KAMPALA,UGANDA – Ugandans seeking employment in local governments paid at least Shs29 billion in bribes between 2018 and 2022, according to a research report by the Inspectorate of Government [IG].
The findings, which expose deep-rooted corruption in public sector recruitment, were launched in August 2025 at Hotel Africana. Prime Minister Robinah Nabbanja represented President Yoweri Museveni at the event.
According to the report, the payments were made by job seekers pursuing positions advertised through District and City Service Commissions across the country. The study found that corruption had effectively turned public service jobs into commodities for sale, locking out many qualified candidates and undermining merit-based recruitment.
Following the launch, the Inspectorate engaged District and City Service Commissions and disseminated the findings in 24 districts as part of efforts to promote reforms and strengthen accountability in local government hiring.
The revelations have renewed concerns about integrity in public service recruitment. The Inspectorate warned that corruption in hiring directly affects the quality of services delivered to citizens.
“Because local governments are the level of government closest to citizens, corruption in recruitment can have far-reaching consequences for service delivery,” the IG said.
The report noted that the quality of teachers, health workers, engineers, and other public officers is directly affected when recruitment decisions are influenced by bribes rather than competence.
The Inspectorate said the findings would guide policy reforms and strengthen oversight mechanisms aimed at eliminating bribery in recruitment.
