Political Risk:
High
Score:
44/100
1
42/100
Is there formal provision for effective and independent legislative scrutiny of defence policy?
View Question
The Ugandan Parliament is constitutionally vested with significant formal powers to oversee Uganda’s security and defence. Its legislative authority empowers it to enact laws…
Explore
The Ugandan Parliament engages with defence policy through established formal mechanisms, such as debate and review in committees, especially the Defence and Internal Affairs…
Explore
The Commander-in-Chief regularly influences or undermines parliamentary decisions on security matters, particularly in cases where military operations have proceeded without prior parliamentary approval. [1]…
Explore
2
63/100
Does the country have an identifiable and effective parliamentary defence and security committee (or similar such organisations) to exercise oversight?
View Question
The Parliament of the Republic of Uganda has a committee on defence and security known as the Committee on Defence and Internal Affairs [1].…
Explore
The defence committees of the Parliament, while nominally including members with defence sector expertise, demonstrably struggle to exert meaningful influence on policy decisions. Consequently,…
Explore
The law (e.g., Section 39 (2) and (3) of the UPDF Act, 2005) permits Parliament to review defence policies and activities, even if Parliament…
Explore
The Committee on Defence and Internal Affairs meets at least once a month to discuss issues that may have arisen in the sector, and…
Explore
The Committee on Defence and Internal Affairs oversees the Ministry of Defence and Veteran Affairs (MoDVA), focusing on budget performance, procurement, and financial transparency.…
Explore
The perception that Ugandan parliamentary decisions are largely advisory, and therefore non-binding on the executive, significantly impacts the practical application of legislative oversight, particularly…
Explore
3
31/100
Is the country’s national defence policy or national security strategy debated and publicly available?
View Question
Uganda’s approach to security and defence policy is characterized by thematic policy documents rather than a single, comprehensive strategy. Documents such as the National…
Explore
The Ministry of Defence and Veterans Affairs (MoDVA) in Uganda routinely informs Parliament and the public about imminent security threats, demonstrating a degree of…
Explore
The Ministry of Defence and Veteran Affairs (MoDVA) conducts internal sector review workshops to evaluate performance and planning within the security sector. Public consultations…
Explore
While there’s evidence of accessible documents, the reality is a nuanced picture of selective disclosure. The availability of ministerial policy statements, non-classified budgets, and…
Explore
4
50/100
Do defence and security institutions have a policy, or evidence, of openness towards civil society organisations (CSOs) when dealing with issues of corruption?
View Question
Efforts have been made in Uganda to have a policy that enables civil society organisations to interact with UPDF, the Police, and other agencies…
Explore
Civil Society Organizations (CSOs) in Uganda have a legal basis for their operations, with protections outlined in Article 28 of the Constitution and Section…
Explore
The Ministry of Defence and Veteran Affairs (MoDVA) has signed Memoranda of Understanding with several Civil Society Organizations (CSOs), including the Refugee Law Project,…
Explore
5
63/100
Has the country signed up to the following international anti-corruption instruments: UNCAC and the OECD Convention?
View Question
Uganda signed the United Nations Convention Against Corruption (UNCAC) Convention on 9 December 2003 and deposited its instrument of ratification with the Secretary-General on…
Explore
Uganda has continued to actively participate in the Mechanism for the review of the implementation of UNCAC. There is demonstrated commitment by the government…
Explore
6
50/100
Is there evidence of regular, active public debate on issues of defence? If yes, does the government participate in this debate?
View Question
The Ugandan landscape of defence and security discourse is characterised by sporadic bursts of public engagement, primarily triggered by incidents of crime and rebel…
Explore
The government engages regularly in public discussions about defence issues on both public and private media platforms, with government officials participating in panel discussions,…
Explore
7
63/100
Does the country have an openly stated and effectively implemented anti-corruption policy for the defence sector?
View Question
Uganda has several anti-corruption laws and policies designed to combat corruption across various sectors, including defence. These legal frameworks aim to enhance transparency, accountability,…
Explore
Although Uganda has a comprehensive anti-corruption legal framework, it lacks the political will to combat corruption. For example, in an interview, the executive director…
Explore
8
50/100
Are there independent, well-resourced, and effective institutions within defence and security tasked with building integrity and countering corruption?
