Rugasira Got $4.5m For Congo Transport

Defence paid an exorbitant US$4,486,805 to Andrew Rugasira’s Knight Aviations to transport soldiers and military equipment to and from the DR Congo, in an exclusive 1998 contract signed by Dr. Ben Mbonye, report Anne Mugisa and Alfred Wasike. The Porter Commission heard yesterday that Defence was paying Knight Aviations US$5,650 per block hour for its Illyushin 76 plane and US$2,700 per hour for its Antonov 12. This was in a period slightly above four months. Defence permanent secretary Gabindadde Musoke testified that later Defence contracted its Uganda Air Cargo (UAC) parastatal to do the job at a much cheaper cost. He said the Knight Aviation contract was before he joined the ministry. Gabindadde said while Knight Aviation got US$5,650 for its Illyushin 76 plane per block hour, UAC was paid US$2,500 for its Hercules C-130 per block hour and US$2,700 per hour for its Antonov 12 but UAC got US2,500. He said Knight Aviation got US$2,700 per hour for an Antonov 12 while UAC received first US$1,850 and later US$1,450. He said the fluctuating rates with UAC depended on the market, but said the disparity between Knight Aviations and UAC rates was due to “circumstances of the day.” He did not elaborate. Documents availed to the commission show that between October 28, 1998 and March 9, 1999, Knight Aviation was to be paid US$4,486,805, US$3,362,300 of which was paid and US$1,124,550 remained. Gabindadde dismissed the UN panel report, which said Uganda officially spends 2% of its GPD on Defence and spent over US$110m on more than 10,000 soldiers deployed in the DRC. He insisted that Uganda has had under 10,000 soldiers in the Congo. He said Defence paid sh9.3b for charters in 1998/99 which was the height of operations and beginning of Operation Safe Haven. He also said that in1999/2000, Defence paid sh5.1b and sh4.1b in 2000/2001. Ends