PAC tasks Agriculture Ministry to explain Ssembeguya’s goat rearing contract

By Francis Lubega

4^th March 2024

The Parliamentary Public Accounts Committee (PAC) has tasked the Agriculture Ministry to avail documents detailing the contractual supply of indigenous goats for Ssembeguya Estate Limited.

This was after an audit query in the Auditor General’s report for the financial year 2022/23 indicated that over 15 billion shillings was put to waste after the supplied goats died in the first week of supply.

Ssembeguya Estate Limited is accused of supplying over 100 goats in the first phase to the district of Nakasongola, all of which died and in the second phase out of over 700 goats supplied to the district of Gomba, over 250 goats died of goat plague and each goat was procured at 398,000 shillings.

Meanwhile, the committee has tasked the Project Coordinator in the Agriculture Ministry, Steven Kajura who was also put on oath to give a status score of the 71 genetic goats that were procured from South Africa and Gambia at a cost of 528 million shillings.

It was noted that each goat cost 7.4 million shillings.

The Chairperson of PAC also Butambala County MP, Muhammad Muwanga Kivumbi ruled that Parliamentary CID Officers escort Kajura before close of business today and gather all the necessary documents of procurement on the goats.

In 2006, the Government signed a 6.45 billion-shilling deal with Sembeguya Estates for the breeding and distribution of savannah white goats under the president’s anti-poverty initiative.

Addressing journalists at Sembeguya Estates in Ntuusi sub-county, Sembabule, the then Presidential Advisor on Poverty Alleviation Joan Kakwenzire, said the agreement was aimed at supporting local farmers by providing them with adequate agricultural inputs.

She said it is hoped that when the program matures, Ugandan farmers will export at least 60,000 goats every month.
Under the terms of the agreement, Sembeguya will distribute 350 hybrid goats to farmers on a monthly basis.

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