Uganda has always made the rank for one of the most corrupt countries on earth. This ranking is perpetrated by government officials who deem “brown envelopes” better than public service.
Last Saturday, a big fish with the title of Honourable minister was nabbed “live” in the act. The disgraced minister is Herbert Kabafunzaki, the state minister for labour.
I will help you reduce the “pressure”
Honourable Kabafunzaki dressed in jeans and chequered shirt rushed into the Explorer bar at Serena Hotel on Saturday afternoon after hoping to walk out a happy and “loaded” man.
The bait which came in form of a 10 million offer from Aya tycoon, Mohammad Hamid who was last week accused by one of his workers for sexual harassment sought the intervention of the labour office which is led by Hon. Kabafunzaki.
The minister who had days before led a team of officials to meet the accused tycoon Hamid then hatched a plan to pick 10 million shillings in exchange for his freedom and dropping the case his team and police were investigating.
In a recorded telephone conversation that TrumpetNews has had access to, the minsiter is heard encouraging Hamid to meet him at Paradiso bar so he can “help” him.
“I want to help you. I want nothing from you. i want to reduce on the pressure you are facing. Come here, i am at Paradiso restaurant with your friend” a seemingly desperate Kabafunzaki is heard imploring the tycoon.
Nail the thief
Hamid who claims he has always been a target of blackmail says he alerted president Museveni about Kabafunzaki’s preposition and the president gave the nod to Hamid to accept the offer
Agreeing to meet at 2pm, the tycoon then picked the 10 million, walked into the bar as a smiling Kabafunzaki who was in the company of his personal assistant welcomed him.
Unknown to him, plain clothed policemen were waiting in the same bar in watch and immediate swung into action nabbing the minister after he had received the cash
Political amateur
Honourable Kabafunzi is well known in the social circles for being greedy with an insatiable thirst for quick money.
The minister who has even been christened “Ninja” owing to his prowess at surviving previous scandals was rewarded with a ministerial job after ousting FDC strongman Jack Sabiiti from Rukiga County which for years was in the hands of the FDC party.
One of Kabafunzaki’s Old Boys took to social media on Saturday to announce how the arrest of the minister wasn’t surprising owing to the scandalous life the man was known for.
“I was in the same school with Herbert (Kabafunzaki) and i am not surprised he is being implicated in such a scandal. That man, even in school, he was always shady. It was only a matter of time before he gets exposed. He is a long time fraud”
Kisanja Hakuna Mchezo
President Museveni promised at his swearing-in ceremony in May last year that this would be a term of “no jokes (hakuna mchezo)”.
The president said that he would leave no obstacle in the way of government to deliver on services for the citizens adding that vices like corruption would be weed out.
Last week alone, police stormed the Ministry of Finance offices in a raid that was described as “Commando style” to arrest two officials who had reportedly asked a colossal amount of money from an investor to help fast-track certification for his business.
Honourable Kabafunzaki is currently caged at Nalufenya detention centre as he awaits being produced in court for charges of corruption.
