Members of Parliament have demanded a comprehensive forensic audit of the institution's operations and spending, following an Inspectorate of Government report that identified more than 180 employees who were allegedly recruited irregularly. The lawmakers say a verification exercise of staff appointments should be accompanied by a wider examination of how public funds have been spent, including money used under previous parliamentary leadership. The Ministry of Public Service is currently conducting a verification exercise to establish whether parliamentary staff were appointed in accordance with required procedures.
Francis Zaake, the MP for Mityana Municipality, and Charles Tebandeke, the MP for Bbaale County, said the inspectorate's findings presented an opportunity to improve accountability at the institution. Zaake said he had previously raised concerns about alleged financial mismanagement through Parliament's audit subcommittee, but claimed the committee's work was curtailed. He stated that a lot of money was misappropriated and that he had reported concerns in audit reports, though the internal committee of the Commission was disbanded after only two reports.
The lawmakers argued that verifying employees alone would not address all concerns surrounding the institution's management. Tebandeke questioned the qualifications of some staff, particularly drivers, saying some lacked academic qualifications at lower primary and secondary levels and scored as low as nine in English, which he said limited their ability to read road signs. He said the findings could help Parliament address weaknesses in recruitment and protect public resources.
Eddie Kwizera, the MP for Bufumbira County, urged the Inspectorate of Government to conduct similar verification exercises across other government institutions. Kwizera said the problems identified at Parliament could reflect wider weaknesses in public-sector recruitment and accountability, and that similar validation exercises should be carried out in other institutions to save taxpayers' money. The calls for a forensic audit add to pressure for Parliament to demonstrate that public funds are being managed transparently as the staff verification exercise continues.