Youth councilors and chairpersons selected to handle preparations for the International Youth Day national celebrations to be held at Kabale Municipal Main Stadium are threatening to boycott preparations for the day accusing lead organizers of swindling money meant for their allowances.
The youth accuse the Kabale district youth Chairperson Sam Arinaitwe, and the Kabale District assistant Chief Administrative Officer (CAO) James Mugisha of swindling the money.
The youth from different sub counties of the district say that they were asked by the district youth chairperson and Kabale CAO to participate in the preparations on a daily basis starting Monday July 30th to mark the International Youth Day slated for Sunday, August, 12th. They were promised allowances and transport refund to their respective sub counties.
Alex Owamani, the Kabale district youth councilor, says that they were promised allowances but says that a week has now elapsed without the youth receiving any money.
He says that he has now come under fire from the councilors at lower levels of leadership accusing him of failing to coordinate their payments.
He says that the youth chairperson Sam Arinaitwe has been quiet on the matter and that attempts to get explanation from the district leadership have been futile.
Janet Nzeirwe, a youth councilor from Katuna town council, says that the youth are now fed up with the district youth leadership and the office of the CAO who are heading the preparations as they have failed to account for the funds.
She says that they were told by the youth chairperson that the youth have been given funds to cater for the preparations and that they now want to be told the amount which was received for mobilization and how it has been spent.
Viola Nahwera, a youth councilor from Central Division in Kabale Municipality, says that they have decided to quit preparations for the day as their leaders are corrupt.
She says that although the assistant CAO James Mugisha assured them that the allowances would be paid after the celebrations next week, they find this unacceptable.
Brian Twasiima, the Nyamweru sub county councilor, says the youth have not only decided to stop work on the preparations but also not to attend the function itself.
It is a position the Kyanamira sub-county youth chairperson Gerald Abangira holds too.
The youth are also demanding for an accountability of money they claim President Museveni directed should be given to a group 50 youth as startup capital for commercial ventures.
The youth say that they have been reliably informed that the president asked the district youth chairperson to select a total of 50 youth to be given money to help them start up self-help projects and that the chairperson has not given them any kind of update on the matter.
However Sam Arinaitwe, the Kabale district youth chairperson, says that the allowances will be paid but says that the budget meant to cater for the allowances has not yet been approved.
James Mugisha, the chairperson organizing committee for the celebrations, says that they are working hard to solve issues to do with the budget to ensure that the youth leaders are given their allowances.
He also denied claims that he has swindled the money which was meant for the allowances to the youth saying that they be paid soon.
