Bulambuli Engineer, DHO Face Anti-Corruption Charges Over Public Funds

Two senior officials from Bulambuli District have been remanded to prison after facing charges of corruption-related offences before the Anti-Corruption Court in Kampala.

The officials — District Engineer Paul Walimbwa and District Health Officer (DHO) Mulongo Muhamed Richard — appeared before the court following investigations into alleged abuse of office, causing financial loss to government and neglect of duty.

The charges were brought by the State House Anti-Corruption Unit (SH-ACU), in collaboration with the Criminal Investigations Directorate (CID) of the Uganda Police Force and the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions (ODPP).

According to the prosecution, District Engineer Paul Walimbwa allegedly abused his office by irregularly approving excess supplies for the Bulambuli District administration block, an act that reportedly resulted in a financial loss of more than Shs20 million to the government.

The prosecution alleges that the engineer failed to follow proper procurement and accountability procedures, leading to the district incurring costs for supplies beyond what was authorised.

District Health Officer Mulongo Muhamed Richard, on the other hand, is accused of neglecting his official duties and abuse of office by allegedly authorising payment for works at Muyembe Health Centre IV despite concerns over the quality and standard of the work executed.

The prosecution contends that the approval of payment for substandard works amounted to a failure to safeguard public resources and compromised service delivery at one of the district’s key health facilities.

The Anti-Corruption Court heard the allegations and subsequently remanded both officials to prison until August 3, 2026, as investigations into the matter continue.

The arrest and prosecution of the officials come amid renewed government efforts to strengthen accountability and fight corruption in local governments across the country.

Recently, several government agencies have intensified monitoring of district administrations, focusing on misuse of public funds, poor implementation of government projects and failure by public officers to deliver services to citizens.

Bulambuli District, located in the Bugisu sub-region, has in recent months attracted increased attention over concerns related to service delivery, infrastructure development and accountability of public resources.

The State House Anti-Corruption Unit has maintained that public officers entrusted with government resources must uphold integrity and that those found culpable of corruption will face prosecution regardless of their position.

The accused officials will remain in custody until their next appearance in court, where further legal proceedings will determine the direction of the case.