EDITOR’S NOTE: The Minister of Science Technology and Innovations, Dr. Monica Musanza Musenero, has been in the news over allegations of failing to account to Ugandans billions of funds that have been extended to her docket to scale up the vaccine research for preventing the COVID-19 virus.
The allegations started in whispers, then streamed on social media and eventually, the Member of Parliament for Ntungamo Municipality, Hon. Yona Musinguzi dropped the bombshell and told the Ugandan press two weeks ago that she had evidence to expose the Minister.
On November 10, President Yoweri Museveni, while presiding over the celebrations to mark the World Science Day at Kololo Independence Grounds, and in reference to Dr. Musenero, warned the public against maligning what he called a ‘decorated officer,’ and challenged her sceptics to bring evidence.
This afternoon, the Minister addressed a select committee of parliament and MediaScape News brings you her response in a three-part series that will cover the next 48 hours.
Read on:
On 12th November 2021, I received a letter inviting me for a meeting with a Select Committee of the Parliament of Uganda on allegations raised by Hon. Yona Musinguzi regarding my activities with the ongoing research on the COVI-19 vaccine.
I was nonetheless not availed with the allegations, to enable me ably respond. It would have been helpful to officially know the allegations and whether they are against me in my capacity as the Minister of Science and Technology in the Office of The President or against me in the role I held as Senior Presidential Advisor on Epidemics.
Nonetheless, the terms of reference of the select Committee were:
To establish the progress in the development of a locally manufactured COVID19 vaccine
To establish the amount of funds so far released for the research, innovation and COVID 19 vaccine development;
To establish how effectively such funds were utilized;
To establish the challenges faced in the development of the COVID 19 vaccines and medicines;
To inquire into any other matters incidental to the above;
To recommend a way forward to Parliament.
First, it is pertinent that I address a preliminary point that will provide context and clarity so as to dispel the unsubstantiated, malicious, and extremely offensive allegations made against me personally and against distinguished highly regarded indigenous scientists by Honourable Yona Musinguzi
What is PRESIDE?
PRESIDE stands for Presidential Scientific Initiative on Epidemics. PRESIDE is a government program under the State House. It was set up to address some of the unfavourable situations the country found itself in at the onset of Covid-19. PRESIDE also addresses the critical need to mobilize scientists towards innovating home-grown solutions.
The COVID pandemic exposed a lot of dangers of overreliance on the importation of epidemic and pandemic response solutions. For example, we could not access diagnostic kits, sanitiser, gloves and protective wear for our health workers as the virus approached. We were therefore forced to recommend to lockdown of the country before a single case was detected, the lockdown allowed us to buy time in order to help local companies build capacity to produce the necessary sanitiser, protective wear etc to protect Ugandans. This situation of vulnerability is what prompted His Excellency to say ‘…enough is enough…we cannot live in perpetual dependence on others we must start doing something…’
ALSO READ: Dr. MONICA MUSENERO: The Truth About COVID Vaccine Research Funds and Who spent What | PART II
The vulnerability of our country was further exposed when the developed nations initially horded the COVID-19 vaccines in what has come to be known as ‘covid-nationalism’ or to put it in the words the Director General of World Health Organization (WHO) ‘…Vaccine nationalism and hoarding is putting us all at risk…’
I wish to also dispel the myth that once we vaccinate 22 million people, that will be the end of the need for the COVID-19 Vaccines. Science shows that the COVID-19 virus is not going away but is going to stay like others such as the measles or polio viruses. Moreover, the COVID-19 virus keeps changing (Mutating), thus making the initial vaccines obsolete. This means that:
One, Vaccinated individuals will require booster shot(s) in the future.
Two, Uganda has a young population. All those below 18 are currently not being vaccinated but they will need vaccination as they hit 18 years of age or when vaccines are approved for a young age group
Three, the science also shows that COVID – 19 vaccination is likely to be a Public Health requirement on the human vaccination calendar just like Polio, yellow Fever, measles etc.
Four, Vaccines will need continuous upgrading as variants change. Countries that are not self-reliant stand a risk of becoming dumping grounds for obsolete vaccines or worse still we could end up in an endless struggle to contain the virus while other countries are free of it.
Five, there is a need to build our own national capacity to produce vaccines. In any case, the cost of building this capacity using our scientists on the four vaccine projects has so far been allocated only shillings 7.81 Billion, which is a small fraction of the cost of acquiring the vaccine from other countries that are producing vaccines because they built their capacity to produce vaccines.
I invite you dear Ugandans to refer to the statement of the Minister of Health to Parliament on the funding of the National Vaccination Program on 4 November 2021, where she seeks 1.4 trillion shillings and quotes a cost of vaccines as shillings 475.4 Billion for 18 million doses, which will only vaccinate 9 million Ugandans.
The only way we shall cost-effectively vaccinate all the Ugandans, and cater for the booster doses required in the future, as well as reduce vulnerability of our Nation to other countries that have already built their capacity to produce vaccines is to support our scientists to use their distinguished intellectual experience to create our capacity as a country to produce its own vaccines.
I would like the honourable Members of Parliament to also note that Ugandan scientists have distinguished themselves in handling pandemics and research on the global stage. Many have participated in vaccine research but the absence of a domestic support system made it difficult for them to develop this technology for our nation
In order to support the Ugandan Scientists, His Excellency the President setup the initiative to develop the capacity of our very experienced scientists working in government institutions and other established bodies to develop the capacity to create vaccines in Uganda.
Covid-19 response activities have been ongoing in the country since March 2020. As part of the strategic interventions, His Excellency the President of Uganda, directed the Prime Minister to work with the Senior Presidential Advisor on Epidemics to set up a platform to fast-track local research and development to generate products to enable the country to cope with the current and future health security needs.
The Presidential directive is aimed at:
One, reducing the dependence of the country on expensive and often scarce imports for epidemic response essentials
Two, positioning the country as an exporter of Epidemic Response products to the region and beyond
Three, begin to harness Pathogens as an economic resource
Four, harness the scientific potential of the country for industrialization
This directive resulted into the creation of PRESIDE, set up to function as a Scientific Think Tank, networking platform and as a mechanism for funding priority scientific research and Development projects.
Therefore, PRESIDE is not a company as stated by the Honourable Musinguzi but rather an initiative set up by the President and housed in State House.
It is not registered with the Companies Registry at all but operates as a project funded by State House.
I am not a director of PRESIDE and neither is my Husband employed with PRESIDE in any way as alleged by Hon Yona Musinguzi.
PRESIDE does not have a bank account and has not directly received any funds.
The issues of Accountability of the COVID Funds was squarely under MOSTI and NOT PRESIDE, this was never in contention.
It was clarified by the Secretary to the Treasury, Ministry of Finance and is expressly stated in The MOU between MOSTI and PRESIDE as such the letters referred to by Hon Yona Musinguzi in parliament are misleading.
In Part II coming tomorrow, I address the Terms of Reference by the Select Committee of Parliament, one by one.
Author Dr Musenero is the Minister of Science Technology and Innovations
PART II of this series is available here:: Dr. MONICA MUSENERO: The Truth About COVID Vaccine Research Funds and Who spent What | PART II