How the liberalisation process corrupted Uganda’s public service

In the late 80s and early 90s, Uganda woke up to the new economic policies of structural adjustment and liberalisation.

The State would leave most economic activities to the market forces of demand and supply. Other services would go into private hands. The government would only put in place the regulatory framework and ensure a sound environment for businesses to flourish.

A large part of the government workforce was laid off. Naturally, all the privileges that came with these jobs like free or subsidised housing and transport were sold off. Suddenly, people found themselves homeless, jobless and on foot. They now had the added responsibility of paying their medical bills and the school plus university tuition under the cost sharing schemes.

Remember that most of these women and men had not yet known what happens after retirement. They were part of the lot that joined public service straight from school at or around independence.

Public servants who built houses in those days did so painstakingly over several years as they neared retirement using their savings and pension. They didn’t have the burden of exorbitant university dues and hospital bills to tie them down economically at a time when they had stopped working.

Retrenchment threw a spanner in the works. Hitherto powerful men and women were ordered out of public housing, which those with political connections bought for a song. Many left for the village or stayed in town with relatives or in ‘demeaning’ housing.

Others put up in their unfinished structures. Their children started going to school on foot or for the lucky ones in matatus. Their wives who were used to picking their groceries at facilities such as Fresh Foods or Foods and Beverages, which were famous government retail outlets now started rubbing shoulders with ‘ordinary’ people in markets or getting credit from kiosks in the neighbourhood. Society wondered how people who had been in high places for many years would ‘stupidly’ end so badly.

The affected public servants were humiliated. Many died of depression-related diseases. Government officials, when selling the above economic policies sponsored by the Bretton Woods institutions, callously claimed that they were weeding out ‘drunkards’ and phasing out ‘dens of thieves’ to create a ‘leaner effective government.’ With this went the social safety net.

These were lessons for those left behind in the public service and those who joined later. You start working for your retirement and social safety net from day one. Secondly, the government would never appreciate the sweat and work of one’s hands. Thirdly, that the public you served honestly and diligently was waiting to ridicule you if you did not ‘prepare for your future and that of your children!’

So much was the money involved that all of a sudden, Kampala, which was famed for being a city built on seven hills, expanded to more than 21. On this journey Kampala went with valleys, forests, road reserves, sports grounds, ‘idle land’ belonging to schools, hospitals, churches and finally wetlands plus protected areas. Cars were bought in similar fashion.

Interestingly, it was mainly public servants with their ‘meagre salaries’ building personal houses, rentals and the now famous apartments. Then came schools, hospitals, office blocks and shopping arcades.

The corruption figures went up exponentially as public servants positioned themselves to make money from every procurement deal and project that crossed their paths. They even grew bolder and created ghost employees, fictitious trips and activities to steal public money.

Government officials took a lot of pride in this manner of ‘progress’, claiming the peace and stability ushered in by the wise leadership of the NRM had brought so much ‘development’ that cars had no space to ride on the packed roads. Any mention of corruption was countered with the argument that at least the corrupt were ‘investing here’, creating employment and helping to build a middle class necessary for the development of democracy and economic take off.

Now there you are. Those involved in the scams in the Prime Minister’s office that is riling the donors may be bad citizens but they are also good students of those retrenched in the 80s and 90s, plus the leaner efficient government that came thereafter!

Mr Sengoba is a commentator on political and social issues.
nicholassengoba@yahoo.com