UNRA officials anger Byandala

Sep 23, 2016

“Stop mentioning my name. I am not a member of UNRA…this is a serious matter please,” Byandala warned before Katuntu ruled him out of order.

PIC: Former Minister of Works Abraham Byandala

Former Minister of Works Abraham Byandala hates it when people just mention his name especially when they are talking about Katosi road scam.

Yesterday, the usually calm Byandala lost his temper when an official from Uganda National Roads Authority mentioned his name as one of the officials facing trial in court over the matter.

Trouble started when the MPs on the parliamentary committee on commissions, state authorities and state enterprises (COSASE) chaired by Abdul Katuntu asked UNRA's director for Legal Mary Kutesa to brief members on the current status of the project.

The MPs also asked Kutesa to explain the number of people currently in court over the matter.

Armed with a list, Kutesa just mentioned the number. She seemed hesitant to read out the names as some of the culprits were also in the meeting.

But the committee directed that she reads out the names. "Mr. Chairman the names Abraham Byandala……) before he could mention other names, Byandala objected saying he was not a member of UNRA. Byandala is a member of the committee.

 "Stop mentioning my name. I am not a member of UNRA…this is a serious matter please," he warned before Katuntu ruled him out of order. "Hon member we have asked her to mention the individuals. You may not be a staff of UNRA but you are among the individuals," Katuntu said.

 Kutesa amused members when she said she dint know some of the people.  This is not the first time Byandala is losing temper over the matter.

In march this year,  Byandala then minister without Portfolio lost temper at  the Anti-Corruption Court in Kampala and  punched a Bukedde TV reporter Judith Nalugwa in the lower abdomen, accusing her of filming him.

Others facing trial include former UNRA acting ED   Eng. Kimeze Ssebbugga, former director Finance Director Joseph Ssemugoma and Marvin Biryaruha. Kimeze and Ssemugoma were also in the committee.

The officials are facing trail over their involvement in the road project scam that was awarded to a reportedly ‘ghost' company Eutaw Construction Company at a cost of sh165b.

 The team led by the executive director Allen Kagina were appearing before the committee to brief members on the status of 74km Mukono-Katosi road project.

Kutesa said works resumed under a different contractor and 70 percent has been completed.

Kutesa told MPs that although officials of Eutaw, were not charged in Court, the Authority has filed a suit against them demanding a refund of the money that they were paid.

The money was paid to the company as advance payment for the works. The contract was later cancelled over a number of irregularities.

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