View Question
Among the institutions available is the Anti-Corruption Unit which is established within the Ministry of Defence and Veteran Affairs mainly meant to investigate and…
Explore
The Anti-Corruption Division of the High Court in Uganda appears to function with a degree of judicial independence, operating within the established legal framework…
Explore
Uganda’s Ministry of Defence and Veterans Affairs hosts several internal oversight structures, such as the Anti-Corruption Unit and Internal Audit Unit, tasked with identifying…
Explore
9
NS/100
Does the public trust the institutions of defence and security to tackle the issue of bribery and corruption in their establishments?
View Question
The study by the Justice Law and Order Sector (JLOS) for 2022-2023 indicates that there is an improvement in public trust in security due…
Explore
10
58/100
Are there regular assessments of the areas of greatest corruption risk for ministry and armed forces personnel, and are the findings used as inputs to the anti-corruption policy?
View Question
The Office of the Auditor General (OAG) publishes annual audit reports on MoDVA, which identify financial irregularities such as unsupported expenditures, poor contract management,…
Explore
The Internal Audit Department of the Uganda People’s Defence Force (UPDF), the Office of the Auditor General, and the Public Procurement and Disposal of…
Explore
The UPDF’s Defence Policy provides guidelines for an efficient financial management system, which ensures appropriate control and oversight, in line with public sector procedures.[1]…
Explore
11
50/100
Does the country have a process for acquisition planning that involves clear oversight, and is it publicly available?
View Question
Uganda has a formal acquisition planning framework for defence, with defined roles for budget, procurement, and finance functions. Official defence policy documents and ministerial…
Explore
The public has access to some information about the process of acquisition planning. For example, the UPDF has published the pre-qualification of providers for…
Explore
While Uganda’s oversight mechanisms for defence procurement are formally well-structured, their effectiveness in practice is significantly constrained. The Parliamentary Committee on Defence and Internal…
Explore
12
75/100
Is the defence budget transparent, showing key items of expenditure? And it is provided to the legislature in a timely fashion?
View Question
Uganda’s defence budget is published annually, although the allocation of funds and key items of expenditure are not disclosed. [1] [2] However, the defence…
Explore
The Committee on Defence and Internal Affairs receives the defence budget early for scrutiny before presenting it in plenary for discussion and approval. [1]…
Explore
13
50/100
Is there a legislative committee (or other appropriate body) responsible for defence budget scrutiny and analysis in an effective way?
View Question
Article 90 [1] of the Constitution states that Parliament shall appoint standing committees and other committees necessary for the efficient discharge of its functions.…
Explore
The Defence and Internal Affairs Committee holds significant formal powers of scrutiny over the Ministry of Defence and Veterans Affairs (MoDVA). It is responsible…
Explore
14
75/100
Is the approved defence budget made publicly available? In practice, can citizens, civil society, and the media obtain detailed information on the defence budget?
View Question
The approved defence budget is accessible to the public. The budget is broken down with detailed explanations for both experts and non-experts, except the…
Explore
The publication of the approved defence budget, allocating Shs9.1 trillion to governance and security, reveals a dual-layered approach to transparency. A portion of the…
Explore
While it is true that copies of the approved defence budget are deposited in Parliament and accessible to researchers upon request, the accessibility of…
Explore
15
17/100
Are sources of defence income other than from central government allocation (from equipment sales or property disposal, for example) published and scrutinised?
View Question
There is a level of transparency in the resource allocation to the MoDVA. The Parliament has approved Shs 962.23 billion for the enhancement of…
Explore
The information provided regarding the audit and oversight mechanisms within the Ministry of Defence and Veteran Affairs (MoDVA) is indeed clear and presents a…
Explore
Revenue from military property sales, equipment sales, and other activities does not receive significant or consistent scrutiny. Publicly available information on these sources of…
Explore
16
25/100
Is there an effective internal audit process for defence ministry expenditure (that is, for example, transparent, conducted by appropriately skilled individuals, and subject to parliamentary oversight)?
