Corruption blamed on lack of funds

By Andrew Ssenyonga & Abou Kisige

More resources need to be made available to the anti-corruption agencies if the vice of corruption is to be wiped out of the country, Harriet Gimbo the Programs Director ActionAid Uganda said.

Gimbo said that inadequate resources and funding of especially the Auditor General’s office, Police, the Inspectorate of Government and the Criminal Investigations Department has failed all effort in the fight against corruption in the country.

“According to documentary evidence, corruption is most rife in procurement, privatization, administration of public expenditure and revenue and in the delivery of public services,” she said.

Gimbo made the remarks during the launch of the second Anti- Corruption Caravan to cover 15 districts in North-East and Eastern Uganda at the head offices in Kansanga Kampala on Tuesday.

She asked the Government to provide counter-part funding for activities held in different anti-corruption agencies, in addition to transport for the staffs.

Denis Asiimwe, the assistant inspector of Police in Charge of the VIP Protection Unit noted that the Police had started on well by efficiently investigating many of corruption cases, but the effort was frustrated by lack of counter-part funding from the Government.

Asiimwe also appealed to donors to continue providing logistical support to strengthen the anti-corruption fight.

He blamed the persistent deterioration of ethical conduct among public officials to mostly greed and various short-comings in the many institutions that are mandated to curb the vice.

The weeklong campaign will move village to village to raise awareness about the vice among residents, spread message of good integrity and mobilse citizens to take positive action in the fulfillment of the constitutional mandate of combatting corruption.

This year’s caravan will traverse districts of Kotido, Abim, Amuria, Katakwi, Soroti, Kumi, Bukedea and Kapchorwa. others include Mbale, Tororo, Pallisa, Kibuku, Budaka, Namutumba and Iganga.

The first anti- corruption caravan was launched in Luwero and it covered 12 districts of West Nile and the Central Northern Uganda.