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Is Geraldine Ssali a rotten tomato in public service basket?

By
Editorial
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Ms Geraldine Ssali

For almost a month now the Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Cooperatives (MTIC), Geraldine Ssali Busuulwa has been featured in the local media for a bad reason.

Ssali who is synonymous with indiscipline wherever she serves is said to have slapped one Sandra Aneno, a senior legal officer in MTIC over unclear circumstances. Ssali is also accused by her Minister Francis Mwebesa of trying to sack Anemo without following the established guidelines.

Insiders in MTIC says indeed Ssali slapped Aneno, and told her bodyguard to rough up Aneno, even though the PS has tried to cover it by using Victoria Nansikombi, senior human resource officer in MTIC to pin Aneno with allegations of indiscipline. In fact, the anonymous worker in MTIC says Ssali and Nansikombi should be disciplined for attempting to tarnish Aneno’s image in the media in an attempt to cleanse the ills of Ssali.

“Going backwards, Ssali is a person who thinks she is untouchable and blameless when it comes to government work. She thinks she is the alpha and omega at the ministry, forgetting that we have a minister at the top,” an insider said, adding “that is why minister Mwebesa is mad at her.”

The officer said the explanation that Aneno was frustrating the settlement of new trade Minister Mbadi are false, and do not erase the fact that Ssali is a badly mannered senior government officer that should not be holding that position. “I don’t know whether you have ever observed her facial expression when confronted with a challenge. She looks bad,” the official said.

Backwards the NSSF Board of Directors, at its meeting on March 14, 2016, suspended Ssali as the NSSF Deputy Managing Director for “gross insubordination contrary to the Fund’s Human Resources Code of Conduct.” According to a statement released then, “the decision is in line with the Board’s mandate, the Fund’s Human Resources Manual (Policy & Procedures) and Section 63 of the Employment Act (2006).”

Ssali who briefly acted as NSSF MD, was not happy that Richard Byaruga was selected to be her boss and as such she kept on showing acts of insubordination towards him, the NSSF Chairman Kaberenge and the Finance Minister Matia Kasaija. So Ssali is not new to controversy in public service.

Further, Ssali, according to a recent parliamentary report, she one of those people who mismanaged money meant for cooperatives after she undermined the Inter-ministerial Committee established by advice of Cabinet and set up her own in MTIC. She is said to have given Bwavu Mporogoma Cooperative billions of shillings irregularly, from which her husband Busuulwa benefited.

This is how Ssali runs MTIC, and one can see that she always disrespects those above her. Ugandans have not forgotten that she was also involved in a recent scandal at MTIC, forcing the PSST to advise that she be relieved of the role of Accounting Officer.

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Museveni grants Wamimbi, Aliker official burials

By
Our Reporter
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RIP Amb. Wilson Wamimbi.

President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni has granted official burials to recently fallen two great citizens; Former Umukuka of Bamasaba Wilson Wamimbi and Ex-Minister, Dr Martin Aliker.

The announcement was made by Milly Babalanda, Minister in charge of the Presidency.

“His Excellency the President of the Republic of Uganda, Gen (Rtd) Yoweri Kaguta Museveni, has granted an official burial to the following recently deceased eminent persons: Former Umukuka of Bamasaba Wilson Wamimbi and Former minister, Martin Aliker,” Babalanda revealed.

She mourned, “We extend sympathies to bereaved communities and families and pray for the souls of the deceased loved ones to rest in eternal peace!”

Umukuka has been the chief elder of Bugisu. He was also a former Chairman LCV of the then Mbale District which comprised the following districts today, Mbale, Mbale City, Sironko, Manafwa, Bududa, Bulambuli and Namisindwa.

He was also briefly appointed Uganda’s Ambassador to Canada before he returned home to be elected the first Umukuka of Bugisu. The Umukuka is the Chief Elder of the Bagisu or rather known as Bamasaba who are found both in Uganda and Kenya.

Dental surgeon and businessman, Dr. Martin Aliker died yesterday. At the time of his death, he was the Chancellor of Victoria University, Uganda, a private institution. Dr. Aliker served as senior adviser to the President of Uganda and has sat on the boards of directors of nearly forty Ugandan companies.

Aliker was born in Gulu District on October 21, 1928, to Rwot Lacito Okech and Julaina Auma, the daughter of Musa Ali, the first ordained Anglican priest in the region of Acholi. He attended Gulu High School for his primary education before transferring to Kings College Budo for his O-Level studies.

Starting in the 1960s, Aliker began buying shares in blue chip companies, including the Uganda Commercial Bank and the National Insurance Company. As of October 2014, Aliker was a shareholder in the following publicly traded Ugandan companies: Stanbic Bank Uganda, Uganda Clays Limited, Nation Media Group, National Insurance Corporation, and East African Breweries, among others.

