Ex-MUBs principal Balunywa among 9 officials in trouble over causing sh53b loss
Prosecution alleges that Balunywa, between March 18, 2023 and March 28, 2023, in abuse of his office, recruited James Arike as an administrative assistant, well knowing he did not have the academic qualifications.
Former Makerere University Business School (MUBS) principal, Prof. Wasswa Balunywa. (File photo)
By Michael Odeng
Journalists @New Vision
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Nine people from various government agencies, including the Uganda Civil Aviation Authority (UCAA), are to be arraigned in the Anti-Corruption Court in Kampala Tuesday, August 12, 2025, over causing the Government a loss of shillings 53 billion in a payroll scam.
The suspects purportedly placed ghost worker account numbers on the payroll.
Some of the accused persons include UCAA human resource manager Jennifer Etit Okaka, 51; UCAA legal services manager Joel Joseph Okwalinga, 48 and Housewife Irene Atukunda Kagume, 50.
The three have been slapped with charges of causing financial loss, corruption and abuse of office.
Prosecution alleges that Okaka, between June 2023 and November 2023, caused financial loss of shillings 17 million when she omitted to update the payroll system for the deletion of Atukunda.
Atukunda allegedly received shillings 146.5 million in monthly salary and terminal benefits when she absented herself from work. She was working as UCAA security assistant.
Meanwhile, Okwalinga is accused of facilitating the irregular acceptance of Atukunda's resignation without undergoing a disciplinary hearing.
Ex-MUBS principal Balunywa
Former Makerere University Business School (MUBS) principal, Prof. Wasswa Balunywa, 68, was also slapped with charges of abuse of office.
Prosecution alleges that Balunywa, between March 18, 2023 and March 28, 2023, in abuse of his office, recruited James Arike as an administrative assistant, well knowing he did not have the academic qualifications for the said position.