By Mulengera Reporters
During the 28th October 2024 Cabinet meeting at Entebbe State House, President Yoweri Museveni said something which disturbed and kept Finance Minister Matia Kasaija sleepless for some good number of days.
The H.E. was furious over the circumstances under which the URBRA governing board, chaired by his cadre Julius Bigirwa Junjula, had disregarded ex-CEO Martin Anthony Nsubuga’s written expression of interest to serve for another 5 years as CEO. He had become CEO on 14th May 2019 and his contract ran out on 14th May 2024. He was eligible for one more term of five years but that was subject to whether the board was satisfied with his performance or not.
Prior to the 28th October Cabinet meeting, the President had heard from Martin Nsubuga whose case was that he was a victim of vendetta by some of the board members who he claimed wanted money and hated him personally.
He had been advised to apply and compete with others as opposed to being thrown out. He felt betrayed and instead went to Court besides seeking audience of some sort with the President.
In his letter, Kasaija complains about many things and explains to the President why Nsubuga couldn’t be automatically reappointed. He states that the board took note of several weaknesses and failures which diminished Nsubuga’s fitness and suitability for reappointment.
Kasaija faults the ex-CEO for expending up to Shs198m on fuel-related expenses for his office for the FY2022-2023. That this was in excess of what had been approved. He also informs the President about Shs19.5m that was spent on the remuneration of the inappropriately recruited staffers.
That these had been recruited without board input. That the board was actually defied on that specific recruitment which was subsequently cancelled and the beneficiaries chased away.
Kasaija also talks about the Shs200m that was expended on activities outside the Authority’s approved work plan and budget. That planned and approved activities ended up being deprived of funding because money had been reallocated elsewhere to fund ultra-vires activities.
Kasaija adds that the ex-CEO often disregarded board resolutions guiding on priority activities through which the URBRA brand visibility would be increased while contributing to the President’s broader vision of wealth creation and social economic transformation. That there are several stationery and vehicles maintenance-related procurements that were undertaken without following laid down procedures.
The Minister also reports to the President about failure to put in place strong internal controls through which inappropriate and wasteful expenditure of public funds would have been mitigated.
Kasaija, who also makes reference to sectarianism and recruitment of cronies into nonexistent employment positions at URBRA, informs the President that it was on the basis of some of these above referenced anomalies that the governing board recommended and communicated to him about Nsubuga’s unsuitability for retention.
He says that he was hurt that Mr. Nsubuga, who he had always treated with favor, paid back by dragging him to Court which resulted into plenty of very damaging media publicity.
Kasaija says that the door was left open but instead of applying to compete with other external applicants as was indicated to him, Nsubuga took to fighting him personally by filing a Judicial Review application against him and other URBRA leaders in Justice Musa Sekaana’s Court.
In his letter, the Minister makes it clear to the President that he is ready to bring to him board members who can help corroborate on the contents of his letter highlighting Martin Nsubuga’s unsuitability to carry on as CEO for Uganda Retirement Benefits Regulatory Authority. His letter to the President wasn’t copied to anyone. (For comments on this story, get back to us on 0705579994 [WhatsApp line], 0779411734 & 041 4674611 or email us at mulengeranews@gmail.com).
