By Ben Musanje
The news sent tremors through Nwoya District and beyond on Monday as the Inspectorate of Government (IG) cracked down on what authorities describe as a widening corruption scandal, arresting a senior government official alongside two alleged accomplices.
At the center of the scandal is Ms. Janephar Nantume Egunyu, the Chief Administrative Officer of Nwoya District Local Government, whose office is now under intense scrutiny. She was arrested in Nwoya together with Mr. Fred Kalisa, a local farmer from Gotokwara Village, and Mr. Ronald Wanda, a businessman based in Kiyindi, Buikwe District. The trio faces charges of abuse of office and theft, in a case that has ignited public outrage over accountability in local governance.
According to the IG, Ms. Egunyu is accused of deliberately bypassing established procedures between January 2023 and December 2024 to authorize the operation of an illegal animal market in Gotokwara Village, Lungulu Sub-county. Investigators allege that her actions were not only irregular but directly undermined the interests of the district she was mandated to serve.
Even more explosive are the allegations against Kalisa and Wanda. The two are said to have managed the controversial market during the same period and, in the process, siphoned off a staggering 20,655,000 Ugandan shillings belonging to the district. Authorities claim the funds were diverted through unauthorized collections and mismanagement tied to the illegal market operations.
The arrests mark a significant move by the Inspectorate of Government, signaling a renewed push to clamp down on corruption at local government levels.
The accused who by press time had been transferred to the Central Police Station (CPS) in Kampala, are expected to appear before the Anti-Corruption Court on April 28, 2026, where they will formally take plea. As the case unfolds, it promises to shine a harsh spotlight on the inner workings of district administration—and could set a powerful precedent in Uganda’s ongoing fight against corruption. (For comments on this story, get back to us on 0705579994 [WhatsApp line], 0779411734 & 041 4674611 or email us at mulengeranews@gmail.com).
