Thursday, 8 June 2017

RDC Calls for fresh investigations in the Police theft case

By: E-Society News Team

The Kasese District Resident District Commissioner Lt. Col. James Mwesigye has called for fresh investigations into cases of theft by the flying squad attached to Police in Kasese district.
He was this afternoon addressing members of the press shortly after speaking to the coffee traders in Kasese town at the mayor’s garden in Kasese town.
Lt. Col. James Mwesigye says some coffee traders had reported to his office about the alleged theft cases of coffee by the Police attached to the flying squad unit.
 Coffee traders’ chairperson in Kasese district Mr. Katsirombyo Bwambale Fred says they were forced to storm the office of the RDC due to the increased cases of coffee thefts in their business. 

The commander for the flying squad Rwenzori East and West Regions assistant superintendent of police ASP Marahi Habson reports that that the flying squad Police officers who allegedly stole coffee had started paying back the money. 

The commander for the Field Force Unit (FFU) police Mr. Asiimwe Medad also reports that some officers who misbehave in his department were being delt with accordingly. 

The man whose funds was stolen Mr. Baduru Kule, was by press time nursing wounds at pride medical centre commonly known as Manasi health unit.
Mr. Baduru disclosed that seven million shillings out of the stolen money was a bank loan and eight million shillings was from his friend, he quickly called for Government intervention. 

So far two suspects are in custody, Mumbere Moses and Masuluba Elisha as Police waits to arrest suspects from the flying squad unit. 
END.

Wednesday, 7 June 2017

Kasese budget suffers donor blow



By John B. Thawite

The Kasese district budget for the financial year ending has suffered a major blow arising from reduced donor funding.

According to the district vice chairperson, Elly Magwara, the district had by end of April realised only 890.655m/= out of the expected Shs2,031,655,000  to from Unicef, putting the district budget performance at 41%.

“At the mid-term evaluation at the end of December 2016, adjustments were made on donor support from Shs Shs2,031b to 890.655m/=  due to the poor performance from Unicef where disbursements had been affected due to the global economic recession,” Magwara noted.

Magwara, who also doubles as secretary for finance, planning and administration, wason Friday presenting the 2017/2018 financial year budget estimates, worth Shs57, 345,894,051 during the Council sitting held at the district multipurpose hall.  

The district had estimated to spend up from Shs53,449,348,000 in the year ending, he said..

But he said the district had continued to budget for Unicef support despite poor performance during the year ending “because the organisation has indicated that they will support the district again.”

Revenue sources

Magwara said the district expected to raise the Shs57,345,894,051 from local revenue (shs1.916,370,000), Central Government (53,097,868,551) and Shs2,331,655,500 from donors, accounting for 3.4%, 92..% and 4.1% respectively.

If the 57,345,894,051/= for service delivery were to be distributed among the residents, each person would have only Shs81,686 to spend on services in the entire 2017/2018 financial year.

Expenditure 

He said salaries, including pension and gratuity, are to consume a total of Shs36,631,221,921 or 64% while  11.4bn of the revenue will be spent on recurrent activities to support decentralisation and key service delivery projects.

Shs 4.3bn is to go to development projects especially health, education, roads and production while donor about Shs2.331bn is to go into donor development projects.
He challenged the district leaders to engage the community for additional revenue.

Past achievements 

Outlining a catalogue of achievements, which included class room blocks, roads, the district chairman, Godfrey Sibendire Bigogo, he said district had also undertaken the construction of other projects including mini-Irrigation schemes to mitigate the unpredictable weather patterns.

“People owning land along roads should grow trees to avert the increasingly negative climatic changes in the district,” Bigogo urged.

District Budget at glance

Administration: 6,013,154,675, Finance: 386,873,000., Statutory bodies: 871,280,000, Production and Marketing: 827,546,439, Health: 9,727,617,317,  Education – 29,387,461,506, Roads and engineering:2,663,235,865, Water: 793,237858, Natural resources: 683,649,859, Community-Based Services: 2,434,511,401,  Planning Unit: 753,908,388, Internal Audit: 76,873,000, Transfers to lower local governments: 2,720,671,744.

END