The Inspector General of Government (IGG) is in final preparations to investigate the Bank of Uganda Executive Director in charge of supervision, Justine Bagyenda, over allegations that she evaded paying income tax for ten years on revenues earned from her Naguru apartments, Munira Ali the IGG Spokesperson told Eagle Online on Wednesday.

Bagyenda is said have rented her apartments to the top officials of the defunct Crane Bank, earning millions of shillings without paying income tax as required by law.

According to Munira, the first meeting was held between the IGG and the petitioner, Dick Kimeze, to basically understand the ground and the issues raised by the petitioner before investigations into Bagyenda’s alleged tax evasion can begin. She said the second meeting is scheduled before investigations can begin.

On October 7, Eagle Online published a story in which Mr Kimeze reported Ms Bagyenda to IGG for non-payment of taxes. The source at the time told Eagle Online, the Uganda Revenue Authority (URA), the national tax collector had already begun investigations into the said tax evasion.

Mid this year Ms. Bagyenda came under criticism for allegedly failing to enforce her mandate, something her critics said had led to the closure of a couple of commercial banks including the Crane Bank, that is now under receivership.

Also, at about the same time reports indicated that the Inspectorate of Government (IGG) was set to begin investigations into allegations that Ms. Bagyenda made incorrect declarations contrary to the Leadership Code, 2002.

According to sources speaking on condition of anonymity, officials from the IGG’s office were set to meet with city lawyer Dennis Nyombi, to ascertain whether Ms. Bagyenda made false declarations about her assets including land and houses.

Among the property she allegedly falsely-declared are houses in the leafy suburbs of Ntinda, Naguru, Bugolobi and Kulambiro.

“When I wrote the letter I got confirmation from the IGG and I was to get an appointment with the official handling the matter but later on the person went abroad and we have now scheduled between 10th and 20th to meet,” lawyer Nyombi, who is representing ‘whistleblower’ Dick Kimeze, said.

In his allegations, Mr. Kimeze also avers that the properties owned by Ms. Bagyenda are way above what she has earned during her employment over the years.

Contacted at the time the IGG spokesperson Ali Munira confirmed their office had received the petition against Ms Bagyenda.

“Some lawyer wrote requesting for a meeting to discuss the wealth of the lady (Bagyenda); the meeting has not taken place,” Ms. Munira said on phone then.

By press time it was not possible to get Ms. Bagyenda for comment.

Stories Continues after ad

Opposition Members of Parliament who were attacked with tear gas by police yesterday as they campaigned against lifting of the 75-year age limit cap for presidency have warned President Yoweri Museveni against trying to use force to push through his party agenda of expunging Article 102 (b) from the Constitution.

Led by Leader of Opposition Winnie Kiiza and Shadow Internal Affairs Minister Muwanga Kivumbi, the MPs, who were responding to yesterday’s teargasing and police directive to stop joint consultations, accused Museveni of using the force in pursuit of his interests and vowed to resist any attempts at the imminent change that many say is intended to pave the way for a ‘Museveni life presidency’.

“We want to condemn in the strongest terms possible the actions of Police, the brutal way in which they handled the matter. We condemn the circular, it is outrageous, illegal, and unconstitutional and it is stupid,” LoP Kiiza said.

She added: “No sane Ugandan can go by this circular, first of all, no Police is supposed to give a court order. Political orders can only be given by politicians. The fact that Police can issue a political directive is enough to indicate that Museveni uses Police to do his work. The order that no MP should consult in another constituency is unconstitutional, outrageous, laughable and stupid.”

According to Ms. Kiiza, they are going to continue with their consultations as prior arranged.

“Stupidly, the Police was talking about time, we aren’t in a campaign rally which will be regulated by the aspect of time like is the case with electoral laws. This isn’t a campaign rally, therefore for Police to wake up and say we are dispersing your crowds because of time is stupid-and stupidity of untold magnitude,” she added.

According to Ms. Kiiza, they will petition the International Criminal Court (ICC) to institute proceeding against the Police Director of Operations Asuman Mugenyi.

“Mugenyi should know he is a criminal wanted by ICC, these are some of the issues we are going to attach to his petition – violation of human rights, creating public disorder. So this order, no MP is going to respect it. Police isn’t going to tell MPs how to do their work. I don’t see why Police thinks a member should ask for permission, probably get a visa.

The only problem I am seeing her is that the heat is becoming too much for President Museveni to bear. My brother, uncle or grandfather, when you decide to cook with firewood, expect smoke,” Ms. Kiiza charged.

