The report highlights an alarming trend in Uganda, where access to information remains severely limited. Between 2018 and 2025, only 25% of requests for information were answered, while 75% were «tacitly refused». Ultimately, only 14% of applicants successfully gained access to the requested information.
Lamex Apitta Omara, a member of the Uganda Human Rights Commission (UHRC), emphasized that transparency is the foundation of legitimate governance. He noted that access to information is a constitutional right that is supported by international mechanisms such as the African Union Convention on Preventing and Combating Corruption. Omara warned that when important processes, such as the purchase of medical services or court decisions, are shrouded in secrecy, fundamental human rights are violated.
The regional Corruption Perception Index reflects these systemic gaps. Rwanda leads the region with a score of 53 out of 100, due to strong centralized control and digital systems. Kenya follows it with 31 points, while Uganda is in 26th place.
Gilbert Sendugwa, Executive Director of the African Center for Freedom of Information, stressed that although these countries have ratified international instruments, they lack the necessary institutional framework, active disclosure of information and public awareness to make these laws effective. He noted that parliaments charged with oversight rarely punish institutions for non-compliance.
The study also identified significant barriers to transparency, including legal exemptions, weak digital infrastructure, and the high cost of information requests. Given that the Internet penetration rate in the region is only 40%, the rural population is still largely deprived of access to digital government information.
In addition, the report highlights the evolving nature of corruption, which is becoming increasingly cross-border. Edrin Wanyama, CIPESA's legal program manager, argues that transparency laws are effective only when the public actively uses them to scrutinize budgets and procurement.
Ultimately, the report concludes that while East Africa has made progress in adopting transparency legislation, there remains a large gap between policy and practice. Without strengthening law enforcement practices and abandoning institutional secrecy, accountability mechanisms in the region will continue to exist on paper rather than in reality.
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