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Government’s Shs5 million cattle restocking programme per beneficiary in Bukedea District has been hit by recycled telephone numbers, alleged extortion and diversion of funds, raising fresh questions about controls over the initiative.

The concerns emerged during an oversight visit by the Minister of State for Economic Monitoring on Wednesday, Ms Sandra Santa Alum, who was told that beneficiaries have struggled to access funds after mobile telephone numbers used during registration were sold to new subscribers.

Mr Elimu Emmanuel, the district focal person for the restocking programme, said seven beneficiaries had been affected by the problem.

‘The challenge now comes at the time of receiving money. The bank is now paying the money to this beneficiary through the account. The account is this very number that was already identified earlier in the PDM management system, but by the time of benefiting, the line was sold by MTN. For the beneficiary now to access this money, it is a tug of war,’ he said.

Mr Elimu said the district had engaged the bank and MTN to resolve the cases but had not received a solution.

The Assistant Resident District Commissioner in charge of restocking, Mr Arafat Oyo, said 582 of the 600 beneficiaries had received their money, while 18 cases had mismatched details.

He also disclosed seven alleged extortion cases, including one in which an intermediary allegedly withdrew Shs5 million but handed a beneficiary only Shs4.5 million.

‘But through my office, he was arrested,’ Mr Oyo said.

Bukedea County MP David Beecham Okwere said the programme was generally progressing, but alleged manipulation in beneficiary selection needed investigation.

‘In some cases one family is benefiting, like around three or four people, and yet it’s supposed to be received by one person,’ he said.

He called on the State House Anti-Corruption Unit to investigate how such beneficiaries were selected.

Mr Okwere estimated overall implementation in the constituency at about 50 per cent.

Cows or radios?

Officials also raised concern that some beneficiaries were spending the restocking money on activities unrelated to livestock.

Mr Elimu said while most beneficiaries were buying cattle, some, particularly those who had settled in the town without land, were investing in small businesses.

But he also cited cases of beneficiaries buying radios and solar equipment.

‘There are those who have used this money to buy radios. Buy a radio and enjoy life. Others are having solar,’ he said.

Minister Alum warned beneficiaries against diverting the money, saying the programme was designed to rebuild household livestock assets and livelihoods.

‘Some of them are buying the cows, others are buying less like two or three, and others are getting the money and using it for some other things,’ she said.

The minister said the Shs5 million is intended to help beneficiaries acquire five cattle; two bulls and three cows to rebuild their livestock base.

‘If people have not got it right, then we miss the point, and those ones who have used it for other things, I’m really telling them that this must stop. This money is intended for the benefit of the people, of the household, and it should be used for the intended purposes.’

She called for renewed sensitisation of beneficiaries and leaders to ensure the programme achieves its intended objective.

The two children of Omujwera Musuuga Charles Kamurasi, who are also princes of the royal family, have openly rejected their father’s position in the escalating dispute over who should succeed the late Omukama Oyo Nyimba Kabamba Iguru Rukidi IV, deepening divisions within the Babiito clan and royal family.

Speaking at a press conference in Fort Portal, Prince Patrick Mpuuga and Prince Solomon Nyaika said they disagreed with their father’s position on the succession and maintained that Oyo’s Will should prevail.

The two, who described the late king as their elder brother and friend, said the Will was clear on how the Tooro throne should be inherited and accused some members of the Babiito clan of attempting to overturn the late king’s wishes.

“We disagree with our own father. His position, it is very surprising that he has taken that stand. We disagree, with all honesty, because the truth prevails,” Prince Mpuuga said.

He argued that Oyo’s Will should take precedence over an earlier Will made by their grandfather, which some Babiito clan members have invoked.

“It is very clear that the Will of the king now supersedes any Will that existed in the past,” he said.

The remarks came a day after the Babiito royal clan announced Prince Edward David Rukidi Kiijanangoma as the next Omukama, a decision rejected by members of Oyo’s immediate family.

The disagreement has created an unusual split, with some members supporting the Babiito-led customary succession process while others insist the late king had already provided for continuity through his Will.

Prince Mpuuga said Oyo had personally discussed with him the possibility of taking on the position of Omujwera Musuuga, though it had not formally taken effect.

“In my conversation also with His Majesty, he had tasked me to take on that mantle of Musuuga. It may not have seen the light of day officially,” he said.

He said the move was intended to ensure continuity of Tooro culture and transfer of cultural knowledge between generations.

The princes said they were particularly concerned by their father and other elders supporting the Babiito succession process, arguing that the late king’s Will is a legal document that should be respected.

“We are going to follow the king’s Will first. The king has left the Will, his son, and the succession system,” Nyaika said.

He accused some members involved in the succession process of having been absent from the royal family and from Oyo’s life for many years.

He also questioned the authority of some individuals in the process and alleged that the Omujwera Musuuga had been influenced by people he described as outsiders. The allegations could not immediately be independently verified.

Nyaika said succession to the Tooro throne had historically followed a clear line of inheritance, citing previous kings.

He said Omukama Chwa II Kabalega Kasagama had initially faced a succession question before his cousin Rukidi became heir, and that subsequent succession passed through the royal family until Oyo inherited the throne from his father, Omukama Patrick Matthew Kaboyo Olimi III.

He argued that Oyo’s son should therefore be considered under the same principle of continuity.

“Oyo has a son and has a Will. All these people were using the Will, the Will, the Will. So it is not right these so-called Babiito who are saying that a king is not voted for,” Nyaika said.

He disputed the argument that the Babiito should constitute a committee to select the next king, saying the process being followed was inconsistent with Tooro’s succession history.

Despite the sharp disagreement, the royal family members appealed for calm.

Prince Mpuuga said the dispute should be resolved within the Constitution, the law and Tooro’s customs.

“We speak peace. We speak justice because, at the end of the day, the country is governed by the Constitution and the laws therein. May we observe those laws and, of course, the guiding customs and traditions,” he said.