Museveni speaks out on CHOGM scam

Dec 31, 2009

<br>PRESIDENT Yoweri Museveni in his New Year’s address to the nation has vowed to punish Government officials who stole CHOGM funds.

By Vision reporters

PRESIDENT Yoweri Museveni in his New Year’s address to the nation has vowed to punish Government officials who stole CHOGM funds.

“The success of CHOGM notwithstanding, I do not condone the action of those public officials who abused procedures and mismanaged any resources allocated to them for the event,” he noted in his end-of-year statement.

“I commissioned a special audit of CHOGM expenditure by the Auditor General, which is now the subject of the deliberations of the public accounts committee of Parliament.”

Vice-President Gilbert Bukenya and foreign minister Sam Kutesa have in the past weeks said the President sanctioned the controversial procurement of CHOGM cars.

But Museveni in his address said the Government fully supported the probe in Parliament into the CHOGM expenditure.
“The Government will ensure that the necessary punitive action is taken against officials abusing rules and regulations.”

On corruption in general, the President sounded a warning to all accounting officers and public officials who divert Government resources or do not implement Government programmes according to plan.

“This lack of seriousness must stop forthwith. I am going to hold accountable every single accounting officer, including permanent secretaries, for the actions or inaction of their officers.”
He warned the chief administrative officers and district directors of health services that they will be held responsible for the absence of staff from health centres and the theft of drugs “if they do not show that they have taken all the necessary actions to reprimand or discipline their juniors”.

The recent arrest of public health workers accused of stealing Government drugs should serve as a “wake-up call” for the entire population to safeguard public drugs meant to be given to patients free of charge, he noted.

Museveni several times lashed out at the courts, indicating that they are frustrating his fight against corruption.

“The question of the courts releasing thieves on bail or giving them light sentences is not acceptable. We have fought many wars; the least I expect of the judiciary is seriousness,” he cautioned.

On the economy, he noted that there was a 6.6% growth rate in 2009, among the fastest in the world at a time of global economic downturn, despite a decline in the construction sector as a result of the rising cost of building materials.

In the education sector, he observed that the number of pupils who passed PLE quadrupled in ten years, from 80,000 in 1997 to 356,000 in 2007.
He also pointed out that the number of classrooms increased from 28,000 in 1986, when the NRM came to power, to 82,000 today.

However, he noted that the education sector suffers from problems of teacher absenteeism, poor teacher supervision and high school fees charged by head teachers.

“I would like to urge parents and community leaders to report head teachers who carry out such malpractices and teachers who absent themselves from duty to their area councillors, members of Parliament and resident district commissioners.”

He announced that the Government will now focus on science and technology teaching, and on ‘vocationalisation’ of education geared towards the needs of the market.

On employment, he announced that a national skills programme will be set up, with access to loans at less than 5% interest for graduates who want to start up business.

The Government, he added, is looking at the creation of 2.7 million new jobs.
Other priority areas for this year are the rehabilitation of railways, the improvement of water transport, the construction of three hydro-power stations and the development of an oil refinery and pipeline.

In addition, the Government will focus on the creation of ICT business parks, the construction of five large scale irrigation schemes, the development of the phosphate industry in Tororo and the production of iron ore for the steel industry.

As a result, the Government anticipates that poverty will reduce to 24.5%, down from 37% in 2006. On roads maintenance, he announced that all districts will be given equipment and funds to reduce on the cost of hiring private contractors.

District chairmen and chief administrative officers will be held accountable for the funds sent and for the state of their roads, he warned.
On the recently discovered oil, the President said the Government is working on two new laws, one on the management of oil and gas activities, and the second on regulating payments and management of oil revenues.

“The key elements in these legislations will be to ensure transparency and accountability in the production and utilisation of oil resources.”

He again assured that the money from oil would not be used for consumption but for long-term development projects, and that it will not lead to distortions in the economy.

He listed four priority sectors to be developed using oil revenues: energy infrastructure, rail and road transport, irrigation schemes for agriculture, and science and technology.

In an apparent reference to the riots and lawlessness, the President urged Ugandans to strictly adhere to the Constitution.

“There should be no mistake about this. If you want to do anything, follow the Constitution. You don’t follow the Constitution, I will take action against you.”

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