A total of 119 public officials have been dismissed from public service over various corruption tendencies within a period of one year.
This was announced on Thursday, December 7, 2023, by the Inspector General of Government, Betty Olive Namisango Kamya, during a press briefing held at the Uganda Media Centre about the upcoming Anti-Corruption Day and matters related to the vice.
“We have caused 119 public officers to be dismissed from service due to corrupt tendencies. 14 were reprimanded, ten were interdicted, and various administrative actions were taken against 39 others,” said IGG Kamya.
In her report, the Inspectorate of Government has also prosecuted about 104 corruption cases, and 43 of them have already been convicted, adding that in the past year, IGG has investigated over 1,500 cases and still has a total of 5,000 cases pending investigations.
Kamya said the Inspectorate has so far recovered about UGX 90 billion from corrupt officials and banked on the asset recovery account of the consolidated fund, noting that they have also ordered the recovery of over UGX 30 billion from cases that have been investigated.
According to the report, the Auditor General in 2022 completed 1,930 audits, including financial and compliance audits, 1,700 IT audits, engineering audits, and forensic investigations.
Kamya noted that through the partnership with the State House Anti-Corruption Unit, over 2.9 billion was refunded and up to 3.4 billion was saved from potential losses in the Karamoja iron sheets scandal, allegedly taken by some Cabinet members.
In her report, IGG Kamya further revealed that the Public Procurement and Disposal of Assets (PPDA) directed UNRA to terminate the contract awarded to Polat Yol Yapi Sanayi for the upgrading of Muyembe-Nakapiripirit Road (92 kilometres) to paved bitumen standard and second link roads.
“This was due to the contractor’s failure to complete civil works despite receiving an advance. As a result of PPDA’s intervention, UNRA was able to recover UGX 39.9 billion from the contractor,” said Kamya.
She also noted that the Office of the Director of Public Prosecution has within the past year prosecuted 55 corrupt officials who were convicted of corruption and barred from holding public office for 10 years in accordance with Section 46 of the Anti-Corruption Act.
Uganda will, on Saturday, December 9, 2023, join the rest of the world to commemorate International Anti-Corruption Day under the theme “Strengthening Partnerships in the World Against Corruption for the sake of Uganda.”
December 9th this year also marks the anniversary of the United Nations Convention against Corruption, the first globally and legally binding instrument against corruption. The theme for the commemoration is “Uniting the United Nations Convention Against Corruption.”
