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Uganda’s
sickening bottomless pit of hypocrisy: The bogus law that will just remain on
the shelf : Uganda bans miniskirts, pornography: Tough penalties loom as
Museveni signs Anti-Pornography Bill into law
Former Ethics Minister Fr. Simon Lokodo has died in Geneva,
Switzerland. The announcement was made on the Twitter account of the
Uganda Human Rights Commission where he has been a member of the
commission.
“It’s with great shock and pain that we‘ve learnt of the passing of
our Honourable Member of the Commission, Fr. Simon Lokodo. He passed on
this morning in Geneva, Switzerland. The Commission will share details
in due course,” announced the commission in a tweet. According to
sources, Lokodo had gone to Geneva for official duties.
Lokodo was born in Kaabong District 64 years ago. He holds the degree
of Bachelor of Arts in Theology from the Pontifical Urbaniana
University.
His Master of Arts in Theology was also obtained from the same
university of Rome. He also holds the Diploma in Rural Sociology, the
Diploma in Social Communication, the Diploma in Philosophy & Social
Science, and the Certificate in the Italian Language.
He obtained his Diploma in Theology, from Makerere University,
Uganda’s oldest university; founded in 1922. Lokodo also holds a
Certificate in German Language obtained from an institution in Austria
and a Certificate in French Language, obtained from an institution in
Paris, France.
Before entering politics, he was the parish priest for Kaabong Parish in the Roman Catholic Diocese of Kotido.
He served as Minister of State for Ethics & Integrity in the
Office of the President of Uganda since 2011. Previously he was the
Minister of State for Industry from 2009 to 2011. He has also been the
elected Member of Parliament representing Dodoth County, Kaabong
District since 2006.
The country has been divided following the passing of Emmanuel Mutebile who has been serving as the Governor of Bank of Uganda.
According to Mutebile’s Widow, Betty, Mutebile did not build a house
in Kampala, therefore, leading to a series of proposals asking that the
Mutebile family keep the official Governor’s house in Kololo.
Fallen Bank of Uganda Governor, Emmanuel Tumusiime Mutebile’s wealth
has been revealed by sources to a local website following claims from
his widow that they are going to be homeless.
According to Mutebile’s close confidants, the renowned economist had a
huge mansion, an island on Lake Bunyonyi, a state-of-the-art Governor’s
suite in Kabale as well as a farm seated on 800 acres of land in
Migadde.
“I have visited his huge mansion and an island with state-of-the-art
Governor’s suite in Kabale,” a source told the local news website.
It is said that Mutebile’s farm has over 1000 cows in addition to a farmhouse.
Some of Mutebile’s other assets include; Kyahugye Island with wild
animals and a hotel on it, apartments leased to IMF in Naguru, a dairy
farm in Bombo, a farm in Kabale, another farm in Fort Portal, a goat
farm in Luweero, a 200-acre pine forest, and seven properties in upscale
town in Kololo.
Apparently, Mutebile has another mansion in Kololo where the woman stayed before joining him in the government mansion.
The source adds that the widow is just greedy, adding that it is
unrealistic for an economic wizard-like Mutebile, who was earning Shs53
million a month to have no house in Kampala.
The funeral budget for former Central Bank Governor
Emmanuel Tumusiime-Mutebile has been estimated at Shs409.5 million, Daily
Monitor has learnt.
According to the budget estimates prepared by Kabale District Local Government,
the burial expenses have been broken into categories of food, drinks, road
works, security and allowances.2
The draft budget estimates seen by Monitor last evening, and
confirmed by Kabale Resident District Commissioner, Mr Godfrey Nyakahuma, shows
that food, drinks, tents and others will cost Shs244.83m, road works
(Shs33.089m) and security (Shs131.6m)
The authorities have budgeted security allowances for seven days.
However, the 182 personnel expected to provide security at the funeral will be
on duty for four days (Friday January 28 to Monday, January 31) as indicated in
the budget.
The authorities have also earmarked Shs11m for an emergency repair of the road
that leads to the governor’s home in Kabale.
They also included a separate amount (Shs15m) to revamp the Mutebile-Honrby
Road in Kakiira.
Although Mr Nyakahuma last evening confirmed the budget estimates, he
declined to speak about the allocations insisting that the LC5 chairperson,
Mr Nelson Nshangabasheija, was the one in-charge of arrangements.
Mr Nshangabasheija last evening confirmed that they came up with the said
burial estimates but said they would adjust upwards as required.
Mutebile died last Sunday at a hospital in Nairobi after health
complications and is expected to be laid to rest at his Kijuguta in Kabale
District.
There will be an official funeral service at Kololo
Independence Grounds today with President Museveni as the chief mourner.
Parliament yesterday moved a bipartisan motion in memory of the former
governor. The MPs eulogised Mutebile as ‘a distinguished gentleman’ for his
integrity and patriotism.
Mutebile’s rise to the helm of Central Bank
He served as deputy Principal Private Secretary to the President, State
House, Entebbe, from June 1979 to 1980.
Mutebile was acting Under Secretary, Ministry of Planning & Economic
Development, 1981.
In 1982, he was the Chief Government Planning Economist, Ministry of Planning
and Economic Development.
From September 1985 to May 1986, he served as Permanent Secretary in-charge of
Economic Affairs, Office of the Prime Minister.
From May 1986 to 1992, he was Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Planning
& Economic Development.
He also served as chairman, Agricultural Policy Committee and chairman of the
Steering committee for drawing up the Agricultural Modernisation Plan, 1985
to1996.
From April 1992 to May 1998, he was Permanent Secretary/Secretory
to the Treasury, Ministry of Finance and Economic Planning.
