Bundibugyo Woman Mp, ministers on spot for not declaring wealth to the IGG

The woman Member of Parliament for Bundibugyo District Josephine Babungi Bebona is on spot for not submitting her declarations of income, assets, and liabilities to the Inspectorate of Government (IG), in violation of the Leadership Code Act.

Under the Leadership Code Act, leaders and public officers are required to declare their incomes, assets, and liabilities to the Inspectorate of Government.

The declaration period for 2025 commenced on 1st March 2025 and ended on 31st March 2025.

The Inspector General of Government (IGG), Beti Kamya, last month wrote to the Parliament Clerk listing the noncompliant MPs and ministers and Bebona was among them.

It is not clear whether Bebona and Co have made efforts to explain to the IGG why they never declared.

When this publication contacted Bebona for a comment, she insisted that she declared and wondered how her name appeared on the list of those who never declared.

She says she is sure that she declared her wealth this year.

“Just do your research well. But I’m sure I declared my wealth with the IGG. Maybe I could be missing in their system, but I’m sure I declared. You have reminded me to actually get sometime and I go there to check and be sure that I’m in their system because I know I declared,” she said wondering “I also don’t know how my name appeared on the list yet I declared.”

Bebone was however seen at the IGG’s office this week on Monday but we couldn’t establish the details of her trip there.

Not declaring wealth to the IGG is a serious offence which can lead to loss of job and jail if the explanation is not satisfactory, under Leadership Code Act.

Kamya has since raised concerns over low compliance with the Leadership Code declaration requirements in several government entities.

Various entities performed poorly with a declaration rate of less than 50%.

The poor performers include Fortportal Regional Referral Hospital with a declaration rate of 24%, Abim District—46.5%, Kapelebyong District—47%, Amuru District—47.4%, and Masaka City—47.8%.

Declaration is a mitigation measure to reduce incidences of corruption by leaders and public officers, as it enhances transparency and accountability by monitoring their incomes, assets, and liabilities regularly.

Despite the poor performance registered by some entities, Kamya has recognized 34 entities that had a 100% declaration compliance rate by the leaders registered in the IG-ODS.

Busia, Iganga, Moroto, and Kotido Municipalities and Moroto District registered a compliance rate of 100%.

The number of leaders in the register for the March 2025 Declaration was 32,068.

The overall number of institutions that participated in the exercise was 328. Out of which the ministries, departments, and agencies were 131 and local governments were 197.

The number of leaders who submitted their declarations by 31st March, 2025, was 28,856.

The percentage of leaders who declared was 90%.

All leaders from local governments who did not declare will be submitted to the Leadership Code Tribunal by June 2025.

“The leaders with no justifiable cause will be prosecuted at the Leadership Code Tribunal, in accordance with the Leadership Code Act, Cap 33,” Kamya says.

Furthermore, Kamya says the IG is conducting electronic verification of all declarations to identify leaders with high-risk declarations and those found culpable will be prosecuted before the Leadership Code Tribunal or the Anti-Corruption Court, as the case may require.