Blame-games and extortion hit Amolatar cattle restocking

Last Updated 1 hour ago by tnd News, Uganda

Amolatar | Blame-game and extortion allegations took centre stage on Monday as Members of Parliament confronted local officials over the delayed cattle restocking programme in Amolatar district.

Lawmakers who visited the Chief Administrative Officer (CAO), Rhoda Oroma, discovered widespread corruption claims.

The technical wing accuses Gombolola Internal Security Officers (GISOs) of hijacking the programme and inserting their own names among the beneficiaries despite not being vulnerable.

Meanwhile, security officials allege that parish chiefs are extorting money from residents, while sub-county chiefs are threatening staff to force their own relatives into the program.

Despite the claims, Amolatar CAO stated that the project is moving forward. Principal Assistant Secretary Susan Acio reported that shs255 million was released to benefit 425 vulnerable people.

These include the elderly, disabled, child-headed families, and former war abductees. Out of these, 329 people have been approved, 51 have been paid, and 92 new names are being verified to replace those who were rejected.

Amolatar IT officer Anthony Okello blamed the slow payments on recent system shutdowns.

CAO Oroma urged MPs to lobby the government to lift livestock movement restrictions.

Currently, cattle cannot cross the ferry from Nakasongola to Amolatar, preventing beneficiaries from buying cows, even though movement in the opposite direction is allowed.

Kyoga County MP Collins Angwech stated that parliamentarians are investigating whether the allocated funds are actually enough to purchase the required five cows per beneficiary.

She also urged farmers to pick up government hand hoes arriving soon at sub-county offices.

Kyoga North MP Geoffrey Ocen Kiring warned that the Prime Minister’s deadline to complete all first-phase payments on June 15 may not be met.

He noted that while the wider Lango sub-region stands at an 89.3% payment completion rate, Amolatar is lagging behind with only one ward accessed so far.

Local leaders have just days left to clear the pending files and pay the remaining beneficiaries.