How Ranny Ismail is Giving Parliament a 'Beautiful Headache'

Ranny Ismail, Henry Muhebwa and Samuel Kavuma all worked in the Office of the Government Whip, where they used private accounts to channel out money from the Commission for activities they later claimed they would organise next year.

NATIONAL | Three key Parliament staff who were found culpable of financial impropriety were simply asked to refund the money and that was it.

Ms Ranny Ismail would still be the director of the office of the leader of government business, Mr Henry Muhebwa would still be the principal administrative officer in the same office, and Samuel Kavuma, a liaison officer.

But Government Whip Hamson Obua said he would no longer them in his office, the New Vision reported last weekend. The trio was transferred to other offices.

Any other public official appearing before Parliament over a similar case would have been defeaned with a din of tables banging or had police summoned to take them into custody.

Parliament has attempted to explain the transfer away amid muffled complaints from a section of legislators but now critics have slammed the handling of the case as "parliament's culture of impunity".

Last week, New Vision reported that the three Parliament staff were asked to refund money following internal investigations that they allegedly misused and misappropriated over Shs120 million from the account of the Office of the Government Chief Whip.

The three reportedly requisitioned the money using Obua's name for purported travel abroad, training, and seminars for MPs.

However, Mr Obua, also the Ajuri County MP, clarified that the events never occurred. The money was allegedly wired to private bank accounts of the staff - a decision the Leader of the Opposition pointed out was against standard protocol since it involves more than Shs5 million.

In a letter dated November 11, 2024, Obua asked the Clerk to Parliament, Adolf Mwesige, to ensure that the three officers refund the money to the parliamentary commission.

Mr Marlon Agaba, executive director of the Anti-Corruption Coalition Uganda (ACCU), criticised Parliament for fostering what he described as a "culture of corruption and impunity".

He called out the legislative body for its failure to address recurring scandals and for allegedly misusing its oversight powers.

"Parliament has now become a hub for corruption and impunity. We have seen so many corruption cases at Parliament, and there is little accountability," Mr Agaba said.

"Some of the officers implicated in these cases were also mentioned during the #UgandaParliamentExhibition, and they were not held accountable."

Mr Agaba condemned the practice of transferring officials accused of corruption instead of taking legal action against them.

"Transferring corrupt officials is transferring corruption to another department. It doesn’t solve the problem. The ACCU director called for decisive action against those implicated in financial misconduct. The implicated officials should be prosecuted, funds fully recovered, and barred from holding public office for 10 years," he said.

Buyaga West County MP Barnabas Tinkasimire called for stricter measures, including prosecution and dismissal, against individuals implicated in financial misappropriation within Parliament.

“When an audit query is raised, you must answer it satisfactorily. If not, there are mechanisms for refunding the money. Failure to account can lead to prosecution, depending on the circumstances,” Tinkasimire stated.

Spotlight on Ranny

Last month, journalist and lawyer Agather Atuhaire revealed that Ms Ismail was dismissed from her role in the Office of the Government Chief Whip following allegations of financial impropriety involving billions of shillings.

She linked Ms Ismail’s dismissal to her failure to account for Shs4.4 billion in public funds. In a social media post, Ms Atuhaire detailed the fallout, stating that Ms Ismail’s dismissal stemmed from irregularities discovered in financial records.

"Turns out the activities claimed in this voucher were not carried out or not commensurate with the 4.4 billion received," Ms Atuhaire wrote.

She added that efforts by Speaker Anita Among to shield Ms Ismail - who is the wife of embattled diplomat Dickson Ogwang - from repercussions were overruled by Government Whip Obua.

"Speaker Among tried to save her, but the Government Chief Whip threatened to resign if they didn’t get her out of office," Atuhaire disclosed.

Despite her dismissal from the Office of the Government Chief Whip, Ms Ismail has reportedly been reassigned to the Clerk’s office, where she now oversees international duties.

Her husband Ogwang was recently recalled from a Mission in Sudan after drawing a gun on cultural leaders. He had also in the past been deported by the US government for reportedly battering his wife.

Critics have questioned the rationale behind Ms Ismail's transfer, viewing it as a move to protect her from full accountability.

This development adds a new chapter to the recent #UgandaParliamentExhibition, a series of exposés by whistleblowers highlighting alleged corruption within Parliament.

In March, acclaimed novelist and activist Kakwenza Rukirabashaija had implicated Ismail in a scheme involving Speaker Among, accusing her of using Ismail’s bank account to divert public funds.

Rukirabashaija’s earlier accusations during the #UgandaParliamentExhibition sparked outrage and demands for accountability.

"Do you guys remember how the documents we shared during the #UgandaParliamentExhibition were dismissed as ‘fake’? Well, one of the recipients is facing the consequences," Atuhaire said in her recent post, referencing the exposé’s validity.

While neither Ismail nor Speaker Among has publicly addressed these recent allegations, observers believe the case may signal a growing intolerance for unchecked corruption within the legislative institutions.

