MPs order ministers to resign over oil Posted Wednesday, October 12 2011 at 00:00
In Summary Ministers Mbabazi, Kutesa and Onek asked to step aside as MPs vote to institute an ad hoc committee to investigate claims of mismanagement and bribery in oil sector. All ministers who were implicated in corrupt dealings with foreign oil companies allegedly involving billions of shillings in kickbacks must vacate their positions in government with immediate effect to pave way for investigations, MPs resolved late last night. This bipartisan resolution, which appears unprecedented, brought down the curtain on to two days of a special House sitting called to discuss the country’s oil sector. Prime Minister Amama Mbabazi along with Foreign Affairs Minister Sam Kutesa and former Energy Minister and now minister for Internal Affairs Hilary Onek have been asked to step aside. While the original motion had proposed that the government sets up a judicial commission of inquiry, MP Rosemary Sseninde (NRM) successfully moved an amendment, saying an ad hoc committee of Parliament instead investigates the matter. The affected ministers are expected to leave public office until the committee to be established when Parliament reconvenes on October 25 has tabled its findings within three months. Mr Onek, who made desperate appeals to save himself, told Daily Monitor that he was going to resign today. Mr Kutesa, who told the House in the morning that he was innocent, did not return in the afternoon and the resolution was passed in his absence while Mbabazi told Daily Monitor that he is not going to resign. Mbabazi said: “I have no problem with investigations because I have nothing to hide but to resign we are going to have chaos if people are going to resign because someone has made baseless allegations.” Attorney General Peter Nyombi tried to save the ministers but in vain. Mr Nyombi told the House that there was no law within which ministers were being asked to vacate their offices. But Geoffrey Ekanya (FDC, Tororo) said Article 114 of the Constitution which speaks to parliamentary approval of ministerial appointments can still be the basis upon which they are asked to leave office. *Speaker applauded* Army representative Gen. Elly Tumwiine said: “Enough is enough on corruption; there is no smoke without fire. People have different consciences; there are those who have their ego beyond the national interest, I don’t see any problem in resigning a job once you’re suspected. Take the Army (UPDF) whenever our member was accused of corruption they have to leave their post [until] they were tried and this is the practice the world over. It’s not wrong to make a mistake but it’s a mistake to repeat a mistake.” Share This Story 290Share<http://www.facebook.com/sharer.php?u=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.monitor.co.ug%2FNews%2FNational%2F-%2F688334%2F1254014%2F-%2Fbi1ytcz%2F-%2Findex.html&t=MPs%20order%20ministers%20to%20resign%20over%20oil%C2%A0-%20National%C2%A0%7Cmonitor.co.ug&src=sp> While Mbabazi claimed that Speaker had not given the Executive the opportunity to mount a defence, Ms Rebecca Kadaga who was praised by members for showing patriotism and impartiality in the handling of debate, said: “It’s unfair to claim that I didn’t give you the opportunity when you had the whole day and this morning you decided to talk about different things.” Other resolutions included a decision that the confidentiality clauses in any future oil contracts with foreign companies be struck down and any future attempts to drag government to foreign courts on matters relating to Uganda’s oil be proscribed. In a debate which began at 11am ended at 10:15pm, Parliament also resolved that a moratorium on executing oil contracts and transactions be placed on the government until the necessary laws have been passed by Parliament to give effect to the National Oil and Gas policy. The laws must be tabled in Parliament within 30 days. Parliament also resolved that the government withholds consent to a pending transaction between Tullow Oil, Total and CNOOC before capital gains tax assessed by URA payable by Tullow are paid in advance and a report to that effect be made to Parliament. They further decided that the government should have a 15 per cent stake in all oil transactions, and asked for accountability for penalty for late payments. Parliament also agreed that the government produces all agreements it has executed with all companies in the oil industry including the memorandum of understanding executed between Uganda Revenue Authority and Tullow Oil in March 2011. A review of all Production Sharing Agreements already executed for purposes of harmonising them with the law and that an account of all revenues so far received from the oil sector be made to Parliament within seven days was further agreed. The government was also directed to account for expenditure made from oil revenues and a moratorium be placed on any further expenditure. Meanwhile, Andrew Barryayanga (Indep, Kabaale Municipality) tabled another dossier naming two junior ministers in the Ministry of Energy, Simon D’Ujanga and Peter Lokeris, saying they too have fallen foul of the bribery allegations. However, the two ministers were left out of the final resolutions in which all government officials named were also lined up for investigation.
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