The government of Mauritius has denied allegations that its officials met with State Minister for Investment Evelyn Anite over the acquisition of shares in Uganda Telecom Limited (UTL).
Last month, a whistleblower petitioned the Inspector General of Government (IGG) Irene Mulyagonja and the State House Anti-Corruption Unit to investigate Anite over irregular deals on embattled telecommunication company.
In a petition dated August 9, 2019, the concerned Ugandan alleged that the minister left the country under the guise of going for her graduation in the US but later sneaked into Mauritius via France to meet officials from Mauritius Telecom Limited (MTL) , one of the companies she favoured to win the tender to recapitalize UTL.
Mauritius government owns over 30 per cent shares in MTL.
The whistle-blower further said that in Mauritius, Anite met with a team responsible for ensuring the deal happens and they acquire UTL at a much less value than the asset value estimated at USD 84 million.
After her meeting, Anite is said to have dashed back to the US and then back to Uganda to conceal her to trip Mauritius.
However in a letter dated September 23, 2019, G.R Banymandhub, Mauritius’ Cabinet Secretary, revealed that no meetings have been held between representatives of MTL and any member of Ugandan government including Anite.
Banymandhub said that Mauritius government pulled out of the process of acquiring a stake in UTL in September 2018 after realizing that another bidder [Teleology Holdings] was in process of being awarded the contract and that they have since then not pursued any matter in regards to UTL.
“MTL has confirmed that no meeting was held between Mrs Evelyn Anite and themselves in Mauritius and they were not even aware if Mrs Anite travelled to Mauritius in August 2019,” the statement reads.
Recently, Anite claimed that a group of mafia was plotting to kill her over her role in revamping the struggling UTL.
“These mafias are not jokers. Go and ask Abiriga. I will die while shouting that the mafias are coming until they take me down. They follow me and they are tapping my phone. You know the mafias, those who have been trying to block the audit,” the minister told journalists during a press conference at the Ministry of Finance headquarters in Kampala.
“We shall chase the wrong people out of government and bring the right ones. How do you put public funds on private accounts? I am not seeking attention, these are facts.”
Anite also claims that MTN shared her details with the mafias and that she will upload the clips very soon. She continued to affirm her stand saying she is ready to fight wrong people out of government and influence the appointment of ‘right one’.
“I have been hearing some Ugandans saying, You girl from Koboko, what do you know? You are just a worker. This government belongs to Banyankole”. That is not what I heard from my president,” Anite said.
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