Baku fires back at IGG Mwondha

Apr 06, 2009

THE deputy Inspector General of Government (IGG), Raphael Baku, has differed with his boss, Justice Faith Mwondha, saying a re-appointment is a new mandate that requires re-vetting by Parliament.

By Cyprian Musoke and Madinah Tebajjukira

THE deputy Inspector General of Government (IGG), Raphael Baku, has differed with his boss, Justice Faith Mwondha, saying a re-appointment is a new mandate that requires re-vetting by Parliament.

Baku yesterday said Mwondha was mistakenly attempting to guard her job by refusing to go to Parliament.

“Why doesn’t she want to go to Parliament? She is trying to guard her job. Who doesn’t want to guard their job in this country?” he asked in response to accusations by Mwondha that Baku was an opportunist and populist for having appeared before the appointments committee for vetting last week.

While launching a report on integrity at the Regency Hotel in Kampala on Friday, Mwondha blasted Baku, calling him a “populist” and an “opportunist”.

Baku said it was unfortunate for the IGG to have made such a statement when they had not discussed why he went to Parliament and why she did not.

He also denied Mwondha’s accusation that he was being used by her enemies to get at her.

Mwondha said her enemies, who included parliamentarians, wanted to put her on a collision course with Museveni so that he dismisses her.

“Unless she is accusing the President of being one of those people who want her downfall. I received an invitation from the Clerk to Parliament informing me that the President had re-appointed me as deputy IGG and that I was required to appear before the appointments committee for approval,” Baku observed.

“He (the clerk) even attached a letter from the President. I was responding to a letter from the President. If that is working with her enemies, then I am guilty as charged,” he added.

Baku said he considered a re-appointment as a second appointment which is subject to parliamentary approval.

However, Baku did not elaborate on what he meant by saying that Mwondha was trying to guard her job by snubbing parliamentary approval.

Mwondha has refused to go for vetting although the President has advised her to do so.

She argues that Parliament cleared her for the job when she was first appointed in 2005 and there was no need to repeat the exercise. Mwondha said vetting her for the second time would contradict the Constitution and has vowed to resign rather than face the MPs.

She also doubted whether she would be fairly assessed, saying the committee was allegedly made up of people she has investigated for corruption.

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