The Apac Anti-Corruption Coalition (TAACC) Project Title: Strengthening citizens capacity to demand for accountability in public service delivery.

Transcription

1 The Apac Anti-Corruption Coalition (TAACC) Project Title: Strengthening citizens capacity to demand for accountability in public service delivery. Contract Number: 0119_TAACC First Quarter, 2015 June-September Contact person Partner Address: Opwonya Tom P.O.Box 64, Apac Uganda Plot 11, ASDI Building, Republic Road, Apac town Telephone: / Website: theapacanticorruptioncoalition@gmail.com theapacanticorruptioncoalition@yahoo.com info@taacc.org.ug Send Feedback to smeo@dgf.ug 1 P a g e

2 The Apac Anti Corruption Coalition September 2015 Basic Project Information Profile Name of project Strengthening citizens capacity to demand for accountability in public service delivery. Project goal and objectives Goal: To strengthen local accountability mechanism for effective service delivery to the people of Uganda. Objectives: 1. Empowering the citizens from the project target area to access information, monitor and engage duty bearers to provide better services to them. Location of the project Geographical coverage Contract start date Contract end date 2. Strengthening the capacity of local activists and anti corruption agencies in the project target area to provide effective oversight roles on public service delivery. Apac, Kole and Oyam districts directly targeted. Lira, Dokolo, Amolatar, Alebtong, Otuke and Kiryandongo districts indirectly targeted through overlapping impact (Through radio, TVs, Print & Electronic media). Northern Uganda. 1 st October th June P a g e

3 Planned budget for the reporting period Ugx 60,233,754/= Actual expenditure for the reporting period Ugx 55,310,737/= Executive Summary: The DGF funded project uses community based approach. It has the aim of mobilizing and building the capacity of the target communities in Apac, Kole and Oyam Districts of Lango sub region to track public resource utilizations and address accountability issues in their communities. The project aims at creating solidarity between the community, civil society organizations, activists and other institutions to raise and advocate on issues of accountability in all sectors of the economy of Uganda, particularly in the target areas of Oyam, Kole and Apac districts. The intervention attracts the attention of leaders and all Ugandans indirectly through the media (Local FM radio stations, National Televisions like NTV, WBS and others print media like the daily monitor news paper that work closely with The Apac Anticorruption Coalition (TAACC). During the project implementation, TAACC takes care of cross cutting development issues like HIV/AIDS, Gender, Youth, Civic Education and addresses the land rights issues of the majority voiceless so that their voices are heard by the duty bearers and acted upon. To promote inclusive participation, TAACC trained 216 community Independent Budget Monitors (IBMs) composed of men, women, youth, People living with HIV/AIDS, the disabled persons and other disadvantaged group in order to address all the issues affecting the different categories of people. TAACC emphasizes on evidence to hold leaders accountable. To date, TAACC has handled with success the cases of the mismanagement of the Youth Livelihood Funds, the re stocking project, the CDD fund as well as the mismanagement of the NUSAF 11 funds in the target three districts amongst other outstanding successes with the support of the trained IBMs by causing the duty bearers to act on the issues exposed. The approach has promoted the target communities ownership of the process of holding leaders accountable and demanding accountability as enshrined in the constitution of the Republic of Uganda. In turn the communities have witnessed some transparency and improvement in service delivery. During the quarter from July September 2015, TAACC s trained community Independent Budget Monitors (IBMs) from the target 03 districts have monitored, engaged leaders and exposed 70 cases from 58 service points (41 cases reported through the IBMs and 29 cases directly reported to TAACC s office by the empowered citizens). Otherwise, in the previous quarter of April - June 2015, a total of 73 corruption cases were exposed. This means there was a slight reduction by 03 in the number of the cases reported to TAACC this quarter in comparison. 3 P a g e

4 1. Alignment to DGF Partnership Results Partnership Outputs Indicators Current status (gender disaggregate) 3.1 Enhanced citizen competence and confidence to demand better service delivery from local and national government Number of cases of misuse of public resources reported to and referred by DGF partners to the relevant authorities Number of policy proposals presented by DGF supported partners to relevant government institutions at national level. Plus qualitative explanations. The trained IBMs reported 41 corruption cases and poor service delivery from 58 service points. Up to 29 cases were reported directly to TAACC office during the quarter of July September TAACC managed to follow a total of 29 cases in the target districts of Apac, Oyam and Kole and concluded 07 cases. Total of 09 cases (07 males & 02 female) were referred to the CIID. Five (05) cases were referred to Apac Magistrate s Court (04 men & 01 woman) and two (02) referred to the Office of the RDC Apac, while one (01) man was referred to Land and Equity Movement in Uganda (LEMU) Apac Office and one (01) female to Campaign Against Domestic Violence in the Community (CADOVIC) Apac Network during the quarter. Otherwise, the other cases were on service deliveries to the general community that TAACC cannot easily disaggregate. TAACC presented a paper on the performance of the national and local government budgets for FY 2014/2015 at Margaritha Hotel in Lira with a number of recommendations to the Ministry of Finance on 10 th September The presentation had evidences of poor budget performances in Apac, Kole, Alebtong, Lira and Dokolo districts. The recommendations stressed areas that GoU and the local governments should direct resources to improve service delivery in Uganda. TAACC s presentation sparked overwhelming debate with the Commissioner, Ministry of Finance applauding TAACC for clearly bringing out issues in the Health, Education, and Agriculture to be addressed. The Commissioner gave directives on the areas that Local Governments should put resources for effective service deliveries. CAOs, LC.Vs, DHOs, PHROs, Secretaries of Finance, RDCs and key government leaders from the 9 districts of Lango Sub Region attended the Regional consultative Conference. 4 P a g e

