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Ugandan Government Probes Corruption Allegations

   Peter Clottey 15 November 2010

   The  interim  head  of  Uganda's  anti-corruption  agency told VOA his
   organization  has  begun  a criminal investigation into allegations of
   graft  reportedly implicating several cabinet ministers including Vice
   President Gilbert Bukenya.

   Raphael Baku said his organization will have to determine whether they
   criminally flouted Ugandaâs procurement laws.

   âThere  have  been problems about the Commonwealth Heads of Government
   meeting  here in Uganda. There have been allegations that there were a
   lot  of  corruptions  in  the  process  of organizing the meeting. The
   auditor  general  made an auditing report which came with the findings
   that there were some procurement irregularities committed,â he said.

   âThe  Parliamentary  Accounts Committee (PAC) confirmed that there was
   some  mismanagement  and  violations of procurement violations. So, we
   are  now handling those two reports to ascertain whether the breaching
   of the procurement laws and the mismanagement, which were pointed out,
   amounts to criminal acts.â

   Several  Ugandan  groups  accused  the  officials  of President Yoweri
   Museveniâs   government   of   misappropriating  funds  earmarked  for
   organizing  the  2007 Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM)
   held in the capital, Kampala.

   In  a recent investigation, Ugandaâs parliament accused Vice President
   Bukenya  and  several  cabinet ministers of gross fiscal mismanagement
   amounting to 500 billion shillings ($227 million).

   Baku said the criminal investigations have no political undertones.

   âOur  government  now  as the inspectorate of government, which is the
   Anti-Corruption  Authority  of  Uganda,  is to look at the accusations
   against  the  leaders to determine whether those accusations amount to
   criminal  acts.  And,  if  they  do,  then  we will institute criminal
   prosecution against those who are found to be culpable,â Baku said.

   Local  media  reported  that  the graft accusations are causing a rift
   within  the  ruling  National  Resistance  Movement  (NRM)  party.  It
   suggests  that,  while  some support the accused officials, others are
   demanding  they resign to clear their names before being reinstated as
   government officials.

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