Did Speaker Anita Among Really Steal Government Buses? President Museveni Orders For Investigations Into The ‘Stolen’ Bus At Among’s School – Leaked Evidence Shocks Nation

President Museveni directed the Internal Security Organisation (ISO) to investigate reports that Speaker of Parliament, Anita Among stole a bus belonging to the House for her private school in Bukedea District.

The Kampala Eye understands that unlike in the past when the president did not pay keen interest in social media reports, he has over the last few years ensured that allegations of corruption, human rights abuses and bad governance which appear on social media platforms are reported to him.

In a tweet posted on 24th May 2024 at 07:37 hours by Kakwenza Rukirabashaija on his X account @KakwenzaRukira, it was alleged that Among had stolen and changed number plates of one bus that belonged to the Parliament of Uganda and that the bus had been diverted to her school.

Kakwenza also alleged that “two weeks ago, transport office was grilled by CID and they had to disclose the truth”. In the same tweet, the photographs of the allegedly stolen bus, bearing a Registration Number Plate UBN 762S, were displayed.

As at 11:00 hours, 27th May 2024, Kakwenza Rukirabashaija’s tweet alleging the theft of the bus by the Speaker had attracted a total of 358,000 views, 290 reposts, 1,700 likes, 25 quotes and 50 bookmarks, underscoring the power of social media in today’s world.

INVESTIGATION FINDINGS

According to the investigation report sent to President Museveni, the Internal Security Organisation (ISO) found no evidence of Speaker Anita Among stealing a Parliament bus.

The report emphasized that the bus in question, bearing registration number UBN 762S, is registered in the name of Anita Foundation, and was registered on October 10, 2023, by the Kampala Motor Vehicle registration Unit.

“The bus allegedly stolen by the Speaker bearing Registration Number late UBN 762S is duly registered in the names of Anita Foundation,” the report emphasised, adding, “The registration was done on 10th October 2023 by Kampala Motor Vehicle registration Unit.”

The report, signed by ISO chief Brig Charles Oluka on May 29, 2024, stated that the Motor Vehicle profile for UBN 762S was provided by the Ministry of Works and Transport, showing that the vehicle was first registered in Uganda on June 10, 2023.The report also clarified that the four Parliament buses have different chassis and engine numbers from the bus owned by Anita Foundation Ltd and operated by Bukedea Comprehensive School.

Brig Oluka pointed out that the engine number 78911740 is consistent across all documents, including the Registration Book, URA Customs entry, East African Community Certificate of Origin, and Motor Vehicle profile.

He noted that the four Parliamentary buses procured for the 64th Commonwealth Parliamentary Conference in 2019 are of the same make and similar appearance to the bus owned by Anita Foundation Ltd.

“Documentary evidence obtained from the Ministry of Works and Transport, Uganda Revenue Authority and the Uganda Registration Services Bureau pertaining to the importation and registration of MV UBN 762S is sufficient proof of rightful ownership by Anita Foundation Ltd and can be relied on to dispel the allegations of theft,” said Brig Oluka.

Brig Oluka informed President Museveni that during registration, the bus owned by Anita Among had no prior endorsements, indicating it was its first registration in Uganda. Additionally, Oluka noted that under Customs Entry C58022, the vehicle was assessed and received a tax bill of Shs 71,674,937.

On May 27, 2024, the Uganda Revenue Authority provided a copy of the customs entry lodged by Race Logistics (U) Ltd on behalf of Anita Foundation Ltd. The entry included an invoice of USD 78,000 for a newly built 69-passenger bus, issued by Labh Singh Harnam Singh Ltd to Anita Foundation on May 26, 2023.

The East African Community Certificate of Origin was issued by the Republic of Kenya, represented by Customs and Border Control Department, under Reference Number KEN/NBL/M/75/2021, against a declaration by the exporter on May 24, 2023.

At the time of lodging the customs entry for clearing the bus on June 9, 2023, the bus was in a URA Customs-controlled area, specifically Bonded Warehouse Number 0333.While Among’s bus was shipped in Uganda in 2023, Parliament’s buses were procured in 2019. 

“In the FY 2018/19, the Parliamentary Commission procured four King Long executive luxury coach buses under procurement reference POU/SUPLS/ODB/18-19/00520. The contract was awarded to M/S The Motor Centre East Africa Ltd and, specifically, the origin of the buses was China,” said Oluka.

“The procured buses were all manufactured in 2019, registered in the names of the Parliament of Uganda on 17th September 2019, and allocated the URA Customs entry, the East African Community Certificate of Origin and Motor Vehicle profile provided by the Ministry of Works and Transport.”

He said one of the Parliament’s buses, Registration Number UG 0391H, caught fire and burnt at Koro-Abili on Gulu-Kampala highway on 17th September 2020.