Acholi High Court: Cattle Restocking Scheme Scrutiny Unveils Favouritism, Bribery Allegations

• A parliamentary committee in Uganda has uncovered alleged favouritism and bribery in the selection of beneficiaries for the cattle restocking programme.
• Only 640 out of 667 households allocated Shs3.332 billion in Gulu City had received the money by the time of the meeting.
• The programme's implementation has been marred by allegations of favouritism, bribery and manipulation of beneficiary lists.
• Each selected household is entitled to receive Shs5 million to purchase three heifers and two bulls.

However, officials admitted that only 640 out of 667 households allocated Shs3.332 billion in Gulu City had received the money by the time of the meeting.

A parliamentary committee in Uganda has uncovered alleged favouritism and bribery in the selection of beneficiaries for the government's cattle restocking programme in Acholi region. The allegations were raised during a meeting with political and technical leaders from Acholi at the Gulu City Council Chambers. The programme, aimed at rebuilding livestock wealth lost during years of insurgency and displacement, has been allocated Shs80 billion for its first phase. However, officials admitted that only 640 out of 667 households allocated Shs3.332 billion in Gulu City had received the money by the time of the meeting. This raises questions about the effectiveness of the programme's beneficiary selection process.

The cattle restocking programme was introduced to address the significant loss of livestock wealth in northern and eastern Uganda. The government allocated Shs80 billion for its first phase, targeting 16,000 households across 33 local governments in Acholi, Lango and Teso regions. Each selected household is entitled to receive Shs5 million to purchase three heifers and two bulls. However, the programme's implementation has been marred by allegations of favouritism, bribery and manipulation of beneficiary lists. This has raised concerns about the potential for compliance exposure if not addressed.

The cattle restocking programme is a key initiative aimed at rebuilding livestock wealth in northern and eastern Uganda. However, its success depends on the effective implementation of beneficiary selection processes and accountability mechanisms. The parliamentary committee's findings have highlighted the need for stronger community participation, proper verification of beneficiaries and tighter accountability measures to prevent favouritism and bribery. If not addressed, these challenges could undermine public confidence in government programmes and compromise their effectiveness.

Lawyers advising clients on the government's cattle restocking programme should be aware of the potential for favouritism and bribery in beneficiary selection, which could lead to compliance exposure if not addressed.

Source: Original reporting via Nile Post