THIS WEEK: Skepticism over oil bonus probe report
A number of people have expressed skepticism over the recommendations of the parliamentary oil bonus report in as far as reining in 42 government officials who received a cash bonus totaling Shs6bn for their role in defending Uganda against two British oil firms in international arbitration.
The report, written by the chair of the special probe committee, Bugweri County MP Abdul Katuntu, asked the beneficiaries to refund the money as part of its recommendations. Many Ugandans wondered whether the report would not gather dust like the several ones penned by various commissions of inquiries over the years.
Although the report noted that the recipients of the cash did a fairly good job defending Uganda, it observed that the manner in which the officials were awarded was highly irregular and illegal, and described it as a blatant abuse of office.
Katuntu, who made rounds on television and radio defending the work of his committee also recommended the Inspector General of Government in the report, to take up the matter and proceed from where the parliamentary committee faced limitations.
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