Rugunda: Don’t Drag Me Into Shs52bn Relief Food Scandal

Uganda’s Prime Minister, Ruhakana Rugunda (pictured) has defended himself against reports citing him amongst individuals behind the fraudulent Shs52bn emergency posho and beans supplied to Ugandans affected by the lockdown aimed at preventing the spread of Coronovirus in Uganda.

This is after Lt Col Edith Nakalema, the Head of State House Anti-Corruption and team arrested top officials of the Office of the Prime Minister, for allegedly inflating prices of posho and beans and refusing lower prices quoted by other suppliers.

The accused include Christine Guwatudde, Permanent Secretary, OPM, Joel Wanjala- Assistant Commissioner Procurement, Fred Lutimba and Martin Owor- Commissioner Disaster Management of inflating prices of these items

After the arrest of the above officials, some Ugandans started linking the Prime Minister to the scandal.

However, taking to his official Twitter handle a few minutes to midnight, Rugunda asked his over 139,000 followers to disregard reports that linked him to the scandal that indicated that he, alongside President Yoweri Museveni and wife, Janet Museveni fronted Aponye Limited to supply the now scandal plagued supply of beans and posho to Ugandans who were left with no income and food following the lockdown.

“I would like to inform you all that this is absolutely not true. It should be ignored and treated with contempt it deserves. Neither the First Lady, not the President contacted me about Aponye or any other company to supply posho and beans. Therefore, I dismiss these fabrications,” Rugunda said.

It should be noted that this week, Parliament approved the Shs284bn supplementary budget for COVID19 intervention and OPM was allocated Shs52bn to be used to purchase food, with Parliament recommending to the Executive to look for additional funding to provide these items to other districts, apart from the 2million people earmarked in Kampala, Wakiso and Mukono.