A resident of Kagamba Subcounty in Rakai District, Moses Mujuzi, has caused a stir at the Rakai Service Commission office after alleging that he was defrauded of Shs 20 million by the commission’s chairperson, David Mpuuga.
Mujuzi claims that the money was paid as a bribe to secure a job for his son in the district’s agricultural department. The promise, however, was never fulfilled. According to Mujuzi, Mpuuga had assured him that his son would be selected for the job only if he paid the requested amount.
In an attempt to fulfill the request, Mujuzi mortgaged his house and other properties to raise the Shs 20 million. He recalls meeting Mpuuga in a private setting at Lumbugu, where Mpuuga demanded the bribe.
Mujuzi said, “He called me to meet him, and we agreed at Lumbungu. He told me to bring Shs 20 million, and my son would get the job. I borrowed Shs 6 million from my friend, Mawanda, and handed it over to him. I later raised the remaining Shs 14 million and gave it to him as well.”
Despite paying the full amount, Mujuzi’s son never received the promised position. According to Mujuzi, Mpuuga continued to reassure him that the arrangement was a “favor,” but he eventually disappeared, failing to deliver on his commitment.
Feeling betrayed and facing financial ruin, Mujuzi took the drastic step of storming the Rakai Service Commission office with a mattress in tow. He declared that he would not leave until the job promised to him was provided.
Mujuzi further revealed that he is now on the verge of losing his home and land after mortgaging them to raise the bribe money. “I risked my home and land as collateral for this money, and now, the lenders are threatening to take everything. I have no peace of mind,” he lamented.
The incident has ignited outrage among local leaders, with Derrick Turisubiirwa, a youth councillor at the district, condemning the corruption within the Service Commission. “Our Service Commission is corrupt. They only prioritize those who can afford to pay bribes, which leads to the collapse of essential services, including education. Positions remain vacant for too long because they’re waiting for the highest bidder,” he said.
Rakai Resident District Commissioner (RDC) Sarah Kiyimba has ordered the immediate arrest of Mpuuga. Kiyimba acknowledged receiving numerous complaints regarding Mpuuga’s practice of soliciting bribes in exchange for job placements. “He demands bribes ranging from Shs 5 million to Shs 30 million from desperate job seekers, and this practice will not be tolerated in Rakai. I have instructed the police to locate and arrest him,” Kiyimba stated.
Efforts to contact Mpuuga have been unsuccessful, with his known phone numbers switched off.
The incident has sparked an official investigation into the operations of the Rakai Service Commission. Authorities are expected to carry out a thorough probe to uncover the extent of the alleged corruption and bring those responsible to justice.