IGG Mulyagonja speaks out on Nakalema unit

CORRUPTION

The anti-corruption unit led by Lt. Col. Edith Nakalema has spawned a stir since it was set up by President Yoweri Museveni in December last year.

Housed under State House, the unit has swooped on allegedly corrupt technocrats, especially in land department, making arrests - many times with journalists in tow.

Despite receiving kudos from a number of people for its work, a section of Ugandans have been critical of its formation describing it as a costly duplication of the Inspectorate of Government's role.

However, the Inspector General of Government (IGG), Lady Justice Irene Mulyagonja has earlier today described the Nakalema unit as "an ally."

With the top echelon of the Inspectorate of Government in tow, Mulyagonja was at Parliament to interface with lawmakers sitting on the legal and parliamentary affairs committee over her entity's policy statement for the financial year 2019/20.

"There is a lot of work to do in the fight against corruption. For us we are happy if there is a unit which can arrest suspected corrupt individuals and have them arraigned before courts fast," Mulyagonja said.

Earlier, Ssemujju Nganda (Kira Municipality) had elicited Mulyagonja's view of the Nakalema unit which he claimed was "illegally constituted.

While launching the unit, Museveni was explicit about its role, describing it as his eyes and ears.

Responding to concerns that the Nakalema unit would interfere with and undermine the IGG, Museveni said that new entity would supplement rather than erode the Ombudsman's office.

And Mulyagonja attested to this when she told lawmakers that Nakalema's unit refers to her office complaints that require further investigation or prosecution.