Police have arrested Geoffrey Oloya, the first recipient of the Shs 100,000 Covid-19 relief money that was meant for the vulnerable who were affected by the second lockdown.
Oloya was arrested shortly after he turned up in Gulu City offices to explain how he benefited from the campaign. He was later released after the intervention of district leaders.
On 18th June 2021, President Yoweri Museveni instituted the second Covid-19 lockdown in the country and directed the Ministry of Finance to release Shs53.5bn for vulnerable groups of people. The lockdown, according to the president peddled at curbing the second wave of Covid-19.
In June 2021, the government released Shs 53.5 billion Covid-19 relief fund for various categories of people who were affected by the second Covid-19 lockdown. The beneficiaries included; boda-boda riders, salon operators, taxi drivers, shoe shiners among others.
In July, the Prime Minister Robinah Nabbanja rolled out a relief distribution campaign targeting 500,000 people. At the launch of the campaign at the Office of the Prime Minister (OPM), Nabbanja called and confirmed Geoffrey Oloya from Gulu as the first recipient of the relief fund.
“Hello. This is the Prime Minister of Uganda. Have you received the money?” Nabbanja asked as she called the first beneficiary of the exercise. “I have received Shs102,425 right honorable,” Oloya who disguised as a boda-boda replied.
The Public Accounts Committee later tasked Gulu City leaders to provide detailed reports on the beneficiaries of the COVID-19 cash after confirmation that the first beneficiary of the relief cash is not a boda-boda rider.
Gulu City officials later said that they are not aware of him and the number that was called has been off since the PM’s call. It was established that he is a businessman in Gulu City and assistant to the Gulu Mayor.
