This study examined the ethical challenges encountered by public servants in Uganda's public administration, analyzing the root causes and implications for governance and service delivery. Public administration in Uganda operates in a complex environment influenced by factors such as resource scarcity, political pressures, and evolving regulatory frameworks. As public servants navigate these challenges, they frequently confront ethical dilemmas that impact decision-making, transparency, and accountability. This research explored key ethical issues, including corruption, conflicts of interest, favoritism, and the misuse of authority, with a particular focus on how these challenges hinder the effectiveness of public service. Using a mixed-methods approach, the findings showed that Prevalence of Corruption was approximately 65% where respondents reported that encountering corruption in their daily work, with bribery being the most common form, only 40% of respondents indicated that they had received formal training on ethical conduct in public service and about 30% of respondents believing that unethical behavior is adequately punished. The study concludes that ethical challenges in Uganda's public administration are deeply rooted in systemic issues such as corruption, inadequate ethical training, and political interference. The findings aim to provide recommendations for policy reforms, ethical training programs, and mechanisms to strengthen accountability, ultimately contributing to improved governance and trust in Uganda's public administration also Implementation of mandatory ethical training for all public servants, Develop and enforce stricter accountability, Encourage the appointment of leaders who demonstrate a commitment to ethical conduct. This study also considers the role of civil society and international standards in shaping ethical practices in public administration, underscoring the importance of an integrated approach to ethical governance in Uganda.
Wabomba et al. (Fri,) studied this question.