Police is to investigate some senior officials of the ministry of health over the fire that gutted its headquarters on Sunday, burning a lot of government property, including computers and sensitive documents.

The fire razed down several offices that included those for Child and family, Reproductive health and Quality assurance sections of the ministry, all of which are located at the extreme south end of the third floor of the building.

The same floor houses offices for top officials such as the permanent secretary, Dr Diana Atwine, director general of Health Services and all directors of the ministry.

The commander in charge of Criminal Investigations Intelligence at Kampala Metropolitan, Johnson Dale Olal, confirmed the investigations.

“It is true some officials from the health ministry will record statements with us in regard to the fire. Later on, they will be investigated and a report will be out,” he said.

Olal, however, declined to reveal the targeted officials, saying that could jeopardise their investigations at this early stage.

“At the moment, forensic experts are still at the ministry trying to find out what could have caused the fire and later they will release their report which will help us in investigations,” said the CIID boss, adding that the place is still being treated as a scene of crime.

According to highly-placed sources in the ministry, the fire occurred at a time when some ministry officials were about to appear before parliament’s Public Accounts Committee (PAC) over embezzlement of funds.

OFFICIALS SPEAK

The program officer in charge of non-communicable diseases at the ministry of health, Dr Gerald Mutungi, told The Observer that the fire started when he was in his office coordinating a team scheduled to travel to Buliisa district on an official assignment.

“I first smelt smoke in my office and when I moved out, I saw fire from the third floor,” he said during an interview. “I panicked and tried to run away but the exit door had jammed. I tried several times until it opened and I escaped from the office.”

Dr Mutungi added that when he got out, he called the police fire brigade and one truck arrived after 20 minutes. He added that after 40 minutes, five additional fire brigade vehicles arrived and contained the situation.

Other officials at the ministry of health, who declined to be named because of the sensitivity of the matter, said they were also in their offices preparing to go to the field upcountry when the fire started.

“Luckily enough, we had finished our preparations and when fire started, we ran out and informed our bosses,” said one official.

EYEWITNESS ACCOUNTS

Some boda boda riders who operate outside the ministry said that it was around 3pm when they saw plumes of heavy smoke coming from the extreme end of the building.

“We thought the smoke was coming from across the road where they normally burn rubbish on Sunday,” said James Atukunda, a rider operating at the health ministry stage.

“When we saw fire burning the building, we called police from Wandegeya but they delayed to report; so, we rode to the station. As we reached, police was also leaving for the ministry.”

By yesterday, all workers at the ministry of health had resumed work at the building, although the offices directly affected by the fire will remain closed until a report on what caused it is out.

zurah@observer.ug
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