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No, Ugandan anti-graft unit not investigating official for misuse of public property 

A letter that appears to be from the head of Uganda’s anti-corruption unit has been shared on Facebook. According to the letter, the unit has received information about a “Dr Wangisi”, the “District Health Officer of Mbale District”. 

It accuses the official of “misusing Government Funds and Property to campaign for his wife. M/s Miriam Mukhaye Wangisi, who is running for Woman Member of Parliament for Mbale District.”

The letter says Dr Wangisi will be arrested and “terminated off work immediately” if the allegations are true. 

It is signed by “Lt Edith Nakalema” and has been stamped with what looks like an official “State House Anti Corruption Unit” stamp, dated 14 August 2020. 

Uganda is scheduled to go to the polls in early 2021. The letter comes at a time when electioneering is in high gear. Are its contents true? We checked.



‘Ignore document’


The anti-corruption unit is housed within State House Uganda. 

The unit is headed by Edith Nakalema, but she is a lieutenant colonel, not a lieutenant as appears in the letter shared on Facebook. It is unlikely that such a senior military officer would get her rank wrong in an official letter. 

The unit shared a screenshot of the letter on Twitter, stamped “FAKE NEWS” in red.

They tweeted: “Please ignore this document. It does not originate from our office.” – Grace Gichuhi




 

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