Corruption is expected to take center stage in today’s State of the Nation Address as Uganda prepares to enter a new financial year, the Daily Star has learned.
The address, to be delivered at Kololo Ceremonial Grounds, marks the commencement of the fifth and final session of the 11th Parliament. President Yoweri Museveni is set to speak on critical national issues including corruption, security, and wealth creation.
Since the beginning of the 11th Parliament and Museveni’s sixth term, the country has seen a surge in corruption allegations involving high-ranking government officials and Members of Parliament. At least five MPs have been arrested and charged in court, along with parish chiefs and other public servants accused of embezzling Parish Development Model (PDM) funds.
Notably, Lwengo District Woman MP Cissy Namujju, Busiki MP Paul Akamba, and Bunyole East MP Yusuf Mutembuli were charged at the Anti-Corruption Court for allegedly soliciting a bribe from Mariam Fauzat Wangadya, Chairperson of the Uganda Human Rights Commission. The trio allegedly demanded a 20% share of the commission’s increased 2024/25 budget in exchange for influencing its approval in Parliament.
The court later released them on Shs 50 million cash bail, with each of their sureties bonded at Shs 100 million non-cash.
Separately, Igara East MP Michael Mawanda, Elgon County MP Ignatius Wamakuyu Mudimi, and Paul Akamba also face charges related to the alleged fraudulent diversion of Shs 7.3 billion, earmarked for the Buyaka Growers Cooperative Society Limited.
In 2023, former State Minister for Trade Harriet Ntababazi revealed that at least 30 MPs were under criminal investigation over the suspected embezzlement of Shs 164 billion, allocated in the 2011/2012 financial year to compensate cooperative societies.
According to The Observer, in April 2025, MPs allegedly received bribes ranging from Shs 500,000 to Shs 2 million to advocate for the retention of government agencies proposed for reintegration into parent ministries.
The Inspectorate of Government (IG) reports that Uganda loses Shs 10 trillion annually due to corruption, resulting in poor infrastructure, delays in service delivery, reduced investor confidence, and a general erosion of public trust in government institutions.
The 2023 Corruption Perceptions Index (CPI) placed Uganda 141st out of 180 countries, with a score of 26 out of 100, indicating high levels of perceived public sector corruption.
Despite these challenges, the IG reported some success in 2024, recovering Shs 6.8 billion from corrupt officials. The IG received 3,004 complaints, sanctioned 2,630 cases for investigation, and conducted 1,024 corruption-related investigations, half of which occurred in the latter half of the year.
Corruption, however, is not new. Historians trace its roots to the pre-colonial era, when local chiefs accepted bribes from British imperialists in exchange for land, power, and influence—sometimes even selling their own people into slavery.
In addition to tackling corruption, the President is expected to officially launch the National Development Plan IV (NDP IV) and speak on national security, wealth creation initiatives, and other matters of public concern.
