Kampala — The public accounts committee is investigating allegations that some of its members are holding secret meetings with officials named in the mismanagement of CHOGM funds.

The committee chairman, Nandala Mafabi revealed yesterday that he had received complaints from several MPs, including some members of the probe committee, that their colleagues were meeting officials implicated in the Auditor General's report.

"I have received the complaints and have asked some of the complainants, who are mainly MPs, to put the matter in writing so that the committee is able to investigate it in details," Mafabi told The New Vision.

"How can you meet in a bar and have a drink with someone you are investigating? This compromises the members' attitude towards people being probed," he added.

He declined to name the alleged members but vowed to take disciplinary action against them in case the allegations proved to be true.

"I am going to issue a stern warning to the members during the meeting today to desist from such acts because if proved, we shall ask them to step aside," Mafabi said.

One of the committee members, Theodore Ssekikuubo, told journalists yesterday that he had complained to the committee chairman about the conduct of some of his colleagues. "These members were caught in the act in one of the hotels having a clandestine meeting with the very people they are supposed to investigate. I felt that this matter ought to be brought to the attention of the committee chairman and Parliament," Ssekikuubo said.

"These are not party issues but issues of accountability which officers are supposed to answer. I am really very sad."

The committee, which started probing the CHOGM expenditure last week, has resolved to expel any member who disrupts future sessions following last week's fracas. The committee was forced to prematurely adjourn on Thursday after members clashed over evidence on the ownership of the company that supplied executive cars for the summit.

Mafabi said MPs should not bring politics into accountability issues. He warned members against protecting officials being named in the CHOGM scam. A total of sh370b has been spent so far on the summit, according to the Auditor General's office, and the bill keeps increasing.

The audit reports into the CHOGM expenditure found "gross mismanagement" in the procurement process, inflated prices - up to 20 times the Government engineer's estimate, overpayment for most works and services audited, and in some instances payment for no visible works done.

In addition, the Government invested billions in private ventures that have never been capitalised into shares.