Onek is accused, together with Prime Minister Amama Mbabazi and foreign affairs minister Sam Kuteesa of taking bribes from oil companies.

The committee, chaired by Michael Werikhe said they could not proceed without documented presentations from Onek, who is the current minister of Internal Affairs.

Onek said he did not possess a written submission of his response to the legislators concerns and had failed to get some information from the ministry of energy.

He asked for more time up to Tuesday next week to ensure the needed information and documents are given to be able to present his case.

The issue of resignation also came up after Makindye West MP; Hussein Kyanjo questioned his refusal to step aside while the committee investigates the bribery claims as well as the Rules and Privileges which is handling the issue of contempt of Parliament on the part of the ministers.

Kyanjo expressed fear that the committee could be wasting time if it did not first get guidance from the Speaker on how to proceed.

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In the resolutions passed by the House last month, the MPs demanded that the two ministers step down to give room for investigations into claims that they received bribes from oil companies.

Hon Nyombi told the mps today that the resolution lacked legal backing hence can not hold, insisting that the two accused did not be guilty of contempt of parliament by refusing to step down.

Earlier this week, Mbabazi and Onek gave the same vies, saying that their refusal to bow down to calls for resignation are not tantamount to contempt of Parliament.

In their views, there is no provision in the laws on contempt of Parliament hence no reason for them to step aside.

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Onek, who appeared before Parliament’s Rules, Privileges and Discipline committee this morning, contends that there are no provisions in the law requiring him to do so, adding that the resolutions passed in Parliament last month, calling for his resolution following the claims are merely advisory.

Onek was invited to the committee to make his case for not stepping aside following a petition tabled before the House by Kween County MP, Chemaswet Kisos for him, as well as Prime Minister, Amama Mbabazi to do so.

Onek told the MPs his conscience told him not to step aside and that he had consulted with the NRM party and his constituents, who both advised him to continue holding his portfolio.

Asked by the committee chairman, Fox Odoi on whether the resolution on resignation was not binding, Onek explained that he can only step aside if ordered to do so by the appointing authority and attempts by Parliament to do so were not right.

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According to the motion moved by Kween county MP Chemaswet Kisosi, the MPs want the two to step down pending investigations into allegations to taking massive bribes from oil companies.

The motion was seconded by MP Vincent Kyamadidi and Theodore Sekikubo.

The Prime Minister and minister Onek have insisted on their innocence and refused to step aside ahead of the said investigations.

While Mps insisted that the Ministers respect the house’s resolutions and step aside, the attorney general Peter Nyombi has maintained that parliament has no powers to suspend the ministers

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The state minister of energy Simon D’Ujanga says it is the drought that has affected the production of the hydro power generation.

D’ujanga says the country’s current power demand is about 450 mega watts yet the machines at Kiira and Nalubaale can generate only 350 MW leaving a deficit of 100 mw.

Media reports indicated that since 2006 to date, the Government has paid over US$ 470 million in power subsidies yet there has been a persistent the increase in tariffs.

The minister says consumers will continue to experience load shedding because the drought will take about five to six months.

Meanwhile, the managing director of Uganda Electricity Distribution Company Ltd, Erias Kiyemba appeals to the public to assist the government and report those who engage in power theft as one of the ways to reduce power loses.

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Sam Kutesa, Uganda's Foreign Affairs Minister

The MPs who begun their special sitting to discuss the dealings in the oil sector on Monday were breating fire threatening to censure the three ministers after strong allegations were tabled that the three ministers have received bribes to facilitate unfair deals with oil companies, and that they are behind influence peddling in the oil sector.

The Youth MP for Western Uganda, Gerald Karuhanga moved a motion calling for a commission of inquiry into the dealings of senior ministers in the oil sector which was widely supported. Karuhanga presented documents which he claimed were accessed from US government dossiers indicate senior ministers received bribes to give oil companies better terms on oil agreements.

Karuganga presented documents alleging that:

• Kutesa Kahamba Sam through his company East African Development company Kenya received 17m Euros (close to 74 billion Uganda shillings)through his bank called EFK in Zurich. That the money was leaving a Tullow account 40037242019 in a bank in Malta…through a recipient bank in UAE Dubai
  • That On June 21, from Tullow on account 4003724191 from the same back to Dubai the Hon Hillary Onek (shows bank statements) received 500,000 Euros.
  • That July 6, Hillary Onek received another 500,000 Euros on his account 0034450627007 in a Dubai bank
  • Hillary Onek also received another 500,000 Euros on July 17, 2010 same bank same account
  • That Hillary Onek received 1.5mEuros on the same account same day.

Sam Kutesa however insisted the alelgations are false and documents presented were forged.

The MPs concerned stemmed from the consistent refusal by the government to publicly avail oil sharing agreements will oil prospecting and production companies.

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Among the destroyed drugs include, Heroine (25kg) Cocaine (10.6Kg) and a new smuggled drug (1.5kg). Uganda last burnt illegal drugs way back in 2008.

Speaking at the event of burning the illegal drugs today in Kampala, the internal affairs minister, Hilary Onek applauded police and civil aviation officers for the bold heartedness by resisting temptations from drug dealers since 2009 and decided to hand over the narcotics to those in charge for destruction.

It is at the same event that the minister promised to lift up the services offered to police officers with the aim of bettering their lives to resist more temptation.

Meanwhile, the head of CID, Edward Ochom is still asking parliament to quickly pass the law on illegal drugs and substances saying the current legislations on illegal drugs are too weak to scale down drug related crimes.

But the shadow internal affairs minister, Al hajiHussein Kyanjo adds that the 8^th parliament was meant to pass this law before it came to an end but was constrained by time. Kyanjo maintains that the law will be passed soon by the 9^thparliament.

By Isaac Senabulya

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Speaking to reporters in Kampala today, Internal affairs minister, Eng. Hilary Onek states that the government is still carrying out investigations on the death of Muzoora despite the fact that a post-mortem was carried out which the government does not fully believe in.

Hasan Kasingye says that list of those under custody over the matter which include Kachwano, Sebagala, Deus Atungabantu, Mumberere Boniface, Alias Kiryambira, William Mukayira andByamukama.

Kasingye says their investigations reveal that Muzoora entered Uganda on 5^th/May 2011 from a neighboring country and travelled to Bushenyi where he was accommodated at the residence of one William Mukaira where he died of sickness towards the end of May.

Col. Muzoora was one of the UPDF deserters accused of leading the People’s Redemption Army, a rebel group the government says operates in DRC to to fight the leadership in Uganda.

Minister Onek called upon late Muzoora’s counterparts, Col. Samson Monday and Kyakabale to return home for amnesty.

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