Ugandans recognise public servants with integrity

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It was all joy and celebration at the 2023 National Citizen’s Integrity Awards event held at Hotel Africana in  Kampala yesterday, when Action Aid in Uganda (AAIU), the Anti-Corruption Coalition Uganda (ACCU), Transparency International in Uganda (TI-U) and Uganda Debt Network (UDN) with support from regional and national CSO partners, government representatives, academia witnessed an awards’ ceremony, whose main objective is to recognise gallant men and women that withstand the temptation of corruption and choose to exhibit high levels of integrity in serving their country.

The awards have been conducted since 2016, with the exception of 2020 and 2022 when the COVID epidemic paralysed the nation.

Professor Wasswa Balunywa

Prof. Waiswa Balunywa, the Makerere University Business School Principal scooped the Overall Winner’s Award, followed by Andrew Baryayanga Aja and Kassiano Ezatu Wadri in first and second runner up positions respectively.

Several other individuals won awards in the three different preliminary categories.

Baryayanga, an entrepreneur and Kabale Municipality Member of Parliament, received the top Political Obligation Award. 

In the ninth Parliament, he served on the Committee of Commissions, State Authorities & State Enterprises, and the Committee on Natural Resources where he challenged the Inspector General of Government (IGG) inquiry on the Karuma Hydro-Power project in the Constitutional Court.

The Management Obligation Award went to Prof. Waiswa Balunywa, while Dr. Morris Ocwedda, a seasoned retired veterinary surgeon, with vast experience in rural extension services based in Zombo won in the Frontline Service Obligation category.

Akello Edith – (First Place)

A registered midwife at Iganga General Hospital, Akello has served with utmost integrity in Iganga District since 2011, working faithfully and passionately throughout the COVID-19 pandemic.

Hellen Adoa Abeku (Second Place)

As State Minister for Fisheries and Woman MP for Serere district, she has been a consistent anti-corruption crusader who has fearlessly spoken out on eliminating illegal fishing practices on lakes, including corruption tendencies among the Uganda Police and UPDF soldiers extorting money from fishermen inform of bribes and tips.  

State Minister for Fisheries and Woman MP for Serere district Hellen Adoa (L) receives an award.

Agnes Akello (Third place)

Officer Akello is a dedicated Traffic Police Officer, recently recognised by Rotary Club of Kasese Snow Peaks for serving her country without any corruption allegation unlike her counter parts in the same department.

Police officer Agnes Akello

Midwife Edith Akello from Iganga district

Other nominees included James Ochen, a medical assistant at Alik Health Centre III, Lira district and Bakak Ronald Andrew, the Deputy Resident District Commissioner for Kabale district.

The winners were selected from over 600 submissions, by a vetting committee comprised of Rev. Borald Matovu, Mawogola Community Development Initiative (MACDEIN) and Dr Sylvester Onzivua, a forensic pathologist at Mulago Hospital. Twenty eight other individuals and five local government institutions across the country have been awarded in the previous annual events.

Marlon Agaba, the Executive Director, Anti-Corruption Coalition Uganda noted that corruption in Uganda is both epidemic and endemic in manifestation.

Speaking on behalf of the organisers, Marlon Agaba, the Executive Director, Anti-Corruption Coalition Uganda noted that corruption in Uganda is both epidemic and endemic in manifestation.

He said anti-corruption CSOs and partners have consequently employed evolving strategies in the fight against corruption, starting with the “Name-and Shame Corrupt Public Officials” Campaign in the early 2000s, from whose experience and learnings the Citizens Integrity Awards were birthed.

The keynote speaker for the day, Dr. Elia Musasizi, director of Tsyion Family Hospital, called on Ugandans to stay true to who they are, no matter where they are.

“Why should you be a police officer only when in uniform and lawless out there, or a pastor in church, but a disgrace elsewhere? Your conduct says a million words for you where you are not,” he said.

He also emphasised the need for families to instill integrity in children at an early age, challenging his listeners to work towards being an authority of values.