Ntungamo HR Boss interdicted over ghost workers, payroll scam

Ntungamo, Uganda: The Principal Human Resources Officer for Ntungamo District, Ms Jennifer Muheirwe, has been interdicted for gross misconduct, including reinstating ghost health workers onto the district payroll.

The interdiction was issued by Chief Administrative Officer (CAO) Fedelis Kizza on May 21, following a directive from the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Local Government, Mr Ben Kumumanya.

Ms Muheirwe is accused of unlawfully enrolling six medical workers, who had reportedly absconded from duty for over a decade, onto the government payroll without following due procedure.

“The above matter was investigated by the Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Local Government, and according to preliminary findings, your alleged conduct in this matter contravenes Section F-a of the Public Service Standing Orders 2021 and is categorized as gross misconduct,” CAO Kizza wrote in the interdiction letter.

He added that the interdiction, effective immediately, is intended to pave the way for further investigations.

The health workers in question include Mr Frank Kabireho (anesthetic officer), Ms Marion Tumanyane (assistant health educator), and four enrolled nurses—Mr Julius Mbeine, Mr Adrian Karuhanga, Mr Jerome Bimanyoha, and Mr Wilber Tumusiime. The group had reportedly been missing from active duty since at least 2021.

While confirming the interdiction on May 27, Mr Kizza decried the payroll dysfunction in the district, attributing it to corruption and procedural lapses in the Human Resource Office.

“There have been so many issues in the office. Many workers we employed can’t access the payroll, and pensioners can’t be enrolled unless they pay bribes,” Kizza said. “But the one thing that got us this way is the excess of skipping every process to add people to payroll.”

He noted that the decision followed findings by a joint mission from the Ministry of Public Service, the Ministry of Local Government, and the Equal Opportunities Commission.

The same mission was dispatched after Ms Muheirwe petitioned the ministries following an earlier attempt by the district council to have her removed over alleged corruption. That attempt stalled due to legal technicalities and her petition to higher authorities.

Ms Muheirwe previously served in the Uganda Police Human Resource Department, and later as HR Officer in Kabale and Rukiga districts before being posted to Ntungamo.