Many forms of corruption taking their toll on Uganda
Sep 07, 2009
VARIOUS forms of corruption are taking their toll on the body politic of our nation. They are manifesting in poor service delivery, deterring of potential investors, killing of initiative, and decimation of our national soul and identity. Yet, these are t
By Dr. Nsaba Buturo
VARIOUS forms of corruption are taking their toll on the body politic of our nation. They are manifesting in poor service delivery, deterring of potential investors, killing of initiative, and decimation of our national soul and identity. Yet, these are the engine of any nation’s revival, renaissance as well as development.
The form of corruption that is very much in the news is stealing of public resources. It is threatening to destroy our existence and its perpetrators are our sons and daughters who are for the most part wallowing in ill-gotten ‘wealth’.
It is estimated that over 80% of public officials own properties which they have acquired by using public funds.
This state of affairs calls for joint efforts from the Government, religious institutions, civil society organisations and citizens of good will. Practical anger from all these quarters should be directed at individuals who have chosen to become eminent enemies of their society.
Not that this anger should express itself in unlawful methods against the corrupt. Rather, it should show in their active willingness to report and despise them.
If we do not do this, we shall see a decimation of our way of life to absurd levels which could lead to open revolt, people taking the law into their hands, more instability and poverty.
The recent situation concerning the NSSF pension fund has heightened tension and public concern about the safety of workers’ savings and the Government’s credibility to protect them.
In this connection, the Auditor General (AG) has done commendable work of unearthing gross abuse of public funds that has been going on within the NSSF. He will soon produce a comprehensive report whose findings will lead to active action by the director of public prosecutions and the Judiciary.
In the meantime, both the workers and the public should allow the due process of the law to take its course. The Government assures them that firm and unrelenting action against officials who abuse workers’ funds will be taken unsparingly.
The Government has long-term interests in taking action against the enemies of our society. A lot is being done and more will continue to be done until victory is achieved. On July 25, the President assented to the Anti-Corruption Bill, 2009.
As a result, there is now the Anti Corruption Act, 2009 which provides for, among other things, more effective ways of preventing corruption both in the public and private sectors. Prior to this was the establishment of the Anti-Corruption Court to speedily handle corruption-related cases. The establishment of this Court has already sent shivers down the spine of the corrupt, as a result of which a number of them have been returning stolen funds.
The current whistleblower protection legislation will soon become law. It is expected it will then radically turn the tide against our enemies. For it will provide procedures by which individuals in both private and public sectors may, in the public interest, disclose information that relates to known or suspected irregular, illegal or corrupt practices. It will also provide for protection against victimisation of persons who make disclosures.
Allegations that were recently made by Dr. Besigye to the effect that the NRM Government was being ‘soft’ in its fight against corruption were simply baseless, mere politicking and unhelpful. My experience with people who point their finger at others is that they often forget that their other fingers are pointing at them as if to say that they, too, do not have clean hands.
There are many Ugandans who are like this. They protest loudly while their private actions are dripping in the blood of corrupt practices. No, what Uganda needs in order to defeat perpetrators of corruption is not the blame game but a united approach against the corrupt in our society.
The Forum for Democratic Change in particular, and other opposition parties to a lesser extent, are trying to turn political a matter over which only the courts of law have a final say. They are agitating that both Prof. Kagonyera and Jamwa should be imprisoned. But wait a minute, the AG has not yet completed his investigations. They do not know that until the law is changed, we have to go by the current procedures, however, slow the wheels of justice may turn.
The opposition parties are showing their true colours. If they were in power, God forbid, they would rule by decree. They would, at the whim of every allegation, throw the concerned in jail. They would, presumably, also throw themselves in the same jails since there would be accusers against some of them. In short, they would return Uganda to that dictatorial past that we thought we had left behind.
The NRM Government will not be distracted from the business of defeating corrupt individuals. It is aware though that its efforts will bear more lasting fruit when Ugandans of all walks of life, including Dr. Kizza Besigye, are genuinely and soberly involved in the fight.
The tide against individuals that have chosen the path of corruption is rising. Currently, cases of arrest and prosecution are intermittent and far between.
However, momentum is growing as the Government’s capacity improves and public revulsion, disdain as well as anger are on the rise. The untouchables will soon become touchable and the ‘clever’ ones will be proved foolish and simply declared officially greedy and enemies of the Ugandan state.