In August 2000, he was a consultant for the International Monetary Fund in
Washington D.C. as a member of the External Review Group on the Fiscal Affairs
Department of the Fund.
From August 2003 to August 2004, Mutebile served as chairman of the
Association of African Central Banks.
He was chairperson of the Executive Board of the African Capacity Building
Foundation, based in Harare, Zimbabwe, from 2003 to 2005.
Mutebile was been Governor and Chairperson of the Board of Directors of Bank of
Uganda since 2001.
What others say
Edison Rugumayo, Youth MP western
Giving away the house to the Mutebile family will not only set a bad precedent,
but also leave an unresolved problem. Parliament should by amendment of the
relevant law provide for privileges of former
A proposal to accord Bank of Uganda Governor Emmanuel Tumusiime Mutebile’s
family a befitting home in honour of his legacy, yesterday elicited debate in
Parliament with some lawmakers suggesting it would impose a burden on the
taxpayers.
Mutebile was one of the highest paid public servants with a monthly salary
of Shs54m besides other benefits.
The proposal came up during a debate on a bi-patisan motion tabled by Prime
Minister Robinah Nabbanja asking Parliament to pay tribute to the country’s
longest serving governor, in honour of his outstanding performance and
contribution to the country.
Mutebile died of health related complications on Sunday at the Aga Khan
Hospital in Nairobi, Kenya.
He was the Central Bank boss for more than two decades.
The Leader of the Opposition in Parliament, Mr Mathias Mpuuga, who seconded the
bi-partisan motion, said Mutebile was an honest leader who spoke with
honesty.
“He didn’t fear talking straight, which sometimes made the powers that be so
uncomfortable. I recall in 2011, the Governor disagreed with President Museveni
over the decision to spend $740 million on six fighter jets. At the time, this
payment led to a rundown of the stock of our foreign reserves from six to four
months of import cover.”
The Bukooli Central MP, Mr Solomon Silwanyi, who is also a commissioner of
Parliament, suggested an amendment to Prime Minister Nabbanja’s motion, to have
government accord Mutebile’s family a befitting house or allow them stay in the
governor’s official residence in Kololo, an upscale Kampala City suburb.
Mutebile owns a country home at Katoja cell, Kijuguta Ward in Kabale
Municipality.
However, Mr Silwanyi argued that the governor lived a modest life and did not
use his office to amass wealth for personal gains.
“This property or home should be for the family led by the widow. It is
known that Governor Mutebile was a very honest man and the fact that he was
governor for a very long time, the family may not have where to go,” Mr
Silwanyi said.
He added: “These days, if people are in such positions they amass a lot of
wealth which this gentleman wouldn’t do. It would only be good if this
Parliament supports the family to get a befitting home.”
Buyaga West MP Barnabas Tinkasimire seconded the proposal.
“Whereas he is leaving to live with the heavenly creator, he leaves behind a
trail of dependents whom the country should never forget. And this is the
reason I support the motion,” Mr Tinkasimire said.
However, Mr Silwanyi’s proposal triggered uproar from Opposition MPs, with
some questioning his expenditure considering that he held well-paying
positions for more than 30 years that could enable him own a decent house
in the city.
Mityana Municipality MP Francis Zaake said government had already
earmarked a huge sum of money for Mutebile’s burial arrangements.
“Just the money that has been used [budgeted] for his burial can be enough to
build for him a house,” Mr Zaake said.
Government estimated to spend Shs400m on the governor’s burial.
It was at this point that the deputy Speaker, Ms Anita Among, informed the
House that she had attended a vigil at the governor’s official residence in
Kololo on Wednesday, where the widow hinted on having no home.
Ms Among had earlier tweeted: “I joined the relatives and friends of the late
Emmanuel Tumusiime-Mutebile to condole with Mama Betty and the children at his
residence in Kololo. I asked Hon Thomas Tayebwa (Government Chief Whip) to make
sure that the official residence is given to the family in honour of his
integrity.”
The deputy Speaker cautioned the lawmakers to debate without emotions.
“Whatever you are doing here, people are watching how insensitive you can be.
What the widow talked, all of us know. Mutebile was corrupt free and the widow
said that when the governor’s contract was ending, she asked the husband, where
were they were going and he said, ‘God will provide’ and now you are becoming
the God to provide,” Ms Among said.
Prime Minister Nabbanja, however, asked for more time to consult and return
with a conclusive answer.
“I have taken note of the concern of members and all of us know that when
you leave this world sometimes, you may leave some gaps. I request that you
allow me to go and inform the government and consult widely. We shall come and
inform you of the action taken,” Ms Nabbanja said.
More legislators protest
Mr Mpuuga said the request was an insult to the governor’s legacy while
Budadiri west MP Nandala Mafabi said: “This is theft of the highest
order.”
The Buhweju MP, Mr Francis Mwijukye during an interview with NTV, said:
“Such people must be helped to understand how to live in life. I don’t expect
that you can be a governor and you have no house, then as Parliament we have to
say what happens after somebody has died.”
The same sentiments were shared by the legislator for people living with
disabilities, Mr Mpindi Bumaali.
“You cannot say that with all the money he has been earning and the allowances,
he could not construct a decent house,” Mr Bumali told the media.
Mr Abdu Katuntu, the Bugweri County MP, said: “As public
servants, we should prepare for retirement.”
Among those that attended the session at Parliament yesterday included
leaders from government, industrial, and business sector.
They included former Vice President, Mr Edward Kiwanuka Ssekandi, immediate
former Prime Minister Ruhakana Rugunda, his predecessor John Patrick Amama
Mbabazi, and Uganda’s representatives at East Africa Legislative Assembly.
