The Inspector General of Government, Irene Mulyagonja has expressed her disappointment at Parliament’s failure to discuss and act upon the inspectorate’s reports since its inception.

While interfacing with the Speaker, Rebecca Kadaga during a courtesy call at Parliament on Tuesday, Mulyagonja pointed out the anomaly as one of the inspectorate’s biggest challenges.

“A lot of money is expended on writing these reports and if they are left to gather dust on parliamentary shelves, then we are losing the war on graft,” Mulyagonja said.

Kadaga appreciated the IGG’s concerns and promised to act.

She noted that MPs shot down attempts by the rules and privileges committee aimed at relocating the inspectorate of government from the busier legal and parliamentary affairs to human rights committee.

In line with its constitutional mandate, the inspectorate of government submits biannual reports to Parliament on the performance of the office of the ombudsman and other recommendations vital for improving service delivery in public institutions.

In the same interface, Mulyagonja appealed for more funding, saying the inspectorate’s budget for this financial year is less by sh4.2b.

This, according to Mulyagonja, has grossly undermined the proper functioning of the inspectorate as it struggles to recruit and retain highly qualified staff.

The IGG’s office submitted budget estimates of sh33b for the financial year 2012/13, but ministry of finance allocated sh28.8b.

Mulyagonja also decried the colossal sums of money being swindled at local government level and called for “more stringent measures of handling accounts from local governments”.

The ombudsman noted that proper functioning of local governments is central to transforming the lives of the common man through bringing services closer to the masses.

She also called for the expeditious amendment to the Leadership Code Act to provide for a tribunal necessary for enforcement of the Leadership Code.

A bill by the ethics ministry to that effect is in the pipeline. The tribunal will help the IGG crack the whip on anyone flouting the Leadership Code.

The IGG’S hands on the enforcement of the Leadership Code doesn’t go beyond filing declarations of wealth by politicians, since Ken Lukyamuzi successfully petitioned the Constitution Court on IGG barring him from seeking re-election for his Rubaga North parliamentary seat.

Lukyamuzi had allegedly failed to declare his wealth as required under the Leadership Code.

The court ruled that the IGG was not a tribunal to arbitrate in the matter as provided for under Article 235(14) of the constitution.

The IGG is mandated to eliminate corruption, promote and foster the rule of law and principles of natural justice in public offices and enforce the Leadership Code of Conduct.