FULLY FIRE MINISTER KABAFUNZAKI—-RUKIGA VOTERS TELL MUSEVENI

Posted On 17 Apr 2017

By : mk

Post Views: 1,052

BY VANANSIO KAKOGOSO

IN KABALE—–

Voters in Rukiga Constituency, Kabale District want Herbert
Kabafunzaki, the State Minister for Labour, Employment and Industrial
Relations be relieved of his duties, following his arrest for
allegedly soliciting a Shillings 30 million bribe.
On Saturday afternoon, Minister Kabafunzaki who is also the Member of
Parliament for Rukiga County in Kabale District, was arrested from
Serena Hotel in Kampala where he had gone to pick the money.
Minister Kabafunzaki was soliciting the bribe from Hamid Muhammed, the
proprietor of AYA Group of Companies who owns Hilton Hotel in
Nakasero. He was caught red-handed receiving the bribe by a team of
detectives from the Kampala Metropolitan Police Criminal
Investigations Unit, following intelligence information.
The arrest comes shortly days after Kabafunzaki visited Hamid’s hotel
in Nakasero, to investigate a complaint by one of the workers who
claimed she was raped and was later fired.
The employee had reported the allegations of sexual harassment to
Police but when she realized that investigations were taking long, she
decided to approach the minister.
However, voters in Rukiga constituency say that there is no reason for
Minister Kabafunzaki to remain with his ministerial post since he has
been cited in a bribe scandal yet he should be the one on a frontline
to fight against it.
Francis Byamukama alias Ntemere a voter from Bucundura in Kashambya
sub County says that the Minister’s arrest over shillings 30 million
bribe shocked him. Byamukama wonders why Minister Kabafunzaki
shamelessly rushed to receive a bribe yet he earns a bigger salary.
Byamukama says that Minister Kabafunzaki no longer deserve a
ministerial post since he put Rukiga county on a bad record by being
the first minister in the 10th Parliament to be arrested in bribe
scandals.

Medard Abaasa, another voter from Rutengye also in Kashambya Sub
County says that Kabafunzaki’s arrest for soliciting a bribe is an
embarrassment to the voters adding that he should be sacked from his
ministerial post since he has failed to prove his integrity.
Abaasa says that this is a sign that kabafunzaki doesn’t even mind
about serving for the people but he is only aimed at fulfilling his
personal interests by using his powers.

Loy Ahurira another voter from Rushebeya in Rwamucucu Sub County says
Minister Kabafunzaki no longer fit to champion workers’ interests
since he resorted to soliciting a bribe than helping the victim who
was allegedly sexually harassed.
Grace Orikiriza another voter from Butare in Muhanga town council says
Kabafunzaki deserves a heavy punishment according to what he did.
Orikiriza says that he should also don’t wait to be expelled from his
ministerial post but resign.
Rev.Fr.Gaetano Batanyenda, the Kitanga Parish Priest also demands that
the minister be relieved of his duties, he should be given a heavy
punishment for. Batanyenda however says that the public should wait to
judge him until he is proved guilty.

Robert Kakuru Byamugisha, the Executive director for Kick Corruption
out of Uganda a Non-Governmental Organization that Empower Citizens to
fight corruption and its effects also says that what Minister
Kabafunzaki did is part of corruption adding that he doesn’t deserve
to serve in any government post.

However, Minister Kabafunzaki denies to have participated in the corrupt deal. He notes that its his personal assistant one Mugabo who dealt with AYA GROUP chairman to solicit a bribe which he[Kabafunzaki] didnot know about. Kabafunzaki was charged with two counts in the anti-corruption court-Kamapala. He denied the charges but his personal assistant pleaded guilty.