URA chief’s contract not renewed

Jun 24, 2004

THE Government will not renew the Uganda Revenue Authority (URA) Commissioner General, Annebritt Aslund’s three year-contract.<br>

By Alfred Wasike
THE Government will not renew the Uganda Revenue Authority (URA) Commissioner General, Annebritt Aslund’s three year-contract.
Aslund (left), a Swedish expatriate, has worked with the tax body since July 26, 2001. Her contract expires on June 26, 2004 and will not be renewed, reliable sources said. The sources said the termination letter was delivered to her at her office on Wednesday.
URA’s deputy commissioner for administration Besweri Akabway is now acting director-general. The URA seven-member board has been disbanded, the sources said.
Finance state minister Mwesigwa Rukutana yesterday said, “The Government has taken concrete decisions on the URA.”
Rukutana would not say why the board was dissolved.
The board was chaired by Dr. Eric Adriko, Chris Kassami (secretary to the treasury), Dr. Sam Nahamya (permanent secretary in the trade and industry ministry), Kaddu Kiberu (businessman), Mohan Kiwanuka (businessman), Aslund and Jennifer Semakula-Musisi (URA legal head).
The sources said, “The Government is not under obligation to reveal reasons for (not renewing Aslund’s contract)or the dissolution of the board.”
“One of the main reasons for the changes are the recommendations from the Justice Ssebutinde’s Commission of Inquiry into corruption in the URA,” the source said.
It was not possible to get a comment from Aslund. A female official in her office said, “The CG (commissioner general) is not available. She is attending an important seminar somewhere.”
Aslund was the third CG since URA was established in 1991. She beat five candidates, including Justin Zaake, deputy CG (revenue), Feddy Mwerinde, commissioner internal revenue, Henry Wade, an American and Vateec Ihno. Before that she worked with an international audit firm, PricewaterHouseCoopers.
URA operated without a CG since September 22, 2000 when Elly Rwakakooko’s three-year contract expired.
The Ssebutinde commission, said Aslund, an economist, had experience in auditing, accounting and taxation but none in managing a large financial organisation.

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