The Inspectorate of Government (IG) has urged Ugandans facing administrative injustices, delayed government services and workplace-related grievances to seek help from the Ombudsman as the country prepares to commemorate International Ombuds Day on October 8, 2026.
The commemoration will be held under the theme “Ombuds: Office of Options,” with the national campaign slogan #TalkToTheOmbudsman, highlighting the role of the Ombudsman in providing citizens with alternative avenues for resolving grievances without necessarily going through costly and lengthy court processes.
International Ombuds Day is observed annually on the second Thursday of October. The global observance traces its roots to December 19, 2017, when the United Nations General Assembly adopted Resolution 72/186, recognising the Ombudsman as an important administrative bridge between citizens and the state in promoting administrative justice, protecting human rights, and addressing grievances.
The Inspectorate said the commemoration is intended to strengthen public awareness about the Ombudsman function and ensure that citizens understand where to turn when they encounter unfair treatment or administrative failures in public institutions.
“The Ombudsman is not just an office of last resort, but an office of possibilities. It offers flexible, accessible, and fair pathways to justice outside rigid, adversarial, and costly court processes,” the Inspectorate said.
The Ombudsman mandate in Uganda is constitutionally vested in the Inspectorate of Government under Chapter 13 of the 1995 Constitution and is operationalised through the Inspectorate of Government Act.
Although the Inspectorate is widely known for its role in fighting corruption, its Ombudsman function also covers maladministration, abuse of authority, delays in service delivery, workplace victimisation and failures by public institutions to follow the principles of natural justice and the rule of law.
The Inspectorate said administrative failures can create conditions in which corruption thrives, making the Ombudsman function an important part of efforts to improve public service delivery and strengthen accountability.
“By executing our Ombudsman function, we close these gaps, thereby reducing corruption and paving the way for efficient public service delivery,” the Inspectorate said.
Administrative injustices remain a major source of complaints received by the Inspectorate, with Ombudsman-related matters accounting for 37 percent of all complaints investigated and concluded by the institution during the 2025/2026 financial year.
The Inspectorate said many of the complaints originate from local governments, where citizens have direct interaction with public services.
Among the most common grievances are delayed or non-payment of salaries, pensions and gratuities, irregular calculation of employment benefits, delays in obtaining National Identity Cards and land titles, difficulties accessing passports and payroll services, as well as irregular recruitment processes.
The Inspectorate also receives complaints about malicious interdictions and superiors’ victimisation of whistleblowers.
During the 2025/2026 financial year, the Inspectorate resolved 1,011 Ombudsman cases across central and local government institutions.
The interventions also resulted in recommendations for the payment of Shs2.35 billion to individuals who had been denied or delayed their rightful employment benefits.
The Inspectorate said the 2026 commemoration will focus on bringing its services closer to citizens and improving awareness of the avenues available to people seeking redress against administrative injustice.
“The theme highlights the reality that a citizen’s grievance should never be ignored simply because government bureaucracy is too complex or because the citizen lacks financial resources,” the Inspectorate said.
Throughout October, the Inspectorate will conduct a nationwide media awareness campaign, including television and radio talk shows and social media campaigns featuring cases where administrative injustices were addressed in response to complaints.
The second week of October has also been designated as Ombuds Action Week, during which all 16 regional offices of the Inspectorate will conduct community-level Ombuds clinics and outreaches.
The clinics will allow citizens to present their complaints directly to officials, with the Inspectorate saying efforts will be made to resolve cases instantly where possible.
The outreaches will also bring together partner institutions, including the Judicial Service Commission, the National Identification and Registration Authority, the Uganda Police Force and local government officials such as Resident District Commissioners, Chief Administrative Officers and district chairpersons.
The Inspectorate will also conduct spot checks at public service points in different parts of the country to assess the efficiency and effectiveness of service delivery.
The inspections will be carried out by regional Inspectorate teams working alongside Resident District Commissioners, district chairpersons and mayors.
The Inspectorate will further engage the leadership of Parliament in a high-level dialogue with the Speaker of Parliament to explore how Parliament’s legislative and oversight powers can be used to support the implementation of Ombudsman recommendations and strengthen awareness of the institution’s mandate.
The Inspectorate said the activities are expected to increase public understanding of its role as Uganda’s Ombudsman and strengthen efforts to promote good governance, accountability, transparency and protection of citizens’ rights.
Uganda is also a member of the International Ombudsman Institution and the Africa Ombudsman and Mediators Association, organisations that provide platforms for Ombudsman institutions to share experiences, best practices and skills in handling administrative grievances.
Uganda currently holds the presidency of the Africa Ombudsman and Mediators Association, with the Deputy Inspector General of Government, Anne Twinomugisha Muhairwe, serving as Acting President.
As part of the commemoration, the Inspectorate has called on Ugandans experiencing workplace injustice, delayed employment benefits or administrative neglect to come forward and seek assistance.
“We call upon all citizens who are experiencing workplace injustice, delayed benefits, or administrative neglect to come forward during this Ombuds Week and #TalkToTheOmbudsman,” Inspector General of Government Lady Justice Naluzze Aisha Batala said.
Citizens can lodge complaints by visiting the Inspectorate headquarters at Jubilee Insurance Centre Building on Plot 14 Parliament Avenue in Kampala or any of its 16 regional offices in Arua, Fort Portal, Gulu, Hoima, Jinja, Kabale, Kampala, Lira, Masaka, Mbale, Mbarara, Moroto, Moyo, Mukono, Soroti and Tororo.
Complaints can also be made through the toll-free line 0800 111 777, WhatsApp number 0707 721 146 or email address [complaints@igg.go.ug](mailto:
The Inspectorate said the campaign is ultimately aimed at ensuring that citizens have accessible avenues through which they can challenge administrative injustice and hold public institutions accountable.
The Ombuds Day activities will culminate in renewed efforts to strengthen the relationship between citizens and government institutions by ensuring that public services are delivered fairly, efficiently and in accordance with the law.
