A whistleblower has petitioned the Inspector General of Government asking the ombudsman to investigate whether the Shs 146 billion that was advanced to Kiira Motors Corporation by government was put to its intended use.
The petitioner, in a document dated August 4, claims that the money was misused and now wants a wide-ranging investigation into the matter.
Kiira Motors Corporation is a state owned enterprise established to manufacture electric powered automobiles.
Government owns 96% shareholding and Makerere University owns the remaining 4%. The company has manufactured three vehicles so far; Kiira EV, Kayoola Solar Bus and Kiira EVS.
The whistleblower claims that the company has been taken over by a criminal gang, whose intention is to swindle taxpayers money.
Of particular interest is the Shs 146 billion that the petitioner claims was advanced to the firm to manufacture vehicles but only three have been made.
“In April 2018, the cabinet approved a seed fund of $ 40 million (Shs 146 billion) to be made in phased payments over 4 years starting in 2018/2019 financial year to commercialise this project. It is well known that save for the Kiira EV, no bus has been manufactured or even assembled in Uganda but the same have been purchased from China and shipped to Kampala and paraded before both his Excellency the President and Ugandans to hoodwink them in a bid to justify the funding received from government while the same continues to be siphoned by its management,” the petition reads.
The petitioner accuses the minister of Science and Technology, Elioda Tumwesigye of not playing his supervisory role since the company falls under his ministry.
“The Minister of Science, Technology and Innovation Dr. Elioda Tumwesigye was authorized to establish and oversee the project governance and management structures of this project,” writes the petitioner.
The petition is also copied to the chairman, Public Accounts Committee (PAC) and Lt. Col. Edith Nakalema, the head of the State House Anti Corruption Unit.
Weeks ago, Kiira Motors Corporation was in the news after a former student at Makerere University claimed that the idea to make the buses was ‘stolen’ from him by the firm.
The firm denied the allegations.
