Uganda Country Profile

Snapshot of the Uganda Country Profile


Uganda continues to maintain its standing as one of East Africa's relatively successful economies and has experienced rapid economic growth over the last few years. The Ugandan economy grew by a rate of 9.8% in the 2007-2008 fiscal year and by 7% in 2008-2009. In a drive to increase fiscal independence, the government has been attempting to increase tax revenues by boosting more revenue from small companies and by incorporating more of Uganda's large informal sector. President Yoweri Museveni declared 'zero-tolerance' of corruption policy in 2006. While some progress in the fight against corruption can be seen, much remains to be done.

Positive developments in relation to corruption and investment:

  • The Public Procurement and Disposal of Public Assets Authority (PPDA) was established in 2003, and has been playing an active role in assuring compliance with procurement guidelines, leading to a reduction in corruption losses in procurement.
  • The government has developed a long line of anti-corruption strategies as well as the Inter Agency Forum (IAF) to coordinate the activities of governmental anti-corruption institutions.
  • The Anti-Corruption Act, enacted by the President on 27 July 2009, is intended to support the Prevention of Corruption Act 1970 and to set strict punishments for private sector corruption, including imprisonment for up to ten years.

Risks of corruption:

  • Corruption in Uganda is manifested by grand scale theft of public funds as well as petty corruption involving public officials at all levels of society, and widespread National Resistance Movement (NRM) patronage systems reaching into the private sector continue to be strong.
  • Bribery is common in obtaining basic health care, in encounters with the traffic police and in large-scale procurement projects involving international companies.
  • Uganda's implementation and enforcement of the existing legislation is weak, and several sources point to a lack of political will as the major obstacle in the fight against corruption.