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Kampala, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | The Public Accounts Committee-PAC has kicked out Kyambogo University officials for appearing without the University Secretary, Charles Okello.
The team had appeared to respond to queries in the Auditor General’s report for the 2019/2020 financial year.
However, the committee declined to entertain the team led by the Deputy University Secretary, Arthur Katongole.
His pleas to explain to the Committee chaired by the Budadiri West Member of Parliament, Nathan Nandala Mafabi that Okello was away attending to his sick mother fell on deaf ears.
Nandala argued that it was illegal for the meeting to proceed without Okello who is the accounting officer of the institution.
Nandala advised the officials to ensure that they appear next week with several documents to support their responses key among which is authorization to spend funds on unbudgeted items.
One of the outstanding queries is the payment of Shillings 4.6 billion to settle domestic arrears against the budget provision of Shillings 1.1 billion.
Michael Tusiime, the Mbarara Municipality Member of Parliament asked about whether or not the revenue collection at the university has improved since URA took over collection last year.
Katongole told the MPs that previous mismatch between student numbers and revenue collection had been sorted out by an integrated computerized system.
He however said the lockdown had affected revenue collection. He noted that the university had collected Shillings 65 Bn by the time of the lockdown that was announced on March 20th, 2020.
In regard to the 2018/2019 financial year, the Auditor General noted that after reviewing the Non Tax Revenue estimates, he observed that Shillings 72 billion out of the budgeted Shillings 89 billion had been realized.
He noted that the failure to collect revenue affects implementation of planned activities and achievement of intended objectives.
In his written response to the committee, the Kyambogo University Secretary noted that the increase in revenue projections was based on increased teaching space which admitting more students.
He however explained that despite the large number of applicants, fewer students registered.
Nandala told the officials that the committee would communicate the next date when they will appear next week together with the accounting officer.
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