Further, according to LoP Kiiza, no amount of intimidation, teargas, bullets will deter the opposition MPs from using the design they want. “So, I hereby tell Police, let them stick to their job of protecting Ugandans, not giving political orders. If the Police think they are going to do the political dirty job of Museveni, let them be in politics so they can do it well. I can imagine that Police is full of illuminati because I can see they are thirsty for human blood,” Ms Kiiza, the Kasese Woman MP, said.

On his part Butambala MP Muwanga Kivumbi said the intended change it offends the Constitution and would be resisted.

“I have been doing politics for many years in this country and I can tell you there is a wind of change in this country and I can tell you it is of a nuclear potential. Actually right now, Museveni is the biggest liability. Therefore, the security apparatus must also pronounce themselves on age limit like other institutions, they are quiet, as if they aren’t Ugandans. That is how unpopular this product called Museveni is. For us we are going to battle Museveni in any way,” Muwanga Kivumbi said.

Speaking about the Public Order Management Act (POMA) that is being used by police to suppress the opposition’s anti-age limit removal campaigns, Muwanga Kivumbi added: “This is bad in law, we will go to court and quash this. This one will not see the light of day. For us we don’t have that time. Some Ugandans may go, for us we don’t have time to deal with such issues. For us, we are going to battle Museveni in any form he wants.

When we are organizing, we are going to continue to be peaceful; there is no need for us to be violent. We don’t want to die with Museveni, he is old, he is about to meet his creator. We want him to go peacefully.”

Stories Continues after ad

Forty eight Ugandan migrant labourers have died in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and the neighboring countries of Oman, Bahrain and Kuwait in the last nine months, the Parliamentary Committee on Gender Labour and Social Development, has said.

The members of the committee headed by Ngora county MP David Abala and Western Region Youth MP Mwine Mpaka, said that they were shocked to learn during a field visit to Dubai last week that 35 of the deaths are linked to suicide occasioned by maltreatment by their Arab bosses.

Abala said other deaths were as a result of heart attack, traumatic shock, accidents, septic shock, cardiac arrest, murder, drowning, meningitis and complications of HIV. The Ugandans, who died according to a list released, are Christians.

“Most of these deaths are as a result of mistreatment where most of the dead were denied food and a better livelihood,” Abala said, amid allegations that Muslims in the Arab countries do not treat Christians humanly.

Mpaka said that the government should reconsider banning exportation of labour to those countries to which has no bilateral agreement with Uganda. He noted that the labour laws in most of the countries are ‘unfriendly’ and require a bilateral agreement to have them softened.

“In most of those countries, the labour source country ceases to take responsibility over you within the first three months and thereafter you become a property of your master and the labour companies can no longer follow you up or anything that befalls you,” Mpaka said.

Uganda has only entered into a bilateral agreement with two Middle East countries which include Saudi Arabia and Jordan.

“We are not against labour export; every year Uganda exports over 50, 000 young boys and girls but in this matter, exporting youths to countries where we don’t have bilateral agreement leaves many Ugandans victims of the labour laws in those countries,” he said.

Mpaka urged government to set up a rescue fund as well as a home in these countries to deal with the cases of girls that have undergone shock to have them rehabilitated before they are brought back home.

A source in one of the Arab countries said that most of the Ugandan youth who get there through unofficial channels face many difficulties which are forced on them by their employers. “Those people are treated like dogs,” he said, adding that he also fears for his life.

Female employees from Uganda have in the past been exploited sexually forcing some of them to return to Uganda. Many have secretly cried expressed their plight on social media such as Facebook, calling for rescue.

The latest death reports come at the time when Uganda is delivering about 400.000 graduates to the local market every year but the market can only accommodate about 10,000.

As young Ugandans die in Arab countries in search of jobs as maids, guards, waitresses and drivers, its neighbour, Rwanda, does not allow its citizens to go Arab countries for similar jobs, government saying such jobs compromise the dignity of Rwandans.

Uganda faces the high rate of unemployment, which has forced its educated youth (20-30 years), majority with degrees and diplomas to look for which jobs in the Arab world.

According to the latest housing and population census done by the Uganda Bureau of Statistics, the age category of youth 20 to 24 years has 65% of its members unemployed. For those above 25 years, the situation is worse, with over 90% of them unemployed. Uganda has one of the youngest and fastest growing population rates in the world with its fertility rate of 3% one of the highest in Sub Saharan Africa.

Government has licensed over 60 companies that export labour, but there are individuals based in the country and outside that facilitate the movement of labourers to the Arab nations. Many of the youths who are taken by individuals are the ones who suffer the most.

Nonetheless, despite the challenges there are those who have succeeded in working in the Arab world as drivers, maids, waiters and guards, among others. They are helping the families back home, including paying school fees for their siblings and meeting families’ medical care bills.

Stories Continues after ad