Uganda is recalling envoys at the country’s Denmark diplomatic mission after they were tapped plotting to swindle funds.
According to a statement from Uganda’s Foreign Affairs Ministry, the staff who plotted to steal unused monies from the financial year 2019/2020, have been asked to report back to Kampala as investigations into the matter continue.
On Monday, one of the country’s dailies reported that that diplomats at Uganda’s mission in Denmark held a zoom meeting in which they plotted on how to steal the money.
“The Ministry wishes to express grave concern about the allegations contained in the article and takes this matter seriously. The ministry in consultation with the Permanent Secretary/secretary to the treasury and the Auditor General will carry out a comprehensive investigation into this matter,” the statement says.
The ministry has also assured the public that it does not in any way condone acts of corruption and that use of public funds will be in adherence to transparency principles.
In a clip that leaked, the diplomats are heard discussing how they would raise funds, bribe auditors and at the end of the day walk away with a lion’s share of the funds.
In attendance were embassy officials, Ms Nimisha Madhavni, the Head of Mission, Elly Kamuhunge, the Deputy Head of Mission, Ms Alex Hope Mukubwa, Accounting officer, Mr. Gordon Katureebe, the First Secretary, Mr. Ricahrd Biribonwoha, the Third Secretary, Ms. Slyvia Nambooze Kayongo, the Administrative officer and Musisha Wilfred, the Immigration Attache.
In the recording, a male voice is heard telling his colleagues that they can allocate themselves the unspent money as per diem.
Another female voice asks, “That’s what I am asking. for who? How much for each? I thought for each 8 days.”
The male voice then says, ” Head of mission 8 days,deputy 8 days, accounting officer, 8 days and the junior staff decide for themselves one or four days.”
However at a point in the Zoom meeting, one of the attendees disagrees on how the money would be shared because a driver would end up having more money than the middle level staff at the embassy. ” We share with these two people that whatever there is those other balances find a way to utilize the funds and do not discuss with the local staff and the Mugisha’s who are in Uganda,” the female voice added.
On 25th May, Ms Alex Hope Mukubwa the outgoing accounting officer at the embassy, wrote to Ministry of Finance asking to retain the money that had not been spent to enable the embassy to transport and settle a new accounting officer.
However, Keith Muhakanizi the Secretary to the Treasury rejected her request and asked that the money be sent back to the treasury as it is required by law.
In Ministry of Foreign affairs, officers at ambassadorial level get per diem of $390 (approximately Ugx 1.4 million) and the junior staff get $360 per day ( Ugx 1.3 million.
Therefore in the entire scam, the three diplomats walked away with $3,120 (approximately 11.4 million) and the junior staff walked away with $2,160 ( Ugx 8 Million).
This causes a lot of question on how different Ugandan embassies world wide handle funds and at a time when COVID-19 funds were distributed to all of them to help Ugandan citizens abroad.