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COSASE orders for forensic audit into Shs500m gorilla permit fraud

By
Simon Kabayo
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The Parliament’s Committee on Commissions, Statutory Authorities and State Enterprises (COSASE) has ordered for a forensic audit into the Shs500 million gorilla permit fraud that occurred at Uganda Wildlife Authority (UWA) after the Auditor General reported that he was denied access to the chimpanzee and gorilla booking data during the audit process.

The Auditor General, John Muwanga noted that although UWA reported to have collected Shs22.461 billion as revenue from Gorilla and Chimpanzee tracking in 2022/23, but his request for data regarding financial transactions such as records of invoices, payment and reconciliation to the system was denied, a decision he said limits his audit work into verifying the correctness of the said earned revenue.

The directive was issued by Medard Lubega, Chairperson COSASE, during the meeting held between the Committee and officials of UWA who had appeared to respond to a number of audit queries raised in the December 2023 Auditor General’s report.

“You know that is an audit ordered by the Minister and by standards when the Minister orders for an audit, that one goes to him. Now, we are also ordering for a forensic audit. We are also ordering a forensic investigation into the same affairs,” said Lubega.

In October, 2023, the Auditor General picked interest in the ongoing saga in which the government lost huge sums of money after Uganda Wildlife Authority officials printed gorilla permits whose funds were diverted from the authority’s bank accounts.

The tourism ministry requested the Office of the Auditor General (AG) to undertake a comprehensive forensic audit covering the period between July 2020 and September 2023. The audit was meant to cover gorilla and chimpanzee bookings at Bwindi, Mgahinga and Kibale National Parks as well as Kyambura Gorge (Queen Elizabeth National Park) and findings be submitted to the ministry within one month, however the Auditor General reported that he was denied access to the chimpanzee and gorilla booking data

The fraud was detected internally by UWA, promoting the Executive Director to commission an internal that covered between June and August 2023 and “generated important insights” and preliminary findings pointing to possible fraud orchestrated by some staff from departments of reservations, finance and information technology at head office, with possible connivance of some field staff.

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Man arrested after stealing millions from mobile money agents

By
Our Reporter
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The Criminal Investigations Department task team working together with Mukono Police have arrested a notorious hacker for allegedly breaking into mobile money systems and stealing millions of shillings from agents in different locations.

Kaporonyo Sabiiti, a 48-year-old, hacker from Namugongo in Wakiso is now in police custody and faces charges of cybercrime and theft according to Police Spokesperson, Fred Enanga.

Enanga said that by the time Kaporonyo was arrested, he had made millions from his hacking business with victims registered in Mukono, Jinja, Misindye, Kiira division, Kinoni and Nagalama, among other areas.

“The suspect made millions of shillings from hacking into mobile money systems by agents in Mukono, Jinja, Misindye, Kiira division, Kinoni and Nagalama, among others. He had also allegedly customized his car registration number plates, believing his car movements would not be detected,” Mr Enanga stated in Monday’s security briefing.

Upon his arrest, Enanga said “An immediate search was conducted which led to the recovery of four Airtel lines and a hacking machine. His motor vehicle, a Toyota Harrier, registration number UBD 612P, white in colour was also impounded.”

“As the Joint Security Agencies, we continue to locate and fight these kinds of criminals who steal and hurt innocent business persons. We shall investigate, expose and disrupt them,” Enanga emphasized.

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US invested Shs3.8 trillion in various projects in 2023 

By
Geoffery Serugo
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Ambassador William Popp and team during the launch.

The United States government has injected Shs3.8 trillion into various sectors of the country in 2023, the US report to the people of Uganda indicates.

The annual US Report to Uganda chronicles the United States’ enduring partnership with the Ugandan people and joint efforts in different sectors. 

The report shows that 1.1 million Ugandans benefitted from US food security programming. The U.S. added $20 million in private sector investment.

Released by Ambassador William Popp, the report indicates that PEPFAR has celebrated 20 years of preventing 600,000 HIV-related deaths and 500,000 HIV infections, including 230,000 babies born HIV-free.

