Works Ministry Interdicts Amanyire Over Anti-Gov’t Social Media Posts

KAMPALA — Uganda’s Ministry of Works and Transport has interdicted Principal Road Safety Officer Ronald Amanyire over allegations of leaking internal government documents, insubordination and running what the ministry described as a social media campaign against government programmes.

In a strongly worded April 30 letter signed by Permanent Secretary Bageya Waiswa, the ministry accused Amanyire of conduct “inconsistent with your position as Principal Road Safety Officer.”

The interdiction letter, seen by this publication, states that Amanyire used his X account, identified as “@amronaldo”, to publish “official and/or internal Government information and documents without the explicit permission of the Responsible Officer.”

“The said publications concerned internal Ministry and Government information and documents without authorisation of the Responsible Officer contrary to the relevant provisions of the Official Secrets Act, Cap. 323 and the Uganda Public Service Standing Orders, 2021,” the letter reads.

The ministry also accused Amanyire of failing to perform official duties assigned to him by supervisors.

“It is alleged that you failed to perform the duties assigned to you by your supervisor,” the letter states, adding that despite being directed in December 2024 to prepare and submit a performance plan, he “failed to submit the said performance plan or deliver any output to date.”

The most serious accusations relate to Amanyire’s social media criticism of government programmes and alleged corruption within the transport sector.

According to the ministry, between January 2024 and April 2026, Amanyire “engaged in a social media campaign” using his official X handle by posting allegations of corruption in the Ministry of Works and Transport, accusing ministry officials of inflating costs for computerized driving permit software and challenging government decisions under the Rationalisation of Government Agencies and Public Expenditure (RAPEX) reforms.

The letter also accuses him of “disparaging the Government project of the Intelligent Traffic Monitoring System (ITMS) for motor vehicles,” despite being “well aware that these are government programmes that you are duty bound to support as a public officer.”

The ministry further accused him of insubordination, saying he had refused to attend departmental meetings and continued undermining government programmes despite earlier warnings.

“You apologized and undertook to work, but you have continued with your media campaign against the state institutions to which as a public officer, you are required to support,” Waiswa wrote.

The permanent secretary added that Amanyire’s conduct amounted to “unbecoming behavior” and “gross misconduct” under Public Service Standing Orders.

“In view of the above, I hereby interdict you from performing the duties of Principal Road Safety Officer with immediate effect to pave way for investigations,” the letter states.

Defiant

Amanyire responded publicly with a defiant social media statement, accusing the ministry of punishing him for speaking out against corruption.

“Speaking out from inside a corrupt system is at a personal cost. You lose opportunities, you lose allies, and sometimes you lose your place entirely,” he wrote.

“The price of truth is high, but the price of silence is national collapse. And history has never honoured those who kept quiet to survive.”

He accused the ministry leadership of violating due process, saying: “The PS at @MoWT_Uganda has decided to interdict me without a hearing and in open violation of the Public Service Standing Orders.”

“If that is the price of integrity, I will wear it as a badge of honour,” he added.

Under the interdiction terms, Amanyire will receive half salary pending investigations, cannot access ministry offices without permission and is barred from leaving the country without authorization.