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We have information from a source on some serious stealing being planned by government officials.
The theft, according to our source, was first planned in 2006 two years back. It involved a number of doctors working with the Uganda Virus Research Institute in Entebbe.
The officers planned to take the official government houses in which they stay and eventually steal them. The source says they brought surveyors to carry out the work of assessing the value of the land.
The source did not tell us how far the stealing has reached by now, but he urged us to let Ugandans know this as a warning to other government officials who might plan to do the same.
The officers are Dr. Sempala and Dr. Bwaguma (since that time, these two gentlemen now passed away). The others in this shameless scheme who still work at the Virus Institute are: Dr. Benon Biryahwaho of the HIV/AIDS programme, Dr. Turyaguma, Dr. Busingye, Dr. Byamazima.
Others who are part of the plot to steal the houses are the occupants of the quarters of the Virus Research Institute which is known as Soweto.
All the land along the Nakiwogo Road leading to the Research Institute was also to be stolen. The culture of looting and grabbing public property has now become expected behaviour, even from the most educated elites, infact they might be the most corrupt. This shows you how serious Uganda's future problem is.
We would like to bring the ettempted theft by these officers to the donors who fund the Virus Research Institute for investigation. Donors always contribute money from European taxpayers to support Uganda, but it is stolen by unscrupulous people like these.
We request Radio Katwe readers who have Uganda at heart to expose these people. International medical organisations and research groups like the WHO are also urged to look into these matters as one day people like these might try to apply for international jobs. Events relating to this property can be got and then these these learned men should be asked to explain their conduct.
Readers Comments:
18 Jul 2008
1.
Dear RK, Response to Uganda Virus Research Institute (UVRI)Story
As an insider, I write to confirm to you that this scheme "Officers of Virus Research Institute plan to steal government houses" is true. What I am not sure of is whether Dr. Byabamazima is deliberately involved, for he is a straight man as far as I know. Many innocent staff were unsuspectingly lured into this scheme.
What happened is that the then "top guns" at UVRI planned the scheme, and collected money from various unsuspecting staff, convincing them that Government was going to privatize the houses, just like they did to the former Asian houses etc in various parts of the country through the so called "Custodians Board", etc. They convinced the staff to pay money, telling them that Govt was slow / did not have money to carry out the survey, and this money was needed partly to survey the properties and evaluate the cost, so that residents can cheaply buy the properties.
Naturally, one could easily fall for this, given that around that time Govt was selling off houses elsewhere. Almost all staff who were occupying UVRI houses and had money paid. They are now crying foul, after they realize guys ate their money for nothing. The scheme was put on hold as Govt clarified that such properties were not up for grabs.
Of course they could have still had their way, save for the current Director, Dr. Edward Katongole-Mbidde who has consistently put his foot down, refusing to pursue the matter, explaining to them that that would be a selfish move, to personalise prime, Govt property at such a growing research Institute, which should actually need more land. He has consistently asked them and I quote "Why do you think our predecessors forethought and had Govt acquire such a large piece of land at a time when the Institute was tiny?", "Don't we owe future generations the same privilege of foresight?".
Can you imagine after retiring, you have bought up UVRI land and future vital employees will have to travel long distances to work daily, when some experiments are critical and need continuous monitoring etc. Why be so selfish, when you have had an opportunity to work, save and acquire your own property elsewhere? By the way, many of these "top guns" have enough money to buy, and have properties elsewhere. For this kind of attitude, they do not like Dr. Katongole-Mbidde, they call him a hard man, etc. One of those "top guns" at UVRI actually attempted to become Director of UVRI, but failed. You can wonder what could have happened to the institute, with that kind of attitude.
With Butabika land gone, we do not know what might happen in the future, but surely in the interest of the nation, those houses should not go to individuals, who can retire or die and pass them over to their families, rather than future UVRI workers. Now that Dr. Mbidde is advancing in years and may retire soon, we do not know, because he is the guy who has stood in these people's way.
Unfortunately, sympathies go to innocent UVRI staff who lost their money to this scheme, having been hoodwinked, and no one is there to refund it, given the present realities. The current position is that houses should not be sold, but we do not know this can shift. Thanks RK for exposing the scheme.
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