KAMPALA – UPDF soldiers who are said to have amassed a lot of wealth while working with Uganda Revenue Authority (URA) have been kicked out as Commissioner General John Musinguzi Rujoki continues his clean-up of the tax collection body, PML Daily has learnt.
Among those kicked out is URA Security manager Lt Col Ezekiel Matsiko, whom Mr Musinguzi said he had to go after learning that he had amassed a lot of wealth while allegedly facilitating tax evasion at the tax collection body.
Sources close to the powers that be at URA have intimated to PML Daily that Lt Col Matsiko was found to have been aware of the cash haemorrhage under the senior commissioners who were kicked out last week but did not take action.
Last week, senior commissioners Henry Saka, Dicksons Kateshumbwa and Siraji Kanyesigye resigned after it emerged that they were to be sacked over alleged corruption.
It has emerged that Matsiko was protecting some of the corrupt senior officials while he himself was acquiring wealth. Sources have furtherrevealed that Matsiko’s vast accumulation of wealth shocked President Museveni.
Matsiko is said to have been paying Shs 30m per month to a high ranking security officer to protect his job.
He, alongside other UPDF officers have since been sent back to the UPDF and a new team headed by Col Sam Kirya sent to URA.
Defence and army spokesperson Brig Richard Karemire confirmed the changes.
“UPDF has entered a new Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with URA on attachment of personnel. Consequently all those officers and men that had served with URA for a time varying between 3 to 14 years were deseconded,” he said.
“A new team headed by Col Sam Kirya has since been attached to support URA’s enforcement tasks,” he added.
