By Aggrey BabaMore than UGX41.9 billion has been recovered by the Inspectorate of Government (IG) through its Ombudsman work this financial year (2025/2026), with the money largely arising from irregular payments, excess benefits and other administrative failures affecting taxpayers’ money.The Ombudsman is essentially a public watchdog that helps citizens who feel they have been unfairly treated, delayed or frustrated by government institutions, by investigating administrative complaints and pushing the responsible authorities to correct the problem.Deputy IGG Anne Twinomugisha Muhairwe gave the figure on Monday during a media briefing at the Uganda Media Centre ahead of International Ombuds Day, while explaining how the Ombudsman function has been quietly recovering money without necessarily relying on criminal prosecution.“UGX41,901,344,000 is what we have recovered,” Muhairwe said, as she quickly separated the figure from recoveries made through the Inspectorate’s anti-corruption investigations, explaining that the money specifically relates to cases handled under the Ombudsman mandate.“The figures I’m giving you are in respect of the Ombudsman office and not the anti-corruption role,” she said.According to Muhairwe, some of the money involved payments made to government officials who were not entitled to receive them, while other recoveries resulted from excess payments identified and challenged through Ombudsman interventions.The disclosure highlights the financial side of a function that often receives less public attention than the IGG’s corruption investigations, but which deals directly with administrative disputes between citizens and government institutions.Muhairwe said the National Ombudsman effectively serves as a link between citizens and government institutions, intervening where administrative decisions, delays or other failures leave many ordinary people with no proper redress. (For comments on this story, get back to us on 0705579994 [WhatsApp line], 0779411734 & 041 4674611 or email us at mulengeranews@gmail.com).