By Weswa Ronnie
MBALE
Mbale High Court has seized Manafwa district local government double cabin Toyota Hilux vehicle over Shs17.8M debt.
The High Court seized the vehicle in a court ruling in December, 2023 after the district failed to pay WB Advocates Shs.17.8M in legal fees.
WB Advocates had successfully represented Michael Bichacha Nambehe, the District Chief Financial Officer who took the district to court over wrongful interdiction.
Consequently, WB Advocates on Wednesday, 10th January, 2024 ran advert to auction the Local Government Double Cabin 15 days from the date of the avert in a public Auction at their offices located at Republic Street, former CAO’S office.
BACKGROUND
In 2020, the State House Anti Corruption Unit asked Peter Watunyu, the former chief administrative officer of Manafwa district to interdict Michael Bichacha Nambehe and Betty Namono the Principal Human Resource Officer Manafwa over allegations of corruption.
State House Anti Corruption Unit accused the two district officers of not informing the Ministry of Public Service about Duckhill Microfinance Bank continuous deduction of pensioner’s money yet the loans had already been fully recovered.
The money accumulated to 485 million shillings with the anti-corruption unit accusing the two of complicity.
However, according to John Musila Member of Parliament representing Bubulo east constituency in Namisindwa district who was Manafwa district LCV chairperson at that time, after investigations, the two were found innocent and the State House Anti-Corruption Unit discovered instead that Duckhill was conniving with other government officers from Ministry of Public Service to continue illegally cutting money of pensioners.
He says, when the two officers reported back to office, Peter Watunyu again interdicted then in a short time over unknown reasons.
Bichacha Nambehe sued the district at Mbale high court over illegal interdiction and he won the case.
While speaking to our reporter on phone interview today on Thursday, 11th January, 2024, James Luyimbazi, the Manafwa Chief Administrative Officer said that Bichacha was reinstated and paid Shs60million as his arrears and court damages.
He added that his lawyers also sued the district wanting Shs17.8 million as legal fees which the district did not to pay.
‘’ The district spoke to those lawyers and agreed to pay them in quarterly instalments which did not please them and they decided to go back to court with the aim of seizing district vehicles,’’ Mr. Luyimbazi said.
Hosea Kigayi Kimono, the Manafwa district LCV chairperson, says that the court ordered the district to pay these lawyers when the 2023/2024 had already been passed.
He said that they were planning to start paying these lawyers starting with the 2024/2025 financial year because the district had not budgeted for them in 2023/2024.
Mr Kigayi has urged locals and district leaders to be calm saying nobody will auction the district property adding that the ministry of local government has already taken over the case and its lawyers are going to write back or respond to Mbale high court.
