Overview:
The suspects have been identified by State House Anti Corruption Unit -SHACU as Dr Fred Lwasampijja the Chairperson of the District Service Commission, Andrew Ssekibuule a member of the commission, Hussein Mukiibi -Secretary to the Commission and Anna Maria Nassali the District Vice LC 5 Chairperson.
State House Anti-Corruption Unit have arrested the Chairperson of Mityana District Service Commission and three other officials over suspected nepotism.
The suspects have been identified by State House Anti Corruption Unit -SHACU as Dr Fred Lwasampijja the Chairperson of the District Service Commission, Andrew Ssekibuule a member of the commission, Hussein Mukiibi -Secretary to the Commission and Anna Maria Nassali the District Vice LC 5 Chairperson.
The four officials were picked by the SHACU and Police on Thursday before they were transferred to Kampala for interrogations.
The arrests stemmed from preliminary investigations that uncovered allegations of irregular recruitment practices. The officials are accused of conspiring to favor their relatives in the recruitment process, significantly undermining meritocracy and fair competition for available positions within the district.
“Dr. Lwasampijja Fred is alleged to have irregularly influenced the appointment of his own daughter, to the critical role of Municipal Labour Officer in Mityana Municipality, despite her lacking the necessary qualifications,” a statement from SHACU read. “Additionally, the Vice Chairperson LCV Anna Miriam Nassali is suspected of leveraging her position to secure the appointment of her husband, as an Education Assistant specializing in Guidance and Counseling, a role typically requiring specific credentials and experience.”
Ssekibuule was also arrested over allegations that he influenced the appointment of his wife, as head teacher of Kasalaga Primary School, despite her not meeting the required educational qualifications for the role.
Ssekibuule also allegedly facilitated the recruitment of his son as Accountant at Mityana Municipality, as well as of his daughter as a Grade 3 Teacher.
“All of these appointments occurred without disclosure of conflict of interest to the Commission, compounding the ethical violations in accordance with the Leadership Code Act and Public Service Standing Orders” SHACU adds.
The allegations against the officials not only raise serious questions about integrity and governance but also highlights the pressing issue of corruption within the District Service Commission, as the statement goes: “The ongoing investigation aims to restore accountability and integrity in the recruitment processes in Mityana District and ensure that qualified candidates are given equitable opportunities in public employment.”
Last year, SHACU arrested Martine Ssejjemba the LC5 Chairperson of Mpigi, and two members of the District Service Commission over allegations of soliciting bribes during staff recruitment exercises.
In August 2025, the Inspectorate of Government (IG) revealed that job seekers in Uganda’s local governments paid at least UGX 29 billion in bribes between 2018 and 2022 to secure public service jobs.
The report said job applicants were asked for bribes ranging from shillings 3 million for lower-level positions such as nursing assistants and Grade III primary teachers, to as much as UGX 50 million for senior roles like heads of department.
In total, the IG estimated that job seekers were asked for UGX 78 billion in bribes over the five-year period. Former IGG Beti Kamya noted that more than 35 percent of public service workers admitted to paying bribes to secure their jobs.
“Some even take out loans to pay these bribes, hoping to recover the money through kickbacks once employed,” she said.
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