Corruption in Education: Museveni orders overhaul

Caption: Museveni receives a report from MP Reagan Okumu at State House Entebbe

President Yoweri Museveni wants an overhaul of the education ministry and promised reforms in order to stem corruption which is ‘eating up' the sector.

The President who made the remarks while receiving the report from the Local Government Accounts Committee of Parliament said government will do a technical audit of the schools.

"On education, I totally agree with the committee about the corruption in the sector. The current minister has seen it and reforms are underway. There is need for a total overhaul there. Recently, someone in procurement was sacked," Museveni said.

The Committee Chairperson Reagan Okumu (FDC) presented the report at State House, Entebbe on Wednesday.

The meeting was attended by First Lady Janet Kataha Museveni and the Minister of education and Sports, Matia Kasaija (finance) and Tom Butime (Local Government) among others.

The President commended the committee for its well and elaborate researched findings and recommendations on the Accounting Officers of District Local Governments and Municipal Councils countrywide on the irregularities of service delivery to the public.

"On taxes imposed by districts, although our economy is small with few tax points, I discourage taxing the poor. For instance in Lukaya, you tax gonja and mchomo sellers. Leave these and collect the annual tax. When they make money, they buy goods that are already taxed," Museveni noted.

Museveni emphasised managing scarce resources, economising manpower, to ensure the little resources are not stolen and encourage tax points on the population through consumer taxes and discouraged Local Governments from taxing the poor population.

"I agree with the committee that there is a lot of dishonesty in local governments. Even the little resources we have are stolen. Government does not condone this, we are going to terminate the services of these officers and prosecute them," the President noted.

The Committee made its findings during the execution of its mandate while considering the Auditor General's Report for the 2016/2017 Financial Year.

The committee said that a number of recurring issues have continued to hinder service delivery in local governments for which the Committee has sought proposals and practical solutions as a way forward regarding issues in service delivery irregularities.

The committee areas of concern were related to the dwindling portion of the national budget allocated to local governments, sources of revenue for local governments and the impact of creating town Councils that are not viable in some districts, non performing accounting officers, theft through electronic money transfers from the ministry of finance to someone local governments as cited in the districts of Kiruhura and Apac.