This was the state in which the Minister of Trade, Industry and Cooperative, Mr Francis Mwebesa found himself while inaugurating the newly constituted National Sugar Council on Thursday.
The issue had nothing to do with the inaugurated sugar council leadership and members, but the conspicuous presence of the executive director of Uganda National Bureau of Standards (UNBS), Mr James Kasigwa, who was last week ordered to step aside to allow unfettered investigations into several claims levelled against him.
In a letter written to Mr Kasigwa, titled: Taking your annual leave starting 15th October, 2025, authored by Mr Mwebesa on October 07, 2025 authorized the UNBS executive director to step aside until the conclusion of the one-month investigation.
‘I write with reference to the task which I recently assigned to the National Standards Council, in which I directed the council to assess the validity, authenticity and significance of the various allegations levelled against you regarding insubordination, misconduct, impropriety, mismanagement and corruption.
“To expedite and facilitate the work of the council in this regard, including conducting inquiries, hearings and interviews of key witnesses and personnel with information pertinent to the areas in which allegations against you were made, I hereby direct and authorise you to take your annual leave, of 30 working days, effective 15th October 2025,’ reads the letter, a copy of which this publication has seen.
Mr Kasigwa sauntered into the inauguration minutes before the proceedings, quietly assuming his seat, first in the back before settling on the round table in the Ministry of Trade boardroom.
It wasn’t apparently clear whether the Minister expected Mr Kasigwa to turn up or not, but what was evident was the uneasiness and some sort of tension when the standards body boss without mincing words and fear of contradiction, introduced himself as the executive director of UNBS.
Throughout the proceedings which lasted slightly more than an hour, Mr Mwebesa uncharacteristically didn’t make any mention of the UNBS boss nor did he maintain eye contact with him.
When asked after the inauguration ceremony what became of the directive, he issued authorizing Mr Kasigwa to step aside, Minister Mwebesa looked visibly uncomfortable to explain himself. He murmured a few words while sharply staring as if to say ‘what more do you want me to do?’ before gathering himself, humorously retorting, ‘can we concentrate on the sugar issues.’
When pressed further, he said: ‘Let’s talk about sugar and the inauguration board.’
Mr Kasigwa, an electrical engineer by profession, didn’t appear bothered, telling this reporter after the inauguration that he had actually ‘never left’ when asked if he was back in office.
Mr Kasigwa has been the executive director of UNBS since May 13, 2024. Mr Kasigwa is an Electrical Engineer who has had an illustrious career with multinational corporations, private and public sectors spanning over two decades in leadership, and strategic management of expert teams in Science, Technology, Innovation, Standards and Infrastructure Industry.