Leaked audio recordings of meetings among Kabale district officials have exposed a well-orchestrated plot involving the now-interdicted Kabale district water officer, Patience Aharinta Twine, and senior procurement officer, Mercy Atuhaire, to embezzle government funds through fictitious projects and irregular procurements.
Both officials were interdicted after being implicated in the diversion of funds meant for the construction of new headquarters for Kitumba sub-county. Aharinta was suspended earlier this month following the exposure of a plan to defraud the government through a fictitious Rukurura Gravity Flow Scheme in Butanda sub-county.
The district had received Shs 155 million in the 2023/2024 financial year to implement the project, aimed at improving access to safe water. However, it was discovered that the project already existed, having been constructed by the Diocese of Kigezi.
A whistleblower alerted the diocese, which protested against the district’s attempt to commission the completed project as new. Further trouble surfaced when the minister for the Presidency, Milly Babirye Babalanda, visited Kabale in February 2025 and witnessed the poor implementation of the Buramba Gravity Flow Scheme in Kahungye sub-county.
Investigations also revealed that Shs 127 million meant for the Burambira Gravity Flow Scheme in Kaharo sub-county in 2022/2023 had been diverted, despite the diocese having already developed Burambira’s water system. Atuhaire’s troubles escalated after she opposed Kabale chief administrative officer (CAO) John Asiimwe’s directive to initiate direct procurement of livelihood items for farmers who voluntarily vacated wetlands.
She also resisted attempts to cancel the contract awarded to Bonnar Construction Company Limited for the construction of the new Kitumba sub-county headquarters. Sources indicate the cancellation attempt followed the contractor’s refusal to pay a Shs 20 million bribe.
Leaked meeting recordings
URN obtained audio recordings of a December 2024 meeting at the district headquarters between CAO John Asiimwe, Kabale District LC V chairman Nelson Nshangabasheija, and natural resources officer Henry Tumwesigye. In the recordings, Aharinta discloses that the water department had been allocated Shs 273 million for the 2024/2025 financial year.
Nshangabasheija suggests using only Shs 200 million for the rehabilitation of gravity flow schemes, proposing that the balance be shared among district officials.
The audio captures Nshangabasheija instructing Tumwesigye to distribute Shs 52 million among key district stakeholders, including the CAO, the chairman, the natural resources officer, officials from the auditor’s office, the deputy CAO, the chief finance officer, and representatives from the ministry of Water.
Tumwesigye agrees to the arrangement. Nshangabasheija also claims that it was routine for department heads to share released funds. In another part of the recording, Nshangabasheija and Asiimwe are heard ordering Aharinta to establish a new gravity flow scheme in Kisibo, Katuna town council, citing personal interests.
When Aharinta objected, pointing out that a functional scheme already existed, Nshangabasheija instructed Asiimwe to replace her for “insubordination”, a request Asiimwe promised to fulfill.
A January 2025 recording further implicates Asiimwe, who is heard ordering Atuhaire to initiate direct procurement of livelihood items worth Shs 1.481 billion under the Green Climate Fund Project, intended for farmers vacating wetlands.
Asiimwe justified the move by suggesting it would allow them to “get some balance to their pockets.” Atuhaire warned that direct procurement could trigger scrutiny from the Public Procurement and Disposal of Public Assets Authority (PPDA).
In the same recording, Asiimwe allegedly ordered Atuhaire to cancel Bonnar Construction’s contract after the contractor reportedly refused to pay a bribe, a directive Atuhaire resisted, citing that only the contracts committee had the authority to cancel contracts.
Official responses
When contacted, CAO John Asiimwe denied ever conspiring with Nshangabasheija and others to misappropriate project funds. He claimed Aharinta’s interdiction was simply to facilitate investigations, not to harass her.
Asiimwe also stated that Atuhaire was not dismissed but reassigned to handle technical work due to a heavy workload. Regarding the direct procurement controversy, Asiimwe admitted initially supporting the method for its “simplicity,” but said funding was later suspended following whistleblower complaints.
He also denied cancelling Bonnar Construction’s contract, insisting that the project work is still ongoing. Kabale District LC V chairman Nelson Nshangabasheija did not respond to multiple calls seeking his comment. Kabale Resident District Commissioner (RDC) Godfrey Nyakahuma confirmed that his office is investigating multiple allegations of corruption.
Nyakahuma said he had instructed Asiimwe to submit a report detailing the funds spent on preparing designs for the fictitious Rukurura Gravity Flow Scheme, but by the time of reporting, Asiimwe had not yet provided the report.
These are leaders of communities in the Western province that have been given administrative powers to do what they want in terms of having more parliamentary constituents and many more districts. It seems such political liberties have only generated NRM blatant corruption in such areas that currently have over 260 Members of Parliament in the whole country of Uganda!
But these stories are the same all over the country. Take PDM for instance, perhaps the only place we have not heard rampant theft is Kampala.
kabayekka, thanks.
Uganda isn’t a country any more, but Rwandese Museveni’s family business. It’s Ugandans ensuring this & it’s only them, but in UNITY as ONE PEOPLE with ONE National/Common Leader, will have the POWER to stop Museveni, then put in place the kind of governance they want!
But Ugandans are afraid to live without Museveni & are doing everything to ensure his lifetime rule & succession by his son in the waiting.
Museveni & family business is protected, assured fully by POWERLESS tribally divided ruled Ugandans who bolster him with fake elections, fake peace, so who will get rid of him & to impose who on Ugandans who don’t have Common nor National Goals?
Is that news….. if every where theh are sharing why not them….. the only problem is that the common person is down suffering while them theh are are living lavishly……but hiv is waiting for them.