By Andrew Irumba
Kampala: The Inspector General of Government (IGG) has been frustrated so much by the mafia in government that she has been forced to quit.
Our Spies reveal that Irene Mulyangoja, who has been the IGG for seven years, has since tendered in her resignation, citing frustration by the increasing cases of syndicated corruption and endless fights at the IGG’S office. As you read this, Justice Mulyagonja has applied for a job at the Judicial Service Commission as judge of the Constitutional Court, meaning she is no longer interested in her IGG job. The Court of Appeal of Uganda also known as the Constitutional Court of Uganda, is the second-highest judicial organ in Uganda after the Supreme Court. It derives its powers from Article 134 of the 1995 Constitution. It is an appellate court that hears cases appealed from the High Court of Uganda. However, it has original jurisdiction when adjudicating matters relating to the constitutionality of matters before it. All judgments by the Court of Appeal are theoretically appealable to the Supreme Court of Uganda, if the Supreme Court decides to hear the appeal. Mulyagonja was appointed on April 12, 2012 from the High Court where she served as the judge.
She replaced Raphael Baku, was Acting Inspector General of Government after Justice Faith Mwondha refused to appear before Members of Parliament for vetting and thereafter resigned and reverted back to the judiciary for redeployment. However, Mulyangonja has faced several challenges as IGG. A few weeks back, she was involved in a conflict with Speaker Rebecca Kadaga; Mulyagonja wanted legislators on the Committee on Commissions, Statutory Authorities and State Enterprises (COSASE) probed over allegations that they had received kickbacks from Bank of Uganda and a city tycoon during their investigations of the closure of five Commercial Banks. However, Kadaga blocked Mulyangonja’s investigation by categorically assuring her that she had no powers to investigate the legislators. Recently junior workers at her the Inspectorate wrote to the State House Anti-Corruption Unit, crying of corruption, impunity and maladministration taking place at the IGG’s offices, which is mandated to fight corruption.
A group of disgruntled staff at IGG on March 3, 2019 petitioned the Head of the Anti-Corruption Unit Lt Col. Edith Nakalema, requesting her to investigate the situation at the IGG’s office. “We write in good faith, and pray that your good office shall take action on that matter,” the letter reads in part. They accuse the Secretary to the Inspectorate Rose N. Nakafeero and members of the board and management team of allegedly handpicking and interviewing people that are employed at the Inspectorate, without following the normal recruitment procedures set by the Internal Human Resource Policy of 2017 or the Public Service Standing Orders 2010. They also alleged that some officials at the IGG’s office receive bribes of Shs350m for people whose cases are not registered with the inspectorate. They want President Museveni to disband the management team lead by Mariam F. Wangadya. In response to the allegations, Justice Mulyagonja said that what her staff ought to understand is the fact that the budget allocation to the institution isn’t sufficient to have all salaries increased. On other allegations, Mulyagonja dismissed them as untrue.
The junior staff also accuse top managers at the Inspectorate of allegedly taking long to confirm their colleagues who were posted upcountry as Regional Inspectorate Officers or Principal Inspectorate Officers in various regional offices such as Fort Portal, Gulu, Lira, Arua, Moyo, Tororo and Hoima. The officers, according to the petitioners, were posted about three years ago on the promise that they would be confirmed in six months, which is yet to happen. However, some insiders revealed that the IGG decided to quit after realizing that her office is now powerless ever since the President appointed Col. Nakalema to head the State House Anti-corruption Taskforce. She feels she no longer has a docket to supervise given that Col. Nakalema seems to be better facilitated and more powerful than the Inspectorate. The IGG is also accused for not being assertive on many top government officials implicated in corruption case. However, other sources reveal that Mulyangonja’s efforts to fight corruption have often been frustrated by the mafia in government, who always ensure that the cases the investigates and recommends for prosecution end up being buried under the carpets of those supposed to execute them.
