The Inspector General of Government (IGG), Ms Beti Olive Kamya, has directed the Kampala Capital City Authority (KCCA) executive director, Ms Dorothy Kisaka, to cancel the procurement process for the Lot Four road project over bribery claims.
In a July 28 letter to Ms Kisaka, the Ombudsman also directed the KCCA contracts committee with the approval of the accounting officer to appoint a new evaluation committee for Lot Four.
“You should subject Mr Galimaka Godfrey Katerega, the manager revenue accounting and chairperson of the evaluation committee for the botched evaluation process of Lot Four together with Mr Ivan Kirya, supervisor financial reporting and acting manager management accounting to disciplinary process and protocols on grounds of their involvement in a corrupt and collusive practice,” the IGG wrote.
Ms Kisaka is also supposed to inform the IGG of the actions taken in implementing the directives within 60 days from the date of the letter.
The letter is also copied to the Minister for Kampala City and Metropolitan Affairs, Ms Minsa Kabanda, and the country manager African Development Bank (AfDB), Mr Augustine Kpehe Ngafuan.
The Inspectorate of Government’s (IG) manager of strategic partnerships and public relations, Ms Munira Ali, confirmed the IGG’s directive to the KCCA’s executive director.
“The IGG wrote to the KCCA executive director following a complaint that she received involving bribery of the evaluation committee and she directed that the process be cancelled and started afresh. The IGG also directed that disciplinary action against the two implicated senior officials should be taken,” Ms Munira said.
She said the Inspectorate will be waiting for feedback from Ms Kisaka on the action taken after 60 days.
Ms Kisaka confirmed receipt of the IGG’s letter to Daily Monitor yesterday and said she has accordingly informed the AfDB since it has its own rules and regulations that fall under such contracts.
She also said she has already informed the IGG on the steps being taken to implement her directives.
“We have implemented the disciplinary mechanism within the institution. We have the rewards and sanctions committee that deals with all issues of that kind. KCCA has a zero tolerance to corruption and we don’t condone any corrupt acts. So the disciplinary committee has given the two officials letters and that process should be completed within the next few days,” Ms Kisaka said.
Asked how the IGG’s directive will affect the entire process, she said the project has five lots and that each one of them is independent.
‘’As an agency, we have to get this message back to the AfDB so that it takes the next action if they feel like what happened completely corrupted the integrity of the process and can then guide us,” she said.
On how she is fighting corruption among KCCA staff, she said: “There are strategies to fight corruption including open methods of work. We deal with every rumor we hear about corruption and use the rewards and contracts committee to enforce discipline and we are sacking officers who involve themselves in corruption”
Ms Kabanda confirmed receipt of the IGG’s letter and also revealed that the procurement process has been halted.
“It’s true. We cannot go on with the project and since the IGG has intervened we shall support her,” Ms Kabanda said.
On the disciplinary action against the implicated officials, the Minister said that they will wait for the disciplinary committee.
“You see these are public servants and we will wait for the Public Service Commission to take action. We only write to the Commission and they take action because we may terminate them and they take us to court. But we want the truth to come out and if there were any malpractices then the officials will face the law,” the Minister said.
Our efforts to speak to AfDB’s transport engineer George Makajuma were futile.
