Speaker Kadaga has no kind words for corrupt Chinese firm

Speaker of parliament Rebecca Kadaga has implored the Inspectorate of Government to investigate cases of Chinese contractors involving in defrauding Uganda.

Kadaga was officiating at the dialogue between the Inspectorate of Government and parliament's accountability committees. The meeting was held at Kabira Country Club this morning.

Kadaga made reference to recent findings by parliament's committee on Commissions, State Authorities and Statutory Enterprise's in which over 50 billion Shillings  was lost of Chinese contractors who had been contracted by the Uganda National Roads Authority.

In one of the findings, 47.7 billion advanced to five contractors for the compensation of persons affected by road construction projects was misused.

The firms include China Railway 18th Group, China Railway No.3 Group, Zhongmei Engineering, China Railway No.5 Group and Chongqing International Construction Company. They were contracted by government to undertake the construction of Musita-Lumino-Busia, Kanoni-Sembabule-Villa, Olwiyo Gulu, Gulu-Acholibur and Acholibur-Musingo roads.

But in one of the interfaces with the committee, it was established that the contractors fixed the money in various banks to earn interest while part of it was invested in personal businesses. They were forced to refund the money.

The same committee has queried a fine of 1.8 billion Shillings paid by UNRA to - Chongqing International Construction (CICO) of China after a delay in securing the Environmental Impact Assessment report as part of the contract for upgrading of Vurra-Arua-Koboko-Oraba road.

Speaker Kadaga said persons involved in such scams need to be prosecuted for stealing tax payer's money. "We need a follow up, prosecute people taking this money. We have so much money in this country and if there were no corruption, we would not even need donor money", Kadaga said.

Deputy IGG George Bamugemereire applauded parliament for coming out strong on corruption noting that his office would surely follow up on corruption cases recently exposed by parliament accountability committees.

IGG Irene Mulyagonja said that her office is today going to engage with MPs sitting on accountability committees to see how to close gaps in the laws of accountability.

She said that at the close of their engagement, they would come up with resolutions that will be forwarded and considered by the Tenth Parliament in a bid to fight corruption and mal-administration in the country.

-URN