Indeed, We Have Rotten Eggs Amidst Us, Youth Councillors in Maracha District Confess on Corruption Scandals.

The leadership of Marcaha District Youth Council through its chairperson Hon Govule Francis, has in the wee hours of 22-1-2023 12am issued a statement confirming the five Youth Councillors they delegated on 4-Jan-2023 to attend the graduation ceremony of 27 students from Maracha who had finished five months training at WestNile Presidential Initiative Institute for Skilling the Youths, ended up embezzling part of the 2,700,000 Shs which was given for the graduates, by government of Uganda through State House Comptroller Ms Jane Barekye who was Guest of Honor at the graduation ceremony of the students.

Total of 220 students completed the five months training on Tailoring, Welding, Capentry and Saloon courses.

After a thorough investigation done by this online publication team, it was revealed that, the Youth Councillors ate the money and when the story was blown into the air, it sparked controversy and criticism from many people from Maracha District with some questioning the credibility, professionalism of this online blog, as others were terming the well investigated article as “defamation” intended to malice the District Youth Council.

Some of the youth councilors, like Hon Amazi Sarah the District Female Youth Councillor vowed to seek for legal redress over the article they described as "Malicious Defamation".

"I am going to answer these queries raised in the article, before the courts of law", Hon Amazi Sarah wrote, adding that, we as media should start writing and reporting things whose consequences we can deal with.

Surprisingly, as the debate about the corruption scandal article raged on, the Youth leadership of Maracha District felt the heat and they had to tell the truth.

Through the District Youth Chairperson Hon Francis Govule, they confessed to have mismanaged part of the money meant for the graduates.

However, after issuing the statement on behalf of the District Youth Council, Hon Govule warned members in the Youth Council WhatsApp group, never to leakout everything that has been written and confessed there about the corruption scandal.

Below here are excerpts from the Youth Chairperson Hon Govule 👇👇👇👇

“Members I have this as my investigations probe. One the trainees were expected to go for the graduation. We got this information when I and DCDO visited the hub. And therefore we reached all offices to see to it that all participants reach the hub since many of our youths were unable to meet transport costs and this they raised during our visit. During the graduation I delegated my vice together with youth councillors to move with them. About four youth leaders including one sub county youth chair and Secretary for Production Maracha District Local Government went with these grandaunts. That time. The hub Management gave these leaders money less by 100,000/= pending clearance. When I reached hub management. This report was confirmed true. That they were expected to receive this at a later date. This we shall definitely follow-up. Then. Since the program did not cater for the leaders on accounts that trainees are to transport them selves. Each one of them WS expected to receive 100,00/= each. The problem is that the team left Zombo late since the program equally closed late and administrative issues equally delayed them. It was on those grounds that the leaders thought it wise to give the driver 20,000/=,as transport for him after parking the government car at the headquarters. and each of the four youth leaders and Secretary production received 15,000/= each as transport for them to reach their homes upon reaching the District headquarter we should be reminded that no government vehicle is expected to sleep with the driver unless otherwise upon permission from CAO.. It was also revealed that the team reached Maracha by midnight. Meaning the deduction was 100,000/= together with balance of 100,000/= yet to be followed up. This now left each beneficiary with 92,500/= instead of 100,000/= as earlier on planned by hub team. Please note. One youth from Nyadri Sub county was left behind due to failure to observe time and used 60,000/= to reach Zombo that day using a bodaboda. Therefore. A deduction of about 7,500/= from each beneficial couldn't cause an alarm to me compared to if they were to use there own and then no burden of the leaders on them. This is also coupled with yet in received 100,000/= which we shall follow and equally repeort Therefore. These are my observations. The youth leaders did what was right to make sure these youths had transport. And leaving them stranded at the district headquarters was un acceptable. Please not. Youth leadership is voluntary and there is no pay for it. So its total sacrifice on their side. May be next time we shall let them use there own transport so that youth leaders are not blamed. One youth came from Tara Sub county. ( Secretary for Publicity), two from Alikua ( Vice Chair and Female youth councillor) one from Nyadri Sub county.( sub county youth chair Nyadri) then secretary Production from Awiziru. This is the little I can share as we wait for more information. There no need for alarm here and we are grateful to God that completion was 100%”.

“I don't want to see this on news since this is not some thing big enough to furnish the image of our leasers who have committed their time for this coz. By the way when we went to pick these youths from the training before Christmas. I went a lone and there was no single money. I had to use my personal money to feed the driver and the turn man. But this time the youths had something small. This was part their appreciation to the leaders as well. So A minor issue which should not make us hate each other and I only call for togetherness and team work” - Hon Govule Franco, in his comment, warned the members of that “Maracha District Youth Council” WhatsApp group, never to leak out that admission on guilt.

The actions of defence displayed by the District Youth Chairman has baffled many people in Maracha District who have always seen him as a person who has been seen in seminars speaking and Condemning corruption, with the recent being Anti-corruption Dialogue held in Whitecastle on 25-11-2022 where he made sweeping statement on most local government officials by categorizing them as untrusted and corrupt officials who need to be monitored and supervised by highly educated people.

The parallel words 🆚️ parallel actions of the Youth Chairman Hon Govule has left many people in the District speechless and wondering what sort of leader is this who speaks against corruption but on the other side is condoning and defending it 

The Maracha Constituency MP Hon Denis Lee castigated the Youth councillors for mismanaging some part of the funds for their own personal reasons instead of its intended purpose.

Read below here the statement of Hon Oguzu Denis 👇👇

"Basing on this submission from the Youth Chair, i would like to guide that, under section 22 of Public Finance Management Act 2015, it's an offense to divert money meant for an activity without approval of Minister of Finance. Reallocation from one vote to another is also a preserve of parliament as provided under s.20 of PFMA. Therefore any actions that resulted into beneficiaries getting less than what they were supposed to get the PFMA and Anti corruption law may constitute a crime regardless of the amount involved. Whereas the arrival at a decisiom to deduct monies might have been on humantatian grounds, the law is very explict. I therefore advise either those implicated should return what they picked to help them home to the beneficiaries or reach an arrangement with beneficiaries or beneficiaries should acknowledge receipt 100k as budget. Anything less could be costly and more damaging to their reputation. 

Looks like @osuta has been vindicated. Much as small amounts were involved, there was a compliance issue with law. 

Anyone thinking of dragging him to court is destined for an upheaval task.

Lastly, fighting corruption is not for the faint hearted. There will be so many valleys, bumps, and mountains to climb. 

As observed by Edmund Burke, "The only thing necessary for triumph of evil is if all good men do nothing."

Martin Luther King concluded that, " In the end we shall not remember the words of our enemies but the silence of our friends."

This input is made as a friend of all those involved. I don't want you you to remember our silence when we could have told you the truth" - Hon Oguzu Lee Denis wrote in the WhatsApp group of the Youth Council.

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