Due diligence was carried out before Ajarova got UTB top job

The appointment of Lily Ajarova as the new Uganda Tourism Board (UTB) head was carried out in a proper manner, a ministry of tourism official has said.

Last week, Tourism Minister Ephraim Kamuntu named Ajarova, currently the executive director of Ngamba Chimpanzee Sanctuary as the next Chief Executive Officer of UTB.

The announcement was made by the State for Tourism Wildlife Godfrey Kiwanda last week.

She replaces Stephen Asiimwe who has been at the helm of UTB for since 2014.

“The Ministry is confident that Lilly Ajarova had the right qualifications and experience to steer UTB and the country’s tourism sector into greater heights,” Kiwanda said as he introduced Ajarova and her deputy Robbster Ochieng last week.

A member of the Advisory Committee of Pan African Sanctuary Alliance, Ajarova previously worked with the Uganda Wildlife Authority and at the Uganda Tourism Board before heading the Ngamba Island Chimpanzee Sanctuary for 13 years.

But her appointment came under scrutiny with a section of tourism players claiming she was not the best candidate for the job.

The critics claimed Ochieng, the director corporate affairs at Public Procurement and Disposal of Public Assets came out on top, beating both Ajarova and former Uganda Wildlife Authority (UWA) boss Andrew Seguya.

However, on Thursday, a source at the Ministry of Tourism cited the Uganda Tourism Act, 2008 to say Minister Kamuntu has the prerogative to choose whoever he deems fit to head the board, whose ‘mandate is to promote and popularise Uganda as a viable tourist destination both locally and internationally.’

According to Article 11, Section 2 of the Uganda Tourism Act, ‘the chief executive officer and deputy chief executive officer shall be appointed by the Minister on the recommendation of the Board and shall hold office for such period and upon such terms and conditions as the Board may, in consultation with the Minister, determine.’

Section four also gives the minister, on the recommendation of the Board the leeway to ‘remove the chief executive officer or deputy chief executive officer from office’ for among others gross misconduct, dishonesty, incompetence and inability to discharge the functions of his or her office.

“The minister selects a candidate who will propel the sector private and public interests,” the tourism ministry official told Watchdog Uganda.

“The appointment of Lily has been finalised after a very thorough and rigorous process for selection of the most suitable candidate for this key position in an institution of national significance. Private sector and Ministry of Tourism is confident that she will bring sanity to UTB.”

Earlier, Mr Geoffrey Baluku, a tourism consultant, had defended the appointment saying the minister did not know who would apply.

“He received three names and his task was to use his judgment to choose the best in the interest of Uganda’s tourism,” Baluku said.

“Due diligence was done on three names submitted and the best choice who has been widely embraced is Lilly Ajarova. The sector is happy with her coming on board.”

Ajarova is expected to commence work at UTB in March.