CORRUPTION: Central Region tops cases

STATE HOUSE|CORRUPTION|FRAUD|CRIME

KAMPALA - The State House Anti-Corruption Unit (SHACU) has revealed that the Central Region tops corruption cases in Uganda.

Summing up the cases, the unit's head Lt Col Edith Nakalema disclosed that out of 250-300 cases reported daily, the Central Region tops with 48%, Eastern 25%, Western 21% and Northern 6%.

The cases mainly reported to the unit are land grabbing, corruption, abuse of office, and fraud.

Nakalema made the revelation last week at SHACU offices in Nakasero, Kampala, in a meeting attended by other government officials.

In attendance was George Bamugemerire, the deputy Inspector General of Government, Grace Akullo, the Director of Criminal Investigations Department, Sidney Asuba, the Executive director of Financial interagency and Edrine Muhumuza, the Director Corporate Affairs.

Nakalema applauded Ugandans for their spirit in the fight against corruption. "In order to fight corruption, everybody needs to be involved."

Nakalema said since President Museveni launched a social media campaign to expose the corrupt, the unit has recorded great success.

She disclosed that the unit previously used to record 180-200 cases per day but it has increased to 270-300 cases due to awareness.

Nakalema, therefore, called on other anti-corruption government agencies to adopt the social media strategy to fight corruption.

In August, SHACU collaborated with the Inspectorate of Government (IGG), Criminal Intelligence and Investigations Division (CIID), the Public Procurement and Disposal of Public Assets Authority (PPDA) to fight corruption.

This is aimed at exposing corrupt officials in government and the private sector in a bid to wipe corruption out of Uganda.

She noted that during the social media campaign run by Oracy Advocacy, the unit sent out 800 messages to the public and reached out to 12 million people on social media and other platforms.

George Bamugemerire, the deputy Inspector General of Government, commended Nakalema for fighting corruption.

"We have been using other platforms such as newspapers to communicate with the public but we shall consider social media to pick cases, register it and investigate'' Bamugemerire said.

CID director Grace Akullo promised to monitor and follow up cases in order to improve police image in the public.

Unit recovers shs 250bn

Nakalema disclosed that the Unit has recovered over sh250bn and arraigned in courts of law at least 225 people, who have allegedly been involved in corrupt practices.

Out of 225, 180 are public officers. A total of 90 have been interdicted from the public service while 19 have already been convicted and sentenced by courts of law.

"Out of total recoveries, at least sh20.63bn was saved following investigations into several government projects and private transactions involving innocent Ugandans including inflated COVID-19 government relief food prices, where sh8.65bn was saved,'' she noted.

According to Nakalema, sh3.6bn inflated compensation of Bukasa Inland Port Project Affected Persons (PAPs), sh8.38bn increased profitability of Post Bank Uganda and the Gaming and Lotteries Board's sh1.738bn fraud was recovered.

"We further recovered the sh1.738bn directly from officials of the board and shs1bn, which had been extorted from innocent youth seeking jobs in the Middle East by the labor externalization or export companies," Nakalema said.

 The SHACU has also coordinated the return of 26 Ugandans who were living in ‘de-humanizing' conditions in the Arab countries and the repatriation of six bodies of Ugandans who died under unclear circumstances in respective countries.