Chief of Defence Forces Gen Muhoozi Kainerugaba has reportedly been asked to intervene in a controversial recruitment process at the Ministry of Lands, Housing and Urban Development, following allegations that a senior minister who is also a retired general has been pressuring government officials over the appointment of a key commissioner.

According to a report by Mulengera News, more than 250 Ugandan professional surveyors have signed a confidential petition addressed to Muhoozi, asking him to investigate the minister’s alleged interference in the recruitment of the Commissioner for Mapping and Surveys. The petitioners reportedly want the army chief to intervene before the recruitment process is disrupted again.

The controversy reportedly centres on William Matovu, one of the applicants who sought the position but was initially rejected by the Public Service Commission for allegedly failing to meet the required academic qualifications, particularly the Master’s degree requirement in a relevant surveying field. His supporters reportedly challenged the recruitment process before the Inspectorate of Government, leading to a temporary halt.

The surveyors claim that despite the rejection of Matovu’s application, influential individuals, including the retired general minister, allegedly continued putting pressure on the Inspector General of Government and the Public Service Commission to reconsider the recruitment process. They want Muhoozi to establish whether any senior officials have abused their positions to influence the appointment.

However, the report indicates that Inspector General of Government Aisha Naluzze Batala resisted the alleged pressure and, in a letter dated November 4, 2026, withdrew her earlier directives that had halted the recruitment exercise. This effectively allowed the Public Service Commission to proceed with the process of identifying and appointing a substantive Commissioner for Mapping and Surveys.

The petitioners further argue that the department has suffered from a prolonged leadership gap, having lacked a substantive commissioner since 2009. They believe the absence of permanent leadership has affected the development of the surveying profession, delayed important reforms and prevented practitioners from securing a dedicated regulatory framework similar to that enjoyed by valuers.

Interestingly, the surveyors have also asked Muhoozi to investigate another alleged irregularity involving the transfer of a surveyor identified only as DT from the Masindi Lands Ministry Zonal Office to a senior position at the Wakiso office. They claim that the individual lacks some of the qualifications required for the responsibilities and that the appointment has demoralised other staff members.

The petition, which was reportedly also copied to President Yoweri Museveni, raises wider questions about recruitment procedures, professional qualifications and alleged interference in government institutions. However, the allegations against the retired general minister and other officials have not been independently established, and the minister has not been identified in the report. Muhoozi has also not publicly confirmed whether he will act on the surveyors’ request.