Former Vice President Prof. Gilbert Bukenya is facing serious charges of abuse of office. But he has told our reporter earlier this morning that he is ready for the 'battle'. PHOTO BY ISAAC KASAMANI  

Former Vice President Prof. Gilbert Balibaseka Bukenya is set to be charged before the anti-corruption court in relation to the procurement of the executive cars for the 2007 Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting in Kampala.
Prof. Bukenya is facing two charges of abuse of office and acting fraudulently, according to a charge sheet presented to the court this morning by the Inspector General of Government.
Consequently, the anti-corruption court Grade One magistrate Ms Sarah Langa has on Monday morning issued criminal summons for Prof. Bukenya to appear in Court on June 16, at 9 a.m.
The former Vice President is jointly charged with Motorcare (U) Ltd, the company that supplied of the 204 executive vehicles.
The IGG says the Shs9.4 billion Chogm car deal was awared to Motorcare (U) Ltd under the ‘personal’ influence of Prof. Bukenya without proper tendering. There were vibes early this morning that Prof. Bukenya, who chaired the cabinet sub-Committee on Chogm was set to be arrested this afternoon, but with the court summons, the former vice president will now have his day on Thursday, June 16 - on charges that are not bailable in the lower courts.
But Prof. Bukenya had earlier this this afternoon told our reporter that the latest IGG’s action has taken him by surprise because no summons have been sent to him.
“I am surprised,” he said.
“I got to know about it from your newspaper’s website. I am at my village home in Kakiri. It’s a battle,” Prof. Bukenya this afternoon.
The charges come 3 days after the president’s release of new cabinet dropping Prof Bukenya as V.P, a position he had held for 8 years.
Daily Monitor website – www.monitor.co.ug broke the unfolding story.
The tender:
The tender for the supply of the 204 executive cars to transport heads of state attracted controversy after it was first awarded to Spear Motors Ltd for outright purchase but later reversed and awarded to Europcar/ Motorcare (U), a company linked to Kampala businessman Bob Kabonero for rental.
The Chogm transport evaluation committee had on May 8, 2007 selected Spear Motors Ltd, but later the decision was reversed after Prof. Bukenya insisted that the award should be cancelled and the deal should be for renting.
Prof. Bukenya reasoned that the country could not afford the outright purchase but according to documents presented to the committee yesterday, the Chogm transport evaluation committee rejected the joint bid of Europcar/Motorcare (U) Ltd because the rental option was "found to be much expensive and a waste of public funds".
More details later as this story unfolds