Kagina fires 80 UNRA staff

Ms Allen Kagina (2nd R) and a contractor inspect work on Katosi Road in Mukono recently. Photo by Abubaker Lubowa

KAMPALA- The Uganda National Roads Authority (UNRA) Board has given the nod to the new executive director Allen Kagina’s first major shakeup at the agency, in which 80 staff, including senior managers, have been asked to leave at the end of the month.

The UNRA Board chaired by Ms Agnes Kyiryabwire, sitting last Friday, also agreed to advertise all the positions and directed that the four top officials earlier suspended in connection with the controversial procurement of the botched up Shs24 billion Katosi road scandal be dismissed.

Among those leaving the roads agency in the next seven days are Mr Gerald Ndaula, the director for human resources, Mr Peter Ssebugwawo, the head of internal audit, Mr Enock Kalema, the procurement manager, and Mr Bruno Musoke, the regional manager for special projects.

The director of communications,Mr Dan Alinange, will also be leaving the agency.

According to information available to Daily Monitor, Ms Kagina asked that all staff in the procurement department, internal audit, Information Technology, finance and several engineers in operations and projects leave the agency in order to give her a chance to re-organise UNRA and purge it of incompetence and suspected corruption.

Mr Alinange yesterday confirmed that he is among those whose contracts run out on June 30, and will be leaving the agency.

“That is a board decision and all affected staff are aware. It will be up to them to either reapply or to move on,” Mr Alinange said in an interview.

However, the board last Friday also agreed to renew contracts of several top managers, including Mr Lawrence Pario, the director for planning, Mr Patrick Muhumuza, the director for finance and administration, Mr James Okiror, the director of projects, and Mr JB Ssejjemba, the manager in charge of administration.

However, the position of Mr William Tumwine, the acting legal director is under review, sources close to the UNRA Board said.

This newspaper, however, understands that about 30 senior staff in audit and procurement departments have already been issued with notices that their contracts will not be under consideration for renewal.

The board also approved Ms Kagina’s request to dismiss the Katosi Road scandal suspects, including former UNRA executive director Kimeze Ssebuga, despite an ongoing investigation by both the police and the Inspectorate of Government.

Other’s affected by this action include Mr Marvin Baryaruha, the director for legal services, Mr Joe Ssemugoooma, the director for finance, and Mr David Luyimbazi, the director of planning. The quartet have been on suspension since August last year.

The start of the massive restructuring exercise comes in the wake of Ms Kagina’s appointment to the helm of UNRA by President Museveni in April.

Ms Kagina promised to turnaround the administration of the roads body and weed it of any malpractices.

At the behest of Ms Kagina, President Museveni last week also named a five-member tribunal led by High Court judge Catherine Bamugemereire to conduct a wide-ranging inquest into, among other things, previous scandals at UNRA, awarding of contracts and the tripling costs of roadworks in the country.

Criminal sanctions will be considered against any official implicated.

Some of the top officials asked to leave

• Mr Gerald Ndaula , Head of Human Resource,
• Mr Bruno Musoke, Regional manager special projects
• Mr Peter Ssebugwawo, Manager internal audit
• Eng David Kyakulaga, Mechanical maintenance manager
• Eng Charles Assedri, Regional manager North
• Eng Fred Kalega, Regional manager South Western
• Eng Godfrey Kaaya Mukasa, Regional manager Eastern
• Mr David Owor , Manager internal audit
• Mr Apollo Engwau, Regional accountant
• Evas Kagezi, Supplies officer
• Mr Stepehn Kwiri , Regional accountant
• Eng. S Butuuro, Maintenance engineer,
• Mr John Higenyi, Projects engineer
• Eng. David Kyakulaga, Mechanical maintenance engineer
• Eng. Enock Kalema , Procurement Manager
• Goretti Katende, Officer Internal audit
• Allen Namale , Procurement
• Norah Achan, Procurement
• Stephen Mugisha, Procurement
• John Bigaba Engineer
• Hassan Ssentamu, Station Engineer, Moroto