Veteran Ugandan journalist Andrew Mwenda has made explosive claims about how alleged conmen and dubious investors have taken advantage of President Yoweri Museveni, siphoning billions of public funds through questionable projects.
In a strongly worded write-up, Mwenda paints a picture of a presidency increasingly vulnerable to manipulation, arguing that individuals with questionable credentials are successfully pitching grand projects and walking away with vast sums of money.
One of the most striking examples he highlights is that of David Senfuka, whom Mwenda describes as a conman posing as an innovator. According to Mwenda, Senfuka approached Museveni claiming he had invented a cure for cancer and diabetes.
“He told our president that he had invented a medicine that cures cancer and diabetes,” Mwenda writes, adding that Senfuka even claimed billionaire Elon Musk had offered him $50 billion for the patent — an offer he allegedly declined out of nationalism.
Mwenda dismisses these claims as fraudulent, noting: “I have talked to the people who know him, and without exception, they have told me that he is actually a conman.” Despite warnings from some officials, he says, the president “ordered the government to find billions” to support the project.
He adds a telling anecdote about Senfuka’s persuasive abilities: “He can even sell refrigerators to the Eskimos,” illustrating how such figures allegedly charm their way into lucrative state deals.
Mwenda argues that Senfuka is not an isolated case. He points to another controversial figure, Matthias Magoola, who he claims secured massive government funding under questionable circumstances.
“Claiming to be a doctor, perhaps a witch doctor,” Mwenda writes, Magoola convinced the government to invest heavily in his company, Dei Pharma, which promises to manufacture advanced drugs including mRNA, cancer, malaria and HIV treatments.
According to Mwenda, Magoola received Shs 735 billion ($200 million), part of which was meant to clear a loan with Equity Bank. However, he alleges that “Magoola colluded with people at the ministry of finance,” resulting in the funds being diverted elsewhere, leaving the bank with a non-performing loan.
Mwenda further claims that despite these red flags, Museveni continued to back Magoola. He recounts a tense cabinet meeting on March 9 where the president allegedly pushed for even more funding.
“When officials said the government did not have money, the president said angrily, ‘borrow it,’” Mwenda writes, adding that the decision led to the approval of an additional $430 million.
Beyond these two cases, Mwenda lists several other high-cost government-backed projects, including funding for investor Enrica Pinetti to construct a hospital in Lubowa. He argues the project is overpriced and unnecessary, stating Uganda “could have built and equipped Lubowa for one third of that money.”
He also cites state bailouts and investments in companies like Roko Construction, a coffee venture linked to Nelson Tugume in Ntungamo, and Atiak Sugar Company owned by Amina Hersi, questioning both their economic value and the concentration of resources in a few large projects.
Mwenda warns that even if some of these investments were legitimate, the financial risk is dangerously concentrated. He suggests that a better approach would be spreading investments across many smaller startups, noting: “If the money they were given was spread over 1,000 startups, the chance that 10% of these will succeed… is reasonably high.”
At the heart of Mwenda’s argument is a blunt assessment of Museveni’s leadership. “Museveni has grown old,” he writes, arguing that age and decades in power have reduced the president’s ability to critically assess proposals.
“He has become less able to rigorously assess the economic and business viability of the ideas… sold to him,” Mwenda claims, adding that once decisions are made, the president is “less inclined to listen to contrary views.”
Mwenda further alleges that individuals close to power are exploiting this vulnerability. “They front individuals who sell him projects of dubious value, get blue letters instructing the government to release huge sums of money… then they earn huge commissions,” he writes.
In a stark conclusion, Mwenda claims that the president is increasingly aware of the manipulation but unwilling or unable to confront it. “Seeing that he is being duped right, left and centre… he just abandons the struggle,” he writes.
The revelations, if true, raise serious concerns about public accountability and the management of Uganda’s finances, as well as the broader implications of leadership fatigue at the highest level of government.
THIS IS THEFT! Uproar as Government Dishes Out Billions to Private Companies
Recently, leader of opposition in parliament Joel Ssenyonyi made similar claims as he blasted government for dishing out billions to private companies instead of spending the money on bettering lives of citizens, equating the action “theft.”
The Nakawa West MP, who also serves as spokesperson of National Unity Platform led by Robert Kyagulanyi, recently spearheaded the opposition in unveiling an alternative budget for the 2026/2027 financial year.
The proposal, estimated at about Shs71.4 trillion, is framed as a “people-first” plan aimed at redirecting government spending towards essential services such as health, education and agriculture, while cutting wasteful expenditure and corruption-prone allocations.
Ssenyonyi did not hold back in his criticism, declaring: “Government keeps giving out taxpayers’ money to private companies, to the benefit of the individual owners and not the citizens… In the proposed budget FY 2026/2027, Gov’t plans to add these entities more money. If this isn’t theft, I don’t know what is!”
He warned of the wider economic consequences, adding: “Suppliers and contractors who delivered goods and services to government are now facing bankruptcy. Jobs are being lost. Businesses are collapsing. When government fails to honor its obligations, it weakens the entire economy. That’s the reality that we are living today. It’s flummoxing how government is able to freely give out taxpayer money to private companies, but it cannot pay its citizens who it owes money. That should bother everybody.”
Inspire Africa
Ssenyonyi pointed to Inspire Africa as one of the key beneficiaries, saying: “Government has so far spent 180 billion shillings on Inspire Africa coffee factory in Ntungamo, a private company whose benefits the citizens don’t see at all. But of course, the business owner keeps laughing all the way to the bank on taxpayer money.”
The coffee value-addition project in Ntungamo was expected to boost Uganda’s export earnings, but has faced persistent questions over its impact.
Dei Biopharma
He also criticised government funding to Dei Biopharma, stating: “So, Dei Biopharma, that’s another private company which promised the country the COVID vaccine and that vaccine never came as we all saw. And then later promised government that it would begin to manufacture medicine for the country. 724 billion shillings was given to this businessman, the proprietor of Dei Biopharma.”
Ssenyonyi added: “But there’s no medicine coming out of that factory to date.”
Atiak Sugar Company
On Atiak Sugar Company, he said: “Atiak sugar factory has so far consumed 668 billion shillings of taxpayer money. But you guessed right. There’s no sugar coming out of that factory.”
The factory, located in northern Uganda, had been positioned as a key industrial project to spur regional development.
Roko Construction
Turning to Roko Construction, Ssenyonyi remarked: “Roko construction company also got free money for no work done. 263 billion shillings was selectively given to them. Unlike the others, the excuse was that this was a bailout to the struggling company. As if other businesses are not struggling.”
He further criticised the lack of clear policy, saying: “We have time and again asked government to come up with a modus operandi for bailouts because bailouts are understandable even globally. But when you selectively handpick a few connected people who have friends, relatives, in-laws, and outlaws in government and you give them free taxpayer money and no one is held accountable for this, it is wrong.”
The remarks have intensified scrutiny over government spending priorities, with growing calls for accountability as billions continue to be channelled into private entities while many suppliers and contractors remain unpaid.
