By Mulengera Reporters
Godfrey Semugooma, an influential commissioner at the Finance Ministry, has been designated by PS/ST Ramathan Goobi to take over the role of Accountant General-albeit in acting capacity. There are high chances of him being gradually confirmed to take the role in substantive capacity.
The position became vacant a few days ago following the arrest of Semakula, the substantive Accountant General, who was supposed to retire early next year on the account of age. He is being prosecuted over the recent Bank of Uganda scandal which saw the Ugandan taxpayer lose up to Shs60bn in some fraudulent payments.
Lawrence is one of the few Keith Muhakanizi-era seasoned technocrats who boldly opted to stay put at the Finance Ministry when Goobi was given the job in 2021. Semakula didn’t agree with colleagues who took early retirement after anticipating retribution, persecution of some and purging of some sort under Ramathan Goobi’s reign.
He was always considered to be among the Muhakanizi-era technocrats who were unwanted and had to be gradually purged under Goobi’s regime. Because the position is sensitive and critical to the running of the country, it couldn’t be left vacant following Lawrence Semakula’s apprehension over the Bank of Uganda Shs60bn scandal.
This is why the Goobi-led management at the Ministry of Finance found it prudent to immediately designate Godfrey Semugooma to take over the role. And not many ought to be surprised because the highly qualified Semugooma had always been perceived and accepted to be the defector Deputy or Assistant Accountant General even when that position strictly doesn’t exist.
Even when there is widespread consensus that Semugooma was the right and most appropriate candidate for the position, there is plenty of corridor whispers disputing the urgency and promptness with which Ramathan Goobi moved to give away his senior colleague’s job.
The other bitter truth is that even when the prosecutor is unlikely to find any sustainable criminal charges to secure a conviction against him, Lawrence Semakula is very unlikely to ever bounce back and serve out the reminder of his term as Accountant General of Uganda, especially now that the state has already commenced on his criminal prosecution. (For comments on this story, get back to us on 0705579994 [WhatsApp line], 0779411734 & 041 4674611 or email us at mulengeranews@gmail.com).
