Assistant RDC of Amolatar urges patience on fund disbursement

2 April 2025, 10:31 am

By Alphonse Odur and Sarah Ejang

Assistant Resident District Commissioner (RDC) Bonniface Pule has urged Local Council One (LC1) chairpersons in Amolatar to exercise patience as they await the disbursement of outstanding funds for voter display.

The funds, initially misappropriated by a staff member at the Electoral Commission in Amolatar, are expected to be distributed by Friday, 4 April 2025.

In an earlier assurance given on the morning of 1 April 2025, RDC Bonniface Pule informed the LC1 chairpersons that the funds would be available later that same day and distributed by Wednesday, 2 April 2025. However, he disclosed that only 8.4 million Uganda shillings had been delivered to his office, a sum insufficient to cover all 581 LC1 Chairpersons in the district. Consequently, he decided to return the amount and wait for the full balance to ensure equitable distribution.

The Assistant RDC emphasised the importance of patience, stating that the remaining balance is expected by Thursday. He reassured the LC1 chairpersons that the funds would be disbursed by Friday.

The allocated amount for voter display across Uganda was set at 50,000 Uganda shillings per LC1 chairperson. However, in Amolatar, only 30,000 shillings were provided, shortchanging each chairperson by 20,000 shillings. This discrepancy amounts to a total loss of approximately 12 million Uganda shillings in the district.

Mr. Pule has pledged to apprehend those responsible for the misappropriation once the district returning officer, Mr. Peter Toddu, resumes duty after his sick leave. He has vowed to address the issue promptly in order to restore trust and transparency in the electoral process.

In the meantime, LC1 chairpersons are advised to remain calm and await further communication from the Assistant RDC’s office regarding the final disbursement of funds.

Francis Owani, a member of the Local Council One in Opali sub county, reported that his five colleagues have not yet received their ex gratia payments for the past three quarters, and they have not received a clear update from the relevant authorities.

He has therefore requested assistance from the office of the RDC to ensure that the limited funds provided by the government to Local Council One are properly distributed to them.

Additionally, Okot Ecun, who oversees all Local Councils One in Amolatar, has also sought support from the RDC’s office to consistently verify their payments for any projects requiring their involvement, ensuring that the allocated funds reach them as intended.