The High Court has ordered the Attorney General to file his response in the matter where a renowned Journalist Mukose Arnold Anthony is challenging the appointment of Dr. Tumubweine Twinemanzi the Director of Supervision in the Bank of Uganda.
The order follows respondent’s failure to file their response to preliminary objections they raised. According to Court documents, Attorney General said the Applicant has no locus to sue them and filed the matter out of time. The Attorney General also said that the applicant is using classified documents which are only supposed to be in possession of the Attorney general and Bank of Uganda.
Applicant’s lawyer Kizito Ssekitoleko lawyer has since said that he has not received any response from the Attorney General.
Justice Philip Odoki has scheduled 23rd and 30th for response and rejoinder. He told the court that the ruling will be delivered on notice given the fact that they have a lot of election petitions which have timelines.
In February 2018 Tumusiime-Mutebile made staff changes where he fired former executive director of supervision Justine Bagyenda and replaced her with Dr. Tumubweine Twinemanzi.
According to the Presidential Tripartite Committee, in February 2019, Mutebile unethically recruited new staff in a massive staff restructuring process that took place on February 7, 2018. The 10 member Committee led by Bugweri County MP Abdu Katuntu that was instituted by President Yoweri Museveni found out that Mutebile flouted procedures in the recruitment of top directors and managers.
However, the committee in its probe observed that whereas Dr. Tumubweine claims to have obtained a first class degree, he got a pass degree which is below the required minimum qualification for the position of Executive Director in charge of Bank Supervision.
Through his lawyers of Kwesigabo, Bamwine and Walubiri Advocates, Mr. Mukose wants the court to declare the appointment and confirmation of Twinemanzi null and void.
“Mutebile’s decision to appoint Twinemanzi as the Director of Supervision without board resolution before 24 August 2020 contravened section 28 (1) of the bank of Uganda Act and therefore all the process was inconsistent with the law, procedurally irregular, illegal, null and void,” Mukose said.
He also wants the court to order for termination of Twinemanzi’s appointment letter and the Bank of Uganda take all lawful, credible, transparent and proper action to source and recruit a qualified person to the office of the executive director in charge of supervision in the Bank of Uganda.