By Andrew Irumba
Fort Portal: A group of youth in Kabarole district have petitioned president Yoweri Museveni to discipline the district LC V boss Richard Rwabihinga, whom they accuse of allegedly sabotaging youth development projects in the area.
The youth led by their Chairperson Chris Aliganyira, accuse the LCV boss Mr.Rwabuhinga of allegedly misappropriating over Shs71M which was meant to finance development projects, but somehow went missing from their account on his orders.
This investigative website has chanced on a petition titled ‘SABOTAGE OF YOUTH PROJECTS BY CHAIRPERSON L.C.5 KABAROLE’, which was addressed to president Museveni through the Resident District Commissioner, and reads in part thus;
“The Youth of Kabarole appreciate and are so grateful for the work you have done and do recognize the development programs initiated by the NRM government under your able leadership. Whereas the government of the Republic of Uganda led by you Your Excellency, in a sympathetic attraction, identification, engagement, retention and development of young people, constructed the Youth Centre for Kabarole District Youth Council, gave youth of Kabarole a hydrofoam machine, two motorcycles to run youth activity to cause social economic transformation, it is unfortunate that the Chairman LC 5 assumed powers of the Council, which is a body Corporate empowered by the 1993 Youth Council Act Cap 319 sub 2(i) in the following grounds;
1-Payments from youth centre equaling to shs.61 million went missing off the account under his instructions.
2-Deviating she.13.5Million as it was conditioned to make repairs and chain link as per MOU
3-Misuse of the Youth Centre as his store and even his relatives are sleeping in the Youth Centre.
4-Misuse of one motorcycle for youth in his farm yet it would be used for youth activities.
5-Made all components of the hyfrofoam machine to miss which are equivalent to 26 million since the time you handed it over to the district and up to now it is nonfunctional.
6-Politically blocked investor one Kaihura who wanted to train the youth using the hydrofoam machines…”
The Youth, who also accuse Rwabihinga of allegedly assuming the powers of the Youth Council, have thus threatened to hit to streets and protest against his continued sabotage of their projects if President Museveni doesn’t intervene in their matter as soon as possible.
However,when we contacted Mr.Rwabuhinga for a comment about the matter, he said that he held the money because Aligantira failed to account for previous moneys,and even forged signatures of members to give fake accountability of the money given to him. “True I refused to hand over money to someone who has failed to account for youth funds. He failed to account for Shs5,037,000 which was meant for youth development activities. Actually he has a case of forgery at police here in Fort Portal. But the money is available”, Rwabihinga said.
While submitting documents pinning Aliganyira, he added thus;“This Aliganyira is not a honest man, surely he knows he held the money because he forged signatures to make fake accountability”.
But all this comes at a time when President Yoweri Museveni is set to visit Tooro Sub-region and will camp in Fort Portal,the tourist city, which is the main town of Kabarole district.
Museveni is on a mobilization tour of the sub-region which starts this Thursday May 9th, 2019, whereby he is slated to meet all elected leaders of the sub-region including opposition figures. Also at the meeting, the President has invited all his RDCs in the sub-region, so they can brief him about a number of issues including security.The RDCs invited include those manning Kabarole, Kasese, Bunyangabu, Ntoroko, Kyanjojo,Kagadi, Kamwenge and Bundibugyo.
