An organisation calling itself the Uganda Poor Youth Movement, has petitioned President Yoweri Museveni to relieve Mrs Irene Mulyagonja Kakooza, of her duties over what they called “failure to fulfil her duties” something they claim, has “caused public resentment and lack of trust in the Inspectorate as the government ombudsman.”
A copy of the petition, seen by this news site, written by a one Sempala Zahid, the youth outfit’s Spokesperson, also accused the ombudsman of discriminatory application of justice.
“My complaint is that the Inspector General of Government has failed in her mandate to fulfil her functions as required of her and her office is tainted with corruption, favouritism and selective justice which she is meant to fight,” reads part of the petition dated 09th May 2019.
“Your Excellency the office of the Inspector General of Government has on several occasions shunned away from investigating and prosecuting some public officers even where there is glaring evidence and public outcry to have the said people prosecuted,” further reads the petition, adding that “where her office chooses to investigate, these people come out scot free at the end of investigations which has prompted the public to perceive the office of the Inspector General of government as one that is constituted on paper but rather toothless, a joke and dummy in actual sense.”
The youth organisation picks on what they say has been Mrs Irene Mulyagonja’s personal involvement and deliberately mismanaging of investigations against Bank of Uganda’s former Executive Director, Bank Supervision, Mrs Justine Bagyenda and the BoU Deputy Governor Dr. Louis Kasekende over illicit enrichment.
They also accuse her of declining to investigate the duo and other BoU officials, even when there has been overwhelming evidence produced by the Attorney General and Parliament’s Commissions, Statutory Authorities and State Enterprises (COSASE).
Mulyagonja contradicts herself on BoU investigations
Mulyagonja however recently a media conference said her office would not investigate BoU since parliament had not recommended so. She also denied mismanaging the investigations and clearing both Kasekende and Bagyenda, saying that the investigations are not yet complete.
This however contradicted her earlier statement to parliament as well as earlier statements made by her staff to this news site that the investigation was complete and that the report was in her office.
In November 2018, a one, Ms Twine Annet Kyakunda, the Director of Leadership Code, under whose docket the Bagyenda investigation falls, told this reporter that the report had been concluded and handed over to the IGG herself.
The delayed ‘Bagyenda report’, has also irked the Financial Intelligence Authority Executive Director, Mr Sydney Asubo.
“We requested them to give us a copy of their final report because we sent to them information. They are also supposed to give us feedback on the quality of the information we provide to them in all cases, so as to help us improve our own work where required,” he said via phone.
Asubo who is a former director of legal affairs and the chief anti-corruption prosecutor at the Inspectorate of Government said his organisation was “still waiting for feedback from the IGG almost one year down the road!”
“Not even a progress report or preliminary feedback. Nothing,” said Asubo.
Relieve Mulyagonja of her duties
Quoting the president’s recent open statements about his dissatisfaction with the performance of the office of the IGG, the Uganda Poor Youth Movement, asked the president, who is also the appointing authority to relieve the ombudsman of her duties.
“Your Excellency you also publicly mentioned that people had lost confidence in the office of the Inspectorate of Government because its officers are compromised. You even went ahead and set up another parallel body to help investigate public officials which we believe was the right move in the circumstance but considering that funding of both bodies is from the public fund and yet they do the same work; in our view, we advise and recommend that you relieve Ms Irene Mulyagonja of her office since you are the appointing authority rather than leaving her in office when you are also well aware that she has failed at her Job,” petitioned Mr Sempala.
Inspectorate infiltrated by wrong elements
The president has in the recent past openly blamed the IGG for failing in her responsibilities.
At the recently ended 9th Commonwealth Regional Conference for Heads of Anti-Corruption Agencies in Africa at Lake Victoria Serena, Kigo, Museveni said that due to incessant failures by the IGG’s office, he was forced to appoint his former, Lt Col Edith Nakalema to oversee the IGG.
He likened the IGG to a watchman, left to guard a village or home, who had failed in their job.
“I think she (IGG) was infiltrated, slowly by some groups,” he said adding that this is the reason he had to appoint a “watchman (Nakalema) to watch the watchman.”
The first time the president publicly chided the IGG was during the June 6th 2018, State of the Nation Address.
“What happened to the IGG? Why don’t the victims of corruption report those incidences of corruption to the IGG,” asked an angry Museveni.
“If it is not working, why should we keep it then? The IGG should reflect on this. Are her staff credible? Why does the public not trust that institution? We need answers,” he said.
Weeks later, he would appoint Lt. Col Edith Nakalema to head a Statehouse Anti-Corruption Unit.