A report from the Parliamentary Committee of Commissions, Statutory Authorities and State Enterprises (COSASE) has named a total of 26 heads of Government agencies who should be fired for abuse of office.
Among the prominent heads of these agencies include’ Allen Kagina, ED, Uganda National Roads Authority (Unra), Kampala Capital City Authority’s Jennifer Musisi, Uganda Revenue Authority’s Doris Akol and Clerk to Parliament, Jane Kibirige among others.
In its report that is yet to be tabled before Parliament, the Committee headed by Bugweri County MP Abdu Katuntu noted that there are discrepancies in the list submitted by the Secretary to Treasury in relation to the eligibility create as stipulated out in the Public Finance and Management Act.
In their report to Parliament, the Committee said that the Public Finance and Management Act 2015 should be adhered to and all accounting officers who do not ensure proper usage of the public resources should not be re-appointed.
“The Secretary to Treasury should not clear any Accounting Officer who failed to use the public resources in a candid manner to be re-appointed without further clearance from either the Auditor General or Internal Auditor General who raised the matter of incompetence on the officer,” the report reads in part.
The Committee wondered why the Ministry of Finance had submitted the list of the above accounting officers for re-appointment contrary to an earlier recommendation by Secretary to the Treasury, Keith Muhakanizi who had highlighted that the above agency bosses were ineligible for re-appointed.
The report blamed the said officials of stifling government programs blaming their incompetence for the poor performance arguing that the named Accounting Officers cannot properly use the public resources for the benefit of the society.
“Appointing incompetent Accounting Officers is the precursor to financial problems given that already exhibited inability to manage the resources allocated to their entities,” the report says.
The Committee also expressed concerns over the failure by the appointing authority to name heads of statutory authorities pointing out of the 120 statutory Authorities, only 43 have been assigned accounting officers.
“The Committee expected all entities with votes to have an accounting officer as per PFMA, 2015. It was noted the big entities with big funding have not been assigned an accounting officer. Big spending entities like UNRA, Electoral Commission, IGG have all been noted to abuse public resources through incompetent Accounting Officers,” COSASE report says.
However, when COSASE vice chairperson, Anita Among took to the floor to present the list last week, she asked for more time to reconcile the list before tabling the final copy, arguing that the request came in late.
She was supported by Angelline Osegge, the Chairperson of Public Accounts Committee who urged Parliament not to rush with the name and shame list saying if the matter was rushed, it would attract litigation from the culprits.
Speaker Rebecca Kadaga gave the Committees up to 30th July 2018 for the accountability Committees to present the lists.
CHECK FULL LIST
| NAME | ENTITY |
| Dan Odongo | UNEB |
| Sam Rwakojo | Electoral Commission |
| Jane Kibirige | Parliamentary Commission |
| Charles Kwesiga | Industrial Research Institute |
| Allen Kagina | UNRA |
| Stephen Asiimwe | Tourism Board |
| Michael Odongo | Uganda Road Fund |
| Zaribwende | Dairy Development Authority |
| Musisi Semakula | KCCA |
| Godfrey Turyahikayo | Rural Electrification Agency |
| Wilberforce Kifudde | National Animal Genetic Resource Centre |
| James Saaka | NITA-U |
| Sydney Asubo | Finance Intelligence Authority |
| Theopista Wenene | Health Service Commission |
| Doris Akol | URA |
| Ambrose Agona | NARO |
| Paul Mengyereza | Uganda Bureau of Statistics |
| John Mbabazi | Public Service Commission |
| Rose Kafeero | IGG |
| Laurence Banyoya | Local Government Finance Commission |
| Bemanya Twebaze | Registration Bureau |
| Ben Manyindo | UNBS |
| Immanuel Lyamulenye | UCDA |
| P Rubonyera | Metrological Authority |
| Grace Baguma | National Curriculum Development Centre |
| Elly Kamugisha | Export Promotion Board |
