State House Anti-Corruption Unit boss lauded

Sep 11, 2020

Nakalema said the Unit visited 27 districts, listened to people affected by corruption and embezzlement of public funds worth sh250b and other social injustices, and taken to courts of law 225 persons, including 180 public officials.

STATE HOUSE|RELIGION|ANTI-CORRUPTION|CRIME 

KAMPALA - The State House Anti-corruption Unit (SH-ACU), headed by Lt Col Edith Nakalema has been applauded by religious leaders for the rapid response in investigating corruption-related cases.

They said this response to the public's outcry, coupled with quick prosecution of suspects in courts of law, obtaining convictions and eventual interdiction of some of the culprits in government institutions in a short period of time, should be emulated by other anticorruption agencies if the country is to defeat corruption.

Gulu Archbishop John Baptist Odama said he was amazed by the passion and motivation of Nakalema and her unit in eradicating corruption. 

He said corruption was a matter of spiritual and moral decadence and was in the hearts and minds of people, which he said needed the power of God to transform them.

He said religious leaders were central in realising this dream.

Odama and several other religious leaders were on Tuesday evening reacting to Nakalema's presentation on the first day of a three-day retreat of the Inter-Religious Council of Uganda (IRCU). 

The retreat was organised in conjunction with the Inspectorate of Government at Serena Hotel, Kigo in Wakiso district.

Rev. Canon Aaron Mwesigye, the director for religious affairs in the Office of the President, called for the creation of anti-corruption clubs in every institution, organisation, school and other places to enable every Ugandan join the war against corruption.


Dr Stephen Kaziimba Mugalu, the Archbishop of the Church of Uganda, said Nakalema's character and zeal in fighting corruption could be traced from her parents and said there was a need to appoint people who fear God in positions of leadership.

Apostle Joseph Sserwadda of the Victory Church Ministries, however, expressed fear of victimisation and threats towards the ordinary citizens who could join the struggle in exposing the corrupt, who he said majority occupy key positions in the Government. 

He said the public is sick of endless investigations in other agencies, which ‘often die with time'.

Nakalema, who referred to religious leaders as ‘parents', appealed to the IRCU to own the war against corruption because they reach out to many hearts and minds of their followers.

She said she plays the role of coordinating other anti-corruption agencies and reports directly to the President, but has introduced a new method of investigating and concluding cases in two weeks, which she said has given them remarkable results.

"I refused to investigate a case for three years," she said, adding that she applies the skills of being a soldier that fights battles to ‘conquer'. She told the clerics that prayers and faith alone without action will not help in the struggle.

Nakalema said before the country went into lockdown in March, the unit had visited 27 districts, listened to people affected by corruption and embezzlement of public funds worth sh250b and other social injustices, and taken to courts of law 225 persons, including 180 public officials.

Nakalema said many suspected offenders asked for plea bargaining, where they have been given conditions not to serve in any government institution for 10 years.

She, however, decried the habit of giving the ‘powerful corrupt' officials front seats in churches and mosques.

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