Renowned novelist and human rights advocate Kakwenza Rukirabashaija, accused Ismail of facilitating a large-scale embezzlement scheme involving Speaker Anita Among.

In a statement posted on social media, Rukirabashaija alleged that Ismail’s bank account is used as a conduit for misappropriating taxpayer money for the personal benefit of Among, whom he referred to as the "Mabaati thief."

"Ranny Ismail is another staff at Parliament whose bank account is used by Mabaati thief Anita Among to embezzle taxpayer’s money," Rukirabashaija wrote.

MP Tinkansimire criticized leniency in handling such cases, emphasizing that refunding misused funds should not absolve the culprits from facing legal consequences.

"If the issue involves forgery of receipts or forged accountabilities, that should lead to prosecution. Forgery is a serious criminal offense," he said.

Tinkasimire also stressed the role of the Public Accounts Committee (PAC) in determining the next steps.

"PAC recommendations could range from refunding the money to prosecution or disciplinary action. Any decision must align with the legal process," he noted.

He argued that allowing implicated individuals to remain in their positions after refunding funds sets a dangerous precedent.

"Such leniency might encourage repeated offenses in the future," he warned, advocating for resignation and prosecution as part of accountability enforcement.

The MP further cautioned against arbitrary dismissals, stressing that actions against accused individuals should be backed by investigations and legal processes. "Erroneous dismissals can lead to additional costs for the government in compensations," he added.

Mr Agaba pointed out structural weaknesses in the accountability mechanisms within Parliament, particularly in relation to the Auditor General’s office.

"Parliament has a lot of power in terms of appropriation and oversight, and they have been misusing this power. For instance, the Auditor General is an officer of Parliament and also reports to Parliament. The office should be independent of any influence," he explained.

Dr Lulume Bayiga, the Member of Parliament for Buikwe South, called for a thorough investigation into allegations of financial mismanagement in Parliament, urging adherence to administrative procedures to address the issue.

Dr Bayiga emphasized the need for clarity and accountability but stopped short of condemning any actions outright, citing a lack of direct involvement in the administrative processes.

"An investigation must be conducted to uncover the truth. If there was any criminality, it should be brought to light, and the appropriate administrative procedures should follow," he said.

Dr Bayiga noted that Parliament's administrative arm, headed by the Deputy Director of Administration and Finance, is well-equipped to handle such matters internally.

He advocated for corporate governance practices to address institutional issues without necessarily escalating them to plenary discussions or law enforcement.

"Not everything needs to come to the floor of Parliament or go to court. We have internal rules and regulations to cleanse the institution administratively," he explained.

When questioned about the possibility of parliamentary debate or punitive action, Dr. Bayiga maintained that such matters fall under the purview of the administrative unit, which can independently manage accountability processes.

Jonathan Odur, Member of Parliament for Erute North, expressed his lack of surprise at the latest scandal.

“These things happen. This is just the tip of the iceberg here at Parliament,” he told New Vision calling for urgent intervention by the Police, the Inspector General of Government (IGG), and the Auditor General to address the issue and prevent further abuse of public funds.

He described the situation as indicative of deeper systemic issues within the legislative body. Speaking to the Nile Post, he said they have not stopped and will not relent on demanding the officials are brougt to book.

Opposition lawmakers have joined in condemning the actions, with Leader of Opposition Joel Ssenyonyi calling the situation “irregular.”

He criticized the practice of directing departmental funds into personal accounts, likening it to stealing.

“If the department has money for training, why should it go to a staff account? It is stealing,” Ssenyonyi said in an interview with the same paper.

He further emphasized the need for more than just a refund, demanding that those responsible be sanctioned to ensure accountability.

'It's routine transfer'

The Director of Communications and Public Affairs at the Parliament of Uganda, Chris Obore, refuted allegations of staff misappropriation and fund irregularities linked to the Office of the Government Chief Whip.

Speaking to Nile Post, Obore clarified that recent staff transfers within Parliament were routine and unrelated to any financial misconduct.

"The staff transfers were normal internal reassignments to align with operational needs. I am not aware of any reports or directives about refunds of misappropriated funds,” Obore stated.

He added that such transfers, which occurred over a month ago, are standard administrative practices within Parliament.

He dismissed claims of misappropriation, stating that Uganda's parliamentary financial systems are robust, with stringent checks to prevent irregularities.

"It is very difficult, almost impossible, to misappropriate money in Parliament. Our financial systems require payments to go through multiple layers of verification, including internal and external audits. If there were any issues, they would have been flagged immediately,” he said.

But Mr Obore denied any knowledge of such incidents and emphasized that Parliament's top management had not discussed or recommended any staff refunds.

"Some people are exaggerating the reasons for the transfers. These staff members are technical officers who serve across various departments, not permanently in one office. The transfers were administrative, not punitive,” he said.

Mr Obore emphasised that any attempt to circumvent these controls would be swiftly detected and addressed.