Pension probe heads to ministry of Finance
Budget Director Kenneth Mugambe and other Finance officials to appear before Parliament. PHOTO BY FAISWAL KASIRYE
Kampala- Several bureaucrats in the ministry of Finance have been summoned to Parliament’s Public Accounts Committee (PAC) on Monday to explain their role in misappropriation of more than Shs165 billion paid to ghost pensioners in the Ministry of Public Service.
Secretary to the Treasury Keith Muhakanizi and his team are needed in PAC to explain how they released more than Shs88b to Ministry of Public Service to pay NSSF yet the law exempts public servants from making social security contributions to NSSF.
The MPs also want ministry of Finance officials to explain their role in the payment of Shs15 billion to what the Auditor General called a “non-existent” law firm in town.
“The information we have is that court documents were forged and more than Shs15 billion was paid to a non-existent law firm in town,” said
committee lead counsel Gerald Karuhanga (Youth Western). “We are not going to leave any stone unturned; whoever played a role in this scam must appear before PAC and account to Ugandans.”
The lawmakers investigating the pension scam, one of the high-profile corruption scandals, have also summoned Justice John Eudes Keitirima today to explain his role in the payment of Shs15b to Hall and Partners.
Information before the committee shows that the Shs15b was assessed by court and the certificate signed by the registrar was forged. The committee has also summoned two Judiciary officers - Mr Erias Kisawuzi and Milton Mutegeya - to explain their role in the disputed deal.
Although the committee was expecting Mr Christopher Obey, the former accountant in the Ministry of Public Service to appear, he sent his lawyers to inform members that he was nursing a sick father in Lyantonde District. He however, promised to appear before the committee next Tuesday. Mr Godfrey Himbaza and Mr Nathan Osinde represented Mr Obey.
“We have given Obey the last chance,” said committee vice chairperson Paul Mwiru (Jinja Municipality East). “Should Obey fail to appear on Tuesday, we are going to invoke Article 90 of the Constitution and ask police to deliver him to the committee.”
Mr Karuhanga said Mr Obey and Mr Jimmy Lwamafa, the interdicted accounting officer in the Ministry of Public Service, are considered to be “the main suspects” in the pension scam.
When contacted yesterday, Mr Muhakanizi sent a text, saying he was busy but promised to call back but had not done so by press time.
On April 13, court dismissed the pension case. However, in 2013, the Auditor General issued a report on the pension scam and Speaker sent it to PAC for scrutiny.
