Unnamed officials from Ministry of Agriculture and Uganda Bureau of Statistics (UBOS) have entered a deal with Inspectorate of Government (IG) Betty Kamya to refund shs 9.7 billion they ate as the country grappled with Covid-19 pandemic.
Kamya told the media, she will be pursuing criminal prosecutions against these thieves having signed agreements to refund the money.
Ministry of Agriculture
In October, 2021 the Inspectorate of Government received an allegation from a whistle Blower to the effect that a total of Ugx. 9Bn was mismanaged by officials of Ministry of Agriculture, Animals Industry & Fisheries (MAAIF), Bukalasa Agricultural College (BAC) and Fisheries Training Institute (FTI). The complaint particularly stated that during COVID -19 lockdown, officials at MAAIF disbursed UGX 9 Bn to BAC and FTI for various activities yet the schools were closed and not operational.
Article 225 (1) (e) and Section 8 (e) of the Inspectorate of Government Act, 2002 empowers the Inspectorate of Government (IG) to investigate the conduct of any public officer which may be connected with or conducive to the abuse of his or her office or authority; the neglect of his or her official duties.
The IG investigated the above allegations and established that during the F/Y 2020/2021, MAAIF transferred funds totaling to Ugx 10,214,168,464 to FTI and BAC at different times.
Out of the Ugx 10,214,168,464 disbursed to the two institutions, Ugx. 8,722,130,799 was mismanaged and misappropriated as it was spent on non-existent activities at the schools.
However, before any action inclusive of prosecution could be taken, the culpable persons by their letter of 1st March, 2022 to IG requested to refund the amount in issue.
Article 230 (2) of the Constitution of the Republic of Uganda and S.14 (6) of the Inspectorate of Government Act, 2002 provide that;
“The Inspector General of Government may, during the course of his or her duties or as a consequence of his or her finding, make such orders and give such directions as are necessary and appropriate in the circumstance”
Given the above enabling provisions of the law and aware of the various strategies of fighting corruption which may be either short, medium and long term, this office invited the parties for a meeting on the way forward on their request.
The suspects undertook to refund the sum of Ugx. 8,722,130,799 on Inspectorate of Government Asset Recovery Account Number 003030088000007 held at Bank of Uganda using EFT.
UBOS
The Inspectorate of Government also received another complaint from a whistleblower alleging that in the F/Y 2021/2022, staff of finance department at UBOS illicitly amassed wealth by taking advantage of the COVID 19 lock down.
It was specifically alleged that senior officials at UBOS made requisitions for fictitious activities to a tune of Ugx. 1,000,000,000= (One billion shillings).
Investigations established that between July 2021 and March 2022 Ugx. 1,010,731,900= was requisitioned and paid to staff for field work activities during the COVID 19 lockdown.
It was also established that out of the total sum requisitioned for only Ugx. 33,130,900= was rightfully spent on planned for field activities.
The balance of Ugx. 977,601,000= had no activities undertaken at all and accountabilities which were later found to be fake and forged were submitted/filed.
The Inspectorate of Government invoked her powers under Article 230(2) of the Constitution of the Republic of Uganda and Section 14 (6) of the Inspectorate of Government Act and ordered the culpable staff involved in the mismanagement of the above funds to refund the total amount of Ugx. 977,601,000= within 90 days.
Failure of which other options including prosecutions would be taken against them.
Letters ordering the culpable UBOS staff to refund the funds were dispatched and after 90 days the Inspectorate of Government will take the next action regarding the matter.