MPs accuse IGG of undermining Parliament

Jul 19, 2010

MPs have accused the Inspector General of Government (IGG), Raphael Baku, of undermining the work of Parliament.

By Mary Karugaba

MPs have accused the Inspector General of Government (IGG), Raphael Baku, of undermining the work of Parliament.

This was after the IGG failed to attend a meeting called by the Speaker of Parliament, Edward Ssekandi, to iron out differences in regard to the National Social Security Fund (NSSF) investigations.

Parliament accused Baku of tendering to court a special audit report by the Auditor General (AG) without his or Parliament’s approval. In return, the AG demanded that the IGG withdraws the report.

Meeting the NSSF team yesterday, the MPs were upset that despite talks between the two institutions, the IGG had gone ahead to summon the fund’s acting managing director, Grace Isabirye, yet Parliament was still investigating the matter.

Isabirye was summoned to testify in the investigations regarding the sale of the fund’s sh19.3b bonds.

“This is a clear case of trying to undermine Parliament. He (IGG) was invited by the Speaker for a consultative meeting, but never appeared. He is now busy sending summons to the NSSF officials, knowing that we are still investigating the matter,” the committee chairperson, Reagan Okumu, said.

According to the summons dated July 16, Isabirye is slated to appear before the IGG from July 19 until his attendance is no longer needed.

The IGG said Isabirye should table documents, including an original letter from Catherine Bulinda Jamwa to NSSF, a memo of January 23, 2008 from the acting treasurer to the managing director, a January 24, 2008 letter from the managing director to Bulinda and a November 2 2007 letter giving permission to sell the fund’s two-year bond at sh19.3b.

Okumu, however, suspected that Baku was being used by politicians named in the report to jeopardise the investigations.

But Baku dismissed the allegations, saying he was doing his work as mandated by the Constitution.

“I am doing my constitutional mandate of fighting corruption, promoting good governance and enforcing the leadership code of conduct,” he said.

On failure to honour the Speaker’s invitation, Baku said he received the message late and, therefore, could not attend the meeting.

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