Moroto police are holding a businessman from Namutumba district on suspicion of stealing hoes distributed by the government under the Operation Wealth Creation – OWC program.

Godfrey Isumba was transporting the hoes to Namutumba district from Moroto in a Tata box body registration UBH 407U. He was intercepted at a security checkpoint in Moroto district. Isumba is currently in custody at Moroto Central Police Station pending further investigation.

According to police, Isumba is suspected to have bought the hand hoes from vulnerable communities in Moroto district for as low as Shillings 2000 each. But police are open to the possibility that the hoes could have been through corrupt tendencies using local government channels.

Kodomo Apalodomo, the LC 3 chairperson of Nadunget sub-county has called for a thorough investigation of the suspect, arguing that the hoes are the property of the government meant to support the farmers in producing enough food.

In September, the government supplied 55,600 hoes to Moroto district to support farmers to produce enough food and fight hunger. Each household received at least one hoe. Parish chiefs and the sub-county leadership oversaw the distribution exercise.