20-6-11 Ugandan Prime Minister Amama Mbabazi exonerated from CHOGM scandal.

Halima Athumani Prime Minister Amama Mbabazi has been exonerated from the CHOGM sandal. A report posted on the Inspector General of Government website today exonerates Mbabazi from any wrong doing. According to the IGG, a technical team was set up to evaluate the companies that expressed interest in the supply of the Security Communication System for CHOGM. The Prime Minister Amama Mbabazi was not part of the team that evaluated the companies. He was also not a member of Security Sub Committee. The IGGs report states that Mbabazis only role in the whole process as Minister of Security was to present the resolutions and recommendations of the Security Sub Committee to the Cabinet Sub - Committee of CHOGM. Mbabazis presentation to President Yoweri Museveni of the memo from the Security Sub Committee that was prepared by the Security Technical Team also embraced CDMA but not Tetra Motorola System. The Change to Tetra Motorola system was agreed upon by the Security Sub Committee of CHOGM and all the Security organs in a meeting held at State House with approval of the President. Documents retrieved from the Uganda Registration Services Bureau show that Mbabazi is not a share holder or a Director in M/s Balton (U) Ltd. As regards the allegation of influence peddling through Ms. Susan Katono, an alleged daughter to Mbabazi then Minister of Security, it was established that Ms. Susan Katono is a distant relative. Mbabazi stated that he hardly interacts with her and that he never at any one time discussed anything with her to do with M/s Balton (U) Ltd and or its transactions. There was no evidence to the contrary. Ms. Susan Katono was just an ordinary employee of M/s Balton (U) Ltd who from the available documents never participated in the negotiations of the transactions. The IGG therefore concludes that the procurement procedures for the Security

communication System for CHOGM 2007 were in line with Section 4(1) of the PPDA Act, 2003 and Regulations contrary to PAC report of May 2010. According to the IGG, observations of the report and documents on record there was no evidence to indicate conflict of interest, and influence peddling in the process of procuring Tetra Communication System by Mbabazi who was then the Minister of Security or any other person as stated in the PAC report of May 2010. There was no loss of funds with regards to this procurement of the Security communications System contrary to PAC report of May 2010. M/s. Balton (U) Ltd supplied more items than what was indicated in the 32 agreement and the communication System was in time for CHOGM.

The Ministry of Information and Communication Technology whose role was technical oversight and to ensure that the Tetra system was in place in time for CHOGM was satisfied with the system and the system is in place working. The IGGs report states that there was no case established for prosecution or disciplinary action against any of the people involved in the procurement of the Security communication System. The IGG recommends that the file be closed. ###