By Mulengera Reporters
Responding to the 31st March 2026 whistle blower petition, the PPDA investigators have unmasked a printing and photocopying scandal which saw the Kyambogo University Secretary/Accounting Officer Arthur Katongole defy technical advice and going on to pay MFI Document Solutions, a stationary Kampala firm, Shs4,531,572,781 yet the actual printing and photocopying work they did was worth just Shs2,488,587,164.
This simply means that Mr. Arthur Katongole’s wrongful actions occasioned onto the GoU, which owns Kyambogo University, a financial loss of Shs2,042,985,617. The payments were justified basing on a curious provision in the company’s four-year contract which obliged the University to pay monthly invoices based on ‘contracted minimum print volumes” as opposed to the actual work printed and done.
The Accounting Officer, for unknown reasons, stuck to that very unhelpful provision even contrary to technical advice that was repeatedly rendered to him by members of the contracts committee and Mr. Richard Muhanguzi, who serves as the University’s Principal Procurement Officer/Head PDU! Muhanguzi had repeatedly objected to the retention of the company (which initially had to overcome competitors like Kata Technologies & Logistics Ltd, Service & Computer Industries, Ultra Uganda Ltd, Copy Cat (U) Ltd, Clear Basics Ltd & Mercury Computers to become the best evaluated bidder) on grounds of past poor performance, inflated invoicing and also over the company’s failure to promptly install two production printers that were core to the actual delivery of the required printing and photocopying services for the University.
Fearing to be misunderstood by the Accounting Officer who seemed uncomfortable with whoever objected to the company, Mr. Jerome Butamanya, the deputy academic registrar, even resigned from being the chairman of the Contract Management Team which comprised of staff from different departments and units at the University. The US replaced him with Mr. Jude Kasasa. A senior legal officer at the University had also previously flagged performance-related concerns and advised against retention of the same supplier.
Yet on 21st October 2025 (last year), the Accounting Officer Mr. Arthur Katongole overlooked the Shs2,042,985,617 financial loss and unilaterally proclaimed readiness to renew the same company’s contract to continue offering Kyambogo University photocopying and printing services for another four years! After decreeing contract renewal, which subsequently was witnessed by ICTs head Dr. John Okuonzi, another controversial figure at Kyambogo University, the Accounting Officer put together a committee to negotiate the minute details of operationalization of the new contract with the impugned contractor. The committee comprised of Prof Edris Mugampoza, Dr. Peter Obanda (School of Management), Dr. Okuonzi the Director ICTs, Deputy Bursar William Kasule, Principal HR Officer Peace Magala and Mary Nakate, a legal officer. The renewed contract was ultimately signed on 31st October 2025 with Arthur Katongole and Okuonzi representing Kyambogo University.
In his Monday 13th July 2026 report, the PPDA Executive Director Canon Benson Turamye directs the Accounting Officer Katongole to immediately terminate the existing MFI Document Solutions Ltd contract for the provision of leased printing and photocopying services. Within a period of one month, the Accounting Officer, who ironically isn’t directed to go to prison or refund the Shs2,042,985,617 which was inappropriately paid out, must initiate a competitive procurement bidding process for the acquisition of the same services in accordance with Section 51 of the PPDA Act Cap 205.
“The Accounting Officer [also] takes responsibility for signing a contract before approval of the Contracts Committee contrary to Section 28 (2) of the PPDA Act and consequently causing financial loss,” concludes Turamye’s 26-page report which was also copied to the University Council Chairperson, the head PDU and the Contracts Committee Chairperson. (For comments on this story, get back to us on 0705579994 [WhatsApp line], 0779411734 & 041 4674611 or email us at mulengeranews@gmail.com).
