UgandaToday: UNBS Executive Director Placed on Forced Leave For Alleged Misconduct Probe
By UgandaToday Business Desk
October 17, 2025
KAMPALA — The Ministry of Trade, Industry and Cooperatives has ordered Eng. James Nkamwesiga Kasigwa, the Executive Director of the Uganda National Bureau of Standards (UNBS), to proceed on 30 working days of annual leave effective 15th October 2025. The directive comes as the National Standards Council (NSC) launches a formal inquiry into serious allegations of misconduct, mismanagement, insubordination and impropriety under his leadership.
A Bureaucratic Reset or Political Intervention?
In a letter dated 7th October 2025 and signed by Trade Minister Francis Mwebesa, Kasigwa was required to hand over his duties to Patricia Bageine Ejalu, Deputy Executive Director (Standards), with the handover witnessed by Eng. James Kalibbala, Chairperson of the NSC. The minister has instructed the NSC to complete its investigations and present their findings within two weeks, after which the minister will make a final decision on the matter.
The Ministry frames the leave directive as administrative — intended to allow an unfettered, impartial investigation — rather than disciplinary, emphasizing that Kasigwa will have opportunity to respond to the allegations. However, observers caution that such “forced leave” orders can amount to soft suspension, especially when investigations implicate institutional trust and public safety.
The Accusations in Focus
The allegations are grave and wide-ranging. They include:
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Insubordination and policy defiance: The Ministry accuses Kasigwa of disregarding ministerial directives and undermining national policies.
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Procurement irregularities: Claims that contracts were mismanaged, budget reallocations done without approval, and funds moved into unauthorized accounts.
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Compromise of standards systems: Allegations that the Pre-Export Verification of Conformity (PVoC) programme was mishandled, and that efforts to derail or duplicate Uganda’s digital conformity mark system were underway.
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Neglect of metrology and scale verification: It is claimed that verification of weighing scales and quality assurance processes were undermined, exposing traders and consumers to risk.
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Mismanagement and misuse of funds: The Ministry contends that Kasigwa diverted funds to unauthorized purposes, financed foreign trips outside budget provisions, and oversaw budget reallocations amounting to as much as 40 % of the Bureau’s budget without oversight.
Some media outlets further argue that his initial appointment was controversial and possibly irregular — that he was not among the top-ranked candidates during the recruitment process, but was selected by ministerial override. If substantiated, such claims could inform the NSC’s judgment of his fitness for office.
The Road So Far: From Tension to Mandated Leave
This is not an abrupt development. Tensions reportedly mounted over the past months. A memo by the Ministry in August cautioned that UNBS had become engulfed by what it described as “a systematic corruption crisis” under Kasigwa’s leadership. On 3rd September, Minister Mwebesa formally tasked the NSC to probe the allegations. A summoning of Kasigwa to appear before the NSC followed, and as internal pressure mounted, the decision to place him on leave was finalized in early October.
The leave directive aims to prevent interference in the ongoing investigations, preserve evidence, and allow key witnesses and personnel to be interviewed without undue influence. The handover took place on 14th October 2025.
Institutional Consequences & Risks
UNBS is the principal regulator responsible for enforcing national standards, protecting consumer health and safety, and facilitating fair trade. A leadership vacuum, or a drawn-out governance crisis, risks undermining confidence in the body, slowing certification processes, weakening regulatory compliance, and weakening trade facilitation.
More broadly, this episode raises deeper governance questions: Can ministerial oversight, institutional autonomy, and meritocratic appointment standards be better balanced? Will the NSC’s work be truly independent? What safeguards exist to ensure that those under investigation can respond fairly, and that the rule of law is respected?
What Comes Next?
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NSC report & ministerial decision: The NSC is expected to submit its report within two weeks of the handover, after which Minister Mwebesa may either reinstate, discipline, or dismiss Kasigwa.
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Response from Kasigwa / UNBS: As of press time, the Executive Director had not publicly issued a detailed response. Media outlets note that he had engaged verbally with Council members but had not submitted a written rebuttal.
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Internal review & reforms: Depending on findings, UNBS may undergo internal restructuring, auditing, stricter enforcement of procurement and financial protocols, and revamped oversight.
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Public & stakeholder scrutiny: Trade associations, importers, consumer rights groups, and civil society are likely to watch closely, as failures in standards oversight affect everyday goods, medical supplies, agriculture inputs, and more.
Context & Precedents
This is not the first time UNBS leadership has faced controversy or suspension. In July 2023, the former UNBS Executive Director David Livingstone Ebiru was sent on six months forced leave over allegations of misuse of funds, misconduct, and abuse of office. That earlier episode demonstrated both the fragility of institutional checks and the high stakes of standards regulation.
The order directing Eng. Kasigwa to step aside places UNBS at a crossroads. The credibility of the investigation, the transparency of processes, and the final outcome will determine whether the Bureau can recover institutional integrity or remain mired in controversy. For now, the public and Uganda’s trading community await with keen interest.
tags:
#ugandatoday #PhoenixNewsFeeds #OperaNewsFeeds #UNBS #Trade #Governance #Standards #Uganda #CorruptionProbe #InstitutionalReform
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