The Inspector General of Government (IGG), Irene Mulyagonja has ordered for the immediate interdiction of the Director of the Parliamentary Budget Office, Samuel Wanyaka, pending investigations into allegations of corruption and abuse of office.

Mulyagonja has also asked the Clerk to Parliament, Jane Kibirige, to stay any parliamentary disciplinary proceedings against Wanyaka over his conduct pending the investigation by the IGG. She warned that Kibirige faces prosecution if she does not comply with the directive issued to her to act on the officer within seven days. “You should comply with the directive and order within seven days from the date of this letter and present proof to me of the action taken,” the IGG reportedly wrote back to the clerk.

“Because of the significance of the position that the suspect holds and the gravity of the allegations against him, the Inspectorate is unable to wait for the [Parliamentary] Commission to conclude its administrative disciplinary proceedings/investigations as this would delay the processes and perhaps facilitate/aid the interference with or destruction of the evidence being sought for,” the IGG added.

Quoting correspondences between the two officials, the Inspectorate’s Public Relations Officer, Ali Munira, said the IGG had written to the Clerk warning her of the consequences if she does not comply with the directive.

“In her response to the Clerk to Parliament, dated January 3, the IGG informed her that in the event that the clerk’s office fails to comply with the directive and order above, the provisions of Section 35 (c) of the Inspectorate of Government Act shall come into force and the clerk shall be prosecuted for disobeying the orders of the Inspectorate without reasonable excuse,” Munira said. A whistleblower last year wrote to the Clerk to Parliament and the IGG accusing Wanyaka of corruption, misuse of funds under his charge and gross abuse of office.

The Clerk of Parliament, however, forwarded the matter to the Parliamentary Commission, which she said is constitutionally and statutorily mandated to among others “exercise disciplinary control over persons holding public office in Parliament.”

But the matter could not be immediately handled since the commission members were on Christmas recess. She noted that the director had not been formally charged and requested the IGG to allow for the exhaustion of Parliament’s internal mechanism in handling the complaint.

“I could not act alone. The full commission will decide whether Wanyaka takes leave or not because it has the statutory mandate to exercise disciplinary control over persons holding public offices in this House when festive days have ended,” she explained.

Munira yesterday said the IGG has, however, objected to the clerk’s arguments after receiving information that Wanyaka was planning to interfere with the investigations.

“In her response to the Clerk to Parliament, dated January 3, 2014, the IGG informed the Clerk that Wanyaka had approached a member of the Inspectorate and informed him that he prefers an internal disciplinary process and he will do all he could to ensure that he is not investigated by the Inspectorate,” Munira said.