By Aggrey Baba
Hon. Beti Olive Kamya, has expressed willingness to continue serving as the IGG if her appointing boss (President Museveni) decides to renew her contract.
Kamya’s current term ends in September, four years after her appointment in September 2021, and she remains eligible for a second and final term. According the Daily monitor, Kamya said she is available to serve again, and she believes her office has helped to fight corruption across different levels.
She explained that although the job is difficult, it gives her satisfaction knowing that her work can help protect the country from corruption, adding that she wouldn’t hesitate to continue in the role if the appointing authority still needed her services. Ironically, a story in Weekend Vision listed included her on the list of former Ministers who were seeking political come back as elected MPs come 2026.
Kamya was appointed as IGG in 2021, taking over from Justice Irene Mulyagonja, who had led the institution for eight years before being appointed to the Court of Appeal. Justice Mulyagonja had served her full two terms and could not be reappointed.
Kamya came into the IGG’s office from a long political career, having previously served as Minister for Lands, Minister for Kampala, and also stood for the presidency in 2011.
She once headed the Uganda Federal Alliance and later joined the NRM, where she was appointed to cabinet.
Sources inside the Inspectorate have confirmed that her two deputies (Dr Patricia Achan Okiria and Anne Twinomugisha Muhairwe) are also interested in staying on. It is understood that both have shown interest in either having their current positions renewed or being considered for the top job.
However, the final decision lies with the President who, according to the Constitution, is allowed to appoint anyone to the IGG position, whether from within or outside the institution.
Kamya’s tenure has been marked by campaigns to involve the public in reporting corruption, where she encouraged citizens to help expose corrupt officials in their communities. She also promoted the idea of lifestyle audits for public workers, where civil servants are expected to account for their wealth compared to their salaries.
Although her efforts have drawn attention, some critics say the IGG has not gone far enough in punishing corrupt officials. But Kamya believes that progress has been made, especially in building systems and changing attitudes towards corruption.
Dr Patricia Achan, one of Kamya’s deputies, is a trained lawyer and civil servant who has served in various government roles, known for her calm and structured work approach.
The other deputy, Anne Muhairwe Twinomugisha, is a career legal officer who served in the defense ministry’s legal department for close to 20 years. Until recently, she was the President of Uganda Christian Lawyers Fraternity where Achan deputized her. Recently, President Museveni praised her work as Deputy IGG as First Lady Janet’s 77th birthday was being celebrated at Migera UWESO Secondary School in Nakasongola.
He made it clear he doesn’t regret deploying her at the IG because she had done such a good job writing for him well reasoned out reports which guided him to intervene for instance into the top management at KCCA after the Kiteezi disaster. Thanking Janet for recommending to him such a high performing person, Museveni vowed to appoint many other Christian lawyers into government positions because he had been inspired by Muhairwe’s good work.
All three are now waiting on the President’s decision as the country heads into the final weeks of Kamya’s current term and whichever direction the appointing authority chooses, the new Inspector General will be expected to carry forward the heavy responsibility of fighting corruption (a problem that continues to undermine public trust in government institutions).
