Uncertainty In Uganda as Plot To Arrest Top NDA Bosses Leaks

In Uganda, things aren’t good at all following leaked information showing that several directors and Authority members of Uganda national drug authority (NDA) are on the verge of being arrested over willful refusal to obey lawful orders and directives issued by the country’s inspector general of government-IGG.

The looming arrest follows the obstinate decision of the top leaders at NDA to insist on going ahead with the 9am newly reappointed board members’ inauguration ceremony on Monday, in total disobedience to the written directive by the country’s inspector of government (IGG) directing the halting of the inauguration.

This is something the NDA board chairman has defied by going on to send WhatsApp messages ordering all board members to keep time and be at the venue at exactly 9am. He has also ordered for all the necessary facilitation to be availed.

The IGG had already ordered that the launching and swearing in ceremony of the new board be put off until the ongoing investigations, into the circumstances under which the members were reappointed, are completed. The IGG received a whistle blower petition indicating that the board members were reappointed without cabinet approval.

In a letter stopping the swearing-in ceremony, the IG revealed that they need time to first conclude investigations into claims that the mandatory security vetting of members by Interpol wasn’t done and that the relevant bodies, which board members are supposed to represent, were never consulted to establish if the reappointments were okay.

The IGG is also investigating as to why the mandatory certificate of financial implications was never applied for from the ministry of finance before reappointment. There also claims of conflict of interest on the part of the newly reappointed NDA board chairman Dr. Medard Bitekyerezo, who is a member on the board of one of the government agencies whose work the same NDA is mandated to supervise and regulate.

He is also the chairman for the global fund’s country coordinating mechanism committee yet the NDA, he chairs, is supposed to regulate and supervise the manufacturing and importation of anti-TB, anti-HIV and anti-malaria drugs by the same global fund mechanism. The IGG has agreed with the whistle blower that such clear conflict of interest needs to be investigated and punished before the new board can be sworn in.

However, decision makers at NDA led by the board chairman Dr. Medard have insisted on holding the swearing in ceremony which magistrate Gladys Kamasanyu has been invited to preside over, whether the IGG likes it or not.

Dr. Medard has gone on to use his personal assistant and special friend Dora Namyalo to secure ‘Four Points by Sheraton’ on Kololo hill as the venue for the clandestine function to which no news reporters have been invited.

Like they did before some years ago when they stormed Kyambogo University and arrested council members, who had defied then IGG Irene Mulyagonja and went on with illegality, the officials at the inspectorate are determined to deploy security and have all the attendees of the Monday function arrested.

They will be charged with contempt of lawful orders and directives of the IGG. The impending cracking of the whip by the IGG, involving the arrest and humiliation of top NDA bosses before media cameras, it’s being feared, will only escalate things and make worse the already fragile and bad governance situation at DNA where rivaling cliques have been formed by board members protesting Dr. Medard’s combative leadership style.

Already some board members have been dropped and haven’t been replaced on the reappointed board, including Dr. Ekwaro Obuku who represents Uganda medical association (UMA).

Some board members recently approached the solicitor general calling on him to write a legal opinion advising the president to order the disbandment of the ‘NDA Commission’ which they say was operationalized by Dr. Medard in order to dilute the powers of the mainstream board.

Apart from Dr. Medard, the NDA board comprises of other powerful members such as counsel Adoch Idro, Dr. Muhammed Mbabali a dentist, trade ministry rep Zachary Kalega, Dr. Martha Grace Ajulong, Mbarara city DVO Dr. Andrew Akashaba, Dr. Grace Nambatya Kyeyune, Gen Dr. Ambrose K Musinguzi, director general medical services Dr. Charles Olaro, Makerere pharmacy department’s Dr. Robert Otto BD, Hajji Jamir Mukwaya, Dr. Anna Rose Ademun, Dr. Rosemary Byanyima who heads Mulago hospital.

Each one of these risks being arrested on the spot early Monday morning should they defy the IGG directive halting their swearing-in ceremony, and turn up for Dr. Medard’s inauguration event at four points by Sheraton hotel in Kololo.

It will be hard to escape culpability because the IGG’s orders and directives have to be taken seriously and whoever defies them must suffer consequences of willful disobedience to lawful orders.

Below these board members, the other powerful people at NDA, according to the organization official website, include directors Patrick Okema for procurement, JB Tuhaima head human resources and head quality management services Dora Namyalo at whose instigation board members’ reappointment acceptance date was falsified to indicate 29th January yet the same was served on to them and received on 17th Feb as they came for their would-be final board meeting.

Others are-director Rogers Kayita, director Hellen Ndagishi, director enforcement Dr. Denis Mwesigwa, director Juliet Awori Okecho, director Emma Naluyima, director Jean Muhindo, director Samuel Kyomukama and highly connected counsel Diana Kabuzire who heads legal services at the Authority.

Should the Monday swearing-in event go on, the latter-Kabuzire-will be in much deeper trouble over willful failure to properly advise Dr. Medard on the legal consequences that ensue from willful refusal to abide by and obey lawful orders by a constitutionally-mandated office like that of IGG.