Bagyenda was supposed to have appeared before Parliament’s appointments committee on September 17 for vetting after Finance Minister Matia Kasaija shortlisted her name for renewal as a member of the Financial Intelligence Authority board. However, she communicated to Parliament that she had travelled outside the country.
It turns out Bagyenda was not ready to face the tough questions from MPs as she has been embroiled in several controversies and is being investigated by the Inspector General of Government for alleged illicit enrichment and the FIA for accusations of money laundering.
Contrary to what she told MPs that she had travelled out of the country, a leaked telephone printout from her known mobile line indicates that she was at her Mbuya home and also visited Standard Chartered Bank on the same day.
Also interesting to note is that one of the numbers she called 0772222500 belongs to Deputy Governor Louis Kasekende who was her ally in the Central Bank.
Bagyenda knew she was not going to have it easy with the Appointments Committee chaired by Speaker Rebecca Kadaga as the African Parliamentary Network against corruption had already presented three petitions against her reappointment on the FIA board.
The embattled Bagyenda was relieved of her duties at BoU earlier in the year. She refused to vacate office till she was due for retirement in June, but had already been stripped of instruments of power and her replacement Dr. Twinemanzi Tumubweine was carrying out her previous duties.
In March reports indicated that Bagyenda had Shs19 billion in three different local banks on top of 17 prime properties in Kampala and Western Uganda. This prompted whistle blowers to petition the IGG’s office to investigate her wealth that was not commensurate with her earnings.
FIA Executive Director Sydney Asubo also confirmed to journalists that Bagyenda was being investigated for possible money laundering. No report has been released yet and ironically it is the same FIA on whose board finance minister Kasaijja had reappointed her serve.