Ssekandi advises on graft in judiciary

Dec 16, 2002

The Speaker of Parliament, Edward Ssekandi, has said increasing remuneration of judicial officers and support staff will not stop corruption in the judicial system

By Abubaker Mukose

THE Speaker of Parliament, Edward Ssekandi, has said increasing remuneration of judicial officers and support staff will not stop corruption in the judicial system.

“While I agree that judicial officers and the support staff should be adequately remunerated, I have reservations about it eliminating corruption,” he said.

Ssekandi was yesterday opening a judicial integrity committee workshop at Jinja Nile Resort Hotel. Participants included judicial officers, ministers, MPs, RDCs and LC5 chairpersons from selected districts.

Flanked by the Chief Justice, Benjamin Odoki, Ssekandi said while there were people who fell into the temptation of corruption in order to survive, there were also the well-paid people who despite good remuneration, became victims of corruption.

“In this respect, I would say, all patriotic Ugandans should scorn corruption at all levels of society, as a national cancer that deserve condemnation of the highest order,” Ssekandi said.

He said, just like the country had registered a number of successes in the fight against HIV/AIDS, there should be a similar approach in the fight against corruption.

He applauded the judiciary for its bold initiative of self re-examination and urged other organs of the state to do the same and openly fight corruption which he referred to as “a cancer that threatened democracy and good governance.”

Odoki said, an independent judiciary was essential if the courts were to fulfil their role as custodians of the rule of law and in particular to subject executive decisions to judicial review.

“If the judicial system is corrupt, none of these elements can exist. A bribed judge is neither independent nor impartial. Such a judge will be unable to enforce anti-corruption laws,” Odoki said.

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