UNBS gets new boss, IGG issues arrest warrant for Ebiru

The Office of the Inspector General of Government (IGG) has issued an arrest warrant against the Executive Director of the Uganda National Bureau of Standards (UNBS) Mr David Livingstone Ebiru over allegations of corruption.

The warrant that was issued and authenticated by the Deputy IGG Ms Anne Twinomugisha Muhairwe follows Mr Ebiru’s failure to heed summons by the IGG over the same on Friday last week where he was expected to respond to by 2pm on Friday last week.

“Whereas Mr David Livingstone Ebiru was ordered to appear before the Inspectorate of Government at 2:00pm on 21st day of July, 2023 and subsequent days to testify what he knew and or to furnish information in relation to the above-stated inquiry, and the said Mr David Livingstone Ebiru has not appeared according to the summons issued in that regard and has not furnished any information for his failure to respond to the summons,” Ms Twinomugisha summons read in part.

The summons add that “Now, therefore, you are hereby this warrant ordered to apprehend, bring or have the said Mr David Livingstone Ebiru and brought before the Inspectorate of Government.”

On Wednesday last week, Mr Ebiru confessed before the Parliament’s Committee on Commissions Statutory Authorities and State Enterprises (COSASE) that he had dished out Shs100 Million to the National Standards Council (NSC) to retain his job as UNBS boss.

However, on Friday of the same week, he made a U-turn and retracted the same statement calming that the bribery allegations he had leveled against his boss, the Chairperson of the NCS Mr Charles Musekuura plus other members of the Council had been vented out in anger.

Mr Ebiru is among other things pinned to have caused a misappropriation of government funds amounting to about Shs12.5 billion and also shielded 5 staff under his watch who are said to have caused a financial loss of Shs9.28 Billion.

New boss

Meanwhile, the National Standards Council (NSC) leadership has appointed Mr. Daniel Richard Makayi Nangalama as the Acting Executive Director of the UNBS.Up to the point of his appointment, Mr Makayi had served as the Deputy ED in charge of Management and Financial Services.

He now replaces Mr. David Livingstone Ebiru was last week sent on forced leave and now faces arrest by the Police as ordered by the office of the IGG.

Written by Arthur Wandero