PAC accuses govt institutions of linking Covid19 into funds mismanagement

By Francis Lubega

12^th May 2022

The Public Accounts committee of Parliament-PAC has observed that most Government institutions are using the COVID-19 pandemic to justify their mismanagement of public funds.

This Thursday, the committee chaired by Bugiri Municipality MP Asuman Basalirwa has been meeting officials from the Uganda Virus Research Institute -UVRI led by the Deputy Director Julius Lutwama and found out that some funds were irregularly mischarged from planned activities in the financial year 2020/2021under the guise of COVID-19 response.

According to the Auditor General’s report for the year ended June 30^th 2021, the Institute reallocated 53million shillings from activities which were budgeted for without seeking necessary approvals as required by the law.

Basalirwa noted that different entities that they are currently meeting give excuses, but are warned against breaching the law.

However, in his explanation for the relocation of the funds, Lutwama said they were directed by the Ministry of Health to conduct a testing exercise of all Covid-19 testing kits that were being imported into the country by then without providing funds for the exercise.