I aint going anywhere- UIA boss

Embattled Ugandan Investments Authority Executive Director Jolly Kaguhangire,  has responded to an earlier directive by the Authority board asking her to leave office.

In her response, Kaguhangire said the board erred in its decision as the meeting in which they resolved to interdict her was “invalid, ultra vires, illegal and incurably void ab intio.”

In a letter to the chairman Board of Directors, dated June 27, 2018 and copied to the minister of Finance, Inspector General of Police, Permanent Secretary to the Treasury, all staff among others, Kaguhangire insists she will not comply with the interdiction citing a number of reasons.

She says that the board meeting did not have quorum, quoting the board manual section 3:5:2, the investment Code Act section 7 and the first schedule where it puts quorum at 8 members. She argues that at the time the decision was made, three members of the board had exited and only ‘a non-quorate illegal meeting of only six members made the impugned decision.”

She also cites section 4.4.1 of the Board Manual which prohibits the participation in the deliberation of matters in which a member has an interest. “It is on record that one of the Board members has a personal conflict with me and participated in the deliberations and voting of the Board to my prejudice.”

Ms Kaguhangire accuses the board members of adopting an agenda that was not sequentially adopted. She insists that matters pertaining her office were never on the agenda but were sneaked in. She also says that the board did not give members the required seven days’ notice hence the decision does not carry weight.

“The Purpose of this letter therefore is to inform you that the board decision in the aforementioned meeting to interdicts irregular, void and illegal,” Kaguhangire expunged.

“This letter also serves to inform you that I am still in office as the UIA Executive Director carrying out my duties and the mandate of the Authority. Any decisions made by any other officer on behalf of the Authority is null and void,” she continued.

Kaguhangire’s letter is a response to UIA board decision to interdict her pending investigations.

The UIA board issued a letter on Tuesday 26 June 2018 stating the reasons for their decision as;

abuse of office, Insubordination, misleading and lying to the board, non compliance with the implementation of the strategic plan

She was suspended for three months, according to a letter dated June 26 and signed by Emely Kugonza, the UIA board chairman. Basil Ajer, a director in charge of SMEs was chosen to act as executive director in the interim.

Kaguhangire was appointed in April 2017 and in this short period she has had a torrid time.

On June 20 2018 a letter addressed to the IGG, by the staff members said that they are concerned with the way public funds were being spent by the executive director of the authority decrying injustice and corruption.

“Several activities have also been put off due to inadequate funds but the funds for her travels are always available,” reads their statement to the IGG alleging that a lot of money for the current financial year has been used for paying staff whose recruitment was not approved.