The Inspector General of Government has ordered three staff of the Ministry of Agriculture, Animal Industry and Fisheries (MIAAF) to refund about 9 million shillings they obtained fraudulently in February 2015.
In a communication referenced HQT/70/08/2015 to the MIAAF Permanent Secretary dated April 6, 2016, IGG Irene Mulyagonja Kakooza says the MIAAF Principal Statistician Edmond Sekimwanyi Kyagaba, Ms Margaret Kabega and Patrick Mugambwa, both support staff of the Statistics Division, should refund Shs 8, 913, 800 obtained under the guise of night allowance for agriculture data collection activities that were to be carried out in the Eastern Uganda districts of Bududa, Manafwa, Kween and Bukwo.
The three, who were supposed to travel in the company of Statisticians Stella Naiga and Agnes Nagayi and driver Ronald Kamoga, did not travel, prompting the IGG to initiate investigations, direct the trio to refund the money and also to be reprimanded.
Of the said money Mr Sekimwanyi, who was the team leader, received shs4.56 million, while Ms Kabega and Mugambwa, received shs 2.7m and 1.65m, respectively, while both Ms Naiga and Ms Nagayi were supposed to receive Shs1.1 million each but did not. The driver, Mr Kamoga, was paid Shs550,000.
‘The activity was not carried out but Mr Sekimwanyi disclosed that he used the money to pay for medical treatment for his wife who was sick hoping he would travel to the field later,’ the IGG communication states in part.
The IGG’s communication adds: ‘The conduct of Mr Sekimwanyi Kyakagaba Edmond and payment of night allowance to Ms Kabega and Mr Mugambwa in the instances mentioned above was in breach of the provisions of section (E-B)(1) of the Uganda Public Service Standing Orders, 2010…’.
Ms Mulyagonja Kakooza further directs the three errant staff to deposit the refund money to the Inspectorate of Government Assets Recovery Account in the Bank of Uganda.
