By Mary Karugaba

THE Public Accounts Committee probing the CHOGM expenditures has written to the Inspector General of Police, Kale Kayihura asking him to explain the sh10b security deal.

The deal, according to the committee, was given to Balton Uganda, to supply the radio network system known as TETRA.

TETRA Network was to provide communication services to security agencies, including the external and Internal security organisations, the Police, the Uganda Peoples Defence Forces and the Presidential Guard Brigade.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Civil Aviation Authority were also to receive the services.

But MPs noted that the company was awarded the contract without following the Public Procurement and Disposal of Public Assets Act (PPDA).

“The committee got information that your office ordered Balton to supply equipment without following the PPDA Act,” the committee chairman, Nandala Mafabi, said in a letter of February 2.

The committee needs information on your role in this transaction and why you never declared these figures to the Auditor General,” Mafabi demanded.

A further investigation reveals that on October 13 2006, Kayihura wrote to the ICT ministry, saying the President had authorised the security sub-committee to procure the communication system.

“The President instructed that the Ministry of Information (ICT) takes the lead in procuring this system using the Chinese government concessional loan to a tune not exceeding $5m (sh10b),” Kayihura wrote.

Kayihura said the security committee had convinced the President that the radio communication system was appropriate.

He also said the President had instructed that the security committee provides detailed technical specifications of its communication requirements.