The Public Accounts Committee-PAC has kicked out
Kyambogo University officials for appearing without the University Secretary,
Charles Okello.
The team had appeared to respond
to queries in the Auditor General’s report for the 2019/2020 financial year.
However, the Committee declined
to entertain the team led by the Deputy University Secretary, Arthur Katongole.
His pleas to explain to the Committee Chaired by the Budadiri West Member of
Parliament, Nathan Nandala Mafabi that Okello was away attending to his sick
mother fell on deaf ears.
Nandala argued that it was illegal for the
meeting to proceed without Okello who is the accounting officer of the
institution.
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Nandala advised the officials to ensure that
they appear next week with several documents to support their responses key
among, which is authorisation to spend funds on unbudgeted items.
One of the outstanding queries is the payment
of Shillings 4.6billion to settle domestic arrears against the budget provision
of Shillings 1.1billion.
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Michael Tusiime, the Mbarara Municipality Member
of Parliament asked about whether or not the revenue collection at the university
has improved since URA took over collection last year.
Katongole told the MPs that previous mismatch
between student numbers and revenue collection had been sorted out by an
integrated computerized system.
He however, said the lockdown had affected
revenue collection. He noted that the university had collected Shillings 65bn
by the time the lockdown that was announced on March 20th, 2020.
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In regard to the 2018/2019 financial year, the Auditor General
noted that after reviewing the Non Tax Revenue estimates he observed that
Shillings 72 billion out of the budgeted Shillings 89 billion had been realized.
He noted that the failure to collect revenue affects implementation of planned
activities and achievement of intended objectives.
In his written response to the committee, the Kyambogo
University Secretary noted that the increase in revenue projections was based
on increased teaching space, which admitting more students.
He however,
explained that despite the large number of applicants, fewer students
registered.
Nandala told the officials that the committee would
communicate the next date when they will appear next week together with the
accounting officer.
Bukenya Fred
Freelancer
