I cried following NSSF allegations, says Byarugaba 

Former executive director, Mr Richard Byarugaba. PHOTO/ FILE

What you need to know:

  • Mr Byarugaba said corruption allegations against him were baseless.

Mr Richard Byarugaba made a brief appearance on Thursday before MPs investigating the goings on at the National Social Security Fund (NSSF) and said he was the victim of a witch-hunt.
Mr Byarugaba ran the Fund for a decade until last December. Although the NSSF board recommended him for reappointment, he remains out in the cold after Labour minister Betty Amongi accused him of corruption and mismanagement.

“I call myself a victim. I know the honourable minister and the Fund have tried to portray me as a villain and to be quite frank, I am a victim and I feel really bad,” Mr Byarugaba told MPs.

He added: “I tried to be very strong with this thing but on Saturday, there was a [radio talk show] where a one Richard Matua, who I believe came to this committee and made horrible allegations. I broke down and cried for the first time because I felt that why am I being subjected to this [yet] I have done a very good job?”
Mr Byarugaba said corruption allegations against him were baseless.
“I really feel awful because a lot of the allegations that touch on me personally like corruption, there is no evidence to show these allegations. How wild can this be that I received five percent of the contract value on Pension Towers and I wired the money through a bank in Mauritius and in Barclays?” he wondered. 

“The IGG, who is meant to investigate this, has not even been in touch with me,” he added.
Ms Amongi wrote to the NSSF board and directed it to write to the IGG to cause an investigation into Mr Byarugaba. 
Mr Byarugaba told MPs that there was no evidence to support the allegations.
He met MPs just before 6pm yesterday, causing an adjournment to today.