Minister Balaam: Interdicts 42 Kanungu District Officials Over Corruption

• Minister Balaam Barugahara ordered the interdiction of 42 Kanungu District officials over allegations of corruption, extortion, and abuse of office.
• Key figures, including Chief Administrative Officer Abdallah Awuye, were implicated in covert investigations, with Awuye already arrested.
• Specific allegations include Parish Development Model fraud, demanding payments for police canine services, and misappropriation of one billion shillings for road works.
• Two police officers and the Deputy Resident District Commissioner also face disciplinary action or arrest for various misconducts.
• This action is part of a wider anti-corruption campaign across Uganda's Kigezi sub-region, with similar interdictions in Kabale, Rukiga, and Kisoro districts.

This concerted effort underscores a heightened governmental focus on accountability and transparency within local administration, particularly in regions prone to allegations of financial malfeasance.

Minister Balaam Barugahara, who oversees Local Government, has issued a directive for the interdiction of 42 civil servants within Kanungu District. This significant action stems from a series of serious allegations, including corruption, extortion, abuse of office, and causing financial loss to the government. The officials implicated in this sweeping measure include prominent figures such as Chief Administrative Officer Abdallah Awuye, former Senior District Engineer Eric Sivaseya Mutumba, District Inspector of Schools Erasmus Tuyishime, and District Community Development Officer Ezra Ndizeye. Also affected are District Principal Human Resource Officer Doreen Rukundo and District Procurement Officer Elisa Mujuni.

Minister Barugahara revealed that these officials were identified following covert investigations into various alleged abuses. These abuses encompass absenteeism, forgery, the unauthorized sale of government property, and the delivery of substandard public works. The announcement of these interdictions was made during a public gathering, known as a baraza, held on a Tuesday evening at Kihihi Playground in Kihihi Town Council. During this forum, local residents voiced numerous complaints, accusing public officials of demanding illicit payments for essential services and government programs. In a related development, Mr. Awuye has already been taken into custody, and two police officers from Kanungu Police Station have been ordered for transfer to Police Headquarters for disciplinary proceedings.

The allegations against the Kanungu District officials paint a detailed picture of systemic corruption. Residents reported receiving between 400,000 and 800,000 shillings from the Parish Development Model (PDM), a sum significantly less than the expected one million shillings. Furthermore, officials were accused of demanding payments ranging from 150,000 to 250,000 shillings from individuals seeking police canine services to assist in tracking coffee thieves. Minister Barugahara specifically accused Chief Administrative Officer Abdallah Awuye, who is currently under arrest, of fostering an environment of corruption within the district. Awuye is alleged to have colluded with officials in the Works Department to misappropriate one billion shillings originally allocated for road construction projects.

Beyond the road works scandal, Awuye faces accusations of extorting money from job seekers and collaborating with the education department, led by District Education Officer Shaban Adamz, to demand unauthorized payments for examinations in primary schools. District officials were also implicated in allowing ambulance drivers to charge patients for services that are meant to be provided without additional, unauthorized fees. The two police officers slated for transfer, Nyakato, who heads the Criminal Investigations Department, and Tabaruka, head of the canine unit, were specifically accused of soliciting bribes for police dog services. Additionally, Deputy Resident District Commissioner Gad Ahimbisibwe Rugaaju was handed over to the police and the State House Anti-Corruption Unit following complaints that he neglected his duties, particularly in resolving land disputes, and allegedly sided with land grabbers by providing security to intimidate and harass residents.

The robust enforcement action in Kanungu District is not an isolated incident but forms a crucial part of a broader anti-corruption campaign sweeping across Uganda's Kigezi sub-region. This initiative, spearheaded by Minister Balaam Barugahara, signals a significant increase in scrutiny and accountability for civil servants. The minister has extended similar directives to other districts in the region, ordering the interdiction of 41 civil servants in Kabale District, 16 in Rukiga District, and 29 in Kisoro District, all facing comparable allegations of misconduct and corruption.

This concerted effort underscores a heightened governmental focus on accountability and transparency within local administration, particularly in regions prone to allegations of financial malfeasance. Minister Barugahara has since continued his campaign in the sub-region with a visit to Rukungiri District, where he is expected to conclude this phase of the anti-corruption drive. Lawyers should advise public sector clients and those interacting with Ugandan government officials, particularly in the Kigezi sub-region, to review anti-corruption compliance frameworks due to increased enforcement activity and scrutiny of civil servant conduct, including potential for interdiction and arrest.

Lawyers should advise public sector clients and those interacting with Ugandan government officials, particularly in the Kigezi sub-region, to review anti-corruption compliance frameworks due to increased enforcement activity and scrutiny of civil servant conduct, including potential for interdiction and arrest.

Source: Original reporting via Independent (Kampala)