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Speaker of Parliament Anita Among has called on the Inspectorate of Government (IG) to intensify public awareness campaigns to foster trust and improve the flow of information in the fight against corruption.

Speaker of Parliament Anita Among has called on the Inspectorate of Government (IG) to increase public awareness campaigns in the fight against corruption. She emphasized the importance of fostering trust between the IG and citizens, which would facilitate the flow of information crucial to exposing corrupt individuals.

“When you create friendship with these people, they will be able to tell you who took what, and that will be a starting point,” said Among. She made these remarks on Thursday, October 3, 2024, while receiving the bi-annual performance reports from the Inspector General of Government (IGG), Beti Kamya, for the periods July–December 2023 and January–June 2024.

The Speaker acknowledged the IGG’s commitment to complying with legal requirements by submitting reports to Parliament every six months, as mandated by Article 231(1) of the Constitution. She also assured the inspectorate of Parliament’s continued support, particularly in improving the IGG’s budget and enhancing its operational efficiency through digital transformation. “I have seen that you are still in the analogue era; it would be good if you went digital for you to do an audit trail,” she advised, adding that Parliament would ensure the inspectorate receives the necessary resources.

In her report, IGG Beti Kamya highlighted the achievements of the inspectorate during the period under review, including the recovery of assets worth UGX 8 billion, the conclusion of 1,778 investigations, 63 prosecution cases, and the conviction of 37 individuals. The inspectorate also conducted 802 corruption-related investigations and inspected over 1,000 government projects.

Kamya attributed the success to improvements in internal processes, such as prosecution-led investigations, and increased citizen engagement. “There was an increase in complaints, concluded investigations, funds recovered, and an improved conviction rate,” she said.

However, she noted that the inspectorate continues to face challenges, including inadequate funding, high staff turnover due to low pay, and case backlogs. Over 5,000 cases remain uninvestigated, Kamya revealed, calling for increased government support to enhance the IGG’s capacity. She also reported ongoing investigations into corruption in government recruitment processes, with findings set to be released soon.

The Speaker confirmed that the bi-annual performance reports would be laid before Parliament and referred to the Committee on Legal and Parliamentary Affairs for further scrutiny.