Kampala, Uganda | NOW THEN DIGITAL — President Yoweri Museveni has granted a pardon to David Chandi Jamwa, the former Managing Director of the National Social Security Fund (NSSF). The president’s decision is based on public health and humanitarian grounds, according to an exclusive statement obtained by NOW THEN DIGITAL.
Jamwa, identified as Prisoner number MBP 3348/2019, is among ten individuals benefiting from the president’s prerogative of mercy. Others on the list include Vincent Ntale, Nelson Drabo, James Omirambe, Samuel Aliama, Francis Leku, Joseph Kabila, Yoha Ayitia (alias Samu), Fred Kato, and Jackson Owino.
Back in 2019, the Supreme Court canceled Jamwa’s bail and affirmed a 12-year jail term imposed by the Anti-corruption Court in 2011. This was in connection with a 3.1 billion shillings loss to the NSSF in 2007. The court highlighted the improper sale of NSSF treasury bonds by Jamwa, resulting in a financial setback.
Despite Jamwa’s attempts to argue that the bond sale was a collective decision, both the Supreme Court and lower courts were unconvinced. The courts emphasized that selling the bonds prematurely, bypassing established procedures, and overlooking better options led to the substantial loss.
President Museveni, as the head of state, holds the exclusive authority to grant pardons to inmates. Museveni has been known to exercise this power, often extending pardons at the beginning or end of the year. In 2022, he pardoned 79 inmates across various prisons in Uganda.
