Cosase clamps down on extortionate weigh-bridge officials

Parliament’s Committee on Public Accounts, Commissions, Statutory Authorities and State Enterprises (Cosase) has tasked the Uganda National Roads Authority (UNRA) to investigate its weigh-bridge officials involved in corruption, saying they run a cartel.

In day three of Cosase’s probe into UNRA, Committee Chairperson, Hon. Joel Ssenyonyi has tasked the roads agency with the duty to investigate claims of corruption among its weigh-bridge ranks, especially mobile ones stationed in Kampala and its environs.
“We have had claims of mobile weigh-bridge officials offering a reprieve from overloading penalties by asking victims to send money to a mobile money number apparently operated by a cartel; have you heard about this?  How many officials have you punished [for this malpractice]?” he said.

UNRA’S Executive Director, Allen Kagina promised to investigate the matter and present a report to the committee by Monday.
“We shall need more time to investigate and report back to this committee; we have a zero tolerance to corruption policy and those found culpable will be accordingly punished,” she said.
Ssenyonyi expressed concern that the practice not only affects the quality of the roads but also denies the government the much-needed taxes from the penalties that are countermanded by corrupt officials.

He said the committee will take stern action against the officials.