The Parliamentary Commissioner, Hon. Esther Afoyochan, acting on behalf of Speaker Anita Among, received the bi-annual reports from the Inspectorate of Government (IG). These reports encompassed the periods January-June 2022, July-December 2022, and January-June 2023, in compliance with Article 231(1) of the Constitution. This article mandates the Inspectorate of Government to submit reports to Parliament every six months, evaluating its functions and making recommendations for the effective operation of public institutions.
The reports were handed over to Afoyochan by the Inspectorate of Government’s head, Beti Kamya, during a ceremony on September 20, 2023. In a statement delivered on behalf of the Speaker, Afoyochan praised the Inspectorate of Government for their punctual report submissions, emphasizing the importance of these reports for parliamentary oversight. She noted that these reports provide crucial insights into the performance and financial status of entities under the purview of various parliamentary committees. She also acknowledged the 11th Parliament’s commitment to promptly reviewing annual and bi-annual reports from public sector entities.
According to Article 231(3) of the 1995 Constitution, the Speaker will present these reports in the House during the next session, after the current recess. Subsequently, the reports will be referred to the Parliamentary Committee on Legal and Parliamentary Affairs for detailed examination.
Kamya, in her comments, highlighted the Inspectorate’s focus on mobilizing and empowering citizens to combat corruption and foster a positive mindset. She underscored the Inspectorate’s dedication to monitoring and inspecting projects, as well as investigating, prosecuting, and recovering corruption-related proceeds. Kamya also announced the Inspectorate’s commitment to digitizing their monitoring, reporting, and investigation systems, aiming to achieve 90% digitization within the next two years.
Over the past three reporting periods, the Inspectorate of Government received 3,504 complaints, concluded 1,528 corruption investigations, and recovered Shs7.99 billion out of the recommended Shs38.7 billion. Additionally, 92 individuals were prosecuted, resulting in 43 convictions. The decrease in the number of corruption investigations was attributed to internal restructuring and staff reallocation. However, the increase in recoveries was linked to the emphasis on asset recovery and the establishment of the IG Compliance Division, which ensures the implementation of IG recommendations.
