What you need to know: The deputy Presidential Press Secretary, Mr Faruk Kirunda, says State House stands by its earlier stance that the said letter was forged without the knowledge of the President.
State House has said security will investigate the source of what it referred to as a “forged letter”, which surfaced on social media, where the President was quoted as having spoken out on MPs’ cash awards.
In the alleged May 3 letter attributed to the President, he was quoted as having asked Attorney General Kiryowa Kiwanuka if he was aware of a meeting reportedly chaired by Speaker of Parliament Anita Among, where a Shs1.7b service award was shared by four lawmakers who doubled as commissioners.
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But in a statement issued by the Presidential Press Unit yesterday, which did not bear any signature nor any other features synonymous with official press releases from the unit, the State House denied the purported May 3 letter.
“The Presidential Press Unit – PPU wishes to inform the General Public that the letter circulating on social media purportedly authored by H.E The President on the subject of service awards to Parliamentary Commissioners is forged and should be ignored,” the notice said.
Previous press releases have borne the mast (including the logo, contact details, the wording ‘press release’ against a grey background, a Coat of Arms watermark, and sign-out). Yesterday’s release was short on all these elements.
In a rejoinder to the letter, the deputy Presidential Press Secretary, Mr Faruk Kirunda, who claimed having authored it, said State House stands by its earlier stance that the said letter was forged without the knowledge of the President.
“Please, note that the PPU statement issued earlier today clarifying the letter purportedly written by H.E the President to the Hon. Attorney General with the subject: ‘Service Awards to Parliamentary Commissioners’ dated May 3, 2024, still stands. Just to confirm; that letter is forged and is the work of self-seekers,” he said.