Kampala, Uganda – The Auditor General (AG) has launched an investigation into the circumstances under which Dr. Aminah Zawedde, the Permanent Secretary (PS) at the Ministry of Information, Communications Technology, and National Guidance, authorized payments totalling over Shs4 billion to Next Media Services, a private media firm in Uganda. The probe focuses on payments dating back to 2021.
On May 31, 2024, the AG’s office, led by James Bantu, Director of Audit – Forensic Investigations and IT Audits, officially requested Dr. Zawedde to provide detailed information about these transactions. The request specifically concerns the management of Non-Tax Revenue (NTR) collected by the Uganda Communications Commission (UCC).
“Reference is made to the ongoing Forensic Investigation at the Ministry of Information Communications Technology and National Guidance, covering several aspects including Management of Non-Tax Revenue that is collected by Uganda Communications Commission,” Bantu wrote. He further requested all payment instructions, vouchers, and related accountabilities concerning NTR transactions for the financial year 2020/21. Additionally, he sought all procurement records related to the transactions listed in appendices 2a, 2b, and 2c.
Documents reviewed by this website reveal that on March 30, 2023, Dr. Zawedde authorized a payment of Shs510,940,000 to NBS Television Ltd, a subsidiary of Next Media Services, for coverage of the International Women’s Day commemoration held in Kiruhura District. The payment was reportedly made without a contract reviewed and cleared by the Solicitor General. This has raised red flags among the investigators.
Other payments to Next Media Services under scrutiny include Shs259,600,000 for an advert of the Dubai Expo on NBS, and four episodes of the “Spotlight” program, each costing Shs180,540,000 for production and broadcast.
Insiders revealed that Next Media Group CEO, Kin Kariisa, was summoned before the Auditor General last Thursday to provide invoices and reports of the work executed. This move is part of the broader effort to scrutinize the financial transactions between the Ministry of ICT and Next Media Services.
In a related development, President Yoweri Museveni had directed on March 6, 2023, that all government advertising business be channeled to the Uganda Broadcasting Corporation (UBC). However, this directive was later rescinded following appeals from private media executives who argued that the directive was discriminatory and threatened the survival of private media firms still recovering from the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Efforts to reach Dr. Zawedde for comments were unsuccessful as she had not responded by the time of publication.
The investigation by the AG continues to unfold, with the public keenly watching how the Ministry of ICT and Next Media Services will respond to the allegations and the ongoing audit.
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