The article discusses a meeting of Uganda's Public Accounts Committee where officials from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs were questioned about a large amount of money (Shs1.3 billion) that was paid to officials for local travel within their countries of posting, but at rates meant for international travel. The committee, led by Hon. Patrick Oshabe, raised concerns about this practice. The Permanent Secretary, Vincent Bagiire, explained that they had asked the Ministry of Public Service to approve higher travel rates for major cities abroad, like Washington, D.C., because local rates wouldn’t cover the actual costs. However, they had not received a response to this request. The committee also looked into other financial issues, such as the Ministry of Defence making payments to international organizations on behalf of Foreign Affairs, which Bagiire justified as necessary for Uganda's obligations to the African Union. Additionally, there were discrepancies in financial records regarding contributions to international organizations, with different figures reported by the ministry and a Board of Survey. The ministry's Head of Accounts clarified that the figures reported were based on verified data, leading to further scrutiny from the committee. Overall, the meeting highlighted concerns about financial management and the need for clarity in how travel expenses and contributions to international organizations are handled.
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