Prof. Anthony Mbonye is preparing to sit for interviews hours after the High Court threw out the Inspector General of Government recommendations, to remove him from the position of Director General of Health Services at the Health ministry.
Mbonye told PML Daily in an interview that the IGG Justice Irene Mulyagonja’s recommendations were unfair, applauding the court for giving justice.
“And if you feel unfair, it is better to go to court and seek justice. After the court ruling, I am now preparing to sit for interviews. I don’t know when the Health Service Commission will set them,” Mbonye said.
He added that those sowing the intrigue at the ministry, cannot influence the Health Service Commission, to block him from sitting the interviews.
“The Commission is an independent body and cannot be influenced by anybody,” he added.
He also added that the ruling cannot be challenged.
Why Mbonye went to court?
High Court judge Henroyato Wolayo earlier today, ruled that the IGG was unfair in recommending to block Prof. Mbonye from competing since there was no evidence of conflict of interest against him and that he had not been given a hearing before a competent authority.
In November last year, the Health ministry Permanent Secretary, Dr Diana Atwine sought to remove Prof. Mbonye from the top most technical position in the ministry, citing integrity issues after the Justice Mulyagonja accused the medicines professor of conflict of interest when he determined the personal specifications for the position he was interested in and applied for.
“While the IGG was mandated to make findings after investigations, the finding that there was conflict of interest is not conclusive as Prof. Mbonye is entitled to due process before the authority mandated to enforce the code,” Court ruled.
“It is fair that he be allowed to sit the interviews,” Justice Wolayo ruled.
Court earlier today quashed all the recommendations of the IGG, and ordered that Prof. Mbonye will sit the interviews for the Director General, unless the Health Service Commission defers the exercise.
The IGG’s probe followed whistle blower’s complaints, accusing Mbonye of conflict of interest. According to IGG, Mbonye was not fit to be shortlisted for the position, insisting that he should have relinquished his current senior position before applying for the job of director general.
The High Court had stayed the actions resulting from the IGG’s recommendations until the case was heard, but officials from the Health ministry led by the PS Dr. Atwine and Health minister Dr Ruth Aceng, instead demoted Dr Mbonye to a lesser position.
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