The minister for the Presidency Milly Babalanda has interdicted the Kitgum Resident District Commissioner William Komakech over the reported abuse and misuse of funds meant for the implementation of the Parish Development Model (PDM) program.
Komakech was interdicted on August 27, 2020, on the directive of the Inspectorate of Government. Babalanda says that the interdiction that takes immediate effect bars Komakech from exercising the powers and functions of the RDCs office and is meant to allow smooth investigations to be undertaken by the Inspectorate of Government.
14 staff of Kitgum District Local Government were arrested last week by the PDM national secretariat over the alleged misuse of 523.6 million Shillings meant for the implementation of the PDM program.
Komakech has now been ordered to hand over office to his deputy Hajji Marijjan Welire who shall perform all the duties of RDC until further notice. During his interdiction period, Komakech will continue receiving half of his basic salary and is barred from leaving the country except upon obtaining clearance from the Secretary, Office of the president until the allegations lodged against him and the interdiction are dropped.
Babalanda also warned all RDCs, RCCs and their deputies to observe the roles and operational guidelines recently issued to them while executing their duties and urged them to avoid being misled by technical staff and politicians in their respective districts.
The guideline highlights allegations of connivance with public officers to embezzle public funds; altering of government policies to suit self-driven interests; and their participation in illegal mining activities; conniving with illegal timber dealers to destroy forests and aiding cattle rustlers; as some of the unfortunate concerns being raised against some RDCs/RCCs and deputies.
In part also, the guidelines stresses that RDCs/RCCs and deputies are tasked to focus on critical interest to government including; massive mobilization of the population for enhanced household incomes especially promotion of the Parish Development Model; enforcing improved service delivery in all social service sectors and to fight corruption on all fronts.
William Komakech’s interdiction comes barely a week after that interdiction of the Kitgum Chief Administrative Officer Joel Musisi by the Permanent Secretary Ministry of Local Government over the alleged misuse and abuse of said PDM funds.
