President Museveni directs dismissal of Health Ministry boss over bribe

President Yoweri Museveni has directed the Permanent Secretary Ministry of Health Permanent Secretary, Asuman Lukwago, to dismiss the Head of Procurement, Frank Mugisha, for allegedly asking for a bribe from an Italian investor.

The President's directive follows a complaint from Enrica M. Pinetti the chairman of Finasi Company that Mugisha had asked for a bribe of 20% of the total project she was handling in order to finalize the procurement processes.

Finasi, founded in the early 1970s is an Import/Export and primary goods trader in the Middle East and Africa. It has innovated and developed specific know-how in the Healthcare, Oil and Gas, Interiors and organic food fields delivering value-added services to its clients.

The company is a global turnkey provider for Healthcare facilities, projects and supplies.

Other countries where it has been carrying out similar projects includes Egypt, Sudan, Libya, Russia and Dubai.

In a meeting that took place yesterday, between President Museveni, Ministry officials and the Investors at State House Entebbe, the President directed that Mugisha be removed with immediate effect and be replaced with a devoted civil servant who cannot steal.

‘‘How can you keep a thief in the Ministry? And how are you going to counsel a thief? A thief is a thief. He should be removed,'' he said.

The President pointed out that the coming of the Finasi Company to Uganda was at his request to build a first class hospital that will be dealing with complicated problems such as kidney and heart operations.

"I requested them to come to Uganda to deal with kidney and heart problems so that people stop travelling to India for treatment,'' he said.

The President also directed the Ministry to iron out its differences with the investor in two weeks and pave way for the project.

According to a report from the Minister of Health Dr. Rukahana Rugunda to the President, Mugisha formerly worked with the Ministry of Agriculture before being transferred to the Health Ministry were he has been for nine months.

Ms Enrica Pinetti also behind efforts to add value to Uganda's coffee for export as powder is pleased by President Museveni's action.