State House probing sh25B anti-tick vaccine funds

 ________________

Government has launched an investigation into the delayed release of sh25 billion that had been earmarked for the development of an anti-tick vaccine.

Israel Ochwo, the deputy head of the State House Anti-Corruption Unit, disclosed this on March 31, 2026.

At the time, officials from State House, led by the Minister for the Presidency, Milly Babirye Babalanda, were appearing before the House Committee on Presidential Affairs, chaired by Alex Bakunda Byarugaba (Isingiro South, NRM).

Those present included State House Comptroller Jane Barekye, Dr Warren Namara, director of the State House Health Monitoring Unit, among others.

“On the issue of the tick vaccine, I want to say we have an investigation. I will not go into details. The matter was raised with us, we are working on it. It is an active investigation that is ongoing,” Ochwo assured.

Backlash

His comments followed an uproar from Tingey Member of Parliament (MP) Fadhil Twaha, who criticised what he described as lacklustre efforts to combat corruption.

To him, this poses a grave danger to national development and risks demoralising innovators.

Submitting on Tuesday, Twala reminded those present that the money in question was appropriated by Parliament in the 2024/25 Financial Year.

To their dismay, the funds did not go towards the development of a vaccine but were reportedly diverted to the Uganda Development Bank (UDB), where they remain unused.

“And me, I was never interested, because the President even gave those people of the anti-tick vaccine 100 cows when we had the Kyankwanzi retreat. And when we asked them, they said “no, the cows are still there”. Because they wanted Parliament to give them money to test their vaccines and up to now, they didn’t do that,” Twala alluded.

“We want to see your effectiveness here. If not, we can even move a motion and say, let us remove State House Anti-Corruption,” he implored.

Munyonyo retreat

Chipping in, Kanyum County MP Simon Peter Okwalinga (NRM) said that during their last retreat in Munyonyo, which was attended by Musenero, she explained that the challenge arose from uncertainties about where the money would be wired.

However, MPs questioned how other projects, such as the Presidential Initiative on Banana, had been receiving their funding without issue.

“How hard is it. It is something that does not even take 24 hours for a project account to be established so that money is put there directly,” Okwalinga wondered.

Appeal for intervention

Okwalinga added that while they cannot entirely blame the State House Anti-Corruption Unit, since the mandate to fight graft lies with the Inspectorate of Government, they expect that, as officials close to the President, it may be time to urge him to change tack so as to strengthen oversight across government.

“The challenge I am seeing is that the IGG, has some people that they fear to investigate. Indeed, in the order of national precedence, IGG falls below these people. But the Vice President is number two. Perhaps they can put Gen. Muhoozi Kainerugaba, he can really handle these people,” he appealed.

Looking at the situation, Presidential Affairs Committee chairperson Alex Bakunda Byarugaba said that someone unfamiliar with the matter might think lawmakers are frustrating vaccine development.

“So, when you hear members really expressing that one with a lot of emotions. It is not that they are doing it for the sake of these cameras, no. I think it is because we all now know that without science as a country we are doomed,” Byarugaba emphasised.

MPs, Musenero upcoming meeting

He further urged State House officials, led by comptroller Jane Barekye, to attend a meeting scheduled for Wednesday, April 1, 2026, between the committee and officials from the Ministry of Science, Technology and Innovation.

He argued that her presence might compel the ministry to release the sh46 billion to the scientists.

The meeting between the committee and the ministry, originally scheduled for Monday this week, was rescheduled today, Wednesday (April 1) due to the absence of Minister Dr Monica Musenero.

At the time, Presidential Affairs Committee vice chairperson Flora Natumanya (Kikuube District Woman MP, NRM) said Musenero was unavailable as she was attending to her husband’s ill health.