Kampala, Uganda | The Black Examiner – Patrick Kiconco Katabbazi, who is the owner of Pathways Advocates, has been given a strict deadline of five days to provide a thorough account for the sum of 39 billion Shillings that was advanced to his legal firm. This amount was intended for compensating 142 tea nursery bed farmers in the Kigezi region.

The affected farmers, who operate tea nurseries in various districts including Kabale, Rukungiri, Kanungu, Kisoro, Rubanda, Rukiga, Ntungamo, Mitoma, Mbarara, and Isingiro, had taken legal action against the Government due to their seedlings not being procured as promised following a presidential commitment made in 2008.

In response, the Government opted for an out-of-court settlement and engaged the services of the law firm Pathways Advocates, facilitating a payment through the National Agriculture Advisory Services (NAADS).

Eddie Kwizera, the representative for Bukimbiri County in Kisoro District, has brought to light a concerning matter. He revealed that among the 142 beneficiaries from Kisoro, a sample of five individuals who were believed to have received compensation admitted to not having received any funds.

This issue has prompted the Parliament’s Public Accounts Committee on Commissions, Statutory Authorities, and State Enterprises (PAC-COSASE) to initiate an investigation into the actions of NAADS. Samuel Mugasi, the Executive Director of NAADS, has been tasked with explaining this discrepancy.

The committee is currently examining the Auditor General’s report on the financial statements of NAADS for the fiscal year 2021/2022.

During his appearance before the committee on Thursday, Mugasi presented evidence confirming that NAADS had indeed disbursed the funds in two separate installments amounting to 27 billion and 12 billion Shillings respectively, directed to Katabbazi’s legal firm to carry out the compensation process for the farmers.

However, Ronald Ndyomugenyi, the Representative for Rukiga County, has pointed out that despite the NAADS Secretariat possessing evidence of the disbursement to Pathways Advocates, the farmers themselves have not received their due compensation.

Ndyomugenyi elaborated that although a consent judgment containing the names of the tea nursery bed operators had been established, Katabbazi’s law firm had failed to provide proper records to NAADS, preventing confirmation of the amount each individual beneficiary had received. Instead, only generalized figures for specific sub-regions were given.

As a result, Lucy Akello, the Vice Chairperson of the Committee and also the Representative for Amurur District, has taken action. She has summoned Katabbazi to appear before the committee on Tuesday, August 15, 2023. Akello has emphasized that Katabbazi must bring along a detailed list of beneficiaries, their respective bank details, the precise amount of compensation received by each individual, and their National Identification Numbers. Failure to comply is not an option.

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