Uganda's Parliament has begun verifying the academic certificates and recruitment records of its staff, and the Parliamentary Commission says employees found with forged academic documents will be dismissed.

What the exercise covers

The validation exercise started on Monday, 19 October 2026, according to the Daily Monitor and Nile Post. It combines a physical headcount, document verification and a skills audit. Staff are required to present original appointment and promotion letters, academic certificates, national identity cards and other employment records. Reviewers are checking whether each employee holds the qualifications required for their post and whether that post sits within the approved staffing structure.

Speaker Jacob Oboth led the verification panel with the Deputy Speaker, the Leader of the Opposition and other commissioners. The Parliamentary Commission invited the Public Service Commission to oversee the process so that it is seen as independent. The Daily Monitor reported that Parliament has 826 employees on its payroll against an approved structure of 906 positions.

Dismissal or redeployment

Commissioner Susan Abeja, who chairs the commission's human resources committee, said employees with forged academic certificates face immediate dismissal. Staff who received accelerated or irregular promotions, she said, will be moved to roles that match their genuine qualifications rather than removed.

Speaker Oboth has described the exercise as routine and aimed at restoring merit-based progression, not at mass dismissals. Commissioners have said it is not a witch-hunt. The Daily Monitor reported on 21 October that the exercise had reportedly identified some employees in posts for which they lack the required qualifications or experience, while Pulse Uganda, citing The Observer, reported concerns about possible ghost workers. Neither outlet reported any confirmed numbers, and the reports note that the exercise itself does not establish wrongdoing by any individual.

Why periodic re-verification matters

Institution-wide audits like this often surface problems that were missed at hiring. Public bodies can reduce that risk by confirming certificates directly with examination boards and universities at the point of recruitment and again at promotion, and by keeping verification results on file for later audit.

Sources

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UgandaParliamentStaff verificationAcademic certificatesPublic service

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