governance 15 May 2026 Daily Monitor (Uganda)
Over 61,000 Ugandan Public Officers Face Prosecution for Asset Declaration Failure
More than 61,000 public officials in Uganda are at risk of legal action for neglecting to declare their income, assets, and liabilities during the recent exercise. The Inspectorate of Government has indicated that non-compliance with the Leadership Code Act will lead to processing cases for the Leadership Code Tribunal. Source: https://www.monitor.co.ug/uganda/news/national/over-61-000-public-officers-risk-prosecution-over-failure-to-declare-assets-5459786
Over 61,000 public servants in Uganda are facing potential prosecution for failing to submit their asset and income declarations as required by law. The Inspectorate of Government (IG) revealed that out of the 302,800 public officers registered on its Online Declaration System, only 241,230 completed the required submissions by the April 2026 deadline.
Justice Aisha Batala Naluzze, the Inspector General of Government, stated that while the 80% compliance rate marks an improvement from 2021’s 75%, the failure to declare is a serious breach of the Leadership Code Act. “Declaration of income, assets and liabilities is not optional; it is a constitutional and statutory obligation,” Naluzze emphasized.
Those who did not comply could face a range of sanctions, including fines, demotion, dismissal from office, vacation of their position, confiscation of illegally acquired wealth, and potentially imprisonment, depending on the severity of the violation.
Despite challenges posed by the COVID-19 pandemic during the 2021 exercise, the IG has bolstered its systems and enforcement capabilities. “Non-compliance this time will be addressed more decisively,” Naluzze warned, announcing a shift from awareness campaigns to strict enforcement and verification.
The Inspectorate is also collaborating with the Head of Public Service to potentially require asset declarations from all new public service applicants at the entry level. Preparations are also in progress for the next declaration cycle, scheduled for March 2027, which will include political leaders.
Source: Daily Monitor (Uganda)