IGG calls for external auditors to prove work

Kampala. The Inspector General of Government (IGG), Ms Irene Mulyagonja, has said she wants an external evaluation of her office in order to show the public what the Inspectorate of Government has been able to achieve.

Justice Mulyagonja made the remarks while closing a dissemination workshop of the findings of an evaluation. The evaluation covered the IGG’s performance in implementing the Transparency, Accountability and Anti-Corruption (TAAC) component of the Second Northern Uganda Social Action Fund (NUSAF 2).
The report, from a study conducted by Dr Nathan Fiola of the United States-based University of Connecticut, was launched in Kampala by the State Minister for Northern Uganda Affairs, Ms Grace Kwiyucwiny, yesterday.

Ms Mulyagonja said after the evaluation of her office on TAAC sub-component of NUSAF 2 posted good results, it was important for the same to be done on the entire Inspectorate because there have been claims that it has “no impact”.
“I am very happy with these findings on TAAC sub-component. We need an impact evaluation as the inspectorate. An evaluation should be carried also at our regional offices to see what we have been able to accomplish (in fighting corruption) because we are being accused of not making an impact,” Ms Mulyagonja said.

Without giving further details of when and how the evaluation would be conducted, the IGG suggested her office could hire the services of Dr Fiola.
Asked why the IGG calls for an external audit nearly two years to the end of her term office, Ms Munira Ali the Inspectorate spokesperson, later told Daily Monitor that the evaluation would not be on the current IGG but the entire life span of the office.
“She (IGG) is doing it for the institution. The evaluation is not for her and this should understood by all Ugandans. The Inspectorate of Government has been in existence for 30 years and there has never been any evaluation,” she said.

Ms Munira added that the evaluation is good because doubters of the performance of the IGG will enlightened by the findings on achievements and challenges people who have held that office registered from one to another.
While delivering the State of the Nation Address on June 6, President Museveni questioned the impact of the Inspectorate in the fight against corruption one of the big vices preying on the country’s economy.
Mr Museveni then announced a three-man anti-corruption unit to be accommodated in his office that would be tasked to receive corruption complaints by those who were not free to go to the IGG.
However, Ms Mulyagonja said her office was being failed by corrupt officials who are “powerful” and always “fight back” whenever she pursues them.

Budget challenges
Ms Kwiyucwiny commended the IGG for employing a training and sensitisation approach while implementing the TAAC sub component of NUSAF 2, adding that it is important that Cabinet considers increasing the budget allocations to her office.
“We would like to see the IGG component of transparency and accountability reaching the grassroots because when we talk about corruption people think it is in high offices. With Cabinet, I can say this means that the scope of work of the IGG has expanded and so there is need for more money,” Ms Kwiyucwiny said.

The executive director of the Anti-Corruption Coalition Uganda, Ms Cissy Kagaba, welcomed the IGG’s call for evaluation of the IGG, saying there is need for people to know what that office has achieved despite logistical challenges.
Ms Kagaba also suggested such an evaluation should include the other government accountability agencies since they are supposed to work hand-in-hand with IGG in the fight against corruption.

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