Kamdini Sub-County Under Spotlight Over Allegations of Mismanaging Over UGX 100 Million in UWA Funds

5 June 2025, 3:58 pm

By Eman Yonah Oruk

Former Kamdini Sub-County SAS Geoffrey Okech and other officials are under scrutiny over allegations of mismanaging over UGX 10 million received from the Uganda Wildlife Authority (UWA) under the revenue-sharing program.

The allegations surfaced yesterday during a consultative meeting convened by UWA at the Oyam District headquarters.

In his remarks, Wilson Kagoro, the Warden for Community Conservation in Murchison Falls National Park, stated that Kamdini Sub-County failed to account for the funds released in April 2022.

Due to this lack of accountability, UWA wrote a letter demanding explanations from Kamdini Sub-County, which was copied to the Chief Administrative Officer (CAO) of Oyam District and the District Chairperson

As a result, UWA held back funds meant for Kamdini for the 2024/2025 financial year and released the funds to the district account in January 2025, pending a comprehensive report from Oyam District on the alleged misuse of UWA money in Kamdini.

Kagoro further stated that Kamdini Sub-County must “clean their house,”which is why UWA is demanding action from the CAO against technical staff responsible for the alleged mismanagement.

He concluded by announcing that UWA will hold a follow-up meeting next Wednesday to track how the funds were utilized in Kamdini Sub-County.

Frederick Hebat Kitutu, the Chief Administrative Officer (CAO) of Oyam District, responded that a report on how the UWA funds were used and allegedly mismanaged in Kamdini had been prepared, but the UWA disagreed with it. He noted that the budget was adjusted without consultation, prompting an audit.

Additionally, district authorities summoned Geoffrey Okech to appear before the Public Accounts Committee (PAC), but he refused to cooperate, forcing them to refer the matter to the Inspector General of Government (IGG), who is now investigating.

District LC5 Chairperson Benson Dila said the Public Accounts Committee had been directed to open a formal inquiry into the alleged abuse and was now responsible for investigating the matter thoroughly and recommending appropriate action.

Terrence Omwonya, the LC3 Chairperson of Kamdini Sub-County, stated that the funds were not properly accounted for in 2022, when Geoffrey Okech was SAS.

After allegations surfaced, Okech was transferred to Loro and later retired, allegedly out of fear of the accusations.

Meanwhile, Nommy Otyeno, the LC5 Councillor for Kamdini Sub-County, expressed concern, stating that UWA needs proper accountability for its funds.

He added that complaints about the funds had been raised for some time, yet there is no visible impact of UWA’s money in Kamdini despite the fact that animals from the park continue to kill people in the region.

In contrast, James Ogwal, the LC3 Chairperson of Myene Sub-County, expressed gratitude that UWA appreciated his sub-county’s proper accountability of its funds.

He highlighted that over 10 boreholes had been drilled and praised his team’s dedication to protecting UWA funds.

An attempt to obtain a comment from Geoffrey Okech, the accused former SAS of Kamdini Sub-County, regarding the alleged misuse of funds donated by UWA was unsuccessful, as his known phone number, 0772 648493, was unavailable.

A letter dated June 23, 2023, from UWA to the CAO of Oyam District demanded accountability for millions of shillings unaccounted for by the leadership of Kamdini Sub-County and Oyam District.

In response, Kamdini Sub-County allegedly forged an accountability report claiming that the money was spent on:Training of scouts (which was not in the guidelines) ,Commissioning of projects sponsored by UWA (though UWA states that none of its officials were invited) ,Community sensitization and mobilization activities UWA disputes these claims, stating that the funds were not used as intended, leading to heightened scrutiny and ongoing investigations.