Parliament’s Appointments Committee has rejected the appointment of first lady Janet Museveni’s cousin Alice Kaboyo as minister over her last corruption record.
Last week, Museveni appointed Kaboyo a junior minister (state) in charge of Luweero Triangle and Rwenzori Region Affairs in the Office of the Prime Minister.
A former presidential assistant and special advisor, including for NRA archives, Kaboyo could miss out on the ministerial appointment.
In a vetting session of the Appointments Committee chaired by deputy speaker Anita Among, a 2012 corruption scandal in which Kaboyo was named dominated the scrutiny of the ministerial nominees.
In 2012, on the advice of his lawyer Bob Kasango (RIP), Kaboyo pleaded guilty to counts of corruption charges in the Global Alliance for Vaccines and Immunization (GAVI) scandal.
The counts were: abuse of office and writing documents in the name of the former Private Principal Presidential Secretary Amelia Kyambadde.
She had irregularly received Shs524m to organise advocacy events. By the time of her conviction, Kaboyo had refunded Shs250m.
She paid a fine of Shs20m upon conviction, a light sentence.
Presiding magistrate Irene Akankwasa of the Anti-Corruption Court ruled that Kaboyo had got a light sentence because she didn’t waste court’s time.
Also named in the scandal were former health minister Maj Gen Jim Muhwezi, and juniors Mike Mukula and Alex Kamugisha.
Muhwezi has returned to cabinet as security minister, after a five-year stint in the cold.
Janet Museveni’s sister Kaboyo might now have to wait to become minister since the Anti- Corruption Act bars any official from a holding public service (government) position someone for a decade after conviction.