He sits on the boards of many of these companies and is the chairman of Uganda Clays Limited.  From 2004 until 2014, he served as the founding chancellor of Gulu University, a public university. He was also the best man to President Milton Obote.

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Parliament approves Shs200b for maintenance of Kampala roads

By
Simon Kabayo
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More taxes less development.

Parliament has approved an additional Shs157 billion to Kampala Capital City Authority (KCCA) for reconstruction and maintenance of city roads in the 2024/2025 financial.

The report by the Committee on Presidential Affairs on the Ministerial Policy Statement and Budget Estimates of the entities under Presidential Affairs was adopted during plenary sitting chaired by Speaker Anita Among.

Presenting the report, committee chairperson, Jesca Ababiku, said that the committee established that KCCA requires Shs200 billion to undertake road infrastructure development and maintenance but only Shs43 billion is provided in the Medium-Term Expenditure Fund ceiling.

“The committee observes that the poor state of roads characterised by potholes and clogged drains results in discomfort for motorists, increased travel time, breakdown of vehicles and motorcycles and accidents,” the report read in part.

The committee observed that whilst KCCA is projected to receive external financing of Shs549 billion, this intervention is projected to reconstruct and upgrade only 116 kilometres of the road network in Kampala while over 1,500 kilometres remain in a poor state.

“The committee recommends that additional annual provision of Shs157 billion be availed to enable KCCA cope with the current roads maintenance demands and deal with the problem of rampant pot holes on the city roads,” the report stated.

Muhammad Nsereko, Kampala Central Division Member of Parliament, said that Kampala is the face of the nation and yet the road infrastructure is dilapidated while the streets are littered with garbage.

“I request colleagues that since we are anticipating an increase in fuel levy and 50 percent comes from Kampala Metropolitan, let us make the City look good, we will attract more tourists and tax payers will be able to see tangible results and be motivated to pay taxes,” said Nsereko.

Furthermore, Kiira Motors Corporation (KMC) is expected to transition into commercialisation after the legislators approved a recommendation for an additional Shs134 billion for operationalisation of the Jinja- based vehicle plant.

According to the committee’s report, it was established that KMC requires Shs166.64 billion to operationalise the plant but only Shs32.5 billion is provided for.

“Kiira Motors Corporation is one of our best projects, they have assembled and facilitated production of 21 buses and to facilitate them to transit to commercialisation, we are requesting for Shs134 billion,” said Ababiku.

The funding gap, Ababiku said, will cater for support for construction, tooling and furnishing of the Kiira 4S master store, parts and materials for plant commissioning, human capital development and operating expenditure.

KMC is a government enterprise established to champion the development of the domestic automotive value chain for job and wealth creation.

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Why was Uganda removed from Agoa?

By
Guest Writer
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Mr. Brad Brooks-Rubin.

Mr. Brad Brooks-Rubin,

Senior Adviser
Office of Sanctions Coordination
U.S. Department of State

RE: WHY WAS UGANDA REMOVED FROM AGOA ?

Uganda  has endured the AGOA sanctions and bad image for its exports what we perceive as unjust and illegal removal from AGOA  imposed by your USA Government .

Against this backdrop, I would like to seek further clarification on how , what criteria, you used in arriving on Uganda’s removal from the list .

I am  particularly concerned as a Ugandan since this removal deters other export markets that want to buy our products .

The  explanation on U.S. sanctions will throw light on your notable shift in U.S. foreign policy towards Uganda , possibly wanting to destroy our commercial diplomacy with the world .

Millions of Ugandan farmers  are seriously intrigued  about the United States’ AGOA sanctions and your ongoing denial of sanctions against Ugandan exports in general.

The removal of Uganda from the list is viewed by Ugandans  as a direct affront to their sovereignty. The assertion that sanctions solely target AGOA is unacceptable and must be unequivocally condemned.

Uganda, as a sovereign nation, refuses to be intimidated by the actions of the U.S. government. The selective approach on which African countries the USA targets worries millions of Ugandans.

Our nation will maintain the steadfastness which is imperative for Uganda to uphold its principles and VALUES. These are the values that make us a nation .Just as USA has principles in the culture ,Uganda stands on its principles and our sort of nationalism stands on those values.

As Ugandans we believe that the good days of Ronald Reagan’s  policies of containment are gone and Rogue administrations have changed paradigm shift and lost USA  international reputation.

Lastly , we notice that your sanctions are also targeting our institutions and heads of those institutions which govern the State of Uganda. It is against the international human rights to target, profile others without basis.

