Otafiire on the spot light over pensions scam

After years of investigations into the loss of Ugx 165 in the Public Service, lawmakers on Parliament’s Public Accounts Committee (PAC) have tasked Justice minister Kahinda Otafiire to explain his role in the corruption scandal.
The MPs led by their chairperson, Ms Alice Alaso (Serere Woman), insist that it is only the minister himself to explain the signatures on the documents.

“Otafiire must appear in person to explain his letters. “It’s only Gen Otafiire who can tell us whether it’s his signature or not, she added.

The development comes at a time when General Otafiire sent deputy Attorney General, Mr Mwesigwa Rukutana, to represent him but was kicked out of the PAC Committee on 9th July 2015.

The evidence before PAC pins Gen Otariife to have written two letters to ministry of Public Service, which the MPs say, were later used by lawyers to receive more than Shs15b using forged documents.

Former Permanent Secretary Jimmy Lwamafa and former principal accountant Christopher Obey denied all the accusations against insisting that they used the letters from Gen Otafiire to make payments to laywer Bob Kasonga worth Ugx15b.

“It is on this note that Otafiire should come and defend himself. All the evidence collected pins him of aiding the scandal.”

In uganda, corruption remains one of the biggest challenges to address. With the UNRA saga in which Ugx24b was paid to ghost firm from America indicates how corruption has eaten up Uganda’s civil service. Investigations have not yielded any results. For example, the former Works and transport minister Eng. Abraham Byandala has gone freely.

“If Otafiire had not written letters to Ministry of Finance, we wouldn’t have lost Shs15.5b – tax payers’ money. We would like to know how Finance officials came to pay Mr Kasango basing on two letters.”