Kadaga wants Auditor General to audit police SACCO

Kampala, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | The Speaker of Parliament Rebecca Kadaga wants the Auditor General to audit the accounts of the Police Exodus SACCO.

The Police SACCO with a 4.8 billion shillings share capital and membership of 32,800 members has been marred with controversies in recent months. Members are not able to access or withdrawal their savings, causing panic among its members.

The then SACCO chairperson, Assistant Superintendent of Police Henry Kalulu was arrested for alleged mismanagement.

Although the Minister of Internal Affairs Mario Obiga Kania told Parliament that they would audit the accounts of the SACCO, no audit has been carried out.

Meeting Kadaga on Tuesday, the new leadership of the SACCO led by Assistant Inspector General of Police and Joint Chief of Staff Jack Bakasumba said that the new leadership will ensure that the SACCO helps police officers.

However, when asked by Members of Parliament who attended the meeting on whether the audit had started, Bakasumba said it’s yet to start investigations.

Bakasumba also told MPs that no member had expressed interest to withdraw from the SACCO.

James Waluswaka, the Bunyole west MP and Mbwatekamwa Gaffa, the Kasambya MP called for a forensic audit because the police cannot spearhead their own audit.

Mbwatekamwa alleges members who want to leave the SACCO are being charged huge amounts of money.

Elijah Okupa, the Kasilo County MP also called for the exemption of withholding tax charged on suppliers together with the SACCO who supplied food to police officers during the 2016 elections.

The suppliers petitioned Parliament saying they have not been paid, but police is also deducting withholding tax of their remaining balance of 9 billion shillings.

Kadaga said she will write a letter to the Auditor-General asking for an independent audit. She also tasked the SACCO leadership to write to Finance requesting for an exemption of the suppliers since they were informal at the time of supply.

The suppliers are demanding 9.2 billion of 20 billion shillings worth of supplies.

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