OUGANDA: I have never been bribed by Heritage or Eni - Mbabazi

This is the response Minister Amama Mbabazi sent to Saturday Monitor when contacted about the claims in the leaked documents.

“That allegation is absolutely not true. I have never received even an offer let alone payment from Heritage or ENI of that kind or for anything. They have never offered me anything. However around that time there was a report, I think in the Times of London, or some other international newspaper, which did not name anyone, but it talked about corruption over the deal.

There was a story that Heritage or ENI was involved in corruption over that deal. This was picked by and reported in one of the local tabloids, I think The Red Pepper. I didn’t take the report seriously.

What surprised me is that the embassy believes that the allegations are true and concluded that the deal showed signs of high level corruption in Uganda’s oil sector. This is incredible. I am surprised they would make a statement like that without cross checking with me about my alleged involvement.”

I am troubled by that. I have a good relationship with the embassy staff . . . It is difficult for me to imagine that an ambassador could say they believed it was true, that Mbabazi received payments. That could only happen if they have evidence. It is different from saying that there are rumours. It is absolute rubbish. There is no evidence to support the allegation because nothing like that happened.”

At the time Heritage entered the deal to sell its share to Eni, it was in partnership with Tullow. Now Tullow decided to exercise its right of first refusal as a partner. Pre-emption. There were many words exchanged by the two companies in the media about this transaction. This is public knowledge here.

I think the speculation in the media about my role in all this was based on the fact that when Eni’s leadership came to Uganda and made a presentation to the President about their investment plan for Uganda, I did attend that meeting.

The meeting was covered by all media houses. One of our local newspapers then raised speculative questions as to the reasons for my attendance. There was never anything more to it than that.”

I am also aware, however, of a whispering campaign by one of the parties that some Ugandan senior government officials were bribed to support the sale. I treated that campaign then, as I do now, with absolute contempt and I hold those who peddle these lies with contempt and I find them a disgusting lot.”

Best regards,
Amama Mbabazi

Source: Daily Monitor, Posted Saturday, December 11 2010 at 00:00