By Ben Musanje
Presidential Press Unit Deputy Press Secretary Faruk Kirunda has thrown his weight behind the government’s ongoing anti-corruption field audit operations led by Local Government Minister Balaam Barugahara and State Minister for Local Government Justine Nameere, declaring the campaign “unstoppable” because it is being implemented on the direct instruction of President Yoweri Museveni.
In a strongly worded post on his X account, Kirunda dismissed critics of the operations, saying only people with selfish interests or a lack of foresight would oppose the nationwide inspections targeting corruption in local governments.
“Only shortsighted citizens and selfish leaders can oppose the field audit operation by Ministers Balaam Barugahara and Justine Nameere. However, the operation is sanctioned under the directive of H.E. Yoweri Kaguta Museveni at swearing in on May 12, 2026. It is therefore, unstoppable,” Kirunda wrote.
His comments come as debate intensifies over the government’s aggressive anti-corruption campaign, which has seen ministers conduct surprise inspections of government projects, schools and health facilities while publicly questioning officials and ordering arrests over alleged misuse of public resources.
The campaign has drawn praise from supporters who see it as a demonstration of the government’s renewed resolve to tackle graft. However, it has also attracted criticism from lawyers, civil society actors and professional bodies who argue that the methods employed risk violating constitutional safeguards and due process.
Minister Justine Nameere has defended the operations, insisting that every inspection is based on credible intelligence and supported by detailed investigations before any action is taken.
Speaking during a recent visit to the Acholi sub-region, Nameere dismissed accusations that the inspections amount to trial by media, saying the investigations are carried out by professional teams long before ministers arrive at the scene.
According to the minister, the operations rely on information supplied by whistleblowers and verified by engineers, officers from the State House Anti-Corruption Unit, the Chieftaincy of Military Intelligence (CMI) and other security agencies.
She said the arrests resulting from the inspections are backed by comprehensive case files that have already been sanctioned for prosecution.
“All the files are ready. Some suspects have already appeared in court, others are being arraigned. A state attorney cannot sanction a file without sufficient evidence because they know they will have to defend it in court,” Nameere said.
The Masaka City Woman Member of Parliament added that some suspects had admitted wrongdoing during the inspections, citing an incident in Gulu District where a clinical officer allegedly confessed that another individual was using his professional certificate to secure employment at Reproductive Health Uganda.
Nameere also defended the government’s decision to film and publicise the inspections, arguing that no law prohibits exposing individuals suspected of corruption before criminal proceedings commence.
She said the campaign is intended not only to prosecute offenders but also to ensure that stalled public projects are completed without waiting for lengthy court processes.
“If money meant for a road was stolen, we shall arrest the culprit but also return to the community and complete the road. If it is a bridge or maternity ward, we shall ensure it is completed so that the people do not continue suffering while court processes go on,” she said.
The ministers’ approach has nevertheless generated concern among legal experts.
Gulu-based lawyer Kelly Komakech argues that while the fight against corruption deserves support, investigations should be conducted strictly within the legal framework and by institutions mandated to investigate criminal offences.
He questioned the legality of ministers publicly directing arrests and ordering the interdiction of public officers before independent investigations are concluded.
“Whatever they are doing is illegal because they do not have the powers to execute anybody or direct arrests. I even saw permanent secretaries being directed to interdict officers based merely on suspicions. If we interdict everyone based on suspicion, who will be safe?” Komakech said.
Uganda’s Constitution guarantees every person charged with a criminal offence the right to be presumed innocent until proven guilty. Although the law does not expressly prohibit identifying criminal suspects before they appear in court, critics argue that public exposure risks undermining the right to a fair hearing.
The anti-corruption campaign has also put the government on a collision course with Uganda’s engineering fraternity.
Earlier this month, the Uganda Institution of Professional Engineers (UIPE), which represents more than 12,000 engineers, criticised the arrest of district engineers during the inspections, saying technical matters should be handled through professional investigations rather than public confrontations.
The institution said it fully supports President Museveni’s renewed anti-corruption drive but warned that its objectives could be undermined if investigations are turned into public spectacles.
“While UIPE fully supports His Excellency the President’s renewed crackdown on corruption, we believe that the gains of this fight are lost when it is reduced to a charade, a mockery, a public spectacle,” the engineers’ body said.
UIPE further argued that questions relating to road quality, engineering standards and project specifications require technical assessment before criminal liability is determined.
The concerns followed inspections by Minister Balaam Barugahara in Mbale District, where he alleged that Naiku Health Centre III had nine ghost workers on its payroll.
According to Barugahara, government was paying salaries for 19 health workers, yet only three had reported for duty by the time he arrived for an impromptu inspection.
He later ordered the arrest of the headteacher of Naiku Primary School after a physical headcount allegedly established that only 705 pupils were present against an officially reported enrolment of 1,352.
Barugahara has argued that payroll fraud and inflated enrolment figures have deprived government of billions of shillings and denied qualified Ugandans employment opportunities.
Despite mounting criticism, Kirunda’s intervention signals continued backing from the Presidency for the campaign and reinforces the government’s position that the field audits will continue as part of President Museveni’s broader anti-corruption agenda.
With supporters applauding the crackdown as a long-overdue assault on graft and critics demanding greater respect for constitutional rights, the government’s anti-corruption offensive is increasingly shaping up as one of the defining governance issues of the new administration. (For comments on this story, get back to us on 0705579994 [WhatsApp line], 0779411734 & 041 4674611 or email us at mulengeranews@gmail.com).
