Mukula guilty of embezzling GAVI funds

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Friday, 18 January 2013 16:34
Written by Edgar Angumya
41 Comments
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Soroti municipality MP Mike Mukula has been sentenced to four years in prison after he was found guilty embezzling of Shs 210m of the Global Alliance Vaccine (GAVI) funds by Chief Magistrate Irene Akankwasa of the Anti-Corruption Court.

It is still unclear if Mukula will appeal against the sentence in the High Court. If he loses his appeal and is jailed for longer than six months, Mukula could lose his parliamentary seat.

While serving as minister of state for Health (General Duties), Mukula allegedly requisitioned and signed for Shs 263m on behalf of the First Lady, Janet Museveni, which money was part of Gavi (Global Alliance for Vaccines and Immunisation) funds donated to Uganda for treatment of children infected with HIV/Aids, malaria and tuberculosis.

Up to Shs 1.6bn of the fund was allegedly misappropriated, and the Health ministers at the time were held culpable, among other individuals. The other ministers were Jim Muhwezi (Health) and Dr Alex Kamugisha (state for Primary Healthcare).

However, court, on July 31 2012, ruled that Muhwezi and Kamugisha had no case to answer, but Mukula, who accounted for Shs 53m, was told to explain the whereabouts of Shs 210m.

At the time Mukula said: “On my part, I’m certain I have no case to answer because even the [Health] Permanent Secretary, Lukwago, recently told Parliament that there was no loss occasioned to government as far as Gavi funds are concerned, but we shall go through the due process and convince not only court but the whole world,” Mukula said.

Akankwasa said during today’s ruling that since Mukula embezzled funds earmarked for support of HIV/AIDS patients and victims he deserved no mercy, and his conviction should serve as a deterrent to other civil servants, who have gradually made it a habit to help themselves to public funds.

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Comments

 
+1 #1 Patriot 2013-01-18 17:01
This is the political will to fight corruption that the citizens have been longing to see. I hope it is real.
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+16 #2 Jim Kamezza 2013-01-18 17:02
1.6 Billion was misappropriated ,where is the rest of the money ? how come others were let free
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+6 #3 Troll 2013-01-18 17:09
Funny that in Uganda, the innocent or in this case the least guilty get punished.

Either way, I bet he doesn't even go to jail. He'll get bail and we are supposed to forget, wondering how someone who has been sentenced gets bail.
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+7 #4 emma lo kelim 2013-01-18 17:10
edolit noi,narai nges elope ekoto arikitoi.

let him go and do the time,regardless of isuesses of selective prosecution. this will help him kno the real colours of the pple
he has been blancketting.

capt mike mukula...NRM Oyeaaah
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+3 #5 Raysamurai 2013-01-18 17:21
Again the dictator is shooting his own foot. He has no moral intergrity to send Mukula to Luzira. How much taxpayer money himself has double-embezalled on ID scum less the cost of 400 IDs? He is Robin Hood in reverse on steroids.

If Mukula is imprisoned,"it is going to be bloody".The all of Soroti is going decend on the so called state house for his release.I presume chief militia Kahihura is getting his tools of brutality ready to confront protesters. This is a catylist for the crumbling regime.
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+10 #6 Omulongo Wasswa 2013-01-18 17:28
4 years is nothing . He is a rich man who stole from poor sick kids while his own children study in UK .
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+9 #7 Raysamurai 2013-01-18 17:34
Patriot,this is a mere trick to(lure)for the benefit of donors to re-instate funding.
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+10 #8 Layman 2013-01-18 17:36
Besigye could not risk to fight from within. Mukula, Tewejusa.
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+3 #9 Betty Long Cap 2013-01-18 17:58
Quoting Raysamurai:
If Mukula is imprisoned,"it is going to be bloody".


Agreed, Raysamurai. In America, they say if you want to get someone bumped off, get him behind bars.
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+5 #10 emma lo kelim 2013-01-18 18:01
2-
the problem NRM had was not to fight corruption
on this matter. Do not forget capt had also shown intrest in presidency and was surely going to get overwhelming support from eastern region and yet m7 is not yet willing to give way, late alone to an etesot or easterner.

Remember BUGANDA and TESO are most populated tribes. This also reminds me of m7 's comments on the buganda riots he said; i would rather worry of the iteso than the baganda because when the iteso go the bush they usually wants power unlike the baganda who will wants money and therefore making the latter the easiers part to deal with.

mu7 still wants to win the east,so what do u do;taint capt with bad image although he wont be in jail.keep him out of jail to blind fold the iteso and kill his political carrier.
2 birds with one stone.
clever mu7 and..............mike mukula
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-4 #11 kakooza salongo 2013-01-18 18:16
life is what you make it to be please no need for bail just help us captain cause if i had been AMIN them think by now you would be in yo grave at least the punishment is fair still how many people died on your expenses go to jail and serve just like others have done.
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+11 #12 Katherine 2013-01-18 18:23
Only when the chief thief is sent to jail, only then will I cheer the courts. These are just greedy conduits who thought that they are part of the thieving clan now reality has hit them.

Mukula is now regretting why he ever danced with the devils!!!!!
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0 #13 Salongo kakooza 2013-01-18 18:24
captain thats good to prostituted in your government than in other government serve like a captain no bail noooooooooooooo oooo.
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+6 #14 George 2013-01-18 18:26
Not so fast!! What is doing him in are his political ambitions. It was a matter of time.

That talk of running for President is suicide in NRM. Jim Muhwezi and Alex Kamugisha knew the drill. Mukula and Tumukunde did not.
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+5 #15 dick 2013-01-18 18:30
Quoting Patriot:
This is the political will to fight corruption that the citizens have been longing to see. I hope it is real.


Are you kidding me .... Your either silly or diversionary what about kutesa , kaboyo , nassaira etc this is selective justice ... tribalism at its lowest
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+5 #16 sn 2013-01-18 18:48
If Mike failed to argue his case for 210m he deserves punishment. But even the 53m given to Janet should attract interest; why was it requisitioned; what was it used for?

After Mukula hopefully we see Basajabalaba joining him on sentence. The Kazindas, Sajjabis, Bigirimana, I hope there is enough room for them all at Luzira.
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+25 #17 semakula 2013-01-18 18:50
Interesting to read>
Forgive Kamugisha and Muhwezi but NAIL MUKULA.
Forgive "Salim saleh" Akandwanaho HUMMER Sulaiman Kigundu
Forgive S.Kuteesa, Rukutana Mwesigwa and John Nasasira but JAIL Gilbert Bukenya.

Forget Amama Mbabazi but HUMILIATE Chandi Jamwa
Leave Governor Tumusiime Mutebile but sack Makubuya and Saidah Bumba and later
sacrifice Basajjabalaba.
I wish I was in this wagon called NRM
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+3 #18 Francis 2013-01-18 18:59
This is another Comedy show of Afande KereKere, Kapere and Co. in the Side Mirror!!

Mukula's war against the first family has indeed come to an acrimonious end. There can only one result for challenging M7.
4 years in jail?!!, Corruption is the best business in Uganda.
Well, Let the Man serve 10 Years and refund the cash!
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+2 #19 mitiyana mubiru 2013-01-18 19:00
Four years in prison is nothing, when somebody has not refund the money,the man has properties let the court give way of selling his properties.
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+1 #20 Betty Long Cap 2013-01-18 19:05
Quoting Omulongo Wasswa:
4 years is nothing .


Omulongo Wasswa proves George Bernard Shaw right: "Youth is wasted on the young." Four years means a lot to someone my age.
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