The US and Uganda partnership helped to end Uganda’s 3rd largest Ebola outbreak. The U.S. supported 10+ regional referral hospitals—Kiruddu, Mulago Women’s, Naguru, Kawempe, Mubende, Kawempe, Kayunga, Lira, Kawolo, and Butabika—to transition to electronic medical records.

“With U.S. funding, 2.5 million mosquito nets were distributed and 5 million malaria testing and treatment kits were provided to health facilities. 2.1 million children and pregnant women benefited from U.S.-supported nutrition programmes,” the report indicates.

Ambassador Popp said the United States has a longstanding partnership with the Ugandan people. US assistance, implemented through local and international non-governmental and civil society partners, directly benefits Ugandans from all backgrounds and regions of the country.

“Millions are living healthier, learning better, earning more, and advocating for their civic and human rights thanks to our strong partnership. For more than six decades, the U.S.-Uganda partnership has resulted in the eradication of deadly diseases, saved lives, reduced poverty, advanced democratic values, prevented and resolved conflicts, promoted peace and inclusive citizen responsive governance, and promoted resilience in communities and small businesses,” he said.

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Singer Adam Mulwana is dead

By
Our Reporter
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RIP Adam Mulwana.

Talented singer Adam Mulwana has passed on. Mulwana died earlier today at the Doctor’s Hospital in Seguku, Kampala Suburb, where he was admitted over abdominal-related complications.

Mulwana, who had been relatively inactive in the music industry and had previously expressed his struggles with health issues.

In one of his last public appearances, he said that he had been poisoned, though he remained uncertain about the identity of the perpetrator or when it occurred.

The singer has been battling the illness for a very long time. Last year, Kampala Central MP Mohammad Nsereko was tipped off about Adam Mulwana’s health situation. He reached out to the Speaker of Parliament, Anita Among, who extended Shs1 million to help him get treatment in Kenya.

At that time, fellow singer Hajji Haruna Mubiiru was taking care of him and most of his needs, from paying his rent to getting some treatment.

Following the release of “Toka Kwa Balabala,” Mulwana faced a wave of criticism and negativity, citing numerous people who targeted him. Despite the challenges he faced, he maintained optimism about his recovery and future endeavours.

“Toka kwa balabala” shot to fame during the presidential campaign in 2016, rallying support for four-time presidential candidate Dr. Kizza Besigye.

The song served as an anthem for Besigye’s campaign rallies, resonating with supporters across the country.

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Over 90 women entrepreneurs graduate from Uganda’s Academy for Women Entrepreneurs program

By
Geoffery Serugo
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In a significant boost to female economic empowerment, 99 women entrepreneurs from Kampala, Lira, and Fort Portal have successfully graduated from the seventh cohort of the Academy for Women Entrepreneurs (AWE) Program.

This remarkable achievement, supported by the US Embassy in partnership with SHONA Group, underscores our collective commitment to promoting women’s empowerment in the fields of education, agribusiness, healthcare, and tourism.

The AWE Program, an initiative of the Department of State’s Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs (ECA) and facilitated by the U.S. Embassy, is conducted in collaboration with Arizona State University’s Thunderbird School of Global Management and the global copper mining company Freeport-McMoRan. It aims to equip women entrepreneurs with the necessary resources, knowledge, and networks to initiate and expand their businesses.

The program participants learned from U.S. business development models and are now eligible for grant funding opportunities from the United States African Development Foundation (USADF) and business loans ranging from Shs3.5 million to Shs35 million through SHONA Capital. The graduates also join the prestigious network of U.S. government exchange program alumni, expanding their access to global opportunities and networks.

Speaking to the women graduates, Ellen Masi, the U.S. Embassy Public Affairs Counsellor, said: “I am inspired by the Uganda women entrepreneurs who are also AWE alumni. As the Embassy, we encourage the alumni to organize themselves and create opportunities so that we can support them beyond the training and the Dream Builder program.”

Joachim Ewechu, SHONA Group co-founder and CEO, reflected on the program’s success, stating: “By investing in their growth, we are contributing to the economic development of Uganda while impacting livelihoods in our communities. Our commitment to supporting women entrepreneurs remains steadfast, and we look forward to future collaborations with the U.S. Embassy in Uganda.”

