The State House Anti-Corruption Unit (SH-ACU), working jointly with the Uganda Police Force, has intensified its crackdown on corruption at the local government level with the arrest of four senior officials from Kotido Municipal Council over the alleged misappropriation of road maintenance funds exceeding UGX 1 billion.
The arrests were made on Friday, 9th January, 2026 and the suspects include Town Clerk Emmanuel Okaja, Senior Civil Engineer Gasper Okidi, Senior Internal Auditor Deo Nyanga Akello, and Assistant Inventory Officer John Bosco Lokure.
Investigators from SH-ACU say the suspects conspired to divert more than UGX 200 million during the 2024/2025 financial year, funds that were meant for municipal road works, effectively crippling essential infrastructure projects across Kotido.
The misused materials reportedly consisted of 1,735.7 trips of gravel, 250 bags of cement, 25 trips of hardcore, and 10 trips of sand.
In addition to charges related to embezzlement and conspiracy to defraud, Town Clerk Okaja and Engineer Okidi are also accused of neglect of duty for allegedly failing to supervise works and enforce adherence to approved construction standards.
The affected road projects include Miresiae–Napawu, Morungor–Kotyanga, Nangayumapei, Chairman’s Road, Business Road, and Romrom–Nakutakuwam which are key transport corridors important to Kotido’s connectivity, trade, and economic activity.
Speaking to journalists, Mariam Natasha, the spokesperson of the State House Anti-Corruption Unit, said the arrests shows the government’s resolve to enforce accountability across all levels of public service.
“This case demonstrates government’s commitment to ensuring accountability, particularly within decentralized government units where public funds directly impact service delivery, so no public officer, regardless of rank or location, is above the law,” Natasha said.
“Technical officers are responsible for protecting public funds and enforcing construction standards and when they fail to supervise public works, it becomes an abuse of office that directly compromises infrastructure quality, safety, and longevity of public infrastructure,’’ she added.
The suspects remain in custody and are expected to be formally charged in court in the coming days.
SH-ACU has urged the public to stay vigilant and report any suspected misuse of public resources through its hotline and official reporting channels, emphasizing that active citizen participation is crucial to sustaining the anti-corruption drive.
The arrests show another significant step in the government’s broader effort to combat graft, restore public trust, and ensure value for money in service delivery, particularly at the grassroots level.
