The minister for presidency Frank Tumwebaze has rejected claims against him that he influenced the permanent secretary in the ministry of Defense to award the 22 trillion shillings tender for the construction of the Standard Gauge Railway to a Chinese firm.
Appearing before the Select Committee probing irregularities in the process of procuring the contractor for stanadard gauge Railway chaired by Nakifuma mp Robert Kafeero Ssekitoleko , Mnister Frank Tumwebaze attacked the permanent secretary in the ministry of Defense Rosette Byengoma for accusing him of having pressurized her to sign a Memorandum of Understanding with China Harbour Engineering and Construction Limited (CHECL), one of the two Chinese firms fighting over the deal.
Tumwebaze told the committee that he never pressurized Byengoma as alleged saying he called him in a usual manner of running government work.
Visibly angry Frank Tumwebaze demanded the permanent secretary in the ministry of Defence Rosette Byengoma to resign her office if she can not accept calls which are for running of government .
He said that if the permanent secretary detected pressure from Minister should have report to the minister of defense Dr.crispus kiyonga.
Mps on the committee like Suzan Amero, Rose Mary Nyakikongoro among others discovered that the president directed minister Frank Tumwebaze to include the Engineering brigade in the railway construction .

The deal to construct the railway triggered controversy when State Minister for Works John Byabagambi cancelled an understanding with China Civil Engineering Construction Corporation (CCECC) and picked China Harbour Engineering Corporation (CHEC) to construct the eastern railway line.