5 2. Progress towards planned activities and outputs Project output/ expected results. Planned activity Performance against planned implementation Variance and explanation (if any) RAG status 3.1 Enhanced citizen Activity 1: competence and confidence to demand Facilitate Monitoring of better service delivery Public Expenditure and from local and national Service Delivery in government. TAACC public sectors has been using different approaches to empower citizens in Kole, Oyam and Apac to monitor and demand for accountability from the service providers with the aim of having improved service delivery. The trained 216 community Independent Budget Monitors (IBMs) from the 03 districts monitored, engaged and reported corruption and poor service deliveries during the quarter of July September A total of 41 cases were reported from 58 service points monitored, where Apac had 11 cases, Oyam 30 cases and Kole district had 12 cases reported. TAACC had 29 cases directly reported to its offices by the already empowered community who have realised their constitutional roles to monitor and report ineffectiveness (Ref. the daily case log book of TAACC in the Office). It was difficult to record all the cases reported sometimes at odd hours through phone calls to individual staffs of TAACC. Most of the cases reported were in the areas of Education, Health, Roads, water and other community projects like the Re-stocking programmes and Youth livelihood funds. Examples of the cases monitored and reported to TAACC during the quarter are: A total of 41 cases of Corruption and Poor Service delivery were reported by the trained IBMs of TAACC (10, from Apac, 29 from Oyam and 12 from Kole) districts. While 28 were reported directly to the office of TAACC. (27 from Apac and 01 from Kole district). Many cases were reported directly to TAACC office from Apac because of the short distance to the Office. In the last quarter of March June 2015, TAACC received 43 cases from the IBM and 30 cases were directly reported to TAACC office. Otherwise, TAACC had no 1. The alleged payment of Ugx. 210,000/= target set on the number of by one Awidi Janet, a Sub County cases to be received per 5 P a g e

6 Election Supervisor in connivance with Apac district Registrar to a ghost worker in the name of Atala Semmy purported to have worked in Owang Borehole polling station, Owang Cell in Apac Sub- County, Apac District. 2. The alleged mismanagement of the community contributions totaling Ugx 361,000/= by the LC.1 Chairpersons of Akali Parish, Abongomola Sub County, Apac District. The said money was meant to construct Akali Health Centre II. The IBMs of Abongomola Sub County recovered Ugx. 158,500/= of the 361,000/= during the quarter. 3. The incomplete kitchen at Akokoro Health Centre III by Mid- North Construction Company yet Ugx. 30 million was given for the work in Akokoro Sub County, Apac district. 4. The refusal to release Ugx. 5.6 million shillings already approved by the Akokoro Sub-County Council to Akokoro Health Centre III for repairing the ambulance which has been done for 03 years now with only Ugx. 600,000/= of the Ugx. 5.6 million handed to the Officer In Charge of the facility. 5. The alleged receipt of a bribe totaling quarter. However, this quarter TAACC received fewer cases from the previous of March June 2015 by 03 cases. Many cases from Oyam district were not followed compared to the 02 districts because the Field Focal Officer of Oyam district Tonny Okwir resigned to join politics and he is currently campaigning for the seat of MP for Kole North Constituency. 6 P a g e

7 Ugx 150,000/= by the Electoral Commission enrollment officer of Abongomola Sub County, Apac district. M/s Nimukunda Immaculate is said to have demanded the bribe to offer the Job of display Officers to 03 people (Bwana Daniel, Ogwal Bob and one Calvin) of Abany Parish. The 03 people did not again get the said job. The IBMs intervened and M/s Nimukunda refunded the 150,000/= to the owners on 19 th /07/ The failure by Christine Abong, Chairperson of Alira Joint Women s Group to hand over the group Assets (0 4 rolls of barbed wire,02 wheel barrows,13 spades, 10 watering cans etc ) in Alira Parish, Aduku Sub-county Apac District. The IBMs worked with the CDO and recovered the group Assets. Fresh elections were held for the group following the action. 7. The reported grabbing of 02 fish per boat every Monday by the enforcement team sent to stop illegal fishing gears on Lake Kioga, Ayeolyec Parish in Akokoro Sub County, Apac District. 8. The removal of some Sub County Assets by the staff and some Councilors (01 Bajaj motorcycle taken 7 P a g e

8 by the L. C. III Chairman, 01 Honda XL taken by the former CDO M/s Kia Esther, 04 computer lap tops by the L.C. III Chairman Eguny Richmond, one Okure, the former Sub - Accountant, Odong Hedimos former Sub County Chief and Obala Wilfred. 9. The sale of a solar battery by the L.C. III Chairman one Eguny Richmond in collaboration with the Sub - County Chief Wilbert Obala and the taking away of 01 digital camera for the Sub County by one Obira James, a retired NAADS staff. 10. The reported mismanagement of Ugx 420,000/= by the Chairperson, Water user Committee in Otek village, Abedi Parish in Apac Sub County, Apac District. 11. The irregularities in salary payment in Apac district where Ugx. 54,450,673/= was lost by the Senior Accounts Assistant Oduru John.(He fraudulently overpaid Akeba James, Etin Odongo Alex, Atine Ronald, Okot Benson, Okot James, Akwanga Bosco and himself Oduru John).To date, Oduru has been interdicted following TAACC s advocacy during the quarter with effect from 1 st July The 8 P a g e

