The Inspector General of Government (IGG), Aisha Batala Naluzze, has called for the expedited finalisation and implementation of the draft Anti-Corruption (Confiscation and Recovery Orders) Rules, 2026, describing them as a critical step towards strengthening Uganda’s asset recovery regime and intensifying the fight against corruption.
Naluzze made the appeal while closing a National Validation Workshop on the draft Rules held at the headquarters of the Public Procurement and Disposal of Public Assets Authority along Nakasero Road in Kampala.
The workshop brought together members of the Inter-Agency Forum Legal Task Force and representatives from key government institutions to review and validate the proposed regulations before they are formally adopted.
The IGG commended stakeholders for their contributions to the development of the Rules, noting that they are intended to operationalise Section 73 of the Anti-Corruption Act and provide the procedural framework necessary for the effective implementation of confiscation and recovery orders.
According to Naluzze, the absence of clear procedural guidelines has for years presented challenges in the management of confiscation proceedings and the recovery of assets acquired through corrupt practices.
“The absence of clear procedural rules has created challenges in managing confiscation proceedings, administering recovered assets, and ensuring consistent enforcement of asset recovery measures,” she said.
Uganda’s anti-corruption framework allows courts to order the confiscation of assets linked to corruption offences. However, legal and administrative gaps have often complicated the process of tracing, preserving, managing and recovering such assets, limiting the effectiveness of recovery efforts.
Naluzze said the proposed Rules would address these shortcomings by establishing clear procedures for confiscation and recovery processes, thereby enhancing consistency, transparency and enforcement.
She emphasized that corruption continues to undermine national development and public service delivery by diverting resources meant for citizens.
“Corruption deprives citizens of resources meant for essential public services and effective asset recovery is a key mechanism for restoring public trust and ensuring that illicit gains do not remain in the hands of wrongdoers,” she said.
The IGG noted that recovering stolen public resources is increasingly recognised globally as an important component of anti-corruption efforts because it not only punishes offenders but also restores resources that can be redirected towards public services and development programmes.
Once finalised and implemented, the Rules are expected to strengthen enforcement mechanisms, improve the management of recovered assets and close long-standing gaps that have hindered effective recovery of proceeds derived from corruption.
Naluzze further observed that the framework would support Uganda’s compliance with regional and international anti-corruption commitments, particularly under the United Nations Convention Against Corruption, the world’s principal international treaty aimed at preventing and combating corruption.
Uganda ratified UNCAC in 2004 and has since undertaken a series of legislative and institutional reforms to strengthen accountability, transparency and the recovery of illicit assets. Asset recovery is one of the convention’s key pillars and requires member states to establish effective mechanisms for tracing, freezing, confiscating and returning proceeds of corruption.
The IGG urged all stakeholders to maintain the spirit of collaboration demonstrated during the validation process and to take collective responsibility for ensuring the Rules are finalised and implemented effectively.
She said sustained cooperation among government agencies, investigators, prosecutors, the judiciary and other stakeholders would be essential to ensure that the new framework delivers meaningful results in the fight against corruption.
The draft Rules are expected to provide greater legal certainty in confiscation proceedings and strengthen Uganda’s broader efforts to promote accountability, safeguard public resources and enhance public confidence in governance institutions.