Matembe questions Agoa boss integrity
Nov 05, 2003
FORMER Minister of Ethics and Integrity Miria Matembe yesterday described Tri-Star managing director, Vellupillai Kanathan as a crook and said she was shocked when the Government decided to deal with him.
By Henry Mukasa and Joyce Namutebi
FORMER Minister of Ethics and Integrity Miria Matembe yesterday described Tri-Star managing director, Vellupillai Kanathan as a crook and said she was shocked when the Government decided to deal with him.
“I don’t know whether the Government knows the type of man they are dealing with... a man who I jailed for a week because of fraudulent activities but was removed (from prison) by the conspiracy of ISO and ESO,†Matembe said as MPs shouted “shame, shame.â€
Matembe who is also Mbarara woman MP was contributing to debate on a ministerial statement made by the state minister for trade, Richard Nduhuura on ‘trade and investment between Uganda and USA.
Tri-Star is a company that makes apparels for export to the US market under the Africa Growth Opportunities Act (AGOA) arrangement.
Nduhura told Parliament that Uganda exports $1m
worth of garments to the US markets despite the numerous constraints that the country still has in harnessing the duty free “vast and rich market.â€
He said as a result, the cotton sector is being revamped and factories being rehabilitated. He said over 131,570 bales of cotton are being produced.
Matembe said former security minister Muruli Mukasa and ambassador Kweronda Ruhemba are witnesses that Kananathan is a criminal.
Matembe said at public functions where President Yoweri Museveni is, Kananathan asks photographers to take his picture when near the head of state “and then uses them as a passport.â€
“Do you think there’s hope (in Tri-star)? It can be like the Malaysian investor in UCB,†she said.
Matembe, in an emotional voice, said although the initiative was supposed to be a break through for African countries, Uganda is not fully benefiting because the Government had failed to build institutions and dealt with individuals.
Vice President Prof. Gilbert Bukenya said the Government is going to investigate allegations against Kananathan.
He, however, said it’s Kumar Dewapura who owns Tri-Star “but went into problems when he dealt with Kananathan.
FORMER Minister of Ethics and Integrity Miria Matembe yesterday described Tri-Star managing director, Vellupillai Kanathan as a crook and said she was shocked when the Government decided to deal with him.
“I don’t know whether the Government knows the type of man they are dealing with... a man who I jailed for a week because of fraudulent activities but was removed (from prison) by the conspiracy of ISO and ESO,†Matembe said as MPs shouted “shame, shame.â€
Matembe who is also Mbarara woman MP was contributing to debate on a ministerial statement made by the state minister for trade, Richard Nduhuura on ‘trade and investment between Uganda and USA.
Tri-Star is a company that makes apparels for export to the US market under the Africa Growth Opportunities Act (AGOA) arrangement.
Nduhura told Parliament that Uganda exports $1m
worth of garments to the US markets despite the numerous constraints that the country still has in harnessing the duty free “vast and rich market.â€
He said as a result, the cotton sector is being revamped and factories being rehabilitated. He said over 131,570 bales of cotton are being produced.
Matembe said former security minister Muruli Mukasa and ambassador Kweronda Ruhemba are witnesses that Kananathan is a criminal.
Matembe said at public functions where President Yoweri Museveni is, Kananathan asks photographers to take his picture when near the head of state “and then uses them as a passport.â€
“Do you think there’s hope (in Tri-star)? It can be like the Malaysian investor in UCB,†she said.
Matembe, in an emotional voice, said although the initiative was supposed to be a break through for African countries, Uganda is not fully benefiting because the Government had failed to build institutions and dealt with individuals.
Vice President Prof. Gilbert Bukenya said the Government is going to investigate allegations against Kananathan.
He, however, said it’s Kumar Dewapura who owns Tri-Star “but went into problems when he dealt with Kananathan.