Three arrested, Mayor under scrutiny over extortion during the Kabale market allocation process.

Three committee members of the Kabale new Central Market Allocation Committee have today been arrested on charges of misconduct and gross extortion during the market allocation process.
The individuals apprehended include Andrew Bijja the health inspector of Kabale Municipality, Wilson Agaba the Chairman of the Relocations team, and Alex Muhumuza another member of the registration team.
These arrests were made under the direct orders of Honorable Raphael Magyezi, the Local Government Minister, who personally visited Kabale to address the issues raised in the investigative report prepared by Ronald Bakak, the Kabale Deputy Resident District Commissioner together with the committee that was instituted by the minister including other officials from the Ministry of Local Government.
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The formation of the committee came about in January 2023 after numerous vendors voiced their concerns regarding the alleged mishandling of the relocation exercise by municipal authorities, led by Mayor Emmanuel Sentaro Byamigisha and Prossy Tuhiriirwe, the Assistant Program Officer in Charge of Community Development in the Ministry of Local Government.
Vendors claimed that municipal leaders had accepted bribes ranging from 2 to 50 million shillings in exchange for selling stalls and lockups to unidentified individuals, civil servants, and even their own relatives.
Overwhelming complaints and allegations dominated following the minister’s lengthy interviews conducted with various vendors during a special meeting on Sunday at Kabale Golf Course Makanga, specifically dedicated to hearing the grievances of the affected vendors. During this gathering, 36 vendors stood up and openly accused Byamugisha Sentaro, Andrew Baija, Muhumuza, Agaba, and Fidelis Akankwasa, the Kabale Municipality Commercial Officer, of engaging in extortionary practices.
As the meeting progressed, Baija, Muhumuza, and Agaba found themselves giving conflicting statements in an attempt to defend themselves against the accusations. Unable to ascertain the truth amidst the contradictory testimonies, Minister Magyezi made the decision to order their immediate arrest. Despite Fidelis Akankwasa being on the run, he too was pursued and apprehended under Magyezi's directive.
Furthermore, Minister Magyezi announced that a thorough investigation would be carried out to examine the conduct of Byamugisha and other officials affiliated with the Ministry of Local Government who were responsible for overseeing the market allocation exercise.
The suspects were promptly whisked away and detained at Kabale Central Police Station, where they await further legal proceedings. It is worth noting that the Kabale central market underwent an extensive renovation project valued at 23 billion shillings, awarded to the Chinese company Chong Chong International Construction (CICO) in 2019. The project, which received funding from the World Bank through the Markets and Agricultural Trade Improvement Program (MATIP III), was successfully completed and handed over to the government in December 2022, marking an important milestone for the region's market infrastructure.
ENDS///////////////////
Nobert Ndyamuhakyi

[@joshomweitira7425]

Proudly mukiga

[@joshomweitira7425]

Kabale niyoweitu

[@katsammy3449]

We are frank and that's our nature.

[@mutabazidavis9861]

He's just promising

[@KojjaMbale]

am seeing them in town why, they are supposed to be in jail, it was just pretending