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Sam Kyambadde
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Mpigi
The Acting District Engineer for Mpigi, Kyambadde Sam, has been remanded to prison on charges of stealing over 21,000 litres of fuel meant for road works under the government’s UGX 1 billion Road Maintenance Grant for the Financial Year 2023/2024. Kyambadde was arraigned on Tuesday before the Mpigi Chief Magistrate’s Court following a joint investigation by the State House Anti-Corruption Unit, the Criminal Investigations Directorate, and the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions. He was charged with theft and will remain on remand until August 5, 2025. The embattled engineer now joins his co-accused, Sitakange Charles, already implicated in the same case.
Kyambadde Sam
Scheme involved fuel inflation and fictitious accounting
Investigations revealed that between 2023 and 2024, the two officials stole 21,739 litres of fuel, valued at UGX 242,022,500, which was meant for road works in Mpigi Town Council. The engineers allegedly inflated the fuel requirements for various road projects and later connived with fuel station managers to draw excess fuel by circumventing existing controls. To cover up the theft, they are said to have used registration numbers of grounded vehicles, including a tipper truck (Reg No. LG 0002-082), which had not been operational since 2022. This vehicle alone was used to account for fuel worth UGX 18.5 million.
Additionally, fuel was fraudulently accounted for using vehicles from other departments and even non-district-owned vehicles, none of which participated in any road works. Authorities estimate that up to UGX 90 million was lost through these irregularities.
Unfinished road project, but funds reported as used
One of the most damning findings was the complete failure to execute road works on the Kyansoozi – Kampiringisa – Muyiira Road, which had been allocated UGX 97 million for maintenance during the same financial year. Despite this, district officials falsely reported the project as completed, and the funds are now believed to have been misappropriated.
Wider investigations underway
The case in Mpigi follows a similar incident in Busia District, where officials from Busia Municipal Council were charged last month for abusing funds under the same UGX 1 Billion Grant.
Authorities say the Mpigi case is part of a broader crackdown on the misuse of the Road Maintenance Grant, following numerous complaints from citizens about rampant fuel theft and false accountability in local governments. “The Anti-Corruption Unit is committed to ensuring that public funds meant for service delivery are protected and that those who misuse them face the full force of the law,” said a source close to the investigation.
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