Minister Anite embroiled in diplomatic controversy

Neither the British high commissioner to Kampala nor the UK Export Finance (UKEF) officials have met state minister for Investment Evelyn Anite to discuss any issues related to the Kampala Industrial and Business Park (KIBP) infrastructure development project at Namanve.

In a diplomatic note dated July 31 and addressed to the Foreign Affairs ministry, the British High Commission expressed concern over Minister Anite’s misrepresentation of the UK envoy. The note, seen by this newspaper, clarified that no meeting had taken place between the British high commissioner, H.E. Kate Airey OBE, and Minister Anite regarding the Namanve project.

“The British High Commission has also received press inquiries in relation to reports of a meeting between the British High Commissioner, H.E. Kate Airey OBE, and the Minister of State for Investment Hon. Evelyne Anite, regarding the Namanve project. The British High Commission… wishes to clarify to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs that no such meeting has taken place,” the diplomatic note to Foreign Affairs minister Gen Jeje Odongo stated.

It added that the high commissioner had requested a face-to-face meeting with the minister of Foreign Affairs to discuss any issues related to the matter.

This development presents a major diplomatic challenge for Minister Anite, who is at the center of a dispute with officials at the Uganda Investment Authority (UIA) and Director General Robert Mukiza. The conflict revolves around honorarium and price variation payments for the KIBP infrastructure development project.

During a June 11 meeting between UIA top management and the board, which she chaired, Minister Anite ordered the top officials at the agency to refund honorarium payments totaling Shs 545 million. She claimed during the meeting that she had met with the British high commissioner and UKEF officials, who pressured her to demand the refund of the payments.

In a July 3 letter to Mukiza, Minister Anite reiterated that the honorarium payments must be returned. However, in a July 23 reply, the UIA director general accused the minister of manipulating the issue to pro- voke public outrage against the agency for ulterior motives.

Mukiza has asserted that state minister for Investment Evelyn Anite fabricated claims regarding a meeting with the British high commissioner and the United Kingdom Export Finance (UKEF) officials. He stated that Anite’s allegations about UKEF’s demand for a refund of honorarium payments and the cessation of price variation payments to the contractor for the Namanve project were unfounded.

Mukiza clarified that the issues in question had already been addressed with guidance from President Museveni.

He wrote, “I find that your story of meeting the British High Commissioner to discuss the day-to-day is- sues of the Namanve project management not adding up, inaccurate, false, and misleading.”

He further accused Anite of lying about the meeting and her interactions with UKEF concerning honoraria and paymentvariations. Mukiza also challenged the minister’s integrity, noting that she often claims she would resign if found lacking. He suggested she should consider following through on that promise.

The dispute between Anite and the Uganda Investment Authority management has been ongoing for two months. It began when Anite issued an ultimatum for certain UIA staff to refund up to Shs 545 million received as honorarium payments. This sum was part of the €219,482,727.15 (approximately Shs 871 billion) secured by the Ugandan government from UKEF on December 4, 2019, for the Kampala Industrial and Business Park (KIBP) infrastructure development project.

Anite interpreted the honorarium as corruption and demanded its return within 24 hours from June 12. However, Mukiza and his team refused to refund the money, arguing that it was legally paid for additional work on the project, as approved by the board. Mr. Kyalimpa, who has since resigned as deputy director general, also insisted that the payment was legal and declined to return the funds.

The UIA team emphasized that the honorarium was authorized by their board of directors, and is stipulated in their human resource manual. In a statement addressed to the UIA’s chairman, Morrison Rwakakamba, dated June 14, 2024, Mukiza clarified that after the termination of the owner’s engineer (OE) on August 29, 2022, additional responsibilities were assigned to the Project Management Team (PMT), with assistance from some UIA staff, to fill the supervisory gap in the Kampala Industrial and Business Park infrastructure development.

President Museveni later convened a meeting at State House, where he indicated that he would make a final decision on the matter after consulting independent technical experts from the ministry of Finance. However, following the meeting, Minister Evelyn Anite took to X (formerly Twitter), claiming pressure from UKEF and reiterated on X spaces that she was under pressure from development partners to ensure the honorarium was refunded.

Anite reportedly attempted to raise the issue at a recent Cabinet retreat but was silenced before leaving Kyankwanzi under a cloud of controversy. She has since announced that she is on leave in Canada. The minister couldn’t readily be reached for comment.

CYBERBULLYING UAE SHEIKH

InhisletterdatedJuly23, Mukizare-sponded directly to the minister, accusing her of cyberbullying sheikh Mohammed Juma Al Maktoum, a member of the Dubai ruling family.

The Sheikh’s group has agree- ments with the Ugandan government to construct the Uganda oil refinery and invest in Ugandan Air Cargo, among other projects. Mukiza alleged that the minister made defamatory remarks, claiming Sheikh Mohammed was a “fake prince” and that his government was investigating him.

“I humbly request that you apologize to the Sheikh and his family for the defamatory statements you made against them,” Mukiza wrote.

He emphasized the importance of integrity in leadership, stating, “A decent leader must not fabricate, falsify, impersonate, manipulate, and lie to the people who appointed them and those they lead. If you misrepresented facts to achieve your personal objectives, it is not only scandalous and fraudulent but also criminal.”

Mukiza urged Anite to honor her previous statements about resigning if found to be dishonest.

“You have always been quoted swearing that if you ever fell out of God’s glory and the evidence is there, you would resign and even take yourself to Luzira [Prison],” Mukiza reminded her. He con- cluded, “On the other hand, if you produce empirical evidence that challenges my above analysis, then I stand to be penalized.”