KAMPALA, UGANDA – Old Kampala Senior Secondary School is at the center of serious fraud allegations involving the alleged illegal withdrawal of UGX 32 million by the former Board Chairperson Mr. Tom Balojja and the former Head Teacher Mr. Arthur Mbalule.
The funds were allegedly withdrawn on August 22, 2025, despite Mr. Mbalule having officially handed over the office to the new Head Teacher, Madam Dorothy, on August 11, 2025. According to concerned stakeholders, the former head teacher is accused of maintaining access to school bank accounts and continuing to withdraw funds allegedly in collaboration with Mr. Balojja for personal interests.
While a change of signatories was initiated for the Diamond Trust Bank (DTB) account on August 14, no updates were reportedly made for other accounts at Bank of Africa, Housing Finance Bank, and other institutions accounts said to contain over UGX 100 million. This omission allegedly enabled the former officials to access school funds without the knowledge of the new administration.
Stakeholders have questioned why DTB, holding less than UGX 8 million, was the only bank where signatories were updated, while more significant accounts remained under the control of outgoing officials.
According to Ugandan law, a former head teacher is not permitted to transact on behalf of a school after a formal handover. However, it is alleged that Mr. Mbalule continued to act on behalf of the school with the backing of Mr. Balojja, whose term as Board Chair had also ended.
Additional allegations point to questionable withdrawals made under the pretext of purchasing security cameras for the school. These transactions allegedly:
- Were not part of the approved school budget,
- Involved non-prequalified suppliers, and
- Resulted in no actual delivery or installation of cameras.
Stakeholders say the procurement process was rushed and done without the knowledge or involvement of the new Head Teacher. They are demanding accountability for how public education funds are managed, especially in light of these alleged irregularities.
It is further alleged that internal conflict between Mr. Balojja and members of the school’s Finance Committee stemmed from growing concerns over the mismanagement of funds and lack of transparency during his leadership.
There is also rising frustration among stakeholders over the Ministry of Education’s silence, with many questioning why individuals facing such serious allegations remain influential within the education system.
Efforts to reach Mr. Arthur Mbalule and Mr. Tom Balojja for comment were unsuccessful by press time.
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