Jacob Marksons Oboth-Oboth says delayed parliamentary action risks undermining the Inspectorate of Government’s anti-corruption work, as its latest report shows Shs5.72 billion recovered out of Shs41.59 billion ordered for recovery.
Speaker of Parliament Jacob Marksons Oboth has warned that the Inspectorate of Government risks losing public relevance if Parliament continues delaying action on its findings and recommendations on corruption.
Oboth said reports submitted by the Inspectorate had previously taken too long to be handled, leaving parliamentary recommendations “gathering dust” instead of translating into action against corruption and the recovery of public funds.
“Corruption is not done in the forest. It’s among us,” Oboth said, describing corruption as “an industry” that is increasingly outpacing traditional methods of investigation and enforcement.
He made the remarks on Monday while hosting the Inspector General of Government, Lady Justice Aisha Naluzze Batala, her senior management team and parliamentary committee chairpersons at Parliament in Kampala.
The meeting was held ahead of the presentation of the Inspectorate’s 55th Bi-Annual Performance Report, covering January to June 2026, which was scheduled to be laid before Parliament on Tuesday, October 13.
Oboth directed the Clerk to ensure the report was presented to the House and called for stalled parliamentary recommendations to be returned to the Inspectorate with supporting evidence to facilitate further investigations and action.
He also proposed introducing deadlines in Parliament’s Rules of Procedure to ensure recommendations arising from the Inspectorate’s reports are acted upon within specific timeframes.
The Speaker further called for a dedicated budget line to support rewards for whistleblowers whose information helps expose corruption.
He urged Parliament’s Budget Committee to prioritise filling 168 vacant positions at the Inspectorate, saying the institution needs adequate staffing to strengthen its investigative and enforcement capacity.
The Inspectorate’s report shows that it concluded 1,472 investigations during the six-month period and conducted 177 investigations under the Leadership Code, compared with 13 in the preceding comparison cited at the meeting.
The institution also secured 26 convictions, representing an 89.7 per cent conviction rate, and inspected 543 government projects to assess implementation and the use of public resources.
However, the report indicates a significant gap between the money ordered for recovery and the amount actually recovered.
The Inspectorate recovered Shs5.72 billion out of Shs41.59 billion ordered for recovery. It also recommended Shs1.509 billion in compensation for complainants under its ombudsman mandate.
The recovery figures are likely to attract scrutiny as MPs examine whether investigations are translating into tangible results in protecting public resources and holding those responsible for wrongdoing accountable.
During the meeting, MPs questioned the Inspectorate’s effectiveness in ensuring value for money in government projects and whether its investigations sufficiently target major corruption networks rather than focusing on lower-level officials.
Batala defended the Inspectorate’s approach, insisting that no individual was beyond scrutiny.
“No one is untouchable,” she said.
The report’s presentation gives MPs an opportunity to question the Inspectorate further on its performance, financial recoveries and the implementation of its recommendations.
Oboth’s concerns also put Parliament’s own oversight record under scrutiny, particularly whether committee recommendations and findings from accountability institutions are followed through to their logical conclusion.
The Speaker wants Parliament to move beyond receiving reports to enforcing action, with deadlines, adequate institutional funding and follow-up mechanisms forming part of efforts to strengthen the fight against corruption.