IGG summons six more senior Ubos officials for interrogation
Officials at Uganda Bureau of Statistics are under investigation over alleged corruption. PHOTO / COURTESY
What you need to know:
- Sources from IGG who are privy to investigations but declined to be named indicated to us that “the summonses were sent to the respective officials on March 14.
The Inspector General of Government (IGG) has summoned at least six more senior officials from the Uganda Bureau of Statistics (Ubos) as investigations into allegations of victimization of staff, corruption and conflict of interest gather pace.
Sources from IGG who are privy to investigations but declined to be named indicated to us that “the summonses were sent to the respective officials on March 14.” This brings the number of the overall summoned officials from Ubos to 29, including the executive director Dr Chris Mukiza and others who were interrogated last year.
IGG’s spokesperson Ms Ali Munira confirmed by telephone that investigations are ongoing but declined to divulge details.
The summoned officials, our sources added, are from the departments of human resource, consumer price index, economic statistics, project management and business development, surveys as well as field operations and logistics.
Sources further claimed that the troubled officials have over the last couple of weeks tried to meet the President and First son Lt Gen Muhoozi Kainerugaba- to make their case in vain.
‘Necessary to step aside’
Ubos’ woes started last year after a whistleblower petitioned President Museveni alleging that the top officials in the institution were victimizing staff and carrying out fictitious transactions which put taxpayers’ money at risk.
President Museveni through his Principal Private Secretary (PPP) Dr Keneth Omona directed IGG Beti Kamya to investigate following the above allegations.
Ms Kamya subsequently wrote to Finance Minister Matia Kasaija directing him to immediately interdict five top Ubos officials including Dr Mukiza to pave way for investigations.
“Preliminary investigations in the management of Ubos provide sufficient grounds for the IGG to continue with the investigations to their logical conclusion. It is, therefore, necessary that the Ubos officers under investigations step aside not to interfere with investigations,” the IGG wrote October 18, 2021.
On October 18, minister Kasaija “with immediate effect interdicted” Dr Chris Mukiza alongside Ubos’ board chairperson Dr Albert Byamugisha and board member Dr Robert Wamala.
The minister then appointed Ubos deputy director Dr Imelda Atai Musana as the acting Executive Director, further directing her to interdict the entity’s finance and administration manager, Florence Obiro, and the head of the internal audit David Ochieng.
However, court later halted the interdiction of the officials pending hearing and disposal of the main case. They have since returned to office even as investigations continue.
Although Dr Mukiza returned to office, he is not the accounting officer since he is still under investigation. This publication has learnt that the director of economic statistics Alizik Kauda Lubega has been appointed the acting accounting officer following the expiry of Dr Atia’s contract.
Both the executive director and deputy executive director jobs are contractual and each one is supposed to serve only two terms. Each term takes four years but one cannot be appointed after clocking the retirement age.
Dr Mukiza’s second term will expire in April 2024 but will not be eligible for reappointment since he will have hit the retirement age cap.
About Ubos
The Uganda Bureau of Statistics (Ubos) Act, 1998 provides for the development and maintenance of a National Statistical System (NSS) to ensure the collection, analysis, and publication of integrated, relevant, reliable, and timely statistical information.
The bureau is a coordinating, monitoring, and supervisory body for the NSS.
