Minister always asked for fuel, Mapesa says
Jul 26, 2011
MOSES Mapesa, the former executive director of the Uganda Wildlife Authority (UWA), has said former minister of state for tourism Serapio Rukundo pressurised him to provide him with fuel.
By Darious Magara and Job Bwire
MOSES Mapesa, the former executive director of the Uganda Wildlife Authority (UWA), has said former minister of state for tourism Serapio Rukundo pressurised him to provide him with fuel.
Consequently, Mapesa added, management decided to provide him with fuel worth sh50,000 weekly.
“Sometimes Rukundo’s personal assistant and driver harassed UWA staff, demanding fuel. It was always a struggle,†he said.
Mapesa was appearing before the commission probing the use of $59m for the Protected Area Management Use (PAMUSU) project.
Justice George Kanyeihamba chairs the commission.
The $59m World Bank loan was meant to revamp the infrastructure of national parks and to develop staff competency in handling the park.
UWA implemented the project between 2002 and 2008.
Mapesa said Rukundo’s argument was that even when he was driven to Parliament or Entebbe, he would be handling wildlife issues and needed facilitation, which his ministry could not afford.
Mapesa, who was appearing before the commission for the third time, explained that his predecessors suffered similar inconveniences from ministry officials and UWA board members.
He, however, said Rukundo attended some of the trips he requisitioned the funds for.
Mapesa was grilled over conflict of interest when it was discovered that his Busia-based medical centre had been enlisted as one of the health service providers for UWA staff.
He was also tasked to explain why UWA’s annual medical budget had risen from sh200m to sh600m.
Mapesa said his health centre had been selected by the International Health Network, the firm that runs UWA’s health insurance scheme.
He said the rise in UWA’s health budget was due to the rising costs.
MOSES Mapesa, the former executive director of the Uganda Wildlife Authority (UWA), has said former minister of state for tourism Serapio Rukundo pressurised him to provide him with fuel.
Consequently, Mapesa added, management decided to provide him with fuel worth sh50,000 weekly.
“Sometimes Rukundo’s personal assistant and driver harassed UWA staff, demanding fuel. It was always a struggle,†he said.
Mapesa was appearing before the commission probing the use of $59m for the Protected Area Management Use (PAMUSU) project.
Justice George Kanyeihamba chairs the commission.
The $59m World Bank loan was meant to revamp the infrastructure of national parks and to develop staff competency in handling the park.
UWA implemented the project between 2002 and 2008.
Mapesa said Rukundo’s argument was that even when he was driven to Parliament or Entebbe, he would be handling wildlife issues and needed facilitation, which his ministry could not afford.
Mapesa, who was appearing before the commission for the third time, explained that his predecessors suffered similar inconveniences from ministry officials and UWA board members.
He, however, said Rukundo attended some of the trips he requisitioned the funds for.
Mapesa was grilled over conflict of interest when it was discovered that his Busia-based medical centre had been enlisted as one of the health service providers for UWA staff.
He was also tasked to explain why UWA’s annual medical budget had risen from sh200m to sh600m.
Mapesa said his health centre had been selected by the International Health Network, the firm that runs UWA’s health insurance scheme.
He said the rise in UWA’s health budget was due to the rising costs.