KAMPALA – Staff at Uganda Investment Authority (UIA) have petitioned the Inspector General of Government (IGG) demanding an investigation into the alleged corruption and blatant nepotism at the agency.
In a June 20 letter addressed to the IGG, the staff members said they are concerned in the way public funds are being spent by executive director of the authority decrying injustice and corruption.
The staff claim that the Executive Director Ms Jolly Kaguhangire and a few colleagues in the management are diverting funds meant for work for unnecessary travels abroad citing that; “she is out of office every month and she doesn’t give staff meaningful accountability thereafter.”
“Several activities have also been put off due to inadequate funds but the funds for her travels are always available,” reads their statement to the IGG alleging that a lot of money for the current financial year has been used for paying staff whose recruitment was not approved.
Members of the staff now want the executive director investigated over possible corruption and fraud of public resources.
Key among the issues addressed to the IGG include; corruption, paying ghost workers, extravagance and several others.
They also decried sectarianism based recruitment especially in the top management at the authority that adding only those related to the executive director are safe at work a situation that has worried other members of the staff.
“This kind of behavior has led the staff to believe that the real purpose of the restructuring is to bring in her own people,” members said in a statement also claiming that the executive director only favors a few for trips abroad.
UIA is a government agency set up under the Investment Code 1991 mandated to initiate and support measures that enhance investment in Uganda and to advise government on appropriate policies conducive for Investment promotion and growth.
The authority is also mandated to issue Investment licenses and secondary approvals for investors as well as helping them to implement their project ideas through assistance in locating relevant project support services