The way things look like, we are on the road towards ICJ to seek clarification as to why Uganda’s international human rights have been profiled and violated by selective sanctions. 

Furthermore, your recent actions have harmed American investments opportunities in Uganda as safe destination for American businesses. The USA skewed selective foreign policy that has not helped must change in global context.

In almost all regions of Africa, there are resentments to your FOREIGN POLICY of using Fake pretexts of human rights violation yet you remain the biggest human Rights violators across the world.

This is the last letter , the next action will be at higher levels of international Justice when several nations in Africa might take collective measure to expose the double standards .

Unlike Uganda which you torment with sanctions ,Niger people are today demonstrating on the streets of Niamey as they want you out of Niger .

Hoping that you expeditiously reply to this later ,

God bless Uganda

Yours truly

Dr.David Nyekorach -Matsanga
Founder/Chairman of PAF
London United Kingdom
africastrategy@hotmail.com
15.04.2024

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Speaker inspects Namboole Stadium, urges perfection ahead of CHAN

By
Our Reporter
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Speaker and Namboole officials.

Speaker of Parliament Anita Among has led a Parliament team, including Commissioner Mathias Mpuuga, to inspect works at Mandela National Stadium.

Speaker Among was taken on a guided tour by army officials supervised by Sports State Minister Peter Ogwang and was satisfied with the work done by the Uganda People’s Defence Forces (UPDF) Engineering Brigade.

“I did not expect to see what I have found here; I want to tell the UPDF Engineering Brigade that I am extremely impressed with what they have done,” she said.

To ascertain the exact amount of money needed to get the work done to completion, Parliament will conduct a forensic audit. She also asked Mpuuga to take time to properly tour the facility and report to Parliament on areas that need improvement.

“We shall do a forensic audit to see how much money we have spent on the project and how much more needs to be done due to the proposed variations,” she said.

Minister Ogwang directed contractors to complete all pending works and hand over the facility in two weeks, in readiness for the African Nations Championships (CHAN) competitions in June. The stadium is also part of Uganda’s plans for the Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) competition in 2027.

With Shs80 billion so far released for the project, final works required a full pay-up of the Shs97 billion appropriated.

Parliament last week pressed Finance State Minister Amos Lugoloobi to release the remaining Shs17.7 billion to have work completed.

Speaker Among, upon Ogwang’s request, ordered Pioneer Bus Limited vehicles parking in the stadium’s spaces to be removed forthwith ahead of inspections.

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USAID donated Shs95b towards refugee communities in Uganda

By
Geoffery Serugo
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TO BE VERIFIED: Refugees at the Bidibidi Reception Centre in Yumbe, Northern Uganda.

The United States, through USAID and the Department of State, has provided $25 million (Shs95 billion) in additional humanitarian funding to the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) and the World Food Program (WFP) to assist refugees in Uganda facing ongoing food insecurity and the compounding impacts of conflict in the region.

Jessica Jennings, the Spokesperson of USAID they are providing $11 million (Shs41.8 billion) to WFP, while the Department of State is contributing more than $14 million (Shs53.2 billion) to UNHCR.

These additional contributions to WFP and UNHCR will support the provision of life-saving monthly food assistance, health care, education, and other emergency relief to the more than 1.6 million refugees that Uganda hosts.

Uganda hosts the highest number of refugees of any African country and received more than 130,000 new refugees last year alone, primarily fleeing conflicts in South Sudan, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Somalia, and Sudan. This additional funding will be vital to meeting urgent needs in the country.

“We urge other donors to join us in stepping up to support WFP and UNHCR to assist the most vulnerable people affected by conflict and other crises throughout the region,” she said.

She said the United States is committed to ensuring our assistance is provided without discrimination, including in Uganda, where we have significant concerns about the impact of the Uganda Constitutional Court’s recent decision to uphold most aspects of the Anti-Homosexuality Act.

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Uganda mourns Dr Martin Aliker

By
Geoffery Serugo
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RIP Martin Aliker

Dental surgeon and businessman, Dr. Martin Aliker, has passed on. Dr. Aliker died earlier today, a source within the family said.

At time of his death, he was the Chancellor of Victoria University, Uganda, a private institution. Dr. Aliker served as senior adviser to the President of Uganda and has sat on the boards of directors of nearly forty Ugandan companies.

Aliker was born in Gulu District on October 21, 1928, to Rwot Lacito Okech and Julaina Auma, the daughter of Musa Ali, the first ordained Anglican priest in the region of Acholi. He attended Gulu High School for his primary education before transferring to Kings College Budo for his O-Level studies.

