IGG asks MPs exiting parliament to declare wealth

Kampala, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | The Inspectorate of Government (IG) has asked Members of Parliament and other leaders who were not re-elected to declare their wealth even as they exit their offices.

On Wednesday, the IG launched the module for exit declaration which enables leaders who are ceasing to serve as public officers to declare their incomes, assets, and liabilities within six months from the end of their service period to comply with the Leadership Code Act.

The call was made by Mariam Wangadya, the second Deputy IGG alongside George Bamugemereire also Deputy IG on Thursday while meeting the Speaker of Parliament Rebecca Kadaga.

Wangadya says that the exit declaration module will enable them to comply with the Leadership Code Act to avoid a breach that attracts prosecution by the IGG through the leadership code tribunal. She says that if the leaders exit the offices without filing the forms, they will be constantly reminded by the IG before any action is taken.

The IG has also decried the slow pace of submissions of wealth declaration by leaders.

According to Wandadya, as of 10th March 2021, so far only 1,567 leaders of the 30,000 expected have successfully submitted their declaration of wealth and yet they are expected to submit the declarations after every six months.

Kadaga also said that she will remind the appointing authority to fully constitute the office of the IGG.

The office of the IGG fell vacant on July 5, 2020, following the expiry of the contract of Justice Irene Mulyagonja after serving for eight years. She was immediately appointed to the Court of Appeal while the contract of Bamugemereire expires this week and that of Mariam Wangandya expires in four months.

Ali Munira, the IG spokesperson says that the institution faces a challenge of the late declaration of wealth by leaders.

In the National Integrity survey conducted by the IGG, Parliament emerged as the fourth-best performer at 96% with the 4% failure being as a result of some MPs failing to declare their wealth.

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