President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni has ordered the immediate payment of Shs26 billion to local firm Dealan Associates following a high-level meeting that resolved a protracted dispute over the maintenance contract for Uganda’s national CCTV camera network.
The high-level meeting, convened on Wednesday, brought together key stakeholders, including representatives from Dealan Associates, the Uganda Police Force, the Ministry of Internal Affairs, Huawei, and the Internal Security Organisation (ISO). The session untangled a complex web of administrative delays, conflicting completion reports, and allegations of graft surrounding the procurement and servicing of the country’s security infrastructure.
### The Contract Dispute and Conflicting Reports
The controversy centered on a Shs26 billion contract awarded to Dealan Associates to maintain the national CCTV camera network. According to sanyufm.com, Uganda originally partnered with Chinese technology firm Huawei to install 5,709 surveillance cameras nationwide across two phases to combat crime. After Huawei faced sanctions from the United States and the European Union in 2019, the Ministry of Internal Affairs selected Dealan Associates to take over the maintenance of the system.
According to Watchdog Uganda, Dealan insisted it had fully executed the contracted work and pointed to a certificate of completion issued by the Uganda Police Force. However, officials from the Ministry of Internal Affairs and the police pushed back, claiming that only 59 percent of the required work had been completed. This stark discrepancy created a prolonged administrative deadlock that stalled payments and raised serious questions about the evaluation process.
Unhappy with initial findings from the Internal Security Organisation and the State House Anti-Corruption Unit (SHACU), President Museveni ordered a fresh technical audit. That subsequent audit confirmed that Dealan Associates had indeed completed the work as stipulated in the contract, prompting the President’s directive to release the full Shs26 billion immediately. Furthermore, the President instructed the Solicitor General to engage Dealan Associates regarding costs arising from the breach of contract, which include financial losses accumulated over four fiscal years when administrative barriers prevented the firm from performing its duties.
### Administrative Action and Corruption Investigations
Parallel reporting from Sanyufm.com highlights that the dispute also triggered direct administrative action against senior government officials. In a May 23, 2026 letter addressed to the Head of Public Service and Secretary to the Cabinet, Lucy Nakyobe Mbonye, President Museveni ordered three top officials to step aside on forced leave.
The officials ordered to step aside are Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Internal Affairs Lt. Gen. Joseph Musanyufu, Police Undersecretary Aggrey Wunyi, and AIGP Felix Baryamwitsaki, who heads Police ICT. According to the President’s letter, the directive followed a report submitted by outgoing Internal Affairs Minister Maj. Gen. Kahinda Otafiire detailing corruption within both the ministry and the police force regarding the maintenance contract.
While Major General Otafiire liaised with the Ministry of Finance to secure Shs31.37 billion for the work when funding ran low, the President stated that officials frustrated the disbursement process. The investigation highlighted allegations connecting a middleman, Hassan Sserunjogi, to attempts to extract kickbacks and influence the payment process. President Museveni directed that criminal proceedings be initiated against Sserunjogi once evidence is available, emphasizing that corruption matters will proceed through established investigative channels.
### Broader Anti-Graft Push
The resolution of the Dealan dispute coincides with a broader, intensifying crackdown by President Museveni on corruption networks spanning multiple government ministries, public agencies, and Parliament. In recent weeks, the administration has targeted officials accused of graft, extortion in budget allocations within the Ministry of Finance, manipulation of land titles in the Ministry of Lands, and tax fraud schemes at the Uganda Revenue Authority.
Addressing stakeholders during the meeting, Museveni issued a stern warning against bureaucratic sabotage and the entrenched culture of kickbacks.
“Some of our people have made it a habit to frustrate contractors through demands for kickbacks and graft,” President Museveni stated. “This is unacceptable. Government contracts must be executed transparently, and payments must be made according to the work done, not according to bribes paid.”
Despite the rollout of the surveillance cameras, technical challenges have persisted across the network, with officials reporting ongoing connectivity failures and equipment breakdowns driven largely by vandalism and disruptions from civil and road works. The government’s decision to clear the outstanding debt and sideline implicated officials is designed to restore administrative accountability and reinforce confidence among contractors operating within Uganda’s security sector.
