Kampala — KAWEMPE resident district commissioner Edward Ssekabanja has blamed the division chairman, Nasser Takuba, for the loss of sh320m in court awards a week ago.

Ssekabanja was appearing before the commission of inquiry into the running of Makindye and Kawempe divisions.

He explained that the owners of St. Kizito and Biva Muntuuyo markets located at Kalerwe on Gayaza Road sued Kawempe division for collecting revenue from private markets.

Ssekabanja said Takuba had set up several organisations in which he was forcing people to pay money and those who refused were subjected to fines.

Ssekabanja also criticised Takuba for wasting the division's funds, including government grants, on overseas trips "which do not benefit the residents."

He said for three years the division officials had been collecting market dues which never reached Kampala City Council treasury.

He added that the court ruled in the market owners' favour yet the division was among the poorest.

Ssekabanja said Takuba's grudge with the former division town clerk, Abner Besigye, was because he (Besigye) refused to approve sh12m for the chairman's trip to Israel " to do his business."

He said he was called once to release Besigye after Takuba had locked him in office.

Besigye later filed a criminal case against Takuba.

Ssekabanja shocked commissioners when he said, "How can the whole of me, the RDC, go to court to pin a division chairman (Takuba)?"

Jacob Oulanyah, the probe chairman, blamed Ssekabanja for frustrating court efforts by refusing to be a witness in the case.

"I wish I had known that my evidence could have changed the court decision. Next time, I will not hesitate to be a key witness," Ssekabanja regretted.