Top aviation bosses under investigation, says minister
Civil Aviation Authority Director General David Kakuba during an interview with the Daily Monitor in September last year. Dr Kakuba had on June 2 filed a report to the Minister for Works but it was rejected and he was ordered to rewrite it. PHOTO | RACHEL MABALA
Senior officials of the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) have been suspended after investigations were launched into the misuse of the authority.
The Minister of Works, Gen Katumba Wamala, said an investigation is underway at the CAA but he was not specific on the lines of inquiries.
“Some people have been told to step aside to enable investigations. Do not mind about the number,” Gen Katumba said.
The development comes at a time the Ministry of Works asked the Director General, Dr David Kakuba, (in a letter) to write a comprehensive end of term report detailing financing and implementation of projects and answering all audit queries.
The letter to Dr Kakuba also indicated that his contract that ends on June 30 would not be renewed. He took over the CAA on June 27, 2017.
Dr Kakuba had on June 2 filed a report to the Minister for Works but it was rejected and he was ordered to rewrite it and tender it in by June 22.
“You are required to submit a comprehensive handover showing the level of implementation of activities in detail beyond what you stated in your end of term report, specifically the implementation of the strategic plan,” the State Minister for Works, Ms Joy Kabatsi, wrote in the letter.
Dr Kakuba was also directed to give details of audit issues raised by the International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO).
“Guidance on handling and conclusion of audit issues of ICAO including certification of Entebe International Airport on one hand as well as financial audits by the auditor general and any other that may be outstanding,” Ms Kabatsi directed.
She also directed that a special progress report of the large number of projects should be writen showing the level of funding and implementation.
According to their website, the CAA is currently undertaking huge projects including extention of the airport infrastructure and improvement of Air Navigation Services and automation of Entebbe International Airport sponsored by the Government of South Korea with a Grant worth $9.5 million.
This project aims at implementation of Air Traffic Services Message Handling System; Improvement of Flight Procedures efficiency through Air Traffic Management.
President Museveni in his Hero’s Day speech sent a strong warning to corrupt civil servants he called “parasites” and “weevils” and he threatened to deal with a racket of government officials who instead of promoting locally made products opt to buy the same goods manufactured abroad.
ISSUE
Sources indicate that accountability for some of the past and ongoing projects raised a number of questions. It is also alleged that there was money released for sanitising the airport during the ongoing but it was reportedly not accounted for properly.
But in an interview with Katumba, he said CAA has no operations in Covid-19.
