Well, though the IGG conducted investigations that later cleared the interdicted Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Works and Transport, Mr Bageya Waiswa, of wrongdoing in the Busega–Mpigi Expressway saga and directed his reinstatement to work, Mr Bageya should not try to celebrate because more trouble is unfolding for him.
Mr Bageya, be ready to face a probe. You and Mr Fred Byamukama, on the corruption you know about taking place at the Northern Corridor Transit and Transport Coordination Authority, will not escape scrutiny.
In fact, corruption at the Northern Corridor Transit and Transport Coordination Authority on the side of Uganda should be investigated, and Permanent Secretary Mr Bageya Waiswa and Minister Fred Byamukama should be held accountable because they are the people assigned to manage that organisation.
The Northern Corridor Transit and Transport Coordination Authority, established under the 2007 Northern Corridor Agreement, is an intergovernmental organisation that plays an important role in coordinating the movement of goods along one of East Africa’s most important trade routes. Its operations are supported through levies and contributions from member states, with Uganda and Kenya among the countries that contribute significantly to its financing.
Serious questions have been raised about governance, financial accountability and oversight within the organisation.
Surprisingly, the organisation is linked to Uganda’s Ministry of Works and Transport, where the interdicted but now-cleared Permanent Secretary, Mr Waiswa Bageya, was a member of the Executive Committee. The committee’s primary oversight role is to ensure that public funds given to the organisation are used effectively, that all established policies and procedures for managing funds are followed, and that the funds are managed in the interests of the organisation and taxpayers/citizens.
However, Mr Bageya, as Permanent Secretary, and Minister of Works and Transport Fred Byamukama have never raised any of the inefficiencies reportedly occurring at the organisation. This, to me, as a citizen, leads me to conclude that the two officials have not been representing Uganda’s interests as a member state and may have been part of the corruption.
At one point, Mr Bageya wrote a letter, which is in my possession, stopping the audit of expenditure at the Northern Corridor.
This makes me believe that even though he has been cleared, he should still be probed over this saga.
He and Mr Fred Byamukama should be questioned to explain all this mess and held accountable for allegedly representing their personal interests rather than the interests of the organisation funded by Uganda.
Imagine, Uganda has been losing up to Shs6 billion annually without anyone asking who is eating that money.
The writer is a senior veteran journalist.
