Ministers warned over parastatals
Nov 08, 2009
MPs have written to the Prime Minister, Apolo Nsibambi, to stop ministers from interfering with the operations of statutory bodies.
By Mary Karugaba
MPs have written to the Prime Minister, Apolo Nsibambi, to stop ministers from interfering with the operations of statutory bodies.
According to the commissions and statutory enterprises committee chairperson, Reagan Okumu, the biggest culprits are Syda Bbumba (finance), Sam Kutesa (foreign affairs), Hope Mwesigye (agriculture), Maria Mutagamba (water and environment), Janat Mukwaya (general duties office of the Prime Minister), Hillary Onek (energy) and newly-appointed economic monitoring state minister Vincent Nyanzi.
Mukwaya and Onek are said to have interfered with the operations of the Uganda Cotton Development Authority board, while still ministers of agriculture.
The two ministers, according to Okumu, extended the terms of the board illegally.
Nyanzi is accused of mobilising his constituents to chase forestry officials from Mityana district.
Other ministers were accused of pressurising accounting officers into giving them funds to travel abroad.
According to an October 26 letter, the committee wants the ministers to answer why they have been performing roles outside their mandate.
According to Okumu, this follows complaints from several accounting officers and the Auditor General about the ministers’ interference.
“Ministers are supposed to supervise, but not to run these entities. This is, therefore, to request you to warn the Cabinet ministers and permanent secretaries to back off from managing and running these entities,†Okumu wrote.
The letter was copied to the Speaker of Parliament and the principal private secretary to the President.
MPs have written to the Prime Minister, Apolo Nsibambi, to stop ministers from interfering with the operations of statutory bodies.
According to the commissions and statutory enterprises committee chairperson, Reagan Okumu, the biggest culprits are Syda Bbumba (finance), Sam Kutesa (foreign affairs), Hope Mwesigye (agriculture), Maria Mutagamba (water and environment), Janat Mukwaya (general duties office of the Prime Minister), Hillary Onek (energy) and newly-appointed economic monitoring state minister Vincent Nyanzi.
Mukwaya and Onek are said to have interfered with the operations of the Uganda Cotton Development Authority board, while still ministers of agriculture.
The two ministers, according to Okumu, extended the terms of the board illegally.
Nyanzi is accused of mobilising his constituents to chase forestry officials from Mityana district.
Other ministers were accused of pressurising accounting officers into giving them funds to travel abroad.
According to an October 26 letter, the committee wants the ministers to answer why they have been performing roles outside their mandate.
According to Okumu, this follows complaints from several accounting officers and the Auditor General about the ministers’ interference.
“Ministers are supposed to supervise, but not to run these entities. This is, therefore, to request you to warn the Cabinet ministers and permanent secretaries to back off from managing and running these entities,†Okumu wrote.
The letter was copied to the Speaker of Parliament and the principal private secretary to the President.