9 staffs overpaid have committed to pay the excess money received by each of them. 12. The reported shoddy work of drilling water at Anguu in Acaba Parish Oyam district. The shallow well was not functioning. The IBM monitored and reported the matter to the CDO and District Water Officer, who directed the contracted company to re-drill the borehole. 13. The broken down borehole at Akac village, Western Ward, Oyam Town Council in Oyam district. The water source was the district with NUSAF 11 funding for FY 2013 / The source had no water user committee to manage and repair the borehole when it breaks down. The IBM intervened and a water user committee under one Belmos Alango was instituted. They raised Ugx. 190,000/= from the water users and the borehole was repaired during the quarter. 14. The frequent absenteeism / late coming to work at Alao Health Centre 11 by staff (from 01:30 pm 2:00pm ), harassment of patients by the nurses who left the staff quarters for keeping their dove and theft of medicines from 9 P a g e

10 the Health Centre where even the Security guard and Cleaner attend to patients. The IBMs organized a a dialogue with the Officer in -charge and the staff over the matter and reported to the DHO of Oyam district the problems. The DHO acted by transferring the Officer in - charge of the facility and 02 other nurses and replaced them with more committed staffs. To date, services at the Health Centre has improved. 15. The reported diversion of Ugx. 18,000,000/= meant for Obangangeo A village in Acaba Sub County, Oyam District for FY 2012 / Oyam district had to send Technicians following the monitoring and reporting by the IBMs who demarcated the site and took the Chairperson LC 1 of the area one Oyengo Lawrence & Kollo Tom to be trained to handle the borehole. On 19 th /07/2013, a Company called Sumandura was made to drill the water. 16. The misconduct and corrupt tendency of the O/C of Atura Police Post one Aceng Santa monitored by the IBM and reported to the DPC and RDC of Oyam district. The Police O/C was disciplined 10 P a g e

11 and transferred. 17. The fraudulent receipt of 01 cow for the restocking programme by the Parish Chief of Adyegi Parish one Mustapha Ayena who was not a beneficiary. The IBMs intervened, recovered the cow and handed it to the owner M/s Mary Ekweny, a widow of Adyegi Parish in Aber Sub - County Oyam District. 18. The monitored and reported mismanagement of Ugx. 84 million shillings for Ocampar - Opyel road under NUSAF II funding. The project Chairperson, Secretary, Treasurer and the Chairperson LC III of Aber Sub County including the Area Councilor, NUSAF focal person and District Engineer were implicated over the loss of the fund. 19. The monitored and reported mismanagement of Ugx. 7.8 million shillings and the shoddy work on Abudallah Anyuru Community Access Road. The community had cleared the bush as their contribution but the Sub County Chief accounted for the work in cash. He claimed later on that it was poor record keeping for the road finances. 11 P a g e

12 20. The shoddy construction work of a Kitchen at Minakulu Health Centre III, Minakulu Sub -County in Oyam District. 21. The previous lack of clean and safe drinking water at Minakulu Health Centre III. The IBMs intervened and lobbied World Vision Area Development and a new borehole worth 18,000,000/= was drilled at the health facility. 22. The monitored and reported failure to give 02 disabled members of Alolekwe Animal Traction project funded under NUSAF II. The IBMs intervened and the two disabled persons got the oxen and ox ploughs. This was at Alolekwe village, Aceno Parish Minakulu Sub - County Oyam District. 23. The monitored and reported harassment, negligence of duty by one Everline, a Mid Wife at Agulurude Health Centre III where one Susan Odongo took a daughter in-law to deliver and the Midwife locked herself in her house despite being called several times. The mother delivered un attended to and the same happened to Grace Omara. The IBMs organized a dialogue with the In charge and 12 P a g e

13 Midwife Evaline. She promised to reform but the IBMs submitted the same report to the Sub - County Chief and the L.C. III Chairperson of Loro Sub County. 24. The monitored and reported mismanagement of Ugx. 1,300,000/= at Aleka Sub - County Headquarters in Oyam District. 25. The IBMs also monitored and reported on the mismanagement of Ugx. 2,500,000/= PTA fund for constructing the staff house and latrines at Wiagaba Primary School in Aleka Sub County. To date, 05 latrine stances have been constructed and 02 staff houses completed following the IBMs intervention. 26. Then the IBMs monitored and reported on the mismanagement of the PTA funds at Aleka Primary School and the problems of accountability at the Primary School yet one teacher sleeps in a classroom with his family because of lack of staff accommodation. 27. The reported mismanagement of the PTA funds of 2,700,000/=, the poor state of the 02 stances of the pupils latrine, the poor status of the staff 13 P a g e

14 houses and lack of clean water as a result of the mismanagement of the funds at Baromo Primary School, Aleka Sub - County Oyam District. 28. The theft of a solar panel for Abela Health Center II and all the accessories where the Midwife has no option but to use a torch to deliver women in the maternity ward. 29. The reported mismanagement of the water user funds at a borehole by the Chairperson, the Vice and Secretary in Abanya A cell, Pukica Parish in Oyam district. 30. The monitored and reported poor service delivery at Bung Health Centre II, Ayer Sub-county in Kole district where the roof of the facility is blown off since February 2015 and not repaired and the facility lacks medicines with the maternity not functional from the time the roof got blown off. 31. The monitored and reported poor state of class rooms at Abari Primary School including the office. P.5 pupils study in a nearby church with few desks that leave P.1 - P4 sitting on the floor yet there is poor accountability of the PTA 14 P a g e

