The Office of the Ombudsman has said that the number of civil servants who have failed to declare their wealth has been on the increase year by year.This was said by officials from the office during a news briefing that aimed at highlighting the office’s achievements.Public servants are meant to declare the wealth not later than June 30 every year. Where public servants are suspected to have accumulated wealth wrongly they are subject to questioning.Figures show that in 2009 -2010, 56 public servants did not declare their wealth. In 2010-2011, the figure rose to 371 while 494 public servants failed to meet the deadline this year.The figures are not any different from the first three years when the office was initiated in 2004. That year, 497 did not declare their wealth. 967 and 453 public servant did not declare their wealth in 2005 and 2006 respectively.Those who do not meet the deadline are liable to punishments from their respective institutions, including suspension without salary or even an indefinite suspension from public service.The Ombudsman, Aloysie Cyanzayire, said that those who failed to meet the wealth declaration deadline in the last three years have reasons, unlike in the past.“We are going to put in more efforts to ensure that public servants adhere to the rules and mechanisms that are in place,” she said. During the conference, participants raised concern over the punishment, saying it is too light and not effective enough to push public servants.Another concern that was raised was capacity of the Ombudsman to identify public servants with wealth outside the country or even those with investments there, to give correct information.The Director of the Assets Declaration Unit, Jeanne d`Arc Mwiseneza, said that the office works with embassies and banks in respective countries in some cases where fraud is suspected. “We have had such cases and we have managed to bring those trying to hide or not declaring such wealth to book,” Addressing the conference, the Director of the Unit in Charge of Preventing and Fighting Corruption, Pauline Jeanne Gashumba said the office of the Ombudsman has so far intervened in 1135 cases of which 1101 cases have been settled while the remaining 34 are also in their final stages.
