Prime
IGG reviews petition against appointment of new Unbs boss
Mr James Nkamwesiga Kasigwa, the new Unbs executive director. PHOTO/HANDOUT
What you need to know:
- The petition contends that Eng Kasigwa was not among the best two candidates recommended to the Trade minister from whom to pick for the appointment.
The Inspector General of Government (IGG) is reviewing the petition that is questioning the appointment of Mr James Nkamwesiga Kasigwa as the new executive director of the Uganda National Bureau of Standards (Unbs).
Ms Ali Munira, the spokesperson of the office of the IGG, yesterday said: “The complaint is still being reviewed to determine the next course of action.”
The petition, which was lodged last week by lawyers of Wanambugo & Co. Advocates on behalf of Mr George Ahimbisibwe, contends that Mr Kasigwa was not among the best two candidates recommended to the trade minister from whom to pick for the appointment.
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The petition contends that six candidates had been shortlisted for the interviews.“... and following the interviews, the National Standards Council recommended to the Minister of Trade, Industry, and Cooperatives the best two candidates for the appointment to the position of executive director pursuant to Section 11 of the Uganda National Bureau of Standards Act as amended,” the petition to the IGG reads in part.
The petitioner claims that despite the recommendation of the board, the minister of Trade went ahead and instead appointed a candidate who was not recommended.
“Our client contends that the appointment by the minister is illegal and contrary to the Unbs Act as he did not act in accordance with the recommendations of the board as required by the current law. It is, therefore, our humble request that you intervene and investigate the said illegal appointment,” he adds. The results of the interview seen by this newspaper show that Fortunate Muyambi Benda was the best candidate with 79.90 percent and Mr Apollo Segawa came in the second position with 79.25 percent.
Mr Kasigwa came in the third position, with an overall pass mark of 63.12 percent.
Mr Kasigwa, whose term of office started on Monday last week, replaces Dr Livingstone Ebiru who was relieved of his duties over management issues at the institution.
Dr Ebiru’s woes started when he appeared before the Parliament’s Committee on Commissions, Statutory Authority, and State Enterprises (Cosase) and confessed to having bribed the Unbs board with Shs100m in a bid to further secure his stay at the institution.
However, days later, he made a U-turn and retracted the said bribery statements, claiming he made them out of anger.
