The Inspectorate of Government(IGG) has announced that 80 percent of public officers required to declare their income, assets, and liabilities complied with the April 2026 declaration exercise, marking an improvement from the previous declaration cycle conducted in 2021.
Speaking to journalists at the government-owned media center on Friday, Lady Justice Naluzze Aisha Batala, the Inspector General of Government, said that a total of 302,800 public officers were registered on the IG declaration system, while 241,230 successfully submitted their declarations before the April 30 deadline. However, Naluzze said that up to 61,570 public servants failed to comply.
The declaration exercise is conducted under Article 234 of the Uganda Constitution and the Leadership Code Act, which mandates public officers and leaders to periodically declare their assets, income, and liabilities to promote accountability and fight corruption.
The IGG noted that public officers first made declarations in 2021 after amendments to the law expanded the requirement to cover all public servants.
During the 2021 exercise, 240,000 officers were registered, but only 185,000 declared, representing a 75 percent compliance rate.
Naluzze attributed the improvement in this year’s performance to several interventions undertaken before and during the declaration period, which include harmonizing personnel data with the Ministry of Public Service, deploying focal persons and IT support officers in ministries and local governments, and recruiting graduate trainees to assist officers in rural areas, which was not the case before.
Despite the improved compliance, the Inspectorate said that they were challenged by last-minute submissions that caused congestion on the declaration system, network failures during peak hours, and limited internet access in rural areas.
She also cited resistance and negative attitudes among some public officers, as well as inadequate digital skills and limited access to computers and smartphones, especially in upcountry districts.The Inspectorate warned that officers who failed to declare risk facing sanctions under the Leadership Code Act and possible penalties include fines, demotion, dismissal from office, vacation of office, and confiscation of illicitly acquired assets.
The IGG further said her office is yet to begin processing cases against the 61,570 non-compliant officers and refer them to the Leadership Code Tribunal for action.
As part of future reforms, the Inspectorate revealed that discussions are underway with the Head of Public Service to amend standing orders to require all applicants seeking public service jobs to declare their income, assets, and liabilities before being given a job.Recently, a team of lawyers petitioned the office of the IGG over the speaker of Parliament, Annet Anita Among flamboyant lifestyle.
The IGG confirmed receipt of the petition and began processing the complaint submitted to the Inspectorate of Government by lawyers.
“We received the complaint, and we are processing it. We are going to work on it”. She said. She also explained that every complaint first passes through the registry for registration, allocation of a file number, and referral to the relevant officers for handling.
Dr. Patricia Achan Okiria, the Deputy IGG, said the institution had also received complaints related to the Parliamentary Commission and initiated investigations. However, the matter was later taken to court. “According to the law, the Inspectorate of Government does not investigate matters that are before court or another tribunal; the institution halted its inquiries after the court process commenced”. Achan said.
She further addressed concerns about public access to leaders’ asset declarations, saying the law protects the privacy of declarants.
“We cannot simply release all declarations to the public because the law protects the right to privacy,” she said.
However, she said, where there is suspicion about a declarant’s wealth or conduct, the public can file complaints and the Inspectorate will conduct compliance checks. Achan also reminded newly appointed leaders and public servants that they are legally required to declare their assets, incomes, and liabilities within three months of assuming office. She added that if they fail to do so, the penalties and procedures are also clearly provided for and will be enforced-URN. Give us feedback on this story through our email: kamwokyatimes@gmail.com