15 funds collected. 32. They monitored and reported mismanagement of Ugx /= for a 6.2 km Community Access Road from Abari P.7 - Ayor P.7 in Ayer Subcounty in Kole district. The part of the road constructed is rather zigzag to avoid the structures that the powerful people bribed the road constructor to dodge. 33. The mismanagement of the restocking programme in Ayer Sub-county, Kole Town Council where the same beneficiaries who received from the previous lot who are Councilors of Kole Town Council and their relatives were the one who received the animals with Hon. Adyel Levi, the L.C.111 Chairperson of the Town Council receiving 03 cattle, Hon. Angole Moses, the Speaker received 02, the Secretary Education received 01 etc. Other corruption reported is the receipt of Ugx. 100,000/- by one Owera Bonny, the Gombolala Internal Security Officer (GISO) as bribe from the beneficiaries of the free restocking programme etc! 15 P a g e

16 Activity 2: Holding monthly 1 hour accountability radio talk shows on Radio Devine FM & develop Radio spots messages & play to educate listeners. All the above examples and many more form the many corruption cases monitored and reported by the IBMs during July-Sept Some have been concluded while others not concluded. One (1) accountability radio talk show was held on Radio Divine 90.6 FM. talk shows have been pushed The talk show was held on the 13 th August to quarter 02. The reason is 2015 to discuss the alleged mismanagement of the delay in finally approving Uganda road fund worth Ugx.42, 612,610/= for year 03 budgets. Airtime is FY 2014/2015 for the Community Access costly and TAACC did not Road from Anekapiri Market - Alake remote want to exceed the budget that village. will be finally approved. According to the monitoring information that TAACC got, the fund was to be used as follow; 01 Radio talk show was held during the quarter. 02 Radio Witim Alake village road stretch was to cost 8,280,390/=, Anekapiri Market - Obuto village was to cost Ugx. 14,332,220/= The emergency fund provided was Ugx. 20,000,000/=. However, only bush clearing was done on Anekapiri - Obuto road at Ugx. 9, /= as at the 13 th February 2015 leaving the balance of Ugx. 32,612,610/= un accounted for. TAACC mobilized 02 IBMs from Alito Sub - 16 P a g e

17 County to explain their monitoring findings over the road to the public. The listeners were unhappy and 14 callers (01 female and 13 male) contributed to the talk show, condemning, supplementing, giving resolutions and demanding that the leaders should explain the anomaly why the road is not done, yet the fund was released for it. Activity 3: Public / citizen education through Forum Theatre groups, Local Media & IEC Materials One (01) public / citizen education through Forum Theatre was held during the quarter of July September The public education through Forum Theatre was done on the 14 th August It was staged at Anekapiri Market in Alito Sub-County, Kole district. The play ridiculed the leaders for failing to account for the road fund stated to the tune of Ugx 32,612,610/= for Anekapiri - Alake village connection. It presented to the audience what the citizens should do when leaders fail to account for funds and mocked the leaders, presenting how they behave when faced with such accusation of corruption. There is no variance as one (01) public education through Forum Theatre was held as planned. Up to 360 people (134 female and 226 male) attended the play presentation. As it is the methodology of Forum Theatre presentation, discussions followed the presentation. One community member told the Chairman L.C.III 17 P a g e

18 of Alito Sub County Hon. Ocilo Moses that I will not vote for you again in the forth coming general elections of 2016 if our road is not completed I am assuring you, wait and see To TAACC, the very bold assurance from a community member to a leader is a demonstration that the Forum Theatre message was empowering to the public, especially now that the L.C 111 wants to contest as L.C.V Chairman of Kole district in the 2016 general elections. Activity 4: One (01) Rural accountability debate / One (01) rural accountability Kimeeza was held during the quarter and one debate /community Organizing monthly (01) investigative accountability reporting engagement was held rural community debates done during the quarter. The investigative on governance issues, reporting was on the fraudulent irregularities of One (01) investigative recording and airing for the attention of leaders the salary over payment in Apac district local government by the Senior Accounts Assistant Oduru John. The case needed urgent and in depth investigation skills that a Kimeeza could not effectively manage. Otherwise, 1. The public accountability engagement was held on the 14 th August 2015 at Anekapiri Market, Alito Sub-County in Kole district over the mismanaged Uganda road fund totaling Ugx.42, 612,610/= for FY 2014/2015 for the Community Access Road of Anekapiri - Alake village. The members visited accountability reporting was facilitated. It involved the different media houses engaging with Apac district leaders in their offices and not in the field the way TAACC organizes a rural debate. The Ugx ,673/= million fraudulent overpayment was very urgent and needed the approach of investigative journalism other that a DIPF to get the detail of 18 P a g e

19 the road and found that only bush clearing was indeed done on just some part of the road which costed Ugx. 9,800,000/= only. 32,612,610/= was not accounted for. The district Engineer was tasked to explain the matter by RDC Kole district Mr. Oyaa Nahori Awua. On failing to give satisfactory explanation, by the Engineer, the RDC ordered : 1. That the Sub County Chief of Alito Sub County M/s Mistica Atitti should Apac district that they will provide him with the bank statement pay the excess money for the fund on Monday 17 th August received in their accounts 2015 by 08:30 am without fail, fraudulently, each around 10, /=. 2. That the road work on Witim Alake village to begin on Tuesday 18 th August 2015 without fail, 3. That the Engineer of Kole district that was present to ensure that the district grader is delivered at site on Saturday 15 th August 2015 without fail, the fraud which resulted to the interdiction of the Accounts Assistant of Apac district John Oduru who is in charge of salary payments. The other 06 relatives of John Oduru who received the fraudulent salary over payments totaling 54,450,673/= have signed a document committing themselves before the CAO of Facilitating the very successful process above substituted one (01) DIPF / engagements and exhausted the fund for the 2 nd engagement. The 3 rd DIPF is pushed to the 2 nd quarter That failure to do as directed, the DPC of Kole district who was also present should effect arrest on Tuesday 17 on the Sub County Chief, the L.C.111 TAACC had shortage of 01 field staff following the resignation of 01 programme staff to join active politics and 19 P a g e

