OPM scam: Museveni explains why he stood by Bigirimana

Parliament- President Museveni yesterday launched a new book: “Corruption; A Tale of Wolves in Sheep’s Clothing”, by Gender permanent secretary Pius Bigirimana and used the occasion to explain why he backed him when MPs accused him of having a hand in the loss of donor funds in the Office of the Prime Minister.

The President said he stood by Mr Bigirimana after he read the entire report of the Auditor General and found no incriminating evidence linking him to the OPM scam.

“The MPs wanted to finish Bigirimana...but I said no because they wanted to blackmail him, they wanted him to keep quiet but he remained stable and helped us to catch the big snakes in OPM,” the President said.

Mr Bigirimana, a former OPM permanent secretary, insisted that he was a whistleblower and thanked the President for standing by him. He warned the President against “wolves” in his government.
“These wolves are in State House, they are in Parliament and in government ministries,” he said.

Bigirimana praised
In a seven-page foreword in the book, the President details how he stood by a man who endured “untold vilification” by politicians, the media, self-seekers, social commentators and the OPM scam investigators.

In reference to calls made after the Parliament’s Public Accounts Committee (PAC) inquiry, Mr Museveni added: “Thrill and ending cries were made. Pius must go. Pius should be fired! Yet Mr Bigirimana was correct to denounce the theft when he detected it.”

“I refused to heed to these cries because the people who bayed for Pius’ blood could not present to me evidence to back up their allegations,” Mr Museveni said.

Some MPs from northern Uganda told Daily Monitor that they had not forgiven Mr Bigirimana for failure to protect Peace, Recovery and Development Plan funds. “We have no kind words for Mr Bigirimana... Let him repent publicly...” Ms Betty Ochan Aol (Gulu Woman MP), said.

Misused cash under OPM was supposed to help in reconstruction of northern Uganda and Karamoja.
However other MPs welcomed the book and said it would help government fix the loopholes in the management of public funds and fight corruption.

The President said Mr Bigirimana had brought to light fundamental weaknesses in the planning and execution of disbursements by some government technocrats.

“None of those involved in the scam was happy that these unfortunate developments were being brought to the light. I stood by him. The investigations by police and PAC have vindicated him,” Mr Museveni said.

In faulting Mr Bigirimana, the President said many clung to the issue of sending money through peoples’ personal accounts, adding that “even if that could be questioned, as a procedure, it could not negate the great work he had done in exposing the grand theft.”

The President said Mr Bigirimana undertook tremendous efforts to advocate for improvement in financial management by ministry of Finance, adding that the various improvements and upgrades to the Integrated Financial Management System accompanied by stricter spending protocols for government ministries have come about as a result of his pioneering work.

Mr Museveni said: “Pius is not just a man of words but of action,” Mr Museveni said and pointed out the Youth Livelihood Programme, a five-year initiative Mr Bigirimana designed to combat poverty and unemployment.

On the criticism that his government only offers lip-service in the fight against corruption, Mr Museveni said: “Contrary to some pessimistic opinions, the government of Uganda possesses political will and the operational systems to deal with corruption.

He said appropriate legal systems were put in place and admitted that OPM scandal was one of the most shameful and insidious thefts of government funds in the rest history.

BACKGROUND

Mr Bigirimana was one of the top government officials implicated by a PAC report on the abuse of foreign aid in the Office of the Prime Minister where more than Shs50b was lost.

Those assigned responsibility for the scam in the 86-page report include the Secretary to the Treasury, Mr Keith Muhakanizi, Accountant General Gustavo Bwoch, Commissioner for Treasury Services Isaac Mpoza, interdicted OPM accountant Geoffrey Kazinda and a host of other technocrats in the Finance ministry and Bank of Uganda.

On the alleged misuse of Shs11.6b from Norwegian support to PRDP, the committee recommended that Mr Bwoch and Mr Bigirimana be held responsible for the diversion of funds. The committee recommended that the PS be held responsible for spending funds that were not appropriated to OPM.

The officials implicated denied the accusations.

[email protected]