PRESIDENT Yoweri Museveni, meeting the members of his former task force committee from the seven districts of Buganda at his home in Rwakitura on Friday, urged the National Resistance Movement (NRM) leaders to stand firm against corruption.
If not tackled, the President observed, corruption would eat up the NRM and threaten its very survival.
All the political leaders at all levels must take President Museveni’s call seriously. Corruption remains widespread at all levels and poses a big danger to the country. It undermines growth of the national economy because it imposes unnecessary financial costs to investors.
Investors have to give bribes to get the necessary services. Thus corruption is a disincentive to investment.
It impedes the implementation of Government’s programmes and delivery of services.
Government has taken a number of measures to deal with corruption.
By appointing the various Commissions of Inquiry, Government has demonstrated its commitment to tackle the problem.
Currently, a commission is investigating the mismanagement of funds from the Global Fund on AIDS, TB and Malaria.
It has quizzed a number of people including all the Health Ministry ministers who were responsible for managing the funds.
It is hoped the commission will get at the root of the problem in the Global Fund so that decisive action is taken.
Nonetheless, corruption still poses a national challenge. Political leaders at all levels must put the fight against corruption at the top of their agenda. The general public must be drafted into the campaign.
Every person should take it as a national duty to expose corruption.
Prosecuting corruption suspects requires hard evidence. State agencies charged with fighting corruption should be given adequate resources and tools to do their work. Government should also promptly act on the reports of the anti-corruption institutions such as the Inspectorate of Government.
