As the Parliament’s probe committee in the infamous shillings 6 billion handshake continues grilling several government officials, are shifting blame to their counterparts.
The most recent official to play the blame game is Auditor General John Muwanga who appeared before the Abdu Katuntu chaired committee on Commissions, Statutory Authorities and State Enterprises (COSASE) on Monday, and blamed the whole mess on the Finance minister, Matia Kasaijja.
Mr. Muwanga revealed to COSASE that the payment of Shillings six billion to 42 government officials was treated as a priority by the finance ministry. Adding that although Uganda Revenue Authority (URA) Commissioner General Doris Akol had requested finance for a total supplementary budget of Shillings 117 billion, finance minister Matia Kasaija wrote to the AG requesting for only Shillings six billion shillings.
He also presented the probe committee with a 19th October 2016 letter authored by minister Kasaija indicating a total supplementary request of 117 billion shillings for the financial year 2016/2017 but with a specific attachment of treasury requisition for only six billion.
Breakdown of the Shillings 117 billion supplementary request by URA, indicates that the authority needed 120 million for top up of monthly retainer fees for board of directors, six billion for a "presidential handshake" to the 42 officials, 700 million for external travel budget and 111 billion for unfunded priorities.
Asked by COSASE chairperson also Bugweri County MP Abdu Katuntu why six billion Shillings stood out and not the entire Shillings 117 billion request, Muwanga noted that it was the priority of the minister and he could only release an audit warrant as requested.
Muwanga explained that he issued an audit warrant for the Shillings six billion on November 1, 2016. An audit warrant is provided for under Article 154(3) of the Constitution and the Public Finance and Management Act, 2015.
It is not necessarily a clearance of payments but a release warrant issued on condition that auditors have to go back and carry out post-audit of the expenditures to ascertain whether public funds were used in accordance with the rules and regulations.
Muwanga explained his action of issuing the audit warrant. Meanwhile, COSASE chairperson Abdu Katuntu directed Muwanga to audit the accounts of URA and establish the source of the Shillings six billion.
Auditor General Muwanga undertook to file a report with the committee by Thursday on the source of the money.
