IGG Commits to Addressing Low Pay in Junior Servants’ to Fight Corruption

Inspector General of Government (IGG) Beti Olive Kamya has pledged to address the issue of salary enhancement for junior civil servants as a strategy to combat corruption.

Kamya was confronted with the stark reality of how entrenched corruption has become in the daily lives of low level civil servants during a meeting held at the office of the prime minister on Wednesday.

Various officers, including secretaries, assistants, drivers, bodyguards, and other low-level staff from different government departments and agencies, expressed their struggles, stating that their meager salaries force them to accept bribes and cover up illegal activities conducted by their superiors.

Some civil servants disclosed instances where their bosses provided them with large sums of money obtained through illicit deals, sometimes exceeding 2 million shillings. Additionally, drivers admitted to escorting senior officials to locations where corrupt transactions took place and sometimes even benefiting from the proceeds.

Despite possessing valuable information, many staff members expressed reluctance to report corruption due to fear of repercussions and the belief that verbal confessions from junior staff are insufficient to hold higher-ups accountable.

“I am a secretary, I receive 220,000 Shillings per month, and many times the money delays to come. So, if the boss offers me two million shillings for an illegal deal, I accept whatever is given to me in peace because the salary I get cant pay rent or school fees for my children. In fact I will even take a portion to church as tithe to thank God,” one staff narrated

In response, Kamya acknowledged the plight of low-level staffers who are manipulated by their superiors into facilitating corrupt activities. She however emphasized that reporting such incidents before they escalate is  equally important.

“You, the secretaries, drivers, and other support staff in the public service know what is happening. Provide us with this information to catch the big fish,” Kamya said.

Adding that: “Verbal confessions are not enough to hold the higher-ups accountable, and this leaves junior staff to bear the brunt of the consequences. They have been manipulated, and when the situation becomes difficult, they are abandoned. Why wait until you find yourself in trouble? Report them before it’s too late,”

Kamya highlighted the potential benefits of reporting corrupt activities, as an opportunity for junior staffers to receive a percentage of the recovered funds.

“In many government departments and agencies, money is stolen in billions. However, the law stipulates that if you report to us, we can give you 5 percent of the recovered funds. If it is a billion, you earn 50 million shillings. I believe this is a better option. In many cases, we hear that you are given just 2 million or even less,” noted Kamya.

Furthermore, Kamya urged lower staff to refrain from being used as pawns in corrupt schemes, such as signing documents on behalf of their superiors or drafting loose minutes without clear direction. She advised them to request their bosses to provide written directives and orders, thereby creating a paper trail that can be used as evidence in investigations.

“We are aware that bosses often use you, and many times, there is no clear evidence to present. We are in talks with the head of civil servants. We want all directives and requests made in the office to be put into writing and to do away with verbal communications,” added Kamya.

Kamya further assured the civil servants that she would bring the issue of salary enhancement to the attention of the president once again.

According to a report by the IGG, Uganda loses close to 10 trillion shillings to corruption annually.