By Irene Kirabo
The Chief Administrative Officer Kitagwenda has cleared Medard Ndinawe, the former Community Development Officer (CDO) in Kitagwenda district local government, who was accused of embezzling six million Shillings that was meant to support People with Disabilities (PWDs). The funds, released during the last financial year of 2022/23, were intended to benefit three groups of PWDs in the district.
It was alleged that the money was not disbursed to the intended beneficiaries. Following the allegations, Ndinawe was asked to refund the money.
However, investigations carried about by the District Public Accounts Committee (DPAC), the district had not received the funds at the time, and that the beneficiaries were supposed to receive the funds directly from the Ministry of Gender, Labour and Social Development and not at the district level. “There was misrepresentation regarding the PWD grants in question. This followed the changes in the guidelines that require beneficiaries of such special grants to access the funds at the national level and not the district level. This matter was settled and resolved amicably by the district authorities,” read a letter signed by David Tumwine, the CAO.
More than 5,000 persons living with disabilities are set to benefit from the National Special Interest grant.
In 2020, the government established the National Special Grant of 5 Billion Shillings to benefit people living with disabilities.
The grant aims to improve the livelihood of People with Disabilities (PWDs), where 5 million Shillings is provided to enterprises run by small groups of between five and ten people with Disabilities.
The programme that started with a budget of 2.1 billion Shillings was enhanced to 16.6 billion Shillings in the financial year 2021/22.