Mr Lawrence Kiiza must be investigated

TULLOW OIL SAGA

I read an intriguing article in the New Vision online, published on April 8, 2013 with much awe and I think Mr. Lawrence Kiiza must be investigated and arraigned before anti-corruption court. I was in awe already mainly because usually, New Vision is not the paper where one can reliably find stunning objective investigative pieces about the scandals that have plague the NRM regime.

In this particular publication, however, an intriguing headline: Finance boss named in Tullow oil saga, caught me unaware. Reading through the article, I was even shocked with the blow-by-blow account of the conduct of Ministry of finance’s director of Tax policy – Mr Lawrence Kiiza. The article was accompanied by the picture of a smiling and a beaming bespectacled man with the caption underneath the picture that identified him as Lawrence Kiiza.

After reading the entire content of the article and following the links to the full verbatim testimony, I receded in shame. I then decided to find out more about Mr. Lawrence Kiiza and upon googling his name, I landed on a couple of articles and lectures he delivered to Masters Students. One such was the summary of his June 22, 2007 lecture to GRIPS Masters Students titled: Policy design and implementation in developing country.

I wasn’t even surprised upon opening the online version of the same paper on the next day, April 9, 2013. There was no news headline mentioning that the Director of Public Prosecution (DPP), the Police nor in that case, any authority had shown interest in the matter.  It would be relieving if the content of the article that implicates Mr. Lawrence Kiiza had stimulated the interest of the Authories – even in the Ministry itself. The evidences or leads are there which clearly make Mr. Kiiza a person of interest to the anti-corruption division of any responsible branch of government.

Maybe we should be patient and give the DPP and the CID chance to internalize the content of this article - if they have not already. However, I think it is important to note that in Uganda the line between whistle-blowing and treason has become too hazy. Although it is inconceivable that the PS in the Prime Minister’s office has remained put behind his desk on accounts of whistle-blowing, it is important that the whistle-blowing line is drawn clearly this time.

Let me try to summarize for you why I believe that Mr Lawrence Kiiza should be a person of interest to the authorities. In that NV report, Mr. Lawrence Kiiza was implicated in having personally negotiated a $50m in non documented payment (bribe) from Tullow Oil, an investment company vying for the lucrative oil industry of Uganda,  ahead of Uganda’s economic interest in what has now become “the Tullow oil saga” in London (UK). In exchange, it is purported that Mr. Lawrence Kiiza leaking government secrets and minutes of meetings to Tullow so that Tullow could gain an upper hand in negotiating a deal that would cheat Ugandans of oil revenue (Refer to testimonies in NV, 04/08/2013: Finance boss named in Tullow oil saga).

The learned fellow, Mr. Khawa Qureshi, Heritage Oil’s lawyer did lay down every hard evidence there is for everyone to see for themselves. In this case, would it not be proper to question the motive and spirits under which Mr. Lawrence Kiiza acted in conniving with Tullow oil? Was Mr. Kiiza acting in the best interest of the government and in his capacity as director of tax policy at Ministry of Finance when he inadvertently negotiated for an undocumented pay of $50m in exchange for government information?

The lines are not very clear here and it is unwise to make conclusions before a full investigation of the case. But as a taxpayer, I want to know beforehand whether Mr. Lawrence Kiiza was acting as Whistleblower to Tullow oil at the expense of his government and his people. If that is the case, then I would submit a complaint, and duly so herein, as a taxpayer (from remittances) to the DPP to charge Mr. Lawrence Kiiza of the following crimes in accordance with existing laws;

1). Economic terrorism, for acting with full intent to compromise a due process between Government and the oil investors in order to sabotage Uganda’s economic interest and to cheat Ugandans for his personal gratification by way of soliciting for bribes,

 2) Treason, for conspiring with foreign entity through leaking sensitive government information that could have threatened national security and did threaten the national interest of Uganda,

3) Gross abuse of office by using his position and government resource against the interest of the government of Uganda and in violation of the code of conduct of public officer

4) Betrayal of public trust invested in the office of director of tax policy of Uganda’s Ministry of finance.

For more reading, please follow:
http://www.newvision.co.ug/news/641464-finance-boss-named-in-tullow-oil-saga.html

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