Police, gov't officials, judiciary most corrupt - survey

By Vicky Wandawa and John Masaba

Seven out of every 10 Ugandans say corruption increased in the past three years raising fears that it is spiraling out of control, according to the latest Afro-barometer survey.

Afro-barometer is a pan-African nonpartisan research network that has been conducting surveys on democracy, governance, economic conditions and related issues across more than 30 countries in Africa.
 
Ugandans who say corruption, a major problem rose from 4% in 2002 to 19% in 2015.

The Police got 64%, tax and government officials came in second at 48%, judges and magistrates at 45%, local government councilors at 39%, Members of Parliament at 36% and the Office of the President at 29%.

The survey showed that apathy to fight the corruption had increased, with many people resigned to the fact that the there is little they can do to fight vice.

Interestingly though, the survey indicated that confidence in the President to fight corruption has grown.

As if to confirm earlier findings by many international anticorruption institutions, Uganda ranked above many countries in corruption in the region. For example, Uganda ranked above Kenya, Togo, Cote d’Ivoire, ranking in number six positions out of 22 countries in which afro barometer carried out research.        

The survey said perceived corruption in state institutions has increased from 20% in 2002 to 47% in 2015. The survey said trust in state institutions to fight the vice is lowest among urban dwellers.

According to the report released on Friday, a sizeable number has paid bribes to obtain public services. Among the respondents who sought public services in the year preceding the survey, 20% paid a bribe to obtain health services, 13% to access Police services, 10% to access public school services, 9% to obtain official documents such as driving permits and 4% to obtain utility services.

Furthermore, government response to corruption continues to be perceived as inadequate with only 26% of respondents saying the Government is performing well or very well in reducing corruption.

However, the results showed that Ugandans are evenly divided as to whether ordinary citizens can make a difference in the fight against corruption, with 47% saying that ordinary people cannot make a difference and 47% saying that ordinary citizens can make a difference. Three respondents agreed with neither and three did not know.

Afro-Barometer conducts face to face interviews in the language preferred by the respondent with nationally representative samples. Previous surveys were conducted in Uganda in 2000, 2002, 2005, 2008 and 2012. Most respondents were aged between 26 and 35, with an equal division in gender.