The Independent Uganda: You get the Truth we Pay the Price
Kampala, Uganda | GODFREY SSALI | Lands, Housing and Urban Development minister Betty Amongi is facing calls to resign over allegations that she was involved in grabbing land belonging to departed Asians following a string of allegations.
Amongi Tuesday finally offered herself before the commission of inquiry into land matters chaired by Justice Catherine Bamugemereire where she she was grilled for about nine hours from midday, and asked to resign her position as a minister in public interest.
Bamugemereire accused the minister of abuse of office, influence peddling, conflict of interest and threatened to order the Inspector General of Government to investigate her.
Amongi also Oyam South Member of Parliament was accused of turning herself into a land broker whereby she acquires government properties through her Company, manages them and in turn pays some little money to government as rent.
She is further accused of failing to file returns for her company since its incorporation in 2008 which shows non compliance in terms of tax payment.
The Commission also accused Amongi of Conflict of Interest, after it was discovered that her Company AMOBET Investments Ltd, applied for Government Property of Departed Asians, yet she was a Member of the Departed Asians Property Custodian Board.
In her testimony the Minister told the seven-member Commission Chaired by Justice Bamugemereire that she does not have a direct role to do with the Departed Asians Property.
But according to evidence before the Commission on February 15, 2018 using the Ministry’s letter head, Minister Amongi wrote to the owner of the disputed property on plot 29 Acacia avenue-Kololo, Tashak Partel summoning him to appear at the Ministry of land Head quarters, for questioning in relation to forged documents, including a land title and a certificate of re-possession regarding the contentious property.
It’s against this background that the Commissioners wondered whether she didn’t know that she had personal interest in a matter she was investigating, and that the property her Company had applied for was among the Properties entrusted to her as a Minister of Lands and a Member of the Custodian Board.
The Commission Chair also inquired to know from Amongi whether she reconciled her private business with the Leadership Code Act, the moment she became a Cabinet Minister, since all indications showed that her dealings amount to Conflict of Interest and Influence peddling.
The Minister in her response indicated that her Company applied for the said property temporarily through its Managing Director Henry Mubiru after discovering that the disputed property was not repossessed.
Hearing was adjourned to Wednesday and the minister is ordered to return to the commission to answer questions in relation to the land fund.
Amongi already has a conflict of interest as a member of UPC sitting in NRM kitchen cabinet. You’ve been trapped. Your work ethics should have started in your home party. On the day of your skinning, wearing a red lipstick, or red party colours will not save you. You’re not representing your party in the cabinet. You’re in the cabinet for your own individual interests of acquiring more wealth and power. You strategized for this. Aren’t the MPs emoluments enough for you? Power corrupts.