Not Mistake: Ministry asked Shs2b for China students, yet they needed Shs22m- Insider

Shs2b that was mistakenly sent to the Chinese Embassy by the ministry of finance was initially requested by the ministry of education, for mobilizing and transfer of resources to at least 105 students in Wuhan, China, an inside source has revealed.

A letter from the Ministry of Finance, shs2b was sent in error to the embassy in China as part of relief money for stranded students.

“As you are aware, on the 28th of February 2020, this ministry transferred $600,000 (Shs2.2 billion) to the Uganda Mission in Beijing to support the affected students. However, upon receipt of the cabinet extract, we noted that there is a discrepancy between the amounts therein and that stated in the letter from Ministry of Education and Sports,” a letter from the secretary of treasury Keith Muhakanzi reads in part.

Nile Post understands that indeed, the ministry of education asked for Shs2b for the same purpose, well knowing that only Shs222m was required for the operation in China.

The Shs2b was also passed by the cabinet with the sight that all the amount was heading to China to facilitate stranded students.

The ministry of foreign affairs in March indicated that the government was in the process of sending Shs222m to students in China.

In an interview with Daily Monitor over the same, Ministry education Permanent Secretary Alex Kakooza hinted that the ministry had requests for Shs2b for the same.

The ministry of education insisted that the Shs2b was meant for ‘mobilization and transfer of resources.’

“Ask them what the rest of the money was going to do, if the Shs222m is for students, what happens to the balance? They asked for all the money for the same purpose, that is why the Finance officials sent the money as a whole,” the insider told Nile Post.

“The mistake is deliberate, someone was not informed to make the deductions and leave the rest of the amount home,’ the insider added.

Nile Post contacted students in China who revealed that they received only the share of Shs22m.

“We were all sent the money which was actually supposed to be given to us (the $61,800), but apparently the embassy received $600,000, so they stayed with a balance of $583,200,” Thomas Kanzira, a medical student in Wuhan said.