The parliamentary committee investigating mismanagement and poor administration of the National Social Security Fund on Wednesday heard that the Procurement Officer for the workers' fund, Josephine Kaheru, was recruited to her job without the necessary qualification.
She however later acquired the qualification on job when she undertook and recently graduated with a postgraduate diploma in procurement from the Uganda Management Institute – UMI, in 2008.
Appearing before the committee on Commissions, State Enterprises and Statutory Authorities, The Human Resource Manager of the Fund, Hope Bizimana told the MPs that Kaheru initially possessed a Bachelors degree in Social Sciences, without any qualification in procurement.
Kaheru herself testified that she took the position of Procurement Officer in 2004, establishing the department without herself being qualified for the job.
The legislators on Wednesday tasked Bizimana to explain why and how someone who initially did not possess the required qualifications for a job was given such a top and sensitive job.
Bizimana explained that Kaheru was given the job based on her competence, experience and attitude having joined in 1996 as a Reconciliation Clerk. But she did not state what the exact duties of a Reconciliation Clerk within the fund are.
MPs are concerned that huge amounts of money lost within the fund were through wrong procurement procedures. The MPs blame Kaheru for sitting by and allowing top managers of the fund, including former MD David Jamwa, to openly flout procurement regulations.
They say it was her duty to sensitise all department and managers of the fund on the importance of following procurement rules.
However, Kaheru on Monday shocked the MPs when she disclosed that Jamwa at one time threatened her through an email for her strong stand in following procurement procedures. Jamwa told her to take his orders and not orders from the procurement department.
She said that following Jamwa's threat she worked in fear of her job.
