The Ministry of Local Government has asked the Rukungiri Chief administrative officer, Mr Muhenda Rujumba, to reverse a district council directive to recover Shs11.6 million extended to the LC5 Chairman, Mr Zedekia Katono Karokora, for the treatment of his wife in Nairobi in June this year.

Mr Karokora had been forced to refund the entire Shs11 million at once after his executive refused his pleas to refund, in instalments, the money he allegedly spent on his wife, Ms Kellen Karokora's medical treatment in a Nairobi hospital.

Mr Karokora spent Shs11 million from the district coffers without approval by the council. However, a letter signed by Mr Tom Matte on behalf of the Permanent Secretary Ministry of Local Government, a copy of which Daily Monitor saw, says it was proper for the district to clear the payment of treatment for Ms Karokora as provided for in the Local Government Act Chapter 243 in consonance with Article 200(2) of the Uganda Constitution.

"Your instructions to the chief finance officer to recover the costs from Mr Karokora are irregular and should be reversed immediately," the letter read.

Following the discovery of the anomally, Mr Muhenda was directed to recover the money from Mr Karokora's salary within four months or else the district council recommends other punitive measures.

It later emerged, however, that Mr Muhenda wrote to the Chief Finance Officer, Mr Alfred Rwobusheru, to start deducting Shs500,000 every month until all the money is fully recovered.

Mr Karokora appealed to the Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Local Government, Mr Vincent Ssekkono, to come to his rescue since he had sanctioned the expenditure of the money. It is upon that request "to redeem his image" that Mr Matte wrote the letter.

The intervention of the ministry however, didn't go well with some of the councillors.

They argued that since the ministry supported the expenditure, which was not budgeted for, it should pay Mr Karokora but not the district, which is currently cash- strapped.

They also argued that whereas Mr Karokora received his money in a lump some, the councillors are yet to be paid their allowances for the last three sittings.