Commissioner for Transport Regulation and Safety Winstone Katushabe has criticised former Ministry of Works and Transport Principal Road Safety Officer Ronald Amanyire over his conduct on social media, describing the tendency to attack people to follow online trends as “moral bankruptcy”.
Katushabe’s remarks come barely two days after a letter emerged in which Amanyire sought forgiveness from the commissioner, admitted undermining his authority and asked for assistance in having his interdiction lifted.
“You can’t trash, abuse everyone simply because of social media trends. That’s moral bankruptcy,” Katushabe said, in remarks directed at the controversy surrounding Amanyire’s conduct.
He also cautioned against confusing social interactions with shared values, saying that being friendly with someone did not necessarily mean they operated at the same standard.
“Simply because you sit and laugh with someone in the same space doesn’t mean you are on the same standard,” he said.
The remarks add another twist to the strained relationship between the two officials, which has played out publicly through social media exchanges and disagreements over the Ministry’s leadership and operations.
In a letter dated June 17, 2026, titled Reconciliation and Request for Assistance in Lifting of Interdiction, Amanyire apologised to Katushabe, acknowledging that his social media posts, comments and failure to correct misleading narratives had contributed to attacks against the commissioner.
“I am particularly remorseful for the period during which malicious attacks and false accusations were circulated against you on social media,” Amanyire wrote.
He further admitted that his conduct had undermined Katushabe’s authority and eroded public confidence in the Ministry’s leadership.
“My conduct not only undermined your authority but also eroded public trust in the leadership of this Ministry. That was wrong, and it will never happen again,” he stated.
Amanyire also asked for forgiveness and an opportunity to rebuild their working relationship, while seeking Katushabe’s support in having his interdiction lifted.
However, Katushabe said he had no authority to determine Amanyire’s employment status, noting that disciplinary matters involving public officers fall under the jurisdiction of the Permanent Secretary and the Public Service Commission.
Amanyire was interdicted on April 30, 2026, by Permanent Secretary Bageya Waiswa pending investigations into alleged misconduct, including publishing internal government documents on social media without authorisation, failure to submit a performance plan and failure to attend departmental meetings.
He had previously challenged the interdiction, arguing that he was being targeted for raising concerns about alleged corruption and mismanagement in the transport sector.
While his apology signals an attempt at reconciliation, it does not settle the outstanding disciplinary proceedings. The relevant public service authorities are expected to determine his employment status.
