20111007
Reuters
KAMPALA (Reuters) - A Ugandan court has summoned three senior government officials to answer corruption charges in what analysts say is an increased attempt to stem endemic misuse of public funds and end a culture of impunity.


The summons, seen by Reuters on Thursday, said Foreign Affairs Minister Sam Kutesa, Government Chief Whip John Nasasira and junior Labour Minister Mwesigwa Rukutana, should appear before the court on October 13.

They are to be charged with abuse of office and causing financial loss to the government.

The court issued the summons after receiving a charge sheet from the Inspector General of Government (IGG), Raphael Baku.

In the charge sheet, Baku said the three led to the loss of 14 billion shillings while presiding over preparations to host the 2007 Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM).

Uganda spent an estimated 500 billion shillings to host the meeting. The opposition and critics say much of that was embezzled by public officials.

The charge sheet says the three ministers irregularly committed the government to fund construction works at a private hotel.

East Africa's third largest economy, plagued by high inflation and a plummeting local currency, depends on donors to fund about 30 percent its annual budget.

Local and international censure has intensified against President Yoweri Museveni whom critics say has failed to curb pervasive corruption and its toll on public service delivery.

On Monday, the same anti-graft court cancelled bail for Uganda's former vice president Gilbert Bukenya and detained him before his trial on corruption charges starts.

He is accused of flouting procurement laws by influencing the award of a contract for the supply of luxury cars and police outrider motorcycles for the same Commonwealth meeting.

"President Museveni is eager to placate donors and the opposition with these prosecutions," said Angelo Izama, political analyst and director for Fana Kwawote, an energy think-tank.

"Uganda is facing an economic crisis and Museveni needs money from donors but he has to first show them that he's serious about ending grand corruption."