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Why should the highly paid be the most corrupt?
Corruption should never be practised by the most highly paid and privileged leaders of our society because it would imply being ungrateful to God, who lavished his love on you with such great power and authority, plus resources.
Rev. Sheldon Mwesigwe.
By: Admin ., Journalist @New Vision
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OPINION
By Rev. Sheldon Mwesigwe
Isn’t it axiomatic that the most highly paid and privileged public servants should be the most corruption-free? Not at all, it seems in Uganda, the most highly paid and privileged leaders are, in the main, the most corrupt. Public service in this respect refers to those who are appointed and who wield power and authority for and on behalf of others. Power without resources is incomplete; the control of resources is a key part of the leadership role. Civil service, political and religious leadership can fall in this category.
In 2007, I responded to an article by the late Kajabago Ka Rusoke in New Vision of October 30, 2007 (Mwesigwa 2025:282), critiquing his thesis that corruption in Uganda is mainly a result of economic poverty and that economic poverty breeds spiritual poverty. He posited that if the question of economies can be addressed, so that there is plenty for all (a theory that seems to stem from the reasoning of Karl Mark), then corruption would not be an issue.
Far from the truth, me thinks that the heart of the problem is the problem of the heart! Spiritual malaise is the disease that is bedevilling Ugandans and rendering the most highly paid and privileged the most corrupt. The Bible says, ‘where your treasure is, there is your heart’ (Mathew 6:21). Priorities of an individual define them and what one values, invests their energy in, prioritises, and will dictate where their passions and devotions lie.
A spiritually grounded person whose treasure is in keeping a good relationship with their God will be informed by the word of God not to overindulge in love for money and material wealth. 1 Timothy 6:10, for the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil. Some people, eager for money, have wandered from the faith and pierced themselves with many griefs.
Money or wealth is not bad in itself, and the Bible has about 2,350 verses on money, wealth and possessions. Jesus discussed money in nearly 15% of his recorded words and devoted 16 of his 38 parables to the topic. The problem is when money and material possessions become our treasure and not the people we are meant to serve.
Sadly, although religion is supposed to be a panacea for addressing corruption, the new faulty theologies on the market lumped up under the tag line ‘prosperity gospel’ have exacerbated corruption among the religious, instead of condemning it.
A month ago, I was tasked with reviewing a five-hundred-page scholarly book by Langham comprising researched articles from the continent of Africa on the key theme of the prosperity gospel. Lo and behold, the subject on God’s abundance and generosity, African perspectives on wealth and prosperity, is a clear warning on the promotion of corruption through the prosperity gospel that glorifies material wealth and paints a picture of God with an insatiable appetite for tithes and offerings, which primarily benefit the men of God.
Far from the truth, me thinks that the heart of the problem is the problem of the heart! Spiritual malaise is the disease that is bedevilling Ugandans and rendering the most highly paid and privileged the most corrupt. The Bible says, ‘where your treasure is, there is your heart’ (Mathew 6:21). Priorities of an individual define them and what one values, invests their energy in, prioritises, and will dictate where their passions and devotions lie.
A spiritually grounded person whose treasure is in keeping a good relationship with their God will be informed by the word of God not to overindulge in love for money and material wealth. 1 Timothy 6:10, for the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil. Some people, eager for money, have wandered from the faith and pierced themselves with many griefs.
Money or wealth is not bad in itself, and the Bible has about 2,350 verses on money, wealth and possessions. Jesus discussed money in nearly 15% of his recorded words and devoted 16 of his 38 parables to the topic. The problem is when money and material possessions become our treasure and not the people we are meant to serve.
Sadly, although religion is supposed to be a panacea for addressing corruption, the new faulty theologies on the market lumped up under the tag line ‘prosperity gospel’ have exacerbated corruption among the religious, instead of condemning it.
A month ago, I was tasked with reviewing a five-hundred-page scholarly book by Langham comprising researched articles from the continent of Africa on the key theme of the prosperity gospel. Lo and behold, the subject on God’s abundance and generosity, African perspectives on wealth and prosperity, is a clear warning on the promotion of corruption through the prosperity gospel that glorifies material wealth and paints a picture of God with an insatiable appetite for tithes and offerings, which primarily benefit the men of God.
The pulpit has become a centre of a new message of a cutthroat world where a get-rich-quick message has been spread and resonates with politicians and civil service leaders. The faulty theology has been a catalyst for corruption since being extra rich is a sign of blessing, and poverty is associated with spiritual failure.
The perpetrators of corruption have failed to appreciate too the African Philosophy of Ubuntu, which aims at meeting the needs of all in society and where selfishness is considered as inhuman thus, Ubuntu ngubuntu ngabantu a Zulu phrase for ‘a person is a person through other people’ Anybody who is truly African, will desire to see others happy not just himself/herself as western secular philosophy dictates as in the case of Rene Descartes who reasoned that “I think thus I am” the reasoning and actions of an individual matter more than those of society.
Corruption should never be practised by the most highly paid and privileged leaders of our society because it would imply being ungrateful to God, who lavished his love on you with such great power and authority, plus resources. In any case, once the leader is corrupt, it is a whistle blown for all those serving under him/her, to start the game of catch me if you can, and if you catch me, do you have the moral authority to prosecute me?
The writer is the Bishop of Ankole Diocese
The perpetrators of corruption have failed to appreciate too the African Philosophy of Ubuntu, which aims at meeting the needs of all in society and where selfishness is considered as inhuman thus, Ubuntu ngubuntu ngabantu a Zulu phrase for ‘a person is a person through other people’ Anybody who is truly African, will desire to see others happy not just himself/herself as western secular philosophy dictates as in the case of Rene Descartes who reasoned that “I think thus I am” the reasoning and actions of an individual matter more than those of society.
Corruption should never be practised by the most highly paid and privileged leaders of our society because it would imply being ungrateful to God, who lavished his love on you with such great power and authority, plus resources. In any case, once the leader is corrupt, it is a whistle blown for all those serving under him/her, to start the game of catch me if you can, and if you catch me, do you have the moral authority to prosecute me?
The writer is the Bishop of Ankole Diocese