President Yoweri Museveni has ordered the forced leave of three senior officials in the Ministry of Internal Affairs and the Uganda Police over alleged corruption linked to the maintenance of the national CCTV surveillance system.
The directive came almost simultaneously with Tuesday’s Cabinet reshuffle, which saw Gen. David Muhoozi dropped from the Internal Affairs ministry and replaced by Dr. Lawrence Muganga, further intensifying scrutiny surrounding one of Uganda’s most security-sensitive institutions.
In a May 23, 2026 letter addressed to the Head of Public Service and Secretary to Cabinet, Lucy Nakyobe Mbonye, Museveni directed Permanent Secretary Lt. Gen. Joseph Musanyufu, Under Secretary for Police Aggrey Wunyi, and AIGP Felix Baryamwisaki to step aside for six months as investigations continue.
“I now direct that the Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Internal Affairs, Lt. Gen. Joseph Musanyufu, and the Under-Secretary Police, Mr. Aggrey Wunyi, go on forced leave for six months as the Anti-Corruption Unit is investigating their matter to its conclusion,” Museveni wrote.
“By copy of this letter, AIGP Felix Baryamwitsakyi should go on forced leave as this investigation is reviewed and concluded,” he added.
The President said he had received a report from former Internal Affairs minister Maj. Gen. Kahinda Otafiire concerning corruption in the maintenance of the police CCTV camera system.
According to Museveni, Chinese technology firm Huawei, which supplied Uganda’s road surveillance cameras, transferred maintenance responsibilities to a private Ugandan contractor after facing sanctions from the United States and the European Union in 2019.
The contractor, Dealan Associates Limited, reportedly owned by Ugandan scientists, was allegedly denied payment despite the Ministry of Finance releasing Shs31.37 billion for the work.
Museveni claimed that ministry officials, working through a middleman identified as Hassan Serunjogi, demanded bribes before processing the payments.
“Yet, the Ugandan contractor was not paid because the Ministry officials, through a middleman, Hassan, were demanding for bribes,” Museveni stated.
The President further directed that Barbra Katisi of Dealan Associates Limited be paid and ordered criminal charges against Serunjogi if investigations establish sufficient evidence for prosecution.
The forced leave comes at a politically sensitive moment for the Internal Affairs ministry, which on Tuesday received a new political leadership team during Museveni’s Cabinet reshuffle.
Among the most controversial appointments was that of Victoria University Vice Chancellor Dr. Lawrence Muganga as State Minister for Internal Affairs, a move that has reignited debate over citizenship, identity politics, and national security.
Muganga was arrested in September 2021 by operatives attached to the Chieftaincy of Military Intelligence and Crime Intelligence during a dramatic operation at Victoria University.
Security operatives at the time reportedly suspected him of espionage and illegal stay, allegations linked to his Rwandan associations and foreign citizenship status.
Although he was never charged and was released days later, the incident placed him at the centre of one of Uganda’s most politically sensitive fault lines involving citizenship, regional identity, and national security during a period of strained relations between Uganda and Rwanda.
Muganga, who has publicly acknowledged holding Canadian citizenship and previously worked as an internal auditor at the Rwanda Revenue Authority, later emerged as a vocal advocate for citizenship and identity rights, particularly for Ugandans of Rwandan heritage.
His appointment to the Internal Affairs ministry, which oversees immigration, citizenship regulation, police coordination, prisons, and internal security administration, has therefore been interpreted by some analysts as both symbolic and strategic.
The latest forced leave of senior technocrats has now further intensified focus on the ministry Muganga has just joined.
The CCTV surveillance project sits at the core of Uganda’s modern internal security architecture. Museveni personally championed the Huawei surveillance system as part of efforts to combat urban crime and strengthen security monitoring.
His direct intervention over alleged corruption surrounding its maintenance suggests growing concern about dysfunction within one of the country’s most critical security institutions.
The developments have also raised questions about whether Museveni is attempting a broader restructuring of influence within Internal Affairs by simultaneously introducing a politically unconventional minister while sidelining long-serving technocrats.
Political observers note that Museveni has historically used moments of scandal, investigation, or institutional crisis to recalibrate power centres within sensitive ministries.
In Muganga’s case, the symbolism is particularly striking. A man once detained as a suspected spy now enters a ministry where top officials are being pushed aside over corruption allegations tied to the country’s national surveillance infrastructure.
The Ministry of Internal Affairs occupies a central role in Uganda’s governance system, overseeing immigration, national identification, border management, police supervision, and coordination of internal security policy.
The removal of the ministry’s senior administrative leadership, coming just days after Muganga’s appointment, has now placed the institution under intense political and public scrutiny.
Government had by Thursday not announced who would temporarily take over as acting Permanent Secretary during the investigations.
The State House Anti-Corruption Unit is expected to lead the inquiry into the alleged bribery scheme linked to the CCTV maintenance contract.
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