Rukungiri Councilors want DEO and his team punished over failure to present reports.

Rukungiri: The chairperson of the social services committee at the Rukungiri district council Gorreth Niwagaba has revealed that the district’s education department has failed to present comprehensive sectoral reports on the past three consecutive occasions. 

While presenting the report from her committee to the district council sitting presided over by the district speaker James Turyamubonaon Wednesday August 28, 2024, Niwagaba reported that the department has repeatedly failed to submit necessary reports to the committee and the council, a situation that has left the members questioning the motive behind the move.

She explained that when the committee first requested the education department to submit its reports, they were surprised to receive altered versions of the previous reports with merely changed the dates.

In the second instance, Jackson Turyahumura, the Rukungiri District Education Officer (DEO) presented the same report, which the committee refused to consider.

Niwagaba further indicated that when the committee demanded for a fine report in their last meeting with the education department officials, no report was presented at all.

As a result, the social services committee recommended that the district council take disciplinary action against the education department for its repeated failure to provide the required reports without offering satisfying reasons.

In response, Speaker Turyamubona sought guidance from the Chief Administrative Officer (CAO), Hajji Masokoyi Swalink Wasswa, on whether the council should proceed with committee work without the involvement of the education department.

Jackson Turyahumura, the DEO for Rukungiri district, defended himself, stating that during the first instance, he was occupied with a service commission engagement that lasted the entire week, coinciding with the committee’s meeting. 

He mentioned that he had delegated a representative, but there was a timing mismatch, resulting in the committee concluding its session before the officer arrived. Turyahumura apologized for the inconvenience and assured the council that such an incident would not occur again.

However, Francis Ndazarwe, the elders’ representative, expressed his dissatisfaction with the DEO’s conduct, accusing him of showing no respect for the committee. Ndazarwe stated that this was not the first time the DEO had failed to delegate or apologize for his absence, describing Turyahumura as arrogant and calling for disciplinary action.

The CAO requested time to address the issues within the department and promised to present a report in the next council meeting.

The speaker reminded the council of the DEO’s apology and urged the councilors to accept the CAO’s advice while encouraging the DEO to improve cooperation with other sectors within the district.