Embarrassing corruption at UNBS shocks trade minister who now has vowed to suspend Ebiru
COSASE is scrutinizing the report of the Auditor General on the financial statements of UNBS for the financial year ended 30 June 2022.
The Minister of Trade, Francis Mwebesa expressed shock that David Ebiru, the Executive Director of Uganda National Bureau of Standards (UNBS) is still in office, yet he thought he had been suspended by the board in June 2023.
Now, the irate minister has told the Committee on Commissions, Statutory Authorities and State Enterprises (COSASE) that he will cause the suspension of Ebiru.
It is understood that both the Inspectorate of Government (IG) and the Minister of Trade had written a letter to the board calling for the suspension of Ebiru for incompetence.
Appearing before COSASE on 19th July 2023, Ebiru confessed to the committee that he had offered the UNBS board a bribe of Shs100 million to stop his suspension.
Ebiru is under investigation by COSASE for misappropriating Shs12.5 billion shillings. He spent the money without obtaining the required clearance from the Secretary to the Treasury and approval from Parliament.
On Tuesday 18 July 2023, the chairperson of UNBS, Charles Musekuura, told COSASE that Ebiru had caused financial losses at the entity and was at the helm of corruption and numerous irregularities.
COSASE is scrutinizing the report of the Auditor General on the financial statements of UNBS for the financial year ended 30 June 2022.
