The Inspectorate of Government (IGG) has directed the interdiction of Uganda National Mining Company (UNMC) Chief Executive Officer Dr Gerald Banaga-Baingi and Chief Corporate and Legal Affairs Officer Lelia K. Bwambale over allegations of corruption, financial mismanagement and abuse of office.
In a statement issued on Thursday, October 22, 2026, the Inspectorate instructed the company’s board chairperson to suspend the two officials from their duties to allow investigations into the allegations to proceed without interference.
The board was also directed to put interim management arrangements in place to ensure that the company’s operations continue uninterrupted during the interdiction period.
The IGG cited Article 230(2) of the 1995 Constitution and Section 13(6) of the Inspectorate of Government Act as the legal provisions underpinning its authority to issue the directive.
The action comes amid leadership changes at the state-owned mining company, following the resignation of its board chairperson and the termination of the deputy chairperson’s appointment.
The Inspectorate has not publicly disclosed detailed particulars of the allegations against Banaga-Baingi and Bwambale.
UNMC was established under the Mining and Minerals Act, 2022, to manage the government’s commercial interests in the mining sector. Its responsibilities include managing the state’s statutory 15 per cent free-carried interest in medium- and large-scale mining projects.
The free-carried interest allows the government to hold a stake in qualifying mining projects without directly financing its share of the initial investment, subject to the applicable legal and contractual arrangements.
Banaga-Baingi assumed the position of chief executive officer on May 1, 2025. Before joining UNMC, he worked at the National Water and Sewerage Corporation and later at the Ministry of Energy and Mineral Development.
He holds a PhD in Economics from Makerere University and a master’s degree in Petroleum Energy Economics and Finance from the University of Dundee.
The interdiction is an administrative measure intended to facilitate investigations and does not, in itself, establish that either official committed an offence.
The IGG has not announced a timeline for completing the investigations, and the allegations remain under investigation.
