Kashari MP Itungo probed over missing school Transformer

Amos Tayebwa

Mbarara

The Kashari South Member of Parliament, Nathan Twesigye Itungo is in panic after the Statehouse Anti-corruption Unit picked interest to conduct an investigation over an alleged missing Transformer that was allocated to Bukiro Seed Secondary School by the Ministry of Energy and Mineral Development.

This comes after several reports and complaints made by locals, school administration and other stakeholders who accuse the Legislator for allegedly picking the Transformer from the ministry that was meant for Bukiro Seed Secondary School but never delivered it.

According to available information, in 2022 the Ministry of Energy and Mineral Development allocated 1 X200kVA/33kV Transformer for Bukiro Seed Secondary School under Rural Electrification Program.

This was after the Member of Parliament for Kashari South Itungo who approached the Rural Electrification Programme for a transformer to supply the school which was already equipped with computers .

His request was positively responded to, and around October 2022, he signed for the transformer and picked it from the Ministry’s stores.

However, the legislator is being accused by the Ministry, locals and fellow leaders for the failure to deliver the transformer to the school.

It is alleged that when the legislator picked the Transformer, he personally kept it for reasons that are not yet known by the public.

On 23rd January, 2024, Irene Bateebe, the Permanent Secretary Ministry of Energy and Mineral Development wrote MP Itungo reminding him and requesting him to deliver the transformer to the school for installation before the new term could begin in February 2024.

This reminder was made for a further reference that was made to a delivery note No. 526 dated 14th October 2022.

Earlier, on 20th November 2023, the ministry inspected the site and noted that the Legislator had not yet delivered the transformer to the school for installation and to serve the intended purpose. Up to date, the Transformer has not yet been delivered, the school still operates in the darkness.

Bukiro Seed Secondary School is located in Bukiro Town Council in Mbarara District and was constructed, furnished and commissioned on 15th March 2022.

Due to lack of power in the School, on 9th January, 2024 unknown people broke into the computer Laboratory and 16 Central Processing Units, 06 monitors and 05 mousses all valued at UGX. 38,400,000 were stolen.

The case was registered at Mbarara District Police Station . And the Police recommended that the Government should immediately install power to improve lighting in the school for security purposes.

According to locals, they have made several reports against MP Itungo over transformer fate , and this has alerted the Statehouse Anti-corruption unit to intervene.

“As the school administration, we are aware that the ministry allocated a transformer for our school and it was the MP Itungo’s mandate to deliver it but since then we have never received it. We received a copy of a letter that was written to Hon. Nathan Itungo requesting him to deliver the transformer that he collected from the rural electrification office stores, but it appears he actually picked the Transformer but he has not delivered it. The permanent secretary was writing to him and copied me in but since then there is no response from the Legislator, we are still in the darkness,” said the Headteacher Bukiro Seed Secondary School.

Tom Karuhanga, the Mayor Bukiro Town Council said that the public is aware that MP Itungo collected the transformer from the ministry but they don’t know its whereabouts.

“The MP is the one who requested for the Transformer from the ministry. The Transformer was released but he has never delivered it. What hurts us is that since we sent him to the Parliament for this term, he has never convened any meeting with us as local leaders. We now want the Statehouse Anti-corruption Unit to take up this matter against MP Itungo so that he can deliver the Transformer because the school that was meant for is suffering due to lack of power. We have already lost some items in the school due to lack of enough security including lighting. If there were security lights within the school there wouldn’t be that kind of insecurity. Let the MP be held accountable about this transformer,” said Karuhanga, the Mayor Bukiro Town Council.

Enoth Rwambagwerire, one of the stakeholders from Bukiro Town Council mentioned that the transformer was meant to supply power to the Seed School and some neighbouring areas that include Kakondo and Kaziga but all these areas are in total darkness.

Rwambagwerire further said that the legislator has made it intentionally to hide the transformer so that he delivers it in late 2025 towards the elections so that he can use it as a campaign tool something that the people of Kashari South intends not accept.

“We are mobilizing as a community to cause a demonstration against the legislator if he doesn’t want to release that transformer. It’s our asset that is supposed to serve our community especially in supporting our children’s academics at Bukiro Seed Secondary School,” said Rwambagwerire.

According to the sources, the locals accuse MP Itungo of not supporting its existence.

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