Kakooza appointed 'caretaker’ PS for Ssali after emergency
Interim Trade PS Alex Kakooza while inset is jailed Geraldine Busuulwa Ssali. PHOTO/COMBO
What you need to know:
- Alex Kakooza served at the Ministry of Education and Sports as PS before July 2021 when he was transferred to the President’s Office.
President Museveni has appointed Alex Kakooza as a caretaker Permanent Secretary for the trade ministry, in place of remanded Geraldine Ssali Busuulwa.
Kakooza is currently the Principal Private Secretary (PPS) to Vice President Jesca Alupo while Busuulwa is in custody at Luzira Prison, awaiting trial for corruption related charges.
Speaking to Monitor on Friday, head of public service and secretary to cabinet Lucy Nakyobe emphasized that Kakooza was appointed as a caretaker.
“I appointed Alex Kakooza to care take because we had an emergency. The ministry (Trade) cannot stop. So, we had to appoint somebody. For now, he is still the caretaker,” she said without necessarily going into details of the emergency.
When asked about the duration Kakooza will serve as caretaker, Nakyobe responded: “For sure, I really don’t know. According to the rules of public service, when a public servant is charged in court, you are interdicted pending investigations.”
“If you are cleared, you’re re-instated and if you are not cleared, then, the law takes its course,” she added, noting that they aren’t aware of when court will conclude the case involving Ssali.
In August 2021, Ssali was appointed Trade PS, taking over from Grace Choda, who was acting PS following the death of James Onen who had served for two years.
Ssali was also a former deputy managing director at the National Social Security Fund (NSSF).
Ssali, together with three lawmakers and some officials from the Trade ministry were last week committed to High Court for trial on charges of abuse of office, causing financial loss and conspiracy.
Prosecution contends that Ssali, during FY2021-22, irregularly introduced Buyaka Growers Cooperatives Society Limited among the Cooperatives to be compensated for war loss by government.
She is co-accused with legislators Micheal Mawanda (Igara East), Ignatuis Mudimi Wamakuyu (Elgon County) and Paul Akamba alongside lawyer JuliusTaitankoko Kirya and Leonard Kavundira the Principal Cooperatives Officer at the Ministry of Trade.
In October 2023, Ssali was suspended by secretary to the treasury Ramathan Ggoobi on recommendations of a parliament inquiry into alleged acts of corruption.
The House trade committee also accused Ssali of inflating the price of renovation works by shs2billion. Later, President Museveni ordered her reinstatement before she was arrested in July 2024.
Meanwhile, Kakooza had served at the Ministry of Education and Sports in the same capacity before July 2021 when he was transferred to the President’s Office.
