Punish reckless government officials It was recently reported that a government minister, in disregard of the pertaining procedures, cancelled a railway line construction contract. State Minister for Works John Byabagambi is said to have ignored the memorandum of understanding between the government of Uganda and China Civil Engineering Construction Corporation (CCECC), regarding the upgrade of the eastern railway line. Byabagambi allegedly preferred to award the contract to China Harbours Engineering Corporation (CHEC). The above act forced CCECC to drag government to court. Government lost the case and the taxpayer will bear the burden of footing the legal costs. In doing all this, the minister did not take heed to the informed advice of the solicitor general and, most importantly, the attorney general. Being the government’s official lawyer, the attorney general’s opinion binds on all government officials. It is, therefore, baffling that the minister ignored it. Byabagambi also engaged a private law firm for legal advice on the same matter. It is not clear whether the cost of engaging the said firm was met by the minister or by the ministry. If the firm is to be paid by taxpayers’ money, then one wonders the impunity with which the minister acted. Such acts should be seriously punished and the respective officials who cause us such unnecessary losses must be made to pay for them. Andrew Katurubuki,
Posted on: Thu, 07 Aug 2014 22:17:36 +0000
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