Fresh storm at BoU

The appointments Mutebile cancelled had been done and approved by Oketcho, Kasekende and the board.  Mutebile had not been around. When he returned, he found a tonne of complaints about the entire process. The board had also been petitioned but had ignored the complaints. Mutebile was concerned that he had not been consulted.

Owing to the controversy surrounding the process, the governor declined to ratify the appointment of assistant directors. He instead directed that the Internal Audit investigate the entire process.

The Chief Internal Auditor, Deborah Kabahweza, now Executive Director Finance, concluded that the process had issues and called for its termination.

But the Executive Director Administration, Solomon advised Mutebile to ignore the recommendations, go ahead and approve the appointments.

“We have to respect internal audit and cancel,” Mutebile insisted.

Amidst all this, on July 28, Mutebile wrote to the Executive Director Administration (EDA) asking him to propose a rotation and transfter schedule for staff from the rank of Assistant Director to Executive Directors by Aug. 4.

“Please note that in future, the transfer and rotation of staff in the category mentioned above shall be approved by me,” Mutebile wrote in a letter copied to Kasekende.

Insiders say by this directive, the governor had cut off Kasekende who had been overseeing the rotations while working with the EDA.

The EDA, Solomon Oketcho had not replied by Aug.4. He replied on Sept.6. In his reply, Oketcho proposed rotation and transfer of staff for Assistant Director and Director. He attached a list of only 22 staff. But even amongst these, Oketcho proposed that many are not transferred because either; they had been in the position for “below five years”, there was “no one to swap with”, “on-going Crane Bank issues” or “newly transferred”.

“It is proposed that the transfer of Executive Directors be stayed because of the on-going Crane Bank legal issues,” Oketcho wrote, “transfers affecting this category might be misinterpreted.”

In effect, insiders say, Oketcho proposed no changes at all. Some insiders saw this as a move intended to keep people in certain jobs.

However, between September and January, Mutebile came up with a fresh list and in a Feb.7 memo announced changes. Oketcho, Kasekende and some board members opposed these changes.

One of the board members even petitioned the Inspector General of Government to investigate the changes—sparking a war of words between the latter and the Governor.

To settle the crisis, President Museveni in a March 26 meeting asked the IGG to back off insisting that staff rotation was an internal matter under the dominion of the Governor.

The president also appointed a committee led by Abdu Katuntu, the former chairman for parliament’s committee on Commissions, Statutory Authorities and State Enterprises (COSASE).

The committee concluded its investigations at the end of July. But even as investigations went, one of the board members, Judy Obitre-Gama, had insisted that none of the new appointees appears before the board to make any presentations. The new controversies show that the mess in BoU’s recruitment process still needs serious attention.

Some of the staff seconded to the DPF

Moses Apell Odongo, was a Senior Principal Banking Officer but was seconded as an Assistant Director

James Mbanda Byamukama, was a Senior Banking Officer but was seconded as an Assistant Director

Hashim Kirungi, a Senior Banking Officer I was also seconded as an Assistant Director

Moses Tamale, was a Senior Banking Officer I but was seconded as a Principal Banking Officer

Justine Komukama, a Senior Banking Officer II, was seconded as a Principal Banking Officer

BoU Ranks

Executive Director

Director

Deputy Director/Assistant Director

Senior Banking officer

Principal Banking Officer

Senior Banking Officer I

Senior Banking Officer II

Banking Officer I

Banking Officer II