Masindi Municipal Council sitting aborted over unaccounted funds
The sitting was then postponed to Friday to allow councillors time to investigate further.
Masindi: Masindi Municipal Council sitting held on Wednesday was abruptly adjourned after councillors raised concerns over unaccounted funds meant for key development projects in the outgoing financial year.
The council meeting, chaired by Speaker Tadeo Opio, was meant to deliberate on the 2025/2026 financial year budget.
However, councillors refused to proceed without receiving a clear explanation from the Town Clerk, Daniel Kasala, regarding the expenditure of over UGX 429 million allocated for various projects.
Among the contested funds were UGX 320 million for the procurement of a double cabin pickup truck, UGX 82 million for purchasing construction materials for the new municipal administration block and UGX 27 million for the development of a playground at Kamurasi Demonstration School.
Speaker Opio directed the town clerk to provide accountability. In his defense, Kasala stated that UGX 100 million had been deposited toward the vehicle purchase, with the remaining balance expected to be cleared before the financial year ends.
However, the councillors found the explanation insufficient and demanded documented proof of the payments. This prompted Speaker Opio to adjourn the meeting for one hour to allow the town clerk to present evidence.
When the session resumed, Kasala submitted documents related to the vehicle purchase, but Speaker Opio declared them unsatisfactory. The sitting was then postponed to Friday to allow councillors time to investigate further.
Municipal Mayor Ronald Businge Kyomuhendo supported the councillors’ demands, emphasizing that the town clerk, as the accounting officer, must provide a proper and transparent account of public funds.
In a separate development, the Central Division Council of Masindi Municipality successfully passed its budget for the 2025/2026 financial year, totaling UGX 1,295,379,431, during a sitting held at the division headquarters in Kihande I Cell.
The motion was tabled by Marjorie Nalumansi, Secretary for Finance, and seconded by Nottie Karen Asiimwe, Secretary for Education. The session was presided over by Jonathan Tumwesige, the Division Speaker.
Administration takes a lion’s share of shs663 million followed by health with shs248 million whereas finance takes shs123 million while works and technical services is allocated shs93 million and statutory bodies shs91 million while natural resources is allocated the least amount of money, shs4,500,000 only.
The budget is anticipated to be funded by shs1.129 billion as local revenue, shs127.7 million transfers from central government and shs38.05 million of other grants which makes 30%.
LCIII Chairman Isaac Bongomin, in his state of the division address, outlined the major capital projects undertaken since 2021. He urged the council to ensure equitable distribution of resources, with each constituency receiving at least one capital development project.
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