You’re worse than Ndiege, MPs tell Kyambogo team

Parliament- Legislators on the Public Accounts Committee yesterday turned the tables on Kyambogo University officials, saying they are worse than Vice Chancellor Isaiah Ndiege, whom the officials accuse of messing up the institution.

On account of theft of university assets, fictitious procurement deals, lack of accountability, false declaration of revenue to the university, and hiding information from the auditors, the committee said the officials lack “moral authority” to question Prof Ndiege “on anything”.

“When I look at all this mess at Kyambogo University, I don’t understand, because these are the same people who are on strike that the Vice Chancellor has messed up things yet they are a big problem to the university,” Mr Benjamin Cadet (Bunyaruguru County) said.

Prof Ndiege, who was hired by management in 2009 to neutralise the power struggles bedeviling the university, fell out with the staff and some administrators last year. The lecturers accused Prof Ndiege of mismanaging the institution which later morphed into his suspension. He has since been reinstated.

In one of the “fraudulent” procurement deals, the committee heard that 50 desktop computers were bought at an inflated cost of more than Shs5 million each yet the same computer costs less than Shs2.4 million in the open market.

The June 2011 Auditor General’s report before PAC shows that lecturers also pocketed more than Shs788.8 million in personal advances but the university authorities have not deducted the money from their salaries.

The committee also found that Shs2.4b meant for various activities at the university remains unaccounted for. While the officials said the money is in the bank, the final accounts show that by close of June 2011, they had less money on the account.

Mr Akorimo told the committee that he found “things amiss” at the university but the committee dismissed his explanation as “unserious” and demanded for the documents relating to the missing funds.
While the university bursar, Mr Paul Ham Mungyereza, told the committee that unpaid bills of Shs3.8 billion were NSSF arrears, the details in the university’s accounts show that the money was for sundries. The bursar then said they had mixed up the “payables”.

In asking for leniency, Mr Akorimo said his administration inherited assets and liabilities in October 2010. The committee rejected his explanation and said as an accounting officer, he committed an offence for hiding arrears to a tune of Shs2.7billion.

Missing money

-50 desktop computers bought at Shs5million each.
-Lecturers pocketed more than Shs788.8m in personal advances but failed to refund it.
-Shs2.4b that was part of the Shs60billion from government remains unaccounted for.
-Shs1.4 billion in government cash for the procurement of goods and services remains unaccounted for.
-University paid more than Shs7.7 b in domestic arrears yet only Shs5.3b was reported.
-Computers worth Shs110.4mstolen from the university and no sufficient evidence to implicate the security guard.

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