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EAC agricultural, pharmaceutical, and leather experts meet to boost regional trade

By
Simon Kabayo
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The East African Community (EAC) regional experts in the agricultural, pharmaceutical, and leather sectors have convened in Nairobi, Kenya, to review the progress achieved within their respective industries and to formulate recommendations aimed at enhancing growth and scaling up regional trade.

The two-day workshop dubbed ‘Regional Focal Persons Workshop to Monitor the Implementation of the EAC Fruits & Vegetables; Leather & Leather Products; and Pharmaceutical Sectors Strategies and Action Plans’ comprised of experts from EAC Partner States, the EAC Secretariat, East African Business Council and representatives from GIZ/GFA.

The workshop served as a platform for critical discussions and progress reporting, aiming to identify quick wins and streamline collaborative efforts across the region.

In the fruits and vegetables sector, the experts emphasised the importance of harmonizing agricultural and food safety standards within the region. They highlighted the need to support the development and adoption of a code of conduct for farmers and exporters, aiming to strengthen self-monitoring frameworks. Additionally, the experts stressed the significance of prioritising the development and improvement of quality planting seeds and seedlings.

They also advocated for enhanced data collection mechanisms, utilising digital technology. Recommendations included fast-tracking initiatives using digital and remote sensing for streamlined data collection and advocating for the inclusion of nuts in reports.

On the pharmaceuticals front, the experts noted significant ongoing projects, singling out the developments in Kenya where two Biovax vaccine manufacturing plans are being set up while in Rwanda, with a BioNTech Vaccines manufacturing plant set to go to production by end of 2024.

They underscored the urgent need for Partner States to expedite and streamline approval processes for pharmaceutical waste disposal, citing the potential risks associated with prolonged procedures. The meeting emphasised the importance of developing harmonised regulations and guidelines for pharmaceutical waste management across the EAC region, aiming to ensure consistent and effective waste management practices, thereby enhancing environmental sustainability and public safety.

In the leather sector, the experts highlighted the need for investment and adoption of modern processing technologies to address existing challenges. These challenges include the high cost of production and the production of low-quality leather products.

Notable issues identified included low volumes of locally produced leather products, limited capacity of tanneries, and insufficient technology and manpower. The experts also pointed out the unfavorable competition faced by the leather market from cheap imported products and the weak linkages between Micro, Small, and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) and formal retail outlets.

Recommendations included the development of minimum acceptable standards for hides and skins, integration of quality leather requirements into animal husbandry practices, and implementation of subsidized exchange programs to address limited access to experts in the leather processing section.

Additionally, the experts highlighted the necessity of developing user-friendly tools and self-assessment toolkits to enhance the capacity of MSMEs to meet international requirements. The importance of fostering public-private partnerships to pool financial resources and support infrastructure development was also stressed.

Dr. Julius Otim, who spoke on behalf of the EAC Secretary General, Hon. (Dr.) Peter Mathuki, emphasised the progress made in implementing sectoral strategies noting that they are in alignment with Council Directives.

On her part, Ms. Purity Kamau, acting on behalf of Dr. Juma Mukhwana, the Principal Secretary for Industry in the Ministry of Investments, Trade, and Industry, Kenya, underscored the significance of regional collaboration. Ms. Kamau highlighted the EAC Industrialization Strategy (2012-2032) as a pivotal framework guiding regional development efforts, particularly through strategic value chain interventions.

Dr. Thomas Walter, representing GIZ and GFA, reiterated the organizations’ commitment to supporting sectoral development initiatives in addition to the importance of effective policy measures in enhancing regional trade and economic growth.

The report of the workshop is set to be presented to the Sectoral Committee on Industrialization and the Sectoral Council of Trade, Industry, Finance, and Investment (SCTIFI) in May 2024 for further consideration.

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Fights erupt over PDM money as mafia target funds

By
Our Reporter
-
Ramathan Ggoobi PSST.

The grand mafia plan to divert Parish Development Model cash from the known and tested channels (government financial Institutions – FIs) of disbursement to the use of Wendi (an infant mobile wallet platform developed by Post Bank) may cause the government to lose billions of taxpayers’ money.

