Nassali defies Otafiire, resumes work at JSC

The Secretary to the Judicial Service Commission (JSC), Dr Rose Nassali Lukwago, yesterday defied the directive by Justice and Constitutional Affairs Minister Kahinda Otafiire and reported for duty.
Maj Gen Otafiire had on October 4 written to the chairperson of JSC, Justice Benjamin Kabiito, directing him not to allow Dr Nassali to resume duties pending consultations with President Museveni.
The minister said Dr Nassali has a pending criminal trial before the Anti-Corruption Court.
“She is here in her office peacefully. Work is going on well. Just watch the space,” a source said.
When Daily Monitor contacted Dr Nassali on why she had resumed office contrary to the minister’s directive, she said: “I have no comment. No comment.”
Gen Otafiire declined to state whether he would take any action after Dr Nassali defied his directive.
“I thought that was confidential information, where did you find it? I have no comment though,” Gen Otafiire said by telephone yesterday.
In his letter, he had also reasoned that given the sensitive nature of the mandate of the JSC, its secretary has to be a person of undisputable integrity, who is not facing criminal charges, unlike Dr Nassali.
“These provisions echo considerations of public policy aspirations and expectations of society given the sensitive nature of the mandate of the JSC which oversees, recruits and disciplines judicial officers. It’s desirable, therefore, that the Secretary of the JSC is of high moral standing, integrity and above reproach and not a person subject to a criminal trial,” the minister’s letter read in part.
Last Wednesday, Ms Munira Ali, the spokesperson of the IGG, promised to contact the head of Public Service, Mr John Mitala, to cause Dr Nassali’s interdiction.

Background
Charges. On August 8, Dr Rose Nassali was charged in the Anti-Corruption Court over accusations of causing a financial loss to government after she allegedly paid Shs33.8m to a consulting firm arbitrarily.
The charges arose from her work at the Education ministry, where she had worked prior to joining the Judicial Service Commission.
Dr Nassali is jointly charged with Dr S. Opio Okiror, former commissioner for Health Services and current commissioner for Human Resource in the Judiciary and Mr Cuthbert Kagabo, the former deputy director of the implicated consulting firm, AH Consulting Limited.
Dr Nassali denied the charges and was released on bail