Leaders in Mukono District are calling for a special audit of district records after the Public Accounts Committee (PAC) has remained inactive for the past three years.
Under the Local Government Act CAP 243, Section 88(1), every district is required to establish a Local Government Public Accounts Committee (LGPAC).
This body plays a crucial role in scrutinising the reports of the Auditor General, the Chief Internal Auditor, and any inquiries conducted by the Commission of Inquiry.
The PAC is also tasked with submitting its findings to the District Council and to the Minister responsible for local governments, who then tables the report before Parliament.
However, Mukono District has gone without an active PAC for an extended period, raising concerns among district leaders about the potential for audit gaps and financial mismanagement.
Fatumah Ndisaba Nabitaka, the Resident District Commissioner (RDC), expressed her concerns during a recent council session.
“The office of the LC5, as the appointing authority, should liaise with the office of the Chief Administrative Officer (CAO) to address the concern,” Ndisaba noted, emphasising the urgency of re-establishing the committee.
Elizabeth Namanda, the Chief Administrative Officer, also raised the issue of the committee’s inactivity, questioning why it has remained silent despite receiving allowances.
She suggested that the delay could be linked to a previous disagreement between the committee and the district auditor, but added that the matter was nearly resolved.
Efforts to reach the chairperson of the LGPAC for comment have been unsuccessful, as he is not currently in office and has not been responding to phone calls.
District Chairperson, Rev. Peter Bakaluba Mukasa, has promised to investigate the challenges hindering the committee’s operations and to take action to resolve the issue.
The ongoing absence of the LGPAC has left many in the district worried about the lack of oversight and the potential for unchecked financial practices.
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