Since Wendi was launched in July 2023 to purportedly bridge the gap between the banked and unbanked population in Uganda, it has never been tested and may cause a huge financial loss due to the loopholes which some technocrats have already poked in its implementation. To save the situation, some top National Resistance Movement honchos who are cognizant with the well calculated plan to frustrate the progress of PDM activities and dent NRM steady progress have petitioned President Museveni to weigh in and arrest the situation before it gets out of hand.

Genesis

Whereas the government previously used 13 banks to reach out to the PDM beneficiaries across the country, the architects of the new mobile Wallet have scaled down the second phase 2 transactions to only three banks. The letters generated from the Ministry of Finance Planning and Economic Development (MOFPED) on January 8, 2024 and February 7, 2024 contradict the previous letter which the ministry released on December 19, 2022.  The first letter directed the MOFPED to disburse PDM funds through recognized Financial Institutions. These financial institutions made investments in providing digital tools to SACCOs and trained PDM enterprises to ensure that all participating FIs did comply in liaison with the Chief Administrative Officers of the respective local governments.

However, the January 8, 2024 letter which was signed by Moses Kaggwa on behalf of the PSST allocated this task solely to the computer illiterate SACCO leaders and the selected so-called government owned FIs which are not part of local government structures and lack the capacity to identity and recommend beneficiaries. 

While the technocrats at the Ministry of Local Government were trying to analyze Kaggwa’s motive, another intimidating letter was issued by the Permanent Secretary and the Secretary to the Treasury (PSST) Ramathan Ggoobi surfaced.    

The February 7, 2024 letter which was signed by Ggobi to the three selected banks (Post Bank, Housing Finance Bank and Pride Microfinance), he directs them to release all funds received to SACCO Wendi Accounts which are controlled by SACCO leaders within 24hours of receipt of funds. By empowering the SACCO leaders to release funds under their Wendi Accounts, the FIs and the Local Government have no control over what actions or errors the SACCO leaders take and this is likely to put the government at a risk of incurring heavy losses.

Whereas the accounting officers, RDCs, OWC officers, DISOs, Parish Development Committee (PDC) members and elected leaders at all levels were supposed to work together and enforce compliance with the PDM conditions, the PSST’s letter that came out barely a month after Kaggwa’ on January 8, 2024 trashes their relevance and gives all the authority and responsivity to the less trained SACCO leaders.

Although it is clearly indicated that beneficiaries should be paid individually through their personal accounts or mobile wallets, this is not compliant with the new Wendi system.  The new Wendi system has ignored the interest that is supposed to be earned by the PDM SACCO in a revolving fund since the February 7, 2024 letter directs only 3 FIs to use Wendi which does not pay interest. Besides Wendi will charge Shs3750 net of taxes per transaction to the beneficiaries yet the same ministry had earlier asked the FIs to waive all charges under Phase 1 and only allowed a fee under Wendi. It should be noted that the Mobile telecom networks will still charge a separate withdrawal fee for customers to access cash.

It ought to be stressed that the selection of government owned FIs for onboarding the PDM SACCOs and the beneficiaries of Wendi mobile wallet ignores the existing local government structures yet the FIs have no capacity to determine the beneficiaries.

Enters Wendi platform

The three letters released by MOFPED contradict each other. Whereas the letter of December 19, 2022 requires participating FIs to use technology to reach the last mile beneficiary, the January 8, 2024 letter requires participating FIs to use Wendi to disburse funds and the letter of February 7, 2024 drops 10 FIs and retains only 3 to serve the PDM beneficiaries. This puts the MOFPED on spot for breaching key corporate governance principles. As the custodians of the funds, the MPFPED should desist from participating in determining who receives the funds. Their role is to ensure that the disbursements are made to the supervised FIs which were given the guidelines to follow. Once the ministry of local government is tasked to independently engage communities to form SACCOs and enterprise groups and guide the process of determining the beneficiaries, it allows segregation of duties between the ministry of local government and Ministry of Finance and provides checks, balances and accountability. The Ministry of Finance is the implementing ministry and by forcefully coercing SACCOs and local government leaders to use selected FIs and the disbursement method is a potential conflict of interest and could lead to huge financial losses. As per the PSST’s letter of February 7, the local government structures were quickly and completely ignored, abandoned and rubbished. Owing to the fact that the Wendi Wallet system is not fully tested and its security is not known, a security breach on the platform has the capacity to wipe away the entire PDM disbursement without a trace. This could result from the system manipulation by the users or the system failure. When the funds are deposited on the SACCOs wallet accounts, the FIs have no control and it will be up to the SACCO leaders or Wendi Wallet administrators to disburse the funds.

