Share this article

The Government has reduced the processing time for Uganda’s Certificate of Good Conduct to five days, down from seven, to enhance public service efficiency. The fee remains UGX 76,000, and officials urge applicants to avoid brokers.

The Government has announced a reduction in the processing time for the Certificate of Good Conduct as part of its ongoing efforts to improve public service delivery.

Gordon Karuhanga, an official from the Directorate of Interpol and International Relations, stated that the document can now be obtained within five days, reduced from the previous seven-day period. He also confirmed that the fee for acquiring the certificate remains at UGX 76,000.

“We urge the public to avoid using brokers,” Karuhanga emphasized during the weekly joint security briefing at the Uganda Police Force headquarters in Naguru, Kampala, on Monday, November 11, 2024. He explained that some applicants have been overcharged paying three times the normal fee or even losing their money altogether due to reliance on intermediaries.

Karuhanga encouraged individuals seeking the Certificate of Good Conduct to visit the Directorate’s office on Mabua Road in Kololo or apply online via the entity’s official website. Upon completing the online application, applicants will be directed to visit the office to have their biometrics captured.

The certificate is available to Ugandan citizens and foreign residents aged 15 and above, particularly those traveling abroad, as it certifies that the holder has no criminal record. “The certificate is often required by those seeking citizenship in another country or employment, ensuring that applicants have no prior criminal history,” Karuhanga noted.

The Uganda Police Force, under Sections 2 and 3 of the Identification of Offenders Act Cap 119 (1960) and the Police Act Cap 303 (2006), is authorized to maintain criminal records of offenders. This mandate aims to safeguard national interests from criminal elements, aligning with international practices where countries and organizations increasingly adopt measures such as fingerprinting for national identification, passport issuance, visas, employment, and enrollment in academic institutions, among other uses.