Opposition MPs led by their Chief Whip, Ssemujju Nganda and Ntugamo Municipality MP have asked the speaker to task the Prime minister to explain their position as cabinet on allegations that Foreign Affairs Minister Sam Kutesa solicited bribes from a Chinese energy company.
“If, as it is stated in the courts of the United States, that indeed Kutesa has challenges travelling to the United States, how can he be the chief Public Relations Officer of Uganda in other countries?” wondered Karuhanga before adding that;
“In the Ninth Parliament, I raised similar issues. Again, such issues were raised before the election of Sam Kutesa as the UN General Assembly President because of his credibility and integrity.”
Kadaga then set aside Wednesday, 13th December 2017 as the day on which she will guide the House on allegations that Foreign Affairs Minister Sam Kutesa solicited bribes.
“Give me time to study the documents and rule on the matter. We shall give our ruling on the matter tomorrow.”
This website understands that Foreign Affairs minister Sam Kahamba Kutesa was named in a scandal where Hong Kong’s Patrick Chi Ping Ho sent bribes to high-level officials in Chad and Uganda to secure business advantages for the Chinese company.
In the Justice Department complaint, the two men allegedly offered a $2 million bribe to the president of Chad “to obtain valuable oil rights,” and a $500,000 bribe to an account designated by the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Uganda, who had recently completed his term as the President of the U.N. General Assembly.
Cheikh Gadio, 61, who was the go-between and was paid $400,000 by Ho via wire transfers through New York.