Deputy IGG warns on sale of government jobs, vows crackdown

The Deputy Inspector General of Government, Dr Patricia Achan Okiria, has issued a stern warning over the growing sale of government jobs, describing it as a major threat to integrity in public service.

Speaking during an anti-corruption sensitisation meeting in Kitgum District on Tuesday, Dr Okiria said the Inspectorate of Government has received multiple complaints implicating district service commissions in extortion of job seekers.

Dr Okiria revealed that certain jobs are being sold at fixed prices by officials within District Service Commissions, and their investigation show that job seekers are allegedly presented with a “menu” of positions and corresponding bribe amounts.

She said the vice has tainted the image of District Service Commissions across the country, with growing public perception that government jobs are no longer awarded on merit.

“Because the outright image out there is that District Service Commissions in Uganda are selling jobs… And even the inspectorate of government did a whole study, a whole study and research on that, and discovered that it was true that there is sale of jobs,” she said.

Dr Okiria revealed that some complainants have provided evidence, including mobile money transactions and recorded conversations, showing how bribes are solicited in exchange for employment opportunities.

“When we receive such information, we investigate and take the cases for prosecution because we want to deter and put a stop to this vice,” she added.

She said the Inspectorate is working with other government agencies to develop a comprehensive approach to address corruption in recruitment processes, including possible reforms to district service commissions.

Among the proposals under consideration are the introduction of ad hoc recruitment panels and deployment of independent teams to oversee hiring processes in districts.

Another reform in consideration is automating recruitment systems for DSCs to reduce manual interference and human contact which are often exploited for bribery.

Okiria also noted that poor facilitation of district service commission members could be contributing to the vice, adding that government is reviewing their remuneration as part of broader reforms.

The Deputy IGG warned that individuals found guilty of soliciting or paying bribes for jobs risk prosecution under the Leadership Code Act and other anti-corruption laws.

A 2025 IGG report revealed that over 35% of public service workers admitted to paying bribes to secure their positions, with bribes ranging from UGX 3 million to UGX 50 million.

Christine Akello, a graduate of Public Administration and Management, now doing business in Kitgum, said she was twice asked to send money via mobile platforms and once to deliver cash payments to secure positions, but in all those cases, the promised jobs never materialised.

Akello, who declined to name the districts for security reasons, said “I was told to pay if I wanted to be considered. I sent the money, but I was never called for the job,” Akello revealed.

George Opira, who has a degree in Procurement and Logistics Management has been searching for a job for the past two years.

According to Opira, after attending five interviews, he was approached and asked to “facilitate” officials to influence final recruitment decisions.

“You qualify, you pass interviews, but someone tells you that without money, you won’t get the job. It is very frustrating,” Opira said.

Judith Ayaa, a parent, whose graduate son is yet to get a job after a year of completion, appealed to the government to make the planned reforms to save parents who struggle to pay their children to school, and continue to cater for them after studies because they cannot easily get jobs without connections or corruption.

“Jobs are no longer given on merit. If these reforms are implemented, at least people will compete fairly,” Ayaa said.

“The move could restore trust in public institutions and improve service delivery, because unqualified individuals who secure jobs through bribery often perform poorly,” she added.

Okiria urged members of the public to report cases of bribery in recruitment, saying community involvement is critical in exposing corruption.

“We want Ugandans to come forward with information so that we can clean up public service and ensure jobs are given on merit,” she said.

According to Dr Okiria, the anti-graft body is shifting focus toward faster investigations and increased prosecutions to deter corruption at all levels.

“We are now prioritising prosecution-led investigations and have set a target to increase our prosecution rate to at least 70 percent,” Dr Okiria said.

According to the Inspectorate, a total of 1,516 complaints of corruption have been registered, of which 1,151 have already been sanctioned, leaving a backlog of about 400 cases.

Dr Okiria said at least 308 corruption cases and 330 ombudsman-related matters have been investigated, reflecting what she described as “significant progress” in handling public complaints.

She revealed that the Inspectorate has also recovered substantial amounts of misappropriated public funds, including about Shs2 trillion, as well as Shs844 million paid out to public officials in arrears such as pensions, salaries and gratuities.

“We are telling those who have caused financial loss to government to refund within 14 days. Failure to do so will lead to prosecution,” she warned.

The Inspectorate noted that regional inspectorate offices have been directed to submit at least three cases for prosecution every month, a move that has already led to an increase in cases being taken to court.

To enhance investigations, the agency is deploying analytical tools and engaging specialised experts to verify asset declarations and detect inconsistencies through financial analysis and field inspections.

“We are combining online verification with physical checks on the ground to ensure what is declared reflects reality,” she said.

The Inspectorate is also strengthening collaboration with key institutions such as the Criminal Investigations Directorate, the Anti-Corruption Court and the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions to improve case handling and prosecution outcomes.

Dr Okiria said community involvement remains central to the anti-corruption fight, with the Inspectorate working with local monitoring groups to report cases and track service delivery at grassroots level.

She emphasized that the crackdown is part of a wider strategy by the Inspectorate to strengthen enforcement through prosecution-led investigations, targeting both corrupt officials and beneficiaries of illegal recruitment.