Mbarara City North Member of Parliament Christopher Bakashaba has come under scrutiny over alleged academic forgery linked to his 13-year stint at the Uganda Civil Aviation Authority (UCAA).
Deputy Inspector General of Government (IGG) Dr Patricia Okiria said investigations into alleged academic forgery at UCAA have resulted in a Member of Parliament being ordered to refund salaries earned during a 13-year period at the authority.
The development comes as Bakashaba faces an election petition at the Mbarara High Court challenging his academic qualifications.
Okiria said the Inspectorate of Government is investigating cases involving people who allegedly use forged academic documents to secure employment and hold positions for which they are not qualified.
“Instead of going to school and getting the qualifications, people are busy forging academic papers on Nasser Road. This is an act of corruption, and based on that, we are working to identify the suspects and once caught, perpetrators will be required to repay the salaries they earned from positions they were not qualified to hold,” Okiria said.
She added that Inspectorate officials are overwhelmed by the number of Ugandans with allegedly fake academic documents who occupy influential positions.
The allegations surrounding Bakashaba’s academic qualifications have attracted attention because of his previous employment at UCAA and the ongoing election petition before the Mbarara High Court.
The petition challenges his academic qualifications, with the court expected to examine the evidence presented by the parties before making a determination.
The allegations, however, remain subject to investigation and judicial determination, and should not be treated as established facts until the relevant authorities and court have made their findings.
The Inspectorate of Government has continued to warn against academic fraud, saying individuals who obtain employment or benefits through forged qualifications may be required to account for salaries and other benefits received from positions they were not qualified to hold.
