Geneva wants Global Fund accounts
Jan 23, 2008
THE Global Fund secretariat in Geneva has asked the Government to clarify on the funds that have been recovered.
By Mary Karugaba
THE Global Fund secretariat in Geneva has asked the Government to clarify on the funds that have been recovered.
About sh3b was stolen from the Global Fund meant to fight malaria, tuberculosis and HIV/AIDS and sh2b has been recovered so far, according to the executive director of the Uganda AIDS Commission, Kihumuro Apuuli.
Kihumuro yesterday told the public accounts committee that the secretariat wants to know where the money was and what the Government intends to use it for.
“The Global Fund secretariat has asked us to clarify on the money and wants to know when it is going to be used,†he said on Tuesday.
Kihumuro was appearing before the committee to answer queries in the Auditor General’s report for the financial year 2006/7.
A commission of inquiry headed by Justice James Ogoola was appointed to investigate the allegations of mismanagement of the money when the Global Fund suspended grants worth $367m to Uganda.
The suspension was, however, lifted in November 2005 after the Government issued assurances that it would look into the management of the money.
Over sh3b that was either misappropriated or advanced to the project recipients, but remain unaccounted, is supposed to be reimbursed.
The commission recommended that all the three former health ministers - Maj. Gen. Jim Muhwezi, Capt. Mike Mukula and Dr, Alex Kamugisha and all their personal assistants, be investigated with a view to prosecution for involvement in the saga.
Among the irregularities cited were lack of proper accountability, inflated exchange rates, lack of invoices, forgery, uttering false documents, cover-up and kindred crimes, causing a loss of over sh2b.
Kihumuro explained that in November last year, the Global Fund board approved $35m (about sh59.5b) for anti-retroviral drugs (ARVs).
He added that the Government had written to the Global Fund to renew the authority to utilise $5.2m (sh8.8b) that was meant for the orphans and vulnerable children.
Kihumuro explained that the authority to use the money expired last year in October during the scam.
The committee grilled Kihumuro over issuing a cheque of sh107m to help sensitise MPs on HIV/AIDS.
The MPs said they had never heard the commission “talk about the money.â€
Committee chairman, nathan Nandala Mafabi, proposed: “Next time, if you want to give MPs money, pass it through the parliamentary budget and not through individuals.â€
THE Global Fund secretariat in Geneva has asked the Government to clarify on the funds that have been recovered.
About sh3b was stolen from the Global Fund meant to fight malaria, tuberculosis and HIV/AIDS and sh2b has been recovered so far, according to the executive director of the Uganda AIDS Commission, Kihumuro Apuuli.
Kihumuro yesterday told the public accounts committee that the secretariat wants to know where the money was and what the Government intends to use it for.
“The Global Fund secretariat has asked us to clarify on the money and wants to know when it is going to be used,†he said on Tuesday.
Kihumuro was appearing before the committee to answer queries in the Auditor General’s report for the financial year 2006/7.
A commission of inquiry headed by Justice James Ogoola was appointed to investigate the allegations of mismanagement of the money when the Global Fund suspended grants worth $367m to Uganda.
The suspension was, however, lifted in November 2005 after the Government issued assurances that it would look into the management of the money.
Over sh3b that was either misappropriated or advanced to the project recipients, but remain unaccounted, is supposed to be reimbursed.
The commission recommended that all the three former health ministers - Maj. Gen. Jim Muhwezi, Capt. Mike Mukula and Dr, Alex Kamugisha and all their personal assistants, be investigated with a view to prosecution for involvement in the saga.
Among the irregularities cited were lack of proper accountability, inflated exchange rates, lack of invoices, forgery, uttering false documents, cover-up and kindred crimes, causing a loss of over sh2b.
Kihumuro explained that in November last year, the Global Fund board approved $35m (about sh59.5b) for anti-retroviral drugs (ARVs).
He added that the Government had written to the Global Fund to renew the authority to utilise $5.2m (sh8.8b) that was meant for the orphans and vulnerable children.
Kihumuro explained that the authority to use the money expired last year in October during the scam.
The committee grilled Kihumuro over issuing a cheque of sh107m to help sensitise MPs on HIV/AIDS.
The MPs said they had never heard the commission “talk about the money.â€
Committee chairman, nathan Nandala Mafabi, proposed: “Next time, if you want to give MPs money, pass it through the parliamentary budget and not through individuals.â€