Corruption fight: Shift burden of proof to suspects, not accuser

Wednesday, December 4, will remain a symbolic day for future reflections on corruption in Uganda, if the right thinking people, the media and government corruption fighting agencies do not take deterrent actions to punish the corrupt by exposing and prosecuting them.

It is common knowledge that corruption is almost becoming a normal way of life in Uganda. I answer Deputy Speaker Jacob Oulanyah’s question “who are the corrupt people in our a society” as well as his assertion that everybody in Uganda is corrupt.

We must all in unison get out of our comfort zones and agree to fight this deadly virus we call corruption. Corruption in schools, churches, mosques, Parliament, Judiciary, police, ministries departments, agencies, local governments and every where must be fought with will and courage. In the recruitment process of teachers for government/public schools, corruption has completely taken over the entire process. A gang of corrupt people roam around collecting money whenever an advertisement for recruitment is made.

To show that the perpetrators are inside officials of Education Service Commission, information about impending advert always leak long before the advertisement appears on the website of the commission. This is a form of corruption. The earlier we determine to fight and end corruption in our country, the better because any delay to confront the scourge can only worsen the situation. It is becoming extremely difficult to net corrupt officials.

In the case of recruitment fraud, third parties are used to collect the bribes to shield the big fish. The teachers who pay the bribes are then intimidated to keep the issue out of any public discussion. I am very happy that nearly every body has accepted that there is rampant corruption in Uganda and this should be the beginning of the war against corruption. The next thing we need is a law to protect whistle-blowers who report corrupt officials.

We also require a law that shifts the burden of proof of corruption to the suspect and not prosecutor. When a person is accused of corruption, the burden of proof should shift to the suspect the way it is done in Rwanda. The National Resistance Movement (NRM) government should know that but rampant cases of corruption are denting its image and watering down its achievements.

No past government can compare with the NRM in terms of its performance. However, this can’t be a cause for celebration given the high level of corruption in the country. Therefore, the will and resolve to fight corruption should be intensified at all costs.

Job Richard Matua,
[email protected]