By Prosper Gibolo
District officials found to be abusing government cars and motorcycles will face severe disciplinary action, Kotido district authorities have warned.
The warning was issued by the LCV Chairperson Paul Komol Lotee, Resident District Commissioner (RDC) Charles Ichogor and the Chief Administrative Officer (CAO), during the handover of brand new vehicle to production department, a donation from the Ministry of Agriculture Animal Industry and Fisheries (MAAIF).
The vehicle Toyota Hilux Double Cabin, with registration number UG1200597, is part of a new fleet of vehicles government is giving to 69 districts across the country to scale up implementation and monitoring of the Uganda Climate-Smart Agricultural Transformation Programme (UCSATP), financed by World Bank.
Speaking after receiving the vehicle, Sam Richard Erechu, the Kotido district Production Officer applauded MAAIF for the logistic boost noting that the vehicle will help enhance mobility for district project teams, enabling them to effectively supervise project activities, provide technical support to farmers, and improve service delivery under the UCSATP programme.
Erechu added that the district expects to ten walking tractors and five motorcycles to support implementation and monitoring of the Uganda Climate-Smart Agricultural Transformation Program.
Emmanuel Oyuku Ocen, the Kotido Chief Administrative Officer expressed concern about alleged lack of competency among the district drivers.
Oyuku stated that several district cars have been involved in accidents, citing driver incompetence as the cause, without providing a precise figure.
The Kotido LCV Chairperson, Paul Komol Lotee, cautioned drivers and heads of departments against using government vehicles, and motorcycles to transport their girlfriends and other illicit items like charcoal.
He stated that government vehicles and motorcycles have to be parked by 5:00 p.m, according to government regulations.
Kotido RDC Charles Ichogor urged the production department to use the new vehicle to conduct sensitisation meetings with farmers on climate change adaptation strategies.
Ichogor also advised against sharing vehicles with several drivers from various departments because this frequently results in malfunctions.
In his concluding remarks, the RDC issued a warning against the improper use of government vehicles, saying that officials and drivers who are found to have broken the rules will be arrested and prosecuted in court for abuse of government property.
Ichogoro added that they have authorized the police and sensitized the public to impound and arrest any vehicle found outside the gazetted parking premises after official working hours of 5:30 PM.
