Defiant diplomat Bagaya irks MPs
Jul 29, 2008
FORMER Ugandan ambassador to Germany, Princess Elizabeth Bagaya, has angered MPs on the foreign affairs committee for defying orders to move from the Berlin mission to Abuja, where she was transferred.
By Cyprian Musoke
FORMER Ugandan ambassador to Germany, Princess Elizabeth Bagaya, has angered MPs on the foreign affairs committee for defying orders to move from the Berlin mission to Abuja, where she was transferred.
The legislators, who were last week meeting foreign affairs ministry officials at Parliament over their policy statement, quizzed state minister Okello Oryem on why they continued paying the salaries and meeting the bills of envoys whose terms had expired or for those who had been moved.
“From the time Bagaya was transferred, she continued incurring costs and the Government still paid for her house,†said FDC’s Reagan Okumu.
“Even getting the keys to the house and car was a problem. The office had to be broken into, embarrassing the country.â€
The deputy head of mission, Okumu added, was also transferred but refused to leave because he had booked his residence up to February 2009.
“How do you call them to order? When we write to them, they never reply. Even when we write through the minister, Sam Kutesa, he also never replies,†he said.
The Aswa MP said foreign service officers were traumatised since they could not support their spouses and children to live with them abroad, only to return and find their spouses with other partners.
“The rate of divorce is high among foreign service officers. Last year, we had budgeted money for the upkeep of their families but it was diverted to roads. So you are filling potholes while breaking families!â€
Okumu blamed poor accountability in the missions on unqualified accounting officers appointed irregularly.
Theodore Ssekikubo (NRM) demanded a list of the ministry staff and their qualifications.
Oryem said they were looking for money to renovate the missions and cater for the welfare of the envoys’ families.
Hood Katuramu (NRM) wondered how there could have been two envoys in Germany, Bagaya and the late Nyine Bitahwa. “Did you make a new appointment while another envoy was still on?â€
He suggested the use consulars resident in those countries, to reduce costs.
FORMER Ugandan ambassador to Germany, Princess Elizabeth Bagaya, has angered MPs on the foreign affairs committee for defying orders to move from the Berlin mission to Abuja, where she was transferred.
The legislators, who were last week meeting foreign affairs ministry officials at Parliament over their policy statement, quizzed state minister Okello Oryem on why they continued paying the salaries and meeting the bills of envoys whose terms had expired or for those who had been moved.
“From the time Bagaya was transferred, she continued incurring costs and the Government still paid for her house,†said FDC’s Reagan Okumu.
“Even getting the keys to the house and car was a problem. The office had to be broken into, embarrassing the country.â€
The deputy head of mission, Okumu added, was also transferred but refused to leave because he had booked his residence up to February 2009.
“How do you call them to order? When we write to them, they never reply. Even when we write through the minister, Sam Kutesa, he also never replies,†he said.
The Aswa MP said foreign service officers were traumatised since they could not support their spouses and children to live with them abroad, only to return and find their spouses with other partners.
“The rate of divorce is high among foreign service officers. Last year, we had budgeted money for the upkeep of their families but it was diverted to roads. So you are filling potholes while breaking families!â€
Okumu blamed poor accountability in the missions on unqualified accounting officers appointed irregularly.
Theodore Ssekikubo (NRM) demanded a list of the ministry staff and their qualifications.
Oryem said they were looking for money to renovate the missions and cater for the welfare of the envoys’ families.
Hood Katuramu (NRM) wondered how there could have been two envoys in Germany, Bagaya and the late Nyine Bitahwa. “Did you make a new appointment while another envoy was still on?â€
He suggested the use consulars resident in those countries, to reduce costs.