Why Museveni sent top URSB officials on leave

• Museveni ordered several senior URSB officials to take leave pending an audit.

• The investigation follows allegations raised by Commissioner Gilbert Agaba.

• The claims include misuse of funds, irregular procurement, money laundering and weak financial controls.

• URSB says the audit is ongoing while its services remain uninterrupted.

President Yoweri Museveni has ordered senior officials at the Uganda Registration Services Bureau (URSB) to step aside as authorities investigate allegations of corruption, money laundering and abuse of office.

A State House letter dated July 24, 2026, shows that Museveni directed several officials to take leave until an audit into the bureau’s activities is complete.

“This is to direct that the following persons go on leave until the audit I am instituting into the activities of URSB is finished,” Museveni said.

Those named included Registrar General Mercy Kainobwisho, Walid Kule, Alex Anganya and Arthur Kwesiga.

The directive followed allegations raised by Commissioner for Business Registration Gilbert Agaba over governance and accountability at URSB.

In a July 29 letter, Agaba cited inflated contracts for the development and maintenance of ICT systems, alleged money laundering through the Non-Individual Register project and suspected misuse of bureau funds.

He also raised concerns about irregular procurement, fraudulent registrations, weak financial controls and failure to collect all revenue due to the government.

Agaba said the Attorney General had treated the allegations as serious and referred them to Museveni and the Inspectorate of Government.

“I am aware that the Hon. Attorney General considered the gravity of the issues raised and drew the matter to the attention of His Excellency the President and the Inspectorate of Government, which I am informed has since commenced investigations into matter,” Agaba wrote.

Agaba also claimed he faced disciplinary action after raising the concerns.

“I have reasonable grounds to believe that the investigations culminating in the impugned warning were neither impartial nor undertaken in good faith,” he said.

Museveni directed the Inspector General of Government to lead the investigation with support from State House auditors.

“By copy of this letter, I direct the Inspector General of Government to lead the investigations assisted by my auditors – Kawawa and Tumwine,” Museveni wrote.

The President also instructed his Principal Private Secretary to arrange a meeting with URSB board chairman Stephen Katenta Butagira.

The developments led to five senior URSB officials receiving mandatory leave letters on Friday as forensic auditors continued work at the bureau’s Kampala headquarters.

Those affected are Kainobwisho; Agaba; Kule, the Assistant Commissioner for Business Registration; Kwesiga, the Commissioner for ICT; and Anganya, the Deputy Registrar General for Finance and Administration.

URSB confirmed on August 17, 2026, that an audit was underway but did not reveal its scope.

“URSB confirms that the audit is being undertaken in accordance with established procedures and applicable laws,” the bureau said.

URSB said its services remained available and promised further information after the relevant processes are completed.

The investigation also comes amid reported tensions among senior managers at the bureau.

Sources familiar with URSB told ChimpReports that disagreements over jobs, budgets and control had strained relations among top officials.

“The situation became so bad that top officials can’t agree on anything in top management meetings,” one source said.

“Many senior managers are sworn enemies over job fights, ego and clashes over control of internal budgets,” the source added.