Cabinet Meets On Congo Report
New Vision (Kampala)
February 14, 2003
Posted to the web February 14, 2003
Richard Mutumba
Kampala
PRESIDENT Yoweri Museveni has summoned a special cabinet meeting in Kampala today to discuss Justice David Porter's report on allegations that Ugandan army officers were involved in looting natural resources in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC).
"This is a serious report and cabinet must discuss it before the minister responsible acts on it accordingly. The President who summoned cabinet will chair the discussions," a source close to Cabinet said yesterday.
Justice Porter handed over the 211-page report of his findings on the controversial plunder of Congo's wealth by foreign armies, to the State Minister for International Affairs, Maj. Tom Butime, on January 31.
"The President has summoned the cabinet so that it can take a collective decision before the report is published a few hours later. It will be published within 48 hours after the special cabinet meeting," the source said.
"This is not an ordinary or private report on which the minister can act individually. This is a very serious document, a report to the Republic of Uganda. That is why the President is interested. This is why he will steer the proceedings and be part of the decision to be taken thereafter," the source said.
Butime earlier promised to make the report public as soon as possible. "We owe that to the public. We promise to be transparent about this thing. President Museveni is eagerly waiting for this report and will take action. I promise Ugandans that we shall not shelve it because the UN is also eagerly waiting for it," he said.
The UN Security Council gave those named in the plunder up to March 31 to submit their defences.
