the launch of the Kasese District Integrity Promotion Forum (DIPF) in 2009, the Resident District Commissioner Lt. Milton Odongo called for a meeting of the 16 member team to discuss the way forward for the DIPF. To kick off the meeting, a premeeting was held with RWECO that had facilitated the initial meeting in 2009 with funding from Hivos and EU. At the meeting, the RDC who presented a paper on the roles and structure of the DIPF lashed at the Police on how they had frustrated his efforts to bring to book culprits implicated in corruption scandals in the district, “ I will not spare whoever was involved in releasing the suspects that stole the machines from Kilembe Mines Limited, how can I be treated like that, what about  the local wananchi how are they being treated by you Police”. At the same meeting, the members immediately resolved to go and monitor the intercepted machines from Kilembe mines at the Police Post in Kilembe.

The citizens vigilance has led to the recovery of these items from the suspects who according to the RDC have for long been making deals in the mines. RWECO a CSO in the Rwenzori region that facilitated the meeting was applauded by the participants for being a people led organization that has provided space for the local citizens to voice their grievances to the leaders. A six point way forward was set up that will see the DIPF in Kasese being among the performing ones in the country since the RDC has assured the members of calling for quarterly meetings and inviting technical staff to update the members on service delivery in the district. Among other service works discussed was the Karusandara road, rot in the sanitation in Schools.The RDC pointed out at Karambi Secondary, Kurughe High and Nyakabale primary school where he physically cleaned a toilet latrine with teachers and pupils mesmerized.

Way forward for the Kasese DIPF

·         Visit Kilembe Mines Ltd, Police Post to monitor the intercepted machinary

The RDC Kasese (right) showing the DIPF team the machines he intercepted

·         Organise Quarterly meetings in the office of the CAO and attended by all members and can invite technical staff to update the team about service delivery in the district

·         Sensitize the district stakeholders on the promotion of ethics and integrity

·         The RDC will consult the presidents office on whether the Cultural institution can be part of the DIPF team

·         The media can participate in meetings of the DIPF and report ethically

·         Whistles blowers be encouraged to report to the leaders who later report the issues to police and other relevant authorities

·         RDC to follow up the Kilembe Mines theft case CID headquarters

RWECO pledged to facilitate the district stakeholders meeting that has been planned for the second week of July, 2012 for which the CAO’s Office has been given the responsibility to organise. The meeting was attended by among others the District Crime investigation Officer, the district Public Accounts Committee, District Public Service committee, Contracts Committee, KADDE-NET, DISO and the media- New Vision, Guide radio, Observer.

Kudos to  RWECO with funding from Hivos that made the DIPF share reports and made an impromptu monitoring of the Kilembe mines police post where the vehicle with the stolen machines worth millions of shillings was parked. The citizens in Kilembe who came to give witness of the RDCs effort to fight corruption in Kasese. The RWECO Coordinator, reported the team the BTC scandal that the director Karughe Farmers Partnership reported on the D-Gorup, the broken bridge connecting Kyarumba and Kisinga. The team agreed to organise a meeting to allow other stakeholders to present their concerns in the district.

On their part, the ACAO Mr. Asaba Wilson, updated the team on the Humukungu Parents SS ghost students, the Lake Katwe sub county Naads issues where the contractor had given the beneficiaries money (sh.50,000/=) instead of delivering goats, the renderer who delivered less chicken instead of 600 chicks delivered 400 chicks. All these were areas of concern that the RDC had highlighted in the report. About the Karusandara road, the ACAO reported that the contractor was made to redo the work where he had done 4mm instead of 6mm.

The KADDE-NET representative Mr. Yusuf, pledged that KADDE-NET was putting order in their house and pointed out that they had a leadership vacuum that had affected their operations. The district information officer who brought the KADDE-Net issue on table was concerned about the poor service delivery by KADDE-Net yet they were mandated by the district to monitor CBO/NGOs/CSOs and ensure quality controls.

By Jimmy BO
RWECO