View Question
The Internal Audit Department of the Ministry is mandated to carry out risk-based audits and value-for-money reviews [1]. The external audit office, OAG, regularly…
Explore
The Ministry of Defence operates a formal internal audit function and benefits from the Ministry of Finance’s internal oversight program, which offers audit, inspection,…
Explore
The external scrutiny provided by the Auditor General, as mandated by the constitution, forms a critical pillar of accountability within the defence sector. The…
Explore
The Ministry of Defence in Uganda has an internal audit function, and MoFPED provides broader Internal Oversight & Advisory Services aimed at reinforcing internal…
Explore
17
50/100
Is there effective and transparent external auditing of military defence expenditure?
View Question
While these institutions, Office of the Auditor General (OAG) and the Parliamentary Committee on Defence and Internal Affairs, are mandated to ensure accountability, they…
Explore
The Office of the Auditor General operates as a truly independent external audit authority. Under Article 163 of the 1995 Constitution and the National Audit…
Explore
The annual audit report is published online by the Auditor General. As disclosed under Note 8, a total of UGX.728Bn relates to classified expenditure.…
Explore
The implementation of OAG recommendations remains a challenge across government institutions, including the defence sector. Despite formal processes in place, the extent to which…
Explore
18
50/100
Is there evidence that the country’s defence institutions have controlling or financial interests in businesses associated with the country’s natural resource exploitation and, if so, are these interests publicly stated and subject to scrutiny?
View Question
The 1995 Constitution emphasises civilian control over the military, ensuring the Uganda People’s Defence Forces (UPDF) focus on national and sovereignty defence, suggesting civilian…
Explore
In regions rich in natural resources, particularly those with security challenges, defence institutions may become entangled in local economies. This entanglement can range from…
Explore
While there is no evidence of the defence institutions as a whole having formal, controlling financial interests in natural resource businesses, there are well-documented…
Explore
Uganda has a legal framework that, in theory, requires public officials, including senior defence personnel, to declare their income, assets, and business interests. Under…
Explore
The debate surrounding the Natural Resources Committee’s role and the exploitation of natural resources in Uganda, particularly concerning the Zoka Forest Reserve, extends beyond…
Explore
19
25/100
Is there evidence, for example through media investigations or prosecution reports, of a penetration of organised crime into the defence and security sector? If no, is there evidence that the government is alert and prepared for this risk?
View Question
Largely due to fears of security and public tensions, organised crime is something that cannot easily be publicised even if it is taking place.…
Explore
The government and military leaders have admitted that they are aware of the problems of organised crime in defence institutions. According to the Minister…
Explore
20
42/100
Is there policing to investigate corruption and organised crime within the defence services and is there evidence of the effectiveness of this policing?
View Question
The Police Professional Standards Unit (PSU) investigates cases of crime including corruption among the police officers. The PSU is a police unit that investigates…
Explore
Uganda’s policing mechanisms, designed to investigate corruption and organised crime within the defence services, face a significant challenge. The ability of top military figures…
Explore
The Police Professional Standards Unit (PSU) only investigates cases of crime including corruption among the police officers. However, the police have been perceived as…
Explore
21
38/100
Are the policies, administration, and budgets of the intelligence services subject to effective and independent oversight?
View Question
The Committee on Defence and Internal Affairs considers policies and budgets of the defence sector, including the intelligence services. The committee also approves the…
Explore
The oversight of intelligence services presents a complex picture, balancing the need for security with the imperative of accountability. While formal mechanisms for oversight…
Explore
22
42/100
Are senior positions within the intelligence services filled on the basis of objective selection criteria, and are appointees subject to investigation of their suitability and prior conduct?
View Question
The question of whether senior positions within Uganda’s intelligence services are filled based on objective selection criteria, and whether appointees undergo thorough suitability and…
Explore
According to the Uganda Peoples’ Defence Force (UPDF) Act, there are clear provisions for promotions in the army [1]. The UPDF Act and related…
Explore
Section 55 of the UPDF Act 2005 provides the considerations for the promotion of an officer or a militant, where the Board shall consider…
Explore
23
0/100
Does the government have a well-scrutinised process for arms export decisions that aligns with Articles 7.1.iv, 11.5, and 15.6 of the Arms Trade Treaty (ATT)?
