Mulago hospital boss detained over abuse of office

By Moses Mulondo & Julius Adiga

There was drama Tuesday when the parliamentary criminal investigations department arrested Mulago hospital administrator, Alison Kantarama, over illegal connections to the hospital water and electricity lines.

In a letter dated March 5, 2004, which the committee chairman Kenneth Omona read, Kantarama instructed National Water Sewerage Cooperation to connect Christ Our Way Church on Mulago hospital line.

“However, a meter should be installed by you and always offset this bill from the Hospital bill,” Kantarama said in the letter which bears her signature.

Omona narrated that when the House health Committee visited Mulago, they established that so many people are illegally connected to Mulago’s water and electricity lines, causing the hospital’s utility bill to be high.
 
“We found a privately owned school in Mulago which uses the hospital’s facilities like electricity and water but does not share the revenue with the hospital. The school is also linked to Kantarama,” Omona explained.

In his explanation, Mulago Hospital executive director, Byarugaba said, “It is the ministry of health that has to take action against her. I made my submission to the ministry for action.”

On how much Mulago loses due to illegal connections, Byarugaba said, “When we had a water crisis, it was established that over sh1.3b was due to illegal connections.” The hospital now needs sh4.7b to be able to pay its water arrears.

Kantarama failed to satisfy the MPs over the allegations including the circumstances under which she personalized Good Mother Care Nursery School.

The school, which was meant to educate and cater for children of Mulago female medical workers under Mulago women association, was turned into an NGO and later to a limited company.

Asked by the committee how many general meeting the association had held since its formation in 1990, Allison said the last meeting was held three years ago yet the documents she presented to the committee indicate  the last meeting was held in 1995.

Kantarama appeared before the committee last week and requested to come back this week will all the documents the MPs needed.

Angered by Kantarama’s unconvincing responses, several furious MPs including Chris Baryomunsi, Evelyn Anite, Medard Bitekyerezo requested Omona to put Kantarama under arrest.

Whereas Kantarama had been asked to produce all the documents and facts like the certificate of registration, names and contacts of members as well as memorandum of understanding today but to the committee’s dismay most of them were not brought which forced the chairman Omona to order for her arrest.

The MPs had visited Mulago and confirmed all the allegations against Kantarama. Whereas the school has been using the hospital’s resources like water and electricity, it has not been sharing the revenue generated.