Mukono Municipality Member of Parliament Betty Nambooze has demanded an explanation from the government regarding the status of an investigation ordered by President Yoweri Museveni into the alleged diversion of money for servicing international loans.
During Wednesday’s plenary sitting, Nambooze referred to a June 14, 2026 letter in which President Museveni directed the Minister of Finance, Planning and Economic Development, Henry Musasizi, to account for funds allegedly diverted from payments due to the World Bank and the African Development Bank.
According to the President’s letter, he had received a Financial Intelligence Authority (FIA) report dated September 12, 2025, indicating that more than USD 14 million earmarked for servicing Uganda’s external debt had instead been transferred to two private companies—MJS International Limited in London, United Kingdom, and Roadway Company Limited in Tokyo, Japan.
In the directive, Museveni demanded a comprehensive report identifying what happened to the money, those responsible for diverting it, and the ultimate beneficiaries. “I demand a report of what has happened to this money, those who diverted it (stole it) and those who received it,” Museveni wrote.
Nambooze argued that Parliament has a duty to oversee public finances and therefore deserves to know the progress of the investigation.
Responding, Finance Minister Henry Musasizi confirmed that he had received the President’s directive and that the ministry was preparing the requested report.
“I received the directive from His Excellency the President. We are compiling the report, and it will be submitted back to him,” Musasizi told Parliament. However, Musasizi declined to discuss the substance of the allegations, saying the matter is now before court.
Deputy Speaker Thomas Tayebwa ruled that once completed, the report should first be submitted to President Museveni, who commissioned the inquiry, before Parliament considers the matter. The exchange in Parliament comes amid ongoing criminal proceedings arising from the alleged diversion of government funds.
The Anti-Corruption Court in Kampala recently committed former Accountant General Lawrence Ssemakula and eight other Ministry of Finance officials to the High Court to stand trial on fresh corruption-related charges.
The Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) sanctioned additional charges against Ssemakula, Commissioner for Treasury Services Jennifer Muhuruzi and seven other officials over their alleged roles in manipulating the Ministry of Finance’s Integrated Financial Management System (IFMS) and the Bank of Uganda’s payment systems, resulting in the reported loss of approximately 60 billion Shillings.
The accused are Lawrence Ssemakula, Jennifer Muhuruzi, systems IT officer Paul Nkalubo Lumala, senior accountant Deborah Dorothy Kusiima, accountant Judith Ashaba, research assistant Bettina Nayebare, IT systems officer Mark Kasiiku, senior IT officer Tonny Yawe and Assistant Commissioner for Accounts Pedison Twesigomwe. The nine officials were initially charged in 2024 with 11 counts, including corruption, abuse of office and causing financial loss.
On Tuesday, prosecutors filed eight additional charges, including money laundering and electronic fraud, bringing the total number of charges to 19.
According to the DPP’s indictment, the accused allegedly failed to establish adequate safeguards over public funds under Vote 130, allowing payments intended for Uganda’s loan obligations to the International Development Association (IDA) of the World Bank and the African Development Fund of the African Development Bank to be fraudulently diverted.
The court documents state that between September 12 and September 30, 2024, payments exceeding USD 14 million were redirected to Roadway Company Limited in Japan and MJS International Limited in the United Kingdom after electronic payment files generated through the IFMS were allegedly altered before being encrypted and transmitted to the Bank of Uganda.
Prosecutors further allege that administrator-level access was used to insert Linux executable scripts that changed the intended beneficiaries, while email communications used for payment reconciliation were intercepted, manipulated and deleted to conceal the fraudulent transactions.
The DPP also alleges that an earlier attempt to divert more than USD 6.6 million to a company in Poland was thwarted after the World Bank raised concerns over a missed loan repayment, prompting the SWIFT payment system to block the transaction.
By the end of 2024, investigators had interrogated at least 21 officials from the Ministry of Finance, the Bank of Uganda and the Office of the Accountant General, while computers and mobile phones were seized for forensic examination-URN. Give us feedback on this story through our email: kamwokyatimes@gmail.com
