Museveni sanctioned Chogm car deal: Kutesa
President Museveni sanctioned the lease of VIP vehicles for the 2007 Commonwealth summit, the Foreign Affairs Minister, Mr Sam Kutesa, has said.
The procurement of the 114 luxury vehicles has become a sticky issue in an ongoing parliamentary inquiry into possible misuse of funds during the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (Chogm).
An Auditor General’s report before MPs points accusing fingers at Mr Kutesa, after a firm he once had shares in, Europecar, jointly won the tender with Motorcare, another company, to supply the cars.
But in an interview with Daily Monitor yesterday, the minister said the decision to lease the vehicles was taken at the “highest level” and that President Museveni gave his consent.
Ask works
On claims that the vehicles procured were defective and did not fit specifications, Mr Kutesa said his colleagues at the Ministry of Works should answer—not him.
About his interests in Europecar, Mr Kutesa said together with friends in 2005, they founded the company “primarily to lease vehicles to Utl” but sold his 20 per cent shares three months after initiation to another shareholder, Mr Bob Kabonero. Two years later, the company won the tender to supply the Chogm cars.
He also admitted to involvement in Capital Law partners, a law firm the Auditor General’s investigations says was retained by Motorcare and Europecar in its negotiations to win the Chogm tender.
The procurement of the 114 luxury vehicles has become a sticky issue in an ongoing parliamentary inquiry into possible misuse of funds during the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (Chogm).
An Auditor General’s report before MPs points accusing fingers at Mr Kutesa, after a firm he once had shares in, Europecar, jointly won the tender with Motorcare, another company, to supply the cars.
But in an interview with Daily Monitor yesterday, the minister said the decision to lease the vehicles was taken at the “highest level” and that President Museveni gave his consent.
Ask works
On claims that the vehicles procured were defective and did not fit specifications, Mr Kutesa said his colleagues at the Ministry of Works should answer—not him.
About his interests in Europecar, Mr Kutesa said together with friends in 2005, they founded the company “primarily to lease vehicles to Utl” but sold his 20 per cent shares three months after initiation to another shareholder, Mr Bob Kabonero. Two years later, the company won the tender to supply the Chogm cars.
He also admitted to involvement in Capital Law partners, a law firm the Auditor General’s investigations says was retained by Motorcare and Europecar in its negotiations to win the Chogm tender.
Mr Kutesa admitted that his daughter works for the firm but said he had personally withdrawn from it.
Asked whether a combination of his brief engagement with Europecar and the law firm would not tantamount to conflict of interest in the government, Mr Kutesa said: “I had no conflict of interest as far as I am concerned both morally and legally.”
Chogm successful
Kutesa insisted Chogm was a “resounding success” but remained cagey on who should take political responsibility for any failures, saying decisions were taken jointly by a cabinet sub-committee with 13 ministers on it.
| < Prev | Next > |
|---|
