Fate of interdicted ex-Mulago boss hangs in the balance

The embattled former executive director of Mulago Hospital, Dr Byarugaba Baterana, has not assumed duties two months after the Health ministry lifted the interdiction against him.

Mr Emmanuel Ainebyoona, the spokesperson for the Ministry, told Daily Monitor on Tuesday: “We are still waiting for communication from the Health Service Commission [the appointing authority].”

In the June 21 letter, while announcing the lifting of the interdiction, the Ministry’s permanent secretary, Dr Diana Atwine, said Dr Byarugaba has been reinstated to “full pay” and that he would “assume duties” after the “Health Service Commission has noted the lifting of your interdiction.”

The director of a national referral hospital earns Shs15 million every month, according to information from the Ministry of Public Service.

Clearing the air about the issue which has attracted the interest of the legislators, Prof Pius Okong, the chairperson of the Commission, told this newspaper they have done their role. “We don’t clear, we note the lifting. We finished our part but the process is bigger than that,” he said without giving details.

Dr Atwine interdicted Dr Byarugaba in March last year following his arrest by the State House Health Monitoring Unit on allegations of abuse of office, embezzlement, causing financial loss, and fraudulent false accounting.

Dr Byarugaba was also indicted in September last year over allegations of multi-billion shillings accounting scandals, which investigators at the State House Health Monitoring Unit said was around Shs28.8 billion.

Following the interdiction, to fill the management vacuum, Dr Rosemary Byanyima, who was serving as the deputy executive director, was appointed  the acting executive director.

In an interview with this newspaper, Dr Warren Namara, the head of the State House Health Monitoring Unit, indicated that it was unlikely that Dr Byarugaba would assume duties or return to Mulago Hospital soon.

 “Investigations are still going on, he may interfere. I don’t foresee such a situation [where he is returning to serve as the executive director of Mulago hospital], I would complain about it because it would make my work difficult,” Dr Namara said.

He added: “I am not against the lifting of the interdiction because the law provides for that but I am against reassignment back to his position because it makes our work difficult. In any event, he is a civil servant who is employed and he can be posted anywhere within the establishment of government.”

 Dr Atwine could not be reached for comments. But Mr Ainebyoona emphasised that they would rely on communication from the appointing authority to determine their next move as the Health ministry.

 Dr Atwine said in the June 21 letter that she lifted the interdiction and reinstated Dr Baterana on “full pay” pursuant to section, F-s (15) of the Uganda Public Service standing order 2021.

 Dr Namara of the State House Health Monitoring Unit, a body that was conducting the investigations, said Dr Byarugaba’s fate would be determined soon. 

 “We didn’t delay to complete the investigations. We don’t work alone. We work with other arms of government –police, the Directorate of Public Prosecutions (DPP) office and the Anti-corruption [unit],” he said.

 He added: “We finished our work and we formed an opinion and gave the files to the DPP’s office named the anti-corruption court. They are the ones responsible for that. Remember what has been going on –the mabaati saga (theft of iron sheets), but the judicial establishment is also overstretched.”

The law

Section F-s (15) of the standing order states: “Where the responsible officer is unable to conclude an investigation within six months, the interdiction may be lifted on condition that the matter will be revisited when further evidence by the investigating bodies is adduced.”

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