If you thought substantive ED Jolly Kaguhangire’s forceful exit marked the end of squabbling at Uganda Investment Authority (UIA), just read this. This news website has landed on heaps of correspondences showing that away from Kaguhangire, there are more frightening power struggles at UIA that must make everybody very afraid. Whereas they appeared to be united in forcing out Kaguhangire (who is out on a three months interdiction), Board members have actually been sharply divided for some time; moreover on petty issues. The most notorious example is the feud between Board Chairman Emely Kugonza and Prof George Piwanga Jolobo, a very humorous West Niler closely related to Archbishop Luke Orombi. Piwanga recently retired from Makerere and this left him with sufficient time to fully devote himself to perfect the situation at UIA. At some point he undertook to develop the strategic plan for the UIA and when his proposals weren’t funded, he grumbled having felt the chairman was too weak to push the agenda enshrined in the Strategic Plan which Piwanga insisted was the magic bullet to turn around UIA. In fact of all board members, Piwanga distinguished himself as the chief tormentor of the ED Kaguhangire right from the start. Even when the ED worked hard to always appease BOD members by ensuring their Shs2.6m monthly retainer plus the Board Chairman’s Shs3m was regularly paid, Piwanga always found reason to be at loggerheads with her. When she protested the increased frequency of Board meetings which would cost UIA Shs750,000 in allowances per member per sitting, Piwanga appeared to be the most offended. She one time argued that the Board meetings ought to be reduced in intensity because it had become unsustainable for UIA whose budget is barely Shs8bn to be annually spending over Shs600m remunerating board members. Emily Kugonza argued this was a good observation that merited listening to, some members led by Piwanga objected to and faulted the chairman for being too soft on the ED. When it came to recruitment of the 6 Directors under the restructuring program, the IGG was petitioned and wrote to the Board chairman vowing action against members who messed up the exercise. In her 11th June 2018 two page letter, Irene Mulyagonja wrote to the Board chairman declaring her investigations into circumstances under which the Board messed up the restructuring so much that the restructuring ended up returning 5 out of the 6 old UIA Directors that had been expelled at the dawn of the restructuring. Coincidentally many of the views the IGG raised and the objections she made resembled the arguments Kaguhangire had been making cautioning members during BoD meetings. Piwanga’s supporters tried to put blame on Kaguhangire, something Kugonza objected to demanding proof. Piwang, whose supporters always felt he was more suited to be board chairman than Kugonza, resorted to protesting Kugonza’s leadership by petitioning many offices including the 1st Lady Janet Museveni, the Speaker of Parliament, ISO, the Prime Minister, the IGG and many other offices. The similar petitions often reached a disgusted Gen Salim Saleh who clearly refused to be dragged into UIA matters. Piwang’s anti-Kugonza petitions would be copied to Finance Minister Matia Kasaija who many times declined to sanction Kugonza. This infuriated Piwanga’s supporters to the point of belittling Kasaija whom they faulted for being biased in favor of Kugonza because he comes from his Buyanja County constituency.
KUGONZA SWINGS;
On getting tired of being despised for being a weakling (which he of course isn’t), Kugonza sat down and wrote a dossier to Matia Kasaija calling for the ousting of controversial Piwang from the UIA board. In the two page dossier, which we are reproducing as part of today’s reporting, Kugonza enumerated the breaches warranting Piwanga’s sanctioning. He says during the 50th Board meeting members found rampaging Piwang culpable for “gross misconduct” premised on a number of transgressions. Kugonza reports to Kasaija that on seeing Piwanga’s unbecoming way of conducting business, “a number of verbal warnings and comradely advice from colleagues” were extending but the man from Nebbi was unrepentant. Piwang was accused of sharing Board minutes and other UIA confidential information to the media, UIA junior employees and other unauthorized persons. He was also accused of writing and distributing “malicious letters and emails” against the Board Chairman and other members to the public and UIA junior employees. Kugonza says this violates public service standing orders, work ethics, secrecy and confidentiality clauses “as stipulated in UIA Board Manual and his appointment letter.” Kugonza ends his letter by urging Matia Kasaija to use his authority and take decisive action against Piwang for the numerous breaches.
M7 INTERVENES;
In a related development, Kasaija reveals that last Thursday 5th July, President Museveni called a meeting at Entebbe State House where Kaguhangire was persuaded to amicably hand over office to Basil Ajer who is to act as ED for three months whereafter Kaguhangire will resume her position after being investigated. In his 9th July letter, Kasaija reminds Kaguhangire of her promise to do the needful. He writes as follows: “As agreed in State House, this is to request [not order or direct] you to hand over office to Mr. Basil Ajer Director SME & STI on Wednesday 11th July 2018 at 2.30pm. Please take this matter in good spirit as it is a process to determine whether the accusations against your office and person bear any substance or not. On completion of the interdiction period and issuance of the interdiction report of which by copy of the chairman UIA should produce within the agreed period of 3 months, the decision will be taken on the way forward with your employment with Uganda Investment Authority. So I urge you to fully cooperate as the investigations go on.” Kasaija’s letter is copied to the President, Investments & Privatization Minister Evelyn Anite, PSST Keith Muhakanizi, UIA Board Chairman and Basil Ajer. Sources say during the State House meeting, ED Kaguhangire was explained to in the presence of the President and made to understand that the interdiction wasn’t an act of witch-hunt but an administrative step taken to establish her innocence regarding the allegations that were made against her. For comments, call/text/whatsapp us on 0703164755.
