Kalungu West County MP, Joseph Gonznaga Ssewungu is wondering why President Yoweri Museveni simply ‘forced’ Uganda Revenue Authority (URA) Commissioners to resign over alleged corruption instead of arresting and prosecuting them.
Commissioners Dickson Kateshumbwa, Henry Saka, Silajji Kanyesigye Baguma, and Samuel Kahima tendered in their resignations last Friday.
Ssewungu claims that the information they have is that the Commissioners have been ‘stealing’ and ‘damn rich’.
Of the four commissioners who resigned, three were accused of engineering a Shs195 billion tax waiver in a multi-billion deal involving the purchase of Sadolin Paints by Japanese firm, the Kansai Paint in 2017.
Now Ssewungu also wonders why they were allowed to resign yet the officials in the office of the prime minister were arrested even before they could defend themselves.
In a statement dated 30th May, 2020, URA said on the 29th May, 2020, the following Senior Officials chose to resign and the Board accepted their resignations; Dicksons Kateshumbwa, Henry Saka, Silajji Kanyesigye Baguma and Samuel Kahima.
“The information we have about URA he is the one who told those people to resign as faster as possible before he arrests them,” Ssewungu claimed.
He wonders why the Head of the State House Anti-Corruption Unit Lt Col Edith Nakalema didn’t swing into action against these URA officers who caused URA tax revenue losses due to corruption.
This follows reports that the URA officials resigned over allegations of engineering a deal that cost URA Shs195bn in tax revenue.
“Why are they resigning and they are not under detention? The information we are getting is that they have been stealing money and are damn rich with a lot of wealth,” Ssewungu added.
Ssewungu questioned why they are not under detention when the Permanent Secretary in the office of the Prime Minister Guwatudde Kintu and others were arrested immediately over allegation of hiking food prices and let go URA officials scot-free.
He also asked the President while addressing parliament on Thursday this week to inform Ugandans whether 2021 general elections will take place as required or not.
There are ongoing changes in URA following the appointment of John Rujoki Musinguzi as the new Commissioner General who officially replaced Doris Akol on April02, 2020.
In the 30th May statement, URA said, “Management wishes to reiterate that Integrity, Patriotism, and Professionalism will define the new era at URA.”
