Three senior officials in Gomba District have been arrested and charged in a high-profile corruption case involving the sale of government jobs. The suspects—Mugerwa John Bosco, Chairperson of the Gomba District Service Commission; Muwonge Michael, the Commission’s Secretary; and Charles Lwanga, the District Inspector of Schools—were arraigned before the Grade 1 Magistrate Court in Gomba earlier today.
They face serious charges including Demanding Money with Menaces and Conspiracy to Commit a Felony, and have been remanded until July 25, 2025, pending further investigations.
According to findings from the State House Anti-Corruption Unit (@AntiGraft_SH), in collaboration with the Criminal Investigations Department (@CID1_UG) and the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions (@ODPPUGANDA), the officials were involved in a systematic bribery scheme. Between February and November 2024, job seekers were reportedly forced to pay between UGX 1 million and UGX 20 million to secure employment or promotions within the district.
Victims of the scheme revealed that those who paid bribes were indeed given lucrative government positions, confirming that the corrupt network had a direct impact on recruitment in the district.
In a separate but related incident, Charles Lwanga, the Senior Inspector of Schools, is accused of extorting money from headteachers, promising them better postings and career advancement in return.
These arrests follow a directive from President Yoweri Museveni, who ordered a crackdown on the illegal sale of government jobs. The President tasked the Anti-Corruption Unit with taking decisive action against individuals exploiting citizens desperate for employment.
The scandal has stunned residents of Gomba and sparked national outrage, raising urgent concerns about the integrity of public service recruitment. Many Ugandans are now calling for stricter oversight and harsher penalties for corruption to ensure that government jobs are awarded on merit—not through bribery.
As the suspects remain in custody, there is growing public hope that justice will prevail and that this case will serve as a powerful deterrent to others engaged in similar corrupt practices.
