Kyaggwe county education officers under probe for selling school bursaries

Kyaggwe, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT  |  The new Kyaggwe County head (Ssekiboobo) Elijah Mulembya has instructed the county speaker Jonathan Ntulume to investigate two officials at the county’s education department on allegations of selling school bursaries. 

The accused officials are; Lilian Tendo and James Charles Kizito who have been in-charge of the department for the last five years. The department has been closed for the last two months since the allegations reached Ssekiboobo’s office.

Mengo government gives out school bursaries through the Kabaka’s Education Fund-KEF to improve the quality of life and education in Buganda. They are accessed at Mengo education offices, counties and sub county levels.

Children are required to fill the forms which they attach with photocopies of the student’s identity card from his former institutions, PLE pass slip, two passport size photos.

The bursaries are mainly given to children from very poor backgrounds,  but bright and highly excelling. However, the county leadership learnt that the two officials have been selling the bursaries for between Shillings 500, 000 to 1,500, 000.  Ssekiboobo notes that his office also established that these officials opened up an office where they have been transacting deals under the disguise of KEF.

He further notes that about 10 people reported to his office cases of fraud in the bursary scheme at Kyaggwe raising suspicion that instigated investigations. Once the investigations are done a report shall be submitted to the county executive for discussion to decide the next action.

Kizito, one of the accused officer dismisses the claims saying that apart from serving the education department of Kyaggwe, he has also been managing another office lobbying bursaries for children especially in Mukono district. He reveals that county officials are aware of the office but they instead chose to politicize the matter.

Ntulume warned that they are tracing all of people in the racket and they shall be brought to book.                                 

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URN