A storm is brewing within Uganda’s Parliament following the leak of a list containing names of hundreds of individuals allegedly irregularly recruited into the Parliamentary Service under the leadership of Speaker Anita Annet Among.The explosive revelations, first shared publicly by activist and investigative journalist Agather Atuhaire, have intensified scrutiny over recruitment practices at Parliament, with critics accusing top officials of nepotism, abuse of office, and blatant disregard for public service recruitment procedures.
According to documents seen by The Investigator, many of the employees listed were recruited between 2021 and 2025, with a significant number reportedly originating from the Teso sub-region, where Speaker Among hails from. The leaked records have triggered widespread debate about transparency, accountability, and the growing influence of political patronage within one of the country’s most important institutions.In a strongly worded statement circulated online, Atuhaire questioned the legality of the recruitment process and alleged that parliamentary jobs had been distributed among relatives, friends, and politically connected individuals.“These are some of the people that have been recruited into the Parliamentary Service since 2021,” Atuhaire wrote. “The law requires that recruitment follows a notice or advert in the Gazette and newspapers, but the last time there was any job advert for Parliament recruitment was in 2016.”
She added: “Most of these are children of judges, siblings of the Speaker, Parliamentary Commissioners, and some opposition bigwigs, friends of the Deputy Speaker, spouses and children of friends. Ugandans should feel free to point out whose child, brother, wife, or husband appears on the list.”The allegations have since sparked fresh public outrage, especially on social media, where critics have accused Parliament of operating an opaque recruitment system that favors politically connected individuals at the expense of merit and equal opportunity.Sources familiar with ongoing investigations say the Communication Department, headed by Parliament Director of Communication and Public Affairs Chris Obore, recruited the highest number of staff during the period under scrutiny. Other departments mentioned prominently in the dossier include Corporate Planning and Strategy as well as Transport and Logistics.
Among the notable names reportedly recruited is journalist Joseph Sabiiti, who was appointed Principal Communication Officer. While the legality of his appointment has not been independently challenged, his inclusion on the list has fueled debate over the broader recruitment process within Parliament.Security and intelligence sources indicate that a confidential dossier has already recommended a comprehensive review of many of the appointments.“The dossier recommends punitive measures against individuals who disregarded employment laws, leading to financial loss to taxpayers,” a source familiar with the investigations told this publication.The source added that investigators are particularly interested in whether parliamentary recruitment procedures deliberately bypassed legal requirements for public advertisement and competitive interviews.Under Uganda’s public service recruitment guidelines, government institutions are generally expected to publicly advertise vacant positions to ensure fairness, transparency, and equal opportunity for qualified candidates. Critics argue that failure to advertise jobs creates fertile ground for favoritism and corruption.
The controversy has also reignited political tensions within Parliament, with several legislators now openly questioning the conduct of the Parliamentary Commission and the Speaker’s office.Among the most vocal critics is Aringa South County MP Yorke Odria Alioni, who has repeatedly accused Parliament leadership of corruption, financial mismanagement, and irregular recruitment practices.Alioni, who was recently appointed Minister of State for ICT and National Guidance, was among the first legislators to publicly raise concerns about Parliament’s growing wage bill and alleged staffing irregularities.“The leadership of Anita Among illegally employed over 500 individuals at Parliament,” Alioni told journalists during a recent media briefing. “We want the offices of Human Resource, Finance, and Communications investigated because there were no job advertisements in the media.”
The outspoken legislator has increasingly positioned himself as a whistleblower on governance and accountability issues within Parliament. He insists that several departments have become centers of corruption and abuse of office.“We cannot continue to burden taxpayers with illegal recruitments while many qualified Ugandans remain unemployed,” Alioni said. “Parliament should be an institution that upholds the law, not one accused of violating it.”His remarks have resonated with sections of the public already frustrated by high youth unemployment and perceptions of widespread state capture by politically connected elites.
The scandal comes at a time when Parliament is already facing mounting criticism over its expenditure, including allegations of excessive spending on luxury vehicles, travel allowances, and classified expenditures.Civil society organizations have now joined calls for an independent audit into the Parliamentary Service Commission and all recruitment processes conducted since the start of the 11th Parliament.Political analyst Moses Khisa says the allegations risk damaging public trust in Parliament if they are not independently investigated.“When citizens begin to believe that public institutions only serve the politically connected, confidence in governance declines,” Khisa observed. “These allegations are serious because they touch on fairness, accountability, and the integrity of public service recruitment.”
However, some officials within Parliament have privately defended the recruitment process, arguing that certain appointments were necessary to address staffing gaps created by the expansion of parliamentary activities and committees.Others insist that not all appointments required public advertisement, particularly temporary or specialized positions.Despite those explanations, pressure continues to mount for Parliament leadership to publicly explain how hundreds of employees were recruited without visible job advertisements over several years.Efforts to obtain an official response from Speaker Anita Among and Parliament’s Communication Department were unsuccessful by press time.
Meanwhile, activists and governance advocates say the leaked list should mark the beginning of broader reforms within public institutions.“This is not just about Parliament,” one governance activist noted. “It reflects a wider culture where public jobs are increasingly treated as rewards for loyalty and political connections rather than opportunities for qualified citizens.”As scrutiny intensifies, attention is now shifting toward whether investigative agencies, including the Inspectorate of Government and State House Anti-Corruption Unit, will formally investigate the allegations and hold those responsible accountable.For now, the leaked list has opened yet another chapter in Uganda’s ongoing debate about corruption, public accountability, and the future of institutional governance.
Author Profile
- Charles Gazza Kodili is a seasoned journalist with over 20 years of experience in the media industry. He holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in Mass Communication. He’s currently the Chief Editor at the Investigator.
Charles can also be reached via; Tel: +256 774 108978
Email: [email protected]
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