The ad-hoc committee investigating allegations of corruption and bribery in Uganda’s oil sector has failed to get funds to travel for its work within and outside the country, the committee chairperson has said.
Michael Werikhe, MP for Bungokho South Constituency, revealed to Uganda Radio Network during an interview on Thursday that his committee’s work has been delayed by some months. He, however, said that 90 per cent of the work has been finalized with only the trips left to undertake.
The delay of the funds is happening as the deadline for the committee is fast approaching. The committee was given three months effective from October 11, 2011 when a parliamentary sitting made resolutions to investigate three senior ministers accused by MPs of benefitting from corruption and bribery in the Oil sector.
The 7-member ad hoc committee is supposed to visit the Albertine region, Malta, Dubai, the UK and Kenya.
Parliament in October last year made a resolution to investigate allegations that Prime Minister Amama Mbabazi, Foreign Affairs Minister Sam Kutesa and Internal Affair Minister Hillary Onek, benefitted through influence peddling from oil companies, including receiving from them cash handouts. The three denied the allegations when they appeared before the investigation committee.
The ad hoc committee was also tasked with streamlining the Oil laws with a view of coming out with a new law to guide the budding Oil and Gas Sector.
A reliable source within parliament this week revealed that there was no money available for the committee to travel on any of their trips to investigate the allegations, including the inland travel to Bunyoro. The source said that as a result the committee was stuck and cannot travel.
Werikhe has not yet disclosed formally how much money they will have used by the time they finish the investigations but said it would not go beyond 200 million shillings. He denied reports that their undisclosed budget goes beyond one billion shillings for travel and administrative work.
He said that he was not worried of the deadline approaching because he can always ask the Speaker for more time.
