Export Promotions Board offices broken into

Unknown thugs on Tuesday night broke into the offices of the Uganda Export Promotions Board (UEPB), New Vision has learnt.

The thugs, according to sources, accessed the offices through a window and made off with a laptop from the office of the accountant.

As a result, staff were asked to keep away from their offices until Police in plain clothes arrived and inspected the scene.

Kampala Metropolitan Police spokesperson, Patrick Onyango, was not readily available for a comment but sources privy to the case said detectives opened up an inquiry into the matter.

The premises housing UEPB offices are being guarded by Askar private security guards. When contacted, Kamugisha declined to comment on the matter.

The break-in comes at a time when the Inspector General of Government (IGG), Justice Irene Mulyagonja, is investigating the board after workers who had been laid off petitioned her officer over unfair sacking.

In December last year, the UEPB executive director, Elly Twineyo Kamugisha, was arrested and detained at the Central Police Station in Kampala for two days for disobeying orders of the IGG against sacking workers.

Police detectives also quizzed two more staff; Peter Omwine, the internal auditor, as well as the director finance and administration, Florence Katushabe.

The IGG involved the military police to arrest Kamugisha because Kamugisha was being guarded by a soldier. Kamugisha's body guard has since disappeared from UEPB.

Kamugisha was arrested after he locked out staff members who had earlier petitioned the IGG over unfair termination of their contracts.

Mulyagonja directed that the staff remain in their offices until the matter is investigated and disposed of.

However, Kamugisha ignored the IGG's directive and locked out the UEPB staff.

Kamugisha earlier confirmed the termination of staff contracts, saying UEPB had reviewed the staff structure and that affected staff were asked to re-apply for any position they feel they qualify to hold