Three Ugandan ruling party legislators have been charged with corruption for attempting to influence the Uganda Human Rights Commission (UHRC) to inflate its budget, according to court documents.
Corruption is widespread in Uganda, but prosecutions of top officials, especially those allied with President Yoweri Museveni’s National Resistance Movement (NRM), are rare.
Legislators Mutembuli, Paul Akamba, and Cissy Namujju Dionizia were charged late Wednesday at the High Court in Kampala. They are accused of trying to persuade the UHRC chairperson to inflate the 2024/25 budget, offering the lawmakers 20% of the excess.
The charge sheet states they “solicited an undue advantage” by claiming they could influence the parliamentary budget committee.
The three pleaded not guilty and were remanded to a maximum security prison. Defense lawyer Asuman Basalirwa argued the charges were not “grave” and requested bail. Judge Joan Aciro scheduled a bail ruling for June 14.
President Museveni recently mentioned receiving intelligence about lawmakers colluding with officials to inflate budgets for commissions. The opposition has criticized his government for failing to prosecute top officials for corruption, accusing it of prioritizing political loyalty over financial accountability.