Police arrests district officials over tender scam

Police are holding two Bugesera district officials and the proprietor of a construction firm for misuse of millions of francs meant to build classrooms.

Saturday, June 27, 2009

Police are holding two Bugesera district officials and the proprietor of a construction firm for misuse of millions of francs meant to build classrooms.

The district’s Executive Secretary, Edward Munyaburanga, and the director of infrastructure Cassien Kasire, are accused of paying for shoddy construction work on classrooms planned for the district.

According to police, the local authorities ignored directives from the Executive Committee to block payment owed to Kingston International after it was found out that their work was below standards.

Instead the duo went ahead and cleared up to 60 percent of the Rwf 130 million planned for 22 classrooms in the district. These classrooms are planned for the sectors of Juru, Gashora and Njeruka in Bugesera District.

"The Executive Secretary  was arrested after it had been found out that he went ahead and paid the constructor close to 60 percent of the total contract value yet the Executive Committee had ruled that the money shouldn’t be paid because the contractor had done a shoddy job,” said Uwamungu.

Kingston International is owned by one Theophile Rwampogoje.
Uwamungu said the committee had even decided that the buildings be demolished to prevent a catastrophe in future.

This comes barely a week after President Kagame expressed dismay over reports that in some sections of the country, primary school children were studying under trees.

Kagame said the line ministry should investigate this issue wondering what all the money that has been spent to solve this problem has done.

Ends