In a bid to raise over 20 Million Covid-19 Vaccine doses, Youthful and kind-hearted city tycoon Hamis Kiggundu alias Ham yesterday (Friday) through his Ham Foundation donated Shs530 Million towards the cause.
According to Ham, 5000 doses of these will be reserved for his employees and tenants and the 10,000 doses will be administered to Ugandans for free. The cash donation was received by Prime Minister Robinah Nabbanja who is the chairperson of the task force at the Office of the Prime Minister in Kampala.
However, the shs530 million survived being stolen from her office by ‘Mafias’, just hours after receiving the contingent of the cash
How it happened
On handing over the money, Ham however informed the meeting that he had created an account to which the money should go as well as other contributions by the private sector, this would therefore ensure the cash is not swindled by heartless goons in the OPM office.
“We have created an account with Stanbic bank where Dr.Musenero will be a signatory and a few other members that government might choose for this particular fund. Other private members may come and we support the government. The money will go directly to this account to contribute towards the purchase of vaccines,” the city businessman said in front of cameras.
Nabbanja, however, did not welcome the idea and insisted that the money can only go to an account earlier opened up by the government as President Museveni had directed.
“In fact, ministers are not allowed to be signatory to those accounts,” the Prime Minister guided.
According to exclusive sources at the Office of the Prime Minister, Emmanuel Katongole who is a member of the covid-19 task force advised Dr. Musenero against being a signatory to any bank account as the same would land her into problems.
Another source told this website that later, Nabbanja directed staff at OPM to deposit the money in the bank before she went for other meetings that lasted until almost 6pm, late in the evening.
However, on return at around 6pm, Nabbanja was astonished to learn that the money had not yet been banked.
“When she requested why the money had not been banked, the staff told her that it was late and that banks had already been closed,” the source told the Nile Post.
Meanwhile, the Prime Minister was also astonished to learn that businessman, Ham was still around OPM despite having donated the money almost four hours back.
On inquiring, Nabbanja was told that that the businessman was waiting for documentation from her to confirm receipt of the money, prompting her to order her staff to do it.
“When the document was brought for her to sign, it indicated that the Prime Minister had received the money but that she had decided that the money be kept in her office,” another source told this website.
It is said that on seeing the document, Nabbanja fumed and suspected some foul play from some of her staff, which she refused to sign.
Mafias’ Plan B
The source told this website that later, the Prime Minister called the manager for Stanbic bank’s Garden City branch who asked her to take the money to the bank.
Meanwhile, as Nabbanja prepared to take the money to the bank, an unknown bullion van arrived prompting her to suspect something was amiss.
She then directed her security to use her own vehicle to take the money to the bank, having earlier informed the manager at Garden City. The shs530 million was later banked.
When contacted for a comment on the matter, Nabbanja confirmed banking the money herself but didn’t provide details of the circumstances leading to such a move.
“I took the money myself to the bank at Garden City at around 6pm,” she said on phone before she hang up.
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