Minister Fred Byamukama Rejects Shs 1bn Bribe in UCAA Cleanup Drive

Minister of State for Transport, Hon. Fred Byamukama

Kampala | State Minister for Works and Transport, Fred Byamukama, has reportedly turned down a Shs 1 billion bribe offered by individuals seeking to derail the government’s ongoing purge of the top management officials of the Uganda Civil Aviation Authority (UCAA) blamed for illegally recruiting staff.

Attempts to get a direct comment from the minister were unsuccessful.

However, insiders say Byamukama was approached last week by people worried that their business interests could be affected by an impending shake-up at UCAA, following President Yoweri Museveni’s directive to clean house.

The President recently ordered the dismissal of UCAA staff who were irregularly recruited without proper documentation and those who recruited them.

This directive followed internal findings implicating several top officials in unauthorized hiring.

Sources say that when Museveni pressed Works Minister Gen. Katumba Wamala to act, the general tried to intervene on behalf of UCAA Director General Fred Bamwesigye.

Bamwesigye, who previously served as the authority’s Human Resource Manager, is said to have been responsible for a large portion of the questionable hires.

A fortnight ago, Katumba wrote to President Museveni, cautioning that a swift purge could destabilize operations at UCAA, which is central to Uganda’s aviation safety and international compliance.

But Museveni stood his ground and told Katumba to “go and implement my directive” without compromise.

As pressure mounted, a group of concerned stakeholders allegedly approached Minister Byamukama and offered him a Shs 1 billion bribe to ease the implementation of the President’s directive.

Byamukama is said to have rejected the offer outright, stating that he was committed to restoring integrity at UCAA.

“Minister Byamukama made it clear he’s not interested in their money and wants the authority cleaned up,” a source close to the matter said.

Documents reviewed indicate that out of the 82 individuals illegally recruited at the Uganda Civil Aviation Authority (UCAA), 45 were appointed by Fred Bamwesigye, 13 by R.E.N. Gidongo, 11 by Jabe Pascal Osinde, six by Dennis Katwijuke, five by M.H. Thenge, and two by Penelope Namukwaya