Following vacant positions at Uganda Drug Authority, an internal advertisement was published on 15th December 2022 calling for potential candidates for the position of Director Laboratory services.
The then Manager Medicine Unit, Amoreen Naluyima applied for the position against the set requirements, according to a whistle blower Ssemakula Steven’s detailed report that he sent to the Inspector General of Government.
The report received by the IGG on March 21, 2023 said the position required applicants with a technical masters degree in the subject matter, a postgraduate diploma in management studies and a minimum of 12 years working experience of which 5 years as head of department or holding a senior management position.
“I want to bring it to your attention that Amoreen has not yet completed her MBA at Makerere University, which she enrolled in 2011. This raises a red flag in the documents she submitted while applying for the job,” said the whistle blower’s report.
It is stated that Amoreen joined NDA in 2009 after her graduation with degree in pharmacy at Mbarara University of Science and Technology. She however served as a junior drug analyst up to 2017 when she was appointed as the principle officer herbal unit then manager medicine unit in 2021 when she was appointed manager medicine unit the same day her husband was also appointed manager GMP unit.
Another applicant a one Annette Bukirwa Ssekindu who has served at National Drug Authority for more than 25 years was also not offered the job since she lacked a technical master’s degree as was required .She had however acted as head of laboratory services for 7 years and later as the director of laboratory services for 3 years thus having the required experience as stated in the advert. Though Bukirwa has a degree in analytical chemistry, masters in management studies and a Postgraduate diploma in management and has supervised Amoreen for over 13 years, she equally didn’t qualify stating that she lacked the required specifications .
The Whistle blower also accused Amoreen of fabricating documents.
“During application Ms. Naluyima used unauthentic documents of MBA. She however, went to makerere faculty of economics and management on 28th February 2023 and printed out her testimonial of which this testimonial appears different from the testimonial she submitted during application,” said the whistle blower.
Ms. Amoreen Naluyimaw is also accused of torturing and frustrating staff who work under her supervision.
“In December 2021 a member of staff called Nampijja Kidda was accused of attempting to assassinate Amoreen out of frustration by hiring gunmen. They claim that the assassination plot failed after her plans were leaked. The suspect peddler in the assassination attempt a one MS Nampijja Kidda was arrested and detained in police cells for a week and later fired from work on 28/1/2022 without thorough investigations and prosecution by the Drug Authority ,” said the report.
Members of her directorate were reportedly intimidated by the head of Human Resource not to leak this information to media houses.
“Lastly, contrary to the human resource manual of the authority, Ms. Amoreen left for Moshi-Tanzania for training from 9th – 17th March 2023,without handing over office of the director, which is supposed to be releasing test results of the drugs and pharmaceuticals tested. This delays supply chain of drugs nationwide, which puts the life of Ugandans at risk,” said the report.
It concluded by calling upon the IGG to investigate the matter.
“I call upon you to launch an investigation into the matter and punish the perpetrators,” Ssemakula said.
Our efforts to talk to Amoreen for a comment by press time were futile as her well known contacts were not going through.
