IGG halts recruitment of UNEB Executive Secretary

By Innocent Anguyo & Francis Kagolo

The Inspector General of Government (IGG) Justice Irene Mulyagonja Kakooza has ordered education minister Jessica Epel Alupo to nullify the process of recruiting a replacement for UNEB executive secretary Mathew Bukenya.

Bukenya’s contract expired in December 2012, after 16 years at the helm of the national examinations body. 

The report is a result of a two-month probe by the IGG after whistleblowers accused Mandy of flouting the recruitment process Bukenya. In the damning report on the recruitment process issued on Tuesday, the IGG details how the process was tainted by corrupt tendencies. 

Notably, the IGG said UNEB chairman Fagil Musa Mandy took over the role of the UNEB Secretariat in the recruitment of the Executive Secretary contrary to provision of the UNEB Act.

 “The recruitment process (should) be terminated and all proceedings prior to the interviews as well as the interviews that were held on 30th and 31st December 2013 be nullified,” Mulyagonja said the report. 

Recruitment of a replacement for Bukenya, Mulyagonja ordered should be re-launched, “from the very beginning by drafting the person specifications for the position taking into consideration the UNEB personnel manual.” 

She further ordered that the recruitment be conducted under the supervision of the examination body’s Secretariat as is clearly provided for in the UNEB Act. 

In the event that the board does not trust the secretariat to supervise the recruitment, Mulyagonja recommended that, “the board should authorize the secretariat to procure an independent consulting firm to carry out the recruitment on their behalf in accordance with the Procurement and Disposal of Public Assets Act and regulations.”

The report reveals more details on what transpired during the process of recruiting a successor for long-serving Bukenya. For detailed account of the report, please buy a copy of The New Vision, Wednesday edition.