By Our Reporter
NATIONAL
Two officials of Mubende Municipality have been arraigned before Mubende Chief Magistrate’s Court on charges of gross extortion of Mubende Central Market vendors.
The duo that was charged today, Thursday, 8th January, 2026 is Katumba Francis Xavier, the former Chairperson of the Mubende Central Market Allocation Committee and Assistant Town Clerk for the Western Division, Mubende Municipality and Hakim Sentongo, a committee member and a Health Officer in the Western Division.
According to the State House Anti-Corruption Unit the arrest of the two follows a public outcry by the vendors during visits to Mubende by the Rt. Hon. Deputy Speaker of Parliament and the Hon. Minister of Local Government, who requested SH-ACU’s intervention.
The alleged extortion contributed to the disorder that marred the relocation of vendors to the new Mubende Central Market.
Vendors accused members of the Allocation Committee of selling lockups and stalls at prices ranging from Shs100,000 to over Shs5,000,000, depending on the nature of the business enterprise and the location sought.
One of the victims, Moses Bisobolwa, reportedly paid Shs2,000,000 to the Chairperson of the Allocation Committee, Katumba Francis Xavier, to secure a lockup. Katumba allegedly received the money with Hakim Sentongo, the Health Officer for the Western Division, Mubende Municipality.
Preliminary investigations have also revealed that over 51 vendors may have paid money to the two officials to secure stalls. However, most of the alleged payments were made in cash, leaving limited documentary evidence of the extortion.
In addition, investigations are ongoing into allegations that some vendors were allocated more than one stall, while other stalls were irregularly allocated to public servants, to the disadvantage of the intended beneficiaries, low-income vendors.
They have been remanded until 3rd February 2026.
