IGG Faults Minister Balaam’s Anti-Corruption Crusade, Cites Violation of Due Process

Balaam Barugahara, Minister of Minister of Local Government

The Inspectorate of Government has criticised the manner in which Balaam Barugahara, Minister of Minister of Local Government, is carrying out his anti-corruption operations, saying suspects are condemned as guilty contrary to the natural rule of justice that requires them to be presumed innocent until proved guilty.

The rebuke was issued by Aisha Naluzze, Inspector General of Government (IGG), while handing over the bi-annual Inspectorate of Government report for January to June 2026 to Speaker of Parliament Jacob Oboth Oboth on October 12, 2026.

Naluzze noted: “When it comes to the Minister, we do appreciate whatever they are doing in the fight against corruption. I believe it is a good move, but unfortunately, as custodians of the law, we definitely don’t agree with some of the actions that are being undertaken. I believe due process has to be followed when you are carrying out these arrests and shaming people in front of the public. But we are working out a way to coordinate with the Minister to see how this can be handled in a better way.”

Her condemnation was in response to a question raised by Leader of Opposition Joel Ssenyonyi, who wondered if the Inspectorate is coordinating with all anti-corruption agencies to ensure cases are prosecuted instead of being abandoned after media frenzy wears off.

“If a minister or a presidential advisor arrests a teacher for collecting money from parents, a district engineer for failing to account for Shs10 million or whatever the case might be, do you coordinate as the lead agency for these prosecutions to happen? Because if prosecution does not happen, then it will be seen as showbiz just for the media. That people will be put on handcuffs and by end of day they’ve been released and not much happens. So, are we following up to be sure we are fighting corruption?” Ssenyonyi asked.

The Leader of Opposition also criticised the IGG for discriminatory prosecution of corruption cases where pronouncements are made that people who stole billions are forgiven yet those who steal less are prosecuted to the end.

He noted: “I don’t know how we are reconciling these things as the Inspectorate of Government, when do you go after who? Because the small ones, we see they are being gone after and that’s important because even that small money ought to be accounted for. But then there are the big ones. Are we going after those too so that there is a proper reconciliation? Otherwise, the public will perceive that you only go for those who you can and there are those who seem to be untouchable.”

The IGG responded: “I can assure you as it is now in the Inspectorate of Government, we do not have untouchables. I think you can tell from what happened in Parliament a few months ago, no one is above the law when it comes to the fight against corruption. So for me, I do not believe in the untouchables. I think everyone needs to be subject to the law in case evidence has been established against them.”

Speaker Oboth welcomed the IGG’s pronouncement that all corruption cases will be handled equally and warned MPs not to find themselves on the wrong side of the law.

“She has confirmed that nobody is untouchable and we all know what people out there talk about committee chairpersons, even when you don’t know anything. So, these chairpersons here, the leaders of the committee are very committed members who want to work with you to rid of any corruption that would be perceived even here in Parliament. So very good claims, but also your possible suspects, just in case you and it’s not a threat, including the Speaker,” Oboth said.

The Chairperson of the Legal and Parliamentary Affairs Committee, John Teira, however said he was perturbed by the statement made by the IG that once other institutions are investigating, it doesn’t have to come in to allow them to do their job, arguing most corruption cases are technical and require experience from the IGG, skills other anti-corruption agencies do not possess.

He argued: “I will use the word messing deliberately, some of them would be very big cases that would actually need serious technical support and proper prosecution in that so many events have taken place, many people have been arrested, charges have been preferred, but convictions have not been good because of the way investigations are being done from the onset. So, when you withdraw from these cases simply because a special presidential assistant has done an arrest and investigated, this throws a very big challenge to this cause and I want to invite you to review that seriously.”

The IGG defended the Inspectorate’s decision not to interfere in corruption investigations of other agencies, arguing other state players use same documentation, same witnesses, so it is impracticable for the Inspectorate to also do double investigations.

“Also, we are getting this money from the same resource envelope, so we all cannot now ask for the same funding to investigate the same cases. How are we then going to be able to account for this money? Also, duplicity of work. Imagine a situation, we investigate and we have opposite recommendation or opposite findings, different findings. But the comfort here is that we are not the last court of resort, after we investigate, we transfer these cases to court and therefore court will be able to further put the people or the suspects to book. So, it is not practical for us to do the same investigations,” Naluzze said.

She added: “And also, we are going to clash at one point. In the past, you know, that these institutions were clashing and that is the reason the interagency forum came up for us to meet and when there is a hot cake around town and where we have to, you know, collaborate, like when we’re investigating Parliament, then you find CID is working hand in hand with the Inspectorate of Government, depending on the magnitude of the case. So, it doesn’t make sense for us to investigate the same matter at the same time.”

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