At this stage, any form of accountability given is correct because there is no single person that is guaranteed to get PDM funds and hence none can claim not to have received their portion. This may aid an open window to mercilessly swindle the taxpayers’ funds without remorse or traceability. In the situation where the ministry that was in charge of developing the PDMIS wants to have control of the wallet, it is therefore very easy and fast to create or distort the audit trail.

KCCA Executive Director Dorothy Kisaka and the representatives of the participating banks.

The irony is that the PSST or the ministry of finance that is supposed to create a conducive environment for businesses to thrive and encourage creation of jobs hence economic growth, is writing contradictory letters to stifle banking industry growth and job creation processes. This is not only self-defeating but raises questions about the patriotism and foresight on government programs. It is important to highlight that the dates of the cabinet meetings in which the purported directives were allegedly given are not mentioned and instead the ministry quotes references of other communications.

The proponents of the Wendi mobile wallet who want it as the only method of managing a nationwide government program do not appreciate the efforts president to lift Ugandans out of poverty. The financial scandals that are likely to come out of this monopoly of taxpayers’ funds are likely to be the biggest liability to the NRM government and may leave a huge dent on the fight against corruption. Some NRM cadres think that it may also turn out to be a political capital for the opposition leaders come 2026. The NRM cadres who have poked loopholes in the Wendi mobile wallet system call upon the government to carry out an independent investigation to satisfy itself that its own funds and taxpayers’ money is not being diverted by the elements within the ministry of finance to support opposition politicians and distabilise the successes of the NRM government in bringing prosperity to the people.

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Minister Mugarra calls for more funding to end human-wildlife conflicts in parks 

By
Francisco Adongo
-

The State Minister for Tourism, Wildlife and Antiquities, Martin Mugarra, has rallied Members of Parliament to push for increased funding for Uganda Wildlife Authority (UWA), with the aim of fighting human-wildlife conflicts in Lake Mburo and Queen Elizabeth national parks.

Minister Mugarra, accompanied by the UWA team, said most parks are experiencing challenges with poaching as well as animals escaping to community land resulting into destruction of life and property.

“The human-wildlife conflict is key. UWA has constructed dams in Lake Mburo National Park to keep animals from going to the communities, but they still stray. We have been praying that the UWA budget ceiling is raised to deal with such challenges,” said Mugarra.

Mugarra was addressing MPs on the Committee of Tourism, Trade and Industry during the oversight visit at Lake Mburo National Park located in Kiruhura District, on Friday, February 4, 2024.

The additional funding, he said would assist in fencing the park, construction of the roads within the parks currently in bad shape and staff houses. He also stressed that accommodation for local tourists is limited, yet their number has surpassed that of foreign tourists.

“We have only 10 accommodation units for local travelers. It is important that we start catering for Ugandan travelers who are now over 60 percent of Lake Mburo visitors. We want that when we have issues like the impact of the gay bill, Ugandans can sustain the tourism sector,” he said.

He argued that Lake Mburo once sufficiently funded to improve on infrastructure is able to considerably boost its annual revenue presently at Shs3.2 billion.

“We will be bringing this suggestion to the finance minister to raise the UWA ceiling because we can collect that money, if you give us the money the results will come,” he said.

Legislators advised UWA to increase its engagements with the community on measures to end poaching, as they wait on the desired increased funding.

“Try your best to sensitise your communities in activities such as poaching, as you plan on fencing the park. With fencing, you can add animals such as lions which many tourists love to see,” said Andrew Koluo (Indep., Toroma County).

At the Queen Elizabeth National Park, MPs learnt of the plan to domesticate the wild but edible rats known as cane rats, which are among the most poached mammals.

