The Independent Uganda: You get the Truth we Pay the Price
By Our Reporter
President Yoweri Museveni has directed Dr. Asuman Lukwago, the permanent secretary in the Ministry of Health to dismiss Frank Mugisha Kasaka, the head of procurement for allegedly asking for a bribe from an investor.
The President’s directive follows a complaint from Enrica Pinetti the chairman of Finasi, an Italian company.
Pinetti accused Mugisha of asking for a bribe of 20% of the total project he was handling in order to finalize the procurement processes, according to a statement from State House released on Aug.22.
Finasi, founded in the early 1970s is an importer/exporter and primary goods trader in the Middle East and Africa it has innovated and developed specific know-how in the healthcare, oil & gas, interiors and organic food fields delivering value-added services to its clients.
Following a meeting that took place on Aug.21, between President Museveni, health ministry officials and the investors at State House in Entebbe, the president directed that Mugisha be removed with immediate effect and be replaced with a devoted civil servant who cannot steal.
‘‘How can you keep a thief in the Ministry? And how are you going to counsel a thief? A thief is a thief. He should be removed,’’ Museveni is quoted as saying.
The President pointed out that the coming of Finasi to Uganda was at his request to build a first class hospital that would deal with complicated problems such as kidney and heart operations.
“I requested them to come to Uganda to deal with kidney and heart problems so that we stop people from going to India for treatment,’’ he said.
The President also directed the Ministry to iron out its differences with the investor in two weeks and pave way for the project.
According to the report from the Minister of Health, Dr. Ruhakana Rugunda, to the President, Mugisha formerly worked with the Ministry of Agriculture before being transferred to the Health Ministry where he has been for nine months.
