Officials from Kampala Capital City Authority (KCCA) were Monday told to leave Parliament Committee of Education after failing to account for Shs 300 million that was meant for the renovation of Kasubi Primary School.
The team from KCCA led by Juliet Namuddu, the Acting Director of Education had appeared before the Committee to present their 2018/19 budget framework papers for approval by Parliament. In their presentation, tbey indicated that 5 class rooms had been renovated at Kasubi Primary School.
However, MPs were shocked to later discover that whereas thei documents indicated that an amount of Shs 300 million was used to carry out renovations on the said school, no such renovations were made on ground.
The redflag was raised by the Rubaga North MP, Kasibante Moses in whose constituency the school is situated. Kasibante who has made a courtesy visit to the school last week presented photos of the school revealing to the Committee that no renovations had taken place at all.
“I am the area MP, I know what is taking place at the ground. That’s why I came with this overwhelming evidence. There is nothing like any thing called renovating of the said classrooms.” Kasibante said.
“What was done by the headteacher of the school was just to convert the houses which formerly accommodated teachers into classrooms and these rooms are very small. This school has about 700 pupils and could not just sit under the sun.”
When asked whether MP Kasibante’s allegations were true, the Acting Director Education at KCCA, Juliet Namuddu did not deny neither could she explain to the Committee how the Shs 300 million had been spent.
She stated that although the money was disbursed to the Authority, renovations were stopped by a court order.
Not convinced by Namuddu’s explanation, MPs collectively agreed to summon the Executive Director of the Authority, Jeniffer Musisi together with the political head, Erias Lukwago to explain to Parliament why they gave misleading information to the Ministry of Finance.
“If the court order never stopped the school from running, why did you stop renovating the school?”, Kalungu West MP, Joseph Sewungu asked.
“Since we don’t know the qualifications of this woman [Namuddu] presenting the report, we can send them back and summon their heads,” Sewungu proposed.
Kasibante noted that the Committee needed a justification from the Executive Director herself.
“Just like she is always giving time to the city carnivals, taking soda while standing and making adverts all the time showing off we think under that spirit she could give Parliament time to come and justify how this money was spent. They are putting our pupils at a very big risk because these classes are on a verge of collapsing,” said Kasibante.
He later told the Committee that there are other schools facing the same problems and that KCCA has not helped them yet government spends a lot of money on these schools.
“This is only a sample of all schools that fall under this category, Namungona P/S Kigobe, which is still under my constituency faces landscaping of its playground. It has been encroached up on by other people,” Kasibante added.
