MPs want probe into bribery claims at Unra-manned weigh bridges
The chairperson of Parliament’s Committee on Commissions, Statutory Authorities and State Enterprises (Cosase), Mr Joel Ssenyonyi
What you need to know:
- Parliamentarians voiced concern that more money might have been lost to corruption even as overloaded trucks continuously damage Uganda’s infrastructure.
Legislators on Parliament’s Committee on Commissions, Statutory Authorities and State Enterprises (COSASE) have instructed the House’s police detectives to investigate long-held bribery claims against Uganda National Roads Authority (Unra) officials deployed at various weigh bridges across the country
The directive sanctioned by the committee chairperson, Joel Ssenyonyi, seeks to probe claims that “penalty fees at weigh bridges are transferred to individual accounts of Unra officers.”
Mr Ssenyonyi revealed that he had accessed a list of suspects and some weigh stations highly pronounced in the vice.
“We must be able to deal with the culprits,” Mr Ssenyonyi vowed adding that “the abuse also continues because someone will overload twice because they know they will get past the weigh bridges.”
Earlier, Unra had committed to thoroughly investigate and crack whip on all its errant officers found culpable.
Further, the Kyadondo East MP Muwada Nkunyingi demanded that “Uganda Police deploys its officers to probe the allegation.”
On Tuesday, Unra pledged to deliver a report on November 21- showing actions taken on its officials previously caught in the act.
The Unra road infrastructure director John Bosco Ssejjemba disclosed that at least five of its officials found guilty of bribery were fired.
“The Authority runs a zero tolerance to corruption,” Mr Ssejjemba emphasized.
The Unra Executive Director, Ms Allen Kagina noted that the Authority is constantly working towards whipping out corruption.
“There are also challenges related to capacity and some of the solutions proposed by the committee like CCTV are aren’t a full solution but will help,” Ms Kagina said.
She added: “Allow us do a comprehensive review of the management of axle load restrictions on our network and we can prepare proposals. This area needs to be reviewed.”
In response, Mr Ssenyonyi hailed the Unra chief for admitting flaws in the entity.
“It is important that people at the top understand what is happening down. You need to be sure of structural operations including weigh bridge officers extorting vehicle owners via cash or mobile money,” he remarked.
Official government data indicates that Unra collected over Shs1.5billion in FY2021/22 through penalty charges on drivers with overloaded trucks.
However, parliamentarians voiced concern that more money might have been lost to corruption even as overloaded trucks continuously damage Uganda’s infrastructure.
The country currently has nine, both permanently and stationed weigh bridges, which include those in Kasese, Kampala, Masaka Road, Kamudini-Mbale and Elegu. Others are in Luwero, Magamaga Mbarara and Lukaaya.
