Uganda’s Auditor General Edward Akol has interdicted about 20 auditors over allegations of corruption and extortion, as his office faces growing scrutiny over why suspected financial abuse recently uncovered in local governments was not detected through annual audits, according to sources familiar with the matter.
The affected officials include principal auditors in Arua, Masaka, Moroto, Hoima, Jinja, Mbale and Soroti, as well as other staff based at the Audit House in Kampala. More than 60 other auditors are also under investigation, the sources said.
“Four auditors were sent out yesterday afternoon and the others received their letters this Thursday morning,” one source said.
Among those named are Arua principal auditor Martin Wamboza, Masaka’s Hilda Bakojja, Moroto’s Samuel Akampurira, Hoima’s Tracy Turyakira, Jinja’s Michael Omoding Noel and Soroti’s Michael Omagor.
The allegations include extortion and possible collusion with accounting officers and accountants in institutions the auditors were assigned to scrutinise.
The claims remain under investigation and no finding of wrongdoing has been made against the affected officials.
Efforts to obtain comment from Akol were unsuccessful. He did not answer repeated telephone calls.
Pressure on the Auditor General’s office has intensified following a series of alleged corruption cases uncovered during inspections led by Local Government Minister Balaam Barugahara.
The inspections have exposed allegations involving misuse of road funds, irregular recruitment, procurement abuses, poor accountability and suspected diversion of public resources in several districts.
The scale of the alleged irregularities has prompted questions about why some were not detected or prominently flagged by auditors who examine local Governents accounts annually.
It has also fuelled concerns about possible collusion between some auditors and officials responsible for public funds, including suspicions that adverse audit findings may have been suppressed or softened in return for personal benefit.
In Ankole, more than 20 officials in Isingiro, Buhweju, Mitooma and Mbarara City have faced interdiction or investigation following recent inspections involving the Local Government ministry and anti-corruption agencies.
In Buhweju, investigators raised questions over road funding, recruitment and other expenditure, while eight senior officials in Mitooma were interdicted over allegations of corruption and incompetence.
The Auditor General is constitutionally mandated to independently scrutinise the use of public funds by ministries, agencies and local governments and report its findings to Parliament.
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