Ministers and MPs Fail to Declare Assets; IGG to Take Action

In Uganda, the Inspectorate of Government (IG) has revealed that two cabinet ministers and four Members of Parliament (MPs) did not declare their income, assets, and liabilities as required by law. This goes against the Leadership Code Act, which says that all public officials must report what they own and earn every year.

The declaration window for 2025 was open from March 1st to March 31st. During this time, all leaders were supposed to submit their asset information through the IG-Online Declaration System (IG-ODS). But some officials ignored this rule.

Inspector General of Government (IGG), Beti Kamya, said the non-compliant ministers and MPs will be summoned to explain why they failed to submit. If they give no good reason, they will be taken to the Leadership Code Tribunal for possible punishment. Kamya warned, "Anyone without a clear reason will be prosecuted as per the Leadership Code Act."

Kamya also mentioned that many government institutions did not do well. Some districts and departments had declaration rates below 50%. Examples include:

• Fort Portal Regional Referral Hospital – 24%

• Abim District – 46.5%

• Kapelebyong District – 47%

• Amuru District – 47.4%

• Masaka City – 47.8%

She said this shows poor compliance and it affects the fight against corruption. The goal of asset declaration is to promote transparency and accountability, and to prevent public servants from using their positions for personal gain.

Still, there were some success stories. Kamya praised 34 institutions that achieved 100% compliance. These included:

• Busia Municipality

• Iganga Municipality

• Moroto Municipality

• Kotido Municipality

• Moroto District

According to IG records, 32,068 leaders were expected to declare in March 2025. Out of these, 28,856 officials submitted their declarations on time. This represents a 90% compliance rate overall. In total, 328 institutions participated in the exercise — including 131 ministries, departments, and agencies, and 197 local government bodies.

For those who missed the deadline, Kamya said investigations have already begun. Ministries and departments with non-compliant leaders will be reported to the Leadership Code Tribunal by May 2025, and local governments by June 2025.

She added that the IG will start using electronic systems to check all submitted declarations and will flag suspicious ones. Leaders whose reports raise red flags will be subject to physical verification and detailed investigations. At least 200 high-risk leaders will be investigated further.

If any leader is found guilty of hiding their wealth or lying about their income, they will face legal action. Depending on the case, they may be prosecuted in either the Leadership Code Tribunal or the Anti-Corruption Court.