President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni has directed for the immediate reinstatement of the embattled Geraldine Ssali Busuulwa, the Ministry of Trade Permanent Secretary, with immediate effect.

In the October 26 letter signed by the Head of Public Service, Lucy Nakyobe, President Museveni directed the Permanent Secretary and Secretary to the Treasury and addressed Ramathan Ggoobi Ramathan to reinstate Geraldine Ssali Busuulwa as the accounting officer for the Ministry of Trade, Industry, and Cooperatives.

“Reference is made to H.E. the president‘s letter, Ref. PO/1 dated October 22, 2023, concerning the above-mentioned permanent secretary. This is to request that you immediately reinstate Busuulwa as accounting officer for the Ministry of Trade, Industry, and Cooperatives as per the president’s directive,” the letter reads in part.

PSST Ggoobi ordered Busuulwa on October 3, 2023, to step out of office following a recommendation from Parliament regarding the alleged misuse of public funds in the ministry of trade.

“Reference is made to the above report on the investigations into the utilization of the supplementary funds to your ministry for FY2021/22, where parliament resolved, among others, that the Secretary to the Treasury should exercise his authority under Section 11(2)(g) of the Public Finance Management Act to withdraw the appointment and designation of Ms. Geraldine Ssali as an Accounting Officer for the Ministry of Trade Industry and Cooperatives,” Dr. Ggoobi wrote.

In 2017, Busuulwa was fired from the National Social Security Fund as the deputy director after the board failed to renew her contract upon expiry over poor performance.