Parliament has recommended the interdiction of Stephen Kagoda, the Permanent secretary in Ministry of Internal Affairs, for his role in the botched national Identity Cards project.
The legislators unanimously resolved that Kagoda should be interdicted immediately and suffer the financial consequences resulting from the failed project.
In 2010, government contracted Mühlbauer, a German company to produce national identity cards worth 200 billion shillings but to date only about 400 IDs have been produced.
Raphael Magyezi, Igara West MP observed that Ugandans had lost about 49 billion shillings under Kagoda’s watchful eye and proposed that the PS be interdicted immediately.
On former Internal Affairs Minister Kirunda Kivejinja, the MPs also resolved that he takes political and financial responsibility over the mess. Geofrey Ekanya, the finance shadow minister told MPs that taking political responsibility is not enough. He moved an amendment that the named former minister should make good the loss that has occurred as stipulated in the constitution and the Finance Act.
James Baba, the State Minister, unsuccessfully tried to amend the parliamentary recommendations. Baba wanted to have all persons mentioned in the Defense and internal affairs committee report to be investigated and prosecuted if found culpable. But MPs rejected the proposed amendment by Baba.
The MPs also want Alintuma Nsambu, the Former ICT junior minister, to take responsibility for his actions during the procurement. Despite the fact Minister Nyombi Thembo wrote to parliament stating that the ministry facilitated his trip to Germany where he led a team to investigate the capacity of Mühlbauer to produce IDs, the MPs want him to take full political, administrative and financial responsibility for the other team members.
The Minister in 2010 travelled with two individuals using false titles from the ICT Ministry. The two were Technical advisor, Godfrey Seruwagi and the Secretary to the minister, Joweria Nakabuye. The position of technical advisor to the Minister of State does not exist in the Ministry hierarchy.
The 40-page report holds Kivejinja, former Attorney General Kiddu Makubuya, former Finance Minster Syda Bumba and Kagoda liable for violating procurement laws to sign a contract for the now stalled project. It also recommends that Nsambu be investigated.
