SCIENCE COUNCIL RECRUITMENT STORM! Petition Asks Minister to Probe New UNCST Boss Kisaale, Questions Hiring of 20 Staff in 2 Months
KAMPALA – The Uganda National Council for Science and Technology (UNCST) has been thrown into a fresh recruitment storm, with a new petition calling for an investigation into Executive Secretary Dr James Kisaale’s appointment and accusing him of bringing nearly 20 staff and interns into the institution within just two months of taking office.
The petition, dated September 19, 2026 and addressed to Eng. Jonard Asiimwe, the Minister for Science, Technology and Innovation in the Office of the President, alleges that Kisaale’s own recruitment to the top UNCST job was fraudulent and is now being followed by what the petitioner describes as a questionable and potentially sectarian recruitment drive.
The petitioner says the latest complaint follows an earlier petition submitted on July 15, 2026, asking for intervention and an investigation into what he described as the allegedly fraudulent recruitment of Kisaale as Executive Secretary.
The petition claims that Kisaale assumed office in July and, within two months, recruited and onboarded close to 20 people, with 11 allegedly having close ties to him.
According to the petition, some of the recruits are former associates of Kisaale from the Science, Technology and Innovation Office of the President (STI-OP).
The petitioner further alleges that some of these individuals had previously been released following nearly four years of what he describes as informal engagement at STI-OP.
BOSS HIMSELF UNDER SPOTLIGHT
The recruitment controversy comes against the backdrop of an official UNCST announcement that presented Kisaale as a highly experienced public-sector executive when he was appointed Executive Secretary.
UNCST announced that Kisaale would take up the position effective June 1, 2026, describing him as an executive with more than two decades of public-sector governance experience.
Before his appointment, according to the official profile, Kisaale served as Strategic Advisor to the Minister for Science, Technology and Innovation in the Office of the President, where he also chaired the National Task Force Secretariat for the Global Innovation Index.
The profile also states that he previously held senior positions at the Uganda Revenue Authority, including Commissioner for Customs Enforcement and Trade, and was involved in change-management and talent-reform programmes at URA.
UNCST described him as a trained Analytical Chemist with a PhD in Global Leadership and said he was appointed to provide strategic leadership in advancing science, technology and innovation for national development.
However, the new petition directly challenges the circumstances surrounding his arrival at UNCST, alleging that his own recruitment to the Executive Secretary position was fraudulent and calling for it to be investigated.
IG, SHACU, CID PROBE
It is further alleged that after the first petition, officials from the Inspectorate of Government (IG), State House Anti-Corruption Unit (SHACU) and CID Directorate spent at least two months at UNCST carrying out investigations.
The petitioner says the investigations were not known in detail and that their findings had not yet been made public at the time of his September petition.
The new complaint therefore raises questions about both the circumstances surrounding Kisaale’s appointment and the subsequent recruitment of staff under his leadership.
20 NAMES LISTED
Attached to the petition is a list of 20 individuals identified as new UNCST staff, science interns and other recruits for September 2026.
The names and positions listed are:
- Mr. Mugeni Mathias – Science Officer, Information Technology. The petition marks him as “ES’s person.”
- Ms. Laura Nyero – Science Officer, Research Registration & Management.
- Ms. Rashida Magezi – Stores Management Officer.
- Ms. Magololo Moryn – Science Officer, Research Integrity. The petition states “Not sure” under the source/connection column.
- Mr. Osiru James – Science Officer, Access and Benefit Sharing. The petition lists NEMA against his name.
- Mr. Sekigongo Patrick – Head of Homing Division. The petition lists STI-OP – ES’s person.
- Mr. Gwoto Hamani – Science Officer, Administration. The petition marks him “ES’s person.”
- Ms. Florence Busibo Wamaungo – Senior Science Officer, Human Resource. The petition lists STI-OP – ES’s person.
- Mr. Paul Bwamiki – Science Officer, Technology Transfer. The petition marks him “ES’s person.”
- Ms. Marion Kanyago – Science Intern, Science and Technology Policy Coordination. The petition marks her “ES’s person.”
- Ms. Cindy Mutoni Nekambi – Science Intern, Science and Technology Policy Coordination. The petition marks her “ES’s person.”
- Ms. Nampijja Josephine – Science Intern, Records Management. The petition states “Not sure.”
- Ms. Daphine Kiwala – Science Intern, Front Desk Management. The petition marks her “ES’s person.”
- Mr. Brian Musika – Science Intern, Technopreneurship. The petition states “Not sure.”
- Mr. Huggins Muhereza – Science Intern, Procurement. The petition states “Not sure.”
- Mr. Odokonyero Gerald – Science Intern, Information Technology. The petition states “Not sure.”
- Ms. Nakimbugwe Edith – Science Intern, Information Technology.
- Ms. Ajambo Flavia Martha – Temporary Science Officer, Communications. The petition lists STI-OP – ES’s person.
- Mr. Kamba William – Driver. The petition marks him “ES’s person.”
- Mr. Tom Odongipou – GII. The petition lists STI-OP – ES’s person.
Several of the names are marked in the petition as allegedly being connected to the Executive Secretary, while others are listed as coming from STI-OP or other institutions.
The document itself does not provide independent evidence establishing the alleged relationships or the circumstances of each appointment.
The petitioner also alleges that a significant number of the recruits come from a certain region and questions whether competent candidates from other regions were considered.
It points to the alleged regional backgrounds of some members of the UNCST Governing Council and Kisaale himself in advancing the complaint.
The petitioner asks the minister to investigate what he calls a potentially dangerous recruitment trend at the science and technology council.
The allegations contained in the petition have not, from the material available, been established as findings against Kisaale or the named recruits. Neither does the petition provide the outcome of the IG, SHACU and CID investigations it references.
UNCST’s official profile of Kisaale presents him as an experienced public-sector executive appointed to lead the council’s mandate on science, technology and innovation, while the petition raises separate allegations concerning both his appointment and subsequent recruitment decisions.
Red Pepper has contacted Minister Asiimwe, Dr James Kisaale, UNCST and the individuals named in the petition for comment and clarification on the allegations and the recruitment process.
Their responses will be published when received.
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