Lawyer Deox Tibeingana has come out strongly in defence of Uganda Registration Services Bureau (URSB) Registrar General Mercy Kainobwisho following reports that the Inspector General of Government (IGG) had directed the relevant minister to interdict her.
Tibeingana described the reported development as an example of what he called Uganda's culture of “kulemesa and ettima,” arguing that high-performing public officials can become targets of workplace hostility and malicious complaints.
“I have read online reports of the IGG directing the minister to interdict Mercy Kainobwisho,” Tibeingana said, while cautioning that the interdiction process should not automatically be interpreted as a finding of guilt.
He acknowledged that the IGG has a legal responsibility to act when a formal complaint is presented, arguing that interdiction can serve as a procedural measure intended to protect the integrity of an investigation.
“The real problem lies in how easily our systems are hijacked by non performers,” he said, alleging that some public servants use complaints and internal disputes to undermine colleagues who perform well.
Tibeingana also defended Kainobwisho's record at URSB, urging the public to examine measurable institutional results rather than allegations circulating online.
According to figures cited by the lawyer, Kainobwisho's tenure since December 2020 has coincided with significant changes at URSB, including the introduction of the Online Business Registration System.
The reforms reduced the reported processing time for business-name registration to about 30 minutes and company registration to approximately three hours.
He further pointed to increased uptake of URSB services, growth in security-interest registrations and higher non-tax revenue collection as indicators of the institution's performance under her leadership.
Recent reporting has similarly highlighted URSB's increased revenue collection and digitisation during Kainobwisho's tenure. The bureau has also expanded efforts in business formalisation and intellectual-property administration.
Tibeingana argued that institutional achievements should be considered alongside any complaints against senior officials.
He warned that prolonged internal conflicts in government institutions could undermine staff morale and discourage innovation, particularly where officials fear that challenging established practices could expose them to retaliation.
The lawyer also linked institutional stability to investor confidence, arguing that international investors require predictable regulatory systems when deciding where to commit capital.
However, he called for fairness in handling the allegations against Kainobwisho, insisting that investigations should establish facts from independent records rather than rely solely on workplace accusations.
“An investigation must establish the truth from independent records,” Tibeingana said, urging oversight institutions to examine financial and operational records when assessing complaints.
His comments come as attention remains focused on Kainobwisho's position at URSB and the circumstances surrounding the reported interdiction directive.
The allegations against her, and their substance, will need to be established through the appropriate investigative and administrative processes rather than treated as proof of wrongdoing.
For Tibeingana, however, the controversy has renewed concerns about the pressures facing women holding senior leadership positions in Uganda's public sector.
He urged Kainobwisho to remain firm as the processes surrounding the reported directive unfold.