Shock As MPs Finally Endorse Corruption Ex-Convict Alice Kaboyo

By Richard Kintu

Despite President Yoweri Museveni vowing to stop corruption in this Hakuna Mchezo Reloaded political term, all indications are that his threat may be bigger than his will.

The assertion follows the clearance of Alice Kaboyo whose approval as minister had been stalled by the august house on grounds of her past conviction over corruption-related charges.

Particulars of her case show that in 2012 Kaboyo pleaded guilty to two counts of abuse of office and writing documents in the name of former Private Principal Presidential Secretary Amelia Kyambadde. She was a

Then advanced shs524m to prepare advocacy conferences for GAVI. The money was however advanced to her after she had already resigned her post in the ministry of health.

It is worth noting that following the recent cabinet reshuffle, Kaboyo was named State Minister for Luwero Triangle in the place of David Galabuzi. However, she suffered a heartache when the parliamentary appointments committee refused to approve her appointment. Kaboyo was being haunted by the ghosts of the infamous Gavi Funds scandal in which she pleaded guilty to some corruption-related scandals. She was thus sentenced to a Shs20m fine which she paid and escaped sleeping in the coolers for 8 years. In a magical twist however, Kaboyo — in trying to explain why she should be approved as minister despite her dented track record — blamed her admission of guilt then on her now deceased controversial lawyer Bob Kasango (RIP). Kaboyo told MPs that late Kasango misadvised her to admit guilt so that she quickly settles the matter. Many anti-corruption crusaders then hailed parliament’s move, saying it had opened a new chapter in the anti-corruption fight. This was in light of reports that corruption remains one of the biggest blights of President Museveni’s reign; with many critics faulting him for being over tolerant with the corrupt despite his proclamations that he wants to stamp it out.

In fact, once news of Kaboyo’s clearance emerged, social critic Timothy Kalyegira tweeted thus:

“Museveni 2021-2026= Obote 1980-1985; Obote was in control of the government but not the army, while M7 is in charge of the army but not the government. Things are now getting beyond M7’s control. Even if you steal a ministry’s entire budget, he can’t do anything about it.” It however is not clear whether he was referring to Kaboyo’s turn in fortunes.