Parliament Buses Saga: ISO Writes to Museveni Over Kakwenza Tweet

Oluka also reported that the four Parliament buses, in their Registration Books issued by the Chief Mechanical Engineer of Ministry of Works and Transport, “have different Chassis and Engine Numbers from the ones of UBN 762S that is owned by Anita Foundation Ltd and operated by Bukedea Comprehensive School"

Brig Charles Oluka

President Museveni directed the Internal Security Organisation (ISO) to investigate reports that Speaker of Parliament, Anita Among stole a bus belonging to the House for her private school in Bukedea District.

ChimpReports understands that unlike in the past when the president did not pay keen interest in social media reports, he has over the last few years ensured that allegations of corruption, human rights abuses and bad governance which appear on social media platforms are reported to him.

In a tweet posted on 24th May 2024 at 07:37 hours by Kakwenza Rukirabashaija on his X account @KakwenzaRukira, it was alleged that Among had stolen and changed number plates of one bus that belonged to the Parliament of Uganda and that the bus had been diverted to her school.

Kakwenza also alleged that “two weeks ago, transport office was grilled by CID and they had to disclose the truth”.

In the same tweet, the photographs of the allegedly stolen bus, bearing a Registration Number Plate UBN 762S, were displayed.

As at 11:00 hours, 27th May 2024, Kakwenza Rukirabashaija’s tweet alleging the theft of the bus by the Speaker had attracted a total of 358,000 views, 290 reposts, 1,700 likes, 25 quotes and 50 bookmarks, underscoring the power of social media in today’s world.

Kakwenza’s tweet about the alleged theft of a Parliament bus

Oluka probe

According to the investigation report sent to President Museveni, the “Findings by the Internal Security Organisation do not show any evidence of the alleged theft of a bus belonging to the Parliament of the Republic of Uganda by the Speaker.”

“The bus allegedly stolen by the Speaker bearing Registration Number late UBN 762S is duly registered in the names of Anita Foundation,” the report emphasised, adding, “The registration was done on 10th October 2023 by Kampala Motor Vehicle registration Unit.”

Signed by ISO chief, Brig Charles Oluka, the report dated May 29, 2024, observed that the office of the Chief Licensing Officer of Motor Vehicles at the Ministry Works and Transport provided the Motor Vehicle profile for UBN 7625, with several details. 

He said the vehicle had its first registration application in Uganda under Acknowledgement Number MVR 123019548397 on 10th June 2023, at 11:31 hours and the application was approved on the same day at 13:39 hours.

Oluka also reported that the four Parliament buses, in their Registration Books issued by the Chief Mechanical Engineer of Ministry of Works and Transport, “have different Chassis and Engine Numbers from the ones of UBN 762S that is owned by Anita Foundation Ltd and operated by Bukedea Comprehensive School.”

According to Oluka, the engine number 78911740 is consistent in the Registration Book, the URA Customs entry, the East African Community Certificate of Origin and Motor Vehicle profile provided by the Ministry of Works and Transport.

Part of Oluka’s report to President Museveni

He further pointed out that the four Parliamentary buses that were procured for the 64th Commonwealth Parliamentary Conference (CPC) that took place in September 2019 are of the same make and similar appearance with UBN 762S that is owned by Anita Foundation Ltd and operated by Bukedea Comprehensive School.

“Documentary evidence obtained from the Ministry of Works and Transport, Uganda Revenue Authority and the Uganda Registration Services Bureau pertaining to the importation and registration of MV UBN 762S is sufficient proof of rightful ownership by Anita Foundation Ltd and can be relied on to dispel the allegations of theft,” said Brig Oluka.

Oluka told President Museveni that at the time of registration, Among’s bus did not have any third-party endorsements – i.e. this was its first registration in Uganda.

He also pointed out that under Customs Entry C58022, the vehicle was assessed and issued with a tax bill of Shs 71,674,937.

On 27th May 2024, Uganda Revenue Authority provided a copy of the customs entry that was lodged by a clearing firm named Race Logistics (U) Ltd on behalf of the importer Anita Foundation Ltd. 

This entry had an invoice of USD 78,000 (seventy-eight thousand US dollars) for a newly built 69-passenger bus with all parts intact and in good working condition issued by Labh Singh Harnam Singh Ltd to Anita Foundation dated 26th May 2023. 

The East African Community Certificate of Origin for the bus was issued under Reference Number KEN/NBL/M/75/2021 by the Republic of Kenya, represented by Customs and Border Control Department, against a declaration by the exporter dated 24th May 2023. 

 At the time of lodging the customs entry for clearing the bus on 9th June 2023, the bus was in a URA Customs-controlled area – i.e. Bonded Warehouse Number 0333.

While Among’s bus was shipped in Uganda in 2023, Parliament’s buses were procured in 2019.  

“In the FY 2018/19, the Parliamentary Commission procured four King Long executive luxury coach buses under procurement reference POU/SUPLS/ODB/18-19/00520. The contract was awarded to M/S The Motor Centre East Africa Ltd and, specifically, the origin of the buses was China,” said Oluka.

“The procured buses were all manufactured in 2019, registered in the names of the Parliament of Uganda on 17th September 2019, and allocated the URA Customs entry, the East African Community Certificate of Origin and Motor Vehicle profile provided by the Ministry of Works and Transport.”

He said one of the Parliament’s buses, Registration Number UG 0391H, caught fire and burnt at Koro-Abili on Gulu-Kampala highway on 17th September 2020