Parliament has ordered city lawyer, Patrick Katabaazi Kiconco to pay all the Shs39Bn he obtained from National Agricultural Advisory Services (NAADS) meant for tea farmers in western Uganda, within 6months & have him face prosecution for the misappropriation of public funds.
“Lawyer Katabaazi should be prosecuted for failure to fully remit money meant for tea nursery bed operators. Mr. Katabaazi should pay all the amounts due to the beneficiaries within six months from the date of adoption of this report,” read in part report from Parliament’s Committee of Commissions, Statutory Authorities and State Enterprises (COSASE) – Parliament Watch Twitted.
The report also warns against government agencies making payments through lawyers in the future, emphasizing direct payments to beneficiaries.
“Parliament also warned Gov’t agencies from ever making payment to beneficiaries through lawyers in order to avoid such scenarios in future, “Going forward, Government should make all pending payments directly to the beneficiaries,” as noted in COSASE report – Parliament Watch twitted.
The Auditor General’s 2021/2022 report revealed that NAADS provided Sh39bn to Katabazi’s law firm to settle a lawsuit by tea farmers against the government.
However, during a recent consultation with farmers in Kigezi Sub-region, some claimed non-receipt of payments from Katabazi, alleging that they only received 37% of the owed amount.
Farmers demand the remaining 63%, citing expenses and debts incurred.
In response, Katabazi cited COVID-19 lockdown disruptions as a factor affecting the resolution of their matters.
WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW:
In September 2023, City lawyer Patrick Kiconco Katabazi was accused by the Rukiga Member of Parliament Roland Ndyomugyenyi Bish of masterminding a plot to tarnish his reputation.
Katabazi claims that these efforts are in response to his decision to contest against the MP in the upcoming elections.
During a meeting held on the 19th of September 2023, at the Kabale District Lukiiko Hall, which brought together tea nursery bed operators and district authorities from Rukiga, Kabale, and Rubanda, Katabazi vehemently defended himself against accusations of misappropriating the Shs39 billion he received from the National Agricultural Advisory Services (NAADS) to compensate tea farmers.
While speaking to the journalists, Katabazi began by asserting that there was no basis for the allegations against him, emphasizing that all tea nursery operators had received their payments.
He questioned the timing of these accusations, stating, “We got the money to pay these farmers in 2020; why do they really complain three years later after they were paid years ago? "Do you know anyone they can steal from and wait for three years to speak up?”
The lawyer then shed light on what he believes is the true cause of the controversy. He explained, “The trouble began on July 18, 2023, when we received a court ruling granting the nursery tea operators Ugx 70 billion. Politicians, including MP Roland Ndyomugyenyi Bish, fear individuals like me who have expressed interest in contesting for Rukiga County Member of Parliament. They want to suffocate the transaction of Ugx 75 billion so that I fail to get the legal fees, which would otherwise make me a powerful political contender.”
Katabazi suggested that the politicians’ intentions were to manipulate the situation to their advantage in the upcoming elections. He added, “The issue that nursery tea operators weren’t paid is not true; it’s only being fueled by politicians with political interests.”
Responding to the accusations, Katabazi called on MP Bish to produce a list of nursery tea operators who were never paid, rather than relying on guesswork. He urged, “It would be better if a list of those who weren’t paid was produced. If they investigated and found some irregularities, maybe they could produce a list of his people from Rukiga County who weren’t paid. I would respect that more than going everywhere blackmailing our names.”
Katabazi concluded by warning that the alleged efforts to harass him and others would only strengthen their resolve. He highlighted the significant funds they had already disbursed, stating, “In Rukiga County, for example, we have paid Ugx 4.3 billion. There are billions of dollars coming due to the economic losses suffered. If that was blocked, do you think the people of Rukiga would be happy with him?”
The lawyer also questioned why MP Ndyomugyenyi had not publicly acknowledged receiving funds himself as a tea farmer if he wanted to be trusted. Katabazi revealed that he paid Bish Ugx 200 million as a tea farmer, but wasn’t revealing this to the public.
Last month, the Committee on Commissions, Statutory Authorities, and State Enterprises (COSASE) summoned Patrick Kiconco Katabazi to address allegations of misappropriating the funds.
This came after a query raised in the 2021/2022 Auditor General’s report revealed discrepancies in the disbursement of the Ugx 39 billion intended for tea nursery operators who had sued the government for failing to procure their seedlings.
Roland Ndyomugyenyi Bish, the Rukiga Member of Parliament, when contacted, downplayed lawyer Katabazi’s allegations, saying that he is not scared of him and that he needs to know that he cheated the people. As a people representative, he would not keep quiet.
“Its laughable even those in Kanungu that are complaining. Am I the one that is telling them to complain? I am not scared of him. All he has to do is top first come out clean “. Said Ndyomugyenyi.
Lawyer Katabazi, among the people that include Alex Kanuga, Denis Nkwasibwe, Nkwasibwe, Bruno Musinguzi Kabaja, among others have shown interest in the Rukiga County MP seat in the 2026 polls.
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