ROT EXPOSED! Nepotism, Corruption Rock Uganda Industrial Research Institute as IGG Halts Recruitment
The Inspectorate of Government (IG) has directed Prof. Charles Kwesiga, the Executive Director of Uganda Industrial Research Institute (UIRI), to suspend all recruitment activities at the institute until further notice.
The directive, signed by the Deputy Inspector General of Government, Dr. Patricia Achan Okiria, follows preliminary findings from investigations into allegations of corruption and abuse of office in the recruitment process, involving Dr. Dick Kamugasha, Deputy Executive Director at UIRI.
During a meeting which was held between the IG and UIRI on 11th June, 2025 to discuss the findings, it was resolved that the latter should suspend all recruitments until investigations are fully concluded.
In accordance with Article 230 (2) of the Constitution of the Republic of Uganda and Section 13 (6) of the Inspectorate of Government Act, Cap 32, provides that: “The Inspector General may, during the course of his or her duties or as a consequences of his or her findings, make such orders and give such directions as are necessary and appropriate in the circumstances.”
Sources say UIRI has become a bedrock of nepotism, a vice that has killed productivity in terms of Research and Innovation, according to a reliable source.
It is alleged to be headed by relatives and friends of the Executive Director and his Deputy. Sources say this is the major reason for the institution’s low productivity as their relatives and friends are considered unaccountable and unshakable because they have God fathers.
In the ongoing recruitment scandal, sources say Dr. Dick Kamugasha, the Deputy Executive Director at UIRI is positioning to take over from Kwesiga and has been grooming and nurturing his own people whom he wanted fixed in strategic positions to serve with him. He also reportedly schemed to kick out those opposed to him and bring in his own. There are also allegations of kickbacks for jobs.
To cover up and sanitise everything, several jobs were reportedly in April this year advertised in the departments of Production, Human Resources, Bakery, Civil Works and as well Procurement.
The move was protested by those who felt were being unfairly edged out by running to the IGG, who has now stepped in to halt the process.
Kamugasha reportedly took advantage of frail, aging, fun loving and care free ED Kwesiga who is reportedly always away from office busy enjoying Kampala life with young-beautiful-handsome friends and his much loved bottle. Some of those he hangs out with were recently implicated in a rape scandal at Fairway hotel, Kampala as we shall exclusively be revealing in our subsequent publication.
“On the evening the [rape] incident happened, Prof. Kwesiga was also at Fairway hotel. He didn’t participate but one of the gentlemen he was hanging out with did. The victim [who was also hanging out with them] is a young lawyer at one of the law firms along Lugogo bypass. A case of rape was reported at Central Police Station-Kampala. The hotel management and police did their best to cover up,” a source knowledgeable about the matter whispered to us. But this is a story for another day.
BACK TO UIRI MESS
Sources further revealed to us that most senior staff who have been in the institute for years are never given the opportunity to progress because of alleged high level of nepotism at the institute.
It’s against this backdrop that those concerned are calling upon the supervisory authority to intervene into this matter so as to salvage the worrying situation that has rendered UIRI unproductive despite getting funding from government and donors.
UIRI is directly supervised by the Ministry of Science, Technology and Innovation headed by Dr Musenero but has no Board of Governors to oversee the institute’s activities.
VIRUS INSTITUTE NOT SPARED
The same rot has been cited at Uganda Virus Research institute (UVRI).
It is alleged that all key research programs are headed by relatives of the Executive Director, Prof. Ponsiano Kalebu.
Sources say the Executive Director Dr. Ponsiano Kalebu is currently grooming his cousin brother Deogratius Ssemwanga to succeed him when he retires next year in June.
According to sources, Dr. Deogratius Ssemwanga, the Assistant Director for Research at the Uganda Virus Research Institute allegedly attained this position through accelerated promotion facilitated by his brother-the Executive Director of the institute.
Sources add that ever since Dr. Ssemwanga was elevated to the position of the Assistant Director for Research, his elder brother who is the Executive Director for the research Institute frequently delegates him to represent the Uganda Virus Research Institute (UVRI) before the Parliamentary Health Committee.
Sources at the government Research Institute told us that Deogratius Ssemwanga is a full-time employee of the United Kingdom’s international development partner, the Medical Research Council (MRC), as well as an employee of the Uganda Virus Research Institute (UVRI).
Sources also claim that the low productivity at UVRI is largely due to a human resource crisis perpetuated by part time heads of research programs. It’s also said this has severely hindered Research and Innovation as most UVRI program heads are allegedly preoccupied with their roles at the Medical Research Council and have less time to attend UVRI activities.
Meanwhile, it should be recalled that a few days ago, legislators sitting on the parliamentary health committee mounted pressure on UVRI seeking credible answers on its research impact and funding strategies. The committee expressed grave concerns on the institute’s less efforts to disseminate it’s research findings to policy makers and the general public on top of its reliance on donor funding. Hon. George Bhoka poked holes in the institute’s marketing strategies for it’s research publications while Hon.Samuel Opio advised management of UVRI to borrow a leaf from NARO that has explored commercialization opportunities.
The chairperson parliamentary health committee underscored the need for financial self- reliance and tasked UVRI to diversify its funding sources.
In his response before the parliamentary Health committee, Dr. Deogratius Ssemwanga, the Assistant Director for Research at UVRI admitted the challenges the institute is facing and gave assurance to the Legislators that there are ongoing improvements at the research institute.
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