Gulu, Uganda: The newly appointed Internal Auditor General, Mr Hussein Insagoma, has called for enhanced oversight and accountability in the management of government projects, urging internal auditors across the country to ensure that every public investment delivers measurable results for citizens.
Insagoma made the remarks while addressing over 300 internal auditors drawn from districts, cities, municipalities, and town councils during the Annual General Meeting of the Local Government Internal Auditors’ Association of Uganda (LGIAAU), held in Gulu City under the theme: “Strengthening Public Accountability and Governance in Local Government.”
In his keynote address, Mr. Insagoma emphasized that internal auditors play a critical role in identifying weaknesses in project implementation and recommending timely, practical solutions.
“We must ensure our footprints are visible. Internal auditors should not just review paperwork but identify risks that could derail government programs,” Insagoma said. “Our work is vital not only for creating value from government investments but also for sustaining operations. Government will support you, but you must deliver results so that the country invests prudently.”
Mr Isangoma called on internal auditors to prioritize oversight of flagship government initiatives, particularly the Tenfold Initiative, Uganda’s new strategic growth framework focusing on agro-industrialisation, tourism, mineral development, science, innovation, and technology, which aims to grow the economy tenfold in ten years.
He further stressed that auditing should go beyond financial reviews to include physical verification of government assets, project monitoring, and post-project evaluations to assess both sustainability and impact.
“Auditors must not limit themselves to financial evaluations. Visit project sites, verify assets, and ensure resources are used as intended,” he said. “This is how we guarantee the successful delivery of the National Development Plan IV (NDP IV).”
Isangoma noted that effective internal auditing is essential to identifying systemic weaknesses that contribute to project delays, cost overruns, and resource wastage, calling on all district auditors to document and follow up on their recommendations.
Call for Capacity Building and Funding
The Chairperson of LGIAAU, Mr. Justus Musimenta, who also serves as Principal Internal Auditor for Kasese District, outlined key achievements and challenges since the association’s formation in 2005.
“Our goal has been to strengthen the capacity and coordination of internal auditors across local governments. However, limited funding, inadequate tools, and salary disparities remain major bottlenecks,” Musimenta said.
He appealed to the Ministry of Finance to harmonize salary structures, enhance mobility support, and provide modern audit technology to enable auditors to track government projects more effectively.
Gulu District Deputy LC5 Chairperson, Ms Vicky Atim, urged political leaders to take audit reports seriously, warning that failure to implement recommendations undermines public service delivery. “Ignoring audit findings only perpetuates inefficiency. We must act on recommendations and work hand-in-hand with auditors to ensure accountability in every department,” Atim said.
She added that effective auditing and political oversight should complement each other to enhance transparency, equitable resource distribution, and citizen trust in local government.
The call from Uganda’s top internal audit office comes as government accelerates the implementation of National Development Plan IV, which prioritizes industrial growth, public sector accountability, and fiscal discipline.
Insagoma reaffirmed his office’s commitment to strengthening the internal audit function within ministries and local governments, saying oversight must now focus on value for money and measurable outcomes, not just compliance.
“The success of Uganda’s development agenda depends on how well we monitor and evaluate projects,” he said. “Accountability is the backbone of effective governance.”
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