POLICE FINALIZE INVESTIGATIONS INTO ABANDONED EXCAVATOR

By Simon K. Turibamwe

Police in Kasese District have finalized investigations into Mubuku Irrigation Scheme officials who allegedly abandoned an excavator worth Sh.500m in River Mubuku. The police spokesperson for Rwenzori East, Mr. Vincent Twesige, confirmed that investigations are complete to have the suspects prosecuted. Mr. Twesige said had this to say: “Investigation are complete and the file is ready. Soon, we shall take them to courts of law for prosecution.” When the government rehabilitated Mubuku Irrigation Scheme in 2014 that was non-functional for several years, government through ministry of Water and Environment handed over the excavator to help in desilting River Sebwe that supplies water for irrigation to the scheme after injecting in over Shs19bn.  Hopes were high that residents would utilize the excavator as a life–changer for the people of Kasese and neighboring districts. The excavator was handed over to the district and it was to be supervised by the district leadership that Later handed it over with the scheme to Abashaija Kweyamba Group for management.

THE CONTROVERSY

The contention came when the Abashaija Kweyamba Group allegedly started hiring out the excavator to out-growers outside the scheme and that the money generated was not accounted for. Mr. Robert Bagonza, the chairperson of Abashaija Kweyamba Group, said they hired the excavator last year to Save the Children, a non-governmental organization operating in Kasese District, to desilt river Mubuku in Karusandara sub county at a fee he never disclosed. Mr. Bagonza explained: “We hired out the excavator at a standard rate set by the office of the CAO and the leadership is aware of its whereabouts.” He, however, could not explain why the excavator has been abandoned in the river since last year.  The district environmental officer, Mr. Augustine Kooli, said he is not aware of the desilting exercise by Save the Children on River Mubuku.  “Anything done in the water bodies has environmental impact and there was no assessment done to that effect,” Mr. Kooli said.

LOCALS CRY OUT
Ms. Meresi Nyirabakunzi, a resident of Mubuku II Parish in Karusandara where the excavator was abandoned, said the abandoned machine has contributed to the flooding of the river affecting their homes and gardens since water was channeled from the main river and directed to the community. “We are suffering a lot because of this water, we want help from our leaders otherwise we have suffered enough due to this machine. We used not to get floods in our area here but since July, we have been experiencing huge volumes of water because of river diversion where water is not controlled,” Ms. Nyirabankunzi said.

SAVE THE CHILDREN SPEAKS OUT

The project manager of Save the Children at Kasese field office, Mr. Viane Musika, said whatever they do in the district is done with the district authorities and to compliment government work. “Save the children does not have the capacity to desilt the river. I refer you to the district authorities,” he said.

CAO NOT AWARE.

However, the chief administrative officer, Mr. Turyatunga Harry Kafureka, said he is not aware of the excavator work since he was still new in office. He said, he learnt of the matter after the politicians complained about it.