IGG dismisses allegations of abuse of office in Mugaino case

KAMPALA, UGANDA — The Inspectorate of Government (IG) has defended its decision to interdict and prosecute Mr. Baker Mugaino, the Commissioner for Land Registration, following a July 20, 2025, article in The Independent Magazine titled “IGG abusing her office.”

The IG stated that between December 2024 and April 2025, it received 22 complaints against Mr. Mugaino.

These complaints included allegations of “Cancellation of Certificates of Title without following prescribed procedures under the Law, Removal of Caveats without giving prescribed notices, Double Titling, issuing of Special Certificates of Title while original ones exist, leading to multiple titling, Cancellation of Certificates of Titles for disputes that would essentially be handled by Courts with the sole intention of defeating Justice.”

In a statement dated July 23 said that preliminary investigations —found merit in the allegations— prompting a full-scale investigation into Mr. Mugaino’s office.

The IG clarified that it is “standard procedure for the IGG to issue Orders to interdict a public officer if s/he has cause to believe that the officer might interfere with investigations.”

This authority is derived from Article 230(2) of the Constitution and Section 13(6) of the Inspectorate of Government Act.

The IG also noted that —over the past four years, the IG has interdicted over 150 public officers, including 6 senior officers in the Office of the Prime Minister (OPM) and many Chief Administrative Officers (CAOs)— suggesting Mugaino’s case is not unique.

Following investigations, Mr. Mugaino was charged in court with “abuse of office and negligence of duty.”

The IG stated that all the 20 or so complainants have recorded Witness Statements and are ready to give evidence against him in court.”

“Tropical Bank is just one of the complaints,” the IG said— clarifying that it has not received any petition from Bosco Muwonge, referred to in the article.

The IG criticized The Independent Magazine, a “well-respected magazine,” and author Andrew Mwenda, a “seasoned journalist,” for publishing the article “without according the IG her inalienable right to be heard,” calling it “beneath his calibre.”

The IG emphasized that “the matter of Mugaino’s conduct while performing official duty is before court and therefore cannot be discussed in the public space without offending the sub judice law.”

The IG advised The Independent and Mr. Mwenda to “support their friend in court where they deal in facts and figures rather than in speculation in the pages of a magazine, which would be exposed anyway.”