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Two top immigration officials interdicted
Benon Mutambi, Internal Affairs Permanent Secretary. FILE PHOTO
What you need to know:
- In early 2007, President Museveni appointed Mr Ongodia to the position of commissioner of Immigration before recalling the same appointment in August 27, 2007 through his Private Secretary. Mr Museveni later confirmed the appointment.
KAMPALA. The acting director of Immigration and Citizenship Control, Ms Josephine Ekwang Ali, has been interdicted together with the Commissioner of Citizenship and Immigration Control, Mr Nicholas Ongodia.
Daily Monitor has learnt that the two allegedly procured a large consignment of passports in total disregard of the fact that Uganda was transiting into issuance of East African e-passport which has a micro-chip able to store more data.
The directorate is expected to start issuing the e-passport this month and phase out the old paper passport.
Ms Ekwang was appointed in March this year replacing Mr Godfrey Sasagah, who had been interdicted. Until her appointment, Ms Ekwang was the legal commissioner at the directorate. Mr Ongodia was appointed to replace Mr Anthony Namara.
Mr Sasagah and Mr Namara were interdicted for allegedly misusing funds for the procurement of equipment for the e-passports.
“There is an investigation in relation to procurement of passports we want to carry out, so we have asked them to step aside and allow the investigation to go on,” Dr Benon Mutambi, the Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Internal Affairs, said.
Dr Mutambi said the ministry suspects there was an order of passports that was placed outside the normal established procurement procedures.
Dr Mutambi said the ministry would name people to temporarily take charge as the investigations go on.
In early 2007, President Museveni appointed Mr Ongodia to the position of commissioner of Immigration before recalling the same appointment in August 27, 2007 through his Private Secretary. Mr Museveni later confirmed the appointment.
