Two high-ranking officials from the Office of the Prime Minister (OPM) found themselves facing serious corruption charges yesterday. Mr. Dathan Nuwagaba Kahima, 37, the project engineering officer, and Ms. Pamela Besigye, 45, the district engineering assistant, both under the Development Response to Displacement Impacts Project (DRDIP), were accused of accepting bribes totaling Shs689 million in exchange for manipulating tender awards. The alleged misconduct has sent shockwaves through the OPM and raised concerns about transparency within the government.
The charges brought against the accused officials stem from their alleged involvement in influencing the awarding of tenders under the DRDIP project in the OPM. It is claimed that they received hefty bribes from various companies seeking favorable consideration in the tendering process.
The accused individuals appeared before Grade One Magistrate Esther Asiimwe, where they vehemently denied all allegations made against them. The charges against them were jointly filed with two businessmen, who have yet to be apprehended.
The saga began when the group was arrested by the office of the Inspector General of Government (IGG) and detained overnight at the Central Police Station in Kampala. They were subsequently brought before the court for formal charging.
Today, the OPM officials are set to return to court to have their bail application considered. Mr. Rogers Kinobe, the supervisor for prosecutions at the IGG, is expected to request the court to issue a criminal summons for the two businessmen who remain at large.
The prosecution’s case against Mr. Nuwagaba alleges that between February 2021 and June 2022, he indirectly received gratifications totaling more than Shs689 million from various companies and individuals. These funds were purportedly rewarded for recommending these entities for various contracts within the DRDIP project at the OPM.
In a separate count of corruption against Ms. Besigye, it is alleged that she participated as an accomplice in soliciting and receiving gratifications, also exceeding Shs689 million, during the same time frame. Furthermore, she is accused of providing information to bidders to help them secure tenders, all under the motive of favoring them within the DRDIP project at the OPM.
Two businessmen are also facing charges related to bribery of a public official. One of them is accused of depositing Shs190 million into a Centenary Bank account at the Mapeera branch as a reward to officials involved in the DRDIP project. Similarly, the other businessman allegedly deposited Shs15 million into another account at the same bank, targeting officials employed under the DRDIP in the OPM.
In addition to the corruption charges, the accused officials face a separate charge of abuse of office. The IGG contends that Mr. Nuwagaba and Ms. Besigye while performing their duties at the OPM, manipulated tender awards in favor of companies that offered bribes. This alleged abuse of power is said to have unfairly disadvantaged qualified companies, causing harm to both the OPM and the firms unjustly left out.
As the case unfolds, it raises questions about transparency, accountability, and the integrity of government institutions. The prosecution will have the opportunity to present evidence in court, and the accused will have their chance to mount a defense. The outcome of this high-profile case will undoubtedly have far-reaching implications for Uganda’s fight against corruption and the credibility of public institutions.
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