By Jimmy Muhumuza
Parliament
The Public Accounts Committee (Local Government) has summoned the former Rwampara Chief Administrative Officer (CAO), Stephen Rubaihayo to respond to accountability queries.
Rubaihayo, who was the accounting officer until September 2022 has been summoned to respond to the queries raised in the Auditor General’s report for Financial Year 2021/22.
The committee chaired by Hon. Patrick Isingoma Mwesigwa found the acting CAO, Rose Nalumansi legally ‘unbefitting’ to respond to the Auditor General’s queries.
Nalumansi, who is barely one year in office, was leading Rwampara District Local Government officials before the committee.
He demanded that Nalumansi tables a copy of the instruments appointing her as acting CAO and accounting officer.
Her attempts to search on phone for the letter appointing her as acting CAO could not bear any fruits as the committee insisted that she provides proof that she was duly appointed as acting CAO and accounting officer and therefore, lawfully competent to respond to audit queries.
With guidance from the committee legal counsel, Hon. Isingoma asked the team from Rwampara to go back and return with a date that will be communicated to them.
Jonam County Member of Parliament, Emmanuel Ongiertho said it was unprecedented that a district has no substantive accounting officer.
Section 11 (2) (g) of the Public Finance Management Act, 2015 mandates the Secretary to the Treasury to appoint accounting officers for all ministries and local governments.
