IGG asks House to suspend director
IGG Irene Mulyagonja. PHOTO BY JOSEPH KIGGUNDU
What you need to know:
Allegations. The Inspector General of Government says they have received claims that the director Parliamentary Budget Office has abused and mismanaged the office.
Parliament.
Parliament is once again under the spotlight—this time for trying to obstruct the ombudsman investigation into what the inspectorate called “grave” allegations of corruption in the Parliamentary Budget Office.
The Daily Monitor has learnt that the Inspector General of Government recently received complaints that the director Parliamentary Budget Office, Mr Samuel Wanyaka, was allegedly engaged in corrupt practices, misuse of funds and that he had allegedly grossly abused and mismanaged the office.
On December 9, Ms Irene Mulyagonja, the IGG, wrote to Ms Jane Kibirige, the Clerk to Parliament, directing her to interdict Mr Wanyaka to pave way for investigations into what she called “grave allegations” against the director.
“Mr Wanyaka is a fraudulent man and there can be no successful investigation against him if he can still access office and resources,” the IGG’s letter reads in part. “He has frustrated all attempts by staff to have him disciplined using blackmail and real threats.”
Because of camaraderie between heads of departments and internal politics, the IGG’s letter says the authorities in Parliament lack capacity to deal with Mr Wanyaka.
When contacted, Mr Wanyaka said “these are matters under investigations” and denied any wrongdoing. He said there are people witch-hunting him and that the allegations in the IGG’s letter are not true.
However, on December 16 the Clerk to Parliament wrote to the IGG requesting for her “patience”, saying the matters were being handled “in-house”.
In trying to convince Ms Mulyagonja to back off the investigations, Ms Kibirige told the IGG that the Parliamentary Commission has statutory mandate to exercise disciplinary control over persons holding public offices in Parliament.
She also told her that the Parliamentary Commission was already investigating the director on similar accusations.
While the Clerk in her response to the IGG said Mr Wanyaka cannot interfere with the investigations, Ms Mulyagonja, however, said before her office commenced investigations, it came to her attention that after the complaints were lodged with the inspectorate, Mr Wanyaka secured copies of the same.
She said her office is also informed that on November 25, Mr Wanyaka allegedly approached one of the IGG employees with copies of the complaints and requested her to assist him “kill” it.
When the member refused to assist him, the IGG wrote, Mr Wanyaka allegedly asserted that he did not need her help, saying he has fought and won many battles of a similar nature.
