Over 61,000 civil servants to face tribunal over failure to declare wealth

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Over 61,000 public officers are set to face the Leadership Code Tribunal for failing to declare their incomes, assets and liabilities during the just concluded April 2026 declaration exercise, the Inspector General of Government (IGG) has said. 

IGG Lady Justice Aisha Naluzze Batala, today, May 15, 2026, disclosed this while addressing journalists at the Uganda Media Centre in Kampala city on the outcomes of the nationwide wealth declaration exercise conducted in April 2026.

Under the law, all public officers are required to declare their wealth every two years. A public officer is any person working in a ministry, department, agency or local government whose salary is paid by the Government and is not a leader specified under Schedule 2 of the Leadership Code Act, Cap 33.

Batala, who was accompanied by her deputy Dr Patricia Achan Okiria and Joram Magezi, the Director of Leadership Code at the Inspectorate of Government, said the exercise registered improved compliance compared to the previous declaration period conducted in 2021.

According to the IGG, 302,800 public officers were registered on the Inspectorate of Government Online Declaration System (IG-ODS) during the 2026 exercise. Out of these, only 241,230 public officers successfully submitted their declarations, representing an 80 per cent compliance rate.

However, 61,570 public officers failed to declare their incomes, assets and liabilities by the April 30 deadline.

“This year we were able to register improvement in the declaration by public officers,” Batala said.

She explained that the declaration exercise is conducted under Article 234 of the Constitution of Uganda and enforced through the Leadership Code Act, which requires leaders and public officers to periodically declare their wealth to the Inspectorate of Government.

Batala said the law was enacted in 2002 and later amended in 2017 and 2021 to strengthen enforcement mechanisms, including the establishment of the Leadership Code Tribunal and the inclusion of all public officers in the declaration exercise.

Under Section 4 of the Leadership Code Act, leaders are required to declare their incomes, assets and liabilities within three months after assuming office and thereafter every two years in March. Section 5 of the same law requires all public officers to declare within three months after assuming office and subsequently every five years.

She noted that public officers first declared their wealth in April 2021 following the amendment of the law to include all civil servants.

During the 2021 declaration exercise, the IG registered 240,000 public servants on the system, but only 185,000 submitted their declarations, translating into a 75 per cent compliance rate. A total of 57,920 public officers failed to declare their wealth during that period.

Batala said enforcement in 2021 was complicated by the COVID-19 pandemic, which disrupted operations and limited compliance monitoring.

“So because of the COVID circumstances, the enforcement and the non-compliance of public officers was a bit challenging,” she explained.

Harmonised data

Learning from the challenges faced in 2021, the Inspectorate embarked on extensive preparations ahead of the 2026 declaration exercise. Batala said the institution harmonised public officers’ data with the Ministry of Public Service, updated the IG-ODS register and recruited graduate trainees to support declarations in local governments.

The Inspectorate of Government also designated focal persons and IT support officers in ministries, departments, agencies and local governments to assist public servants with registration and declaration procedures.

In addition, the IG conducted training sessions for focal persons, IT support teams, graduate trainees and staff of the Leadership Code Tribunal to ensure smooth implementation of the exercise.

The Inspectorate also intensified public awareness campaigns through television and radio talk shows, social media campaigns and field outreach programmes in West Nile and the Kigezi regions.

“These platforms enabled the public officers to become more aware of the procedures and the legal duties associated with the incomes and asset declarations,” Batala said.

Operational challenges

Despite the improved compliance rate, Batala acknowledged that the exercise faced several operational challenges, especially during the final days of declaration.

She revealed that many public officers waited until the last minute to submit their declarations, overwhelming the system and support teams.

“Our office was flooded. On a daily basis, we had about 400 public servants in the last five days who were trying to declare their assets and liabilities,” she said.

The IGG said the late rush caused system shutdowns and network outages, making it difficult for some officers to complete the process in time.

Other challenges included poor internet connectivity in rural areas, lack of access to computers and smartphones, and limited digital literacy among some public officers, particularly in upcountry districts.

Batala also blamed some of the non-compliance on resistance and negative attitudes by certain public officers.

“Some public officers outrightly exhibited unwillingness to comply,” she said.

Legal action

The IGG warned that those who failed to declare their wealth would now face legal action in accordance with the Leadership Code Act.

“We will process cases for officers who did not declare and refer them to the Leadership Code Tribunal,” Batala said.

She explained that the law provides for several sanctions against non-compliant officers, including fines, demotion, dismissal from office, vacation of office and confiscation or forfeiture of illicitly acquired assets and gifts.

“So what happens to these people who have not declared? Several sanctions are spelt out in the Leadership Code Act, where fines, demotions, dismissal from office, vacation from office, confiscation and forfeiture of illicitly acquired assets, gifts or benefits of government officers are enforceable,” she warned.

Batala further revealed that the Inspectorate is engaging the Head of Public Service to amend standing orders to make wealth declaration mandatory for all persons seeking employment in public service at entry level.

She added that the IG will now focus more on enforcement and verification of declarations rather than mobilisation campaigns.

“We will therefore play a very minimal role in mobilising leaders and public officers to declare. The responsibility to declare will be solely on the declarant,” she said.

The Inspectorate also plans to strengthen the use of electronic verification tools to identify high-risk public officers for investigation and verification of declared wealth.

Batala called upon the public and the media to support the fight against corruption by reporting suspicious wealth, unexplained assets and flamboyant lifestyles among public officials.

“We also request you the media to continue playing a pivotal role in supporting the enforcement of the Leadership Code by identifying, exposing and facilitating the reporting of public officers’ incomes and assets to the Inspectorate of Government for verification and investigation,” she said.