MPs Detain Auditor General Officials Over US$257m ITMS Audit Delay

What the report says

Ugandan lawmakers investigating the US$257 million Intelligent Transport Management System (ITMS) project have detained two senior officials from the Office of the Auditor General after pressing them on why the program has not been audited since it began in 2021, according to Watchdog Uganda. The committee is examining the award and implementation of the contract linked to Russian firm Joint Stock Global Security Ltd.

The officials held by the Committee on Physical Infrastructure were identified as Anthony Kimuli, director of value for money and specialised audit, and Martin Bamulumbye, director of central government audit. The committee, chaired by Mwine Mpaka, said they should record statements with police and remain at Parliament until Auditor General Edward Akol appears to explain the delay.

Watchdog Uganda reported that Akol had told the committee in a letter read by Bamulumbye that his office planned to audit the project in the 2025 audit year, after seeking preliminary information from the Ministry of Works and Transport. He said the ministry described the project as security-related, still in pilot phase, and overseen by a multi-sectoral team under the Office of the President. The officials told MPs they had only recently received the agreement and were still gathering documents needed to decide what kind of audit was appropriate.

The committee was dissatisfied, arguing that Parliament had been left without an independent review of the project’s cost and implementation. It also summoned Ministry of Finance officials to appear next as the inquiry continues. Separately, basic background on Uganda’s Auditor General role is that the office is responsible for reviewing public spending and value for money, though the specific findings here remain under investigation.