UTL scandal: IGG clears Minister Evelyn Anite for alleged abuse of office
In August this year, a whistle-blower filed a petition before the Inspectorate of Government (IGG), Justice Irene Mulyagonja seeking investigation over the State Minister for Investment and Privatisation, Evelyn Anite following claims of influence, peddling, abuse of office, misconduct and corruption.
In the whistle-blower’s statement filed before the IGG indicated that Minister Anite made a secret deal to sell Uganda Telecom Company (UTL) to Mauritius Telecom below the market value, the time she travelled to Mauritius.
Now in a December, 6 letter, Justice Mulyagonja said that Minister Anite‘s file has been closed after finding no case in the alleged abuse of office in the concluded preliminary investigations.
“After preliminary investigations, the IGG has decided to discontinue any further investigations into the matter in line with section 19 (2) of the Inspectorate of Government Act, 2002,” her letter reads in part.
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“This is because we are satisfied that further investigations into the matter would be unnecessary and futile. Accordingly, the case file has been closed,” the IGG added.
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Reacting to IGG’s ruling over the weekend, Minister Anite said that she’s grateful that the IGG ruled the case in her favour. She said all her efforts were to save UTL, but instead, the corrupt officials extended their blackmail to the IGG’s office just to waste state funds.
“From the onset, I always pushed hard to save UTL from liquidation. On the other hand, a network of corrupt individuals seeking to liquidate and share UTL assets picked on me for blackmail and slander. They extended their blackmail effort to institutions like IGG to waste taxpayer’s money. I am happy they have been defeated and ashamed. They will be exposed too,” Anite said.
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Minister Anite has been in the centre of those seeking sanity at UTL. The first 2019 early months Anite spent them fighting against the extension of Twebaze Bemanya’s contract as UTL Administrator.
In this claims Anite accused Bemanya of corruption and cooperating with a cartel of a government official who wanted to liquidate UTL and sale of its assets for personals gains.
Anite succeeded in the fight after Bemanya who is the Registrar General of Uganda Registration Services Bureau lost his position as a UTL Administrator.
And now Minister Anite together with Minister of Finance, Matia Kasaija has been tasked to appoint a new lawyer to take over UTL administration.
In 2018, Mauritius government company was among the companies that applied for UTL take over the business, but government ceased the process after Teleology Holdings GIB Ltd, a Nigerian Firm, who won the bid failed to take up the required amount for takeover.
Adding up to the whistle-blowers allegations against Minister Anite, they said in august 2018, while on an official study leave to attend a graduation event after completing her Masters of Arts in International Relations and Diplomacy at Harvard Business School in the US, Anite privately went to Mauritius to meet the concerned team to finalise a deal to sell UTL at a much less value than the estimated asset value which is $84m.
“I find this conduct tantamounting to influence peddling, abuse of office, corruption and conduct unbecoming of a minister and member of parliament. I have reliable information that Ms Anite secretly left the USA around August 4 and travelled to Mauritius vis France. She arrived in Mauritius on Monday, August 5, where she spent about four days meeting Mauritius Telecom officials,” The Whistle-blower said in the petition.
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