NRM resolves not to spare Dura Cement report culprits

Some of the party bigwigs implicated in the report include, historical and MP for Nyabushozi, Col. Fred Mwesigye, and former Attorney General Khiddu Makubuya.

Ruling NRM party members have agreed not to protect public officers implicated in the Public Accounts Committee Dura Cement report.

During their routine party caucus in Entebbe, the MPs agreed that a lot of money was lost in the Dura cement deal and that those concerned should be held culpable. While presenting government’s stand to the MPs, the Attorney General, Mr Peter Nyombi, said: “During the Dura cement deal, everything was messed up and big sums of money paid out when such a situation should have been avoided.”

Some of the party bigwigs implicated in the report include; NRM historical and MP for Nyabushozi, Col. Fred Mwesigye and former Attorney General Khiddu Makubuya. The report, which was tabled by the Public Accounts Committee chairperson Maxwell Akora on Thursday, centres on the decision by the government in 2007 to cancel a mining lease that had been awarded to Dura Cement Ltd. The cancellation led to the company obtaining $16.4m (about Shs40bn) compensation.

The report proposes tougher sanctions against Col. Mwesigye, who was then head of National Enterprises Corporation, accusing him of facilitating the irregular transfer of the mining lease from NEC to Lafarge without proper tendering.

Kainamura pinned
The report wants Justice Billy Kainamura, the former Solicitor General to be reprimanded. The MPs say the judge leaked a draft report by KPMG, an audit firm, to Mr Elly Karuhanga of Kampala Associated Advocates (KAA), who then used it to “mislead” the President on the amount of compensation for Dura.

The report accuses Mr Karuhanga of influence peddling and “professional misconduct”. It wants him to be investigated by other government organs and relevant professional bodies.

Members who attended the caucus told this newspaper that when asked to defend himself, Mr Makubuya said he was not ready but asked for more time to explain his role. But Col. Fred Mwesigye said he was surprised that his name came up in the report when he only acted under instructions. He swore that he never “touched any money” and that he would “appeal to higher authorities.” The sources also said the President didn’t participate in the discussions with the caucus members.

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