The Inspectorate of Government is waiting for National Unity Platform president Robert Kyagulanyi to update the anti-corruption body on his wealth since information circulated that he had got a donation of an armoured (bullet-proof) car.
Bobi Wine unveiled his ‘armoured’ vehicle at the weekend, attracting attention from the public and government.
The Leadership Code Act 2002 of Uganda, compels all leaders to periodically declare their wealth, while a gift worth 10 currency points in value or Shs 200,000 is supposed to be declared immediately.
Kyagulanyi informed his supporters that a group of mainly foreign-based supporters had been raising funds during his presidential bid to acquire for him a bulletproof car so as to go through the violent campaign period.
“There is another group of comrades who kick-started a fundraising campaign for a bulletproof vehicle. These comrades informed me of their plan, but I thought it was an uphill task, given how expensive it is,” revealed Bobi Wine.
“A few weeks ago, these comrades surprised me when they informed me that they had succeeded in raising enough money for the vehicle, and here it is. I can’t thank you enough.”
According to many of his supporters, the Land Cruiser car is more than Shs 300 million.
An internet search shows that a new Toyota Land-Cruiser vehicle costs from $85,000 (Shs 310m), while an armoured one goes for between $395,000 and $450,000 (Shs 1.4 billion to 1.65 billion), depending on the features.
The director of Leadership Code Annet Twine says once a leader gets a donation, the leader is expected to declare it there and then.
But Deputy Inspector General of Government (playing IGG role in an acting capacity) George Bamugemereire says, like other leaders, Bobi Wine must declare the vehicle and the source of the money that bought it by March 31.
“People acquire property all the time, you know, and they have many ways – some have businesses. All we require of leaders is that come March 31, please declare the assets, income and liabilities that you have acquired or assets that you have disposed of,” Bamugemereire told reporters in Kampala on February 24.
“That issue will be an issue after March 31 because all leaders are required to do now is to declare. What assets they acquired and how they got it. So I think that discussion should be conducted in April. If you have any leader in mind, me I don’t any.”
Although Bamugemereire sought to mince his words, Leadership Code Tribunal director Annet Kyakunda Twine revealed Bobi Wine must explain the source of the money that bought the car.
“What is provided for under Section 10 of the Leadership Code Act is that every leader, if you receive a gift in the course of your duties, you declare it there and then and they don’t give a time limit. So this leader who continues even to be a leader as the head of a political party is going to fill a declaration up to 31st March,” said Twine.
“So we are going to wait until he has submitted his declaration and then we shall see how he explains how he acquired the sources of income. If it is a donation, there is a provision in the form where you declare such property and explain the donation and where it came from.”
He says Mr Kyagulanyi is still a leader of a political party registered under the laws and like any leader, he is expected to declare his wealth irrespective of how it was acquired.