20 Chairman of Alito Sub County and, the district Engineer of Kole district. He concluded that I am a man of few words but action and closed the engagement! TAACC had to undertake the process of replacing him during the quarter of July Sept Otherwise, Alito Sub County leaders, Kole district key leaders, the IBMs, TAACC member organizations and the community stated above attended the engagement. TAACC facilitated radio Divine and other media houses to cover the engagement. Divine FM 90.6, Waa FM 89.8, Unity FM 97.7, radio Apac FM 92.9, Voice of Lango FM, Rhino FM and the Daily Monitor of 19 th August 2015 extensively reported the issues. Unfortunately, radio Divine FM failed to relay / air the proceeding as it is always done according to the contract that TAACC has signed with radio Divine FM. The reporter attached to TAACC programme apologized that he mistakenly deleted the recording from the recorder as he was editing and was very sorry for the incident. Activity 5: Facilitating quarterly District Integrity Promotional Forum The activity was a continuation of the salary The DIFP was selective and scandal advocacy mentioned above. TAACC strategic as some of the used the different media houses (daily monitor, insiders in Apac district 20 P a g e

21 (DIPF) meetings NTV, WBS, Apac, Divine, Unity, Waa, Voice of Lango, Rupiny newspaper etc) to engage the CAO, RDC, DPC, CIID, PHRO etc of Apac district to unearth and expose the fraud. The matter needed urgent and timely advocacy concentration. TAACC had got information that the executives of Apac district wanted to conceal and protect John Oduru because he is the chief financier of most of the executives according to the source. Part of the Ugx. 54,450,673/= is alleged to have got their way to the said executives. Otherwise, the Senior Accounts Assistant in charge salaries (IFMIS) used his technical skills to defraud the salary earners of Apac district from the months of April, May, Sept, Nov, Dec, 2014 & Jan, Feb TAACC strategically networked with the Principal Human Resource Officer and the media to cause the action explained already during the quarter with very good impact so far. local government were opposed to TAACC s action on the salary scandal. Most of them wanted the recipients of the Ugx 54,450,673/= to refund the money quietly the way one M/s Tusiime Annet, the daughter in law of John Oduru had started to refund the Ugx. 3,000,000/= that she received from the 54, /= fraud. TAACC had to change its approach over the case during the quarter to suit the technicality needed to get the truth and cause leaders to act. Activity 6: Networking, linkages & reporting on accountability issues, web site design & hosting TAACC staff was able to attend 11 networking and linkage forums to share issues of Accountability with other development partners at different levels. Only four (04) networking were planned for the quarter. During the quarter, TAACC posted 33 TAACC planned for four (04) networking and linkages in the quarter of July September However, it had 11 net workings during the quarter. 21 P a g e

22 accountability issues on its website. This included testimonies and upcoming programmes of the coalition including TAACC s reports. The sharing attracted 09 website viewers. The website sharing led to the Managing Director SHAJAPA Technical Works Mr. Ayena Alfred Eyul to come to TAACC and request that TAACC should clear his name over the Ugx. 76 million staff house that TAACC posted in their report and has made dfcu bank to deny him service. Ayela Alfred Eyul apologized that he had lent his company to the wife of Apac district Engineer who did the shoddy work and will not repeat such action. He told TAACC that because he wanted the name of his company to be clean, he corrected the work following the information that Andrew Egac Owiny of dfcu forwarded to him over the matter. Other networking over the social media during the quarter also had good impact as explained in this section of the report already. 3. General progress (maximum 1 ½ pages): Progress towards results: From July - September 2015, a total of 41 cases of corruption and poor service delivery in the target 03 Districts were exposed through the trained IBMs. TAACC received 29 cases directly reported to its office, hence 70 cases during the quarter. Some cases were reported through direct phone calls to individual staff as well. TAACC still has a challenge in quantifying the cases received through phone calls. Most complainants prefer calling at odd time when the network is offering callers good % tage discount. This is always late at night. TAACC and the IBMs managed to follow 29 cases and concluded 07 cases successfully. Other cases were referred to other stakeholders during the quarter as explained already. It is still difficult to track those that have been concluded after referrals. Below is the diagrammatic representation of the cases handled by TAACC during the quarter of July September 2015: 22 P a g e

