By Mulengera Reporters
The chaos at Chairman Med Kaggwa’s Uganda Human Rights Commission (UHRC) has escalated with the latest information indicating that accounting officer (technically called Commission Secretary) Patrick Nyakana has opted to go for what sources feared might turn into permanent leave.
Knowledgeable insiders tell Mulengera News that on Wednesday, controversial Nyakana notified management that he was desirous to go on leave notwithstanding the fact that he had just returned from one in March. This was after getting premonition that the CIID and Afande Nakalema operatives might make a sudden raid unto UHRC offices similar to what happened at the Gaming Board earlier in the week.
As Speaker Rebecca Kadaga reported to the President as she invited him to deliver his State of the Nation address, UHRC is one of the many agencies that are being investigated for corruption and improper dealings. As accounting officer, Nyakana is among those previously notified of the impending apprehension to stand trial in the anti-corruption court. Before UHRC where he replaced Mzee Gordon Mwesigye, Nyakana worked at Uganda Law Reform Commission where he was known for being very shrewd.
In his absence, he communicated, Director F&A Margaret Ejang will be the acting Secretary for UHRC and having the last word on all financial matters. In a related development, on seeing fearful concerns being raised by UHRC donors like GiZ, DGF & JLOS, Jinja regional office head Rebecca Nassuna (who has always been very confidence politics would prevail) has started cracking. She is among those being investigated.
In response to Kadaga’s prompting, Museveni (uncomfortable to discuss such dirty things in presence of donors) responded in Kiswahili saying he looked forward to being briefed by Nakalema on the latest progress being made. It’s after that briefing that he will give political guidance on how to expedite prosecution and conclusion of the cases involving implicated officials.
As all this is happening, UHRC Chairman Med Kaggwa has continued to come under intense pressure from fellow Commissioners some of whom are pushing for interdiction of those being investigated, something Kaggwa is reluctant to endorse. Instead on Thursday he met some of the implicated officers and encouraged them to carry on with their work as the rest is being handled. This has only created more polarisis at UHRC with many wondering why the Chairman doesn’t want to emulate colleagues in other agencies where officers are asked to step aside the moment Nakalema investigations commence. It has also emerged that the former head UHRC Mbarara regional office is being prepared by the state to be their main witness once the criminal trial commences. (For comments, email us at mulengera2040@gmail.com).
