Auditor General Reduces Parliament’s Ghost Worker Total to 2

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Auditor General John Muwanga has revised the number of alleged ghost workers on the Parliament payroll from 21 to just two, within a span of less than two weeks. This adjustment comes as a significant update to his findings in the Salary Payroll Special Audit Report for the Parliamentary Commission, covering the period ending June 30, 2023.

Initially, Muwanga had criticized the Commission for purportedly paying an annual sum of Shs1.6 billion to 21 staff members, 19 of whom were deemed non-existent. However, in the newly revised report, Muwanga stated that only two staff members were unlawfully receiving Shs179 million annually.

The revelation of this change was shared by Parliament’s Director for Corporate and Public Affairs, Mr. Chris Obore, who provided both versions of the report. This disclosure occurred shortly after Obore’s participation in a public dialogue hosted by Agora Discourse, where several alleged irregularities within Parliament, including financial transactions and nepotism, were discussed.

During this dialogue, Obore labeled the exhibition as a witch-hunt targeting Speaker Anita Among and other officials, dismissing some of the data as either false or exaggerated. He declined to provide authentic figures, citing the Official Secrets Act but assured to share a document exemplifying the Auditor General’s revision regarding ghost workers.

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Muwanga’s revised report, dated February 22, commended Parliament’s Accounting Officer for prompt maintenance of the payroll and advised to continue such practices. He noted that out of 725 staff members, 577 were validated, contrary to the initial count of 558. Additionally, the report highlighted discrepancies in the approved wage estimates and computed payroll, leading to a difference of Shs1.3 billion.

In both versions of the report, Muwanga emphasized the importance of accurate payroll management, as excess budget allocation for wages could hinder resource allocation for other priorities and increase susceptibility to misuse.

The exhibition, which sparked discussions about alleged irregularities within Parliament, has raised questions about financial transparency and accountability within the institution. However, no evidence of wrongdoing has been presented against the officials named in the alleged financial transactions.

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