Mbale education officer interdicted over corruption

Mbale District principal Education Officer Sam Paddy Khaukha has been interdicted over allegations of corruption.

The interdiction was served to him by the Chief Administrative Officer (CAO) Luke Lokuda on March 20, 2024, Monitor has learnt.

“I have been directed by the Inspector General of Government (IGG) to interdict you from performing the duties of Principal Education Officer with immediate effect,” the interdiction letter reads in part.

“This decision was arrived at after several complaints were received by the IGG alleging that the process of recruiting head teachers, inspectors of schools, senior assistant education officers, among others, was marred with irregularities,” the letter adds.

Trouble for Khaukha started when a whistle-blower petitioned the IGG accusing Mbale City Commission of irregularities in job recruitment.  

The whistle blower accused  Khaukha and other  officials from the City  Service Commission (CSC) and Mbale City Council of selling interview questions to some of the applicants for advertised jobs.

According to Lokuda, preliminary investigations indicate that Khaukha solicited bribes and sold questions to some of the shortlisted candidates.

“Your actions amounted to corruption, abuse of office contrary to section 2 (e) and section 11 respectively of the Anti-corruption Act 2009 and misconduct that brings the public service into disrepute as provided for by the Ugandan law,” the letter reads. 

The CAO directed Paddy to handover office pending investigations.

While on interdiction, Khaukha will, among other conditions, earn half salary, not be allowed to enter his office or leave the country without permission of the CAO.

Recently during an interview, Khaukha dismissed allegations, saying there are  people fighting him, tooth and nail.

However, Paula Dominic Baru, the IGG head of Mbale regional office, says that Khaukha has also been prohibited from serving on any Service Commission as a technical officer.

 In January this year, Mbale City Service Commission advertised vacancies that included head teachers, inspectors of schools, senior assistant education officers and assistant town clerks.

Deputy IGG Anne Twinomugisha Muhairwe on March 11^, 2024, said investigations carried out by the IGG revealed that there were irregularities in the recruitment of primary teachers by the Mbale City service Commission (CSC).

She said the shortlisting and the entire exercise of recruiting primary school teachers by Mbale City Service Commission (CSC) was marred by irregularities such as corruption, abuse of office, influence-peddling and nepotism. 

The IGG has since cancelled the issuance of appointment letters to the officers recruited by the Mbale City Service Commission and ordered for a new shortlist and interview to be carried out.

“There were issues in the recruitment process and we told the IGG to cancel the process. There was a lot of exchange of money. There are even recordings that show money was exchanged,” Mbale City Town Clerk Ambrose Ocen noted.