By Mulengera Reporters
In a system meant to honor service and provide for retirees, the Auditor General’s report exposes inefficiencies and inequities within Uganda’s pension payroll.
Out of 72,206 pensioners validated, 14% failed to show up for verification, and 4,538 individuals had no access to the pension payroll by June 2024. This inefficiency leaves many elderly citizens without the financial support they deserve.
Even more troubling, the report found overpayments totaling UGX 20.37 billion across various ministries, departments, and local governments.
Of this, UGX 11.39 billion stemmed from gratuity benefits, and UGX 8.98 billion was from pension overpayments. These errors highlight weak internal controls and mismanagement within the system.
The pension framework itself has come under scrutiny for gender biases. Sections of the Pension Act exclude husbands and widowers from receiving benefits, contradicting Uganda’s constitutional principles of gender equality.
Additionally, discrepancies exist between the Pension Act and the Succession Act, further complicating beneficiary definitions and causing delays in payments.
As the saying goes, [Justice delayed is justice denied], and these systemic flaws are a form of injustice to retirees.
The Auditor General recommended streamlining payroll systems, harmonizing laws, and improving pension indexation to ensure fair and efficient service delivery. Uganda owes its retirees not just gratitude but a functioning, equitable system that honors their service. (For comments on this story, get back to us on 0705579994 [WhatsApp line], 0779411734 & 041 4674611 or email us at mulengeranews@gmail.com).
