Audit House is an ultra-modern government building, with 10 office floors above ground and 3 levels of underground parking space for 150 vehicles. The building will accommodate all offices of the Office of the Auditor General in Kampala currently with a staff population of 313.
The Audit House is located on plot 2C along Apollo Kaggwa road. It is neighboured by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs headquarters, Ministry of Finance, Planning and Economic Development headquarters, Uganda Bureau of Statistics headquarters and Kampala Capital City Authority headquarters.
The project to construct Audit House is part of the wider project to construct office premises for the Office of the Auditor General in Jinja, Mbale, Mbarara and Kampala that started in 2008. The project is aimed at addressing key strategic objectives for the Office of the Auditor General as laid out in the OAG Corporate Plans of 2005/2006 to 2011/2012.
The project thus aims at addressing the challenge of providing suitable office accommodation so as to strengthen the financial and operational independence of the Office of the Auditor General.This is in conformity with the United Nations resolution A/66/209 (December 2011) which advocates for the promotion of the efficiency,accountability,effectiveness and transparency of public administration by strengthening Supreme Audit Insitutions.
The Auditor Generals office has been renting space around Kampala although the Head Offices have been accommodated in Treasury building within Ministry of Finance Planning and Economic Development headquarters. On average, the Office has been spending Ushs1.14bn (US$ 400,000) per annum on rent and utilities for its accommodation in Kampala.
The Audit House was constructed by the Ministry of Finance, Planning and Economic Development under the Financial Management and Accountability Programme (FINMAP).
It was contracted to Seyani Brothers and Co. Ltd while the consultants were Kamulegeya & Associates. The project cost is Ushs. 58.8 billion(US$21.2mn).
The total inclusive built up floor area is approximately 16,300m2 with 7,000m Square allocated to the basement floors and the rest to the respective floors and roof top. Each office floor measures approximately 830m2 of built up area with 520m2 allocated to offices and the rest to common spaces.
Independence
Audit House will enhance the strategic and operational independence of the Office of the Auditor General. There is need for the Office of the Auditor General to be independent both in mind and physically, from those of whom it audits. In Uganda the independence of the Auditor General is enshrined in our Constitution and in the National Audit Act which specifically provide that the Auditor General should not be under the control or direction of any person or authority.
Audit House will enhance our audit independence and improve our corporate image as the Office of the Auditor General in its regional audit jurisdiction. It will also contribute to better public reporting on service delivery in general and accountability in particular which in turn leads to good governance, better service delivery, and improved public accountability in this region.
Benefits
The Office of the Auditor General will no longer spend money on rental dues in which case those monies will return to the consolidated fund to be allocated to other government needs, although some of it will be retained for the maintenance of the building.
The Audit House also comes with a lot of non-monetary benefits like improvements in the operational efficiency of the Office. Staff have been operating in different locations,they will now operate under one building which will cut down time and cost of movement.
The Office of the Auditor General is a growing organisation and will continue to grow in line with its vision, mission and strategic objectives. The construction of Audit House is complete. However, the Office has plans to construct additional Regional Offices to meet the growing demand of enhanced accountability particularly in the oil and minerals sector. The Office plans to construct two regional offices next year in Moroto and Hoima.
The key objective of moving into a home which you can call your own is to enhance the operational independence of the Office and generate internal efficiencies. Currently in Kampala the OAG rents accommodation on Crusader House, Soliz House and Lumumba Avenue. This was a temporary measure undertaken to remove staff who were previously being accommodated by the auditee. No doubt as you can appreciate the consequences of being accommodated by the person that you audit..
Whereas the thrust of our work as set out in our Vision and Mission is centered on delivering and promoting effective public accountability, this in turn provides the basis upon which those institutions which are specifically charged with corruption can base their investigative work. Our audit reports are extensively used by the Inspectorate of Government and the Police (CIID).
The Audit house will improve on our operational efficiency as it will bring all of us together. Communication costs and excessive time wasted in Kampala traffic will be brought to a minimum and so contribute to better public reporting on service delivery in general and accountability in particular which in turn leads to good governance, better service delivery, and improved public accountability in the country.
Audit House has been funded by the Government of Uganda and a contribution of USh6.3bn(US$2,2mn) from by DFID our Donor partners.
Gloria Nakibuuka Namugera, the Senior Communications Officer at The Auditor General’s Office who granted us this interview had this to add. “I would like to take this opportunity to extend my appreciation to H.E.President of Uganda and congratulate the Government of Uganda upon this auspicious achievement in addition to extending my appreciation to our Donor partners DFID for the support they rendered”.
Gloria concluded by assuring the public that the Office of the Auditor General will continue to be steadfast in its mandate of promoting effective public accountability and value for money spent as stipulated in the Constitution of the Republic of Uganda, and the National Audit Act, 2008.
Project Team
Client: Ministry of Finance Planning and Economic Development through FINMAP-II
Beneficiary: The Office of the Auditor General
Project Architects / Project Managers: Kamulegeya& Associates
Project Civil / Structural Engineers: Uganda Consulting Engineers
Project Electrical and Mechanical Engineers: L&S Company Ltd
Project ICT Engineers: L&S Company Ltd
Project Quantity Surveyors: Bikandema& Partners
Contractor: Seyani Brothers and Co. Ltd
