Several people in Rukungiri District have accused Senior Presidential Advisor on Agriculture and Local People, Peace Rugambwa, of failing to pay them for services they say they provided under her Boona Bageigahare Nyekundire programme between 2019 and 2021. The complainants say the alleged unpaid bills have left them facing mounting debts and financial losses.
They made the allegations at a press conference at Rukungiri Inn Hotel in Rukungiri Municipality. The group includes Rukungiri District Business Community Chairperson Chrysostom Byaruhanga Rwakaana; Burama Vocational School founder, Engineer Edward Tumusiime; former programme secretary Dinah Kyarimpa; and Tukesiga Moses Rwakakyaka.
The complainants claim the programme collected 12,000 shillings from members of the public as a registration fee. They allege that more than 40,000 people in Rukungiri and other parts of the Kigezi and Ankole sub-regions were affected.
Engineer Tumusiime says Rugambwa brought 220 students to Burama Vocational School in Bikurungu Town Council for a year of skills training. He says Rugambwa signed a memorandum of understanding with the school and told him the students were sponsored by State House, with payment to be made through General Salim Saleh. Tumusiime says he has not been paid and is seeking 158 million shillings.
CUE IN………………….TUMUSIIME — RR/ENG
Dinah Kyarimpa says she worked as Rugambwa’s secretary for three years, helping collect the programme’s registration fees. She says she left after going 18 months without receiving her salary. Kyarimpa says she is owed 8.1 million shillings in wages, based on a monthly salary of 450,000 shillings.
CUE IN………………KYARIMPA — RR
Byaruhanga Chrysostom Rwakaana says Rugambwa occupied two rooms at his house on Kinyasano Road for three years without paying rent. He claims the arrears total 10.8 million shillings.
CUE IN…………………RWAKAANA — RR
Meanwhile, Rwakakyaka questioned Rukungiri District LC5 Chairperson Andrewson Katebire over a letter reportedly written to Rugambwa, praising her work and development projects in the district.
Rwakakyaka says that recognition should be considered alongside the unpaid-debt claims raised by the complainants.
CUE IN…………………RWAKAKYAKA — RR
The complainants are asking State House to investigate their claims and help them recover the money they say they are owed. By press time, Rugambwa had not commented on the allegations.
