This study examined the conceptual and operational tension between auditing as a ceremonial ritual and auditing as a genuine enforcement mechanism within Uganda's public accountability framework. Drawing on a mixed-methods design that combined structured questionnaires, key informant interviews, and documentary analysis, data were collected from 320 purposively and randomly selected respondents across central government ministries, local government districts, civil society organizations (CSOs), and parliamentary committees. Univariate descriptive statistics, bivariate correlation analysis, and Structural Equation Modelling (SEM) were employed to interrogate the relationships between political independence, technical audit capacity, stakeholder engagement, follow-up compliance mechanisms, and accountability outcomes. Findings revealed that 58.8% of respondents perceived public auditing in Uganda primarily as a ritual exercise, driven largely by weak enforcement infrastructure, limited political will, and inadequate follow-up on audit recommendations. The SEM model demonstrated strong path coefficients linking political independence to enforcement effectiveness (β = 0.61, p < .001) and audit formalism to ritual perception (β = 0.73, p < .001), with overall model fit indices confirming a well-specified model (CFI = 0.96; RMSEA = 0.047). The study concluded that Uganda's audit ecosystem remains structurally skewed toward performative compliance, undermining the transformative potential of public auditing as an accountability instrument. The study recommended institutional reforms targeting the independence of the Auditor General's office, mandatory parliamentary action on audit reports, and capacity investment in the Office of the Auditor General (OAG). These findings carry significant implications for public financial management reform efforts in Uganda and comparable subSaharan African contexts.