By Solomon Hamala
IGANGA
Police in Iganga have arrested the speaker Central Division Iganga municipality for withdrawing Shs400,000 meant for a trip to Kyotera district but instead diverted the funds to personal use.
The accused, Peter Muwereza was arrested on Thursday 4th November 2021 following instructions from the Minister for Local Government, Raphael Magyezi during a visit to the district.
According to the Senior Assistant Town Clerk Central Division, Ruth Mitala, the accused reportedly signed for the shillings 400,000 and was supposed to travel with six other officials for a familiarization tour including the Mayor Iganga Municipality but instead decided to stay behind.
“We left him busy enjoying with other revelers in a bar along the main highway,” she said.
Hunter Becomes Hunted
Muwereza had earlier submitted a petition to the ministry of local government halting the construction of a shillings 20 billion MATIP market citing irregularities in the award of tenders, besides accusing the Town Clerk Iganga Municipal Council, Ayoub Kisubi of selling ten acres of land meant for dumping garbage to an investor to plant sugar cane in Bukyeye village Nakalama sub county.
Iganga District
The petition that was signed by the accused Muwereza and six other councilors prompting the minister for local government to order for a meeting to listen to both parties.
An earlier meeting held last week attended by Magyezi, area members of parliament and other district officials aborted after both sides failed to reach a consensus.
Magyezi was prompted to order for another meeting November 4 at the Iganga district chamber hall this time attended by all district leaders, members of the public, to solve the problem that had arisen out of the petition.
Speaker after speaker accused Muwereza of wasting tax payers’ money by forging documents in order to implicate government officials into corruption besides frequently demanding for bribes in order to execute his duties, and being involved in corruption scandals.
The Mayor Iganga Municipality, Bamu Lulenzi said Muwereza had on several occasions demanded for money from the current town clerk and his predecessors whenever any government project kicks off.
“When any of the town clerks fails to heed to his demands he would write bad letters to the relevant ministry to transfer the town clerks,” he said.
Lulenzi said 12 town clerks have been transferred from Iganga municipality since its inception 17 year back for failing to adhere to the demands of Muwereza.
“These people are doing their duties very well elsewhere yet they would be very useful to us,” he said.
The Member of Parliament Iganga Municipality, Peter Mugema said registration of vendors should be conducted in a transparent manner to ensure all eligible persons benefit.
“We are meant to understand that some people from elsewhere are trying to force themselves into the market yet they have never been vendors,” he said.
Mugema said construction of the modern market is expected to kick off before the end of next year to create employment opportunities to over 20,000 youths in the district.
Magyezi said he was forced to order for the arrest of Muwereza after realizing that he had withdrawn shillings 400,000 meant for travelling to Kyotera district recently but instead diverted it to his own personal use, frequently demanding for money from traders in order to be rewarded with stalls in the proposed main market, assault of the assistant town clerk Central division, Ruth Mitala after she failed to give him shillings 50,000, besides lying to a cabinet minister.
“With all the above allegations I believe you deserve to be arrested to serve as an example to others,” he said.
The district police commander Iganga, Kenneth Muheirwe said the accused is likely to appear before court to answer eight charges as investigations into the matter are completed.
