The aura and ooze of confidence that she had come with into day two of the Commissions, Statutory Authorities and State Enterprises (Cosase) probe investigating the Shs 6 billion payment to 42 government officials gradually evaporated.
Having submitted loads of what she called documentary evidence justifying and absolving her and the officials of any wrong doing, Uganda Revenue Authority (URA) commissioner general Doris Akol was even forced to change her official submission on the source of funds for the Shs 6 billion pay out.
Perhaps, no one deflated the URA boss’ confidence more than URA board chairman, Simon Kagugube who not only submitted to the committee that the board only got to know about the payment from the press like everybody else, but also got submissions from management about the payments as late as last Friday.
Kagugube said the board should ideally get monthly reports from URA including on projections budgets, staff performance and appraisals etc.
Akol acknowledged that the board had indeed not been briefed about the payment because management did not find it necessary because the payment was not considered a URA activity.
She said by the time the story broke in the media early this month, URA management was in the process of briefing the board about the ‘handshake’.
Like last week, Akol insisted the payment was “not irregular” and she did nothing unlawful to do as instructed as the payment was approved by the permanent secretary and secretary to the Treasury (PSST) at ministry of Finance Keith Muhakanizi.
It was put to her by the MPs and Cosase chairperson, Abdu Katuntu that only parliament can allocate funds and it is her board to approve the payments. Akol said she had got assurances from the PSST that the money would “replenished” from URA’s supplementary budget in FY 2016/17.
MP Medard Ssegona (Busiro East) asked Akol and her team what would happen if parliament doesn’t not approve the payment yet money has already been paid to the beneficiaries.
Ali Ssekatawa, URA Commissioner for Litigation said he doesn’t know what would happen. It is at this point when Katuntu said that is the very reason why URA should have been very careful with the payment.
Akol was ‘reminded’ by Katuntu and supported by Trade, Industry and Co-operatives permanent secretary Julius Onen that PS Finance has no powers to direct payments on URA budget.
“So if am fundraising in Idudi and the PS tells you to give me Shs 100 from your budget you would just pay me?” Katuntu asked Akol. MP Moses Kasibante (Rubaga North) wondered at what point the management of Akol felt it right to inform the board given that URA funds were spent on even some non-URA staff in other ministries.
Katikamu North MP Abraham Byandala said it was ‘mis-advising’ the president, when Akol compared the 42 beneficiaries of the ‘handshake’ to athletes like Dorcus Inzikuri who had also been awarded by government. Byandala said the athletes are not employees of government and invest their own resources to represent the country.
Akol replied saying; representing government in the arbitration case was not one of their designated roles nor is it paid for by the set salaries, therefore a reward for extra ordinary work was necessary.
Katuntu told her representing government in courts locally and abroad is the work of the office of the attorney general and is well facilitated and that by the 42 rewarding themselves, they had now become private lawyers.
He asked URA officials to cite any law that allowed them to constitute a technical team to represent government in the arbitration case. He also wondered the beneficiaries’ actual role most especially the PSST who was also included on the list of beneficiaries.
The probe was adjourned to Thursday at 10am.