The Uganda Institution of Professional Engineers (UIPE) has issued a strongly worded statement criticizing what it describes as the arbitrary arrest and public humiliation of engineering professionals working in local governments.
In a statement issued in Kampala on 11 July 2026 and signed by UIPE President Eng. Peterson Mwesiga, the professional body said it is deeply concerned by recent incidents involving engineers and other technical staff in districts including Bulambuli and Mbale, where officials have been arrested during the government’s intensified anti-corruption campaign.
Representing more than 12,000 engineers, technologists, technicians and engineering students across Uganda, UIPE stressed that it fully supports President Yoweri Museveni’s renewed crackdown on corruption. However, the institution argued that anti-corruption efforts should be conducted through proper investigations and due process rather than public spectacles.
The statement says engineering questions such as road quality, asphalt standards and project specifications require competent technical assessment and cannot be conclusively determined during political rallies or public accountability events.
UIPE further questioned why ministers should appear to take on the role of arresting officers based on information gathered during public meetings, arguing that investigations should instead examine the broader working conditions, technical challenges and political pressures faced by engineers in local governments.
According to the institution, arbitrary arrests and public humiliation only demoralize technical professionals, damage the dignity of the engineering profession and ultimately weaken public service delivery.
The engineers’ body also announced that it has commenced its own investigations into cases involving arrested members and pledged to defend any engineers whose rights may have been violated.
“Engineering professionals in the civil and public service shall no longer be soft targets and punching bags,” the statement declared, adding that systemic issues affecting infrastructure delivery must also be addressed if Uganda is to win the fight against corruption.
Despite its criticism of the current approach, UIPE reaffirmed its commitment to working with government by providing engineering expertise to support technically sound investigations into public infrastructure projects.
The statement comes against the backdrop of the Ministry of Local Government’s nationwide anti-corruption campaign, launched in Bulambuli and spearheaded by Minister Balaam Barugahara Ateenyi, which has seen inspections of government projects and arrests of several public officials over alleged corruption and poor service delivery.
UIPE concluded by pledging continued engagement with government ministries and relevant stakeholders on matters affecting engineering practice in Uganda, maintaining that accountability and professionalism should go hand in hand in safeguarding public infrastructure and restoring public trust.