Suspected ESC Officials Took Shs8.5m from Me But Failed to Give Me a Job: Applicant Alleges as Education Service Commission Warns Teachers

For more than two years, every unfamiliar phone call carried the same promise. A government job. No interviews. No public advertisement. Just one condition: pay millions of shillings.

According to Charles Osujje, the voices on the other end of the line sounded convincing enough to keep hope alive. They claimed to be connected to the Education Service Commission (ESC). They assured him an appointment letter was waiting. They told him to prepare Shs8.5 million.

Instead, what followed was a formal complaint that has prompted the Education Service Commission to publicly warn teachers across Uganda against fraudsters exploiting the desperation for government jobs.

In a fraud alert issued this week, the Commission said the complaint had exposed a network of impostors pretending to recruit teachers on its behalf.

“It has come to the attention of the Education Service Commission that a group of fraudsters call teachers and promise them offers of jobs, and sometimes confusing teachers with fake promises to offer them jobs without interviews,” Dr. Asuman Lukwago, the Permanent Secretary of the Education Service Commission, said.

“A case in reference is a copy of an email from Mr. Osujje Charles (confirmed by his mobile telephone number) who is complaining of ‘job fraud and illegal recruitment in the Education Service Commission’ (email attached).”

“The information in this email from Mr. Osujje Charles clearly shows that fraudsters are taking advantage of information gaps among many teachers.”

The complaint, copied to the Criminal Investigations Directorate (CID), the Inspectorate of Government (IG), the State House Anti-Corruption Unit (SHACU), Transparency International Uganda and the Education Service Commission, paints the picture of a job seeker who believed he was on the verge of securing employment, only to discover he had become the target of an elaborate recruitment scam.

“I Osujje Charles with NIN CM88351064F9F from Pallisa District with telephone number +256788676509 hereby do lodge my formal complaint and request for investigation into alleged case of job fraud and illegal recruitment perpetrated by ESC officials purporting to offer employment as Institutional Bursar,” he wrote.

He said the offer immediately raised red flags because it ignored the legal procedures governing recruitment into Uganda’s public service.

“The job was offered without any credibility of public advert by ESC as required by Public Service Standing Orders and contrary to ESC mandate under Articles 167 and 168 of the Constitution of the Republic of Uganda.”

According to Osujje, the alleged recruiters demanded Shs8.5 million in exchange for a government job.

“I was also told to pay Ugsh 8.5m to secure the job without sitting for the interviews. I was told again that there was no advert and appointment would be done directly.”

The complaint suggests the scheme was not an isolated incident but continued across several recruitment cycles.

“This issue started in May 16, 2024, September 18, 2025, February 13, 2026 and currently July 13 and 16, 2026 as they have been targeting every financial year that comes by extorting money from me and assuring me of the same job offer,” Osujje further claimed.

He identified several individuals he said repeatedly contacted him while promising employment.

“I received the first calls from a lady called Akia Anna, Byaruhanga, Tonny, Nakato Florence, Brian, Joel Obore Christopher and others who couldn’t introduce themselves in the months of May, June, July, September, October, November and December. Then on September 18, 2025 I received again calls from Ojok Wilberforce, Ivan, Allan and recently they called me to come to Kampala on July 16, 2026 to pick an appointment letter but they kept themselves hiding.”

According to Osujje, the callers consistently used the same telephone numbers while directing him where to send money.

“They kept on calling me all using one telephone number which is +25676185660 and using one number for depositing money +256782079538 plus voice recordings of some of them.”

He said the pressure intensified over time.

“I also received threats of intimidations that made me to be desperate for the job.”
Rather than simply seeking justice for himself, Osujje appealed to authorities to protect other victims from similar schemes.

“I therefore request your offices to investigate the persons and bring them to book, recover any lost money by me and other victims, and sensitize the public to avoid such fraud.”

He also pledged to cooperate fully with investigators.

“I am willing to record a statement and avail any further information to aid the investigation.”

Despite the ordeal, Osujje said he still believes in the integrity of the Commission’s official recruitment process.

“I believe in a transparent and merit-based recruitment process and I trust ESC will handle this matter urgently.”

Responding to the allegations, Lukwago reiterated that no one is recruited into Uganda’s public service through unofficial channels.

“All teachers are informed and must be aware that nobody is appointed into Public Service without going through a series of interviews,” he said.

He reminded applicants that genuine recruitment documents are never sold and are only issued through official government offices.

“All employment documents are accessed free of charge and from gazetted Government offices and not from streets or home delivered,” Lukwago said.

He also questioned why some victims hand over money before reporting suspected fraudsters to the authorities.

“It is very unfortunate, but also irrational that qualified teachers would pay fraudsters without alerting any nearby Police Authority,” he said.

The Commission said it had already begun verifying information contained in the complaint.

“The Commission has verified the mobile phone numbers provided in the email; the first one is incomplete (076185660), and the second one is 0782079538 registered in the names of Juliet Kyomukama; who and others that contacted Mr. Osujje Charles are not staff of the Education Service Commission,” Lukwago said.

He urged teachers to reject shortcuts to public service employment.

“The Commission continues to warn all concerned teachers to avoid shortcuts, because they are not short,” he said.

Lukwago reaffirmed that recruitment into the education service remains strictly merit-based.

“All services provided by the Education Service Commission are free of charge, and follow all laid down Government processes,” he said.

The Commission’s warning comes as competition for government teaching and education support jobs continues to intensify across Uganda, creating fertile ground for fraudsters who exploit unemployed graduates and experienced education professionals alike.

By making Osujje’s complaint public and distancing itself from the individuals named in it, the Commission hopes to reassure applicants that genuine recruitment is conducted transparently through publicly advertised vacancies, competitive interviews and established government procedures—not through phone calls, middlemen or cash payments.

It should be remembered that there were previous allegations that Education Service Commission officials were selling each teaching job for as low as Shs2m. (See Details Here).

Museveni has previously threatened to crush officials selling government jobs. Months ago, top district officials were arrested for selling government jobs. (See Details Here and There).

Meanwhile, the Education Service Commission is currently recruiting teachers and non-teaching staff for seed schools. See names of those shortlisted for oral interviews in different regions Here, There and Over There.

The names of teachers who were recently appointed headteachers of government secondary schools are Here and There.