The Parliamentary Investigation into the management and performance of Uganda Telecom (UTL) has exonerated Uganda Communications Commission (UCC) Executive Director, Godfrey Mutabazi of any wrongdoing.
It all started with MPs receiving an allegation that Semliki Diary & Beverage Ltd was one of the companies used by the managers of UTL to “fraudulently trade” with UTL.
The whistleblowers had indicated that the company belonged to Mr Stephen Kaboyo, the chairman of UTL board.
Upon conducting a search at the company registry, the committee established that the company belonged to Mutabazi (30 percent shares), his wife Doris (60 percent) and a one Taremwa Mugarura (10 percent).
MPs said they investigated claims that Mutabazi was liable for conflict of interest as his company was trading with UTL, a telecom he is mandated to regulate.
One of the Committee Members, Hon William Nzoghu bought this idea, writing in his minority report that Mutabazi should be held responsible for conflict of interest.
Nzoghu submitted Mutabazi breached regulation 4.6 on conflict of interest of the government standing orders by doing business with UTL a company in which the government owns 31 percent of shares, yet he is a public officer by virtue of him being the ED of a Commission created by Parliament.
Committee speaks out
However, in its report seen by ChimpReports, the Committee said it interested itself in Mr Mutabazi being the Executive Director of UCC which is the telecommunications regulator.
“Whereas the Committee established that Ms Semliki Diary and Beverages Ltd had been doing business of supplying packing polythene bags, Christmas gift hampers and water to UTL, the same did not put Mutabazi in conflict of interest.”
In his written response to the Committee, Mutabazi stated that he “didn’t involve himself in the day to day running of the company and also that he declared his interest in the company to the IGG as required by the law.”
It was also discovered that the allegations against Mutabazi where brought “out of context” and “inaccurate” since Semliki was operational long before he joined UCC.
MPs were informed that Mutabazi also does not own majority shares and that the UCC Act only bars him from doing business with telecoms in the area of “communications.”
The Committee members were Okin Ojara, Michael Tusiime, Eng Lillian Nakate, Paula Turyahikayo, William Nzoghu, Paul Akamba and Thomas Tayebwa.