The Independent Uganda: You get the Truth we Pay the Price
Why communities should be empowered to question officials about unexplained wealth
Kampala, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | Up to 41% of Ugandans believe that the judicial system and the police do not treat corruption perpetrators fairly, according to new findings from a Twaweza report released on Friday (1st August) via the X Space platform.
The report, based on responses from 2,745 Ugandans collected between June and July last year, reveals widespread public skepticism about the effectiveness of Uganda’s anti-corruption institutions.
Marie Nanyanzi, Senior Program Officer at Twaweza, said the findings show a public perception that both the police and the judiciary lack the will or tools to punish corrupt officials—regardless of their social or political standing.
“Despite the presence of many anti-corruption institutions, Ugandans have little hope that corruption cases are handled fairly,” Nanyanzi noted.
She highlighted a troubling pattern where officials implicated in corruption scandals are briefly exposed but later reappear in influential public offices. This lack of sustained accountability, she added, erodes public trust and reinforces the belief that punitive measures are ineffective.
Nanyanzi called for the implementation of long-term punitive strategies to reverse this trend and restore faith in the country’s justice system.
A Culture of Impunity?
David Kizito of Transparency International Uganda, responding to the report, emphasized the need for community-based accountability.
“Communities should be empowered to question officials about unexplained wealth, especially when their lifestyle clearly exceeds known income levels,” he said. Kizito stressed that Uganda has strong anti-corruption laws, but enforcement is often selective.
This, he warned, creates “untouchables” and fuels a culture of impunity. “We are massaging corruption instead of confronting it head-on. The consequences must be serious and the risks severe if we’re to see any change,” he stated.
To reduce opportunities for bribery, extortion, and nepotism, Kizito recommended reducing face-to-face interactions in public service delivery and embracing digital solutions.
Disconnect in Perceptions The report also reveals a disconnect between how corruption is experienced by elites versus grassroots communities. Educated individuals and men are slightly more likely to describe corruption as a serious problem, likely due to their better understanding of the economic impact of graft on national resources.
Despite widespread concern about corruption, views on the government’s response are divided. According to the report, 51% of Ugandans either agree or strongly agree that the government is doing enough to fight corruption. Meanwhile, 36% disagree or strongly disagree. When asked what should be done, the top two citizen recommendations were arresting and charging corrupt officials, cited by 29%, and introducing stricter laws, also cited by 29%.
In contrast, better supervision of government was cited by only 7%, and audits by just 1%, indicating a strong public appetite for visible, punitive action rather than bureaucratic solutions. Salary Inequality and Corruption Media professional Moses Mulondo commented on the findings, highlighting salary disparities in government institutions.
He noted that employees in entities like Parliament earn far more than those in local governments and ministries. “For Uganda to address corruption meaningfully, there needs to be harmonization of salaries across the public sector,” Mulondo said.
Uganda’s Global Standing Uganda currently holds a Corruption Perception Index (CPI) score of 26 out of 100, ranking 140th out of 180 countries globally. This score reflects a high level of perceived corruption, and it has remained unchanged since the previous year.
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