Yasiin Mugerwa
2 May 2008
Individuals and organisations that abused the multi-million dollar Global Fund to fight Malaria, Tuberculosis and Hiv/Aids may go scot-free after the government announced on Wednesday that it lacks money to prosecute the culprits.
Mr Amos Ngolobe, the Deputy Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP), said they needed Shs760 million to investigate and prosecute persons and organisations blacklisted by the Justice James Ogoola-led commission of inquiry but the Finance Ministry has failed to avail the finances.
"It's a priority to the country that we investigate and prosecute the global fund culprits," Mr Ngolobe said, "Unfortunately, out of the Shs960 million required, we only have Shs200 million, leaving a shortfall of Shs760 million in our budget."
Mr Ngolobe said: "Without these funds, there is nothing we can do to implement the recommendations in the Ogoola commission report."
Finance Minister Dr Ezra Suruma, however, told a meeting of permanent Secretaries (which Ngolobe attended) and the Parliamentary budget committee yesterday that the government was running a tight budget and ruled out any preferential allocation to the DPP's office.
"Crying for more resources for one sector [DPP's office] is not among the government priorities, especially at the time when there is a need to create employment in the country," Dr Suruma said curtly.
It was not immediately clear why the office of the DPP was seeking special funds to prosecute GF culprits yet the directorate is the principal organ that receives annual budgetary allocations to expedite prosecution of suspects on behalf of the government.
In June 2006, government forked out Shs2.9 billion to hire private lawyers from Kampala Associated Advocates to nail Col. Kizza Besigye, the President of the FDC Party and ten others for alleged treason.
In October last year, the US government under the Millennium Challenge, pledged to ensure that Uganda becomes eligible for funds under the programme. Uganda has so far received $10m from the programme to fight corruption.
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