By Mulengera Reporters
Dated 7th November 2025, a nolle prosequi (formal withdrawal of criminal charges) has been proclaimed indicating that the ODPP, acting for & on behalf of the GoU, has lost interest in the prosecution case against Prof Wasswa Balunywa.
The insistence to put the Mubs founding Principal on trial, over what many considered petty wrongdoing, had months earlier sparked angry debate as Uganda operating online had resorted to bashing the government of President Museveni with many terming the whole thing witch-hunt and selective persecution.
Many, especially ordinary Busoga on WhatsApp platforms, argued that there are holders of public office who had been allowed to go scot-free even when they had committed much worse criminal transgressions than mere aiding of officer-level job seekers to get employment at Mubs, which Prof Balunywa had been charged with.
Under Uganda vs. Prof Balunywa and Namaganda Jacqueline, the much-revered economist had chiefly been charged with two counts namely-abuse of office c/s 10(1) of the anti-corruption Act and neglect of duty c/s 101 of the penal code Act. The DPP case HOS-CO-004-2025 had derived from police case no. CIDHQTRS E/070-2025.
The pro-Balunywa nolle prosequi was signed by outgoing DPP Jane Frances Abodo and duly communicated to the Chief Magistrate of the Nakawa Court where criminal proceedings had earlier on commenced against Balunywa whose exoneration is good news because it clears his name but also more significantly helps Gen Museveni’s 2026 reelection politics.
The big man from Rwakitura, who is a personal friend to the KK/Balunywa extended family, will be commencing his reelection campaigns in Balunywa’s home turf of Busoga on Monday 17th November. The dropping of the charges leaves Gen Museveni and his campaigners with fewer questions and grievances to respond to and explain away among Balunywa’s Basoga co-ethnics as Ugandans count down to the voting day of 15th January 2026.
Whether we like it or not, the contemporary Ugandan politics has increasingly become transactional to the extent that before they give their audience, ordinary Ugandans especially the youths (who are increasingly getting radicalized by the anti-regime messaging on Tik Tok) have to first establish that the messenger has some good relieving news to communicate to them before considering to buy his/her Presidential candidate, or not. There is a lot of quid pro quo whereby those seeking people’s votes to ascend public office (at whatever level) can’t get the public’s endorsement or even mere audience without first giving away something in the recipients/voters’ favour either individually or as a community (in this case Busoga).
It may not be the ultimate game change, that much, but the letting off the hook of Prof Balunywa in some way disarms Museveni’s opponents of community grievances to ride on while at the same time leaves Musevenists with fewer grievances to respond to or explain themselves away.
Actually, the nolle prosequi itself is good for the regime’s PR and propaganda operations because the RDCs and other regime functionaries can use it on Busoga radios and in speeches at public functions to demonstrate the extent to which the veteran leader from Rwakitura is a magnanimous old man. Even when DPP is ordinarily supposed to be independent under the Constitution, it’s very unlikely that Abodo would sign off such a consequential document without first notifying or first seeking the concurrence of key decision makers at State House. (For comments on this story, get back to us on 0705579994 [WhatsApp line], 0779411734 & 041 4674611 or email us at mulengeranews@gmail.com).
