The Foreign Affairs minister, Mr Sam Kutesa, yesterday became the second high ranking official to be linked with the controversial Shs9.4 billion Chogm car deal, even as NRM MPs moved to disrupt the committee proceedings.

The MPs led by Frank Tumwebaze (Kibaale) blocked the Public Accounts Committee from tabling documents accusing the minister of conflict of interest, prompting a premature adjournment.

Sources said the move to disrupt the inquiry was reached at a closed-door meeting yesterday, where Government Chief Whip Daudi Migereko reportedly asked the ruling party members on the committee to "neutralise" its proceedings.

"We had a meeting at 8:30am in the Chief Whip's Office where he told us to make sure that we fail the Chogm investigations without explaining to us why," a member who attended the meeting said.

Mr Migereko however, last night said the claims lacked credibility.

Migereko denies

"Pac is free to do its work. NRM MPs only came to me to consult on the committee attendance. I only found them in my office and they said they wanted to see me," said the minister.

In the committee, Mr Tumwebaze complained about not having the copy of a February 2008 Auditor General report which accuses Mr Kutesa of having past links with Europecar/Motorcare, a company that won the controversial Shs9.4 billion Chogm car deal.

The audit report cites Mr Kutesa and his family as former shareholders of Europecar/Motorcare.

When Daily Monitor contacted Mr Kutesa yesterday, he denied any wrongdoing. "It's true I used to own shares in Europecar/Motorcare but I sold my shares in 2005," Mr Kutesa said. "There was no conflict of interest because I was not a party to that company and by that time I held shares, Chogm had not been confirmed."

Mr Kutesa added: "If I was still a shareholder I would have pulled out of the meeting, let those accusing me check the law. I was not making these decision alone, there were 12 ministers on the Chogm Cabinet sub-committee and let them show evidence that I was a shareholder."

After the committee disbanded yesterday, its chairman, Mr Nandala Mafabi, said: "Nobody is going to block the Chogm probe. My committee is going to proceed whether there is pressure or not."

Earlier, Mr Charles Muganzi, the Ministry of Works permanent secretary, had told MPs yesterday that by the time government engaged Europecar/Motorcare, the firm had no valid licence and a performance guarantee.

However, Motorcare's Sales Manager, Moses Banturaki said "It's not true that we didn't have a valid trade licence because the Solicitor General cleared us to go ahead and the buyer was happy with our performance."