By Leonard Kamugisha Akida,
KAMPALA:
The Mbarara City North County MP Robert Mwesigwa Rukaaari is on the spot after six people petitioned the speaker of parliament accusing him of misappropriating shillings 10,225,710,000 billion meant to compensate for their land in Isingiro.
The petitioners include Muganga Stephen, Vital Mukarago, Mikaragye Paul, Hillary Twesiga, Jerald Gutesa and Mirenge Frank. They are the former proprietors of land in Isingiro District currently occupied by the refugees.
In June 2018, Government decided to compensate them up to a tune of 13 billion shillings for acquisition of their land.
The petitioners through their lawyers of Kakuru & Co. Advocates allege that when government decided to compensate them, Rukaari went and convinced them through his company, American Procurement Company Inc (AMPROC Inc) to give him the powers of Attorney to receive the payment from government on their behalf.
According to a petition filed to the speaker, MP Rukaari received over UShs 10 billion from the government and has never paid any penny to the petitioners.
“From June 13, 2018 and 11th May, 2020, Hon Robert Mwesigwa Rukaari through his companies AMPROC Inc and Mwesigwa Robert Ltd received a total of Ugx 10,255,710,000 (Ten billion two hundred fifty five million, seven hundred ten thousand only) equivalent to 75.5% of their entitlement and not a single coin was remitted to the petitioners,” read excerpts of the petition.
The petitioners say that after realizing that no remittance was given to them by MP Rukaari, they revoked the power of Attorney to his company and lodged a complaint to the Permanent Secretary, ministry of lands who stopped remittances to AMPROC Inc and started remitting the balance directly to their personal accounts.
They have since received Shillings 1,372,067,400 billion (One billion three hundred seventy two million sixty seven thousand four hundred shillings only)and are yet to receive the remaining balance of 1,951,704,000 (One billion nine hundred fifty one million seven hundred four thousand shillings only)
On June 9, 2020, they petitioned president Museveni and on October22, 2020, they were invited to the state house by the State House Legal Officer Flora Kiconco over the said petition who promised them that the matter was to be resolved promptly.
“Its now over 13 months and she has never contacted the petitioners again,” the petition read in part,
They have thus opted to petition Speaker Jacob Oulanya seeking for his intervention in this matter.
“The petitioners are seeking your (Speaker Oulanyah) kind intervention in this matter by directing Hon. Robert Mwesigwa Rukaari to refund the misappropriated funds. They lost about 75.5% of their entitlement which was public funds appropriated by parliament to a member of parliament.”
In a petition, the petitioners say that one of them, Mirenge Frank, is now deceased adding that if he had received his right share of funds, he perhaps would have received better treatment in a better hospital.
Meanwhile, MP Rukaari has said that the petitioners are politicking adding that the petition should have been taken to court not parliament.
“This is a misguided petition, the remedy for their grievances should be before courts of law, not parliament. They are just politicking, hoping to derail me. They raised the same matter during campaigns, and it backfired.” Rukaari said.
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