MPs demand accountability

Nov 30, 2007

AS the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM) fades in the background, it leaves a lot in its wake. Apart from the historical address by Her Highness Queen Elizabeth II to the Parliament of Uganda, MPs were an integral part of the preparations by keeping watch in the run up to the summit.

AS the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM) fades in the background, it leaves a lot in its wake. Apart from the historical address by Her Highness Queen Elizabeth II to the Parliament of Uganda, MPs were an integral part of the preparations by keeping watch in the run up to the summit. It is just as well, they this week embarked on demanding answers from several officers who messed up their bit.

Kivejinja summoned over UTV mess
In the aftermath of the summit, MPS on the CHOGM committee are sharpening their axes. On Monday, they summoned information minister Kirunda Kivejija over Uganda Broadcasting Corporation’s mess in the live coverage of the Queen’s address to Parliament. The MPs also summoned the works minister John Nasasira, to explain why some of the travel agents hired to transport delegates during the CHOGM have not been paid, after offering their service.

Plot to unseat opposition leader fails
It was a hard day for the leader of the opposition Prof. Ogenga Latingo when news reached him that there was a planned coup to unseat him. Latigo is accused of being too soft and towing the line of the ruling NRM party. Some members of the opposition also accuse him of attending CHOGM activities and dining with the NRM at Serena Hotel during the queen’s visit, while some FDC supporters and their president, Kizza Besigye, were being whipped by the police last Saturday at Kololo Airstrip.

MPS roast Permanent secretaries
On Wednesday, it was the Public Accounts Committee’s turn to bite. On the committee’s orders, Police arrested the Permanent Secretary in the prime ministers’ office, Martin Odwedo, over failure to submit accountability for sh1.3b, contempt of parliament and presentation of false documents The former executive secretary of the National Drug Authority, John Lule, was also detained at the Parliamentary CID for two hours for failure to release information about his recruitment in 2003.

Post Bank boss in trouble again
MPs on the commissions and statutory authorities committee are not happy with Post Bank managing director, Steven Mukweri, who dismissed their report on his bank’s capacity to handle Bonna Baggawale funds. The MPs are angry over Mukweri’s statements that they politicised everything and did not want government projects to succeed. The chairman of the Committee on Statutory Authorities and state enterprises, John Odit, on Thursday retorted that politics is not a profession, and that MPs had their professional qualifications. Mukweri tried to withdraw his statements on phone, but was instead told to appear before the committee on Friday. Watch this space.

No internal Auditor for NDA
Another stunning revelation this week was that the National Drug Authority (NDA) has failed to recruit an internal auditor for four years. NDA’s executive director, Apollo Muhaiwe, told the Committee on Statutory Authorities that Patrick Kyakulaga, who handles all the accounts without scrutiny, heads the finance department. The MPs quizzed Muhairwe on how he manages the authority without an internal auditor, after discovering a financial loss of sh400m between 2004 and 2007.

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