Minister Babalanda Warns Against Collusion Between CAOs and RDCs, Ghost Learners, and Diversion of Medicine

Kampala- The Minister for the Presidency and Member of Parliament for Budiope West Constituency, Hon. Babirye Milly Babalanda, has called on Local Government leaders to take a firm stand against corruption, warning that collusion among public officials is undermining service delivery and delaying Uganda’s transformation.

Speaking at a meeting of Local Government leaders on the implementation of President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni’s directive to expose and eliminate corruption held at Imperial Royale Hotel, Minister Babalanda said corruption “is the theft of opportunities from our children, medicines from our patients, classrooms from our learners, roads from our farmers, and ultimately the theft of hope from our people.”

“Every shilling diverted through corruption denies a Ugandan family access to better healthcare, quality education, clean water, better roads and improved livelihoods. That is why the President has directed all government institutions to intensify the fight against corruption without fear or favour,” she said.

The Minister singled out collusion as one of the greatest enablers of corruption in Local Governments. She cited a disturbing trend of reported collusion between some Chief Administrative Officers and Resident District Commissioners, which she said has led to false certification of incomplete projects, payments for non-existent works, concealment of shoddy construction, and manipulation of monitoring reports.

“When these two offices work together honestly, government succeeds, but when they collude, corruption flourishes,” Hon. Babalanda stated.

“As a result, classrooms develop cracks before learners occupy them, health centres remain unfinished despite full payment, roads disappear after the first rains, and markets remain incomplete even after contractors have been fully paid.”

She directed RDCs, DISOs and GISOs to submit truthful, objective and evidence-based reports to the Presidency.

The Minister expressed concern over corruption in the education and health sectors. In education, she cited inflated enrolment figures and ghost learners under UPE and USE, and the practice where teachers abandon duty stations and hire unqualified replacements while illegally sharing salaries.

“I therefore call upon all GISOs and DISOs, together with RDCs to execute their duties with integrity and professionalism. The children of Uganda deserve honesty. Taxpayers deserve accountability,” she said.

In health, Minister Babalanda condemned health workers who divert government medicines for private gain or hoard drugs in public facilities only to refer patients to private clinics.“Every government medicine belongs to the people of Uganda and must never become merchandise for personal enrichment. Those involved in these practices should desist immediately because government investigations are intensifying,” she warned.

The Minister also cautioned District Service Commissions against turning public employment into a “commercial enterprise.”

“Government jobs are not for sale. Recruitment must never be influenced by bribery, nepotism, favouritism, sexual exploitation or any other illegal consideration. Whenever jobs are sold, competence is sacrificed,” she said.

She added that incompetence breeds more corruption, creating a vicious cycle that must be broken.

Hon. Babalanda commended the Ministry of Local Government and the RDC institution for inspection exercises that have exposed weaknesses. She urged all leaders to play their role: District Chairpersons to provide integrity-based political leadership, Speakers to strengthen oversight, CAOs to enforce financial discipline, and security officers to investigate without compromise.

“The fight against corruption is no longer the responsibility of one institution. It requires collaboration among political leaders, accounting officers, security agencies, technical officers, oversight institutions and citizens,” she said.

She also commended Gen. Muhoozi Kainerugaba, Chief of Defence Forces, for reinforcing the President’s determination to eliminate corruption.Concluding, the Minister said:

“Corruption is not merely a governance challenge. It is an economic enemy. It slows investment, discourages innovation, and delays national transformation. Our collective responsibility is clear: We must expose corruption; We must prevent corruption; We must finish corruption.”

The meeting was attended by Ministers, Permanent Secretaries, District Chairpersons, Mayors, CAOs, RDCs, DISOs, GISOs and other Local Government leaders.