Museveni warns Permanent Secretaries
Feb 20, 2007
PRESIDENT Yoweri Museveni has directed Permanent Secretaries to resist pressure from politicians and ensure tight control of government funds to get rid of corruption.
PRESIDENT Yoweri Museveni has directed Permanent Secretaries to resist pressure from politicians and ensure tight control of government funds to get rid of corruption.
“You should not fear politicians. You should be able to stamp out corruption. The power over money or contracts is on the Permanent Secretaries and not politicians. Why would you fear to do your work unless you are also corrupt?†he asked.
Museveni re-assured permanent secretaries that they can never be dismissed for doing the right thing. “In the fight against corruption, permanent secretaries are in the front line. The Constitution is clear about this. It is now upon the permanent secretaries, the chief administrative officers, the town clerks and the sub-county chiefs to do their job.â€
He added that government auditors must do their part by checking the permanent secretaries, and called on the Police and the Judges to ensure that corruption cases are conclusively handled.
The President made the remarks while launching the national commission of the African Peer Review Mechanism. The peer review was introduced in 2003 as an important element of the New Partnership for Africa’s Development (NEPAD). African governments are supposed to assess themselves and each other on political, economic, corporate and socio-economic governance.
Museveni said to be able to review Uganda, the reviewers should be aware of the original problems the country inherited from the colonialists. They should also define what the situation was supposed to have been.
He noted that economic and social transformation from peasant to middle-class societies was still eluding the country. However, he expressed hope that this could be achieved with the higher levels of education Ugandans were getting today.
“We now have to ensure political hygiene, no use of money in campaigns, no telling lies during campaigns. We have now strengthened a wing of CID to handle these political crimes. The liars will not only lose their seats but also go to jail,†the President added.
“You should not fear politicians. You should be able to stamp out corruption. The power over money or contracts is on the Permanent Secretaries and not politicians. Why would you fear to do your work unless you are also corrupt?†he asked.
Museveni re-assured permanent secretaries that they can never be dismissed for doing the right thing. “In the fight against corruption, permanent secretaries are in the front line. The Constitution is clear about this. It is now upon the permanent secretaries, the chief administrative officers, the town clerks and the sub-county chiefs to do their job.â€
He added that government auditors must do their part by checking the permanent secretaries, and called on the Police and the Judges to ensure that corruption cases are conclusively handled.
The President made the remarks while launching the national commission of the African Peer Review Mechanism. The peer review was introduced in 2003 as an important element of the New Partnership for Africa’s Development (NEPAD). African governments are supposed to assess themselves and each other on political, economic, corporate and socio-economic governance.
Museveni said to be able to review Uganda, the reviewers should be aware of the original problems the country inherited from the colonialists. They should also define what the situation was supposed to have been.
He noted that economic and social transformation from peasant to middle-class societies was still eluding the country. However, he expressed hope that this could be achieved with the higher levels of education Ugandans were getting today.
“We now have to ensure political hygiene, no use of money in campaigns, no telling lies during campaigns. We have now strengthened a wing of CID to handle these political crimes. The liars will not only lose their seats but also go to jail,†the President added.