Why embattled Equal Opportunities Commission boss Ntambi, colleagues were ordered to hand over office

The Permanent Secretary in the Gender ministry, Aggrey Kibenge has directed senior officials of Equal Opportunities Commission (EOC) whose contracts have expired to hand over office immediately.

In a letter dated February 19, to the Under Secretary Finance and Administration, Equal Opportunities Commission, Mr Kibenge directs that since their contract expired and are still waiting for President’s action on the tenure of the commission on whether to extend its mandate or appoint a new one, it was prudent that the affected individuals handed over office.

The contracts for the EOC commissioners, including the chairperson, Sylvia Muwebwa Ntambi, expired in January and the President has not communicated his decision on whether or not he will renew some of them. Three commissioners including Ms Ntambi are however, eligible to be reappointment for another five-year- term. The other two commissioners are not eligible for reappointment.

Other commission members are; Joel Cox Ojuko, Patrobas Sirabo Wafula, Zaminah Malole and Dennis Nduhura.

According to Kibenge, the commissioners were supposed to hand over office on February 5 but this ceremony was postponed.

“All Members of the Commission, with the exception of Mr. Ojuko. should he contacted to immediately hand over to you the offices, official documentation and assets in their possession as we await responses from the authorities quoted above,” Mr Kabenge said.

“For clarity, Mr. Ojuko’s hand over should be deferred until the Solicitor General responds to our request for his opinion, although our considered view is that he cannot unilaterally constitute and exercise any of the powers of the Commission. Hopefully, the issue of either appointment of new Members or the Solicitor General’s opinion on this matter will be resolved as soon as possible. In the same vein Ms. Jane N. Ekapu, hitherto caretaking the Office of Secretary to the Commission, should also hand over to you. You will execute responsibilities of this Office until a new Commission is in place or advised otherwise. You may wish to temporarily re-assign some responsibilities to staff you have in post to facilitate smooth flow of business. Please do not hesitate to consult with myself, and/or with the Hon. Minister through my Office, on any matter that will help the uninterrupted running of the Commission’s business during this interim period,” he added.

Recently, the Director of Public Prosecutions, Jane Frances Abodo dropped all the corruption charges against Ms Ntambi. She communicated the decision in a January 18th, 2021 letter to the High Court Judge Margaret Tibulya.

The letter was tendered in court by State Attorney Gloria Inzikuru when the case came up for mention on Wednesday morning. Inzikuru told court that the DPP had lost interest in the three charges against Ntambi and asked the court to discontinue the matter.

As a result, Justice Margaret Tibulya discharged the accused person. Ntambi who has been out on bail has been facing one charge of corruption and two others of conspiracy to defraud. She has been facing the charges together with her nine assistants at the Equal Opportunities Commission for conspiring to defraud the government more than Shillings 35 million.

The assistants are Agnes Enid Kamahoro, Moses Mugabe, Mpitsi Mujuni, Ronnie Kwesiga, Manasseh Kwihangana, Harriet Byangire, Evans Jjemba, Sarah Nassanga and Sunday Nicholas Olwor.

The prosecution had alleged that Ntambi conspired with her co-accused to steal the money which they paid to themselves as per diem for editing and drafting the Equal Opportunities Commission HIV/AIDS workplace policy yet none of them was entitled to it.