A section of Members of Parliament have expressed concern about the re-appointment of the embattled former Bank of Uganda director Justine Bagyenda to the Financial Intelligence Authority Board – the same body investigating her.
Bagyenda is being investigated for money laundering and fraud by the FIA but the Finance Minister, Matia Kasaija, re-appointed her to the FIA board nonetheless.
Her re-appointment has rubbed parliamentarians the wrong way with some wondering how the body will investigate its board member without them interfering with the investigation.
“If they had wanted to re-appoint her to the Board, at least they should have waited for the outcome of the ongoing investigations,” Buhweju MP, Francis Mwijukye, said.
Winfred Nuwagaba, the Shadow Attorney General, told the appointments committee not to approve Bagyenda’s appointment until she’s cleared by the Inspector General of Government (IGG) and the FIA.
“I hope sanity will prevail in the Appointments Committee to stay her vetting and approval pending clearance from the institutions investigating her,” Hon Nuwagaba said.
When asked on the telephone to comment on this article, Minister Kasaija said he had already made the appointment before Bagyenda was sucked into the investigations even though his letter to Speaker Rebecca Kadaga informing her of the appointments is dated May 7.