ACCOUNT: IGG Probes Coffee Authority Boss Over UGX9B Coffee Fertilizer Cash

By SMN INVESTIGATIVE TEAM

KAMPALA, Uganda[SHIFTMEDIA]The Inspectorate of Government is probing the alleged abuse of office by the Managing Director Uganda Coffee Development Authority  Dr. Emmanuel Iyamulemye Niyibigira , Shift Media has discovered.

The investigations that has also brought on board the Crime Intelligence Department (CIID) of the Uganda Police as well as the State House Anti-Corruption Unit follows a petition filed in October 16 2021 by a whistle blower.

 

What is in the Petition?

According to the IGG, Hon. Beti Olive Namisango Kamya , the petitioner (Names withheld) highlighted scores of allegation against the UCDA boss, Dr. Emmanuel Niyibigira ranging from covert leakage of UGX9billion meant, influence peddling, abuse of office, as well as causing financial loss.

Sources within the office of the IGG intimated to our team of investigators that the embattled UCDA boss will be quizzed on how government lost UGX9 billion when procuring organic fertilizers under

(PROC REF: UCDNSUPLS/20-21/00119).

 

Details emerge

“We hereby bring lo your attention that on 26″‘ May 2021, the Managing Director (MD) of UCDA published the best evaluated bidder notices on the Entity notice board and on 24th June 2021, he was notified of a complaint from the bidders about the contract award decision displayed in respect to the above subject procurement and requested to  provide the necessary documents to facilitate the investigation into the matter The Public Procurement and Disposal of Public Assets Authority (PPDA” wrote the petitioner.

Despite the complaints raised to PPDA , Emmanuel lyamulemye) went ahead and signed a contract based on the contract award decision that was subject of the investigation.

 PPDA investigates

After the complaints were raised, PPDA swung into action and probed the procurement.

According to PPDA, they discovered that indeed the procurement was fraudulent.

PPDA investigation report confirmed that the UCDA had illegally denied the contract to the legitimate winner and instead awarded the contract to bidder whose sample failed to meet the qualities of the required fertilizer and hence counterfeit fertilizer at UGX 9 billion.

The IGG and the police are digging deeper to ascertain why Iyamulemye decided to give the tender to the highest bidder whose sample didn’t even meet the required standards.

Iyamulemye declines to comment

Our frantic calls and visits to have his side of story hit a dead end as he either refused to pick our calls or denied us entry into his offices.