By
Kenneth Wamatoyi
The Chief Administrative Officer (CAO) of Namisindwa District has suspended Irene Nambuya, the district salaries officer, for causing the return of over Shs 1.1 billion to the national treasury for the 2023/24 financial year.
Leonard Kitavujja, the CAO, confirmed the suspension, stating that he issued the letter to Nambuya when she arrived at her office on Tuesday morning. The funds in question were intended to pay contractors who had successfully completed construction work at various schools, including Namboko Seed School in the district.
The suspension was prompted by a news report broadcast on a local radio station in Mbale, which highlighted complaints from contractors who had not been paid despite submitting their completion certificates. According to anonymous sources, the suspension letter was handed to Nambuya as she arrived at her office.
A Namisindwa District Education Committee document, discussed last Friday during an education committee meeting, reveals that the contractor for Namboko Seed School was supposed to be paid UGX 772 million.
Other schools, such as Buvuma Primary School (Lwakhakha Town Council), Situyi Primary School (Magale Subcounty), and Busulwa Primary School (Tsekululu Subcounty), were due UGX 58 million, UGX 58 million, and UGX 64 million, respectively.
Jackson Wakwaika, the Namisindwa District LCV chairperson, confirmed the suspension and stated that investigations are ongoing. He noted that their inquiries have identified Nambuya as responsible for the issue. Although the district had approved the payments, they were not executed, resulting in the funds being returned.
When approached for a comment, Nambuya declined to speak on the matter, stating only that she would allow the investigations to proceed, as she is being held responsible for the follow-up.
Some contractors, who requested anonymity, welcomed the district’s actions but urged the CAO’s office to expedite the process of reclaiming the funds from the Ministry of Finance as promised.
