Ms Sarah Birungi Banage, (R) the assistant commissioner – public and corporate affairs of URA.

In a press statement released on Thursday, Sarah Birungi Banage, the Assistant Commissioner Public and Corporate Affairs with URA dismissed as false recent media reports suggesting that the beneficiary officials had earlier ‘hatched a plan’ to share the oil bonanza saying the transaction was both legal and had duly been approved through the Attorney General’s office.

The entire team came from URA, Ministry of Justice and Constitutional Affairs, Ministry of Finance, Planning and Economic Development and the Ministry of Energy and Mineral Development.

“It is standard international best practice for employees to receive bonus payments/or honoraria for exemplary performance in both the public and the private sector. Equally under the Ugandan Constitution; the President has a prerogative as a fountain of honor to reward exemplary performance and this has been exhibited in the fields of health, academia, sports among others,” Banage’s  statement reads in part.

The payments which have popularly been referred to as a “presidential handshake” have caused a lot of debate among Ugandans with some members of the civil society and a section of members of parliament calling for an investigation to the transaction saying it didn’t follow the due process of the law.

According to the Observer newspaper, a section of MPs have demanded that the Speaker of Parliament, Rebecca Kadaga, urgently institute a probe into the payments since the involved officers are public servants who draw a monthly salary for their work with government.

Paul Amoru the Dokolo North MP

Dokolo North MP, Paul Amoru, is quoted to have described the payments as “irregular, uncalled for and disturbing” and called for an immediate investigation into the matter.

“For us, as concerned MPs, from the information we have, URA should answer to the Parliamentary committee whose work directly deals with that to help us answer certain questions.It is unprecedented and dangerous,” Amoru said.

He was among MPs who called for a press conference on Wednesday in which a sizeable number of them said they want to clearly understand the source of this money and the person who authorised its payment.

Reports indicate that at least 42 officials benefitted from the bonus for their role in the capital gains tax dispute, in which the Ugandan government was awarded a combined total of USD700m.

However, Banage says there has been a lot of misconstrued information published in some dailies and online publications to the fact that payments were illegal, no approvals were obtained and that government officials ‘hatched a plan’ to share the oil bonanza.

“There is a lot of inaccuracy in the amount of money and the names of beneficiaries some of whom a former and current employees of URA. For example the following people both current and former staff of URA are erroneously included in the circulating lists namely;- Kyomuhendo Irene, Nabwire Agnes W, Nyakwera Jennipher, Nanziri Justine Stella, Wabokha Robert, Sebyala Samuel, Semombwe Charles, Patrick Mukiibi, Kateshumbwa Dicksons, Saka M Henry, and Otonga Michael Ochan,” Banage wrote.

Banage explained that contrary to the public view about the payments, all the legal processes were done before approvals were made as required by the Financial Management Act and that a Commissioner General was appointed to disburse the respective payments.

She added that the payment was a fraction of less than 1% of the total money won in the case.

Media reports have named the civil servants, who benefited, including, Ms Doris Akol, Head of URA (the initiator of the suit), her predecessor Allen Kagina who now runs the Uganda National Roads Authority (UNRA), the former Attorney General, the former Secretary to the Treasury, and the head of Kampala Capital City Authority, Jennifer Musisi, who headed the tax body’s legal department at the time.

In 2010, Heritage Oil sold its interest in Uganda to Tullow Oil at over $1.5bn, and the Ugandan government decided to impose a capital gains tax on the sale. But the oil firms refused to pay and the drawn-out dispute went on to the UK court of arbitration, where it was concluded in 2015.

The post URA defends payout to civil servants as MPs call for a probe. first appeared on Uganda Multimedia News & Information.

It is eight years now since Ugandans woke up to the sad news that the former Attorney General, Francis Ayume had died in a motor accident.

On the morning of Tuesday, May 18, 2004, the people of Uganda woke up to the sad news of a grisly accident that had claimed the life of Ayume.

But prior to the accident, the Attorney General had got a ‘headache’ in explaining to the President of Uganda, Gen. Yoweri Museveni the correct constitutional process through which Article 105 (2) of the constitution of Uganda on the two presidential term limits could be lifted to allow Museveni to extend his rule.

Ayume had told Andrew Mwenda of the daily Monitor news paper that it would set a dangerous precedent to amend the Constitution of Uganda using unconstitutional means.

The president reportedly wanted the ruling party in Uganda to mobilize two thirds majority within Parliament to Amend Article 105 (2).

But what is shocking the family of Ayume is that the survivors in his accident have never told Ugandans what actually happened and the vehicle which crushed Ayume was not found! It is suspected that the accident that killed Ayume could have been planned.

The post Francis Ayume’s family, 8 years later, not given his death report first appeared on Uganda Multimedia News & Information.

During the Committee meeting Chaired by Terego County MP Wadri Kassiano members noted  that the said money was not paid to Burundi Government as was agreed which has prompted the Committee to summon officials from Burundi Government to hear from their side whether the money was received or not.

Kassiano also said the 14 million dollars in Question is said to have been paid through Picfare account which was supposed to supply them with Stationery so that the committee can establish how Ministry of Finance wired the money to Picfare so that the truth is established.

In related development the Committee has also pointed out five Cabinet Ministers who are said to have handled the transaction will  appear before the Committee.

The Ministers to appear include  Khidu Makubuya Former Attorney General, Syda Bumba then Finance minister , Sam Kutesa Foreign Affair Mwesigwa Rukutana then State for Finance among others.

Ultimate Media

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The committee chaired by Kssiano Wadri (Terego) has thus resolved to involve the police to embarrass Makubuya after he snubbed their summons for the forth time.

Makubuya had been summoned to appear before this committee for questioning in relation to his controversial actions leading to the award of among others shs142bn to city tycoon Hassan Basajjabalaba, but the minister snubbed the summons, saying his appearance as former attorney general is illegal.

In his letter addressed to Wadri issues yesterday, Makubuya claimed that the attorney general Peter Nyombi gave a legal advice about his intended appearance in which he stated that competence to speak on behalf of Attorney general’s chambers is vested in the incumbent attorney general and therefore he would only appear as a second official to supplement what the AG will submit.

After a heated debate on the next plan of action, the committee agreed that a warrant of arrest be issued against him so that he appears on Thursday this week.

By Isaac Senabulya

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Kainamura who appeared before the committee in camera told mps that he got the letters for authorization of payment for different claims of compensation while he was still solicitor general of government from the former attorney general khiddu makubaya and there was no reason for him to doubt these letters that they were coming from the president.

Kampala business tycoon Hassan bassajabalaba appeared before the committee and said the president Okayed his claim of 142 billion shillings the loss of the contracts to manage city markets that caused government a loss of billions of money.

The chairperson of the committee Wadri kassiano says the committee will meet with the president to ask him about the claims before they make the report.

The president has disowned Basajjabalaba’s claims.  Recently state house issued a statement and the head of legal department in the state house Joy kabatsi said that the President never mentioned a figure, either by word or in writing as a basis for Basajjabalaba’s compensation.

The post Museveni again cited in Basajjabalaba botched compensation first appeared on Uganda Multimedia News & Information.