Isingiro Chairman Denies Bribery in Performance Rankings

Isingiro District LC5 Chairman, Alone Turahi, has strongly refuted allegations suggesting that local government officials engaged in bribery to secure favorable positions in national performance rankings from the Office of the Prime Minister (OPM).

These accusations emerged after the State Minister for Local Government, Balaam Barugahara, expressed skepticism regarding the integrity of some district performance scorecards during a recent tour of the Ankole sub-region. He cited resident concerns about accountability and service delivery as the basis for his doubts, stating that investigations were underway into claims of local leaders purchasing these reports to mask poor performance.

In response, Chairman Turahi asserted that Isingiro’s commendable performance ranking is a genuine reflection of the district’s diligent civil servants, effective leadership, and robust monitoring systems. He argued that the district’s achievements should be evaluated against established assessment indicators, not unsubstantiated claims.

Turahi emphasized that such allegations unjustly tarnish the district’s recognized efforts and that the performance indicators speak for themselves, firmly rejecting the bribery accusations. He also addressed the ongoing interdiction of several senior technical officials within the district, including the Chief Administrative Officer and the District Engineer, who are under investigation for alleged financial mismanagement and irregularities in multi-billion shilling projects.

The Chairman clarified that these interdictions, which stem from concerns about financial accountability and project implementation, do not invalidate the district’s performance ranking. Instead, he stated, they demonstrate the functionality of accountability mechanisms within the local government. Investigations into these administrative and financial matters are continuing, with central government anti-corruption bodies involved.

This situation highlights ongoing efforts to ensure transparency and accountability in local government operations across Uganda.