CHOGM firm sues probe committee
Dec 11, 2009
MEMBERS of the public accounts committee (PAC)of Parliament have been sued by the directors of Omega Construction Ltd, a company that carried out beatification works on CHOGM roads.
By Charles Ariko
MEMBERS of the public accounts committee (PAC)of Parliament have been sued by the directors of Omega Construction Ltd, a company that carried out beatification works on CHOGM roads.
Omega won the tender to beautify the 12km Clock Tower-Nsambya-Gaba-Munyonyo roads at sh708m. The committee is investigating how the figure shot from the original contract sum of sh428m and how the money was spent.
The directors, Pius Mugalaasi and Emmanuel Sewankambo, are seeking the High Court’s intervention to quash the directive by PAC to seize their passports as the Criminal Investigations Directorate (CID) carries out further investigations into the matter.
“Seizing our passports as directors of Omega Construction Ltd is a violation of our right of freedom of movement because, as business persons, we frequently travel on business trips,†the directors stated in an affidavit filed on November 30.
They further argued that the decision by PAC members had adversely affected them and jeopardised their business.
“That decision to seize our passports is arbitrary and illegal and against the principles of natural justice as we were not accorded a hearing before such a decision was taken,†the directors stated.
While appearing before the committee on November 24, the MPs directed the local government Permanent Secretary, Kashaka Muhanguzi, to confiscate the passports until the CID completes investigations on how the firm spent the CHOGM funds.
The MPs sued are committee chairman Nandala Mafabi and members Theodore Sekikubo, Henry Banyenzaki, Rose Namayanja, Tom Kazibwe and David Bahati.
The others are Grace Byarugaba, Oduman Okello, Claver Mutuluuza, Rebecca Amuge, Mathias Nsubuga and Wilfred Nuwagaba.
According to the Auditor General’s report, Omega was paid an advance of sh85m on August 27, 2007, before the contract was signed on September 26, 2007. A survey by the auditors said the project did not achieve its intended purpose and the contractor used different types of trees, some of which had since dried up.
In a statement recently, Omega said the additional sh280m was for another tender to beautify the Kibuye-Salaama Road.
MEMBERS of the public accounts committee (PAC)of Parliament have been sued by the directors of Omega Construction Ltd, a company that carried out beatification works on CHOGM roads.
Omega won the tender to beautify the 12km Clock Tower-Nsambya-Gaba-Munyonyo roads at sh708m. The committee is investigating how the figure shot from the original contract sum of sh428m and how the money was spent.
The directors, Pius Mugalaasi and Emmanuel Sewankambo, are seeking the High Court’s intervention to quash the directive by PAC to seize their passports as the Criminal Investigations Directorate (CID) carries out further investigations into the matter.
“Seizing our passports as directors of Omega Construction Ltd is a violation of our right of freedom of movement because, as business persons, we frequently travel on business trips,†the directors stated in an affidavit filed on November 30.
They further argued that the decision by PAC members had adversely affected them and jeopardised their business.
“That decision to seize our passports is arbitrary and illegal and against the principles of natural justice as we were not accorded a hearing before such a decision was taken,†the directors stated.
While appearing before the committee on November 24, the MPs directed the local government Permanent Secretary, Kashaka Muhanguzi, to confiscate the passports until the CID completes investigations on how the firm spent the CHOGM funds.
The MPs sued are committee chairman Nandala Mafabi and members Theodore Sekikubo, Henry Banyenzaki, Rose Namayanja, Tom Kazibwe and David Bahati.
The others are Grace Byarugaba, Oduman Okello, Claver Mutuluuza, Rebecca Amuge, Mathias Nsubuga and Wilfred Nuwagaba.
According to the Auditor General’s report, Omega was paid an advance of sh85m on August 27, 2007, before the contract was signed on September 26, 2007. A survey by the auditors said the project did not achieve its intended purpose and the contractor used different types of trees, some of which had since dried up.
In a statement recently, Omega said the additional sh280m was for another tender to beautify the Kibuye-Salaama Road.