By Solomon Hamala
BUGWERI
Four top officials in the Eastern Uganda district of Bugweri face imminent arrest for allegedly stealing government mosquito nets worth Shs51M.
The four are being investigated by Busoga East police for stealing 42 bales of mosquito nets, with a total number of 3360 nets in December last year.
The four have been identified as the acting District Health Officer (DHO) Muwereza Peter, the Acting Town Clerk, Idudi Town Council, Isabirye Richard, the accountant Idudi Town Council, Mugabi Emma, and a health assistant only known as Norah.
It is said that these had planned to sell the nets for 15,000/= each in Kampala.
It should be remembered that the nets were dispatched by the ministry of health to the district to be distributed to locals, in a bid to reduce incidences of malaria.
We have however established that very few of these were distributed in Bugweri district, more so Idudi Town Council as some officials had other plans for the nets.
The investigations were prompted following the impounding of 2 vehicles filled with mosquito net bales at a check point in Iganga.
The RDC Bugweri, Ahimbisibwe Rugaju Gad revealed that the impounding of the nets followed tips from the locals who had not received the nets.
“We were tipped about this dubious deal by the locals. We collaborated with police and found out these (the nets) were being taken to Kampala for sale,” Ahimbisibwe Rugaju Gad noted.
The RPC, Katungwesi Anatoli while speaking to eastnews.co.ug noted that so far four people whose names he withheld have been netted in this operation.
According to Police, PACE as an organization is also in touch with Police to follow-up the mosquito nets they supplied in all sub counties in Bugweri and to see why many people in Idudi town council missed out.
