The Inspector General of Government (IGG) Beti Kamya has launched a full-scale crackdown on corrupt public servants invoking the Leadership Code Act to force them to declare their assets, income and liabilities.
Speaking on NBS Morning Breeze today March 4th 2025, Kamya revealed that Uganda loses up to UGX 10 trillion annually to corruption with much of this money secretly funneled into lavish mansions, malls and arcades often hidden under the names of relatives, children and even houseboys.
As the March 31st deadline for declaration looms, the IGG has emphasized asset tracing warning that undeclared wealth both in Uganda and abroad will be exposed and confiscated.
Kamya dropped a bombshell when she revealed that some corrupt officials have gone as far as registering multi-billion properties under their domestic workers’ names to evade scrutiny.
“There is a true story of property worth billions hidden in the name of a houseboy,” Kamya stated illustrating the extreme lengths officials go to conceal their sin wealth.
According to her, most of the luxurious mansions and shopping arcades popping up in Wakiso and Kampala do not bear the names of the true owners instead, corrupt officials register them under close relatives, business associates, or even unsuspecting individuals to dodge asset declaration laws.
The IGG’s office has turned to scientific methods to estimate the massive financial drain caused by corruption concluding that UGX 10 trillion vanishes annually.
However, Kamya was quick to note that money is never truly “lost” but instead resurfaces in tangible assets.
“This money is not thrown in the lake. It resurfaces in the acquisition of assets,” she emphasized, reinforcing the urgent need for asset tracing and confiscation.
IGG’s online asset declaration system is now in full force requiring all public servants to declare their wealth by March 31st.
The law explicitly prohibits under-declaration, over-declaration and non-declaration meaning any attempt to manipulate figures will be met with severe consequences.
Kamya is determined to eliminate the usual loopholes promising strict enforcement and random audits.
“This time, we are emphasizing asset tracing whether you have hidden wealth in Uganda or abroad, we will find it,” Kamya warned.
Despite the aggressive pursuit of illegally acquired properties, the IGG faces a major bureaucratic obstacle they cannot dispose of confiscated properties without approval from the Minister of Finance.
“We have a lot of property we have confiscated but we needed to apply to the Minister of Finance to give us the process on how to dispose of them,” Kamya explained.
This delay raises concerns about whether the government is truly committed to punishing corrupt officials or if these seized properties will quietly be returned to their original owners under political pressure.
In a bid to encourage citizens to help unearth hidden wealth, the IGG reminded Ugandans that under the Whistleblowers Act those who provide actionable information that leads to financial recovery are entitled to 5% of the recovered funds.
With billions at stake, this incentive could empower ordinary Ugandans to expose corruption but it also raises security concerns for whistleblowers as retaliation by corrupt officials is a real threat.
With years of failed anti-corruption drives, many Ugandans remain skeptical as March 31st deadline approaches.
