A man accused of orchestrating a large-scale procurement scam has been sent to remand after allegedly using a fake government tender to cheat several suppliers out of goods worth almost Shs800 million.
Ashiraf Muyomba, the head of a private firm known as Hongera Saana Uganda Ltd, appeared before the KCCA Chief Magistrate’s Court on Wednesday. He is facing several charges, including obtaining goods by false pretence, forging documents, and presenting forged papers as genuine.
According to investigators, the scheme ran between December 2024 and April 2025. Authorities say Muyomba and his company falsely presented themselves as partners of the Presidential Mobilization Body for Peace and Development under the Office of the President.
To make the lie believable, a bid advertisement was reportedly placed in a newspaper inviting suppliers to deliver a wide range of goods. Many businesses responded, believing they were dealing with a legitimate government procurement process.
Suppliers who entered into contracts with Hongera Saana included Kisco International Limited, represented by Shillo Nasali, and KKN Enterprises Limited, owned by Isaac Kezimbira. They delivered goods worth hundreds of millions, ranging from food items such as maize, soya, groundnuts, rice seeds, posho, cooking oil, and sugar, to non-food items including mattresses, metallic double beds, knapsack sprayers, farmate spray pumps, branded T-shirts, caps, umbrellas, and promotional backdrops.
Despite making multiple attempts to secure payment, the affected companies were never paid. Investigations later confirmed that Hongera Saana Uganda Ltd had no official link to the President’s Office, revealing the entire tender as a fraud.
Following a coordinated investigation by the Anti-Corruption Directorate, the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions, and the Criminal Investigations Directorate, Muyomba was arrested and charged. He has been remanded until December 10, 2025, when the case will return to court.
The incident has renewed concerns about procurement scams in Kampala and the urgent need for businesses to verify tender authenticity before entering agreements, especially when dealing with individuals claiming government connections.