A municipal engineer from eastern Uganda has been arrested after allegedly fleeing to Kenya as investigators intensified a probe into the suspected misuse of public road funds in Namisindwa District.
The engineer, attached to Lwakhakha Town Council, was apprehended in a joint security operation and returned to Uganda to assist with investigations linked to the management of government-funded road projects.
Uganda’s Minister of Local Government, Balaam Barugahara, announced the arrest on Wednesday, July 22, saying the suspect crossed into Kenya after accountability inspections were launched in the district.
According to the minister, the engineer left the country in order to evade scrutiny as investigators examined the handling of public infrastructure funds.
“The Lwakakha Town Council Engineer, Namisindwa district, who fled to Kenya ahead of our accountability inspection, has been apprehended through the joint efforts of our security agencies,” Balaam Barugahara stated.
Officials Face Growing Scrutiny
The minister said the engineer is being investigated over the alleged mismanagement of road funds, adding that inquiries into the matter are ongoing.
Barugahara commended the State House Anti-Corruption Unit, the Internal Security Organisation (ISO), the Criminal Investigations Directorate (CID), the Uganda Police Force, the Uganda People’s Defense Forces (UPDF) and other security agencies for what he described as a swift and coordinated operation.
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The arrest comes as Uganda intensifies accountability inspections across districts and municipalities, with a focus on road works, construction projects and the utilization of public funds.
In recent weeks, government officials have conducted inspections of taxpayer-funded projects amid growing concerns over incomplete works, poor-quality infrastructure and suspected misuse of resources.
Barugahara said the operation was not over, revealing that investigators are still searching for three other officials linked to the ongoing investigations.
“We are still searching for the District Engineer, Commercial Officer and the District Production Officer. No one is above the law.
All those responsible for the misuse of public resources will be brought to book,” he said.
The latest developments have once again put Namisindwa District under the spotlight over concerns surrounding the management of public resources.
The district has previously faced investigations into the implementation of government-funded projects, particularly in the infrastructure sector.
In 2022, district engineer Robert Mulekule Tululukha was arrested and charged with embezzlement and causing financial loss following investigations into alleged ghost projects, damaged structures and poor road works despite significant public investment.
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The investigations at the time were launched after concerns emerged over the quality and existence of several projects that had received public funding.
Uganda’s Anti-Corruption Crackdown
Uganda’s anti-corruption campaign has gathered momentum in recent weeks as the government widens investigations into alleged misuse of public funds and irregularities in infrastructure projects.
The crackdown has targeted officials linked to road construction, procurement processes and the implementation of taxpayer-funded development programs across the country.
On July 20, Works and Transport Minister Fred Byamukama told Parliament that President Yoweri Museveni had ordered the dismissal of six senior officials from the Ministry of Works and Transport and the Uganda Civil Aviation Authority.
The officials were dismissed over alleged irregularities in major infrastructure projects and procurement-related matters, signaling a tougher stance against corruption within public institutions.
The dismissals followed a series of accountability inspections and investigations that have put government-funded projects under closer scrutiny.
The Ugandan Government has focused on allegations of inflated project costs, procurement irregularities and poor implementation of infrastructure works.
Under Uganda’s Anti-Corruption Act, offenses such as embezzlement and causing financial loss to government attract a maximum sentence of 14 years in prison upon conviction.
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