Dr.Ayub Mukisa: Hon. Balaam and Nameere: A Good Start, but District Service Commissions Need Structural Overhaul

The anti-corruption operations led by Hon. Balaam Barugahara and Hon. Justine Nameere in Mbale and Bulambuli have sparked debate over their methods. Yet beyond the controversy, they have exposed a deeper reality: corruption in Uganda is often sustained by powerful administrative elites rather than ordinary citizens.

Before commending Hon. Balaam Barugahara and Hon. Justine Nameere for their fresh approach to exposing and combating corruption, it is worth considering a 2025 study by Peter Adoko Obicci titled “Corrupt Elites, Administrative Cadres and Public Service in Africa.” Obicci argues that public service delivery across Africa faces a serious threat from persistent corruption sustained by dishonest public officials and elites. This assessment closely aligns with findings from the KACC Department for Critical Thinking and Alternative Analysis, whose reports consistently conclude that corruption in Uganda is largely driven by elite administrative cadres.

A careful examination of what Hon. Balaam and Hon. Nameere exposed in Mbale, and Bulambuli districts strongly reinforces this argument. In both districts, those implicated in alleged corruption were prominent members of the local institutional elite. As the Karamoja Anti-Corruption Coalition, we commend the ministers for taking decisive action and, importantly, for resisting the tendency to blame the appointing authority for every corrupt act committed by rogue public officials.

Admittedly, some observers disagree with the direct, high-visibility methods adopted by the ministers. They question whether political leaders should personally participate in exposing corruption or facilitating the arrests of suspected officials. Yet defeating systemic corruption demands innovation and bold leadership. Uganda must move beyond rigid, outdated bureaucratic approaches and embrace assertive strategies that directly confront entrenched networks protecting individuals accused of corruption.

However, exposing wrongdoing addresses only part of the problem. The deeper challenge is the urgent need to reform District Service Commissions (DSCs). A 2019 study by Aloysius Mutebi on the functionality of DSCs in Uganda notes that these commissions are legally mandated to advertise vacancies, shortlist candidates, conduct interviews, and appoint district staff. Yet persistent indicators of corruption continue to undermine their institutional credibility.

As Obicci observed, anti-corruption efforts often tackle symptoms rather than root causes. Weak oversight of recruitment and promotion processes has created fertile ground for favoritism, patronage, and bribery. I therefore urge Hon. Balaam and Hon. Nameere to champion reforms that eliminate these institutional vulnerabilities and replace them with transparent, accountable systems. The practical pathway to achieving this deserves a dedicated national conversation.

Ayub Mukisa, PhD
Executive Director, Karamoja Anti-Corruption Coalition (KACC)
Email: ayubmukisa@gmail.com

 

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