Corruption a national disease

Next target. When all the money in the Bank of Uganda, in the President’s Office, the Prime Minister’s Office, the army, police and the Ministry of Finance has all been stolen, where else is there to turn for further money?

Considering that almost every family in Uganda has lost a relative to Aids and how many children still die of malaria each year, if this Global and Gavi Fund money could be so insensitively looted, then practically anything in Uganda was up for grabs from then on.

By the time the President ordered a new Gulfstream presidential jet at over $85 million, then last year Russian-made SU-30 fighter jets at over $700 million that Uganda does not need, then this year ordered two ridiculously expensive Mercedes Benz limousines, Ugandans finally started to see the picture of Mobutu Sese Seko, Kuku Wa Zabanga.

Land grabbing
The grabbing of public land by government and military officials, the building of shopping arcades, large supermarkets and hotels in environmental wetlands, the displacing of schools in order to build these shopping complexes, the stealing of money intended for the 2007 Commonwealth summit and now the massive theft of money in the Office of the Prime Minister --- at this stage, the details no longer matter.

To hold demonstrations against corruption is a well-meaning gesture, but there is something futile about it.
So far in the saga of the massive theft or diversion of money from the Office of the Prime Minister, the country has not heard anything from President Museveni. Even with several major European donors cutting off aid, the President has remained silent.

The very government that started Uganda onto the path of massive corruption, with topmost government officials greatly benefiting, cannot be expected to police itself and bite the hand that feeds it.

Corruption, under the NRM government, is going to continue and will be one of the main factors that could lead to the breakup of the ruling party, and quite probably, lead to its being swept out of power.

In other words, it is very important for analysts now to study the national situation. Why are so many ordinary government accountants openly stealing government money and building large, opulent homes and businesses that are clearly identifiable as their property?

Overwhelming confidence
Where do they get the confidence that the police, the Economic Desk at ISO, State House and the Inspector General of Government are not going to investigate them?

From a political point of view, the rampant corruption and the inability (or unwillingness) by the State to do something about it, speaks to the loss of control by President Museveni.
After all, if massive amounts of money are the only thing that can satisfy public officials, how will that problem ever be contained before it spills over into other problems, such as State security?

If everybody in sensitive public office is now a thief, so to speak, how can President Museveni seriously claim his hold on power is secure?

Unanswered questions
Who in State House is selling Mr Museveni’s secrets to the Mossad for $50,000? Who is secretly tapping his phone on behalf of the CIA for $450,000? Who has copied all the private data on State House or ISO computers for $1.5 million?

Who is secretly allowing arms to be smuggled across Uganda’s borders for a future armed insurrection, for $800,000?
When all the money in the Bank of Uganda, in the President’s Office, the Prime Minister’s Office, the army, police, the Ministry of Finance has all been stolen, where else is there to turn for further money? This third stage of corruption Uganda has entered brings with it those sorts of consequences. It could lead to the collapse of the country or at least of the regime in power.

Next week, I will discuss another important question: Is it possible to be honest in a corrupt Uganda?