Kampala- More than 50 accounting officers have been dropped after they failed to answer accountability queries in the audit reports, in a new government crackdown on non-accountability of public funds and other hitches to service delivery ahead of the 2016 general election.
The Secretary to the Treasury, Mr Keith Muhakanizi, on June 10, wrote to the Clerk to Parliament, forwarding the list of the sacked and retained accounting officers.
The list of the affected accounting officers includes permanent secretaries, chief administrative officers and heads of departments, who failed to answer queries for the 2013/14 financial year.
Some of the affected accounting officers are Mr Frank Nigel Othembi, the director of Law Development Centre; Mr Stephen Asiimwe, the chief executive officer of Uganda Tourism Board; Ms Jackie Kemirembe of Uganda Embassy in Egypt; Mr Dennis Kalikola Lugemye of Uganda Embassy in Libya; Mr Abubaker Magalu Hirome of Uganda Embassy in Saudi Arabia; Ms Esther Asinde of Uganda Embassy in Denmark and Mr Julius Mwijusya of Uganda Embassy in Rome.
In dropping the officers, Mr Jim Mugunga, the ministry spokesperson, told Daily Monitor that Mr Muhakanizi moved under Section 11 (2) (g) of the new Public Finance Management Act, which mandates him to appoint or designate accounting officers in accordance with the Act.