Rukungiri Residents Accuse Presidential Advisor Peace Rugambwa of Failing to Pay Millions

Rukungiri: A group of individuals in Rukungiri District have accused Senior Presidential Advisor on Agriculture and Local People Peace Rugambwa, of failing to pay them for services they allegedly provided under her Boona Bageigahare Nyekundire Group between 2019 and 2021.

The affected individuals say their businesses and personal finances are in a critical situation due to accumulated debts and losses resulting from unpaid services.

The programme reportedly collected UGX 12,000 from members of the public as a registration fee, with participants expecting to benefit from various promises made under the initiative.

The complainants, who include Rukungiri District Business Community Chairperson Chrysostom Byaruhanga, popularly known as Rwakana; Burama Vocational School founder, Eng. Edward Tumusiime; former programme secretary Dinah Kyarimpa; and Tukesiga Moses Rwakakyaka, among others, made the accusations during a press conference on November 5, held at Rukungiri Inn Hotel in Rukungiri Municipality.

They accused Rugambwa of allegedly misleading them and other members of the public, claiming that more than 40,000 people from Rukungiri District and other parts of the Kigezi and Ankole sub-regions were affected.

Eng. Edward Tumusiime told our reporter that Rugambwa approached him and signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with his institution after bringing 220 students to receive vocational skills training at Burama Vocational School in Bikurungu Town Council.

He said Rugambwa had informed him that the students were being sponsored by State House and that he would receive payment through Gen. Salim Saleh.

However, Tumusiime claims that despite training the students for an entire year, he never received any payment. He says he is now demanding UGX 158 million from Rugambwa.

CUE IN…..TUMUSIIME RR//ENG

Meanwhile, Dinah Kyarimpa, who served as Rugambwa’s secretary under the Boona Bageigahare Nyekundire Group, said she worked with her for three years, helping to collect UGX 12,000 from members of the public.

Kyarimpa said she eventually left the programme after going 18 months without receiving her salary. She claims that she is demanding UGX 8.1 million in unpaid wages, having earned UGX 450,000 per month.

CUE IN….KYARIMPA RR

On his part, Rukungiri District Business Community Chairperson Chrysostom Byaruhanga, popularly known as Rwakaana, accused Rugambwa of failing to pay rent for two rooms she occupied at his house along Kinyasano Road for three years.

Byaruhanga says the accumulated rental arrears have reached UGX 10.8 million, which he is demanding from her.

CUE IN….RWAKANA RR

Another complainant, Tukesiga Moses Rwakakyaka, questioned the current Rukungiri District LC5 Chairperson, Andrewson Katebire, over an official letter he reportedly wrote to Rugambwa appreciating her for what he described as her good work and development projects in Rukungiri District.

Rwakakyaka argued that such recognition was questionable given the allegations of unpaid debts and losses raised by the people who claim to have worked with her.

CUE IN….RWAKAKYAKA RR

The complainants have appealed to State House to intervene in the matter, investigate their complaints and help them recover the money they claim is owed to them.

By press time, Peace Rugambwa had not yet commented on the allegations.