The Inspector General of Government (IGG), Hon. Beti Kamya Turwomwe, on May 15, held a meeting with the Executive committee members of Uganda Bankers Association (UBA), to lay strategies of collaboration in the fight against corruption in Uganda.

The IGG noted that while some criminals were using the banking system to defraud the government, some banks were not raising a red flag against the suspicious transactions.

The IGG cited a case that was being investigated where billions of money were withdrawn across the counter and the affected bank did not report the matter.

She implored the financial institutions to join hands and arrest the criminals lest they lead to their downfall.

She added that there was evidence that corruption affects every individual in their own space hence the citizens should own the war to fight against this vice.

The team leader and also UBA Board President, Mr. Shaffi Nambobi, appreciated the IGG for initiating the engagement, which he said enlightened them on their role in the fight against corruption. He pledged to work with the Inspectorate of Government (IG) to ensure a corrupt-free Uganda.

Mr. Nambobi informed the IGG that under UBA, they will be introducing a Code of Ethics which will require all staff to make a declaration of their wealth when they are appointed so as to deter any form of corruption and indiscipline amongst the bank staff.

The IGG and the Board President agreed to have a follow-up meeting with other members in the banking sector to lay out more strategies of fighting corruption.

The meeting was also attended by officers from the IG.

Uganda was on May 4, 2024, elected President of the Eastern Africa Association of Anti-Corruption Authorities (EAAACA) for the period 2024/2025.

This was during the 15th EAAACA Annual General Meeting (AGM) held in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.

Deputy Inspector General of Government, Dr. Patricia Achan Okiria, received the Instruments of power on behalf of the Inspectorate of Government of Uganda from Office of the Ombudsman of Rwanda.

The weeklong meeting was hosted by the Federal Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission of Ethiopia with support from GIZ IFF Global Program, under the theme, “Coordination, Collaboration and Corporation in Asset Recovery and the Fight against Corruption”.

It brought together representatives of member institutions from Uganda, Kenya, Tanzania, Ethiopia, Rwanda, Djibouti, South Sudan and Burundi, to discuss modalities of strengthening regional cooperation in the war against corruption. Somalia has applied to be a member of EAAACA and was in attendance. The Inspectorate of Government will host the 16th AGM.

EAAACA convened its 26th Executive Committee Meeting on 1st May 2024, Anti-Corruption Conference on 2nd May 2024 and the AGM on 3rd May 2024. Prior to the EAAACA Meetings, the Asset Recovery Inter-Agency Network for Eastern Africa (ARINEA), a network of EAAACA, convened its Steering Group Meeting on 29th April 2024, 7th AGM on 30th April 2024 and Training of Focal Persons and launch of the in-country Structure on 1st May 2024. The total number of meetings convened were six and were held from Monday 29th April to 3rd May 2024.

The Inspector General of Government Hon. Beti Kamya Turwomwe presented the Inspectorate of Government's Policy Statement for FY 2024/25 to the Legal and Parliamentary Affairs Committee of Parliament on 2nd April, 2024. Read the Policy Statement below:

The Inspectorate of Government (IG) has kicked off nationwide engagement with citizens to sensitise them about the dangers of corruption and how it manifests, and also rally them to join the war against the vice.

The engagements are being spearheaded by the IG’s Directorate of Research, Education and Advocacy (DREA). The teams have since engaged both state and non-state actors, and citizens in the Northern and Eastern Regions.

The team will be moving to the other regions to carry out the same engagements.

DREA will also use the same engagements to popularize the ‘Say No to Corruption’ campaign which was launched by the Inspector General of Government (IGG), Hon. Beti Kamya Turwomwe, during a baraza at Kabwohe playground in Sheema district on February 27, 2024.

One of the IG’s current strategies is to rally the citizens across the country to own the war to eliminate corruption within their spaces since they are the immediate victims of the vice.

The IGG has throughout her engagements with the various stakeholders, been challenging them to identify corruption and immediately report it to the IG and other relevant authorities.

The Inspector General of Government (IGG), Hon. Beti Kamya Turwomwe on March 19, 2024, asked medical practitioners to redeem the image of their profession by avoiding corrupt-related practices that can compromise their integrity.

The IGG made the remarks while engaging stakeholders from the health sector at Hotel Africana in Kampala.

The Inspectorate of Government (IG) had invited the latter to share its findings from the previously conducted spot-checks on health facilities in the Local Governments.

The engagement was aimed at devising strategies for improving service delivery in the health sector.

“Our findings have exposed high-level corruption in the health sector and it is being masterminded by the health practitioners. You need to defend your profession and redeem its image by sticking to the ethical values because corruption happens when there is a breakdown of ethics and rule of law,” she said.

She challenged them to step up the responsibility given to them to serve the citizens, and improve the current situation within their spaces.

While presenting IG’s findings to the stakeholders, the Deputy Inspector General of Government (DIGG), Mrs. Anne Twinomugisha Muhairwe, revealed that extortion, absenteeism, expiry of drugs, and inadequate leadership as some of the challenges crippling the health facilities.

Mrs. Muhairwe implored the regulators of the sector to scale up supervision and monitoring in the Local Governments, enforce disciplinary action against errant health workers, and improve coordination for effective service delivery.

The stakeholders thanked the management of the IG for bringing them on board in the fight against corruption in the health sector. They pledged to come up with measures that will improve service delivery in the health sector.

