More government officials arrested

SOUTHERN PROVINCE MUHANGA — Thirty three residents including local leaders in Ruhango District have been implicated in the sale of cows donated through the President’s cattle stocking programme of One Cow per Family, commonly known as Girinka. Mayor Celestine Twagirumukiza, confirmed the development last week and disclosed that police has so far arrested two local leaders over the SAGA while 31 people have been summoned by local mediation courts (Abunzi). Those arrested were identified as Beatrice Nakabonye, and Jean Damascene Murekezi both cell coordinators of Gitisi and Nyarurama cells respectively. “The two are accused of including ineligible persons, namely their friends, on the list of needy residents who received Girinka cows. These ineligible persons later sold off the cows,” a police officer said on Sunday. He explained that the other residents who sold the cows out of their personal initiatives will not be pursued by police. In a related incident, other leaders have been arrested over misappropriation of government poverty eradication funds. These include Etienne Kalima, Valens Hakizimana (executive secretaries of Ruhango and Ntongwe sector respectively) and Jean Damascene Kayitare, (Ntongwe agricultural officer). Similar scandals have also been reported in Kamonyi District where six local leaders were arrested for allegedly diverting money meant to finance construction of houses for needy residents. Ends