By Arinda Nsheeka Wilfred
There was drama at Ntungamo District council chambers when local councilors stormed out of the council meeting in protest and rejected the budget for the financial year 2018/2019 which was approved in June this year.
Trouble started when the district councilors, led by Dennis Muhumuza Savimbi, tasked Kweyamba Ruhemba, the Chief Administrative Officer and district chairperson Dennis Singahache, to explain to them of why they presented an altered and different budget, instead of real one they had approved.
Muhumuza, the councilor from Itojo Sub-County noted that the budget laid before the council was not signed and some figures were altered.
This was seconded by Nathan Tusiime of Kitwe town council compel the council to initiate the process of transferring Ruhemba from Ntungamo district to elsewhere saying that he has frustrated the district.
In his defense Mr Ruhemba, told the council he could not bring the unfinished budget at the time noting he needed them to first make some corrections and the reprint the one which revised.
Mr Singahache, disowned the budget document saying that he cannot sign invalid document which has some discrepancies in figures.
“I heard that Mr CAO(Ruhemba) sent another budget to Ministry of Finance which was not approved so I will not be confused to append my signature on fake documents,” he said.
Ms Phoebe Muhwezi, the Councilor for Rugarama sub county expressed dismay over the confusion between chairperson and CAO, noting that they sort-out their issues instead plundering the district into mischief.
The councilor for Nyakyera sub-county Augustine Kashaija noted that Ntungamo district has become a laughing stock because it operate without approved budgets for two years indicating that Ruhemba is failing to deliver service to the district.
At this point, Elijah Atuhaire, the district speaker, was forced to adjourn the council for 10 minutes and later resolved to cause an audit both external and internal for the projects which were to be done in the financial 2018/2019.
Ntungamo District council in June approved the budget for Shs47 shillings but it was never followed for the last quarter.
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