Jinja CAO recalled to headquarters amid high-level corruption probe
The directive, formalised in a July 9, 2026, letter signed by Permanent Secretary Ben Kumumanya, follows a recent tense district council meeting convened a day earlier by Local Government Minister Balaam Barugahara.
Local Government Minister Balaam Barugahara. (File photo)
__________________
The Ministry of Local Government has recalled Jinja District Chief Administrative Officer (CAO) Lillian Nakamatte to its headquarters with immediate effect, paving the way for a high-level investigation over alleged involvement in corruption.
The directive, formalised in a July 9, 2026, letter signed by Permanent Secretary Ben Kumumanya, follows a recent tense district council meeting convened a day earlier by Local Government Minister Balaam Barugahara.
During the July 8 session, local leaders raised a litany of grievances and serious misconduct allegations against the top civil servant.
According to the official communication, the recall is designed to facilitate an uninterrupted probe by the State House Anti-Corruption Unit (SHACU).
Nakamate's issue came to the fore when Jinja District Speaker Simon Kibombo tabled a memorandum directly accusing her of abetting corruption, withholding critical government project documents, and repeatedly ignoring council resolutions.
One of the issues cited by the council is a financial irregularity involving the duplicated allocation of sh15 million over three consecutive fiscal years to repair an aging district passenger vehicle.
The council had previously resolved to sell the vehicle to prevent financial loss, yet the repair funds were allegedly budgeted without their approval.
Jinja leaders also accused the CAO of hiding official Bills of Quantities, obstructing the council's ability to monitor public spending and infrastructure quality.
In her defence, Nakamatte has strongly denied the accusations, dismissing them as an attempt to tarnish her professional reputation and attributing the conflict to a fundamental misunderstanding of the public sector.
According to the communication by Kumumanya, Nakamatte should immediately hand over her office to her deputy in strict accordance with Section F-d (4) of the Uganda Public Service Standing Orders, 2021.
The Ministry's intervention follows growing central government scrutiny over how Jinja's local resources are being allocated.
The district reportedly embarked on constructing a massive, multi-billion shilling headquarters project in Magamaga village.
Minister Barugahara publicly criticised the project's scale—noting that a planned council chamber would be larger than Uganda's national parliament building—arguing that such heavy spending made little economic sense while local health facilities and sub-county offices remain underfunded.
Councillors additionally expressed frustration over Nakamatte’s prolonged stay, noting that having been stationed in Jinja since 2021, she has overstayed the typical three-to-five-year rotation window for top technical civil servants, a practice intended to prevent institutional complacency and the formation of corrupt local networks.