The Inspectorate of Government (IG) has introduced new guidelines for reporting, registering, and handling complaints from the public. The IG has three primary functions: combating corruption, enforcing leadership conduct standards, and acting as an ombudsman to address public complaints about the quality of public services.
These guidelines clarify the IG’s role in recording and investigating complaints and provide instructions for filing complaints. Members of the public dissatisfied with the conduct of public officials can file complaints with the IG through their main office or electronically via email. Public officials who are unhappy with their superiors’ behavior can also file complaints and seek resolution.
The Inspector General of Government, Beti Kamya, emphasized the public’s right to receive quality service from public servants and hold them accountable during their service.
October 12 is International Ombudsman Day, dedicated to educating the public about the ombudsman’s role. This year’s theme is “Raising citizen’s awareness of the Ombuds role for improved service delivery.”
James Onying Penywii, the Director of Research, Education, and Advocacy at the IG, highlighted that the ombudsman’s role is often less known to the public compared to the IG’s anti-corruption mandate. To address this, the IG decided to celebrate the day to increase awareness among the public.
Justice Geoffrey Kiryabwire emphasized the importance of alternative dispute resolution in reducing case backlogs in the courts. He suggested that an active ombudsman role within the IG could reduce the number of cases going to court. He also stressed that the process should be made simple, inexpensive, and informal to avoid bureaucratic delays.
Justice Kiryabwire listed the essential standards for an effective ombudsman, including independence, neutrality, impartiality, confidentiality, and informality.
Prime Minister Robinah Nabbanja suggested providing incentives to people who report issues, even in cases not involving money recovery, to encourage reporting and accountability. The Whistleblowers law may need amending to allow for such incentives.
An ombudsman is an impartial government officer who deals with complaints of administrative injustice and maladministration from the public. Their functions include ensuring accountability, investigating and resolving complaints, and addressing systematic issues.
In the last financial year, the IG received 5,000 Ombudsman cases, with employment disputes and non-payment disputes being the most common forms of maladministration.