The Inspect General of Government (IGG), has been petitioned to look into the recent appointment of Eng James Nkamwesiga Kasigwa as the new executive director of the Uganda National Bureau of Standards (Unbs).
A petition lodged by lawyers of Wanambugo & Co. Advocates on behalf of their client, Mr George Ahimbisibwe, contends that the newly appointed executive director was merely hand-picked by the Trade minister since he was not among the best two candidates that went through the interviews.
“Uganda National Bureau of Standards advertised for the position of the executive director. Consequent to the advertisement, six candidates were shortlisted for the interviews, and following the interviews, the National Standards Council recommended to the Minister of Trade, Industry, and Cooperatives the best two candidates for the appointment to the position of executive director pursuant to Section 11 of the Uganda National Bureau of Standards Act as amended,” the lawyers’ petition to the IGG reads in part.
Adding: “Despite the recommendation of the board, the minister of Trade, Industry, and Cooperatives has gone ahead and instead appointed a candidate who was not recommended. Our client contends that the appointment by the minister is illegal and contrary to the Unbs Act as he did not act in accordance with the recommendations of the board as required by the current law. It is, therefore, our humble request that you intervene and investigate the said illegal appointment.”
Ms Ali Munira, the spokesperson of the ombudsman acknowledged receipt of the petition.
The stamp on the petition seen by this publication showed that it was received on May 14 by the office of the IGG.
Eng Kasigwa whose term of office started on Monday this week, replaced Dr Livingstone Ebiru who was relieved of his duties following his alleged involvement in corruption scandals at the institution.
Dr Ebiru’s woes started when he appeared before the Committee on Commissions, Statutory Authority, and State Enterprises (Cosase) and confessed to having bribed the Unbs board with Shs100m in a bid to prolong his stay at the institution.
However, days later, he made a U-turn and retracted the said bribery statements, claiming he made them out of anger.
This article was written by Monitor