Title: The Discipline Deficit: Why Uganda's Pursuit of High-Integrity Citizenship Falters Amidst Endemic Corruption
Authors: Dr. Arinaitwe Julius, Dr. Ariyo Gracious Kaazara
Volume: 9
Issue: 9
Pages: 302-309
Publication Date: 2025/09/28
Abstract:
In Uganda, persistent corruption challenges and weak institutional performance suggest significant obstacles to achieving high-integrity citizenship despite numerous reform efforts over the past three decades. The problem of endemic corruption in Uganda has been attributed to various factors, but limited research has comprehensively examined how discipline deficits across institutional and social levels impede the development of high-integrity citizenship. This study aimed to examine the discipline deficit in Uganda and analyze its impact on the country's pursuit of high-integrity citizenship, with particular focus on identifying underlying factors that perpetuate corruption and proposing evidence-based interventions for fostering ethical governance and accountability. The research employed a mixed-methods design that integrated quantitative survey data from 1,200 respondents across Uganda's four geographical regions with qualitative insights from 45 key informant interviews and 12 focus group discussions. The study revealed a pervasive discipline deficit across Uganda's institutional landscape, with public institutions demonstrating significantly higher levels of disciplinary challenges (discipline deficit scores ranging from 3.8 to 4.4 out of 5) compared to private sector (3.4) and civil society organizations (2.9). Weak rule of law (4.52 impact score), impunity culture (4.43), weak oversight mechanisms (4.33), and political interference (4.21) emerged as the primary drivers of the discipline deficit, while most existing anti-corruption initiatives achieved limited effectiveness in transforming institutional cultures and behaviors. The study concluded that Uganda's pursuit of high-integrity citizenship was severely hampered by systemic disciplinary breakdown that created self-reinforcing cycles of corruption and weakened accountability mechanisms. The research established that demographic factors, particularly educational attainment and geographic location, significantly influenced citizen attitudes toward integrity, with university-educated (71.8% high integrity attitude) and urban populations (63.8%) demonstrating stronger support for ethical governance compared to less educated and rural counterparts. Based on these findings, the study's key recommendation emphasized the need for an integrated approach combining institutional strengthening through unified accountability frameworks, comprehensive civic education programs targeting all demographic groups, and technology-enhanced transparency systems that leverage digital solutions to circumvent traditional accountability challenges and promote sustainable high-integrity citizenship in Uganda.