23 Figure 1: Above shows the number of cases reported to TAACC from Apac, Oyam and Kole districts from July - September 2015 and their status. TAACC caused the recovery of public funds stolen during the quarter. For instance, from July September 2015, TAACC caused the recovery of Ugx 30, 8000/=. Also, during the same period, TAACC exposed the fraudulent overpayment of the staff salaries with the support of the PHRO of Apac district from April, May, September, November, December 2014 & January 2015 totalling Ugx 54,450,673/=. Part of the said money has been recovered while the concerned staffs have committed to pay back the fraudulent excess payment that they received as detailed below: NO NAME, TITLE AND DUTY STATION OF THE BENEFICIARIES 01 AKEBA JAMES (Asst. Education Officer Apac S.S) 02 ETIN ODONGO ALEX (Assistant Education Officer Aduku S.S) 03 ATINE RONALD (Medical Records Assistant Council Sector) 04 OKOT BENSON (EDUCATION ASSISTANT ATOPI PRIMARY SCHOOL) DATE OF PAYMENT AMOUNT PAID THE PROPER MONTHLY NET PAYMENT EXCESS AMOUNT PAID 6/26/ ,574, ,181,700 SUB TOTAL 11,574, ,760 11,181,700 11/25/2014 1,586, ,752 1,000,000 12/17/2014 1,586, ,752 1,000,000 1/22/2015 1,586, ,752 1,000,000 2/23/2015 1,586, ,752 1,000,000 4/29/2015 2,586, ,752 2,000,000 3/26/2015 1,586, ,752 1,000,000 SUB TOTAL 10,520,512 3,520,512 7,000,000 9/24/ , , ,282 11/25/2014 2,262, ,284 2,000,000 12/17/2014 2,262, ,284 2,000,000 1/22/2015 1,562, ,284 1,300,000 2/23/2015 2,262, ,284 2,000,000 10/23/ , , ,162 3/31/2015 3,262, ,284 3,000,000 SUB TOTAL 12,597,434 1,835,988 10,761,446 8/22/ , , ,567 11/25/ , ,059 1,001,000 12/17/2014 1,432, ,059 2,000,000 1/22/2015 2,431, ,059 2,000,000 2/23/2015 2,431, ,059 2,000, P a g e

24 05 OKOT JAMES (SENIOR STORE ASSISTANT ADUKU S.S) 06 ODURU JOHN (Senior Accounts Assistant In Charge Salaries: Finance Department 3/26/2015 2,431, ,059 2,000,000 4/29/2015 2,431, ,059 2,000,000 SUB TOTAL 14,212,980 3,017,413 11,195,567 2/23/2015 1,410, ,123 1,017,928 1/22/2015 1,410, ,123 1,017,928 8/22/ , , ,896 9/24/ , ,123 10,428 10/23/ , ,123 10,428 11/25/ , ,123 17,928 12/17/ , ,123 17,928 3/26/2015 2,431, ,123 1,751,050 4/29/2015 2,431, , ,050 SUB TOTAL 8,259,671 3,529,107 4,730,564 3/26/ , , ,952 4/29/ , , ,216 1/22/2015 2,485, ,811 1,993,952 SUB TOTAL 2,686, AKWANGA BOSCO (Driver) 11/25/2014 1,173, ,729 1,002,500 12/17/2014 1,173, ,729 1,002,500 1/22/2015 1,142, , ,944 4/29/2015 1,143, , ,944 3/26/2015 2,143, ,729 1,972,944 2/23/2015 1,143, , ,444 SUB TOTAL 7,919,650 1,024,374 6,895,276 GRAND TOTAL 54,450,673 All the 07 staffs over paid above except the 1 st person on the list are relatives of the Senior Accounts Assistant John Oduru. The 1 st person on the list is a personal friend to Oduru. The proceeds from the fraudulent salary overpayment in Apac district are said to have been shared by the people involved. TAACC did much to expose the fraud during the quarter and presented the matter before the Commissioner Ministry of Finance during the regional consultative conference held in Lira. The revelation shocked many and every speaker during plenary applauded TAACC for being a bold anti corruption network. Other speakers called on TAACC to cover the whole of Uganda.., forgetting the fact that there are other Regional Anti Corruption Coalitions (RACCs) under the umbrella of Anti Corruption Coalition of Uganda (ACCU) spread in all the regions of Uganda! The other successes realised during the quarter were in the form of the shoddy work corrected as in the main report, the undrilled borehole in Anguu village, Acaba Parish Oyam district, drilled. The 02 other boreholes in Minakulu Health III & Akec Cell, Oyam Town Council repaired, the 01 cow under re-stocking programme recovered from the Parish Chief Ayena Mustafa of Adyegi Parish, 24 P a g e

25 Aber Sub County, Oyam district and handed to the rightful beneficiary, a widow one Mary Ekweny. Others are the 02 disabled persons of Alolekwe group helped to recover their Oxen and Ox-ploughs denied them by some group members because they are disable. This was in Aceno Parish, Minakulu Sub-County, Oyam district. Others are the transfer of the corrupt and ineffective Officer in charge & the 02 Nurses of Alao Health Centre II following the IBMs intervention, then the warning and subsequent transfer of the O/C of Atura Police Post M/s Aceng Santa. During the quarter, TAACC also caused the resumption of the road work of Witim Alake village that had stalled and the funds un accounted for in Alito Sub County, Kole district. The work on the 13 km road had stalled since 13 th Feb with only Ugx. 8,280,390/= known to be spent out of the Ugx. 42, 612,610/= for FY 2014/2015 budget. Lastly, TAACC caused the recovery of Alira Joint Women s group assets from the Chairperson M/s Christine Abong in Alira Parish, Aduku Sub County, Apac district. All this happened during the quarter. Report on gender mainstreaming: TAACC mainstreamed gender at both institutional and programme levels. This has been through closely linking with women organizations like Action for development (ACFODE), Women of Uganda Network (WOUGNET) and the National Association of Women Organizations in Uganda (NAWOU) during the quarter. At programme level, TAACC has in place a gender policy that is fully adhered to, example, the Project Officer for the Citizen Action Platform (CAP) was given a 10 days leave when she had a mischarge during the quarter. As seen from TAACC s implementation and reporting, TAACC has throughout disaggregated its data by gender. It helped the disable persons and deliberately tried to address the strategic needs of women and the voiceless in the target area. Even the radio callers during the talk shows have been disaggregated by sex during the period. Through the GAPP project, TAACC has advocated for fencing the Health Centers and Schools to reduce gift retraction of the land donated for the different facilities. Also, TAACC s trained IBMs comprise of the People living with HIV/AIDS and the disable persons. The IBM selection guidelines ensure that the youth and women are a third of the people selected. TAACC also handled the cases of the Youth Livelihood Funds (YLF), the Re-stocking programme and the Community Driven Development fund that directly address the needs of youth and other disadvantaged lot in the community during the quarter. Challenges faced during the quarter: 1. Human Resource gap: The programme Officer Capacity Building & Community Empowerment Tonny Okwir resigned to join active patrician politics during the quarter. Okwir is currently campaigning for the seat of MP for Kole North Constituency in the 2016 general elections. Oyam district thus lagged behind in the area of support and follow up of cases during the quarter. Even some IBMs joined active patrician politics during the quarter. This follows the empowerment, trust and the popularity that they gained from working with TAACC. Example, in Kole district alone 17 out of 51 IBMs joined politics to campaign for 25 P a g e