The Inspectorate of Government has ordered 26 Bundibugyo District Local Government officials to refund over UGX 70 million which they failed to account for. Details in the Press Statement below:

The Inspectorate of Government (IG) has released its Annual Abstract for the Financial Year 2022/23. It is the first edition of its kind since the inception of the Institution and it provides a summary of IG performance during the Financial Year.

The Inspector General of Government (IGG), Hon. Beti Kamya Turwomwe, has launched the ‘Say No To Corruption’ campaign which among others seeks to recruit the citizens to join the war against corruption.

The IGG noted that under the new campaign, citizens will be sensitized on how they can identify corruption and immediately report it to the Inspectorate of Government (IG).

She made the revelation while speaking to citizens during Barazas which were held in Sheema, Bushenyi and Mitooma districts from February 27-29, 2024.

“I have come to inform you that I have come to recruit you to join the war against corruption because you are the immediate victims. You can only avoid the repercussions of corruption if you say no to it. Therefore, from today onwards you must start saying no to corruption by exposing it. This is the only way we can eliminate this monster,” the IGG said.

She said that if the citizens are properly recruited to identify and expose corruption, then the war will be easily won.

“Corruption is thriving partly because the citizens do not want to speak out yet they have very credible information that can successfully lead to the arrest and prosecution of the corrupt. That’s why I am telling you to pass on the information to us because we already have the mandate to arrest and prosecute the corrupt,” she said.

She also revealed that she will be traversing the country to mobilise citizens and teach them that they are actually the immediate victims of corruption and therefore must say no to it.

However, she urged the citizens to report suspected cases of corruption with strong evidence that can lead to successful prosecution.

Anti-Corruption Court Judge, Jane Kajuga has dismissed the application filed by the Minister In charge of Karamoja Affairs, Mary Gorreti Kitutu that sought to block the Inspectorate of Government (IG) from prosecuting her for the UGX 1.5 billion loss she allegedly caused to the Government of Uganda by failing to conduct various Peace Building Activities in Karamoja Sub-Region between February and June 2022.

This means that the Minister will now have to appear before the Magistrate Division of the Anti-Corruption Court on 29th February 2024 to answer to these pending criminal charges for which she was summoned.

Justice Kajuga ruled that she will not restrain the Inspector General of Government (IGG) from prosecuting the Minister and further concurred with the IGG that none of Kitutu's rights to a fair hearing were violated when both Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) and the IGG chose to prosecute her separately.

The Judge rather sympathised with Kitutu that she will incur more costs in defending herself for the separate criminal charges, but there is no law barring multiple trials as long as the offences were not committed in the course of the same transactions.

On 17th January 2024, Grade One Magistrate, Christopher Opit of the Anti-Corruption Court, issued Criminal Summons to Minister Kitutu requiring her to appear in Court on 29th February 2024 and face fresh charges of Causing Government a Financial Loss of UGX 1,555, 365,000.

It shall be remembered that Minister Kitutu is already under prosecution by the DPP, Justice Jane Frances Abodo, in this very Court for her role in the Loss of Public Property of 14,500 Iron Sheets meant for the Karamojong Community Empowerment Programme.

But the DPP trial has since been halted pending her appeal.

The IGG is also prosecuting the Accounting Officer, Sseremba Geoffrey and the Head of Department Pacification and Development Programme in the Office of the Prime Minister (OPM) Deogratious Masagazi with corruption.

It is alleged that between February and June 2022, for purposes of illicitly obtaining benefits for themselves and Hon. Kitutu Mary Gorreti, they omitted to exercise due diligence/care when authorizing a total of UGX 2,230,291,000 to various staff within OPM.

Sseremba and Masagazi join Minister Kitutu and the Acting Head of Accounts at OPM, Atuhirwe Tracy.

The IGG alleges that Minister Kitutu between February and June 2022 while in performance of her duties, failed to conduct various peace building activities in Karamoja Sub-Region, knowing or having reason to believe that her omission would cause financial loss and indeed caused loss of UGX 1,555,365,000 to the Government of Uganda.

While the Acting Head of Accounts at OPM Atuhirwe Tracy who was also summoned with Kitutu, to appear and face corruption charges is accused of neglecting her duty when she failed to properly manage and ensure accountability for UGX 2.230,291,000 being funds that were meant for peace building activities in Karamoja Sub-Region.

She committed the offence between April and June 2022.

The Deputy Inspector General of Government (DIGG), Mrs. Anne Twinomugisha Muhairwe, has warned District Service Commissions (DSCs) against alleged extortion of money in exchange for jobs from unsuspecting candidates, saying that any person who will be found culpable will face the brunt of the law.

The DIGG sounded the warning during the boardroom session with leaders of Kaberamaido DLG which was held on February 14, 2024 at the district works department.

Her warning was triggered by complaints raised by numerous leaders of the district against the conduct of the DSC. They alleged that the members of Kaberamaido DSC were ‘selling jobs’ with impunity.

Mrs. Muhairwe noted that most Local Governments were grappling with the vice, something she said casts the country in bad light.

“We will not accept District Service Commissions to hold parents at ransom. This must stop. The Inspectorate of Government is committed to ending this fraud and we are progressing well. And I am warning all those who extort money from unsuspecting candidates that once we catch you then you will face the consequences,” she said.

She also warned the district officials against compromising on the quality of public projects, saying that it affects service delivery.