The Inspector General of Government (IGG) Justice Irene Mulyagonja is said to be stuck with a report that the committee instituted by President Yoweri Museveni wrote on the controversial staff changes at Bank of Uganda (BoU).
Sources say the report remains in the hands of Justice Mulyagonja because members have not agreed on recommendations to be send to Museveni for action, with some suggesting some of the recommendations were included in the report by the IGG without their knowledge.
Others say Mulyagonja and other two persons from her office-Justus Kaleebi and David Makumbi who are members on the committee appointed by Museveni don’t want any recommendation that favours BoU Governor Prof. Emmanuel Tumusiime-Mutebile owing to the fact that he openly castigated the IGG when she asked him to stay staff changes.
But one committee member said President Museveni has the final says on the recommendations to be made, though he added that he is waiting for the COSASE report so as to act, more so, the official said Museveni is interested in chasing away corrupt officials from BoU.
On February 7, 2018, the Bank of Uganda (BoU) Governor Emmanuel Tumusiime-Mutebile made staff changes in which he controversially dropped former executive director of bank supervision Ms Justine Bagyenda in favour of Dr. Tumubweine Twinemanzi who was recruited from Uganda Communications Commission (UCC).
“In order to advance the mission of the Bank of Uganda (BoU), and to enhance operational efficiency and effectiveness, the Governor BoU Prof. Emmanuel Tumusiime – Mutebile has today, Wednesday February 7, 2018, effected staff appointments and transfers at various levels of management,” Tumusiime-Mutebile said in a statement.
A female member of the committee told Eagle Online they first agreed that Tumusiime-Mutebile and his deputy Kasekende be removed from their positions for failure to handle critical bank issues but later some backtracked on the recommendation and instead opted for the two officials completing their term.
“The investigation revealed that some senior staff were allied to Dr. Kasekende while others where allied to Tumusiime-Mutebile. This is not good for an institution like BoU. That is why we recommended that both officials leave office as soon as possible so that a neutral persons are identified to replace them and put BoU back on track,” she said.
Another MP on Katuntu’s committee said it would be a disaster to sack Tumusiime-Mutebile and his deputy Kasekende. “It is better to let them complete their terms so that they are able to write handover reports that can guide their successors. The two have been running the show at BoU and you cannot just sack them immediately despite the controversies,” he said.
Tumusiime-Mutebile was first appointed to that position on 1 January 2001 and was re-appointed for a second five-year term on 1 January 2006. In December 2015, he was re-appointed for a fourth five-year term, effective 12 January 2016.
On the other hand, Kasekende joined BoU in 1986 and served in various capacities including the following: Director of Research Executive Director of Research and Policy and Deputy Governor. Though he later served at the World Bank and African Development Bank. In January 2010, Dr. Kasekende was re-appointed Deputy Governor of the Bank of Uganda, to serve for the next five years, which term was also extended as his boss got another term in 2016.
An insider in BoU who was shifted to another role against his will as the Governor made staff changes, told this news website that the staff camps created within the institution were responsible for the carelessness exhibited by staff in the performance their duties. “You are media and you saw that come out as MPs probed our big bosses,” he said adding that it was one of the reasons why some senior staff failed to write or hid reports on the closure of banks.
He added that about three top officials at BoU were hoping to replace Bagyenda but were shocked when the Governor Tumusiime-Mutebile instead brought a new face in the names of Dr. Tumubweine Twinemanzi who shares tribal roots with the Governor. The father Dr. Twinemanzi, Manzi Tumwine served at BoU Board as well. He was also minister in Museveni’s government. Those opposed to Dr. Twinemanzi’s appointment think he was favoured by the Governor. As such the Katuntu committee is also in dilemma whether to recommend to Museveni that the new executive director for bank supervision be sacked.
However, other sources say Dr. Twinemanzi exhibited good qualities for that position especially during parliament’s Committee on Commissions, Statutory Authorities and State Enterprises (COSASE). They say Abdu Katuntu and MP Anita Among who both spearheaded this committee want Dr. Dr. Twinemanzi to remain at BoU as he worked had to bring them hide den reports and other documents as they probed BoU on sale of banks.