President Museveni has fired the troubled Ministry of Trade, Industry and Cooperatives Permanent Secretary (PS) Geraldine Ssali Busuulwa, replacing her with Alex Kakooza.
Ssali was arrested and charged on July 18th 2024 before the Anti-Corruption Court over allegations of causing financial loss and conspiring with Members of Parliament to steal ash meant for war loss compensation through fictitious co-operatives.
Lucy Nakyobe, the Secretary to Cabinet confirmed to media that the appointment in caretaker position, of Kakooza, who is currently the Principal Private Secretary to the Vice President.
“Because the ministry had an emergency, cannot stop, we had to appoint someone to care take that position and for now he is still a caretaker”, Nakyobe said.
Kakooza, served as Permanent Secretary in the ministry of Education and Sports until July 2021 when he was transferred to the President’s Office.
Kakooza’s appointment was announced in an internal memo, and he was introduced to the Ministry’s staff on Friday July 26, 2024.
Ssali’s sacking and replacement are seen as a move to address the corruption and mismanagement in the war loss compensation process and to bring transparency and accountability to the Ministry.
The parliamentary committee’s report had recommended that Ssali be held accountable for the irregularities in the war loss compensation process, and her sacking is seen as a step towards implementing the committee’s recommendations.
