District Engineer Remanded in Massive Mpigi Fuel Theft Scandal
District Engineer Remanded in Massive Mpigi Fuel Theft Scandal
A major corruption scandal has rocked Mpigi District after the Acting District Engineer, Sam Kyambadde, was charged and remanded over the theft of thousands of litres of fuel meant for critical road maintenance projects.
The arrest follows an intensive investigation by the State House Anti-Corruption Unit, working jointly with the Criminal Investigations Directorate (CID) and the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions (ODPP).
Kyambadde appeared before the Mpigi Chief Magistrate’s Court on Thursday and was charged with the theft of 21,739 litres of fuel valued at UGX 242 million. He was remanded until August 5, 2025.
The stolen fuel formed part of a UGX 1 billion Road Maintenance Grant released to Mpigi District for the 2023/2024 financial year.
Kyambadde now becomes the second engineer facing court action in the same scandal, joining his co-accused Charles Sitakange, who was earlier charged in connection with the fraudulent scheme.
According to investigators, the duo masterminded a sophisticated scheme to inflate fuel estimates for district road projects. By colluding with fuel station operators and exploiting loopholes in procurement and fleet management, the engineers allegedly diverted large quantities of fuel for personal gain.
The investigation uncovered damning details: registration numbers of non-functional vehicles, including a tipper truck (Reg. No. LG 0002-082) grounded since 2022, were used to siphon fuel worth over UGX 18.5 million. In another tactic, officials fraudulently listed vehicles belonging to unrelated departments—some even from outside the district—to justify fake fuel withdrawals, resulting in additional losses of around UGX 90 million.
One of the most alarming findings was linked to the Kyansoozi-Kampiringisa-Muyiira Road. The road, which had a budget of UGX 97 million, was never constructed, yet district officials submitted reports claiming the work was completed.
The case adds to a growing list of fuel-related scandals in Uganda’s local governments. Just weeks ago, officials from Busia Municipal Council were arraigned over a similar abuse of the Shs 1 Billion Road Maintenance Grant.
Authorities say the Mpigi case is just the tip of the iceberg. The State House Anti-Corruption Unit has confirmed that parallel investigations are ongoing in multiple districts amid widespread allegations of systemic fraud.
The Unit has vowed to intensify oversight of infrastructure grants and send a strong signal that public officials who plunder development funds will face full legal consequences.
As Kyambadde awaits his next court appearance, the scandal serves as a sobering reminder of the deep governance challenges that threaten to derail service delivery at the grassroots.
