UPDF General’ sent to Luzira for Stealing shs.700m from Kenyan investor

The State House Anti-Corruption Unit (SH-ACU) has arraigned and secured the remand of Godfrey Ssekidde Lubowa, a notorious fraudster who for years impersonated a senior Uganda People’s Defence Forces (UPDF) officer under the alias “Maj Gen Sam Kiwanuka,” after he defrauded a Kenyan investor of more than USD 197,570 (approximately shs 731 million) through a fictitious government contract.

According to an official statement issued by SH-ACU, Ssekidde was charged with obtaining money by false pretences, forgery and personation in a joint operation involving the Criminal Investigations Directorate (CID) and the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions (ODPP).

He has been remanded until 21 January 2026.

Investigations revealed that Ssekidde fraudulently obtained the money from Sidari Limited, a Kenyan company, by falsely claiming the funds were required as facilitation fees to secure a government contract for the supply of hand hoes and mosquito nets to the Government of Uganda. Authorities say the procurement process he cited was entirely fictitious.

SH-ACU says Ssekidde forged official documents bearing the names and symbols of the Office of the President and the Bank of Uganda, while presenting himself as a Major General attached to the Office of the President.

By exploiting the authority associated with a senior military rank, he was able to gain the trust of foreign investors and convince them that the contracts were legitimate.

The case forms part of a wider investigation into a sophisticated fraud network that has targeted foreign nationals over the past two years.

During this period, SH-ACU has received numerous complaints involving investors defrauded of hundreds of thousands and in some cases millions of US dollars by individuals posing as government officials or members of non-existent “special contracts committees” linked to Parliament, the NRM and the Office of the President.

Authorities say the fraudsters commonly forged correspondence, created fake websites using national symbols, relied on law firms to project credibility, operated from government premises and, in some instances, colluded with bank officials to bypass anti-money laundering procedures.

SH-ACU notes that several of these scams were reported directly to President Yoweri Museveni, who directed investigations and strengthened specialized units to curb economic crime.

In its latest update, the Unit disclosed that investigations into Ssekidde have further revealed that he defrauded several other investors of billions of shillings, all while continuing to impersonate a senior UPDF officer.

Officials warn that investigating such cases after money has already been lost remains challenging, as suspects often flee or hide assets across borders.

SH-ACU has urged investors to verify all government procurement processes through official channels and cautioned the public against individuals claiming influence through the military or the Office of the President.