FEATURE: SHACU INVESTIGATES UGX 2.8 BN KOLOLO SEED SS PROJECT

Learners on the compound of Kololo Seed Secondary School. Photo by Federick Dramadri.

By Dramadri Federick

Arua City

The State House Anti-Corruption Unit has commenced investigations into alleged financial irregularities surrounding the construction and management of funds at Kololo Seed Secondary School, in Maracha District.

The government-aided school, located in Vura Village, Tara Sub-county, was established under the Uganda Intergovernmental Fiscal Transfers (UgIFT) programme to expand access to lower and upper secondary education.

The investigation follows a monitoring visit by Minister for Local Government, Hon. Balaam Barugahara, during which concerns were raised over school charges, teaching services and the accountability of funds allocated to the school’s construction.

“It is very unfortunate that the government has spent 2.8billion shillings to build this school and yet infrastructures remain incomplete, I want to look at the stadium which has cost this country 70 million shillings this must be investigated and I need the report as soon as immediately”.

Following the visit, the State House Anti-Corruption Unit arrested the school’s Head Teacher, George Yiki, and Parents Teachers Association Chairman, Asea Peter, to facilitate investigations into the allegations after learners had submitted a written complaint raising concerns about teaching at the school.

They alleged that Kiswahili and English had not been taught since the beginning of the year, while some teachers reportedly attend classes irregularly and fail to provide learning notes.

The learners also raised concerns about school charges, alleging that day scholars were being asked to pay UGX 80,000 without lunch being provided. The school was also reportedly charging UGX 300,000 for boarding.

School authorities reportedly explained that part of the money collected from learners was being used to pay 10 teachers who are not on the government payroll who are also paid 350,000 shillings each.

Balaam explains that if the 80,000 shillings was charged specifically for the payment of the teachers, of the 280 learners, each learner should have paid 40,000 shillings towards the course but not 80,000shillings.

“Imagine on top of this the school is charging 80,000 on poor parents who cannot afford without lunch it’s absolutely against the Ministry of education’s statute. The head teacher must be arrested together with the Board of Governors and PTA because they are denying the poor local people the chance of education”

The allegations are yet to be independently established, and the ongoing investigation is expected to establish how much money was collected, how it was spent and whether the charges complied with government regulations.

Questions over UGX 2.8 billion construction project

Learners sitting for end of term two examinations in the newly constructed classroom block. Photo by Dramadri Federick

The investigation has also turned to the construction of Kololo Seed Secondary School, a project whose total funding is reported at approximately 2.8 billion Shillings across different phases.

In April 2019, Maracha District commissioned the first phase of construction at a contract value of approximately 1.9 billion Shillings.

The project was funded under the UgIFT programme with financing from the World Bank, and the contract was reportedly awarded to Achoru United Traders Limited, with a completion period of 12 months.

However, more than seven years later, questions remain over why some works are incomplete despite reports that the contractor received 100 percent of the contract sum.

Documents presented during the monitoring exercise reportedly show significant gaps in accountability.

According to documents presented by Ofeku Grabriel, the NRM Chairman for Maracha District, approximately 567.7 million Shillings from the first phase of the project was allegedly unaccounted for.

The district later received an additional 950 million Shillings to facilitate completion of outstanding works. The documents reportedly indicate that 250 million Shillings from this amount was also not accounted for.

A further 70 million Shillings expenditure relating to the clearing and grading of approximately 1.5 acres of the school playground has also come under scrutiny.

Taken together, the figures presented during the meeting amount to approximately UGX 887.7 million in funds described in the documents as unaccounted for or raising accountability concerns.

These figures remain allegations and are subject to verification by investigators. The works included two classroom blocks, a two-unit science laboratory block, an administration block, three units for teachers, two stance latrine blocks for the administration block, and two stance latrine blocks for teachers.

Others were five stance VIP latrine blocks for boys, five stance VIP latrine blocks for girls, rain water harvesting tanks, an ICT and Library block, and a football ground.

Contractor accused of failing to pay workers

During the monitoring visit, Head Teacher George Yiki reportedly told the minister and investigators that the contractor had not paid some workers and suppliers of locally sourced construction materials since 2022.

“When the works started, up to now some of the workers are not paid, some of the community members are still coming to demand their monies for the local materials”.

The claim has raised further questions about the implementation of a project whose first-phase contract value was reportedly fully paid.

The State House Anti-Corruption Unit is expected to examine the construction contract, payment certificates, procurement records, works completed on the ground and financial documents to determine whether the project funds were properly utilised.

District officials previously investigated

Approximately 1.5 acres Uncleared and ungraded playfield of Kololo seed secondary school. Photo by Dramadri Federick.

The latest probe is not the first time the Kololo Seed Secondary School project has come under scrutiny.

In 2022, the Inspectorate of Government (IGG) directed the Maracha District Chief Administrative Officer to interdict six officials who had been implicated in alleged mismanagement of funds connected to the UGX 1.9 billion construction project.

The officials named were Timothy Malumah Ezati, then Acting District Engineer/Water Officer; Stephen Candia, Chief Finance Officer; Flavia Osoa, the then District Education Officer; Paul Abiribale, District Internal Auditor; William Oneti, Senior Assistant Engineer; and Robert Ezati, Senior Assistant Engineer.

The interdictions formed part of earlier efforts to establish accountability for funds allocated to the construction project.

Maracha District Woman Member of Parliament Driwaru Jenifer says alleged corruption has become widespread in the district and is undermining the delivery of public services. “Whenever the President goes across the country and starts taking about corruption, Maracha’s name doesn’t appear and the people are also tired of this corruption”.

Her concerns come as the latest investigation places renewed attention on how public resources meant for education infrastructure are managed.

Maracha District Chief Administrative Officer Peter Erisu Emwos says the allegations should be subjected to due process and that the relevant authorities should be allowed to complete their investigations. “I can’t say if the arrests were bad or good but those arrested should face the law and just must prevail”.

For learners, parents and the wider community around Kololo Seed Secondary School, the investigation has brought renewed attention to questions that have remained unanswered for years.

Why does a school project commissioned in 2019 remain incomplete? How were the funds allocated to the project spent? Were workers and suppliers paid? And how were the millions of shillings collected from learners accounted for?

The State House Anti-Corruption Unit’s investigation is expected to establish the facts and determine whether any individuals have a case to answer.

Until the investigations are concluded and competent authorities make a determination, all individuals and entities mentioned in connection with the allegations are presumed innocent.

Written by newsroom-radiopacis