MPs Want Minister Kutesa to Explain Self on Bribery Allegations 

Opposition MPs have asked the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Sam Kutesa to explain to Parliament the allegations leveled against him that he received a bribe to help a Chinese energy company acquire unlicensed oil blocks in Uganda.

The matter was raised by the Member of Parliament for Ntungamo Municipality, Gerald Karuhanga on the floor of Parliament in a session chaired by the Speaker Rebecca Kadaga.

Karuhanga was supported by Lwemiyaga MP, Theodore Ssekikubo calling for Minister Kutesa to make a personal statement in regard to the allegations.

However, the Deputy Attorney General, Mwesigwa Rukutana blocked Karuhanga’s plea on grounds that his assertion on Kutesa was not based on any official document but rather media reports which Rukutana said can not move Parliament to make a decision on the matter.

The Speaker promised to scrutinize all the documents on the case and give her final ruling.

Sam Kutesa was named in US court documents as having allegedly received a USD 500,000 (about Shs 1.8 billion) bribe to help a Chinese energy company secure business advantages in Uganda, including the potential acquisition of a Ugandan bank.