IGG Faces Scrutiny Over Failure to Pay Whistleblowers

What the report says

Uganda’s Inspectorate of Government (IGG) is under scrutiny after lawmakers and whistleblowers raised concerns that people who helped expose recoverable public funds have not been paid the rewards promised under the Whistleblowers Act. According to Nile Post, five petitioners told Parliament’s Committee on Commissions, Statutory Authorities and State Enterprises (COSASE) that the anti-corruption body had withheld their shares despite their information contributing to fund recoveries.

The article says the law entitles whistleblowers to a payment equal to 5% of the amount recovered through information they provide. COSASE chairperson Muwadda Nkunyingi said he had received the petitions and argued that the complainants had risked their safety to report wrongdoing. The issue centers on whether the IGG has fulfilled its legal obligations and whether the reward system is working as intended.

Deputy Inspector General of Government Anny Muhairwe told the committee that implementation has been hampered by gaps in the law and the lack of a dedicated budget. She said the statute sets out the 5% reward, but the mechanism for making payments is unclear, and suggested that specific funding would help speed up compensation. The matter matters because whistleblower rewards are meant to encourage reporting of corruption and support recovery of public money.