By Joel Kafuko
The Inspectorate of Government (IGG), in partnership with civil society organizations, development partners, accountability institutions, local governments and the media, has relaunched the Bunyoro Anti-Corruption Caravan to reinvigorate efforts aimed at combating corruption across the sub-region.
The initiative, which was largely disrupted by the COVID-19 pandemic, seeks to take anti-corruption interventions closer to communities by providing citizens with direct avenues to engage accountability institutions, report corrupt practices and demand better public services.
Speaking at the launch, Inspector General of Government Aisha Naluze Batala described corruption as one of the greatest impediments to Uganda’s socio-economic transformation, noting that resources lost through graft deprive citizens of quality education, healthcare, infrastructure and livelihood opportunities.
Naluze said the caravan is intended to empower residents to play a more active role in promoting transparency and accountability through community dialogues, public hearings, media engagements, accountability forums and joint monitoring exercises.
The campaign will cover the districts of Kiryandongo, Masindi, Buliisa, Kagadi, Kikuube and Hoima, as well as Hoima City. It brings together institutions mandated to investigate, prosecute and prevent corruption, including the Inspectorate of Government, the Office of the Auditor General, the Directorate of Public Prosecutions, the State House Anti-Corruption Unit, local governments and civil society organizations.
According to Naluze, citizen participation remains central to the fight against corruption because accountability agencies cannot effectively address the vice without information and cooperation from the public. She assured residents that the Inspectorate is committed to protecting whistleblowers and handling complaints impartially and professionally.
The caravan is also expected to strengthen coordination among anti-corruption agencies operating in the region by creating a one-stop platform where citizens can easily access institutions responsible for addressing corruption-related grievances and ensuring public resources are utilized for their intended purposes.
ActionAid Uganda Country Director Samuel Ntale said corruption negatively affects every aspect of community life, including education, health services, infrastructure development and economic opportunities.
He described the Anti-Corruption Caravan as a citizen-driven initiative aimed at amplifying community voices and enhancing public oversight of government programmes.
Ntale urged accountability institutions to ensure that issues raised by citizens result in tangible action, including investigations, prosecution of offenders where sufficient evidence exists and the implementation of commitments made during public engagements.
Transparency International Uganda representative Lilian Zawedde observed that corruption continues to undermine Uganda’s development by diverting resources away from essential public services.
She emphasized that increasing citizen engagement, improving access to information and strengthening institutional accountability are critical to reducing corruption and rebuilding public trust.
Organizers expressed optimism that closer collaboration among citizens, government agencies, civil society organizations and the media will improve service delivery, enhance public oversight and foster a culture of integrity across the Bunyoro sub-region.
As activities commence across the region, stakeholders hope the caravan will move beyond awareness creation and translate into concrete action against corruption, ensuring that public officials remain accountable and that public funds benefit the communities they are intended to serve.
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