Ex-URA Chief Named In Employment Scam

By Milton OlupotTHE Uganda Revenue Authority (URA) training unit officials yesterday implicated the former Board Secretary, James Byamukama, of influencing the employment of people who failed the tax body’s internal examination.Juliana Nyombi and Stephen Lubega Mugenyi, former and current head of the training unit, yesterday told the commission of inquiry on URA that their recommendation that the failures sit supplementary examination was ignored.Sixteen out of the 71 people recruited through un- solicited applications by Byamukama in 2002, failed the introductory course, but were appointed.The commission chaired by Justice Julia Ssebutinde, yesterday heard that Byamukama chaired a URA examination board meeting and directed that the examination results be disregarded.Byamukama is currently on interdiction over the loss of US$64,000 (over sh100m) from the URA.The other commissioners probing the tax body are Fawn Cousens and James Kahooza. The witnesses were with the Deputy Commissioner Business Analysis, Enyonu-Enyabu, who is also a member of the examination board.Ends