It has been revealed that 41 percent of Ugandans believe that the police and judiciary do not treat perpetrators of corruption equally, according to a recent report by Twaweza. The report, based on opinions gathered from 2,745 Ugandans between June and July last year, was shared during a public discussion hosted on the X Space platform on Friday night.
Marie Nanyanzi, Senior Program Officer at Twaweza, noted that many Ugandans perceive the justice system and law enforcement as lacking effective punitive measures to hold corrupt officials accountable especially those with status and influence.
“Despite the numerous anti-corruption institutions in place, Ugandans have little faith that corruption cases are handled fairly,” Nanyanzi said. She cited examples of officials implicated in corruption scandals who, after brief public exposure, return to high-profile positions of authority.
She emphasized that the failure to impose long-term punitive consequences contributes to public disillusionment with the system. “People feel that the systems in place are not working because they are not delivering justice,” she added.
Commenting on the report, David Kizito from Transparency International emphasized the need for robust community accountability mechanisms. “Communities should be able to question public officials about their wealth, especially when it appears disproportionate to their known earnings,” he said.
Kizito acknowledged that while Uganda has solid anti-corruption laws, they are poorly implemented and selectively enforced. “We have too many ‘untouchables’ in Uganda. That’s why impunity is on the rise,” he remarked. “For Uganda to successfully combat corruption, the consequences must be severe. Right now, we’re merely massaging the problem.”
To reduce corruption, Kizito recommended minimizing face-to-face interactions in public service delivery and embracing digital platforms to curb bribery, extortion, solicitation, and nepotism.
The report also found that men and more educated individuals are slightly more likely to perceive corruption in Uganda as severe. There is a noted disconnect between the perceptions of corruption among elites versus rural citizens. The former tend to be more aware of the magnitude and impact of corruption, including the vast amounts of public funds lost.
Despite widespread recognition that corruption is a serious issue, Ugandans are divided on the government’s effectiveness in addressing it. While 51% of respondents agree or strongly agree that the government is doing enough, a significant minority (36%) disagree or strongly disagree.
When asked about potential solutions, Ugandans proposed two main strategies: arresting and prosecuting corrupt officials (29%) and introducing stricter anti-corruption laws (29%). Other suggestions included better supervision of government activities (7%) and audits (1%).
Media practitioner Moses Mulondo, also commenting on the report, highlighted the salary disparities across government institutions. “People working in authorities like Parliament are highly paid, while those in local governments and ministries receive very little,” he said.
Mulondo called for harmonization of salaries across sectors to ensure fairness and reduce corruption incentives. Uganda’s Corruption Perception Index (CPI) score remains stagnant at 26 out of 100, placing it 140th out of 180 countries—reflecting a high level of perceived corruption in the country’s public sector.