In 1948, he was admitted to Makerere University, the oldest public university in East Africa. Before he could complete his studies at Makerere, he won a scholarship to Northwestern University, in Chicago, Illinois, United States, where he studied political science, graduating with a Bachelor of Arts degree.

Following that, he was awarded a Fulbright Scholarship to study dental surgery, also at Northwestern, graduating with a Doctor of Dental Surgery. Later, he was awarded the title of Fellow of the Royal College of Surgeons by the Royal College of Surgeons of England.

After his doctorate studies in the United States, Aliker returned to Uganda and took up employment as a government dental surgeon. Later, he left the civil service and set up the first private dental practice in Uganda, owned by an African.

In 1971, when Idi Amin captured power in a coup d’état, his residence shared the back wall with Aliker’s house. Amin’s security people ordered him to move away from his home because he was deemed a security risk to Amin.

In late 1972, he fled to Nairobi, Kenya, because of the deteriorating security situation in Uganda. While in Nairobi, he set up a lucrative dental practice, staying there until 1998, when he came back to Uganda. On his return, he was able to repossess his home.

Starting in the 1960s, Aliker began buying shares in blue chip companies, including the Uganda Commercial Bank and the National Insurance Company. As of October 2014, Aliker was a shareholder in the following publicly traded Ugandan companies: Stanbic Bank Uganda, Uganda Clays Limited, Nation Media Group, National Insurance Corporation, and East African Breweries, among others.

He sits on the boards of many of these companies and is the chairman of Uganda Clays Limited.  From 2004 until 2014, he served as the founding chancellor of Gulu University, a public university. He was also the best man to President Milton Obote.

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Ideal Hostel boss remanded to Luzira over land title forgery

By
Our Reporter
-

Robert Twinomujuni, the owner of Ideal Hostel properties,has been charged and remanded to Luzira Prisons on allegations of forging a land sale agreement.

Twinomujuni on Friday appeared before Buganda Road Magistrate’s Court presided over by Chief Magistrate Ronald Kayizzi. He had earlier been arrested and detained at the Central Police Station (CPS) in Kampala.

According to the prosecution, the businessman committed the forgery alongside Samson Arinaitwe, a resident of Nyakahita Cell in Kigongi Ward, Central Division in Kabale Municipality, who is still at large.

The alleged forged land sale agreement dated June 6, 2020 is in respect of leasehold land comprising Rwampara Block 42, Plot 38, in Ntungamo District’s Ruhama constituency.

On Friday, Twinomujuni applied to bail, citing ill health. But prosecution led Ms Joan Keko asked for four working days to authenticate particulars of the sureties and the documents they presented.

“Your worship, the defense has overwhelmed us with documents that we need to speak authoritatively to,” Ms Keko submitted, “When one furnishes a letter from the Local Council (LC) [leadership], it is not [a] gospel truth. [So], we need to verify.”

The magistrate then remanded the businessman up to Thursday this week when he will reappear in court.

This website understands that the contested land reportedly belongs to relatives of leaders close to the first family in Ruhama constituency, Ntungamo District.

The charge sheet shows that on June 16, 2020 in Kampala District, Samson Arinaitwe purported to make the agreement in his capacity as the administrator of the said land and forged signatures of Simon Nsekanabo, Winfred Musimenta, Richard Apollo Rutaro, Edith Busingye, Prudence Namara, Beatrice Kisembo Rugarama and Betty Rugarama.

The state alleges that on February 18, 2021 at Ntungamo Police Station in Ntungamo District, Arinaitwe and Robert Twinomujuni knowingly and fraudulently uttered a false document; to wit, a forged sales agreement dated June 6, 2020 purporting to have been signed by Nsekanabo, Musimenta, Rutaro, Busingye, Namara, Kisembo and Rugarama.

It is alleged that between the months of June and December 2020 in the districts of Kampala, Ntungamo and Kabale, Arinaitwe and others still at large forged acknowledgement of receipt of money purporting that Kisembo, Nsekanabo, Musimenta, Namara, Rugarama and Rutaro received proceeds from the sale of land comprised in Rwampara  whereas not.

The state further alleges that Arinaitwe forged national Identity cards of Kisembo, Nsekanabo, Musimenta, Namara, Rugarama and Rutaro.

Prosecution avers that between June and December 2020, in Kampala and Ntungamo districts, Arinaitwe and Twinomujuni conspired together to defraud Namara Prudence and others of their beneficial interest/share on land comprised in Rwampara Block 42 plot 42, leasehold register volume 3027, Folio 9, for land in Ruhama, Ntungamo District.

