The Kitagwenda District LC5 Chairperson, Mushemeza Ismail Kambanda, has been charged and remanded to prison over allegations of selling district jobs, following investigations by the State House Anti-Corruption Unit.
In a statement issued on December 12, the Anti-Corruption Unit said it arrested and arraigned Kambanda before the Kamwenge Magistrates Court in collaboration with the Criminal Investigations Directorate (CID) and the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions (ODPP). He faces multiple charges of obtaining money by false pretences and has been remanded until January 6, 2026.
According to investigators, Kambanda, working with accomplices who are still at large, allegedly defrauded several job applicants between 2024 and 2025, promising them employment mainly in the Nursing and Midwifery departments of Kitagwenda District Local Government—despite the absence of any official job openings.
Several residents reportedly filed complaints accusing the LC5 chairperson of extorting money by promising them district jobs that never materialised. Victims told investigators they paid between UGX 5 million and UGX 15 million, either directly to Kambanda or through his agents. In return, they were issued fake appointment letters and forged minutes purportedly from the District Service Commission.
However, when the victims attempted to report for duty, they discovered that the appointment letters were fraudulent and that the positions did not exist. Efforts to recover their money were unsuccessful, prompting them to report the matter to the State House Anti-Corruption Unit.
The Unit said it coordinated with Kitagwenda Police and local leaders to investigate the allegations. Upon learning of the probe, Kambanda reportedly abandoned his office and went into hiding for several months before he was eventually arrested.
Investigations into the matter are still ongoing, and authorities have urged other victims who may have been extorted to report to the police.
President Yoweri Museveni has repeatedly reiterated his commitment to fighting corruption, particularly in recruitment processes handled by District Service Commissions.
The State House Anti-Corruption Unit noted that it has so far conducted investigations in more than 20 districts, including Mpigi, Gomba, Kyankwanzi, and Mukono, leading to the arraignment of over 15 officials on charges related to the sale of government jobs.
