Kampala, Uganda: The Inspectorate of Government (IG) has been left without leadership following the exit of Inspector General of Government (IGG) Betty Kamya Turwomwe and her two deputies, Dr. Patricia Achan Okiria and Anne Muhairwe, whose contracts expired on Monday, September 23, 2025.
IG Spokesperson Ali Munira confirmed the trio’s departure, saying the institution is awaiting either fresh appointments or possible reappointments. “They are not currently in office. Their contracts expired on Tuesday, September 23, 2025, and they left office,” Munira told journalists. She admitted that the Inspectorate currently has no acting head, but insisted work continues on ongoing cases.
A Strained Tenure Ends
President Yoweri Museveni appointed Kamya and her deputies on July 15, 2021. Their exit, however, has sparked speculation as the IG Act allows the IGG and deputies to serve a second term. Sources said the trio lobbied for reappointment until the last days of their tenure, but internal divisions and strained relations allegedly undermined their chances.
“They were working like cartels. The office was divided, and each of them built their own power base. They spent more time fighting each other than doing the work,” a source within the Inspectorate revealed.
The tension spilled into the open in May 2024, when Kamya and Okiria clashed publicly on X (formerly Twitter). After Dr. Okiria assumed the presidency of the East African Association of Anti-Corruption Authorities (EAAACA), Kamya dismissed her leadership, claiming the position belonged to Uganda, not an individual, fueling speculation of a bitter rift at the top.
Erosion of Confidence from State House
Legal analysts argue that Kamya’s exit reflects a loss of confidence from President Museveni. Lawyer Innocent Okong noted that the creation of parallel anti-graft units such as the State House Anti-Corruption Unit (SHACU) and the State House Investors Protection Unit (SHIPU) signaled dissatisfaction with the IG’s performance.
“The IG was retained more for constitutional formality and donor optics, but real anti-corruption work shifted elsewhere,” Okong argued.
Kamya’s authority was further weakened in May 2025 when Museveni personally reversed her interdiction of Commissioner for Land Registration, Baker Mugaino, accused of land title fraud. In a strongly worded letter to Lands Minister Judith Nabakooba, Museveni questioned Kamya’s powers to discipline a presidential appointee without his consultation.
The IGG was also criticized for her handling of several corruption cases. Her directive allowing officials implicated in the Shs 9 billion Bukalasa fraud to refund money while staying in office was condemned as undermining accountability.
Observers say such decisions eroded both public trust and State House’s confidence in her leadership, leaving her tenure defined more by controversy than results.
What Next for the IG?
With the top offices now vacant, attention turns to President Museveni and whom he will appoint to lead Uganda’s principal anti-corruption watchdog. Under the law, the IGG and deputies are appointed by the President with parliamentary approval. For now, the IG remains headless, raising concern over the continuity of Uganda’s anti-corruption fight.
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