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OPINION

By Dr Josue Okoth

In the recent time, we have witnessed a lot of talk and activities related to fighting corruption.

The youth were on the streets demonstrating to Parliament implying that Parliament is the source of corruption.

I agree to some extent because Parliament is responsible for making enabling laws to fight corruption.

The Government responded by pouring military hardware, soldiers and police onto the streets to arrest the demonstrators. Kampala looked like it was in a state of war!

Corruption is a word comprising bribery, patronage, nepotism and cronyism, embezzlement, kickbacks, influence peddling, electoral fraud, unholy alliance and involvement in organised crime, among others.

This definition makes corruption very complicated to control or eliminate as many people are not even aware of this detail.

In Uganda, we have a culture of corruption which has extended to every aspect of public life, making it extremely difficult for individuals to stay in business without resorting to corruption of some sort.

Corruption gets into community through its rulers. Generally, people take rulers as role models. Just like children take their parents as role models.

It does not matter how much you punish a child; if you parents don’t practise what you teach, the punishment will remain a type of torture, hence the saying “charity begins at home”.

A ruler should be an honest person of integrity. We need to think correctly when making a proper diagnosis of corruption as a sin.

Uganda may appear religious with over 85% Christians but we wonder what could have gone wrong!

The majority of Ugandans have become ‘lukewarm’ believers in God: they tumble over truth and move on as if nothing has happened.

This state of mind is a state of sin, feeling spiritually comfortable is a state of sin.

Once we identify that corruption is a spiritual problem, then we look for spiritual weapons. Spiritual weapons take longer but are sure deals.

Uganda’s religious education is faulty: it does not create fear of God. Christian Religious Education (CRE) taught in schools is simply a general knowledge in Christianity. Students need deeper knowledge in Christianity through catechism classes.

Parliament should make laws which provide an enabling environment to teach and practise religion in order to create a God-fearing community.

Proper religious education will not only take care of corruption, but the entire human dignity, including governance.

Patriotism is not the same as religion; patriotism is used in communist countries to create love for and fear of the state whereas religion creates love for and the fear of God, leading to salvation of souls.

This fear of God takes care of the state as well. However, for any of them to work, the promoters must be people of honour and integrity.

Using military force to fight corruption creates fear in the community.

Attempts to render punishment without room for hope is a form of torture which results in hatred of both the offender and the offended resulting in revenge.

Sometimes corruption creeps in and law enforcement officers are compromised and they join the offenders making the intervention complicated.

The writer is a concerned Christian and citizen

okothjosue@yahoo.com