Abuse of office has emerged as the most common offence committed by officials in local governments, undermining accountability, fuelling corruption and weakening service delivery across the country.

Local governments collectively manage more than Shs 7 trillion from the national budget and serve as the frontline institutions responsible for delivering essential public services, including healthcare, education, water, road infrastructure and agricultural extension services.

However, reports by the Inspectorate of Government (IGG) point to persistent cases of public officials abusing their offices for personal gain, improperly influencing administrative decisions and disregarding established procedures in the execution of their duties.

The Inspectorate says such practices erode public trust, compromise transparency and accountability, and impede the delivery of services intended to improve citizens’ welfare.

According to the IGG Performance Report 2025, the Inspectorate investigated and concluded 257 cases involving local governments during the reporting period. The investigations resulted in recommendations for the recovery of Shs 2.1 billion, administrative action against 222 public officials and the prosecution of 22 officers.

The report shows that abuse of office accounted for the highest number of cases investigated, with 83 cases. Misappropriation of funds followed with 26 cases, embezzlement with 12, and forgery with 11. The Inspectorate also investigated 10 bribery cases and five cases involving causing financial loss to government, among other offences.

The IGG said it has intensified engagement with stakeholders in local governments to address the root causes of corruption in public service delivery and identify measures to curb the vice. Local leaders in Luwero district say abuse of office remains widespread in government institutions but often goes unnoticed or unreported, with serious implications for service delivery.

Erastus Kibirango, the LCV chairperson of Luwero district, said some public officers abuse their offices because they lack adequate knowledge of the regulations, while others do so deliberately because the practice has become normalised.

Kibirango identified the misuse of government vehicles and fuel as one of the most common, yet least reported, forms of abuse of office.

“Many officers use government vehicles contrary to established regulations, but such cases rarely reach the Inspectorate of Government because the practice has become normalized in some institutions,” said Kibirango.

He cited instances where senior officers drive government vehicles to their private residences instead of using designated official drivers as required by the regulations.

“Such actions may appear minor, but they amount to abuse of office and reflect a broader disregard for public service regulations,” he noted.

Bernard Okello, the Luwero district human resource officer, said abuse of office can occur through both action and omission, particularly when officers deliberately disregard laid-down procedures.

According to Okello, chief administrative officers can invoke disciplinary measures under the Rewards and Sanctions Framework of 2019, where such cases are reported.

“Where officers feel that justice may not be served through internal disciplinary mechanisms, they can report the matter to the IGG, which has powers to investigate and prosecute abuse of office as a criminal offense,” Okello said.

Erukam Kyoole Wamala, chairperson of the Luwero district Public Accounts Committee, said abuse of office has significantly affected service delivery, particularly where senior officials exploit their positions to solicit bribes, influence decisions or favour individuals in recruitment and deployment processes.

“The unfortunate thing is that many cases of abuse of office are never reported or successfully prosecuted because victims fear retaliation or choose not to report them to the relevant authorities,” Kyoole said.

He noted that the Public Accounts Committee mainly handles cases involving misappropriation of funds, embezzlement and financial loss because such offences leave documentary evidence, unlike abuse of office, which is often difficult to prove.

Concerns over the misuse of government property in Luwero are not new. In the Auditor General’s reports for the 2014/2015 and 2015/2016 financial years, the district administration was faulted for lacking effective policies to manage and control its vehicle fleet.

A decade later, little appears to have changed. Government vehicles are still frequently seen operating during weekends, beyond official working hours and outside the district without movement orders issued by the chief administrative officer.

Public Service Standing Orders require accounting officers in ministries and local governments to authorise the use of pool vehicles through movement orders, particularly outside official working hours.

Government vehicles are generally restricted to official duties between 8:00 am and 5:00 pm. The Standing Orders further require officers retaining government vehicles beyond official hours to park them at the nearest police station for safe custody.

Despite these regulations, residents say government vehicles are regularly seen parked outside bars late at night, while others are allegedly used to transport charcoal, firewood and water for private purposes, pointing to continued disregard for public service guidelines.

As the Inspectorate intensifies efforts to combat corruption in local governments, leaders and accountability advocates are calling for stricter enforcement of regulations, stronger whistleblower protection and greater public vigilance to curb abuse of office and improve service delivery.

On Tuesday, June 30, the Inspectorate, through the Transparency, Accountability and Anti-Corruption (TAAC) programme, is expected to meet leaders in Luwero to sensitise them on the ombudsman’s mandate in promoting accountability and improving service delivery.

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