Anti-corruption agencies push for tough asset seizure law
They made the vow during the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) meeting at the Public Procurement and Disposal of Public Assets Authority URF Towers in Kampala city on June 4, 2025.
The Inspector General of Government (IGG) Beti Kamya (right) talking to Samuel Were Wandera, Executive Director Financial Intelligence Authority (FIA). (Photo by Mpalanyi Ssentongo)
By Michael Odeng
Journalists @New Vision
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Anti-corruption agencies including the Inspectorate of Government (IG) are pushing for a tough asset seizure law to enable the state to recover proceeds of ill-gotten wealth.
They made the vow during the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) meeting at the Public Procurement and Disposal of Public Assets Authority URF Towers in Kampala city on June 4, 2025.
The Inspector General of Government (IGG) Beti Kamya addressing the participants during the Anti-Corruption roundtable fast-tracking UNCAC implementation meeting at PPDA head offices in Nakasero on Wednesday 4th June 2025. (Photo by Mpalanyi Ssentongo)
The anti-corruption agencies are pushing for the law together with civil society organisations.
Earlier, attempts to push for such a law were downplayed by Attorney General Kiryowa Kiwanuka in 2023, advising that the Directorate of Ethics and Integrity should work on the regulations under the existing law under the Anti-Corruption Act.
A commissioner from the Directorate of Ethics and Integrity, who declined to be named, said Inspector General of Government (IGG) Beti Kamya should follow up the issue with the Attorney General.
“The Attorney General said we do not require a new law because the legal framework for seizing the proceeds of crime is sufficient,” the commissioner told the committee members.
The anti-corruption agencies highlighted gaps in Uganda’s asset recovery framework, noting the absence of a dedicated law and limited use of conviction-based approaches.
“While the Money Laundering Act provides a foundation, it does not authorise non-conviction-based forfeiture, a gap that undermines the recovery of illicit assets,” IGG Kamya said.
The anti-corruption agencies underscored the need to strengthen legal frameworks, develop inter-agency cooperation protocols and build the technical capacity of investigators through specialised training and tools such as forensic accounting and artificial intelligence-driven financial analysis.
The ODPP Asset Recovery Department, led by chief state attorney Annette Namatovu, said they need a comprehensive law on asset recovery to cater not only for offences under the Anti-Corruption Act but for all other cases such as obtaining money by false pretences, that benefit the suspects economically.
Participants of the Anti-Corruption roundtable fast-tracking UNCAC implementation meeting at the Public Procurement and Disposal of Public Assets PPDA head offices in Nakasero, Kampala on Wednesday, June 4, 2025. (Photo by Mpalanyi Ssentongo)
She also said that the law should cater for procedures of confiscating and managing illegally acquired assets before court delivers a judgement in a matter.
“There should be parallel financial and criminal investigations on asset recovery,” Namatovu suggested.
Financial Intelligence Authority executive director Samuel Were Wandera suggested that there should be a law that gives the Inspectorate of Government rights to investigate and confiscate ill-gotten assets without getting a court order.
He noted that Uganda does not have experts to undertake financial investigations.