IGG Wants UEB Officials Sacked

By Yunusu Abbey THE Inspector General of Government (IGG) has recommended that a Uganda Electricity Board (UEB) senior official be sacked and prosecuted for causing a sh74m loss to the company. In his probe report, the IGG recommended that Ben Tamusange, UEB's general manager distribution, should be dismissed and taken to court. "Due to his wilful abuse of office and causing financial loss to his employer, Tamusange should be immediately dismissed from UEB and prosecuted," the report said. The IGG also recommended that Samuel Kiwanuka, the general manager audit, should be relieved of his duties while Dison Okumu, the acting general manager services, should be demoted for poor supervision. The IGG said Kiwanuka engaged in executive decision-making by negotiating with the contractors and the agent on UEB's behalf. He said, "Because of his wilful violation of statutory provisions and abdication of his responsibility, Kiwanuka's contract should be terminated." In the 87-page report, the IGG criticised Paul Mare, UEB's South African-born managing director, for the financial loss, mismanagement and abuse of office in the state-owned company. He said Mare reversed well-arrived at decisions of the procurement committee, causing financial loss to his employer -UEB. "To this extent, therefore, Mare bears responsibility for this loss. He should therefore be warned to exercise due care in his management of UEB (or its successor companies) and his employment contract in future should be considered in this light," the report said. But the IGG, Jotham Tumwesigye, said Samuel Zimbe, the general manager finance and information technology, who chaired UEB's procurement committee, was "a competent professional who should be trusted with higher responsibilities." The top UEB officials were mainly named in the fraudulent award of the customers verification and power audit (CVPA) contract to four firms which led to financial losses and shoddy work. The report said UEB paid over sh819.8m to the contractors without verifying some of the work done. "Tamusange approved Electrowatts' claims (one of the contractors) when they were not appropriately supported by evidence of work done which resulted into over payments of sh74, 209,500," the report said. It said Tamusange also recommended Electrowatts Ltd an advance payment of sh100m without a bank guarantee, contrary to government regulations. He said UEB paid the sh100m. The report said Okumu allowed himself to be used by Tamusange and misrepresented the procurement committee's decision to the Solicitor General. Okumu was also criticised for not involving SWIPCO, the Attorney General or Solicitor General's offices in the tendering process despite knowing Government regulations on such transactions. "Because of his misconduct and wilful non-compliance with the statutory provisions, Okumu should be demoted one rank below his substantive rank of manager-corporate planning and strategy," the IGG said. The UEB officials were also criticised for hiring companies which lacked experience and technical knowledge to conduct the customer verification and power audit exercise. Ends