By Mulengera Reporters
A controversy has erupted over the recruitment and implementation arrangements of Uganda’s US$540 million Uganda Cities and Municipalities Infrastructure Development (UCMID) Programme, after a complaint alleged that former project support staff are attempting to influence recruitment processes and maintain control over the multi-billion-shilling initiative.
The UCMID Programme, financed by the World Bank through the International Development Association (IDA), is expected to commence in the 2026/27 financial year and is intended to improve urban planning, strengthen local government performance, expand climate-smart infrastructure and increase access to essential services in selected cities, municipalities and refugee-hosting districts.
However, a complaint submitted to authorities has raised concerns over the recruitment process for the programme’s Operational Support Team (OST), accusing some former staff of the Uganda Support to Municipalities Infrastructure Development (USMID) and USMID Additional Funding (USMID-AF) programmes of manipulating the process to secure positions in the new project.
The allegations have not been independently verified.
The complaint lists several former USMID programme staff members whom it accuses of influencing the development of UCMID operational arrangements, including the Operational Implementation Manual, programme work plans and job descriptions.
The individuals named in the complaint include Eng. Isaac Mutenyo, listed as Programme Coordinator; Gilbert Kiracho, Monitoring and Evaluation Specialist; Sheila Naturinda, Communication Specialist; Paul Ahura K, Social Development Specialist; Eng. Denis Mwebaze, Project Engineer; and Joseph Kawuma, Finance and Accounting Specialist. We reached out to Isaac Mutenyo for his comment but our efforts hadn’t succeeded as of the time of publication.
The complaint alleges that the individuals, who served under previous USMID programmes, have remained in government-funded project roles for more than a decade despite being initially recruited on short-term contracts intended to support skills transfer to ministry staff.
The complainant claims that their continued involvement has prevented a smooth transition of responsibilities to Ministry of Lands, Housing and Urban Development staff and has affected fair competition for new programme positions.
It further alleges that the former support team participated in designing aspects of the UCMID programme and influenced staffing requirements in a way that allegedly favors their qualifications and experience.
The complaint claims that some job descriptions were drafted to match the profiles of outgoing project staff, potentially limiting opportunities for other qualified candidates.
A major concern raised is the recruitment process itself, with the complainant alleging that the Ministry issued an internal advert instead of conducting an open competitive recruitment process as required for publicly funded programmes.
The complaint alleges that the advertisement was uploaded on the Ministry website on July 30, 2026, but access was restricted, limiting public participation.
It also claims that some qualifications were altered from those approved by the Ministry of Finance, Planning and Economic Development.
The complaint cites the position of Deputy Project Coordinator as an example, alleging that professional project management certification was changed from being an added advantage in government guidelines to a mandatory requirement in the internal advertisement.
According to the complainant, the adjustment could unfairly disadvantage qualified applicants and favour a specific candidate.
The complaint also accuses the former project support team of exercising excessive influence over previous USMID and USMID-AF programmes, alleging weaknesses in supervision, accountability and value-for-money assessments.
It claims that some infrastructure projects implemented under the earlier programmes require further review over construction costs, quality and compliance with government and World Bank standards.
The claims regarding previous programme performance have not been independently confirmed.
The complainant has asked authorities to investigate the recruitment process, cancel the current advertisement and ensure that future recruitment for the UCMID Operational Support Team is conducted transparently and competitively.
It also wants the UCMID Programme placed under stronger supervision of existing government departments, arguing that the support team should provide technical assistance rather than operate as an independent structure.
The complaint recommends limiting the tenure of the Operational Support Team to a maximum of two years to allow ministry staff to build capacity and eventually take over programme implementation.
The controversy comes as Uganda prepares to implement one of its largest urban development programmes, with questions now being raised about transparency, accountability and governance arrangements before the project begins.
The Ministry of Lands, Housing and Urban Development and the individuals named in the complaint had not issued public responses to the allegations by the time of publication. (For comments on this story, get back to us on 0705579994 [WhatsApp line], 0779411734 & 041 4674611 or email us at mulengeranews@gmail.com).
