Four people, including members of the Kisoro District Service Commission arrested and transferred to Kampala over allegations of soliciting and receiving bribes from job seekers.
Erastus Nshaka, the Kisoro District Service Commission chairperson, together with Abel Richard Turamuhawe, alias Nshurubwiko, a commission member; Amos Hakizimana, the Kisoro District Speaker; John Muftimukiza, commonly known as Torch, a district councillor representing Nyarusiza Sub-county; and businessman (broker of the jobs deal) Aliphonsi Muhanika, are expected to be arraigned before the Anti-Corruption Court.
According to police investigations, Nshaka is accused of receiving eight million shillings from businessman Charles Mbarusha in 2023 after allegedly demanding fifteen million shillings to secure a Clinical Officer position for Mbarusha’s sister, Jolly Mutuzo.
It is alleged that although Mutuzo attended and passed the interview, she was not appointed, and the money was allegedly not refunded.
Francesca Mugisha allegedly approached Charles Mbarusha and offered to refund ten million shillings on condition that he withdraws the complaint and acknowledges the settlement. Nshaka is also accused of demanding 100 bags of cement from an enrolled nurse, Ivan Nirere, as an inducement to secure him a government job through alleged intermediary Aliphonsi Muhanika.
On March 10, 2024, Nirere allegedly delivered an initial 50 bags of cement to Nshaka’s construction site in Kanyabukungu Village, Nyakabande Sub-county, with the balance expected after his appointment.
However, no job was secured, and repeated demands for the return of the cement were allegedly ignored. Nshaka and Turamuhawe are further accused of soliciting and receiving ten shilligs from Brian Turikumwe in February 2026 as an inducement to secure his appointment as an Assistant Town Clerk.
Investigators allege that Turamuhawe introduced Turikumwe to Nshaka and directed him to deliver the money to Nshaka’s residence in Kanyabukungu Village, Nyakabande Sub-county. The money was allegedly received with assurances that Turikumwe would be awarded the job.
Although Turikumwe was subsequently shortlisted and interviewed, he was not appointed. His repeated demands for a refund were allegedly ignored. Hakizimana is accused of soliciting and receiving about 11.5 million shillings from several job applicants between October and December 2025, allegedly promising to influence their recruitment by the Kisoro District Service Commission.
According to investigators, evidence includes statements from applicants who allegedly paid Hakizimana, WhatsApp communications linking him to Nshaka, and Hakizimana’s own statements in which he allegedly admitted receiving and using the money. Some of the applicants were subsequently appointed, while others were unsuccessful. Hakizimana allegedly refunded 8 million Shillings, which was recovered and exhibited as evidence.
Muftimukiza is accused of receiving 8 million Shillings from Nelson Bazamanzo on the promise of securing a government midwifery position in Kisoro District Local Government for Bazamanzo’s sister, Pamela Nyirabatega. After allegedly receiving the money, Muftimukiza failed to secure the appointment and began avoiding Bazamanzo and Nyirabatega.On Friday afternoon, police at Kisoro
Police Station handed over the suspects to investigators from the State House Anti-Corruption Unit. Nshaka, Turamuhawe alias Nshurubwiko, Hakizimana, Muftimukiza alias Torch, Muhanika and Nyirambabazi were placed in a Toyota Hiace, registration number UBP 685V, and driven to Kampala to face the Anti-Corruption Court.
Mariam Natasha, the spokesperson for the State House Anti-Corruption Unit, confirmed that the suspects are expected to appear before the Anti-Corruption Court on Monday, August 24, 2026, to answer the charges. Natasha said the charges include corruption, abuse of office, and obtaining money by false pretences.
She also said John Nyakahuma, the Kisoro District Chief Administrative Officer; Alex Matata; Francesca Mugisha, a member of the District Service Commission; and another Alex Matata, the deputy head teacher at Chahi Seed Secondary School and Uganda National Teachers’ Union (UNATU) chairperson for Kisoro branch, are on the run over the same allegations.
Natasha said investigations into phones belonging to complainants had allegedly linked Matata, Nyakahuma and Mugisha to demands for bribes from job seekers. So far, six complainants have voluntarily handed over their smartphones to police to assist investigators in building the case against the three suspects. Natasha said preliminary investigations indicate that the suspects could have extorted up to Shillings 200 million from job applicants.
Rodgers Nabaasa, the lawyer representing the accused, said there was no evidence to show that his clients had cases to answer because they had not yet been formally charged before court. Nabaasa also called for the arrest and prosecution of the complainants, arguing that offering a bribe is also a criminal offence.
The arrests come amid growing scrutiny of the Kisoro District Service Commission over allegations of corruption, irregular recruitment and sexual exploitation of job seekers. In May 2026, Kisoro District Council suspended the District Service Commission and petitioned the State House Anti-Corruption Unit to investigate allegations of bribery, nepotism and irregular recruitment.
During a council session, councillors accused the commission of recruiting more people than the number of vacancies officially advertised. According to the councillors, 174 teachers were recruited against 105 advertised positions. Nursing positions reportedly increased from 10 advertised vacancies to 22 recruits, while midwifery positions increased from eight to 16 and medical doctor positions from one to four.
Councillors alleged that the additional recruitment was part of a purported “jobs-for-sale” scheme in which applicants were allegedly asked to pay between ten and 15 million shillings to secure employment.
Vice Chairperson Alex Nambajimana told the council that he was prepared to present an audio recording allegedly implicating commission officials and then-Chief Administrative Officer John Nyakahuma in soliciting bribes and sexual favours from job seekers.
Nyakahuma denied the allegations. The Kisoro District Service Commission members are Erastus Nshaka, Rev. Fr. Emmanuel Safari, Richard Turamuhawe, Peace Mbabazi, Galidensia Busingye and Francesca Mugisha-URN. Give us feedback on this story through our email: kamwokyatimes@gmail.com
