Ambassador Julius Onen, the new Tourism Permanent secretary endured baptism of fire as MPs pushed him to explain questionable accountability of Shs5 billion for Chogm activities.

Mr Onen who was summoned to explain to Parliament's Public Accounts Committee (Pac) probing Chogm expenditure, yesterday, failed to explain why Unisis, a private financial firm was contracted to train hotel staff for Chogm in hospitality skills at Shs1.3 billion.

"These officials in Tourism have failed to account for Chogm money worth Shs5 billion and we have asked CID to investigate the authenticity of the figures submitted to us," said Mr Nandala Mafabi, the Pac chairperson.

The committee, probing Chogm expenditures questioned by the Auditor General, found that for instance, while the ministry had contracted Unisis at Shs614 million, the contract sum later doubled to Shs1.3 billion without unclear reasons.

Pleas by Mr Onen that he was still new in the ministry and his request to Mr Mafabi to allow the Commissioner Tourism, Mr Cuthbert Baguma to explain what happened fell on deaf ears as angry MPs demanded for answers.

Mr Baguma tried to justify the expenditure, saying it was critical to train hotel staffs to have a successful summit. Mr Baguma denied claims by the Foreign Affairs Permanent Secretary, Mr James Mugume that Tourism was responsible for Chogm accommodation.

"Our role as a ministry was only quality assurance and we had nothing to do with procuring accommodation," Mr Baguma said.

It emerged on Wednesday that the government paid Shs9 billion to hotels to accommodate guests who never used the rooms that had been booked.

"These people they allege to have trained were degree and diploma holders. We have information that these people were only given Chogm tags without training. Whoever took this money must pay it," Mr Theodore Ssekikubo (Lwemiyaga) said.

According to the documents submitted to Pac, of the Ministry's total Chogm budget of Shs5b, Shs1.8b was allocated to the sub-committee on accommodation (quality assurance), Shs565.3m to a mini sub-committee on tours and Shs2.6b was allocated to Art and Exhibitions sub-committee.