IRAN SCHOLARSHIPS SCANDAL: Facing Human Trafficking Allegations, Museveni NRM Office Boss Hadijah Namyalo Blames Her Enemies

As the coordinator of the President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni’s Office of the National Chairman (ONC), Hadijah Namyalo Uzeiye is a powerful force. But her power is being shaken by allegations of human trafficking in the Iranian Scholarships Scandal.

Reports indicate that Kampala Central Police Station (CPS) has summoned Hadijah Namyalo, a senior presidential advisor and political assistant (SPA-PA), to appear personally and record a statement on the allegations relating to human trafficking of persons handed questionable scholarships to pursue studies in the Islamic Republic of Iran.

In October 10, 2023, ONC officials revealed that their office had been blessed with opportunities for “full scholarships for Ugandan students to pursue studies in the Islamic Republic of Iran at undergraduate or bachelor’s, master’s and PhD levels.

At this level, successful scholars would have the opportunity to pick from courses or academic programs such as business management, information technology, and architectural (structura) engineering.

At master’s level, the available options included: Business Management, Mechatronics Engineering, Civil Engineering, Islamic Economics, History of Islamic Civilization, Women Studies, International Relations, Criminal Law and Criminology, and Social Communication Sciences, Private Law.

Others master’s courses available for successful candidates to pick from were:  History of Islamic Culture and Civilization, Women’s Studies, Persian Language and Literature, and Philosophy and Islamic Theology.

At doctorate (PhD) level, the academic programs included: Islamic Mysticism and Sufism, Private Law, and Criminal Law and Criminology.

ALLEGATIONS AGAINST HADIJAH NAMYALO & ONC

It is said that ONC finally zeroed down on about 10 dozens of candidates and a batch of 70 flew to Iran for their studies in February 2024. But before these could leave, available reports further claim, Namyalo’s ONC office allegedly directed each one to part with $950 to help in footing visa and flight expenses.

The students also reportedly found that the academic programs or courses they had flown to pursue in Iran on full scholarships were non-existent at the universities they were supposed to be offered at. There were reportedly no opportunities for change of courses. The scholarships were labelled ‘full’ and were supposed to come with medical insurance.

But  some students have alleged that they were not provided with medical insurance as promised. There are also claims that Hadijah Namyalo and her ONC did not liaise with the Ugandan embassy in Iran, making it difficult for them to find much needed support in a foreign country.

Some of those who found their courses or academic programs unavailable in Iran reportedly sought help from their families which facilitated their return to Uganda. It is the returnees who are said to have lifted the lid on the alleged controversies surrounding the Iran Scholarships Scandal.

These returnees have filed cases and are threatening to sue Hadijah Namyalo and ONC so that they can be compensated for what they went through. They have also allegedly reported Hadijah Namyalo to her boss, NRM chairman President Museveni. Namyalo and Museveni have regular meetings.

HADIJAH NAMYALO BLAMES HER ENEMIES

As she addressed reporters on an upcoming event where she will deliver donations from Museveni in Entebbe on June 27, Namyalo broached the issue of the Iran Scholarships Scandal. She reiterated that the Islamic Republic of Iran gave the Office of the National Chairman or ONC scholarships and that the coordinator of the same was a one Esther Nankinga.

Namyalo said the students had been brought to her and she had warned them against being tempted to pay any money to anyone for the purposes of the scholarships. She told whoever claims to have paid money for the same purpose to demand it from the people they gave it to since, she says, she did not receive any coin from any student.

The other option, the ONC coordinator further advise is for those making claims on the money to report to police so that it can intervene, summon and quiz those who received it.

HADIJAH NAMYALO: MY ENEMIES AT WORK

She warned all those who were reportedly planning “to use this as a trigger” Describing the allegations as laughable, she claimed that those behind seeking to scrutinize the handling of the Iran Scholarships were after her job.

“You rather go to HE [His Excellency President Yoweri Museveni and ask him to give you the office in peace not just to implicate me in non-issues. For me I am not corrupt and I will never be corrupt like you,” she said.

She went on to tell her ‘enemies’ that she was ready to face them in courts of law and watch their allegations collapse like a house of cards.

“For police you can go and blackmail me and tell them whatever you want. But the court will ask you, ‘did you give Hadijah money? No,’ she added.

In 2021, Museveni appointed Hadijah Namyalo to replace former ONC coordinator Milly Babalanda who is now the presidency minister, one of the most powerful ministers supervising several ministries. But Babalanda was criticized for Museveni’s poor performance in Kampala, with some questioning whether campaign money was put to good use. Like Babalanda who previously blamed the mafia over allegedly bribery for RDC jobs, Namyalo is also blaming her enemies (See Details Here, There and Over There).

At the moment, Museveni has threatened to crush corrupt officials, and five MPs have been arrested over the same. But the allegations of corruption at his personal NRM office and among those supposed to represent him continue. (See Details Here, There and Over There).

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