KAMPALA-UGANDA/NEWSDAY: The minister for Science and Technology (MoST), Dr. Musenero has said that her vision is to make Uganda a vaccine research and production hub and won’t be derailed by corruption allegations levelled against her.
Musenero was speaking for the first time after a petitioner claimed in an October 6 petition to the Inspector General of Government (IGG) she had spearheaded swindling of cash close to Shs.71bn meant for covid19 research through her role as a senior Presidential advisor on Covid19 through an outfit called the Presidential Initiative in Epidemics (PRESIDE).
But Musenero said her team has so far received Shs.32.3 billion of which Shs.3.32 billion was meant for administration and the rest research.
She is accused that the scientists on PRESIDE were handpicked by her without a specific criteria developed and that she goes round and gets kickbacks from her whenever they are paid research money.
“It was discovered that she picked those she considered easy to work. If the formula was about COVID solutions, one wonders how Dr. Musenero left out Dr. Ogwang who already had prototypes of herbal medicines in place,” the petitioner says.
It is also alleged Musenero negotiated and approved budgets for each scientist for each project, each scientist selected the manufacturer to supply the equipment and they developed the technical specifications for the equipment which were allocated to the individual scientists.
“One wonders how a heavy duty machine, costing billions gets allocated to an individual? This means it can never be put to optimal use. Moreover a number of scientists quickly registered companies, irrespective of the fact that they are working in Universities.” the petitioner says.
A specific Dr. Kityo Cissy who was allocated 4 projects worth Shs. 4.Billion raised questions in head of the petitioner.
“Todate, no tangible results have been achieved. In fact some of the procured equipment are still in boxes and some of the scientists do not know how to operate them,”
The petitioner says that Musenero is lying when she says there is a any candidate covid19 vaccine under development instead saying the one being paraded is meant for ticks.
There is reportedly a big audit query from the Auditor general’s office and accountability issues that Dr. Musenero has failed to answer, according to the petitioner and that Musenero has decided to forcefully lock out the MoSTI offices and trying to chase the staff away who knows about the misdoings.
Dr. Musenero however disputed the allegations and called herself a selfless servant who now some people want to distract and bring her down.
She said two vaccines were already at stage seven meaning Pre- clinical trials (tests in animal) have been done and that stage 8 which means clinical trial (in human body) is coming up soon. And she brought forward two scientists Dr. Sheila Balinda of the Uganda Virus Institute and Dr. Benard Bagaya who are undertaking research.
That they are on the right track, government has already signed Memorandum of Understanding with companies that will produce the vaccines.
“Covid19 is here to stay and that booster vaccines may be required in future and our own will have to be used,” Musenero said.
She said that the allegations against her are misplaced because she is not an accounting officer so I don’t touch money.
“President requested me to find scientists to confront the problem that had faced the country- we had nothing, not even a mask. President directed Prime Minister to work with me to put in place a structure to help. We set up the PRESIDE which is a government project under State House,” Musenero said.
Although the petitioner says that Musenero’s team has received over Shs.71bn, she disputed this saying that they have only received Shs.34bn that has been accounted for.
“All the money received was through State House Comptroller and Ministry of Technology where Mr. Peter Obong is the accounting officer,” Musenero said adding that it has been utilized in research and administration.
Her role, she said was to support the scientists and that research needed specialized technical knowledge and that after several meetings at Makerere University a decision to finance 23 projects in the areas of therapeutics, diagnostics and vaccine development are being financed.
“PRESIDE is the most transparently run institution. Projects are progressing well. Research takes place in laboratories. I am an absolute person of integrity- my bank accounts can be checked I don’t steal money. I think it’s so cheap to steal- when you are entrusted with funds it’s a privilege, I want to do twice more than what I have promised,”
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