I Bribed UNBS Board to Renew my Contract – Executive Director David Ebiru

The Executive Director of the Uganda National Bureau of Standards (UNBS), David Livingstone Ebiru, has admitted to bribing the Board with Shs100m to prevent the termination of his contract of service. 

Ebiru noted that he took the step following recommendations for termination of his contract by the IGG.

“The Chairman of the Standards Council, Charles Musekura, showed me the Minister’s letter to dismiss me. He said, you see, you are in trouble,” explained David Ebiru.

“He (Musekura) said put down something which I did. I gave him shs 100 million from a restaurant called Panamera, but because I’m not a spy, I have no record.”

AUDIO: David Livingstone Ebiru

“I confirm that I had that discussion with Mr Mwanje. I handed the money through the representative of the chairman, one of the board members, Mr Omar. He came to my office and picked it in a bag. I borrowed this money,” he testified.

However, the board members led by the board chair, Charles Museruka denied  knowledge of the bribery allegations, describing them as baseless.

Ebiru made the confession while appearing before the Committee on Commissions, Statutory Authorities, and State Enterprises (COSASE) which is scrutinizing the Auditor General’s report for the FY2021/2022.

He is currently under investigation by COSASE for misappropriating Shs12.5 billion.

This occurred without obtaining the required clearance from the Secretary to the Treasury as well as the approval from Parliament.

During a meeting on Tuesday, 18 July 2023 between the committee and the bureau, the Chairperson of the Board of UNBS, Charles Musekuura, said that the Director, Ebiru, had caused financial loss at the entity and was at the helm of corruption and numerous irregularities.

He revealed that out of the total US$4.9 million in the account, only US$1.5 million had been sent to the Consolidated Fund, while the remaining US$3.4 million was converted and utilised to support the bureau’s operations at its source under the authority of the director.

When asked by the Committee Chairperson, Hon. Joel Ssenyonyi, to explain what happened, Ebiru stated that indeed he had broken the law by appropriating money without clearance, but there was an urgent need.

“Our budget was cut by over Shs20 billion and it was core operating activities. I wrote to the Secretary to Treasury that this limits the bureau as it will not be able to meet staff obligations like payment of gratuity,” he said.

When asked by Ssenyonyi how much he spent at the source, Ebiru said he did not have the figures readily but pledged to provide them in the subsequent meeting.

Ssenyonyi said that Ebiru had asked for a supplementary budget of Shs27 billion, questioning whether this was the amount that he used at source since it is what he had asked for.

“I did what the chairman is not very happy with and of course, what is contrary to the Public Finance Management Act on the basis that I tried my best to keep the institution running rather than creating arrears for the government where I would personally be held liable, so these are legitimate expenditures,” he said.