Two Mubende Municipal officials have been remanded to prison over allegations of extorting money from vendors during the allocation of stalls at the newly constructed Mubende Central Market.
The accused, Francis Xavier Katumba, former Chairperson of the Market Allocation Committee and Assistant Town Clerk for Western Division, and Hakim Sentongo, a committee member and Health Officer, appeared before Mubende Chief Magistrate’s Court on Thursday.
They were jointly charged by the State House Anti-Corruption Unit (SH-ACU), the Criminal Investigations Directorate (CID), and the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions (ODPP). The court remanded them until February 3, 2026.
Investigators say the officials allegedly demanded payments from traders during the allocation of stalls and lockups, a process that reportedly turned chaotic as vendors were relocated.
According to preliminary reports, prices for stalls ranged from UGX 100,000 to UGX 5 million, depending on the stall’s size and location.
One complainant, Moses Bisobolwa, claimed to have paid UGX 2 million to Katumba to secure a lockup, with Sentongo allegedly present during the transaction.
Officials are believed to have collected money from over 50 vendors, though much of it was in cash, making it difficult to track.
Investigators are also looking into claims that some traders were allocated multiple stalls while others, including public servants, were given priority, leaving low-income vendors disadvantaged.
The probe was triggered after vendors raised concerns during visits by Deputy Speaker Thomas Tayebwa and Minister of Local Government Rachael Magyezi, who asked SH-ACU to intervene. Investigations into the matter are ongoing.