news 29 October 2026 Daily Monitor (Uganda)

Kigezi Leaders Applaud Balaam's Anti-Corruption Push, Demand Stolen Funds Recovery

Leaders in the Kigezi sub-region have praised Minister Balaam Barugahara's campaign against corruption, while urging authorities to focus on recovering stolen public funds and ensuring proper due process. Source: https://www.monitor.co.ug/uganda/news/national/kigezi-leaders-welcome-balaam-anti-corruption-drive-demand-recovery-of-stolen-funds-5650298

Leaders across the Kigezi sub-region have expressed mixed reactions following an aggressive anti-corruption campaign led by State Minister for Local Government, Balaam Barugahara. While many have commended the minister’s direct approach to exposing graft, local officials and civil society actors have raised concerns regarding administrative gaps and the need for rigorous asset recovery.

Minister Barugahara’s campaign, which ran from October 23 to October 28 across districts including Rukiga and Rukungiri, resulted in the interdiction of roughly 200 civil servants over corruption-related allegations. The minister also called on the State House Anti-Corruption Unit to step in with formal investigations.

Kabale Municipality Mayor Sentaro Byamugisha praised the visit, noting that it helped clear the names of politicians falsely accused by political rivals and brought much-needed transparency to local projects, such as the Kabale central market.

However, other leaders pointed out potential drawbacks in the rapid interdiction strategy. Rukiga District Council Speaker Oscar Akampurira warned that public exposés can breed community animosity if allegations turn out to be malicious, calling for swift investigations to clear any innocent personnel. Similarly, Kanungu District Council Speaker Frank Byaruhanga noted that interdicting top officials, such as the Chief Administrative Officer, leaves critical service delivery gaps that require immediate guidance from the permanent secretary.

Civil society voices also weighed in on the campaign. Robert Byamugisha Kakuru, Executive Director of Kick Corruption out of Uganda, lauded the minister’s oversight efforts but suggested that anti-corruption bodies like the Inspectorate of Government and the Auditor General should be included in future drives. Meanwhile, Daniel Eguma of the Kigezi Human Rights Foundation emphasized that the public needs to see concrete results, including the formal prosecution of offenders and the actual recovery of swindled government funds.