PALLISA – The Minister for Local Government, Hon. Balaam Barugahara, has ordered the arrest and interdiction of more than 21 civil servants in Pallisa District during his ongoing “Expose The Corrupt” campaign.
Thank you for reading this post, don't forget to subscribe!The officials were apprehended on Thursday, October 1, 2026, during a high-profile tour led by the Minister himself, marking one of the most significant single-day anti-graft actions in the district’s recent history.
The arrest list reads like a who’s who of Pallisa’s technical and administrative leadership, cutting across virtually every major department and reaching the highest offices in the district.
Those in custody include Resident District Commissioner (RDC) Dikusoka Majidu, Deputy Chief Administrative Officer (CAO) Areu Simon Peter, and the Principal Human Resource Officer who also serves as Secretary to the District Service Commission.
The dragnet extended to former CAO Felix Majeme, who is currently serving as the CAO of Oyam District, suggesting the investigation reaches beyond Pallisa’s current administrative boundaries.
Full List of Officials Arrested and Interdicted:
1. RDC Dikusoka Majidu
2. Deputy CAO – Areu Simon Peter
3. Principal HR & Secretary District Service Commission – Charles
4. Former CAO – Felix Majeme (Current CAO Oyam District)
5. DHO – Dr. Godfrey Mulekwa
6. DEO – Ronald Omutujju
7. Senior HR – Tadeyo Francis8. Water Engineer – Hannington Opendu
9. CFO – Kirya Herbert
10. Inspector of Schools – Opedun John
11. District Principal Auditor – Kirya Emmanuel
12. Senior Procurement Officer – Apollo Opongoru
13. District Planner – Robert Mukesi
14. Dodo – George Onyait
15. Production Officer – Dr. Michael Okwalinga
16. Senior Assistant CAO – Samson Emasit Okurut
17. Assistant CAO – Aabayas Aaron
18. Records Assistant Officer – Jessica
19. Treasurer – Okiria Silva
20. Town Clerk Agule TC – Opolot Ferdinand
12. Accountant Kameke Sub-County – Kirya Joseph
Reports indicate that two additional Engineers are yet to be arrested and added to the list.
The Pallisa operation is part of a broader national anti-corruption initiative launched in July 2026 following a presidential directive to strengthen accountability and protect public resources.
The campaign, branded “Expose The Corrupt: Taking the Fight to the People,” has already swept through multiple regions, including Bugisu, Bukedi, Greater Masaka, and Greater Ankole.
According to official figures from the State House Anti-Corruption Unit (SH-ACU) as of August 31, 2026, the campaign has resulted in 115 arrests nationwide, with 40 accused persons taken to court and 60 case files under active investigation.
The estimated value involved in reported cases stands at UGX 18 billion, lost through schemes including ghost pupils, ghost workers, payroll fraud, and Parish Development Model extortion.
More than 120 officials implicated in corruption, negligence, and abuse of office have been interdicted to facilitate investigations.
Pallisa District has not been immune to corruption scandals in recent months. In March 2026, a doctor at Pallisa General Hospital was arrested for allegedly extorting Shs250,000 from an expectant mother during delivery.
Earlier, in April 2026, Community Development Officers from Pallisa and neighboring districts were arrested over mismanagement and forgery related to Parish Development Model funds.
The arrested officials face interdiction pending investigation, a standard administrative measure intended to prevent interference with ongoing inquiries.
Under Uganda’s anti-corruption framework, cases may proceed to the Anti-Corruption Court in Kampala, where charges could include causing financial loss, abuse of office, extortion, forgery, and corruption-related offences.
Minister Balaam Barugahara’s campaign has positioned citizen engagement through barazas and on-site project inspections as central to its strategy, aiming to move from public complaints to concrete investigative action.
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