{UAH} Minister Tumwebaze Relations Cited in Katosi Saga
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Minister Tumwebaze Relations Cited in Katosi Saga
Presidency Minister Frank Tumwebaze's Sister and Cousin Emerge Vividly in Mukono-Katosi Road Scandal, Giving Credence to Byandala Allegations
By Team Investigator
Minister for Presidency and Kampala Affairs Frank Tumwebaze's relatives have been cited in the infamous Mukono-Katosi saga. This brings back to life, Works Minister Abraham Byandala's serious allegations against his cabinet colleague, the Investigator can confidently report.
Betty Kyasiimire, a senior official with Serena-based High Tides Ltd, and a one Joseph, a city lawyer are highly believed to be Tumwebaze's sister and cousin respectively. The duo prominently features in the new documentary evidence in our possession.
The revelation comes just days after the hitherto 'inexistent' EUTAW Construction Company authorities emerged and threatened to expose government big shots' "high level criminal extortion and corruption," which could have led to the reported procurement inaccuracies in their contract, the same leading to eventual cancellation of their sub-contractors, CICO operations at the site.
Also evident in the documents signed between EUTAW and High Tides Ltd, is that the former was under immense pressure to pay the latter, USD1M in less than 48hrs after receiving the first advance from Uganda National Roads Authority (UNRA). This, if proved, could partly explain why the Shs24bn advance did not sleep in the bank.
"The first party [EUTAW] shall make this payment to the second party United States Dollars One Million within twenty four hours and in any case, not more than 48 hours after UNRA has paid the first party the first advance payment after contract award…," reads in part, one of the agreements dated December 1st 2010 and whose total contract figure is USD1.7M, with Kyasiimire for High Tides and Kwesiga as a witness.
Contacted, the minister could neither confirm, nor refute the reported relations with Kyasiimire and Joseph. On the first attempt, without paying attention to our call reasons, he said he would not have time to talk to us until after December 15th 2014, suggesting a meeting after that time. He further cautioned us to tread carefully with whoever is "using" us.
Not contented, we changed the approach by texting him thus; "Hon, we know you must be very busy but we simply want to confirm any relationship, as alleged, between you and Betty Kyasiimire along with Counsel Joseph... The rest can wait," we wrote him.
The Minister instantly replied thus; "My dear, don't involve me in stories that have been cooked by political schemers. If you want to be used, go ahead and publish what you want. I will ably defend myself. Let whoever is giving you the story give you all the facts you want…"
Our investigations, involving a physical 'visit' established that the Minister, and his wife, a city lawyer, are regulars at High Tides offices. Further investigations suggested that Joseph works with a notable government Authority but we could not readily confirm the same. It is however subject to curiosity how the pair picked interest in a contract whose saga was later to involve their relative minister.
The Flashback
On November 24th 2014, UNRA cancelled the contract between government and EUTAW on the controversial Mukono-Katosi road construction. They also directed the contractor to withdraw from the site. Barely a week after, the hitherto 'inexistent' EUTAW Construction Company emerged to claim they exist and properly entered into a contract with UNRA on the same project.
The Investigator instantly reported how the true owners of the hitherto 'phony' company that was awarded the contract and granted a Shs24bn advance before they sub-contracted the same to a Chinese Company, CICO, had emerged to claim that UNRA's stance against them is a dangerous move that will leave the nationals in agape.
Our sources privy with EUTAW activities religiously informed us on how some big shots in UNRA and Government deliberately misinformed the public and twisted facts in a bid to make dimes. "We are prepared to produce irrefutable evidence of highly placed UNRA officials who, for own personal financial gains, made threats of document fabrication if we didn't comply with their threats of blackmail."
Enters Minister Byandala
In August, Minister of Works and Communication Eng. Abraham Byandala gave an exclusive interview to a local newspaper (The Observer), dragging Ministers Frank Tumwebaze and John Nasasira in the then hot Mukono-Katosi road saga. This was at the climax of calls on him to resign over the scandal.
Byandala said that Nasasira, his predecessor and now minister for ICT, and Frank Tumwebaze are quietly fuelling the uproar over the controversial award of a Shs 165bn contract for the upgrade of the 74km Mukono-Kyetume-Katosi/Kisoga-Nyenga road to Eutaw, a US company.
He pinned Tumwebaze of fabricating stories against him…"They want me out of office "These stories were taken to the New Vision by Frank Tumwebaze." But Tumwebaze hastily fired back, asking Byandala to carry his own cross… (Read; RIP Honourable Byandala or I Drag U2Court ).
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