Dr Terry Kahuma
By David Mugabe
The minister of trade has suspended Dr Terry Kahuma, head of Uganda National Bureau of Standards (UNBS) over what the ministry described as “various management problems and weaknesses” in the agency.
Some of these weaknesses are attributable to the then executive director, Dr Terry Kahuma, read a notice posted through the Uganda Media Centre.
Sources said the suspension that took immediate effect has also affected other senior management of the standards body.
An immediate investigation into the operation and management of UNBS has commenced.
Dr Ben Manyindo who has been Kahuma’s deputy has substantively taken over in acting capacity.
Also, Kampala City Traders Association (KACITA) have questioned the operations of the National Standards Council of the National Bureau of Standards saying it was illegally instituted.
Issa Ssekito, KACITA spokesperson filed a petition in the commercial court over lack of a quorum for the Council.
“We cannot compromise with the illegality” Sekito said.
The law sets the members at fifteen but the minister issued appointments to only ten members on the November 1st 2011.
“The appointment of ten rather than fifteen contravenes section 4(2) of the law governing the UNBS Act cap 327” he said.