We’re corrupt because of poor pay, workers tell IGG

Public servants in Busoga sub-region say they are corrupt because of poor pay, according to the Office of the Inspectorate of Government (IGG) which has interacted with them over the last couple of days.

Gerald Gwaira, an official from the Ombudsman’s office, says public servants give excuses that they are poorly paid, and (therefore), sometimes lack money to do their work.

“We started corruption awareness prevention sensitisation training meetings in Kamuli District, followed by Kaliro, and Namutumba; but a number of public servants we have sensitised say they get involved in corruption because they are poorly paid,” Gwaira told Monitor on Friday.

Gwaira was sharing his findings with public servants, Civil Society Organisations (CSOs), youth leaders, women league leadership and religious leaders in Namutumba District.

But Gwaira pointed out that their discoveries suggest that low salaries have nothing to do with corruption since even the highly paid steal government money, possibly due to “greed.” 

Subsequently, they have found that it is not good for the IGG’s office to start arresting people found guilty of corruption but prevent them from stealing taxpayers’ money through advocacy awareness training meetings.

He said: “The office of the IGG is soon going to organise platforms in every district within Busoga sub-region, purposely to address issues of corruption. Corruption is not only for President Museveni and the IGG’s office to fight, but a responsibility for all Ugandans.”

Data by the IGG shows that Uganda loses an estimated Shs10trillion annually to corruption.  

“And if we do not fight corruption together, Uganda is going to be finished,” he warned, adding that “all the poverty in Busoga sub-region is a reflection that some people whom we trusted with offices are doing things in a wrong manner.”

IGG officer Joseph Mulamuzi highlighted that Uganda’s corruption goes beyond public servants, extending to politicians and individuals especially those who receive government money and refuse to repay it.

He also cited those who access Social Assistance Grant, and individual contractors who get contracts using government money and fail to deliver as expected.

Namutumba District Principal Assistant chief administrative officer (CAO) Kagere Kauma called for concerted efforts in investigating people who get government revolving funds and refuse to repay.

Meanwhile, Namutumba central market chairperson Charles Nabanja appealed to IGG Betty Kamya to investigate Resident District Commissioners (RDCs) who have “turned into lawyers and magistrates, giving rulings over land wrangles.”