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URA commends tax agents for supporting revenue mobilisation

By
Our Reporter
-

The Uganda Revenue Authority (URA) has commended tax agents for supporting the revenue body with the mobilisation of revenue.

Addressing the tax agents’ fraternity at Mestil Hotel in Kampala, URA Commissioner General John Rujoki Musinguzi said they are partners with the tax body.

“The mission of growing our country’s tax to GDP ratio can’t allow us to leave any man behind, and we need all hands on deck to execute it. To work better together we must engage, listen to one another and devise new tactics where things are not working, in doing so we’ll be able to move from the staggering 13%/14% tax to GDP ratio,” he said.

In his remarks, the URA Commissioner IT and Innovation, Robert Mutebi, pledged to deliver a simplified taxpayer experience for every taxpayer as promised in the URA Digital ICT Strategy launched at the tail end of the last calendar year.

“We addressed the issue of individual tax registration with Instant TIN, which is working very well.  Next, on the agenda is simplifying returns filing, we started with Presumptive tax by introducing the USSD Code. Now, all you do is dial *285# and make payments by generating a PRN,” he said.

“Our third objective is to further simplify tax payments wherever you may be and also improve accurate reporting,” he added.

In her presentation, the head of the URA Ledger Reconciliation Unit, Ag. Manager Christine Mirembe, walked the tax agents through URA’s transformational journey of  tax ledger management since her inception in 1991 to date.

She shared the different tax laws and legal precedents and how they have influenced tax ledger management at the Authority.

“If you’ve got any issues with your ledger, kindly reach out to URA, and let’s support you! We thank you for supporting your taxpayers in taking advantage of the Section 40D waiver, and we look forward to a continued partnership,” Mirembe said.

The URA Commissioner for Domestic Taxes, Sarah M. Chelangat in her remarks thanked the agents for supporting taxpayers in meeting their tax obligations and urged them to share their feedback on their relationship with URA.

“As URA, we’re a service oriented entity eager to pick feedback from you, and we believe that this engagement is the right avenue to get it. We can’t develop Uganda without such partnerships. We need all the support we can get from you since you support our clients on a day to day basis.”

URA Commissioner General Musinguzi handed over the tools of office from the outgoing Tax Agents Registration Committee (TARC) to the new committee.

The TARC is mandated with acting as a bridge between the Authority and the tax agents fraternity. It also sets the guidelines to ensure integrity and professionalism in the fraternity.

The new Committee members are; Francis Kamulegeya, Georginah Kirabo, David Baliraine Kibumba, and Charles Lutimba.

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Uganda to host Africa’s blood transfusion congress

By
Our Reporter
-

Uganda is set to host the Africa Society for Blood Transfusion (AfSBT) Congress. The revelation was made by Dr Dorothy Kyeyune, the Executive Director of Uganda Blood Bank Services.

Under the theme’ “Safe and Sustainable Blood Transfusion Services in Africa: Adopting Global Innovations and Technology Advancements in Blood Transfusion Services, the congress will be held between March 4 and 7, 2024.

According to Dr Kyeyune, the congress serves as a platform for sharing knowledge, experiences, and best practices while also exploring innovative approaches and technologies to sustain blood transfusion services in Africa.

World Health Organisation guidelines indicate that a country is deemed self-sufficient in safe blood collection when it reaches one percent of its population. With Uganda’s population expected to reach 55 million by 2025, the demand for safe blood is projected to increase accordingly, including for the refugee population residing within the country.

The Uganda Blood Transfusion Service (UBTS), operating under the Ministry of Health, plays a key role in ensuring the availability, accessibility, and appropriate use of safe blood and blood components nationwide. With a commitment to increasing blood supply and promoting the clinical use of safe blood.

“It is the first time the country will host such a distinguished gathering focused on transfusion medicine. This presents an opportunity for our country and the broader health sector. We encourage each of you here today and everyone watching us to donate a unit of blood today to your loved ones,” she said.

The eleventh AfSBT Congress will attract hundreds of world-renowned experts in blood transfusion, policymakers, and key stakeholders, all of whom play crucial roles in advancing transfusion medicine and science.

“The Congress offers unparalleled networking opportunities among professionals in the field, fostering collaboration and collective action towards enhancing blood transfusion practices across the continent.

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