Internal Security Organisation (ISO) and State House respective officials are perusing profiles of a handful persons in search for a suitable replacement of the strong lady Allen Kagina who, is stepping out for good, from the helm of Uganda Revenue Authority (URA)

The Investigator can impeccably report that Kagina is steadily packing her personal effects from her Nakawa based office in preparation for her exit come October this year. Whereas she is ranked among the best tax commissioners Uganda has ever chanced, Kagina has exhausted her trio three-year terms and can’t stand another stay.  

“Her nine years at URA has attracted huge dimes for this government. In fact hers has been a total achievement both for her and the government. She has barely registered any mishaps and her replacement must be thorough enough to fit in her shoes,” a security source privy with the successor search intimated. Sources close to the powers that be have confirmed that President Museveni has ordered his lieutenants to profile for him three people who include two ladies and a dude. Talking to several of URA officials, Kagina is described as a mentor, well-wisher, a strange administrator and a corrupt crusher. “She is one person that will be missed by almost all of us. Right from the sweeper to her deputy, she will be missed,” a senior staff offered on anonymity condition.

Another senior official said; “It takes a strong person to manage URA like she did. One thing for sure is she controlled corruption. Our vehicles are all tracked so, there is no way one can say ‘I have gone to the field in Jinja’ yet you’re around town. She would get you and through that, even staff members have grown to love the surveillance on them.”

Who is Kagina?

The Commissioner General URA since 2004, Allen Kagina is by all means a successful woman who turned around the tax body that for many years did not make any profits. A wife to Paul Kagina and a mother of three, she once said her male colleagues are not intimidated by her position because she respects them and works with them as a team.

Born in Ndorwa, Western Uganda in 1961, Allen holds the degree of Bachelor of Science in Psychology (BSc), obtained from Uganda's oldest university, Makerere University. She started her career in 1985, as a Teaching Assistant at Makerere University after which, she moved to the Office of the President.

In 1992, she joined the Uganda Revenue Authority as a Senior Principal Revenue Officer, serving in that capacity until 1998. In 2000, she was promoted to the rank of Deputy Commissioner for Customs at URA, serving in that capacity until 2001. She was appointed Commissioner General of URA in 2004.

She is credited with improving the financial performance at URA. She was awarded the Corporate Leadership Award in February 2006, by Destiny Consult, an industry group, for turning around the performance of the tax body since her appointment to head the organization. In October 2010 her contract was renewed for another three (3) years. Her monthly salary is reported to amount to Shs28 million (approximately: US$12,000).

Possible replacement

Sources intimated this morning that Kagina is likely to be replaced by one of her lieutenants including among others, Doris Akol and or Patrick Mukiibi. Akol is Commissioner for Legal Services and Board Affairs and Patrick Mukiibi is Security and Investigations Commissioner.

Doris Akol: To start with, Akol is known to be Kagina’s blue eyed girl. The heavily studied lady is the June 2008 winner of the Ralph Bell Prize of A£100. The prize is awarded to the best Institute of Chartered Secretaries and Administrators (ICSA) finalist who completes their chosen syllabus and sits more than one paper in that intake.

Top sources at the ICSA Uganda says that achieving the status of chartered secretary with the ICSA means one will have completed one of the most wide-ranging courses in business and will have the skills and talents to make a difference to business performance. “A graduand of ICSA will be in demand in all sectors of business. It is internationally recognised and hence the owner stand higher chances of worldwide opportunities.

Indeed, upon her achievement of the ICSA graduate status, Akol was promoted from Assistant Commissioner in charge of Border Affairs to her current post. Those close to her tell us that her motto is “any serious person can excel.” She is known to be very close to Kagina of late, going to serious and sensitive conferences/meetings together and at most times, they are reported to meet the President for various briefings.

And for this, many at the national taxation base believe Kagina could be trying to mentor Akol whether with her knowledge or covertly through sensitive and tough assignments. Kagina is not new to the kingmakers’ field. It is a public secret that she moulded Jenifer Musisi and recommended her posting at the KCCA helm.

Patrick Mukiibi: He has been at URA for close to a decade and another Kagina trusted lieutenant. Unlike his showy brother Mike Ezra Mulyowa, Mukiibi is a serious, sober, composed and humble but tough a man at work. His further connections to the powers that be can only be news to a typical ordinary Ugandan.

One of his colleagues Issa Kiganda, the Enterprise Architecture describes him as thus; “Patrick can squeeze the best juice out of his team. I love the level of productivity he generates in all his staff, all united strongly for a common and known purpose. His strength really speaks through the energy of his staff.”

In 2001, Mukiibi made a try on politics when he stood for the Youth MP for Central Uganda, in a tight contest where Rose Namayanja defeated his by a whisk. He went into private business before President Museveni posted him to URA, around 2003. Though Akol seems to stand bigger chances, given the fact that the appointing authority is interested in female managers, Mukiibi’s name has persisted on the successors’ list, just in case. Watch this space.

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