Lamwo District trails in wealth declaration compliance at 21%

Only 21 percent of public officers in Lamwo District have updated their wealth declaration registers, far below the expected full compliance.

Dr Patricia Achan Okiria, the Deputy Inspector General of Government made the disclosure during a sensitisation meeting with district officials in Kitgum on Tuesday, ahead of the April 2026 declaration exercise, where public officers are required to declare their income, assets and liabilities under the Leadership Code Act.

According to Dr Okiria, while Kitgum District and Kitgum Municipality both achieved 100 percent update of their registers, Lamwo District lagged at just 21 percent.

The low compliance rate raises concerns about preparedness for the upcoming mandatory declaration scheduled for April, which targets all public officers paid from the government consolidated fund.

Dr Okiria warned that failure to update the register could hinder smooth participation in the online declaration system and expose defaulters to penalties under the law.

She noted that public officers are required to submit their declarations every five years, with the last exercise conducted in 2021. The 2026 exercise will be conducted electronically through the IG online declaration system.

The inspectorate said the declaration process is critical in promoting transparency, accountability and detecting corruption, including illicit enrichment and conflict of interest in public service.

“Declaration helps build public trust and ensures that public offices are held in trust for the people,” Dr Okiria stated.

She also cautioned that non-compliance, false declarations or failure to submit could result in sanctions by the Leadership Code Tribunal, including fines, demotion or dismissal from office.

District leaders in Lamwo have now been tasked to urgently mobilise staff and support focal point persons to ensure the register is fully updated before the March 20 deadline.

“Every leader and public officer is required to declare their incomes, assets and liabilities. Leaders declare every two years, while public officers declare every five years, and this April we are focusing on public officers,” she said.

Dr Okiria warned that breaches of the law include failure to declare, under-declaration, over-declaration and anticipatory declaration, where officials declare assets they do not own.

Such violations, she said, attract sanctions from the Leadership Code Tribunal, including fines, caution, demotion, dismissal or removal from office.