Prof. Charles Kwesiga steals Uganda Industrial Research Institute (UIRI) iron sheets

Woes of the embattled Executive Director of Uganda Industrial Research Institute (UIRI) are not about to subside. They have instead escalated.

It emerged last week that the beleaguered Prof. Kwesiga again appropriated UGX Shs 12,670,000 Institute funds towards purchase of iron-sheets as personal donation to his local church – Mwiisi Church of Uganda in Kabale.

This, definitely, was not news to those who know the 75 year old Professor, nor to anyone who has been following the ongoing investigations into corruption, mismanagement and abuse of office at UIRI.

It is a known fact that remorseless Prof. Kwesiga for long handled UIRI as personal business. He openly deploys Institute’s resources at leisure to serve his entertainment needs and a hedonistic lifestyle and no one questions.

As inquiry into gross mismanagement at UIRI deepens, the unapologetic Professor has chosen to hide – and tinker with procurement documents to escape criminal responsibility.

He has also prevailed over his staff to withhold cooperation from State House Anti Corruption Unit, threatening to sack any UIRI employee who defies and appears for interrogation.

This act of arrogance and impunity could land him into even hot soup with SHACU.

It is inconceivable that Prof. Kwesiga caught red-handed with stolen UIRI plumbing materials is still at large, conducting business at UIRI unfettered, as if nothing happened.

Those aggrieved by the conduct of Prof. Kwesiga are equally shocked and disappointed that a whole Ministry of Science and Technology cannot do oversight and check abuse and malafide at the Research Institute.

Our sources at the institute have informed us that over the years, Prof. Kwesiga has been mismanaging and diverting a lot of UIRI resources which SHACU may not even be aware of. Simply watch this space.