26 the different elective positions in the 2016 elections. The same happened in Apac and Oyam districts. This disrupted TAACCs work on the ground although one can argue that TAACC empowered and exposed them to the community. 2. The continuous overwhelming demand from the public: As seen even from even senior people like the Commissioner in the Ministry of Finance s comment during the CSBAG regional consultative conference held in Lira cited above, even the general public keep on requesting TAACC to cover at least the 08 districts of Lango Sub Region. However, TAACC definitely lacks the financial, logistic and human resource capacity to meet such demands. Some of the people feel bad when TAACC frankly tells them so especially during radio talk shows. 3. The slow pace of the stake holders / duty bearers to take corrective action: TAACC has to repeat advocating over the same thing before any meaningful action is taken. Yet the community does not like TAACC, the IBMs and activists of TAACC to stop at exposing issues only, but they want the cases to be technically investigated and the culprits reprimanded. Some people think that TAACC has the mandate to arrest, prosecute and jail corrupt people and begin accusing TAACC of getting compromised by the corrupt people that they have exposed! It is difficult to make such people understand the role of advocacy and whistle blowing done by TAACC. Even the project MTR was amazed at the high number of cases with glaring evidences exposed by TAACC versus the number that have reached litigation stage. 4. Lack of efficient logistics for increased effectiveness: TAACC does not have a vehicle for quick and efficient response and to transport the large number of its activists and followers to the field. Even the MTR felt that the volunteers / IBMs cover quite large areas and needed at least bicycles to ease their voluntary monitoring work. TAACC feels that it as to be some sort of motivation to the difficult tasks that they perform. However, TAACC has not yet got any donor that can support it in this area. 5. Fighting back, hatred, fear, and persecution, denial of critical information: The work of TAACC involves in one way stepping on the toes of powerful people. Naturally, they fight back in any way that they find appropriate. TAACC has continued to experience this payment ever since it started advocating to improve accountability. 26 P a g e

27 Lessons learnt and Way forward: 1. Sticking to concrete evidence is the only best available tool when demanding accountability and full success does not come in the short run from the beginning of any advocacy. The work can be compared to trying to cause change of government and there is need for perseverance, consistency, courage and time to realize the desired change fully. 2. The only reliable partner who does not change goal posts frequently in an advocacy for accountability is the affected common person who unfortunately lacks the necessary power and capacity to cause the immediate desired change. This makes the desired changes keep on dragging to the disappointment of the people championing the advocacy. 3. Patience and repeated pushing will remain the only tool for CSOs doing advocacy on accountability unless the CSOs begin getting legal interventions to address some of the challenges posed by some State accountability institution of delay, technicality, more corruption in the process of following a case etc. Recommendations: 1. TAACC to fill the human resource gaps i.e. Including the positions of the IBMs that have joined politics and will go through or may have issues that can allow them get back to the work after the elections. 2. Effective mobilization of the people affected by corruption especially now that Uganda is getting to elections to bring on board credible and or friendly leaders who are passionate to end corruption. 3. More fund raising to bridge the funding gaps and development of new strategies in the strategic plan to address some of the challenges, lessons and experiences learnt so far in the accountability advocacy work. 4. Strategic / effective linkages and innovations to deliver success on the challenges that TAACC has experienced so far in its advocacy work. Case Stories: TAACC caused the undone Witim - Alake Community Access Road in Alito Sub County, Kole district to be done. Of the Ugx.42, 612,610/= budget in the FY 2014 / 2015, only Ugx. 9,800,000/= was used and the balance was not accounted for by the leaders. TAACC intervened and the RDC Oyaa Nahori Awua gave the leaders ultimatum (ref. detail in the report) over the road and the road was done. 27 P a g e

28 Pictorial evidence below: The road before! The road after TAACC intervention! The people of Alake and Witim can now access the busy Anekapiri market adjacent to Alito Trading Centre as a result of the work of TAACC during the quarter. It is believed that the LC. III Chairman, Hon Ocilo Moses, the Sub County Chief M/s Atitti Jennifer Mystica and the Sub - Accountant were responsible for mismanaging the Ugx.42, 612,610/= for the road. The field programme by TAACC discovered that the fund was to be used as follows: Witim Alake village road stretch was to be done at a cost of 8,280,390/=, Anekapiri market - Obuto village stretch of the road was to be done at a cost of 14,332,220/= and, An emergency fund worth 20,000,000/= was provided according to the Office of the Chief Administrative Officer (CAO) of Kole district to cover any eventuality on the road work. 28 P a g e