The writer is the Minister of Ethics and Integrity
VARIOUS forms of corruption are taking their toll on the body politic of our nation. They are manifesting in poor service delivery, deterring of potential investors, killing of initiative, and decimation of our national soul and identity. Yet, these are the engine of any nation’s revival, renaissance as well as development.
The form of corruption that is very much in the news is stealing of public resources. It is threatening to destroy our existence and its perpetrators are our sons and daughters who are for the most part wallowing in ill-gotten ‘wealth’.
It is estimated that over 80% of public officials own properties which they have acquired by using public funds.
This state of affairs calls for joint efforts from the Government, religious institutions, civil society organisations and citizens of good will. Practical anger from all these quarters should be directed at individuals who have chosen to become eminent enemies of their society.
Not that this anger should express itself in unlawful methods against the corrupt. Rather, it should show in their active willingness to report and despise them.
If we do not do this, we shall see a decimation of our way of life to absurd levels which could lead to open revolt, people taking the law into their hands, more instability and poverty.
The recent situation concerning the NSSF pension fund has heightened tension and public concern about the safety of workers’ savings and the Government’s credibility to protect them.
In this connection, the Auditor General (AG) has done commendable work of unearthing gross abuse of public funds that has been going on within the NSSF. He will soon produce a comprehensive report whose findings will lead to active action by the director of public prosecutions and the Judiciary.
In the meantime, both the workers and the public should allow the due process of the law to take its course. The Government assures them that firm and unrelenting action against officials who abuse workers’ funds will be taken unsparingly.
The Government has long-term interests in taking action against the enemies of our society. A lot is being done and more will continue to be done until victory is achieved. On July 25, the President assented to the Anti-Corruption Bill, 2009.
As a result, there is now the Anti Corruption Act, 2009 which provides for, among other things, more effective ways of preventing corruption both in the public and private sectors. Prior to this was the establishment of the Anti-Corruption Court to speedily handle corruption-related cases. The establishment of this Court has already sent shivers down the spine of the corrupt, as a result of which a number of them have been returning stolen funds.
The current whistleblower protection legislation will soon become law. It is expected it will then radically turn the tide against our enemies. For it will provide procedures by which individuals in both private and public sectors may, in the public interest, disclose information that relates to known or suspected irregular, illegal or corrupt practices. It will also provide for protection against victimisation of persons who make disclosures.
Allegations that were recently made by Dr. Besigye to the effect that the NRM Government was being ‘soft’ in its fight against corruption were simply baseless, mere politicking and unhelpful. My experience with people who point their finger at others is that they often forget that their other fingers are pointing at them as if to say that they, too, do not have clean hands.
There are many Ugandans who are like this. They protest loudly while their private actions are dripping in the blood of corrupt practices. No, what Uganda needs in order to defeat perpetrators of corruption is not the blame game but a united approach against the corrupt in our society.
The Forum for Democratic Change in particular, and other opposition parties to a lesser extent, are trying to turn political a matter over which only the courts of law have a final say. They are agitating that both Prof. Kagonyera and Jamwa should be imprisoned. But wait a minute, the AG has not yet completed his investigations. They do not know that until the law is changed, we have to go by the current procedures, however, slow the wheels of justice may turn.
The opposition parties are showing their true colours. If they were in power, God forbid, they would rule by decree. They would, at the whim of every allegation, throw the concerned in jail. They would, presumably, also throw themselves in the same jails since there would be accusers against some of them. In short, they would return Uganda to that dictatorial past that we thought we had left behind.
The NRM Government will not be distracted from the business of defeating corrupt individuals. It is aware though that its efforts will bear more lasting fruit when Ugandans of all walks of life, including Dr. Kizza Besigye, are genuinely and soberly involved in the fight.
The tide against individuals that have chosen the path of corruption is rising. Currently, cases of arrest and prosecution are intermittent and far between.
However, momentum is growing as the Government’s capacity improves and public revulsion, disdain as well as anger are on the rise. The untouchables will soon become touchable and the ‘clever’ ones will be proved foolish and simply declared officially greedy and enemies of the Ugandan state.
The writer is the Minister of Ethics and Integrity