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By Steven Ariong
MOROTO: A group of concerned residents in Karamoja sub region have raised concerns over rampant abuse of government vehicles by the government employees.
Joseph Lokut one of the residents of Natumukathko village in Moroto district, said government vehicles have been turned into commercial cars, especially carrying charcoal, goats and pigs by the officials.
According to Lokut, on 24th of December, residents nearly impounded a government vehicle fully loaded with ten bags of Charcoal driving along the Moroto- Soroti highway.
“As citizens who pay taxes we are not happy that government vehicles are being abused left and right, “Lokut said.
While Moses Lokodo, a member of the anticorruption coalition monitor in Nadunget sub county in Moroto district said government cars are the ones now being used for transporting Charcoal for business.
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“You find a government car registration number UG or LG fully loaded with Charcoal and it just passes the police checkpoint without being intercepted, which is wrong,” Lokodo says.
Lokodo further says, government officials are the ones promoting massive cutting down of trees for charcoal burning because they have made the market readily available.
Betty Nakiru, who is also a concerned resident appealed to the government to put in tough measures including dismissal from work if any officer abused government vehicles. She says this would make Ugandans enjoy paying taxes well knowing that any property bought using their taxes will be utilized properly.
Nakiru also noted that with the current festival season every officer either those coming from Kampala or going out of Karamoja, loads government cars with Charcoal beyond the normal size.
“Even the recently distributed covid19 vehicles to the districts are already grounded and they are using them for other use for carrying beers and Charcoal which is dangerous,” Nakiru notes with concern
Joel Moding who is a former cattle rustler and now turned to be an environmentalist planting trees said the harsh environment in Karamoja was caused by high demand of charcoal that has forced many locals to resort to cutting down trees for burning charcoal.
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