Balaam orders interdiction of 74 civil servants over alleged corruption in Bunyoro

Bunyoro: Minister for Local Government Balaam Barugahara has ordered the interdiction of 74 civil servants and directed the arrest of several government officials over alleged corruption, extortion, recruitment fraud and misuse of public resources in the Bunyoro sub-region.

The directives follow a series of community barazas held under President Yoweri Museveni’s Expose the Corrupt initiative, aimed at addressing complaints about the management of public funds and service delivery in local governments.

Balaam has so far conducted the exercise in Masindi, Kiryandongo, Buliisa, Hoima, Kikuube and Hoima City, where residents raised concerns about alleged abuse of office, diversion of public funds, illegal land transactions and extortion.

According to the minister, Hoima District and Hoima City account for 20 affected officials, while Masindi District has 14, Kikuube 17, Buliisa 15 and Kiryandongo eight.

In an interview with this publication on Tuesday evening, Balaam said some substantive officers had allegedly used officials serving in acting positions to misappropriate government funds.

He argued that acting officials were vulnerable to manipulation because they could easily be removed from their positions.

Balaam said he had directed local governments to fill vacant positions with substantive heads of departments to strengthen accountability and improve supervision of government projects.

Arrests in Buliisa, Kiryandongo and Masindi

In Buliisa District, 14 officials were arrested following allegations raised during a corruption expose rally at the district headquarters.

The complaints, presented by district LCV Chairperson Wandera Atuhairwe Twari, included alleged extortion at health facilities, selling of public jobs, misuse of government funds and irregularities in the promotion of 22 nursing officers.

The officials also faced allegations involving the use of ambulance fuel and the implementation of government programmes.

Among those arrested were Acting District Health Officer Titus Sabiiti, Chief Administrative Officer Professor Levi Musinguzi, District Education Officer Tyson Kasangaki Kiiza and District Water Engineer Moris Wekame.

Wekame was accused of misappropriating more than 114 million shillings intended for extending piped water in Butiaba Town Council, while the CAO was accused of releasing funds to a contractor that allegedly failed to complete the construction of Kihungya Seed Secondary School.

Other officials arrested included Senior Procurement Officer Ronald Asiimwe, District Service Commission Secretary Chris Joselyne, commission chairperson Peter Kyaligonza, Chief Finance Officer Moses Wandera and District Natural Resources Officer Bernard Tugume.

The officials were taken to Buliisa Central Police Station to assist the State House Anti-Corruption Unit with investigations.

In Kiryandongo District, Balaam ordered the arrest of eight officials over alleged irregularities involving market lockups, hospital services, a missing hospital generator and public road works.

Those named included former Kigumba Town Council LCIII Chairperson Billy Katusiime Bingi and Kigumba Market Chairperson Patrick Kabagambe over the alleged allocation of market lockups to people who were not entitled to them.

Kiryandongo General Hospital Medical Superintendent Dr Godfrey Kisembo was targeted over a missing hospital generator, while laboratory attendant Sam Mpangire was accused of allegedly charging patients for services.

The minister also ordered the arrest of District Engineer George Niyonzima, Bweyale Town Council Engineer Martin Bweyale and Town Clerk Lydia Tusabe over alleged irregularities in the implementation of road works.

In Masindi District, Balaam ordered the arrest and interdiction of 12 civil servants over allegations ranging from the misappropriation of public funds to recruitment fraud.

Among those affected were District Commercial Officer Pastor Moses Kalyegira and Alfred Ochen, who were arrested by officials from the State House Anti-Corruption Unit.

Former Acting Production Officer Dr Fred Sebuguzi was accused of misappropriating 110 million shillings meant for a micro-scale irrigation project.

Masindi Municipal Building Engineer Robert Magezi and the Masindi Municipal Princial Education Officer Samuel Ayebale were accused of jointly misappropriating 120 million shillings allocated for the rehabilitation of a classroom block at Kamurasi Demonstration Primary School.

Municipal Engineer John Kasaija was accused of misusing funds intended for the construction of a municipal administration block.

Former District Service Commission Chairperson Benjamin Byarugaba and the commission’s secretary, Angella Nyandera, were also accused of allegedly selling civil service jobs.

The minister further directed the District Public Accounts Committee to investigate how Masindi Municipality utilised 510 million shillings allocated for AFCON-related activities.

He also ordered investigations into the alleged hiring out of a district grader to a private individual instead of using it on the Kimengo–Karangwe–Kiryana road.

Hoima and Kikuube officials under investigation

In Hoima District and Hoima City, 20 officials were reportedly affected by the interdiction directives and related investigations.

Hoima Resident District Commissioner Rogers Mbabazi was arrested during a community baraza in Kigorobya following accusations by residents that he demanded money to resolve land disputes and favoured wealthy developers.

Hoima District Chairperson Uthuman Mugisha and two councillors, Hellen Mulumba and Hillary Tumusiime, were also named in allegations that they solicited money from people seeking government jobs.

Balaam directed investigations into the claims.

In Kikuube District, 17 officials were reportedly affected by the exercise.

District Resident Commissioner Godwin Angalia faced accusations from residents who alleged that he collected money while promising to secure them land in Bugoma Forest.

According to Balaam, Angalia left a community meeting at Sir Tito Primary School in Kiziranfumbi after the allegations were raised and did not return when asked to explain himself.

The minister called for his arrest, saying other people had also raised similar accusations.

Other cases in Kikuube involved District Water Engineer Hillary Agondeze over a non-functional water project reportedly worth 500 million shillings, as well as allegations of substandard school construction and irregular land titling involving government land.

Officials yet to respond

Balaam says the ongoing exercise is intended to strengthen accountability, improve service delivery and ensure that public officers implicated in corruption are held responsible.

The minister has also directed Masindi District Chief Administrative Officer Samuel Kaija Ruhweza to provide road work plans for the past three financial years and given the district one month to complete construction of Kijunjubwa Seed School.

In Buliisa, district Vice Chairperson Moses Businge acknowledged that corruption allegations had affected service delivery and appealed to the minister to intervene.

The officials named in the allegations had not publicly responded to the claims at the time of publication. The accusations remain subject to investigation, and those implicated are presumed innocent unless proven guilty.

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