The Deputy Inspector General of Government (IGG), Patricia Achan Okiria, has issued a rallying cry to the nation’s leaders, describing the fight against graft as a "moral imperative" and a "patriotic duty" that is central to Uganda's transformation.
Speaking at the week-long National Resistance Movement (NRM) retreat at Kyankwanzi, Okiria presented a paper titled "The Role of Ombudsman in Social-Economic Transformation of Uganda," where she warned that corruption is a "silent war" undermining every achievement of the government.
In a session attended by Yoweri Museveni, the Deputy IGG revealed the staggering economic toll of corruption, noting that Uganda loses over sh9.1 trillion annually through bribery, inflated payrolls, tax evasion, and the theft of drugs.
She highlighted that teacher absenteeism alone drains sh1.5 trillion each year in lost instructional time, a burden that is primarily borne by children from poor and rural families.
She further pointed out that access to medical services often depends on bribes, while District Service Commissions are reportedly plagued by forgery, nepotism, and political interference.
Okiria emphasised that despite having strong laws, corruption continues to thrive due to a lack of transparency and proper supervision in government departments.
She noted that "political will is the oxygen" of anti-corruption efforts, stressing that without it, enforcement mechanisms remain ineffective. She also told legislators that some individuals are driven by greed and selfishness, engaging in the primitive accumulation of wealth even when they do not need it, ultimately embezzling funds at the expense of the wider population.
She commended President Museveni for his commitment to integrity and for strengthening the institutional framework of the Inspectorate of Government. Following her presentation, the President warned legislators that he would not tolerate corruption within Parliament, stating that it would be "suicide" for any leader to engage in the crime.
To bolster the fight against corruption, Okiria called for increased funding for investigative bodies, including the IGG, the Auditor General, and the CID. She also urged the public to report corruption through the Whistle Blowers Act (2011).
In a major policy outcome from the retreat, Members of Parliament resolved to support existing anti-corruption agencies in executing their mandates and to amend the government’s tenfold growth strategy to include a specific additional pillar dedicated to anti-corruption.