BY MATHIUS KAHUNGU
The Kasese District Public Accounts Committee has given the Accounting Officer of Mpondwe-Lhubiriha Town Council an ultimatum of up to Friday May 08, 2026 to have submitted the official written responses to the audit queries for the first and second quarters of the 2025-2026 Financial Year.
Yesterday morning, a section of Accounting Officers from some entities in Kasese District including Mpondwe- Lhubiriha Town Council and the Sub-counties of Kisinga, Kitabu, Kahokya, Kyondo, Bwesumbu and Kilembe were summoned by the Office of the District Chief Administrative Officer to appear before the District Public Accounts Officers to answer some audit queries.
During the committee sitting, Mr. Felix Kato Soro, the Chairperson for Kasese District Public Accounts Committee, raised a number of queries against Mpondwe – Lhubiriha Town Council.
He revealed that the Town Council had continued registering a low revenue performance despite her enormous tax base, vibrant business and an advantage of being at a busy border post with the Democratic Republic of Congo.
He further disclosed that the Town Council has revenues uncollected/ outstanding amounting to over 1. 6 billion shillings, giving a 15% under performance rate.
Mr. Soro revealed the information as he was presenting the Mpondwe – Lhubiriha Town Council Internal Audit Quarterly Report for the 1st Quarter 2025-2026, dated September 30,2025 made by the Town Council Senior Internal Auditor.
He further revealed other contents of the report that the Town Council currently lacks including an updated Physical Development Plan and some plots that were not demarcated, unnamed roads and marked for easy reference and revenue collection and monitoring.
The Audit Report also punched holes in the books of accounts and maintenance of records as well as the alleged untimely updates that have led council to have unreliable financial statements that would enable council to make proper decisions.
Responding to some of the queries, the Mpondwe-Lhubiriha Town Council Head of Finance, Mr. Steven Mulemba refuted some claims, clarifying that the Town Council Physical Development Plan exists but only expired and renewal was underway.
He asked the committee to give adequate time to him and his team to compile responses to the cited queries and suggested that he would avail them next Friday May 08, 2026, a request that was granted to him by the members of the committee.
ENDS