Africa-Press – Uganda. The Inspectorate of Government (IG) has handed over two vehicles that it had earlier seized from the Health ministry.
Last month, a senior official at Ministry of Health was demoted after he was found guilty of using government Covid-19 response cars to ferry personal construction materials.
James Tukahirwa, a senior assistant secretary/transport officer at the Health ministry, who has had more than 32 years of public service work experience, was convicted after he voluntarily pleaded guilty to the offence.
Mr Tukahirwa was also ordered to pay a fine of Shs22.5 million under the Leadership Code Act, becoming the first convict under the new Leadership Code Tribunal headed by Dr Roselyn Karugonjo-Segawa.
The trucks were donated to the government by Total Uganda Ltd and TATA Uganda Ltd during the first Covid-19 lockdown to help in the fight against the spread of the virus.
Tukahirwa allegedly instructed drivers attached to the ministry to shuttle building materials to his construction site in Kyegegwa District using the government cars.
The IGG then tracked and impounded the two trucks after a tip-off.
Yesterday, Dr Patricia Achan Okiria, the deputy IGG, handed the vehicles to Mr Kenneth Akiri, the Health ministry under-secretary.
During the function at the IGG parking yard in Kampala yesterday, Dr Okiria warned government employees against misusing government properties, saying they are costly to maintain.
“We will not hesitate to punish or forward anybody found in abuse of public property contrary to the Leadership Code Act Section 12 (B) to the Leadership Code Tribunal,” Dr Okiria said.
Tukahirwa said he thought the act of using the government cars for personal use was covered under the ministry’s welfare policy, where staff can use such vehicles whenever they have issues such as attending funerals and weddings.
Mr Akiiri yesterday said as a ministry, they are working to strengthen their internal controls so that such incidents do not happen again.
“We shall put in controls to ensure that no abuse of the assets happens, but also call upon our own staff, personnel and all other government employees to respect the law and follow the guidelines on the use of government assets,” he said.
Dr Okiria also called on members of the public to own the war against corruption and report cases of abuse and misuse of public property to her institution.
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