29 However, only bush clearing was done on the stretch from Anekapiri Market - Obuto village at the cost of 9, /= on the 13 th Feb then work on the road stalled. The balance of Ugx. 32,612,610/= was not accounted for by the leaders. TAACC organized a meeting / Kimeeza on 14 th August 2015 attended by all key people. (Ref. the main report). This followed the IBM monitoring report. The RDC gave strict order and the road stretch from Witim Alake, a distance of 13 km was then done. The leaders who had mismanaged the fund were reported to have looked for Quick Loan from the banks in Lira to do the road since they had used the road fund for personal issues. TAACC s action on the said road was reported on the daily Monitor of Wednesday 19 th August 2015, Page 16 & that of Thursday August The above were the advocacy processes that led to the work to be done on the road in question. The exposure of the issues on the daily monitor and other media houses generated much debate. To TAACC, this is deterrent since the leaders were named and ashamed by the public through the discussions on all the local FM radio stations in Lango Sub Region including the daily monitor as stated. The overpayment of salary in Apac district scandal! Senior Accounts Assistant in-charge salary of Apac district John Oduru fraudulently over paid 07 relatives and a friend from the month of April, May, September, November 2014 and January 2015 a total sum of over Ugx 54 million shillings. The relatives would give him kick back after receiving the money in their personal accounts according to the arrangement. It was extremely un acceptable that one Akeba James, an Assistant Education Officer of Apac Sec. School who should have been paid Ugx 392,760/= was paid in excess to the tune of 11,181,700/=. Akeba is a close friend to John Oduru. Otherwise, Etin Odongo Alex, an Assistant Education Officer of Aduku Sec. School who is Oduru s brother meant to get Ugx 586,752/= was paid in excess to the tune of Ugx 7,000,000/=. Atine Ronald, a Medical Records Assistant whose monthly pay is Ugx 262,284/= was over paid up to Ugx. 29 P a g e

30 10,761,436/=! Atine Ronald is a son to Oduru s brother while Okot Benson, an Education Assistant at Atopi Primary School is supposed to get a monthly net payment of Ugx 431,059/=. However he was paid a total sum of Ugx 11,195,567/=. Okot James is a brother to the Senior Accounts Assistant John Oduru and, another Okot James, a Senior Stores Assistant at Aduku Secondary School who is also son of Oduru John s brother and who should receive a net payment of Ugx. 392,123/= was over paid by his relative Oduru a total sum of Ugx 4,730,564/=. Then Oduru John who is the architect of all the plan and a Senior Accounts Assistant in - charge salaries Finance department Apac district has a monthly net payment of Ugx 491,811/=. However, he decided to over pay himself in three months Ugx 2,686,120/=. While Akwanga Bosco, the ambulance driver of Apac Hospital and a brother to John Oduru is supposed to be paid Ugx 170,729/= but his brother decided to over pay him for the period Ugx 6,895,276/=. Apac district thus lost a sum of Ugx. 54,450,673/= in the scandal. When TAACC raised the issue after being tipped by an insider, the executives of Apac district local government who are said to have benefited from the loot wanted to down play the issue. TAACC had to put a concerted advocacy up to when Oduru John was interdicted from office and the beneficiaries of the fraud made to commit to paying the money back. Above: The different advocacy approaches that TAACC used during the quarter to have the Senior Accounts Assistant interdicted and the rest of his relatives and a friend forced to sign before the Chief Administrative Officer (CAO) of Apac district that they will pay the funds that they received fraudulently. The Apac Chief Administrative Officer (CAO) has not ruled our arresting the recipients of the fraudulent funds if they do not comply with the commitment. Detail of TAACC networking and linkages during the quarter July September 2015: 1. The Program Officer Capacity Building and community empowerment attended a budget conference organized by Oyam District Local Government on the 30 th /09/2015. The meeting was meant to capture the lower local development plan for incorporation to Oyam district development plan. 30 P a g e

31 2. The Executive Director and the Program Officer Capacity Building and community empowerment attended a Reflection and Learning conference organized by DGF on the 10 th /09/2015 at Silver Spring in Kampala. The meeting aimed at providing a platform for Local Accountability partners to share their experiences with different social accountability tools. 3. Program Officer- Advocacy and Networking attended training on Budget Analysis Performance Monitoring and Advocacy, from 3 rd -4 th September 2015 at Eureka Palace Ntinda, Kampala. 4. Program Officer- Advocacy and Networking attended the Bi- Annual Coordinators Forum and Anti-Corruption week meeting from 30 th September 2015 to 1 st October 2015 at Arch Apartments Hotel Ntinda. 5. Program Officer- Advocacy and Networking attended Uganda Local Government Development Framework Assessment Tool for Apac District on 21 st September 2015 at Mayov Hotel, Apac Town council. 6. The Programme Manager participated and presented a paper at the Local Government budget Consultative workshop for the financial year 2016/2016 at Margaritha Holel Lira from 10 th 11 th September The meeting was organized by Ministry of Finance Planning and Economic Development (MFPED) and the slot was offered to TAACC by CSBAG. 7. The Programme Manager and Programme Officer GAPP project participated at the Governance, Accountability and Participation Performance GAPP Grantees learning marketing at Silver Spring Hotel in Kampala from 14 th 15 th September, The Programme Manager attended the ACFIM methodology workshop at Ridar Hotel Seeta in Mukuno district from 23 rd 24 th September The Prgoramme Manager attended the half day LINKAGE inception meeting organized by CSBAG on the 29 th July 2015 at CSBAG Board room. 10. The Programme Manager attended the election violence study validation workshop at golf course hotel on the 19th August The Programme Manager attended the DGF strategic meeting for the Local Government Budget consultative meeting at DGF Board room on the 19 th August P a g e