A petitioner in the name of Humphrey Matsiko has urged Speaker of Parliament Rebecca Kadaga to decline the approval of former director of supervision at the Bank of Uganda Justine Bagyenda, on the board of the Finance Intelligence Authority (FIA).
Ms Bagyenda and others were supposed to appear today before
Parliamentary Appointments Committee headed by Kadaga as Chairperson. Mr. Matsiko in the letter dated September 17, 2018 says that by declining to approve Ms Bagyenda, parliament would have worked in public interest.
“… It is my humble prayer that Parliament protects its integrity,
oversight and public interest of Ugandans by declining to approve Mrs. Justine Bagyenda’s renewal as a Board Member of FIA,”he says.
However, Eagle Online understands Ms Bagyenda has failed to turn up for vetting, meaning she has lost interest due to pressure from the public. That means an alternative will be selected to fill her position. Sources informed this website that one of MMAKS lawyers advised Bagyenda againist going for vetting. MMAKS is law firm that was contracted by Bank of Uganda in executing the fraudulent sale of Crane Bank.
The Appointments Committee was to vet Bagyenda alongside Leo Kibirango (Chairperson), Patrick Ocailap, Justine Bagyenda, director of the Criminal Investigations Department (CID) AIGP Grace Akullo and Patricia Mutesi as Members.
It should be remembered that former IGG Faith Mwondha failed to turn up for vetting by parliament for reappointment to that position and lost the job as legislators would not approve her in absentia.
Ms Bagyenda still faces investigation by the Inspector General of
Government (IGG) Irene Mulyagonja over alleged illegal accumulation of wealth.
The IGG is yet to release a report on the matter after confirming months ago that Ms Bagyenda was under investigation.
Ms Bagyenda was early this year named on the FIA Board for the second term by the finance minister Matia Kasaija amid investigations by the same body FIA IGG. She said also have played a role in the closure of the defunct Crane Bank and was one of those questioned by the Auditor General John Muwanga in an investigation of seven closed banks whose confidential report has been handed over to parliament for further action.
Several individuals and organisations are having filed petitions against the re-appointment of Ms Bagyenda on the FIA Board, citing her versed wealth including billions of Ugandan shillings on bank accounts.
FIA was established under the Anti-Money Laundering Act (AMLA), 2013 to monitor, investigate, and prevent money laundering in the country.
It is also responsible for the enforcement of Uganda’s anti-money
laundering laws and the monitoring of all financial transactions
inside the country’s borders.
meanwhile the other appointees that were due for vetting include Jane Okuo Kajuga and Dr Patricia Achan Okiria as commissioner to the Human Rights Commission and Rose Kabogoza Musoke as member to the Education Service Commission.