A major fuel theft scandal has erupted in Mpigi District, drawing nationwide attention and sparking outrage over the misuse of public funds meant for road maintenance. Kyambadde Sam, the Assistant District Engineer in the Works Department, has been charged and remanded for allegedly stealing thousands of liters of fuel under the UGX 1 billion Road Maintenance Grant for the 2023–2024 financial year.
The scandal came to light after a joint investigation by the State House Anti-Corruption Unit (@AntiGraft_SH), the Criminal Investigations Directorate (@CID1_UG), and the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions (@ODPPUGANDA). Kyambadde Sam was arraigned at the Mpigi Chief Magistrate’s Court and is now behind bars until August 5, 2025. He joins his co-accused, Sitakange Charles, in the case.
Investigators found that the two engineers stole over 21,739 liters of fuel, worth more than UGX 242 million, which was intended for maintaining roads in Mpigi Town Council. Instead of using the fuel for the actual road works, the accused inflated the fuel needed for different projects, then collaborated with fuel station managers to draw out extra fuel illegally. They also manipulated vehicle records to hide their actions.
In a shocking move to cover up the theft, the engineers used the registration numbers of grounded vehicles, including a tipper truck that had not operated since 2022, to claim they were using the fuel. This one vehicle alone was used to account for UGX 18.5 million worth of fuel. They even used vehicles from unrelated departments and some that didn’t belong to the district at all to justify the missing fuel.
The scam didn’t stop there. Investigators discovered that an entire road project—the Kyansoozi–Kampiringisa–Muyiira Road, which had a budget of UGX 97 million—was never worked on, even though district officials reported that the road had been completed. This is now believed to have been a fabricated report to hide the theft of funds.
This case mirrors a similar incident that took place just a month ago in Busia District, where municipal officials were charged for mismanaging the same 1 Billion Shilling Road Maintenance Grant. Following several complaints from the public, the State House Anti-Corruption Unit has now launched broader investigations across various local governments to expose the widespread misuse of the grant.
As the probe continues, more local government officials could soon be facing charges. The case in Mpigi is just one example of how corruption can derail essential services—leaving roads in poor condition and tax money wasted, while citizens suffer the consequences.
