By Hanning Mbabazi
Kampala: The Speaker of Parliament Rebecca Kadaga Presiding over the House sitting on 25th June, ruled that neither Parliament nor the Executive can take action on Uganda Telecom insolvency. Kadaga rejected a call by some MPs led by the Aringa South Legislator Alioni Yorke Odria who were requesting for parliament to make fresh investigations into the Operations of Uganda Telecom Limited (UTL).
Kadaga says that the matter remains with a huge legal question if Parliament was to set up a select committee. Instead, she has asked the government to build on what was recommended by Parliament, among them, fast tracking the overhaul of the national telecom. The Speaker has also said there is no proof that the recommendations stand or they have ever been acted upon.
Last week, the minister of State for Privatisation Evelyn Anite told MPs that when the Nigerian firm was contracted to revamp UTL, Taleology Holdings GIB Ltd failed to meet its contractual obligations of investing Shs268 billion in the telecom as agreed, Bemanya Twebaze the registrar general of Uganda Registration Services Bureau (URSB) remained as the administrator of UTL having been appointed in 2017.
Anite also explained how the Taleology was awarded the contract in October 2018 to manage UTL over the state-founded Mauritius Telecom which had financial capability and muscle to run the company. She said that contracting Taleology was based on its higher proposal to invest in the company.
She said that for not having money to invest in UTL, Taleology technically left shortly after it had been contracted but what is perturbing government is that it does not know the status of the company and how it is operating.
“And the attorney general as of this morning said he’s going to consult and get back to us. Madam speaker it is just very clear that even pensioners are asking us, workers have been fired from the UTL. As the majority and only shareholder of the company, I want to say technically we have lost control of the company.” added Anite.
Speaker of parliament Rebecca Kadaga noted that parliament has previously made recommendations about UTL demanding that government presents a treasury memorandum on resolutions made about UTL. Kadaga wondered why Uganda is being treated like a public toilet by people she she didn’t mention. She was supported by Okot Ogong, the Dokolo South MP who said that whatever is happening in UTL is broad day theft.
