The Inspectorate of Government (IG) on 6^th November, 2025, conducted a training for Institution Focal Persons (FPs) that will provide technical support to public officers during the declaration of Income, Assets and Liabilities period in April 2026.

Mr. Joram Magezi, the Director Leadership Code, urged the over 100 FPs who attended the online training to update information in the registers for all public officers in their respective institutions on the IG Online Declaration System (IG-ODS) by 31^st December 2025.

“Our target is to have 100% declarations and that’s why we must prepare early and ensure that all public officers are registered in the system,” Mr. Magezi said.

The IG is mandated under Leadership Code Act, Cap 33 and Section 7(1) (d) of the IG Act to enforce the Leadership Code of Conduct.

When does a public officer declare?

All Public Officers holding a public office by 1^st April 2026, will be required to submit their declarations to the Inspector General of Government (IGG), from 1^st to 30^th April 2026.  Thereafter, any newly appointed public officer will be required to declare within three months after becoming a public officer; and after every five years in the month of April.

Reminder:

Any public officer who fails to submit their declaration by 30^th April 2026 will be in breach of the Act and will be prosecuted by the Leadership Code Tribunal.

Note:

Leaders who declared in March 2025 are not required to declare in April 2026.

The Secretary to the Inspectorate of Government, Mrs. Rose N. Kafeero, has urged members of the Eastern Africa Association of Anti-Corruption Authorities (EAAACA) to build solid anti-corruption systems to eliminate opportunities for fraud in the procurement processes including the use of technology.

“By embracing and strengthening e-procurement systems, we can significantly reduce opportunities for fraud and build stronger anti-corruption systems,” Mrs. Kafeero said.

She made the remarks while delivering a keynote speech during the regional workshop to fast-track the United Nations Convention against Corruption (UNCAC) implementation in East Africa on Public Procurement and Integrity Systems at Golf Course Hotel, Kampala.

The workshop was organized by the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) with the objectives of among others strengthening capacities of oversight institutions, law enforcement, and procurement authorities to detect, investigate, and prosecute bribery, kickbacks, and diversion of funds in procurement including through anti-money laundering and inter-agency cooperation.

Mrs. Kafeero noted that strengthening public procurement and integrity systems is not merely an option but an imperative for sustainable development and public welfare which must be embraced by all EAAACA members.

“The integration of anti-money laundering perspectives in our discussions is also vital, as we must be vigilant in addressing the financial flows associated with corrupt practices. We must reflect on the practical measures that can enhance collaboration between procurement agencies and anti-corruption institutions,” she said.

The Regional Platform to fast-track the implementation of UNCAC in Eastern Africa is a UNODC initiative bringing together 10 countries in Eastern Africa namely: Burundi, Democratic Republic of Congo, Djibouti, Ethiopia, Kenya, Rwanda, Somalia, South Sudan, Tanzania and Uganda.

It is aimed at identifying common gaps in their legal and institutional frameworks addressing bribery and integrity risks, and to define shared solutions and technical assistance needs.

Mr. Francesco Checchi, Team Lead, Africa Anti-Corruption Hub at UNODC, noted that the workshop is expected to among others generate concrete, measurable outcomes that can be tracked within 12 to 24 months.

Additionally, the launch of an inter-agency coordination mechanism in at least two countries between procurement authorities and anti-bribery agencies to address procurement-related flaws.

Reports from the African Union and the United Nations Economic Commission for Africa (UNECA) estimate that corruption costs African nations about USD 148 billion annually.

The World Bank indicates that 30% of public procurement contracts in developing countries are affected by corruption, and up to 50% of public procurement budgets may be lost to fraud or mismanagement. 

On 11^th September 2025, the Inspectorate of Government (IG) joined over 300 secondary school head teachers under the Association of Secondary School Head Teachers of Uganda (ASSHU) at Masaka Secondary School for a national engagement aimed at strengthening integrity, accountability, and effective school management.

Representing the IG, Mr. Kakooza Savio Ntensibe, Director Ombudsman Affairs, together with Mr. Agaba Samuel, Regional Inspectorate Officer, Masaka Regional Office, and other IG staff, sensitized participants on the IG’s threefold mandate: fighting corruption, ensuring adherence to the rule of law and principles of natural justice (Ombudsman Role), and enforcing the Leadership Code of Conduct.

The IG team highlighted common challenges in the education sector such as staff grievances, student welfare issues, financial mismanagement, irregular procurement, and forgery of academic documents.

They urged head teachers to strengthen grievance handling mechanisms, uphold ethical leadership and work closely with the IG in addressing systemic irregularities.

The session concluded with a call to action for head teachers to be champions of accountability and transparency, fostering safe and effective learning environments in partnership with the IG.