Suspended FARG leaders likely to face legal action

The suspended leaders of the Fund for Support for Genocide Survivors (FARG) are under investigation for alleged embezzlement and mismanaging the fund’s money, the Minister of Local Government has said. Protais Musoni, Monday told members of the press that if and when convincing evidence is adduced; the fund’s management which was recently suspended by the Prime Minister will have to face justice. “Investigations are on and any of the leaders, just like any other person who will be found to have illegally benefited from the fund, will have to face the law…you cannot run an organization and claim to be clean after its failure,” Musoni said. The FARG officials who were suspended include the Executive Secretary, Jean Marie Vianney Karekezi, the Director of Administration and Finance, Sylvain Nsabimana, the Programmes Officer, Jean Marie Rwagatare, and the Director of ICT, Janvier Ngabo. “We had to provide our Permanent Secretary as interim Executive Secretary, and the Ministry of Finance provided the Director of Administration and Finance. The former administration mismanaged the fund and we are trying to put it right,” Musoni added. Subsequent to the suspension of the fund’s management, Eugene Balikana, the PS of MINALOC was appointed to act as interim head of FARG. The 2007 report by the Auditor General indicates that several districts in the country misallocated funds and diverted them to other activities. The government annually channels 5 percent of its total revenues into the fund that was created in 2008. The report cites districts like Nyagatare which diverted the money meant to support survivors of the 1994 Genocide against the Tutsi to pay districts employees. Burera district, according to the auditor general’s report, used the fund’s money to train employees of the district. The fund has of late faced harsh criticisms over embezzlement and mismanagement of genocide survivors’ funds which recently prompted the government to sanction a nationwide validation of the bonafide beneficiaries. The government has injected about Rwf40 billion into FARG since its inception but survivors have continued to face problems including lack of basic needs like shelter and healthcare. Ends

National

Suspended FARG leaders likely to face legal action