CORNERED! Corruption, Illegalities in Mbarara City Procurement Exposed as PPDA Intervenes
By Amos Tayebwa
Mbarara
Panic and tension are mounting among top officials at Mbarara City Council after the Public Procurement and Disposal of Public Assets Authority (PPDA) uncovered serious irregularities in the city’s procurement processes.
The intervention follows multiple public complaints alleging corruption and illegal contract awards by the city’s procurement office. Reports indicate that several tenders were irregularly granted to ghost contractors, particularly in market revenue collection, without formal contract agreements.
According to documents seen by this publication, the PPDA Mbarara Regional Office, headed by Peterson Kalyango, wrote to City Town Clerk Justine Barekye, urging her to urgently investigate the anomalies. The letter cites “multiple irregularities which appear to be either deliberate or a result of incompetence” among key procurement officials.
The implicated offices include the procurement department led by Dinna Mwije and Edgar Rwabutagu, as well as the City Contracts Committee chaired by Sam Rwakinanga, who also serves as the City Revenue Officer.
Kalyango’s letter highlights a range of concerns — including the delayed procurement of local revenue sources that began in June 2025 but remains incomplete, the illegal extension of contracts without following proper procedures, neglect of government reservation policies for specific revenue sources, and the ongoing Buremba–BSU roadworks project allegedly operating without a valid contract agreement.
The PPDA also faulted the city for failing to conduct due diligence on bidders and for alleged collusion with fake or ghost companies. Kalyango warned that failure to address these issues promptly “will attract serious accountability consequences in the future.”
Tender Fraud Allegations
The controversy deepened recently after traders and former tenderers at Nyamityobora Daily Matooke Market accused Town Clerk Barekye and procurement officer Rwabutagu of secretly awarding the market’s revenue collection tender to an “outsider” — Kacyber Security Technologies Limited.
However, in a surprising twist, Kacyber Security Technologies Ltd has denied any involvement in the bidding process. In a letter dated October 22, 2025, through their lawyers TMBEI Advocates, the company said its name, registration documents, and credentials had been fraudulently used by unknown individuals to obtain the tender at Mbarara City.
The lawyers have since demanded that the Town Clerk provide full documentation of the entity or persons who submitted the forged tender under Kacyber’s name — including identification details, contacts, and all supporting documents. The letter gives the city 14 days to comply or face legal action against the responsible parties, including the Town Clerk’s office.
City Contracts Committee Responds
When contacted for comment, Sam Rwakinanga, the Chairperson of the Mbarara City Contracts Committee, distanced his team from the alleged irregularities.
“Our role as the Contracts Committee is to approve reports generated by the evaluation committee. We don’t handle contract details ourselves,” Rwakinanga explained.
“The first and only time we dealt with Kacyber Security Technologies Limited was when they bid for the street parking system. Beyond that, I have no idea what followed.”
As investigations continue, Mbarara City Council now faces mounting scrutiny from PPDA and potential legal battles over alleged procurement fraud and abuse of office.
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