Ben Kumumanya
NTUNGAMO, Uganda — The Ministry of Local Government has ordered the interdiction of 27 officials working in Ntungamo District Local Government and Ntungamo Municipal Council to pave the way for investigations into allegations of negligence, abuse of office, mismanagement of public resources and possible financial impropriety.
The interdictions followed a meeting convened by Local Government Minister Balaam Barugahara in Ntungamo on October 14, 2026, during which several concerns were raised about the conduct of the officials and their impact on public service delivery.
In letters dated October 19, Permanent Secretary Ben Kumumanya directed the Town Clerk of Ntungamo Municipal Council and the Chief Administrative Officer of Ntungamo District Local Government to interdict the officers with immediate effect.
“As you are aware, the Honorable Minister of Local Government Convened a Meeting in Ntungamo Municipality on 14th October, 2026 and a number of Issues were raised against the above Officers,” the letter to the municipal council states.
The ministry said the complaints included “Gross Negligence of Duty, Abuse of Office, Mismanagement of Public Resources and possible Financial Impropriety,” which it said had “greatly compromised Service Delivery in the Municipality.”
The ministry said the interdictions were intended to allow investigations by the State House Anti-Corruption Unit and other relevant government agencies.
“Accordingly, it has been decided that the above-mentioned Officers be Interdicted to pave way for Investigations by the State House Anti-Corruption Unit and other Relevant Government Agencies,” Kumumanya wrote.
The letters instructed the respective local government leaders to implement the interdictions under Section F-s-14 of the Public Service Standing Orders, 2021.
The documents do not provide individual allegations against the 27 officials or specify the suspected financial transactions under investigation.
The officials named in the two letters include finance officers, engineers, education administrators, accountants, procurement staff, school head teachers and other local government employees.
Five officials from Ntungamo Municipal Council were named in the ministry’s October 19 letter.
They are Gladys Turigye, Municipal Inspector of Schools; Fred Tumusiime, Municipal Engineer; Banex Nuwagaba, Municipal Accountant; Gordon Nabaasa, Municipal Education Officer; and Frank Ankuzire, Assistant Engineer.
The ministry directed the Town Clerk to interdict the five officers to facilitate investigations into the concerns raised during Barugahara’s October 14 meeting.
The remaining 22 officials were listed in the letter addressed to the Chief Administrative Officer of Ntungamo District Local Government.
They are Lawrance Bitwiromunda, Chief Finance Officer; Denis Ntare, District Education Officer; Ambrose Tusiime, District Community Development Officer; Caleb Natusiima, Principal Internal Auditor; David Katusime, PHRO and Secretary to the District Service Commission; Gerald Nuwagaba, Principal Assistant Secretary; Emmanuel Byamukama, Principal Assistant Town Clerk; Moses Makafu, Senior Procurement Officer; Phiona Kabakunda, Senior Assistant Secretary; Ezra Kwesiga Mukama, Senior Internal Auditor; Arthur Mwebesa, Senior Finance Officer; Prosper Butubuura, District Water Officer; Beston Bashaija, Accountant; and Asa Mwebesa, Accountant.
The list also includes Tomson Ayesiga, head teacher of Bukiro Primary School; Sam Tukesigye, head teacher of Omungyenyi Primary School; Leonard Tibandeba, head teacher of St. Lawrance-Kakura Primary School; Fred Mwima, Assistant Engineer; Moses Twiine, Assistant Engineer; Johnson Rukundo, Senior Assistant Accountant; and Aloysious Twine, Road Overseer.
The interdictions place the officials under investigation over alleged administrative and financial misconduct, although the ministry’s letters do not disclose the specific evidence against them.
The State House Anti-Corruption Unit, which was copied on the communication alongside the Inspector General of Government, is among the agencies expected to investigate the concerns.
Other recipients included the Minister of Local Government, the Minister of State for Local Government, the Head of Public Service and Secretary to Cabinet, the Resident District Commissioner for Ntungamo, and the Ntungamo District Chairperson.
The ministry’s directive specifically instructed the local government leaders to act urgently.
“The purpose of this communication is to forward to you the above Instruction for your urgent action accordingly,” Kumumanya wrote in the letter to the district administration.
The notices do not state how long the interdictions will last, when the investigations are expected to be completed or whether the officials will face disciplinary proceedings or criminal charges.
Interdiction is an administrative measure that allows an employer to address concerns while investigations or disciplinary processes proceed. It is not, by itself, a finding of guilt.
The officials have not been individually linked in the notices to specific acts of corruption, and the documents do not indicate that any has been convicted of an offence.
The October 14 meeting convened by Barugahara preceded the ministry’s written instructions issued five days later.
The ministry’s letters link the decision to concerns raised at that meeting, but they do not give details of the discussions, identify complainants or quantify any alleged loss of public funds.
The action comes amid continued efforts by Ugandan authorities to address alleged corruption, abuse of office and weaknesses in the management of public resources within government institutions.
Local governments manage public funds and oversee services including education, roads, water, health-related programmes and community development. Allegations of financial impropriety or administrative negligence can therefore affect the delivery of services to residents.
In Ntungamo, the officials named in the notices occupy positions spanning financial management, procurement, internal auditing, engineering, education and district administration.
The involvement of finance and procurement officers, internal auditors and engineers places several functions responsible for managing or overseeing public resources within the scope of the planned investigations.
For now, the ministry has ordered the 27 officials off their duties while the State House Anti-Corruption Unit and other relevant government agencies investigate the concerns raised.
You can see the names of other officials interdicted in other districts Here, There and Over There.
Meanwhile, a famous Ntungamo politician shared how he spent over Shs2bn on Voters but still lost his MP seat in the 2026 elections, as reported Here.
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