Prime
UNBS boss Ebiru sent on forced leave – minister
The head of Uganda National Bureau of Standards (UNBS), Mr David Livingstone Ebiru
What you need to know:
The minister appeared before the House Committee on Commissions, Statutory Authorities and State Enterprises (COSASE) to explain the circumstances under which Mr Ebiru continues to stay in office even after the minister had last month directed that UNBS boss goes on forced leave
The head of Uganda National Bureau of Standards (UNBS), Mr David Livingstone Ebiru, remains in office even after he was sent on a six-month forced leave early this month. This was revealed by Mr Francis Mwebesa, the Minister of Trade, Industry and Cooperatives.
“Because of the grave matter, I thought six months would have been appropriate [for investigations to be done]. We talked, (although) there is nothing in writing and they sent him on leave. As we talk here, I expect this man to be on [forced] leave,” Mr Mwebesa told MPs.
The minister appeared before the House Committee on Commissions, Statutory Authorities and State Enterprises (COSASE) to explain the circumstances under which Mr Ebiru continues to stay in office even after the minister had last month directed that UNBS boss goes on forced leave.
Since Tuesday, the lawmakers on Cosase have been examining UNBS queries raised by the Auditor General, Mr John Muwanga in his FY2021/2022 report.
Mr Ebiru’s continued stay in office stunned the minister, who had ordered that the accounting officer steps aside to allow relevant government authorities investigate bribery claims raised against him. Mr Ebiru is accused of causing misappropriation of Shs12.9 billion and shielding five suspected staff after causing financial loss of Shs9.282 billion.
On Tuesday, Mr Ebiru acknowledged that he, without authority from the Secretary to the Treasury, spent 12.5b at source to clear rent and utility bills. This matter is now a subject of House committee investigation into accountability lapses at the national standards agency.
The lawmakers also tasked the Minister to confirm whether he was fully in charge of the entity that is currently caught in corruption and bribery claims.
Minister Mwebesa’s response came a day after Mr Ebiru openly confessed offering Shs100 million to members of the National Standards Council (NSC) in order to retain his executive director job.
In a related development, the chairperson of the Committee, Mr Joel Ssenyonyi, also handed over Mr Steven Wabusani to Parliament’s Police to record a statement after it emerged that the official was holding three positions at the Ministry of Trade.
Mr Wabusani is serving as Senior Commercial Officer at the Ministry of Trade, Personal Assistant to Minister Mwebesa and also as technical advisor to the minister. He tried to defend himself but the committee chairperson and members had already resolved to send him to CID for interrogation.
