Peter Nyanzi & Jude Luggya
21 March 2006
Kampala — "A heap of garbage," was Justice James Ogoola's description of the accountability rendered for the millions spent by the three ministers of health in purported supervision of Global Fund activities.
"Utter rubbish," Bank of Uganda Governor Tumusiime Mutebile summed up state minister for general duties Mike Mukula's attempts to exonerate himself from responsibility of accounting for the money.
This was at yesterday's session of Justice Ogoola's commission of inquiry into the alleged mismanagement of the Global Fund against Aids, Malaria and Tuberculosis, which was thrown into shock by Mukula when he said the money was never misused.
"I want to put it on record that from the deep analysis we have carried out as a sector ministry, no single dollar or shilling for procurement of drugs or treatment, no single shilling has been diverted from any of these programmes," Mukula said with a straight face.
A visibly shocked Ogoola asked, "Money was being put to use which was not intended, money is being misused and the accountability is coming in concocted. Where is your sense of horror?"
But Mukula insisted that if there had been no value for money, Uganda would not have been a model for the world. A disgusted Ogoola retorted that Uganda was also one of only two countries in the whole world whose grants were suspended for alleged mismanagement.
Mukula and his colleague, Dr Alex Kamugisha (Primary Health Care) were yesterday appearing before the commission as witnesses.
The commission had documents indicating that the ministers had made several field trips worth millions of shillings from the GF for supervision of GF activities. Asked by the lead Counsel Mr Philip Karugaba what kind of supervision a minister would offer for GF activities, Mukula said it was political supervision. "My lord, I want to simplify it and say, as a minister, I do prescribe and dispense political medicine," he said.
He said on the field trips, the ministers would hold political rallies, address district councils, meet the various leaders at the various levels to "ensure that the health sector strategic plan and the president's manifesto is being implemented."
When Ogoola asked to who Mukula was answerable when making the so-called political supervision trips, the minister answered, "My lord, I'm answerable to the people of Uganda and to the President of Uganda.
Asked whether he would write a trip report and address it to the President or to the people of Uganda, Mukula said it was not necessary.
The commission had documents indicating that more than Shs36 million had been requisitioned on December 16, 2005 but the accountability for the ministerial trips was made on February 25, 2005. Mukula declined to explain saying the function of explaining the matter was that of the "technical people."
He said the explanation would have to be done by his personal assistant who requisitioned the money, to which Ogoola responded, "You are so detached from accountability." He said as a minister, he had never requested for or used a shilling in his name or carried money.
"You said you are responsible to the President of Uganda, now if he hears about this will he call the PS and ask what is happening or he will ask you what is happening?" Ogoola asked adding that in many countries the "smallest whiff of non accountability would make ministers resign."
But Mukula said political leaders are not supposed to interfere in the financial systems of government.
Asked whether the Shs60.1 million loans advanced to the Ministry of Health by PMU was in order, Mukula said the accounting officer would be in position to answer.
But Ogoola insisted that the minister should answer the question because it was a policy matter.
"The issue is to borrow or not to borrow. That is an accounting matter my lord," he said, adding that he could not give a political thought on a matter he was not competent about.
Ogoola put it to Mukula that though he had helped to set up the commission, he had not been helpful to it in his testimony, which he described as "evasive."
The commission saw documents indicating that accountability was made for trips that the minister never made in Karamoja and other places.
When Ogoola wondered when the ministers were ever in the office, Mukula said, "I am not a desk officer. Every day I sit in the office there is a child dying of Malaria or somebody getting infected with HIV," Mukula said. However, Ogoola also put it to him that every time GF money was used in an inappropriate manner, there would be a negative impact on the people affected by the scourge.
Mukula advised the commissioners to "focus on the bigger picture" and be pragmatic.
Ogoola put it to Mukula that he did not show any sign of shock or horror at the kind of "concocted" accountability that the commission had shown him. "'You seem to be relaxed about all this heap of garbage," Ogoola said. "'You should have responded like you did to the Joseph Kony with the Arrow Boys, which is equally as bad or as lethal as the security situation you handled."
"My lord I am normally a calm person," he said.
There was a brief exchange from Commissioner Tumusiime Mutebile when Mukula claimed that it was only last week that he learnt that the millions of shillings to facilitate his trips were debited on the Global Fund in the PMU.
Mukula said, "When we requested for funds for political supervision, I did not know where the resources would come from."
Mutebile shot back, "Come on Mr Mukula, come on!"
A visibly irritated Mukula answered, "I am honourable Mike Mukula."
Mutebile said, "Mr Mukula you cannot tell me that you did not know that this trip was funded by GF?"
Mukula shot back, "I have put it on record my lord that I later on learnt of where the resources were coming from. Unless if we are suggesting that the minister is given additional schedules to know where resources for each trip or activity should be obtained. As a minister I do not usually know where the money is coming from."
Mutebile said, "That is utter rubbish."
Mukula answered, "My lord, that statement is strong especially coming from the Commissioner and a Governor of Bank of Uganda, who has been a Permanent Secretary and Secretary to the Treasury. It would be unfortunate to suggest that a minister knows where the money comes from.
"A responsible minister would know," Mutebile said.
"I am a very responsible minister, my lord," Mukula answered, before Ogoola intervened.
The commission also saw documents indicating that Shs3.3 million was borrowed from the GF to facilitate ministers for the July referendum on political systems. Mukula said he was not aware that it was borrowed from the GF but quickly added that it was justified because it was a "cabinet directive."
Though the commission had documents indicating otherwise, Mukula denied ever chatering a plane to supervise GF activities in Soroti and Arua.
In the afternoon, Kamugisha, the Primary Healthcare Minister also failed to explain the millions of shillings he received to supervise GF actities.
On many of the trips no technical people were on the teams. Like Mukula, Kamugisha said he did not know that the money was coming from the PMU. "I agree that the trips should have been paid for by the Ministry of Health, but it did not occur to me that it was GF money," he said, adding that it was only last week that he got to learn of it. "But even then, I did not think it was a big issue."
The commission saw documents indicating that the minister's vehicle; UG 1703G had consumed fuel worth Shs220, 000 in Kampala and Shs190, 000 in Luwero on the same day. It also consumed Shs212, 000 in Hoima and Shs220, 000 in Masindi on the same day. Kamugisha said it is his political assistant who should explain.
The commission also had documents indicating that Kamugisha's son Julius Mugisha got a job in the PMU and that his salary started going on his account three months prior to the December 2004 commencement of his contract.
Kamugisha attempted to deny having a hand in the employment of his son but Ogoola insisted that the minister ought to have understood that hiring his son to work in a ministry he heads was bound to raise eyebrows in the public eye even if there was no mistake committed.
But Kamugisha angrily asked, "What's wrong with my son working in a ministry I head? Should the President first sack me for my son to get a job?" He said if this was a mistake, President Museveni should not have employed his son to work in the army where his father is the commander-in-chief.
ADDITIONAL REPORTING BY GERALD WALULYA
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