Foreign Affairs Ministry has recalled staff at Uganda’s Embassy in Denmark after their plans to steal public funds were exposed in a leaked recording.
“In the meantime, the officers implicated have been recalled to the Ministry headquarters to pave way for investigations,” said the Ministry’s Permanent Secretary Patrick Mugoya in a statement on Monday afternoon.
He said the Auditor General would “carry out a thorough investigation into this matter.”
On action that awaits the officials, Mugoya said: “Depending on the outcome of the investigation additional measures may be taken as appropriate.”
In the recording obtained by ChimpReports, Amb Nimisha Madhvani, her deputy, Elly Kamahungye Kafeero and other staff members can be heard sharing ideas on sharing money which was earmarked for COVID-19 preparations.
A staff at the embassy asks how much should be distributed among the diplomats.
Kamahungye then proposes “eight days.”
Nimisha then asks, “8 days – that’s for each, uh?”
Kamahungye responds: “Give yourselves 4,000 (dollars) each.”
It remains unclear who recorded the conversation. However, it could have been one of the staff members. One of the female diplomats is heard complaining that in the fishy deal, “some are earning more than us.”
Kamahungye responds: “You are the ones who put it.”
Shockingly, Nimisha is heard telling Kamahungye that “if there are any residual balances” the money, he should “find a way to utilise it.”
She also proposes that in sharing the money, some junior staff and security agents attached to the embassy should be kept out of the loop.
Mugoya said the Ministry “does not condone corruption and that, the use of public funds will adhere to the principles of transparency and efficiency and any deviation by any officer will be met with appropriate sanctions as provided for in the Public Finance and Management Act, and Regulations.”
