Published on 28/06/2024
The Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Cooperatives, Ms. Geraldine Ssali, and her team have been summoned by the police regarding the ongoing investigation into the Ugx. 164 billion compensation for cooperatives affected by previous wars.
This summons follows the appearance of the chairman of the Parliament Budget Committee and several clerks before detectives over the same issue just a day earlier.
Ms. Ssali and her team who were involved in the compensation process are scheduled to appear at the Criminal Investigations Directorate in Kibuli, Kampala today.
When contacted yesterday, police spokesman Fred Enanga stated he had no information on the matter. Attempts to reach Ms. Ssali for a comment were unsuccessful as she did not answer our calls.
The parliamentary Committee on Tourism, Trade and Industry’s report frequently mentioned Ms. Ssali, highlighting her involvement in the irregular compensation of Bwavumpoloma Growers Cooperative claimants. In November 2021, the government allocated Shs2.7 billion to Bwavumpoloma Growers Cooperative.
During a meeting with the parliamentary committee, Ms. Ssali asserted that the payments were made before she became the accounting officer for the Trade Ministry. Members of Parliament recommended her interdiction, along with other public servants, to allow for a thorough investigation.
The compensation for war debt claimants dates back to the Eighth Parliament in the mid-2000s. Initially managed by the Ministry of Justice and Constitutional Affairs, the responsibility was later transferred to the Trade Ministry. It remains unclear if detectives will investigate all the teams involved in processing the Shs164 billion compensation for cooperatives since 2006. Many public officers have since retired, passed away, or moved to other ministries.
Yesterday, detectives interrogated Kachumbala MP Patrick Isiagi Opolot, chairman of the Budget Committee, along with several Parliament clerks. Mr. Isiagi and the clerks reportedly explained parliamentary procedures for paying claimants and conducting business. They were released after recording their statements.
Since the start of the investigation, three Members of Parliament—Michael Mawanda (Igara West), Ignatius Wamakuyu Mudimi (Elgon) and Paul Akamba (Busiki)—have been charged and appeared in court, along with lawyer Julius Kirya. They were remanded by the Anti-Corruption Court on June 21.
The investigation into the cooperatives’ compensation began on August 25, 2023, when Speaker Anita Among directed the parliamentary Committee on Tourism, Trade and Industry to examine the funds paid to cooperatives between the financial years 2011/2012 and 2022/2023. The government’s compensation aimed to support cooperative societies that lost funds and property in wars between 1979 and 2006, leading to their collapse.
The committee’s inquiry uncovered multiple ghost claimants and instances of double payments to cooperatives.
