KAMPALA – The embattled Permanent Secretary Ministry of Health has fired back at the Public Accounts Committee (PAC) accusing the lawmakers of using Parliament to settle for personal scores.
Taking to her Twitter this afternoon, Atwine called for calm among her fans writing, “My dear friends I am in office working. Don’t worry some people are settling their scores. The truth will exonerate us.”
“Politics at play. How do you judge before you listen,” she added.
Atwine’s statement was in response to the decision by PAC to have both Atwine and Ronald Ssegawa, Undersecretary Ministry of Health taken for questioning by the Criminal Investigation Department over diversion of Shs2Bn meant for the construction of a Pediatric surgery ward.
My dear friends I am in office working .Dont worry some people are settling their scores .The truth will exonerate us .
— Dr. Diana Atwine (@DianaAtwine) November 7, 2019
Atwine who had led the Ministry to respond to the queries raised in the 2017/18 audit report was tasked to explain how the Shs4.8bn earmarked for the construction of the pediatric surgery in regional referrals was spent.
The Committee faulted Atwine for flouting the Public Finance Management Act that requires accounting officers to seek permission from the Secretary to Treasury before any allocated monies can be diverted for any other use.
This was after the Committee was told that Shs2.2bn was diverted to cater for rehabilitation and expansion of Kayunga hospital yet the said project had not been budgeted for in the budget national budget.
Politics at play .How do you judge before you listen https://t.co/9RxtbuCTq1
— Dr. Diana Atwine (@DianaAtwine) November 7, 2019
Ronald Ssewgawa Undersecretary admitted that the Ministry committed mistakes in handling the two projects saying the Ministry took the decision to divert the funds after failing to utilize funds due to lack of verified payment certificates from some contractors, prompting Odonga Otto (Aruu South) to move a motion calling for the two officers to be handed over to the CID for further investigations.
Joseph Ssewungu, (Kalungu West) mocked Atwine for her role into this project wondering how she would be at forefront of committing illegalities yet she headed the Health Monitoring Unit at State House and was behind jailing of medical professional accused of corruption in the health sector.
Okin Ojara Vice Chairman Public Accounts Committee adjourned the meeting for 30 minutes for the suspects to record statements before the committee could go any further.