Poor legislation increasing corruption in Uganda – Kigezi leaders

A section of stakeholders in the Kigezi sub-region has asked the parliament of Uganda to turn corruption into a capital offence if the vice is to be completely whipped out.

“Poor legislation is responsible for the increasing corruption tendencies in Uganda. It’s our appeal that the MPs enact a law listing corruption among the capital offences in the country so as to make it riskier for the intended," the Kabale Resident District Commissioner, Mr Godfrey Nyakahuma made the remarks on Friday in Kabaale, during a one-day engagement meeting organized by the directorate of Ethics and Integrity on zero tolerance to corruption.

He said that although the government appreciates the role of the media in exposing the corrupt, soft punishment for the corrupt in the law books brings down their efforts.

“How could the government drop charges of corruption and abuse of authority against ministers in Uganda that accepted diverting iron sheets meant for the vulnerable people in Karamoja region? If President Museveni does not take political action as he promised on the accused ministers, then Ugandans will never take him seriously in fighting corruption,” Mr Donatus Eguma, a media activist said.

The director of religious affairs in the directorate of ethics and integrity Rev Canon Aaron Mwesigye asked the religious leaders to pray for God’s supreme powers to end corruption in Uganda.

“Religious leaders and the media in Uganda occupy space which they must use to fight corruption. While the media can use their pens and paper to expose the corrupt, the religious leaders have a role to pray to God to end corruption. It’s you and me to stand up and fight corruption since we are co-creators of God,” he said.

He also revealed government plans of regulating the operations of the existing religious organizations in Uganda to avoid false prophets that are cheating their followers.