MPs Grill UIA Over Questionable Expenditure of UGX 55 Million

Members of Parliament (MPs) raised concerns over the alleged misuse of shillings 55 million for investment promotional events by the Uganda Investment Authority (UIA), deemed unauthorized under the Charter for Fiscal Responsibility. Led by the Chairperson of the Committee on Public Accounts, Medad Lubega Sseggona, the MPs delved into UIA’s financial statements for the fiscal year 2022/2023, highlighting discrepancies flagged by the Auditor General.

The director general of UIA, Robert Mukiza, defended the authority’s actions, citing memorandums of understanding (MoUs) with various institutions as the basis for sponsoring investment promotion events. Mukiza explained that UIA’s contributions were channeled through the consultancy services fund, with plans underway to adhere to the Auditor General’s recommendations to prevent future mischarges.

However, Sseggona pressed for transparency, demanding a detailed list of the events sponsored by UIA that led to the alleged flouting of financial expenditure regulations. The committee emphasized the importance of accountability and adherence to the law in handling public funds.

In addition to financial concerns, MPs also scrutinized UIA’s recruitment process, citing discrepancies highlighted in the Auditor General’s report. Despite the release of shillings 49.9 billion for recruitment purposes, UIA’s failure to fill vacancies raised eyebrows among legislators. While UIA attributed the delays to difficulties in finding suitable candidates, MPs expressed skepticism and called for a thorough investigation into the recruitment procedures.

In response, Sseggona outlined plans for the committee to delve deeper into the recruitment process, examining the requirements set by UIA and the caliber of applicants received. Despite these challenges, the committee commended UIA for its efforts in promoting investment growth, noting a significant increase in licensed projects and planned investments over the past two years.