Time to walk the talk on corruption
Jun 07, 2011
THE Inspector General of Government (IGG) Raphael Baku is dealing with more than 100 public officials for prosecution over a litany of offences including abuse of office, causing financial loss, receiving bribes, illicit enrichment, false claims, forgery and uttering false documents.
THE Inspector General of Government (IGG) Raphael Baku is dealing with more than 100 public officials for prosecution over a litany of offences including abuse of office, causing financial loss, receiving bribes, illicit enrichment, false claims, forgery and uttering false documents.
Many of the suspects are high profile Government officials with many closely linked to the NRM, the ruling party. The IGG’s net has caught three ministers and three permanent secretaries who have not been named.
His list also includes former ministers and other officials in high places. The most prominent of those in the spotlight is former Vice-President Gilbert Bukenya facing charges related to the expenditure of the 2007 CHOGM funds.
The IGG says those on the list have been investigated thoroughly. According to the IGG’s report issued to the Speaker of Parliament, many of the cases being prosecuted came from the district administrations. For too long there has been a hue and cry about massive corruption in district administration.
Some people have cynically observed that decentralisation of authority to districts was actually synonymous with decentralising corruption.
Most culprits at the district are chief administrative officers, financial officers, accountants , education officers and town clerks. It is most disturbing that corruption is flourishing at the helm of leadership both at national and district levels.
President Yoweri Museveni has for a long time, proclaimed his Government’s zero tolerance to corruption. This is the time to walk the talk.
The IGG’s effort to investigate such a big number of suspects is commendable but as he says, he faces many challenges like understaffing, underfunding and inadequate support from other Government institutions. He urgently needs help and cooperation to ensure his efforts yield handsome dividends.
Many of the suspects are high profile Government officials with many closely linked to the NRM, the ruling party. The IGG’s net has caught three ministers and three permanent secretaries who have not been named.
His list also includes former ministers and other officials in high places. The most prominent of those in the spotlight is former Vice-President Gilbert Bukenya facing charges related to the expenditure of the 2007 CHOGM funds.
The IGG says those on the list have been investigated thoroughly. According to the IGG’s report issued to the Speaker of Parliament, many of the cases being prosecuted came from the district administrations. For too long there has been a hue and cry about massive corruption in district administration.
Some people have cynically observed that decentralisation of authority to districts was actually synonymous with decentralising corruption.
Most culprits at the district are chief administrative officers, financial officers, accountants , education officers and town clerks. It is most disturbing that corruption is flourishing at the helm of leadership both at national and district levels.
President Yoweri Museveni has for a long time, proclaimed his Government’s zero tolerance to corruption. This is the time to walk the talk.
The IGG’s effort to investigate such a big number of suspects is commendable but as he says, he faces many challenges like understaffing, underfunding and inadequate support from other Government institutions. He urgently needs help and cooperation to ensure his efforts yield handsome dividends.