The Minister for Trade, Industry, and Co-operatives, Hon. Francis Mwebesa has told the parliamentary committee on Commission, Statutory Authorities and State Enterprises (COSASE), that the controversial Executive Director of UNBS David Livingstone Ebiru is in office illegally and should be kicked out immediately.
Mwebasa promised to cause the suspension of Ebiru on the grounds that he was already dismissed to go on forced leave one year ago as investigations into his incompetence take effect. He stated that the Ministry together with the Inspectorate of Government sacked the ED over a month ago.
He stated that it is a surprise that Ebiru remains holding an office he was already asked to vacate.
On Wednesday, the Ebiru revealed that he secured a loan of shs100 million that was paid to the National Standards Council (NSC) to have his contract renewed.
The NSC consists of about five individuals who supervise the ED and oversee all operations of the standards body.
While appearing before members of parliament on (COSASE), chaired by Nakawa West MP Joel Ssenyonyi, Ebiru stated that he took out a huge loan from an unspecified source after being asked by the Chairperson of the board identified as Charles Museruka to pay money to retain his job.
Ebiru claimed that he accepted to the bribe because the Inspectorate of Government threatened to terminate his contract and was convinced by Museruka that this would calm matters. He stated to COSASE members that the hard money that was parked in a bag that was picked from his office by one of the board members only identified as Omara.
“I was asked by the Chair to do the needful to cool down matters, I borrowed the money and handed it to the representative of the chairman. The money was in a bag and Omara picked it from my office, I took this extreme step after receiving recommendations for termination from the IGG,” he said
He added: “I called by Museruka and shown a letter from the Minister by Museruka to dismiss me. I was told to read the letter in a file and put it back from a restaurant called ‘Panomera’ opposite Kampala Parent’s school in Naguru because the chairman’s residence is close by. He told me to do the needful, its just that am not a spy so I didn’t take a record of that”
However, Museruka and other board members dismissed the claims as untrue and baseless.
The last time I checked Mr. Chairman(Ssenyonyi), bribing public officials is am offence. The ED is alleging to have bribed the board 100m which he could have used somewhere else. This is a verifiable matter and I ask that the committee takes interest in it
Ebiru has served for Deputy Executive Director in charge of Management and financial services. MPs ordered Ebiru to record statements with the Parliamentary police.
COSASE is currently grilling officials on the Auditor General’s Report for the financial year 2021/2022, on the financial statements of UNBS.
Ebiru is on the spot for spending12.5 billion Shillings without approval from the Ministry of Finance and Parliament.
The funds in question were transferred from the Pre-Export Verification of Conformity (PVoC) suppliers account to a Global Alliance for Improved Nutrition (GAIN) account, a program under UNBS specifically designated to receive donor funds.
It was revealed that out of the US$4.9 million (equivalent to 17.964 billion Shillings) in the GAIN account, only US$1.5 million (equivalent to 5.499 billion Shillings) had been sent to the Consolidated Fund. The remaining US$3.4 million (equivalent to 12.464 billion Shillings) was converted and utilized as per Ebiru’s directives to support the operations of the Bureau.
Comments are closed.