Wildfire consumes wildlife authority

The new board at the Uganda Wildlife Authority sacked seven top managers over alleged financial impropriety – then irregularly doubled its own allowances and benefits.

A Daily Monitor investigation has uncovered evidence that the higher allowances were approved by Trade and Tourism minister Kahinda Otafiire in disregard of advice from his Permanent Secretary and accounting officer, Amb. Julius Onen.

Our investigations also reveal that Gen. Otafiire appointed his personal physician, Dr Boysier Oumar Muballe, to chair the UWA board, raising questions about the board’s independence.

Officials in UWA have also raised questions about the accelerated promotion of Mr Mark Kamanzi, who was last week appointed acting executive director in place of the sacked Moses Mapesa.

Official fast-tracked
Mr Kamanzi, who joined UWA last year as a legal manager, was promoted within a few months to chief legal counsel at the level of deputy director.

The official has, however, further been promoted thrice in the last three weeks. He was appointed acting director on July 30, promoted to director on August 6 and named acting executive director on August 12.

Our investigations can also reveal how a new board member took his family – and two UWA vehicles – on an all-expenses-paid 20-day tour of national parks.
During the sojourn, one of the cars in Mr Masokoyi Swalik Wasswa’s entourage broke down in Karamoja and was towed to Moroto for repair.

Mr Wasswa also recently completed a 10-day tour of Queen Elizabeth National Park. Mr Masokoyi, who was paid $150 dollars (Shs300,000) per night and a daily sitting allowance of Shs250,000, said on Monday that he did not get all the money.

He declined to give details saying, “Financial issues at UWA are handled by the executive director.”
Members of the previous UWA board, headed by city lawyer Andrew Kasirye, received a monthly retainer of Shs700,000 and a sitting allowance of Shs103,000.

However, Dr Muballe now receives a monthly retainer of Shs2m and a sitting allowance of Shs300,000. Other board members have a monthly retainer of Shs1.5m and a sitting allowance of Shs250,000.

Travel and night allowances have also been doubled to $200 (about Shs400,000) for the chairman and $150 (about Shs300,000) for members.

The new board has also approved new allowances and benefits to its members with Dr Muballe receiving a monthly allocation of 200 litres of fuel, Shs200,000 for airtime, and an entertainment allowance of Shs1m. While these allowances are not rare for board members, Mr Mapesa had opposed the increment on grounds that it would raise audit queries.

Mr Mapesa’s position was backed by PS Amb. Onen who directed in May that board members in agencies under the ministry be paid uniform allowances. “The ministry proposes that retainer be left to agencies that can afford but it should not exceed Shs300,000 per month,” Amb. Onen said in a letter copied to Gen. Otafiire, junior ministers and heads of the agencies under the ministry.

Gen. Otafiire, however, disregarded Amb. Onen’s guidance and instructed the UWA executive director to pay the allowances demanded for by the board. Dr Muballe had asked for the higher allowances in a letter to Gen. Otafiire on the grounds that “effective governance can realistically be achieved by well motivated and facilitated Trustees”.

Gen. Otafiire yesterday defended his approval of the higher allowances in a brief phone interview with Daily Monitor.
“You can’t pay people of that calibre Shs300,000,” he said. “They are not house girls.”

Asked why he had disregarded his PS’ advice and whether he would pay the same amount to other boards under the ministry, Gen. Otafiire said: “Let me run my ministry.”
Dr Muballe also defended his actions. “By the way I am not a poor man; if I want money, I have it. No cent of mine has come from illegal activities but I am generous with my money.”

The board chairman also defended his close ties to the minister. “I cannot deny that Otafiire is my friend. You can say until thy kingdom come, I can’t deny Otafiire.”
UWA, which is in charge of the country’s national parks and game reserves, has been rocked by last week’s sacking or resignations of senior managers.

Mr Mapesa was sacked together with Apophia Natukunda, the director of corporate affairs. James Omoding, the conservation coordinator was forced to resign. Others suspended are Sam Mwandha, the deputy executive director, Joseph Tibaijuka, director finance, Eunice Mahoro, director tourism and Olive Kyampaire, partnership coordinator.

With a bushfire threatening to consume the wildlife body, Parliament has summoned Gen. Otafiire and Dr Muballe to appear before the tourism and trade committee tomorrow.