By Jumah Kakomo
Members of the Democratic Party (DP) faction known as DP At Heart have expressed concern over the Inspectorate of Government’s decision to close a complaint seeking investigations into alleged misuse of party and public funds.
The group has also threatened to seek legal redress if the Inspectorate of Government (IGG) does not reconsider its decision.
The dispute follows a formal complaint submitted to the IGG on June 1, 2026, under reference number HQT/CO/837/2026, requesting an investigation into the administration and financial operations of the Democratic Party.
Speaking to the media on Saturday, Uganda Young Democrats (UYD) President Emeritus Ismael Kiirya said the complaint raised several issues, including alleged misappropriation and embezzlement of party funds and public money allocated for the party’s National Delegates’ Conference in Mbarara.
Kiirya said the complaint also sought an investigation into the alleged disappearance and irregular disposal of the Democratic Party’s high-capacity printing press, which he said had been acquired before the 2016 general elections at a cost of more than Shs250 million using resources that included public funds.
Other concerns raised in the complaint, according to Kiirya, included the alleged failure by senior party officials to account for public resources received through arrangements such as the Inter-Party Organisation for Dialogue (IPOD), as well as suspected breaches of the Leadership Code of Conduct by members of the party’s National Executive.
Kiirya said the Inspectorate acknowledged receipt of the complaint on June 4 and subsequently informed them that the matter had been assigned for investigation.
He further claimed that information they received from sources within the Inspectorate indicated that preliminary inquiries had uncovered alleged misuse of party funds and the irregular sale of the DP printing press. However, he alleged that investigators later faced pressure to close the case.
Kiirya said that on July 30, the group was invited to the Inspectorate, where they were given a letter dated July 9 and signed by Deputy Inspector General of Government Dr Patricia Achan Okiria.
According to Kiirya, the letter stated that the complaint file had been closed because the Democratic Party was a private entity and the Inspectorate could not intervene in its internal affairs. He said the Inspectorate advised them to report the alleged theft of the printing machine to police.
Kiirya questioned the decision, saying the Inspectorate had emailed the group on July 15 informing them that the complaint had been assigned to an investigation officer.
He said the group wanted an explanation as to why an investigation was initiated if the Inspectorate considered the party outside its mandate.
Julius Ddumba, the DP vice-chairperson for Lubaga North, said that following the Inspectorate’s decision, DP At Heart submitted a formal appeal challenging the closure of the complaint.
Ddumba said the group had reminded the Inspectorate of what they consider to be its constitutional and statutory mandate, citing Section 9 of the Inspectorate of Government Act.
He argued that political parties receiving public funds should be subject to accountability requirements regarding those funds.
«“The law is explicit — IGG can investigate any body that administers public funds,” Ddumba said.»
He added that the Democratic Party receives public funds appropriated from the Consolidated Fund and through mechanisms such as IPOD, and therefore, in their view, the use of such funds should be subject to public accountability.
Anthony Wadimba, the acting spokesperson for DP At Heart in Kayunga District, said the group recognised the potential institutional difficulties of investigating matters involving the leadership of the Democratic Party.
He said the party’s president also holds a government ministerial position and argued that the Inspectorate should demonstrate independence in carrying out its constitutional responsibilities.
“We recognise the institutional challenge where the party president also oversees the docket under which IGG falls, which is why we ask the IGG to demonstrate independence as required by Article 227,” Wadimba said.
DP At Heart maintains that the complaint concerns the accountability of public resources rather than internal party politics.
The group has asked the Inspectorate to reconsider its decision, complete any investigation it had already begun and explain the circumstances surrounding the dates of the correspondence.
The group also questioned how an email dated July 15 could confirm that the complaint had been assigned to an investigating officer while the closure letter presented to them was dated July 9.
DP At Heart said it would pursue the matter in court if the Inspectorate fails to respond to its appeal or resume the investigation.
