A high-level probe into job-for-cash scandals at the Mukono District Local Government has taken another turn.
Investigators now are zeroing in on a network of brokers allegedly working hand-in-hand with district officials to extort money from desperate job seekers.
The scandal, which has rocked the Mukono District Service Commission (DSC), led to the arrest of its chairperson, Eng. Robert Kisuule Kibuuka, and the district speaker, Betty Hope Nakasi, earlier this week.
Reliable sources now reveal that the investigations have expanded beyond the commission, ensnaring intermediaries—including medical officer Dr. Saad Wataba from Lugazi Municipality.
Dr. Wataba was arrested after accusations of soliciting UGX 35 million from a job applicant during the commission’s most recent recruitment cycle.
The applicant, whose identity remains confidential for safety reasons, was promised a lucrative government position in Mukono in exchange for the money.
However, the job was awarded to someone else, and efforts to recover the funds were unsuccessful.
In a statement recorded at Mukono Police Station, Dr. Wataba claimed he transferred the money to Nakisunga Sub-county Chairperson Mubarak Ssekikubo, who he said was responsible for “settling the matter” with the DSC.
With the victim still jobless and empty-handed, police have opted to detain Dr. Wataba as investigations continue.
Meanwhile, a manhunt for Ssekikubo is underway. Sources close to him say he has discarded all traceable electronic devices, raising suspicions that he is actively evading arrest.
The scandal has placed the entire district leadership under scrutiny.
Preliminary findings suggest that the rot may go deeper than initially thought, implicating even the office of the Chief Administrative Officer (CAO) and the LC5 Chairperson.
The LC5 Chairperson, who first raised concerns and is regarded as the primary whistleblower, is now also being linked to irregular appointments made during a time when the DSC had been disbanded.
Allegedly, the Chairperson influenced the CAO’s office to appoint parish chiefs and other officials without the backing of a functional service commission—appointments that were later formalized once the commission resumed operations.
Investigative sources claim that in some instances, the CAO resisted political pressure to make unlawful appointments.
However, in others, she allegedly succumbed, leading to a chaotic staffing process marred by favoritism, conflicting directives, and now, criminal investigations.
An insider familiar with the internal workings of the district reveals that clashes between the DSC and powerful interest groups—both political and administrative—contributed to the crisis.
“There were back-and-forth battles on who to recruit. Some appointments were overturned, and this led to major disagreements,” the source noted.
The current probe is likely to open more cans of worms, as investigators widen their net to include members of the DSC, local council leaders, and influential civil servants suspected of manipulating the recruitment process.
The State House Anti-Corruption Unit, in collaboration with police, has pledged to conduct a thorough inquiry to ensure that those who traded public service jobs for cash are brought to justice.
Meanwhile, pressure is mounting from civil society and residents alike, demanding transparency and urgent reforms in the district’s recruitment practices.
As Mukono reels from these revelations, attention now turns to whether the district leadership will come clean—and whether more arrests are on the horizon.
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