Hoima RDC Mbabazi Referred to Kampala Hospital After Falling Ill in Custody

What the report says

Hoima Resident District Commissioner Rogers Mbabazi has been referred to a Kampala health facility after his condition reportedly worsened while he was in custody, according to Nile Post. The referral followed his arrest over allegations of extortion, with the case linked to complaints raised by residents in Hoima district.

The publication reported that Mbabazi was picked up by the State House Anti-Corruption Unit in Kigorobya during an anti-corruption campaign involving Local Government Minister Balaam Barugahara. Residents allegedly accused the RDC of asking for money from people seeking help in land disputes, and some said the sums ranged from Shs1 million to Shs5 million. Others also alleged that he worked with land grabbers to intimidate residents facing eviction from ancestral land.

Nile Post said Barugahara directed detectives to arrest Mbabazi after hearing the complaints. He was later held at Hoima Central Police Station before being moved to EDPA Hospital in Hoima City when he developed health complications. Police spokesperson for the Albertine region Julius Hakiza said on Tuesday that the illness had worsened the previous day, leading doctors to recommend transfer to Kampala.

Mbabazi remained under police guard as investigations continued. The case comes amid a wider government anti-corruption push, which has recently focused on alleged abuses by public officials and land-related complaints in western Uganda.