Emma Mutaizibwa
25 June 2004
Kampala — Former Energy Minister Mr Richard Kaijuka is lined up to get about Shs359 million in gratuity from the proceeds of the sale of the former Uganda Commercial Bank Limited (UCBL), Members of Parliament heard yesterday.
Finance Minister Mr Gerald Ssendaula sanctioned the payment on March 23 this year. Kaijuka is supposed to receive the money as a former Managing Director and Chairman of the Uganda Commercial Bank between 1979-1985.
Makindye East MP Micheal Mabikke blew the whistle on the payment yesterday in the House during the plenary session chaired by the Deputy Speaker, Ms Rebecca Kadaga.
Ssendaula on March 23 wrote to the Governor of the Central Bank, Mr Tumusiime Mutebile, asking him to pay Kaijuka Shs359 million.
Mabikke tabled Ssendaula's letter on the floor of the House yesterday.
Kaijuka, who was dropped in a Cabinet reshuffle in 1999, was later appointed an alternate governor at the World Bank for the English-speaking and Portuguese-speaking African countries. The World Bank axed Kaijuka for allegedly receiving a bribe of $10,000. He was replaced by former Deputy Governor of Bank of Uganda, Mr Louis Kasekende.
Controversy surrounds the sale of UCB after MPs argued that it was sold for peanuts to South African Stanbic Bank. Court on Monday halted the sale of the former UCB headquarters 16-storey building on Kampala Road after MPs petitioned court. Stanbic Bank insists the headquarters of the bank were not part of the deal during the sale of UCBL.
Mabikke had asked legislators to halt the approval of Shs705 billion vote on account meant to run government ministries, departments and self-accounting bodies after the revelation. "These are some of the loopholes which may result into squandering state funds. This is a lot of money," a charged Mabikke said.
He argued that the law demands that all monies that the government receives from the sale of parastatals should be kept in the Consolidated Fund.
Lubaga South MP Ken Lukyamuzi said the vote on account of Shs705 billion should be halted because money from state coffers wasbeing wasted.
However, Constitutional Affairs Minister Janat Mukwaya said the parliamentary rules of procedure demand that a vote of account should be passed in a day's sitting of the House.
"This is a post mortem. The Government can pursue anyone involved in wrongdoing. This is what the rules say," she said. Tempers flared when Lukyamuzi told Mukwaya, "What else did I expect from you?"
To the chagrin of Mukwaya, she rose on a point of order. "I am disappointed that Lukyamuzi can doubt my capacity to comprehend issues. In my mother tongue they say, you will find me useful one day," an agry off Mukwaya said.
Aggrey Awori (Samia Bugwe North) had said the vote on account should not be passed because they were no funds budgeted for the people living in internally displaced camps.
He also queried a further Shs20 billion to be spent on the Iganga-Malaba road after the government had used $26 million on the same road.
"There was poor supervision during construction on this road. Poor supervision on the side of the government officials resulted into shoddy work. Why should we spend another Shs20 billion on this road?" he said.
Odonga Otto (Aruu) said government officials make deals during construction. "Several ministers have construction companies. They are the buyers and sellers. It is a mess," he said. But after stiff resistance, the House passed the budget.
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