Syda Bbumba is still maintaining her innocence in the now controversial compensation of more than 142 billion shillings to city businessman Hassan Basajjabalaba.
The Nakaseke North MP says it was within the schedule of her duties that the decision to compensate Haba Group was made. She noted that the compensation falls under the armpit of the Attorney General (AG) whose duty was to verify the payments.
//Cue in: It is true that I have taken political responsibility…..
Cue out:…. Of the Attorney general’s decision.//
The Parliamentary Public Accounts Committee report had faulted Bbumba for failing to conduct due diligence on the compensation to Basajjabalaba.
Bbumba in her resignation speech in Parliament noted that the minister of finance is bound by the decisions of the AG. The ministers, according to Bbumba, have no duty or mandate to question the authority of the office of AG. She contended that her request to Bank of Uganda (BOU) was consistent with the decision of government.
She however punched holes in the PAC report saying it ignored a letter from President Yoweri Museveni requesting for the verification of the amount paid to Haba Group. The letter was recommending that if Haba was paid more than it deserved, the extra money would be refunded. She noted that the PAC report based its contents on circumstances rather than facts.
Cue in: the Pac report…..
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