As the #UgandaParliamentExhibition continues, new revelations have emerged pinning Nakawa MP Hon. Joel B. Ssenyonyi. Joel (Yoweri), the National Unity Platform(NUP) Spokesperson and Current Leader of the Opposition in Parliament.
He allegedly received a whooping 1.4 billion bribe from officials at the Uganda Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) to manipulate (doctor)a report concerning the organization’s operations which were under scrutiny in 2022.
In 2022, CAA was embroiled in a significant fraud scandal that tarnished its reputation and Ssenyonyi found himself at the center of scrutiny as the Chairperson of Committee on Commissions, Statutory Authorities and State Enterprises (COSASE) regarding the institution’s alleged misconduct.
Among the accusations leveled against CAA was the misappropriation and mismanagement of approximately Ugx 720 billion borrowed from the Export-Import Bank (EXIM Bank) of China for the repair and enhancement of various facilities at Entebbe International Airport.
These facilities included the airport’s taxi ways, runways 17/30 and 18/35, and the terminal building. Initially, CAA contracted Seyani and Brothers for Consultation for the project, but it was later discovered that their competence was questionable and their work could compromise the safety of Entebbe International Airport.
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Despite purported repairs, the airport’s condition remained in bad state, resulting into incidents such as the overshooting of a Rwanda Airline aircraft on the runway upon landing in Entebbe in 2022. This incident prompted intensified investigations by COSASE, leading to President’s directive for the UPDF Engineering Brigade to take over the construction and upgrade of the airport.
During COSASE’s public inquiry, chaired by Joel Ssenyonyi, it was revealed that Seyani and Brothers had engaged a 13-year-old consultant for the repairs, contrary to regulations. Furthermore, the subcontracting of airport work to an underage company owner was uncovered.
The committee also discovered that the ticket payment booths and check-in machines, costing Ugx 5.6 billion, were non-operational. Additionally, revenue from parking fees and tickets at the airport was reportedly being siphoned off by mafia networks.
After compiling a comprehensive report documenting these findings, the committee entrusted Ssenyonyi to present it in Parliament. However, members were shocked when he presented a falsified report, omitting crucial details of the airport’s mismanagement.
According to sources, Ssenyonyi allegedly initiated negotiations through an intermediary, a senior politician, to arrange a meeting between COSASE’s chairperson and a delegation from CAA. The acting Director General of CAA at the time, Mr. Fred Bamwesigye, who was also under scrutiny for alleged lack of necessary qualifications, was reportedly involved.
Through intermediaries, including Ministry of Works and Transport officials and a Uganda Civil Aviation Authority board member, Ssenyonyi purportedly demanded a staggering Ugx 3 billion to settle the matter.
“We however convinced him to go with the 1.4 billion which he took and didn’t share with colleagues in the committee.” One of the people who delivered the money to the MP said.
Another MP on condition of anonymity confided revealed that Senyonyi sent him to Entebbe to pick his part of their partial (bribe) payment is, and when he brought shs200m, he picked only Shs15M and gave him for his services. This angered the MP from Eastern Uganda, who cried like a pinched baby for almost a week regretting why he didn’t take his cut before meeting Senyonyi. According to this MP, Senyonyi ‘comforted’ him that he was going to share the rest with his ‘principals’ (leaders) whom he didn’t disclose.
“Senyonyi has risen through the ranks very fast in the party [kubanga atemera ba boss be] because he knows how to share with his bosses, this is partly what failed his predecessor Mpuuga. Mpuuga would instead deny having received anything, Joel instead tells them even before they ask,” one of the committee embers on COSASE then revealed.
No sooner had Ssenyonyi received the money than the Mawokota South MP, Hon Yusuf Nsibambi (FDC) started engaging MPs and the then Leader of the Opposition Mathias Mpuuga complaining about the bribery scheme. Ssenyonyi, a darling of his master, Bobi Wine, who at the time, was determined not to share his loot with anyone saw bad days coming ahead of him and, according to sources, shared up to Ugx 400 million with a number of MPs.
One of the MPs who allegedly got a share of the loot revealed that such deals oftentimes happen amongst opposition legislators.
Soon after Ssenyonyi presented a fake report in Parliament about the Uganda Civil Aviation Authority, members of the COSASE committee started complaining about the corruption that occurred. “You realized at that time, some committee members openly said the report their boss had tabled on floor wasn’t the one they had collectively signed,” the source added.
“We also took the issue to the Shadow cabinet and it was discussed. He (Ssenyonyi) was tasked to explain. However, Hon Mpuuga the Leader of Opposition then cared less about the matter,” the source added.
Well as both Ssenyonyi and the Uganda Civil Aviation Authority claim there wasn’t any wrongdoing, Parliament wondered why one person single-handedly changed a committee report if it was not for his personal gains.
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