NYAGATARE - The Governor of Eastern Province, Dr. Aisa Kirabo Kacyira, has warned heads of livestock farmers’ cooperatives against mismanagement of funds.

She was meeting livestock farmers in Nyagatare as part of her ongoing tour of Nyagatare and Gatsibo districts.
Her remarks were in response to complaints raised by some farmers of financial mismanagement.

"I don’t understand how someone heading a cooperative can just disappear with farmers’ money. They must be held accountable for the loss of funds during their time in office,” she said.

The Governor directed district mayors to work closely with the police to bring the culprits to book.

Nyagatare Mayor, Fred Sabiti Atuhe, said that a number of suspects have been identified and that the police was carrying out investigations.

Last year, an audit by Rwanda Cooperative Agency (RCA) indicated that over Rwf9.5 million was mismanaged in UDAMACO, a farmers’ cooperative union in the districts of Kayonza, Gatsibo and Nyagatare.

The union was formed in 2006 by farmers in the former Umutara Province with an initial loan of Rwf692 million from Rwanda Development Bank (BRD) to help them acquire exotic cows.

By then, there were close to 26 cooperatives operating under UDAMACO.

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