Warning: Trying to access array offset on value of type bool in /usr/www/users/urnnet/a/story.php on line 43 MPs Clash Over Jenifer Bamuturaki's Integrity Probe :: Uganda Radionetwork
In the Deed Poll document dated March 2019, filed and stamped by the Uganda Registration Services Bureau – URSB, Bamuturaki denounced her childhood name (Musiime Bamuturaki Jenifer) and adopted Jenifer Arnold Lenkai as a new name. But MPs tasked her to explain the reason for changing her name, and the exact name she uses considering the fact that her academic documents still have the old identity.
Dan Atwijukire Kimosho, the Kazoo County MP makes submission during probe against the integrity of Uganda Airlines CEO Jenifer Bamuturaki. Photo by Dominic Ochola
Members of Parliament have disagreed on the methods employed to probe the integrity of Jenifer Bamuturaki, the Chief Executive Officer of Uganda National Airlines Company Limited.
Bamuturaki and her team are being probed by the Commissions, Statutory Authorities and State Enterprises – COSASE committee of Parliament in relation to queries raised by the Auditor General on the management and operations of Uganda Airlines. The Queries relate to the staff structure,
varying salary employee grades, illegal procurement of IT software and
poor contract files management among others
Today, Bamuturaki, appeared before the commitee for the third consecutive day. But for more than an hour, commitee members pressed her to reveal her true identity after it emerged that
she had changed her name through a Deed Poll.
In the Deed Poll document dated March 2019, filed and
stamped by the Uganda Registration Services Bureau – URSB, Bamuturaki
denounced her childhood name (Musiime Bamuturaki Jenifer) and adopted
Jenifer Arnold Lenkai as a new name. But MPs tasked her to explain the reason for changing her
name, and the exact name she uses considering the fact that her academic documents still have the old identity.
Bamuturaki who had initially preferred not to comment on the matter later said that the change of name is void because she did not swear an affidavit. She disclosed that she abandoned the process of changing her name and adopted Musiime as a marital name while ‘Bamuturaki’ was her father’s name.
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The Committee also tasked Bamuturakiher to present
her academic credentials after it emerged that she was irregularly appointed by the
President without the requisite qualifications to head the national airline. But she told the committee that she misplaced her Uganda Certificate of Education – UCE
and was still in the process of acquiring a new one from the Uganda
National Examinations Board – UNEB.
She also failed to present her
transcript to support her qualification in Social Works and Social
Administration she purported to have attained from Makerere University. In
her resume, Bamuturaki indicated that she studied the course between
1990-1993 and graduated in 1994. But the MPs were further thrown into
doubt, wondering why she never bothered to pick up her transcript from
the University, 28 years later.
But Sheema North MP Naome Kibaaju disagreed with the Committee Chairperson and colleagues for probing deeper into the personal life and space of the witness instead of focusing on real issues relating to the operations of the airline.
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However, Mpindi Bumali, a representative of Persons with Disabilities objected to Kibaaju’s submissions arguing that auditing the private life of a public official is acceptable because they use public resources in the execution of their duties.
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Kazo County MP Dan Atwijukire Kimosho explained that a change of name is a legal matter that Bamuturaki may exploit to evade the law in case a legal battle arises from her dealings premised under an ambiguous identity.
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Committee Chairperson Joel Ssenyonyi ruled that matters of names and identity have cost some MPs their seats in Parliament after such cases were challenged in courts of law. He added that Bamuturaki has already told several lies to the Committee which calls for more probe into her integrity.
Ochola's journalism career begun from Radio King 90.2 FM in Gulu around 2009, and Radio Rupiny 95.7 Fm under Vision Group in 2012. He also reported for Mighty Fire 91.5 Fm, Kitgum in 2015 before joining Wizarts Foundation in 2017.
He has been reporting for Uganda Radio Network (URN) since 2017 before being posted as Bureau Chief Kitgum, and latr Gulu between 2018 - 2021. Currently, he reports from Parliament.