Uganda loses sh2trillion to graft yearly - Nakalema

The head of State House's anti-corruption unit, Lt Col Edith Nakalema has said that Uganda loses sh2trillion per year to graft.

She made the remarks on Tuesday at St. Michael International School, Wakiso district where she addressed LC1 and LC2 chairpersons as well as councillors from Wakiso district as she contributed to the topic ‘The Role of LC Leaders in the Fight against Corruption.'

"Uganda is estimated to lose sh2trillion per year in graft. If corruption is eliminated at the household level, we are assured of a good future. The LC leaders are the right people to sensitize wananchi. Their duty is to promote a corruption-free Uganda," she said.

The leaders are attending a two-week residential ideological leadership course for chairpersons of LC1 and LC2 in Wakiso district. The course, which is slated to end on 17th January 2020, is expected to equip the leaders with political sensitisation and military science modules.

Nakalema thanked the Wakiso Resident District Commissioner, Rose Kirabira, for mobilising the people and also lauded LC leaders in their respective areas for the commendable work of mobilising the wananchi.

Nakalema informed the LC leaders that the anti-corruption unit's mandate is to receive, scrutinise and act on corruption-related complaints in partnership with other agencies. She added that the unit acts as a rapid response to cases where there is public outcry and that the unit acts as a link between the citizens and the President in the fight against corruption.

She informed the course participants that corruption manifests in many forms that include among others, bribes, inducement payments to public officers to execute something quickly or more favourably. She cited examples of corruption at LC level that include demanding money before endorsing or writing formal documents.

Nakalema called on them to ensure that free services are provided free of charge. She also warned them against the vice of issuance of fake receipt books to account for illegal payments. She also cautioned some local leaders against illegal and fraudulent land purchases and sales noting that this has increased conflicts, violence and forceful mass evictions and, at worst, loss of life. She noted that corruption has denied people their rights and contributed to poverty.

Nakalema revealed that political costs of the vice of corruption include inhibition of growth of democratic governance and service delivery; leading to loss of confidence in systems by citizens. She further explained that corruption causes insecurity because it widens the gap between the rich and the poor because the rich get richer as the poor get poorer. She also observed that corruption leads to capital flight because the worshippers of graft prefer to hide their loot outside the country adding that this state of affairs affects the growth rate of the country.

She tasked local leaders to be vigilant in fighting against corruption adding that the best tool in eliminating corruption is to lead a corrupt-free life. She informed them that Government has gone a long way in strengthening the struggle against corruption through the establishment of the institution of the Inspector General of Government (IGG), Public Procurement and Disposal of Public Assets (PPDA) and the Finance Intelligence Authority (FIA).

Nakalema also told the leaders that the Government has put in place automation of Business Processing thereby leading to a reduction in physical interaction between wananchi and public officers. She noted this therapy has gone a long way towards limiting opportunities for corruption. She appealed to all Ugandans to appreciate the fact that it is a duty of every citizen to combat corruption.