Top Tullow officials toyed with the idea of making an undocumented $50 million (Shs130b) payment to President Museveni before switching to consider financing his re-election campaign, UK media reported on Thursday.
They were quoted in proceedings at ongoing tax arbitration case in London. Officials in Kampala however said they were unaware of such gestures.
The Companys Exploration director Angus McCoss, reportedly told fellow executives in a group email in August 2010, that the firm should pay for an oil licence to meet the short term needs and demands of President Museveni, referred to in the correspondence by the acronym M7.
It was not clear whether the money offer was solicited or made voluntarily by Tullow, and neither could we establish if any cash changed hands afterwards.
Deputy Presidential Spokesperson, Ms Lindah Nabusayi, had by press time not replied our Friday email enquiries on the subject.
The Irish Times reported that Tullow executives considered paying the President of Uganda to help settle a tax dispute against a rival firm.
Uganda government demanded $404 million in capital gains tax from Heritage for sale at $1.45 billion of its 50 per cent stake in the oil fields to Tullow. Heritage disputes the tax liability.
Tullow, however, paid part of the bill to Uganda before suing both parties in London with the aim of either recovering what it paid from Heritage or Uganda should court decide against the levy.
During the Thursday hearing, Heritage lawyer Kwahar Quereshi argued that Tullow chose to pay the tax his client disputed for their selfish economic interest.
[Tullow Exploration director] Mr McCoss is saying [in the email] it is worth thinking about meeting M7s short-term needs and demands, and he has already indicated the things he is addressing is his election campaign, he said.
They were quoted in proceedings at ongoing tax arbitration case in London. Officials in Kampala however said they were unaware of such gestures.
The Companys Exploration director Angus McCoss, reportedly told fellow executives in a group email in August 2010, that the firm should pay for an oil licence to meet the short term needs and demands of President Museveni, referred to in the correspondence by the acronym M7.
It was not clear whether the money offer was solicited or made voluntarily by Tullow, and neither could we establish if any cash changed hands afterwards.
Deputy Presidential Spokesperson, Ms Lindah Nabusayi, had by press time not replied our Friday email enquiries on the subject.
The Irish Times reported that Tullow executives considered paying the President of Uganda to help settle a tax dispute against a rival firm.
Uganda government demanded $404 million in capital gains tax from Heritage for sale at $1.45 billion of its 50 per cent stake in the oil fields to Tullow. Heritage disputes the tax liability.
Tullow, however, paid part of the bill to Uganda before suing both parties in London with the aim of either recovering what it paid from Heritage or Uganda should court decide against the levy.
During the Thursday hearing, Heritage lawyer Kwahar Quereshi argued that Tullow chose to pay the tax his client disputed for their selfish economic interest.
[Tullow Exploration director] Mr McCoss is saying [in the email] it is worth thinking about meeting M7s short-term needs and demands, and he has already indicated the things he is addressing is his election campaign, he said.