View Question
Uganda has neither signed up to nor ratified the ATT [1]. In December 2021, the Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD) Security Sector Program organized…
Explore
Uganda has neither signed up to nor ratified the ATT, and therefore this indicator as indicator is marked as Not Applicable. [1]
Explore
According to data from the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI), Uganda has not been identified as a significant exporter of major conventional arms.…
Explore
Despite the presence of diverse laws and policies, lobbying of defence institutions is not explicitly regulated. Nevertheless, there some relevant laws and institutions which…
Explore
Not applicable. Uganda does not have legislation that regulates lobbying in the defence sector. While the Leadership Code Act (2002) requires public officials to…
Explore
Not applicable. Uganda does not have legislation that regulates lobbying in the defence sector. While the Leadership Code Act (2002) requires public officials to…
Explore
Not applicable. Uganda does not have legislation that regulates lobbying in the defence sector. While the Leadership Code Act (2002) requires public officials to…
Explore
Defence and Security Policy and Policy Transparency
Q1
NA/100
Is there formal provision for effective and independent legislative scrutiny of defence policy?
View Question
Q2
NA/100
Does the country have an identifiable and effective parliamentary defence and security committee (or similar such organisations) to exercise oversight?
View Question
Q3
NA/100
Is the country’s national defence policy or national security strategy debated and publicly available?
View Question
Q4
NA/100
Do defence and security institutions have a policy, or evidence, of openness towards civil society organisations (CSOs) when dealing with issues of corruption?
View Question
Q5
NA/100
Has the country signed up to the following international anti-corruption instruments: UNCAC and the OECD Convention?
View Question
Q6
NA/100
Is there evidence of regular, active public debate on issues of defence? If yes, does the government participate in this debate?
View Question
Q7
NA/100
Does the country have an openly stated and effectively implemented anti-corruption policy for the defence sector?
View Question
Q8
NA/100
Are there independent, well-resourced, and effective institutions within defence and security tasked with building integrity and countering corruption?
View Question
Q9
NA/100
Does the public trust the institutions of defence and security to tackle the issue of bribery and corruption in their establishments?
View Question
Q10
NA/100
Are there regular assessments of the areas of greatest corruption risk for ministry and armed forces personnel, and are the findings used as inputs to the anti-corruption policy?
View QuestionDefence Budgets
Q11
NA/100
Does the country have a process for acquisition planning that involves clear oversight, and is it publicly available?
View Question
Q12
NA/100
Is the defence budget transparent, showing key items of expenditure? And it is provided to the legislature in a timely fashion?
View Question
Q13
NA/100
Is there a legislative committee (or other appropriate body) responsible for defence budget scrutiny and analysis in an effective way?
View Question
Q14
NA/100
Is the approved defence budget made publicly available? In practice, can citizens, civil society, and the media obtain detailed information on the defence budget?
View Question
Q15
NA/100
Are sources of defence income other than from central government allocation (from equipment sales or property disposal, for example) published and scrutinised?
View Question
Q16
NA/100
Is there an effective internal audit process for defence ministry expenditure (that is, for example, transparent, conducted by appropriately skilled individuals, and subject to parliamentary oversight)?
View Question
Q17
NA/100
Is there effective and transparent external auditing of military defence expenditure?
View QuestionNexus of Defence and National Assets
Q18
NA/100
Is there evidence that the country’s defence institutions have controlling or financial interests in businesses associated with the country’s natural resource exploitation and, if so, are these interests publicly stated and subject to scrutiny?
View QuestionOrganised Crime
Q19
NA/100
Is there evidence, for example through media investigations or prosecution reports, of a penetration of organised crime into the defence and security sector? If no, is there evidence that the government is alert and prepared for this risk?
View Question
Q20
NA/100
Is there policing to investigate corruption and organised crime within the defence services and is there evidence of the effectiveness of this policing?
View QuestionControl of Intelligence Services
Q21
NA/100
Are the policies, administration, and budgets of the intelligence services subject to effective and independent oversight?
View Question
Q22
NA/100
Are senior positions within the intelligence services filled on the basis of objective selection criteria, and are appointees subject to investigation of their suitability and prior conduct?
View QuestionExport Controls
Q23
NA/100