Four senior officials from Mbale District Local Government have been arraigned before the Anti-Corruption Division of the High Court on charges related to alleged abuse of office and neglect of duty, as authorities intensify efforts to combat corruption in local governments.
The officials were jointly arraigned by the State House Anti-Corruption Unit, the Criminal Investigations Directorate (CID), and the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions (ODPP) following their arrest during the nationwide “Expose the Corrupt” campaign spearheaded by the Minister of Local Government, Hon. Balaam Barugahara.
The accused are District Health Officer Dr. Wangisi Jonathan, District Education Officer Khaukha Sam Paddy, District Inspector of Schools Walufu Asadi, and the Head Teacher of Nabumali Secondary School, Nabiryo Betty Wamanga.
Dr. Wangisi was charged with abuse of office and corruption through neglect of duty. He was remanded until August 4, 2026.
According to investigators, between 2023 and 2024, Dr. Wangisi allegedly transferred health workers from several health centres to Busia Health Centre IV without obtaining approval from the Chief Administrative Officer, contrary to established procedures. The alleged transfers reportedly left several health facilities understaffed, affecting healthcare service delivery.
He is also accused of failing to perform key responsibilities as District Health Officer, including assessing staffing needs, monitoring staff leave schedules, and coordinating the deployment of health workers across the district.
In a separate case, Khaukha and Walufu were charged with corruption through neglect of duty, while Nabiryo was charged with abuse of office. The three were remanded until August 6, 2026.
Investigators allege that during the 2024/2025 and 2025/2026 financial years, Nabiryo unlawfully charged students additional fees at Nabumali Secondary School, contrary to the Education Act and the Universal Secondary Education (USE) Policy Guidelines.
The investigations further indicate that Khaukha and Walufu allegedly failed to effectively supervise and inspect schools in Mbale District, allowing the illegal collection of fees in government-aided schools, including Nabumali Secondary School.
The arrests are part of the ongoing nationwide “Expose the Corrupt” campaign, which seeks to strengthen accountability and improve transparency in local governments by taking action against officials accused of corruption and abuse of office.
