Nakalema seeks deal with NMG-U to fight corruption

The State House Anti-Corruption Unit (SHACU) has in the three years of its existence recovered or prevented the theft of Shs30b and secured convictions of 40 individuals, according to its head Col Edith Nakalema.
The agency kicked to life on December 10, 2018 and has so far received 310,000 complaints, concluded investigations into 10,000 cases and arrested or caused the arrest of thousands, among them, lawmakers, permanent secretaries and chief executives.

In a detailed brief yesterday to Nation Media Group-Uganda (NMG-U) executives about the activities of the anti-graft agency, one of multiple in the country, Col Nakalema declared that “the war against corruption will be won”.
“The media has helped us much in naming and shaming the corrupt officials before the public and our role is to come in and follow the cases. This has helped much in the fight against corruption,” she said.

Hailing Daily Monitor newspaper’s years of luminary reportage that has unearthed some of Uganda’s biggest corruption scandals, Col Nakalema underlined the need and urgency for a partnership between her agency and NMG-U to accelerate public education to empower everyone fight thieves in both public and the private sector.
Among this newspaper’s investigations that caused pioneering public sector finance management reforms, was the 2012 exposé about the scam in which bureaucrats at the Office of the Prime Minister spirited away in excess of Shs60b.

In yesterday’s briefing, Col Nakalema requested NMG-U to convene the next big meeting to educate the public about the dangers of corruption to service delivery in the country, a vice she said the media has helped expose.
Mr Tony Glencross, the NMG-U managing director, welcomed the proposal and commended SHACU’s lead role in fighting pilfering of public resources.
In a rejoinder, the NMG-U General Manger-Editorial, Mr Daniel Kalinaki, said fighting corruption dovetails with the group’s journalistic mission of pursuing and promoting good governance.

“We shall welcome any opportunity to collaborate with you,” he said.
Yesterday’s meeting at Monitor Publications Ltd headquarters in Namuwongo, a Kampala suburb, was attended by the General Manager of NTV-Uganda, Mr Johnson Omollo, the NMG-U Managing Editor, Mr Tabu Butagira, and NMG-U Head of News, Mr Julian Mwine.

Col Nakalema said her Unit, whose legality is being challenged in court, was founded on the instructions of President Museveni in line with Article 99(4) and Article 17(1) (1) of the Constitution and coordinates with other anti-graft bodies such as the Inspectorate of Government, Directorate of Public Prosecutions and police for effective results.
She said unlike the widespread public perception, State House Anti-Corruption Unit has arrested and or caused the prosecution of government honchos, among them, permanent secretaries, Members of Parliament directors, secretaries to statutory commissions, managing directors, chief executives and security chiefs.

In a report card of its activities over the past three years, SHACU noted that it had arraigned or caused to be arraigned 326 suspects, 40 of whom were convicted, while 10,000 (3 percent) of the 310,000 complaints lodged with the office have been fully investigated.
The cases reported to the Unit have also resulted in the interdiction of 200 public officers interdicted while Shs30b recovered or prevented from being stolen.
This includes Shs8.5b saved in botched food procurement by OPM staff during the first Covid-induced lockdown, Shs1.5b paid back by executives of Labour export companies, Shs738m returned by the National Gaming and Lotteries Regulatory Board, Shs241m recovered from local governments and Shs200m saved from OPM staff accused of pilfering it in the names of relief for Kasese flood victims.

Among those investigated are a one Sam Bitangaro, who allegedly obtained Shs1.32b from Kiboga Twegatte Cooperative Society Ltd by falsely pretence for a purported titled 492 hectares land in Bukompe, in Kassanda District, OPM Permanent Secretary Christine Guwatudde, arrested and charged in court over the bungled lockdown food purchase, Post Bank executives, the Executive Director of the National Animal Genetic Resource Centre and Databank (NAGRC & DB) and Bank of Uganda officials.

Col Nakalema said the annual incomes of Post Bank and Nagric doubled and increased by about Shs600m, respectively, after their top officials were arrested and interdicted.
She said her Unit had helped restore to her land a 97-year-old woman whose daughter abandoned her under a tree after secretly selling off her land.