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Permanent Secretaries and other accounting officers appearing before parliament to answer queries audit queries by the Auditor General should be treated with respect and fairness, Pius Bigirimana, Secretary to Judiciary has told MPs.
He made the call during a Monday, February 19, 2024, preparatory meeting held between MPs on the Public Accounts Committee (PAC)-Central Government and the Accounting Officers from various MDAs ahead of the Committee’s scrutiny of the December 2023 Auditor General’s report.
The meeting was convened by the incoming PAC chairperson, Muhammad Muwanga Kivumbi of Butambala County (NUP).
“In the past, the experience hasn’t been good. I have been [appearing] in this Parliament for more than ten years, and in the interaction with some MPs, sometimes, it has been characterised by a lot of drama and attracts a lot of attention in the public and from us. And sometimes we feel it is actually persecution because when we come here, what you have been talking about is what we expect to have interaction because when you come to answer audit queries, audit queries aren’t criminal charges,” said Bigirimana.
He noted that while some of the obligations of accounting officers include absorbing and accounting for all funds allocated to their agencies, there were issues of late fund releases which affected the execution of the planned outputs. He instead called for Parliament’s protection and not persecution of the accounting officers.
“They are queries that we are obliged to answer, and it isn’t a mistake for you to answer those questions that you ask us, but let us be treated with fairness and respect and know that we have responsibilities. Money is released and therefore, it must be explained how you utilise the money that was given to you. We have appropriated, and the money isn’t coming, and there are outputs which I promised to undertake, and I don’t undertake them, but money hasn’t come, I want to request you to protect us when we explain and make a case, please understand us,” Bigirimana implored the lawmakers.
Hon. Muwanga Kivumbi, assured the accounting officers of fair treatment as per the provisions under the Rules of Procedure.
“You aren’t going to come here to be persecuted, so we want to give every Accounting Officer that when you come to this process if it has been happening before, it will not happen, but be sure you are thorough with your answers, we will be tough on precise answers because out there, you look at our economy. There are issues we shall handle with the Ministry of Finance,” said Kivumbi.