Barugahara said the officials were implicated in financial losses to government and must account for the funds. The minister spent part of the day inspecting several government facilities, including Busia Main Market, Busia Secondary School, Sikuda Seed Secondary School, Sikuda Health Centre III and Busia Health Centre IV.
He said the government is committed to fighting corruption and ensuring that public resources are used for their intended purposes.
Johnson Wafuba, the Busia Deputy Town Clerk, told the minister that the municipality had faced challenges in managing Yalelo fish vendors.
Wafuba said authorities had previously sealed the vendors’ shops but were unable to establish how the traders managed to reopen and continue operating.
However, Busia Town Mayor Sadiq Amini Agele disputed the findings presented by the minister, describing the report as biased and politically motivated. Agele accused Barugahara of becoming involved in political conflicts in Busia.
They include Farouq Kiganda, the Busia Municipal Engineer; George Mwidu, the District Engineer; Aggrey Munyororo, the Municipal Education Officer; Aggrey Mayende, the Head Teacher of Busia Secondary School; Dr Yusuf Lule, the officer in charge of Busia Health Centre IV; and Benah Nanyama, the District Assistant Health Officer.
Other officials, including Gabriel Barasa Makanga, the Busia Senior Education Officer, have reportedly been interdicted pending investigations.
Julius Maganda Wandera, the Minister of State for Works in charge of Transport and MP for Samia Bugwe South, said several issues identified during the inspection of government facilities require attention to improve the implementation of government programmes in the district.
He read out part of the inspection findings. Abubakar Bin Issa, the LC3 chairperson of Sikuda Sub-county, appealed to the minister to intervene in what he described as shoddy work at Sikuda Seed Secondary School.
Busia Resident District Commissioner Hajira Namagogwe, who was reportedly among officials implicated in the findings, denied allegations that she commissioned incomplete or poorly executed government projects.
She also rejected claims that she failed to manage security during the 2026 campaigns, saying she was ill during the campaign period.
By the time of filing this story, the arrested officials were being held at Busia Central Police Station as the Anti-Corruption Police Unit continued with investigations. The officials are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty by a competent court-URN. Give us feedback on this story through our email: kamwokyatimes@gmail.com
