The Minister of State for Finance, Planning and Economic Development (General Duties), Hon. Henry Musasizi has instructed Parliament that investigations are underway following the alleged hacking of Bank of Uganda (BOU) techniques resulting in lack of billions of shillings.
The media has over the previous few days reported that the Central Bank’s community firewall was hacked a fortnight in the past and over Shs62 billion stolen from the treasury account.
Musasizi stated that the Auditor General and the Criminal Investigations Department of police (CID) are investigating the matter.
He admitted to the House chaired by Speaker Anita Among on Thursday, 28 November 2024, that the Central Bank techniques had been breached.
“It is true that our account was hacked however to not the extent of what’s being reported. To keep away from misrepresentation of information, when the audit and CID investigations are finalised, I encourage that I come to this House and report,” he stated.
Musasizi stated that he’ll current a report of the findings a month’s time, including that, ‘as of now, any matter I disclose on this problem will threat misrepresentation of information’.
The minister’s temporary assertion was in response to the Leader of the Opposition, Hon. Joel Ssenyonyi who demanded that authorities clarifies on the allegations.
“It alarmed me as a result of that is our Central Bank. I assumed authorities ought to assist us perceive; it is crucial that we all know what precisely is occurring,” he Ssenyonyi stated.
He added that the incident is worrying for the reason that Central Bank is vested with the perform to formulate and implement financial coverage directed to the financial goal of reaching and marinating financial stability.
Hon. Ibrahim Ssemujju (FDC, Kira Municipality) faulted the Ministry of Finance for failing to current an announcement instantly after the incident occurred.
“What a accountable authorities does is to problem an interim assertion disclosing what won’t prejudice the investigation. A accountable authorities doesn’t rise up in Parliament and say, ‘we’re investigating, we won’t inform you something’,” he stated.
It is reported {that a} group of hackers in Asia breached the Central Bank’s firewalls and withdrew the cash which was then wired to accounts within the United Kingdom and Japan.
