Businessman jailed for forging Museveni's signature to secure 15-year ferry contract

A Kampala businessman who forged President Yoweri Museveni's signature to push for the renewal of a lucrative government ferry contract has been sentenced to 18 months in prison.

Nicholus Male was convicted by the Buganda Road Chief Magistrate's Court on October 19, 2026, after pleading guilty to seven counts of forgery and uttering false documents.

The court sentenced him to 18 months' imprisonment on each count, with the sentences running concurrently. This means he will serve 18 months rather than a combined sentence of 10 and a half years.

According to the State House Anti-Corruption Unit, Male forged presidential documents to influence the renewal of Nation Oil Distributors Limited's contract to manage MV Kalangala, a government ferry serving the Entebbe–Kalangala route.

"The case dates back to September 18, 2025, when Male allegedly presented a forged letter dated August 15, 2025, addressed to the Minister of Works and Transport and purportedly signed by H.E. the President of the Republic of Uganda," the unit said.

The letter falsely claimed that Museveni had instructed the minister to extend the company's management contract for another 15 years.

Male delivered the document to the Ministry of Works and Transport, the Ministry of Justice and Constitutional Affairs, and Nation Oil Distributors Limited's offices in Ndeba, Kampala.

Investigators established that Male had earlier approached the company's director and introduced himself as an official attached to the Office of the Prime Minister.

He claimed to have connections with senior government officials who could help the company secure the contract extension.

The State House Anti-Corruption Unit said the conviction followed joint investigations with the Criminal Investigations Directorate (CID), while the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions handled the prosecution.

The court condemned Male's actions, describing them as a serious disregard for authority and an abuse of the president's office.

It noted that forging presidential documents could damage the reputation of the head of state and encourage fraudsters to exploit unsuspecting members of the public.

Investigators also discovered that Male had forged appointment letters in the names of several individuals, falsely presenting them as official documents issued by the Office of the Prime Minister.

"The court also noted that Male had forged appointment letters in the names of several individuals, falsely claiming that they had been issued by the Office of the Prime Minister, thereby tainting the image of Government institutions," the State House Anti-Corruption Unit said.

Male's conviction comes nearly a year after his first appearance before Buganda Road Chief Magistrate Ronald Kayizzi on November 6, 2025.

At the time, the 27-year-old businessman, a resident of Nazibwa Zone in Lubowa Ward, Makindye Ssabagabo Municipality, Wakiso district, denied the charges and was remanded to Luzira prison. He has since changed his plea to guilty. Monitor+1

The case centres on a government transport contract that has previously attracted court disputes.

Nation Oil Distributors Limited took over the management of MV Kalangala in September 2015 following a Commercial Court ruling that directed the Ministry of Works and Transport to hand over the vessel.

The ministry had resisted the handover amid disagreements over proposed amendments to the management contract.

Justice Christopher Madrama ruled in August 2015 that the company should undertake its contractual duties while the parties resolved their differences through arbitration. Monitor+1

MV Kalangala serves as a vital transport link between Entebbe and Kalangala district, carrying passengers and goods across Lake Victoria.

The vessel has also faced operational challenges. In May 2025, it suspended services for maintenance, leaving travellers and traders who depend on the Entebbe–Kalangala route facing transport difficulties. Monitor+1

The latest conviction highlights how forged government documents can be used to influence public contracts and impersonate senior government officials.