Museveni told Bukenya is innocent, demands telecom firms sell shares to Ugandans

He says going forward, the mobile telephone companies must declare how much money they make each year and government makes regulations setting threshold amounts they must invest within the country.

Mr Museveni was speaking Monday night to members of the ruling NRM Caucus in a meeting that ended around midnight.

A member who asked not to be named says Mr Museveni told the members he had been informed by the Attorney General’s office that the corruption case against former Vice President, Prof. Gilbert Bukenya, has “no merit”. The AG is the government’s chief legal advisor.

Prof. Bukenya is being tried at the Anti-Corruption Court for alleged abuse of office and fraudulent practice regarding his directive to have the contract to supply luxury BMW cars for CHOGM delegates withdrawn from Spear Motors and awarded to Motorcare.

The President says he later spoke to Ombudsman Raphael Baku, whose office is prosecuting the ex-VP, and Mr Baku however insists the Professor has a case to answer.

“Since the IGG is independent, there is nothing I can do,” Mr Museveni reportedly said.

The MPs at the meeting demanded that Motorcare owners be exposed and sued in individual capacities instead of the faceless limited liability company.

The President, addressing himself to the rejected ministerial appointees, indicated Parliament’s Appointment’s Committee chaired by Speaker Rebecca Kadaga, has no powers to throw out his choices.

No Ugandan law mandates them to do so, he says. The President adds that he is still studying the recommendation of the committee and will take an appropriate decision soon.

He rebukes female NRM MPs for choosing an opposition colleague to chair the Women Parliamentarians Group.