Minister Balaam orders Jinja CAO to step aside over corruption claims

The minister of Local Government, Balaam Barugahara, has directed the Jinja district chief administrative officer (CAO), Lilian Nakamatte, to step aside to pave the way for investigations into allegations of corruption and maladministration.

The directive was issued during a special sitting of the Jinja District Council at the district headquarters, where speaker Simon Kibombo tabled a memorandum accusing Nakamatte of abetting corruption and failing to implement council resolutions.

Kibombo alleged that the CAO had deliberately ignored resolutions passed by the council, frustrating service delivery and causing financial loss to the government. Among the issues raised was the continued allocation of Shs 15 million for repairs to an old district coaster, despite the council having resolved to dispose of the vehicle.

According to Kibombo, the repair budget has appeared in the district’s budget for the past three financial years without the approval of the council.

He further accused Nakamatte of failing to provide council committees with bills of quantities (BoQs) for government projects, making it difficult for councillors to scrutinise project costs and effectively monitor implementation.

Kibombo also alleged that the CAO had failed to address corruption-related scandals in various district departments, a situation he said had undermined accountability and slowed service delivery.

He further accused Nakamatte of colluding with Jinja District LC V chairperson Moses Batwala to conceal alleged acts of corruption within the district administration.

Billy Kasense, the district councillor representing Butagaya sub-county, questioned Nakamatte’s continued stay in Jinja district, arguing that her more than five years in office had bred complacency.

“Civil servants like CAOs should spend three years, or at most five years, at one local government before being transferred. Ours has been here since 2021, and I believe this is affecting the proper execution of her duties. It is not that we hate her, but this overstay seems to have created a level of familiarity that is affecting service delivery,” Kasense said.

Nakamatte dismissed the allegations, describing them as an attempt to tarnish her reputation. She argued that many of the councillors are serving their first term and have limited understanding of the distinct roles of political leaders and technical officers, leading to frequent disagreements.

Nakamatte called for the induction of councillors to help clarify their responsibilities and improve working relations between the political and technical wings of the district.

Despite her defence, minister Barugahara directed Nakamatte to immediately hand over office to her deputy to allow for independent investigations. The minister also directed the State House Anti-Corruption Unit and the Inspectorate of Government (IG) to investigate the allegations and report back within two weeks.

He said a decision on Nakamatte’s future would be made after the investigations are concluded and instructed her to report to the ministry of Local Government headquarters for further guidance during the period of the inquiry.

The investigations are expected to focus on allegations of financial mismanagement, failure to implement council resolutions, procurement transparency and the handling of corruption complaints within the district administration.

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