Details have emerged in the alleged diversion and illegal sale of government-supplied hoes in Bukedea District after the Ministry of Agriculture, Animal Industry and Fisheries (MAAIF) confirmed that the farm tools were officially delivered to district local governments and meant for immediate distribution to households.
Bukedea County Member of Parliament, Ikojo John Bosco has petitioned the Inspectorate of Government (IGG) demanding investigations into claims that a consignment of hoes meant for farmers in Bukedea District was diverted, sold and never reached the intended beneficiaries.
“I hereby lodge a formal complaint and constitutionally request an investigation into allegations of diversion, misappropriation, and unauthorized sale of government property (hand hoes) in Bukedea District,” Ikojo said in a letter dated January 4, 2026.
According to the MP, the hoes were supplied under a government agricultural intervention led by MAAIF but were allegedly diverted before being received and recorded at the district stores, contrary to public finance and stores management regulations.
“It is alleged that the said hoes were not officially received, recorded, or accounted for at the district stores as required under the law,” the petition reads.
The complaint gains further weight following a circular issued by the Agriculture Ministry Permanent Secretary, Maj. Gen. David Kasura-Kyomukama, dated December 17, 2025, which confirms that hoes were procured, allocated and scheduled for delivery to district local governments, including those in the Eastern Region.
“The Ministry of Agriculture, Animal Industry and Fisheries is in the process of procuring 7,000,000 plain hand hoes for delivery to all the District Local Governments for distribution to farming households, as an intervention aimed at enhancing agricultural production at the household level,” Kasura-Kyomukama stated in the circular.
He explained that the Ministry of Finance had released UGX 20 billion out of the required UGX 56 billion, enabling MAAIF to issue call-off orders for 2.4 million hoes, which were subsequently allocated to districts, starting with the Eastern Region.
“This allocation has been guided by the National Population and Housing Census 2024 and delivery is scheduled to commence on 19th December 2025,” the Permanent Secretary noted.
Kasura-Kyomukama further emphasized that the service providers were instructed to deliver the hoes directly to district local government stores and that district authorities were responsible for proper receipt, storage and immediate distribution.
“The service providers will deliver the hand hoes to District Local Government stores, and you are requested to undertake the necessary administrative and technical processes to receive and distribute the hand hoes,” the circular reads.
He stressed that the hoes were not meant to be stored or sold but distributed directly to households, with strict accountability measures put in place.
“These hoes should be immediately distributed to households at a rate of one hoe per household, and a clear record should be made of the distribution, including individual NIN, telephone number, village, parish, sub-county and district,” Kasura-Kyomukama directed.
The records, he added, were to be submitted to MAAIF by January 30, 2025, and district officials were required to issue receipt documents to service providers to enable payment processing.
Against this backdrop, MP Ikojo alleges that in Bukedea District, the process was deliberately undermined. He claims the diverted hoes were later sold to a political leader at approximately UGX 2,000 per hoe and kept at a private residence instead of reaching farmers.
“The hoes were unofficially and illegally possessed at an individual private residence, and the intended beneficiaries have not been able to receive the said goods, thereby defeating the purpose of the programme and occasioning loss to the Government of Uganda,” he said.
The legislator has asked the IGG to investigate the entire chain, from procurement and transportation to receipt, storage and distribution, and to establish responsibility among accounting and oversight officers, including the Chief Administrative Officer, Chief Finance Officer and members of the district technical teams.
He also wants investigations into allegations that proceed from the alleged sale were unlawfully shared among some district and political officials.
“The alleged acts, if established, may constitute abuse of office, neglect of duty, corruption, and violation of public finance and procurement laws,” Ikojo noted, urging the IGG to act decisively to safeguard public resources and restore public confidence in government programmes.
