Scandal Hits UNBS: Probe Launched Against The Bureau Over Rampant Corruption & Leadership Crisis

By Our Reporter

Parliament has ordered a sweeping investigation into the Uganda National Bureau of Standards (UNBS) following allegations of mismanagement, inefficiency, and systemic failures that lawmakers say are hurting small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) and undermining consumer protection.

The directive, issued by Deputy Speaker Thomas Tayebwa, comes amid mounting frustration from manufacturers and traders over delayed product certification, slow permit renewals, and the high cost of compliance. Tayebwa tasked the Committee on Trade, Tourism and Industry, chaired by Sylvia Nayebare, to carry out a comprehensive probe and report back within two weeks.

“I have received numerous complaints from small-scale industrialists about persistent governance and leadership gaps at UNBS, especially the long delays and backlogs in certification,” Tayebwa told Parliament during the October 28 plenary sitting. “You are hunting down people selling products without certification, yet you are not helping those who are applying for it. It’s the small industries and SMEs that are suffering the most, not the big boys.”

The directive followed Tayebwa’s announcement of the reinstatement of UNBS Executive Director Eng. James Kasigwa, who had been suspended earlier over allegations of corruption, abuse of office, and insubordination. His return sparked public debate and followed a plea from Bwamba County MP Richard Gafabusa, who had asked Parliament to stay the suspension until investigations were concluded.

Despite Kasigwa’s reinstatement, Tayebwa said UNBS remains crippled by “deep-rooted governance and operational problems.” He cited delays in certification, inefficiencies in license renewals, and technical glitches in the digital conformity stamp system as key bottlenecks.

The Deputy Speaker also raised concern about failures in the Pre-Export Verification of Conformity (PIVOC) process for used motor vehicles, as well as poor performance in metrological services such as the inspection of weighing scales and gas cylinders.

He faulted the Ministry of Finance for halting UNBS’s authority to spend certification fees at source, a move that forces the Bureau to remit revenue into the Consolidated Fund before it can access it for operations. “You pay for certification, the money goes to the Consolidated Fund, and you wait until Finance releases it for UNBS to start processing your certificate. But you’re a trader — that’s not your problem,” Tayebwa said.

Tayebwa also questioned the status of the Bleep App, a government-funded digital tool that cost Shs 900 million and was meant to help consumers report counterfeit goods directly to regulators. He wondered why, despite such investments, “the Bureau is still struggling to deliver on its mandate.”

He directed the Committee on Trade, Tourism and Industry and the Clerk to Parliament to engage all key stakeholders, including the Minister of Trade, the UNBS Board, and senior management, to identify the root causes of the dysfunction. “Engage the minister, engage the board, engage the leadership at UNBS, and report back within two weeks so that as we go into the budgeting process, these chronic delays affecting the public are addressed,” Tayebwa said.

The investigation order comes amid reports of internal wrangles between the UNBS Board and the Ministry of Trade that have destabilized the institution. The Auditor General’s 2024/2025 report also paints a grim picture of the Bureau’s performance, citing underfunding, staff shortages, outdated laboratories, and poor data systems that have weakened market surveillance and consumer safety.

According to the audit, UNBS achieved only a fraction of its inspection targets, with many checks conducted randomly instead of being risk-based. The report noted that obsolete testing equipment has led to long turnaround times and questionable accuracy in safety verification.

The Bureau is also operating under an outdated legal framework, with key amendments to the UNBS Act still pending. The National Standards Council, which should guide policy and enforcement, was described as “largely ineffective.”

The Auditor General further highlighted weaknesses in contracts such as the fuel marking project, where poor design and lax quality controls have increased the risk of substandard fuel entering the market.

Lawmakers warned that if the problems at UNBS are not urgently fixed, they could derail Uganda’s industrialisation drive. “UNBS’s failures are not just administrative,” Tayebwa cautioned. “They are slowing down business growth, weakening our exports, and putting consumers at risk.”