When the dust of scandal rises, it is often the courageous who are first targeted. The recent arrests of two Ministry of Works officials over alleged compensation fraud have been seized upon by detractors as proof of rot within the Ministry. Yet, a closer look at the record reveals a different story: the Ministry itself had long raised red flags, documented inconsistencies, and acted decisively to protect taxpayers. The real culprits are not the patriots who blew the whistle, but the engineers and staff who manipulated valuations and later sought to hide behind media smears.
The evidence is clear. In report submitted to the Chief Government Valuer by former UNRA Director Roads and Bridges Eng. Samuel Muhoozi, glaring inconsistencies in the valuations for Project Affected Persons (PAPs) along the Nakawuka–Kasanje–Mpigi road were highlighted. The report noted: “The captured built-up area in the valuation report for some of the structures does not tally with the actual built-up area on ground. For example: The built-up area for structures for PAP Saturday Frank of Ref: ML/L/025.” It further observed that “some affected structures were not captured in the valuation report for example; Gatehouse and Fence for PAP Ref: ML/L007TL, Building for PAP Ref: ML/R009.” These were not minor oversights—they were deliberate distortions that threatened billions of taxpayer money.
The Ministry did not sit idle. It acted. The Chief Government Valuer’s team conducted site inspections, verified measurements, and demanded corrections. As the response matrix later confirmed: “A follow-up site visit was conducted to verify and harmonize the building measurements… All buildings and structures have been duly captured as was discussed during the joint visit… The building rates were subsequently adjusted in accordance with the observations and guidance provided during the joint inspection.” This is not the behavior of a corrupt institution—it is the hallmark of an accountable one.
Yet, the engineers who were fired by President Museveni were deeply entangled in these fractious valuations. Their fingerprints are all over the discrepancies. It is precisely because of their inefficiencies and manipulations that the President refused to let them off the hook. To suggest otherwise is to ignore the documented record. These engineers, now outside the system, have desperately tried to fight back by buying media space, recruiting bloggers, and funding selfish journalists to divert the public from their failures. Their strategy is simple: demoralize the good officials, smear the patriots, and confuse the public into believing that the wrongdoers are the heroes.
Minister Fred Byamukama has borne the brunt of this smear campaign. Bloggers have branded him corrupt, journalists have labeled him incompetent, and detractors have even questioned his education and private life. Yet, the truth is undeniable: Byamukama’s only crime is fighting the real corrupt. As one article maliciously claimed, he was “the most incompetent minister.” But incompetence does not expose billion‑shilling scams. In fact, it was Byamukama who tipped off the President about irregularities in the Mpigi–Busega Expressway compensation, a move that saved the nation from a grand heist. To call him corrupt is not only absurd—it is a deliberate inversion of reality.
The smear campaign has gone so far as to question President Museveni’s judgement in dismissing the engineers implicated in theft. This is shameful and unwise. The President has been at the helm for decades; he has mastered how the real thieves behave. His instincts in corruption matters are rarely wrong. In a recent statement, he told off detractors mudslinging our anti‑corruption heroes, praising Byamukama and his team of patriots for blowing up the heist in the Mpigi–Busega Expressway and other projects. His words were unequivocal: “No level of intimidation and blackmail will derail the cause.” That endorsement should silence any doubts. The President is behind the fight, and his support is the strongest assurance that the Ministry is on the right path.
The attacks have not stopped there. One paid writer even called out General Muhoozi Kainerugaba to rethink the recognition conferred upon a Ministry official who has been key in cleaning the institution. This is ridiculous. General MK rarely puts a foot wrong when it comes to corruption. That Eng. Isaac Wani was recognized with the PLU rank is not a mistake—it is a testament to how highly the President and the CDF value his role in the fight against graft. Recognition of patriots is not a weakness; it is a reinforcement of the anti‑corruption front.
The narrative being pushed by detractors is clear: paint the Ministry as corrupt, brand its leaders as incompetent, and question the President’s judgement. But the facts tell a different story. The Ministry raised concerns about fraudulent valuations long before arrests were made. It documented speculative structures erected to target compensation, noting: “Properties within the project corridor that were made to look complete and habitable by the PAPs, yet on closer inspection, were erected speculatively to target compensation. Some of the properties were made to look as if they have concealed roofs yet do not have roofs, others are painted on the external surface but internally they are hollow.” These observations were not ignored—they were acted upon, with rates adjusted downward to reflect the true worth. That is accountability in action.
The engineers who were dismissed cannot escape responsibility. They were part of the valuation process, part of the manipulation, and part of the inefficiencies that cost government money. Their dismissal was not arbitrary—it was a necessary step to protect the integrity of public projects. To now see them funding smear campaigns against the very Ministry that exposed their misdeeds is a tragic irony. They are the foxes crying foul after being chased from the henhouse.
The public must not be deceived. The Ministry of Works and Transport, under the guidance of Minister Byamukama and his colleagues, has shown courage in confronting corruption. It has documented fraud, corrected valuations, and exposed scams. The President has backed them, General MK has recognized them, and the Chief Government Valuer has validated their actions. To question their integrity is to side with the thieves.
Uganda’s fight against corruption is not easy. It pits patriots against entrenched interests, truth against propaganda, and accountability against manipulation. But the record is clear: the Ministry acted earlier, raised alarms, and corrected fraud. The engineers who were fired were guilty of inefficiencies and manipulations. The smear campaigns are funded by those who lost their grip on public money. And the President, with decades of experience, has stood firmly behind the patriots.
As Ugandans, we must choose whom to believe: the detractors who buy media space to smear heroes, or the documented reports that show the Ministry acted with integrity. The choice is obvious. The Ministry stands tall, defended by truth, and no level of intimidation will derail its cause.
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