By Vicent Emong
The Kumi District LC5 Chairperson, Nelson Mandela Lakol, has formally invited the State House Anti-Corruption Unit to investigate alleged irregularities in the recruitment of staff within Kumi Municipality.
In a letter dated February 5, 2026, Lakol asked the anti-corruption body to probe what he described as a “syndicated corruption network” involving senior municipal and district officials accused of manipulating recruitment processes.
According to Lakol, the alleged irregularities involve the Municipal Senior Human Resource Officer, Miriam Aguti, District Service Commission Secretary Eunice Anabo, and the outgoing Town Clerk Richard Mugisha.
He claims the officials irregularly recruited a Principal Health Officer and a Medical Officer for Kumi Health Centre IV while the official advertisement and lawful recruitment procedures were still ongoing.
“The purpose of this letter is officially to invite you to come and take action intended to correct the vice as soon as you receive this communication,” Lakol wrote.
In a separate letter dated February 10, 2026, addressed to the Kumi Municipality Mayor and the Town Clerk, Lakol called for the immediate suspension of all recruitment processes related to the disputed appointments.
He said the decision followed a resolution of the extended District Executive Committee meeting held on February 9, after which a case was reportedly opened at Kumi Central Police Station.
Lakol noted that investigations are underway into allegations of abuse of office against the named officials, and that some of the affected employees could serve as key witnesses as the case progresses.
Among the positions under scrutiny are the Principal Health Officer, Medical Officer, and other municipal administrative staff.
Lakol said he was tipped off by an insider about the alleged irregularities and decided to conduct his own inquiries before escalating the matter to the Anti-Corruption Unit.
“I took the initiative to investigate and found out that this was a fact. I quickly wrote to the Anti-Corruption Unit of State House, and I am confident they will come to help us address this matter,” he said.
He further accused the District Service Commission and municipal authorities of recruiting staff through transfers from other districts instead of prioritizing qualified local applicants, arguing that this practice denies employment opportunities to residents.
“These people have allegedly collected millions of shillings from applicants to be considered for jobs, leaving our own children unemployed,” Lakol claimed.
However, the accused officials have strongly denied any wrongdoing.
Miriam Aguti, the Municipal Senior Human Resource Officer, dismissed the allegations as false and explained that transfers within the public service are lawful under existing regulations.
“Public Standing Orders allow officers to transfer from one local government to another, either in the same position or on promotion,” Aguti said.
She added that the municipality followed due process, including securing clearance and confirming the availability of funds before filling the positions.
“We advertised several times to attract a Principal Medical Officer for Kumi Health Centre IV, but no suitable candidates applied. That is why we had to source officers through transfer,” she explained.
Meanwhile, the Chairperson of the Kumi District Service Commission, John Okwerede, declined to comment in detail, saying the commission would wait for the Anti-Corruption Unit’s findings.
“As a commission, we are waiting for the investigative team to come,” he said.
The matter has sparked public debate in Kumi District, with residents calling for transparency and fairness in recruitment within local government institutions.
Authorities from the State House Anti-Corruption Unit are yet to issue an official statement regarding the planned investigations.
