Museveni sacks URA Boss Doris Akol, appoints former NITA Board Chairperson John Musinguzi Rujoki
Uganda Revenue Authority’s (URA) Commissioner General Doris Akol’s tenure at the helm of the country’s revenue collection body came to an end yesterday, as President Museveni used the powers vested in him by the Constitution to make the change with immediate effect.
Akol, who was named URA boss on October 27, 2014, replacing Allen Kagina has this time been replaced by John Musinguzi Rujoki.
Akol’s reign at URA has seen the tax body collect more revenue, growing from Shs8 trillion in 2014 to Shs14 trillion in the 2017/2018 Financial Year. In the same period, URA has been able to move into their own building that houses their Headquarters at Nakawa, a state-of-the-art tower built on a Shs139 billion budget.
Akol joined URA in 1995 as a legal officer and rose through the ranks. Betwen 2012 and 2014, Akol was the commissioner Legal Affairs and Board Matters. She also served as the tax body’s legal secretary. She was appointed Commissioner General in October 2014 until she was replaced this March 29.
Dr Michael Atingi-Ego appointed new BOU Deputy Governor
President Museveni appointed Dr Michael Atingi-Ego the new Deputy Governor of Bank of Uganda, replacing Dr Louis Kasekende whose contract ran out this year in January.
The President announced the appointment on his social media pages on Sunday, March 29, adding that the appointee awaits vetting by Parliament.
Dr Ating-Ego is currently the MEFMI Executive Director, a policy think-tank in Southern Africa. He is a seasoned economic policy official who has served in several capacities at various institutions. He obtained his first degree from Makerere University and later proceeded for post graduate studies in the United Kingdom where he got a master’s degree from the Cardiff Business School, University of Wales and a PhD from Liverpool University.
He started his career at the Bank of Uganda rising through the ranks to become the Executive Director, Research. In 2008 he took up an assignment with the International Monetary Fund (IMF) as Deputy Director of the African Department (AFR).
As Deputy Director in the IMF- AFR, he made seminal contributions to IMF work on increasing effectiveness of capacity development and in modernising monetary policy frameworks in developing countries. On Friday, March 27 Bank of Uganda’s board of directors appointed Dr. Adam Mugume as the acting Deputy Governor of the Central Bank.
Pastor Yiga arrested for claiming Coronavirus doesn’t exist in Uganda
Police on Friday arrested Pastor Augustine Yiga of Revival Church Kawala over controversial statements he made in regards to the coronavirus pandemic.
In a video clip that was aired on BBS Terefayina, Pastor Yiga said coronavirus does not exist in Uganda, what people are suffering now is just simple flu. He said the guidelines by President Museveni, Health Ministry and World Health Organisation are a waste of time.
However, according to Kampala Metropolitan Police Spokesperson, Patrick Onyango, Yiga was arrested for questioning over the statements that mislead the public.
“The action of Pastor Yiga promotes the spread of the COVID-19 and can, therefore, be considered as a direct attack on the people of the Republic of Uganda,” Onyango said in a statement.
“Therefore, the suspect, who is currently detained at Old Kampala Police Station will be interviewed to establish the motive behind the dangerous utterances.”
The Kampala Police publicist warned the public to desist from such false and alarmist utterances that may mislead the public. Currently, Uganda has 23 confirmed cases of COVID-19.
Health Ministry requests MPs to avail ambulances stationed in their constituencies for evacuating suspected cases
This is without a doubt a critical moment for the Health Ministry where each and every resource is needed. Money, medical personnel, and supplies, medicine, and ambulances are more needed than ever by the Ministry of Health to fight the coronavirus pandemic that has infected 33 people in the country already, and claimed over 10000 lives worldwide since it broke out in December last year in Wuhan, Hubei province in China.
To supplement government efforts in fighting the pandemic in the country, the Ministry of Heath requested the Members of Parliament to provide their ambulances that are currently stationed in their constituencies to the Ministry to help in the tracing and evacuating suspected COVID-19 cases to the nearest treatment centers.
The letter addressed to the Clerk to Parliament, signed by the Permanent Secretary to the Ministry of Health says that “The ambulances and their drivers will be stationed in their districts and fuel will be provided at the District stations.”
Over the years, numerous Members of Parliament have come out to buy ambulances for their constituencies to fill the gap left by government and help in cases of emergency. The current situation is all an emergency and these ambulances will be needed more than ever.