Kampala, Uganda: Uganda’s capital and major business centre, Kampala, has been named as the most corrupt district, the Inspector General of Government, IGG Beti Kamya, has revealed.
According to the bi-annual report covering July to December 2024, Kampala recorded 253 corruption-related cases, almost five times more than Wakiso, which followed with 56 cases. Mbale (44), Masaka (34), and Mukono (32) completed the top five.
At the other end of the spectrum, Buhweju, Bukedea, Kalaki, Karenga, Luuka, and Nabilatuk were cited as the least corrupt districts, each registering only one complaint.
IGG Kamya said the Inspectorate received a total of 1,347 complaints over the period, with 1,193 cases sanctioned for investigation and 1,267 fully investigated and concluded.
Of these, 552 were classified as corruption cases, 391 as Ombudsman-related, and 324 as Leadership Code breaches.
“From the above, it is evident that there was an increase in investigations concluded, funds recovered, and conviction rates. The rise is attributed to internal improvements, such as prosecution-led investigations and greater citizen engagement,” Kamya told Parliament.
The IGG said Kampala, Wakiso, Mbale, and Mukono continue to dominate the corruption charts, having also ranked high in the previous report covering January to June 2024 where Kampala recorded 224 cases, followed by Mbale (73), Wakiso (56), and Mukono (43), indicating a persistent pattern with minimal progress in enforcement.
Notably, Masaka, which previously did not feature prominently, has now emerged among the top five most corrupt districts, while other new entries into the top 10 include Jinja, Hoima, and Lira. On the other hand, Mbarara, Rakai, and Kabarole have dropped off the list due to reduced reported cases.
Speaking to the media after the engagement, IGG Spokesperson Ms Ali Munira said Kampala’s high corruption rate is linked to its administrative scale and concentration of government institutions.
“Kampala has more than four divisions, making its administration inherently large. Also, most government offices are located in the city, hence registering more cases,” Ms Munira explained.
She further revealed that the IGG investigated 18 high-profile corruption cases across various ministries, departments, and agencies (MDAs), recommending the recovery of Shs6.9 billion. These included cases of embezzlement, abuse of office, misappropriation, and financial loss.
Institutions implicated included the Ministry of Tourism, Uganda Revenue Authority, Uganda Electricity Transmission Company Ltd, Electoral Commission, and Kampala Capital City Authority (KCCA).
In total, the Inspectorate concluded 360 corruption-related investigations within MDAs and local governments. It recommended the recovery of Shs8 billion, issued 600 administrative sanctions, and forwarded 16 public officials for prosecution. To date, Shs4.2 billion has been recovered.
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