(Kampala) – The former Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Trade, Geraldine Busuulwa Ssali, is back in the spotlight. This time, it’s not about some groundbreaking trade deal or a glittering state banquet but rather a far more familiar Ugandan pastime—facing corruption charges. The charges, involving a cool UGX 3.8 billion, have been buzzing around like a swarm of stubborn bees, and now Ssali’s bail fate will be decided on August 30, 2024, by the Anti Corruption Court.
Presiding over the case, Justice Jane Okuo Kajuga, who must be wondering why Ugandan public officials can’t seem to avoid the temptation of the proverbial “Amahoro” (leftover food), heard Ssali’s pleas for bail. Ssali, not one to shy away from showcasing her ‘credentials’, presented herself as a responsible citizen of the Pearl of Africa. After all, she has served the nation in various capacities, including her stint as Permanent Secretary—a position often described as the “big man’s” (or in this case, “big woman’s”) seat in the ministry. She’s a married mother of three, and her elderly parents are dependent on her. The only thing missing from her plea was a reference to how she’s single handedly keeping the price of Matooke low.
Ssali wasn’t about to leave anything to chance. She came prepared with a stack of documents as thick as a Rolex (the Ugandan street food, not the watch). Her national ID, passport, a letter from her LC1 chairperson, a land title deed for her Lubowa estate residence, and even a lease certificate—all were laid before the court. She even went so far as to offer these documents as security, perhaps hoping that the court might see her as a trustworthy “Nkuba Kyeyo” (migrant worker) returning to the village with nothing but good intentions.
But let’s not forget the sureties. Ssali’s uncle, Joakim Kiwanuka, a retired civil servant from the Bank of Uganda, was at the top of the list. Next came her brother Gerald Ssali, a senior manager at KPMG, her sister Agnes Nantongo, the legal director at Uganda Breweries, Dr. Teopista Ntale Ssekito from the Kampala District Land Board, and Ronald Ssebina Ssekitoleko of Hill Top Group of Companies. It was a lineup that could easily rival a team of elders negotiating a bride price in the depths of Luweero. Ssali assured the court that these sureties had the financial muscle to meet any bond requirements and would keep her on a tight leash—no runaway bride here.
However, Chief State Prosecutor Edward Muhumuza wasn’t buying it. He painted a rather unflattering picture of Ssali as someone who, while still in office, made it as difficult for the police to access ministry offices as it is for a Kampala boda boda rider to find parking on a busy street. According to Muhumuza, Ssali had the ability to interfere with witnesses like a “Ssenga” (paternal aunt) meddling in a niece’s love life. He argued that if she were released, there was a good chance she’d dispose of the loot faster than a trader on Kikuubo Lane during Christmas season.
Muhumuza’s concerns were echoed by Detective Superintendent Mohammed Sowedi, who shared tales of the police’s struggles to retrieve crucial documents from the ministry, finally succeeding only after Ssali had been nabbed. This isn’t just about a few missing documents—it’s a UGX 3.8 billion scandal. That kind of money would be enough to buy a lifetime supply of Rolexes and still have change left for a new Harrier Kawundo.
The charges against Ssali stem from her alleged misuse of power during the 2021/2022 financial year. Prosecutors claim she arbitrarily added Buyaka Growers Co-operative Society to the list of cooperatives to be compensated for war losses, even though they didn’t make the cut on the initial request for a supplementary budget. This, they argue, was not just bending the rules but breaking them, and in the process, she paved the way for UGX 3.8 billion to be funneled into the wrong hands.
The prosecution also alleges that during 2021/2022 and 2022/2023, Ssali authorized payments to Kirya and Company Advocates, who were supposed to handle the funds for Buyaka Growers Cooperative Society. It was a move that, according to the prosecutors, was in direct violation of the treasury instructions of 2017—a manual that’s as sacred in government circles as the hymnal in a rural church.
The charges don’t stop there. Ssali, along with five co-accused, including a few MPs who apparently moonlight as cooperative enthusiasts, and others who are still at large, are accused of conspiring to defraud the government of UGX 3.4 billion between 2019 and 2023. This was money that was supposed to compensate Buyaka Growers Cooperative Society for losses suffered during the liberation war of 1981 to 1986 and the subsequent insurgencies. Instead, it seems to have been redirected faster than a river in flood season.
The public is watching with bated breath as the court prepares to deliver its ruling on August 30, wondering if this will be yet another chapter in Uganda’s long history of corruption scandals or if justice will finally be served. Either way, this saga is sure to keep tongues wagging from Kampala to Kabale, at least until the next scandal comes along.
