The Minister of Local Government, Balaam Barugahara, has ordered the arrest of six Rukiga District Local Government officials over allegations of abuse of office, corruption and causing financial loss to the government.
Barugahara also ordered the arrest of former Rwamucucu Sub-county LC3 chairperson Eddy Mugisha over allegations of grabbing land belonging to a 94-year-old woman.
The arrests followed Barugahara’s visit to Rukiga District as part of his nationwide anti-corruption campaign, during which he raised concerns about the alleged mismanagement of public resources, shoddy work on government projects and suspected grabbing of public land.
Those arrested include Nicholas Kananura, the Principal Human Resource Officer; Bruce Turyamushangayo, the Chief Finance Officer; Christopher Ndyabegyera, the District Education Officer; Evans Bangirana, the District Water Engineer; Deogratious Mbabazi, the District Engineer; and Richard Sajabi, the District Fisheries Officer.
During his visit, the minister questioned expenditure and the quality of work on several projects implemented by the district local government.
He raised concerns about the procurement of 90 chairs for the district council at Shs950,000 each during the third quarter of the 2025/2026 financial year.
The chairs were reportedly supplied by Paul Kangwegye Company Limited, based in Kabale Municipality.
Barugahara questioned the procurement process, noting that each chair was purchased at Shs950,000 against a budget of Shs995,000, raising concerns about the value for money.
He also accused the district works department of mismanaging Shs120 million meant for the rehabilitation of Nyakanengo-Nyakasiru Road during the third quarter of the 2025/2026 financial year.
According to the minister, only grading had been carried out, while other planned works, including spot grading, gravelling and drainage, had not been completed.
He further questioned the expenditure of Shs110 million released for the rehabilitation of the five-kilometre Bukinda-Rwakijuma Road during the same financial year, saying only grading had been done, without the addition of murram.
Barugahara also raised concerns about the rehabilitation of the eight-kilometre Nyaruhanga-Kahama Road, for which Shs165 million had reportedly been released.
He said the road remained narrow and lacked murram, raising fears that it could be washed away during heavy rains.
The minister also questioned the quality and cost of works on Kangondo Bridge, saying it had developed what he described as “man-made falls”.
He said the bridge was initially expected to cost Shs100 million, but the engineer reportedly indicated that Shs80 million had been spent, prompting questions about the project’s value for money.
Barugahara also expressed concern over the construction of Bukinda Sub-county headquarters in Karubanda Village, Nyakasiru Parish, which began during the 2020/2021 financial year at a reported cost of Shs240 million.
He said only Shs100 million had been released for the completed works, leaving a balance of Shs142 million pending, and directed that the money should not be released until the concerns were addressed.
The minister further questioned the construction of a three-storey building at St Paul’s Secondary School Bukinda, which began during the 2023/2024 financial year but was reportedly abandoned at the foundation stage in 2024.
He said GESIS Construction Limited had spent Shs500 million on the first phase, while the district engineer reportedly confirmed that only Shs471 million had been utilised.
Barugahara questioned whether the project had delivered value for money, given that construction had stalled at the foundation stage.
On education, the minister expressed concern that Primary Seven, Senior Four and Senior Six candidates in government schools were allegedly being charged Shs30,000 for Primary Leaving Examinations registration and Shs165,000 for Uganda Certificate of Education registration, despite the government covering the examination fees.
He directed that the District Education Officer and the district inspector of schools be investigated over the alleged charges.
Barugahara also said the district had received an excess capitation grant of Shs112 million following alleged inflation of school enrolment figures.
He questioned the procurement of 1,269 iron sheets at Shs89,000 each using the money, saying the price was significantly higher than the prevailing market rate.
The minister directed that the District Education Officer and other people implicated in the alleged irregularities be arrested.
He also raised concerns about alleged irregularities in recruitment and promotion within the district, citing the cases of District Staff Surveyor Catherine Mutetsi; headteacher Jane Akatukwatsa Magigore, who had reportedly retired from service; Education Officer Davis Twinomuhwezi; and a town engineer who is a brother to the Chief Administrative Officer, whose qualifications are reportedly still under scrutiny by the District Service Commission.
He further questioned the recruitment of Chief Finance Officer Bruce Turyamushangayo, whom he alleged had not served the required number of years to qualify for the position, and the promotion of agriculture officer Innocent Arinaitwe to a senior position without the required qualifications.
The minister called for investigations into the recruitment and promotion processes to establish whether the district had followed the relevant procedures.
Barugahara also directed the Chief Administrative Officer and the district LC5 chairman, Simon Mutebi Rwamagyenda, to ensure that all district-owned land is surveyed and titled to prevent encroachment and land grabbing.
He cited four acres of untitled communal government land in Konyo Village, which he said a resident, David Rwaburekure, had claimed ownership of and fenced off in 2023.
CUE IN MINISTER BARUGAHARA….ON THE MATTER… ENG//
Meanwhile, former Rwamucucu Sub-county LC3 chairperson Eddy Mugisha was arrested over allegations of grabbing land belonging to 94-year-old Jovia Korugyendo, a resident of Butekuma Cell, Sindi Ward, in Mparo Town Council.
Barugahara is expected to continue his anti-corruption campaign across the Kigezi sub-region, with Kabale District scheduled to be his next stop on Friday, October 23, 2026.
