GOVERNMENT OFFICIALS NETTED IN REFUGEE SCAM DEAL

Under new No more sleep strategy by Government to wipe out corruption, multimillion-shilling bribery scheme in which desperate asylum seekers were allegedly forced to pay between $5,000 and $10,000 for refugee status has led to the arrest of six senior officials from the Office of the Prime Minister (OPM).

The arrests, were carried out by the Inspectorate of Government (IGG), target officials described the operation as a deeply entrenched corruption racket that turned the refugee application process into a lucrative pay-to-play system.

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Those arrested included Okello Patrick, Commissioner for Refugee Management; Asiimwe Douglas, Assistant Commissioner for Refugee Management; Mugabe Geoffrey, Senior Settlement Commandant; Ekwap Noel, Head of Information Technology; Bweme Henry, Registration Officer; and Nadiope Arnold, Refugee Status Interviewing .

The premises were immediately sealed off as investigators carried out an extensive search that lasted several hours.

During the operation, authorities seized mobile phones from senior staff, along with 12 laptops and a cache of sensitive documents believed to contain critical evidence linking the suspects to the scheme.

Victims reportedly include individuals fleeing instability in countries such as Somalia, Ethiopia, Eritrea, Syria, Burundi, and Rwanda. Instead of receiving protection based on humanitarian need, applicants were allegedly compelled to pay hefty bribes to secure refugee status.

The IGG has confirmed that investigations are ongoing, with digital forensic experts analyzing the seized electronic devices and communication records.

Corruption in Uganda today remains highly systemic, penetrating both grand political institutions and everyday public services. The country scores poorly on global metrics, ranking 148th out of 182 countries on Transparency International's Corruption Perceptions Index. Grand corruption, budget bloating, and procurement fraud cost the economy trillions of Ugandan shillings annually.

Uganda loses an estimated UGX 9.144 trillion ($2.46 billion) to UGX 10 trillion to corruption every year. This staggering amount is equivalent to roughly 44% of the country's total domestic revenue and roughly 7% of Uganda's overall GDP. 

Uganda hosts over 2 million refugees and asylum-seekers, making it the largest refugee-hosting nation in Africa and one of the top globally. The majority originate from South Sudan and the Democratic Republic of the Congo, and are settled across 13 designated districts and urban areas like Kampala.