The Commander of Land Protection Police Unit (LPPU), Johnson Olal, has since been suspended on allegations of mismanaging investigations into the land dispute.

The suspension of Olal followed separate investigations by the Police Inspectorate and the Police Professional Standards Unit.

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Finance Ministry releases Shs7.6t gov’t expenditure for last quarter

By
Our Reporter
-

The Ministry of Finance, Planning and Economic Development has released Shs7.687 trillion as government expenditure for the April-June period, which is the last quarter of the Financial Year 2023/24.

The Finance Ministry PS Ramathan Ggoobi said the released funds represent 30.4% of Uganda’s total budget. This brings the total release to 28.564 trillion for the Financial Year 2023/24.

Out of this money, Shs1.872 trillion is for wages and salaries across government and Shs312.291 trillion for pensions and gratuity.

Ggoobi asked accounting officers to ensure that they pay wages, salaries, pension and gratuity by the 28th of every month and also prioritise payment of service providers on time and avoid accumulation of arrears

Shs529.7 billion is for Parish Development Model (PDM) bringing the total Release for PDM to Shs1.059 trillion.

Shs239.91 billion has been released for Local Governments including Shs110.9 billion for Capitation Grants to schools to cater for Term Two.

The Uganda Road Fund has received Shs189.74 billion for road maintenance. This ensures 100% of releases to the Road Fund, that is Shs 428.757 billion.

Shs90.211 billion goes to National Medical Stores for procurement of essential drugs and medicines reflecting 100% release to the entity (Shs560.967 billion.)

Meanwhile, Parliament received Shs 156.141 Billion, Judiciary Shs31.419Billion and Auditor General Shs 19.52 billion.

Regional referral hospitals have received Shs21.322 billion each as operational funds.

The Ministry of Health has been given Shs37.067 billion; Mulago hospital got Shs11.276 billion, Butabika – Shs 2.172 billion; Uganda Cancer Institute – Shs 14.43 billion; Uganda Heart Institute – Shs3.79 billion; Uganda Blood Transfusion Services – Shs1.455 billion and Uganda Virus Research Institute – Shs1.405 billion.

The Ministry of Defense and Veteran Affairs has been given Shs312.49 billion; Uganda Police Force- Shs61.063 billion;  Uganda Prisons Services – Shs72.318 billion, and ISO and ESO – Shs52.927 billion.

Science Technology and Innovation Shs106.7 billion; UNRA- got Shs364.807 billion for road construction; MoWT – Shs146.141 billion which includes funds for SGR; Outstanding obligations under MoWE – Shs133.46 billion; and Capital expenditure under MEMD – Shs152.78 billion.

The Ministry of Agriculture, Animal Industry and Fisheries got Shs42.7 billion. Shs12.5 billion has been given to Cancer Institute; Shs2.075 billion for Heart Institute; and and Shs10.487 billion for regional Referral hospitals.

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Public Service Head directs deputy to intervene in Ssali matter

By
Our Reporter
-

The office of the head of Public Service has intervened in the matter in which the trade ministry permanent secretary (PS) Geraldine Ssali is accused of assaulting the entity’s legal officer, Sandra Aneeno.

The PS head, Lucky Nakyobe has directed her deputy Deborah Katuramu to meet the two parties to understand what exactly happened.  Last week, Katuramu met Ssali first and then later Aneno at the President’s Office.

Katuramu yesterday confirmed that she spoke to both parties on Friday, but declined to reveal the details of what they discussed.

Aneno also confirmed the meeting, noting, “They were basically asking for my side of the story and clarifying what she had earlier said about me.”

Nakyobe directed Katuramu to meet the two parties and get their story just in case the matter came up in Cabinet.

The meeting comes in the wake of a letter by the trade minister Francis Mwebesa, who asked Nakyobe to take action against Ssali over what he referred to as ‘misconduct’.

In a letter dated April 9, 2024, addressed to the Head of Public Service, Lucy Nakyobe, Mwebesa implored her to take action against the errant accounting officer who unnecessarily involves herself in everyone’s affairs at the ministry, neglecting her primary duties as the PS.

“I regret to inform you that due to the unprofessional conduct of the Ministry’s affairs by the Permanent Secretary, Ms. Geraldine Ssali, she has created a highly toxic working environment that has significantly hampered the performance of staff at the Ministry,” expressed Mwebesa.

Mwebesa also informed Nakyobe that Ssali “has not exhibited prudence in her actions as an Accounting Officer.”

On April 5, Grealdine Ssali and her bodyguard allegedly assaulted Sandra Aneno. Ssali was then dragged to Kampala Central Police Station for her misconduct.

Since then investigations have been ongoing and several eyewitnesses have recorded statements.

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