On Monday, June 30, 2025, Soita Wamburu informed Kole district staff during a general forum of his transfer to Arua district. He stated that his successor would be the current CAO of Kapchorwa district.
During his address, Wamburu tasked Kole district officials with finalizing accountabilities for the last financial year that ended on June 30.
This transfer follows demands made four months ago by Kole district Members of Parliament. Dr. Samuel Opio Acuti, Kole North and Peter Ocen Akalo of Kole South had both called for Wamburu’s immediate transfer.
The MPs requested an urgent meeting with the Ministers of Works and Local Government. They sought to address concerns over the district’s deteriorating road network and alleged mismanagement of road funds.
Their demands stemmed from the CAO’s repeated failure to attend District Roads Committee meetings, including one chaired by Dr. Opio on February 14, 2025. The Acting District Engineer also missed that meeting.
These absences stalled critical discussions on the accountability of shs1 billion allocated for road works in the 2023/24 financial year, as well as planning for the current fiscal year.
Expressing frustration over the CAO’s absence, Dr. Opio stated: “I sent an invite to the CAO and the District Engineer, but they neither attended nor sent apologies or representatives. We have roads meant for FY 22/23 and FY 23/24 that are yet to be completed, yet we are approaching the end of the third quarter [of 2024/25].”
He revealed receiving petitions from over 1,000 residents concerning four specific roads—Ngetta-Alito, Barpii-Anekapiri, Aboke Ginnery-Opeta, and Alyat-Aweingwec-Ocokcan—which remain impassable despite allocated funds.
“We are wondering if the money is still there or has been diverted,” Dr. Opio added. The MPs allege that the absenteeism by the CAO and District Engineer began after the discovery of over shs200 million unaccounted for in road project Bills of Quantities (BOQs) last year, alongside reports of inflated costs.
Peter Ocen emphasized that no road construction has begun for the financial year 2024/25, even though shs750 million remain unutilized in the district account.
“The roads are in a state of disrepair, and the work completed thus far is substandard and unfinished,” he remarked. “It is evident that we lack a CAO who is committed to delivering services.”
Ocen also disclosed that over shs1 billion designated for development initiatives in health, education, and borehole drilling has been delayed due to intentional holdups in contract awards, jeopardizing the potential return of these funds to the consolidated fund.
The Members of Parliament and local leaders are calling for the immediate reassignment of the CAO due to negligence, incompetence, and the undermining of government initiatives. They are also requesting a meeting with the Minister of Works and the Minister of Local Government to discuss the ongoing road crisis.
Additional requests include the suspension of further funds to the Acting District Engineer until all unaccounted funds are returned, the provision of a detailed work plan and equipment schedule, the assurance of community involvement in road projects, and the establishment of fuel monitoring systems for equipment usage.
They have also sought assistance from the Ministry of Works to supply road equipment or to grant waivers for hiring machinery to expedite the process.
When asked by this publication to confirm his transfer, CAO Emmanuel Soita Wamburu declined to comment, stating that it was “not important for the journalist to know.”
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