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Revised wealth law to stem graft in Uganda

Friday January 20 2017

Public officials in Uganda will no longer find it easy to conceal their wealth in the family after Parliament amended the Leadership Code Act. The new law now makes wealth declarations more accessible to the public.

The amended law, which awaits presidential assent, is part of efforts to tighten the noose on corrupt public official.

It closes loopholes in the old law (passed in 2002) that allowed public officials to vest ill-gotten wealth in children and other family members who were not subject to the same declaration requirements.

The old law also restricted public access to the declarations. More access, supporters of the law argue, will help the Inspector General of Government in verification as more people will be encouraged to point out omissions in declarations.  However the leader in question must be informed about a third party’s access to his or her declarations.

“Leaders should be prepared to provide explanations regarding the disclosed information and if the property was acquired through hard work and business acumen,” said Cissy N Kagaba, the executive director of the Anti- Corruption Coalition Uganda.

Every leader will be required to submit written declarations of income assets and liabilities once every two years in the month of March. Those whose terms of office expire more than six months after the last declaration will have to make fresh declarations.

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Tanzania, South Africa, the US and Brazil have similar legislation.

Tribunal established

The Act also prohibits misuse of public property, failure to disclose any gift or benefit to the IGG, conflict of interest and misuse of official information.

The amendment also establishes a tribunal and repeals several provisions that were found unconstitutional by the court between 2004 and 2005. In effect, the tribunal trims the IGG’s powers of imposing penalties on offending leaders as it will henceforth adjudicate and pass penalties for all offences committed under the amended Act.

“A person who is dismissed, removed from office or convicted for breach of this code... shall not hold any other public office for a period of five years from date of dismissal,” reads a report by legal and parliamentary affairs.

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