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UNBS boss Ebiru makes U-turn, denies paying Shs100m bribe
UNBS executive director David Livingstone Ebiru appears before COSASE in July 2023. PHOTO/DAVID LUBOWA
What you need to know:
- Minutes after his counterpart, Mr Ebiru had rescinded his statement, Mr Musekuura lauded the committee for its work and confessed that Mr Ebiru and him had buried their hatchets and had resolved to work together for the growth of the standards body.
The executive director of Uganda National Bureau of Standards (UNBS), Mr David Livingstone Ebiru has rescinded his Tuesday confession in which he told MPs that he had dished out Shs100 million to members of the National Standards Council (NSC) to retain his job.
In reverse move made at the tail-end of the UNBS interface with the lawmakers on the House Committee on Commissions, Statutory Authorities and State Enterprises (COSASE) on Friday, Mr Ebiru indicated that he had made the earlier statement because he was overly angry and was in 'contest to outcompete' the NSC chairperson, Mr Charles Musekuura who equally went hard on him.
"I wish to formally submit to withdraw that statement because I took note that it offended many people and it was quoted out of context. So, the issue of offering my chairman Shs100 million for protection as reported, I want to withdraw it formally, because I know it was recorded but I want to confirm that it was because of the environment we were operating in, high tempers, high animosity so it was really not intended to harm anybody. But we are now good friends, and after this we are going to share a cup of coffee,” Mr Ebiru told COSASE on Friday afternoon.
In an interview with this publication on what this means in regard to the proceedings, the committee chairperson, Mr Joel Ssenyonyi stated that this would not in any way alter the direction that the committee had taken on the matter. He also revealed that his committee would not also interfere with the investigations into the bribery allegations being done by the Inspector General of Government (IGG) and Police.
"What is important is that they have a statement on record, there is evidence of WhatsApp messages, there is an investigation going on by Police, now the IGG. I am hoping this isn’t to say let me retract because Police and IGG is investigating and that kind of thing. But for you people to work together, that is the most important thing. I don’t want to say to you that by you withdrawing your statement it has erased everything that happened, all that was said and all that happened," Mr Ssenyonyi told Monitor.
It was revealed that Mr Ebiru and Mr Musekuura had been summoned by the IGG to respond to the same claims.
Minutes after his counterpart, Mr Ebiru had rescinded his statement, Mr Musekuura lauded the committee for its work and confessed that Mr Ebiru and him had buried their hatchets and had resolved to work together for the growth of the standards body.
“We had a problem and this problem wasn’t very small and I couldn’t imagine how they would have been solved. Ebiru and I aren’t enemies. There is nothing we can clash on. What we are doing is in the best interest of UNBS and this nation. As we heal, we can’t hide anymore dirt, and to get the wound to heal, you must scrap it really deep, so we intend to do the right thing with fairness. But I don’t want to lie to anybody that if you have been doing something that isn’t right that life will be easy for you,” Mr Museruuka said.
