Prime
Strengthen the fight against corruption
Prime Minister Robinah Nabbanja (left) and the Inspector General of Government Beti Kamya, during the International Anti-corruption Day in Kampala on December 10, 2024. PHOTO/MICHAEL KAKUMIRIZI
What you need to know:
- The issue: Corruption
- Our view: If all stakeholders are truly invested in fighting corruption, the let us see some solid political will, prosecution of those found dipping there sticky thick fingers in the kitty, not selectively but without fear or favour.
December 9 was International Anti-corruption Day and the theme this year is “Uniting with Youth against Corruption: Shaping tomorrow’s Integrity" This theme resonates with us given how young our population is.
Our youthful and young people are instrumental in fighting the scourge that corruption has become to this country. Mindsets that glorify the corrupt must not be taken likely because with such attitudes, fighting corruption will be a fleeting dream. Young people are more likely to follow in the tracks set by those that came before them.
If the powers that be right now are not being seen to be committed to the fight against corruption by offering double standards when it comes to prosecuting the corrupt or by gagging and arresting young people who dare to protest any form of corruption then the narrative will have been set for those to come. “Do what I say and not what I do” has never been the best ideology when it comes to mentoring serious, productive citizens who will add tangible value to society.
In our Wednesday edition we highlighted the fact that even with 20 official corruption watchdog agencies, we don’t seem to be winning the seemingly herculean fight. (See Daily Monitor December 11, 2024, “Why 20 watchdogs have failed to stop corruption”) Some of these agencies listed under the umbrella of inter-Agency Forum against Corruption include the Directorate for Ethics and Integrity-secretariat, Inspectorate of Government, Criminal Investigation Directorate, Directorate of Public Prosecutions, State House Anti-Corruption Unit, Public Procurement and Disposal of Public Assets Authority and others.
Of course it would be insincere to completely ignore the strides however minimal that have been achieved by some of these agencies. The Auditor General, Edward Akol highlighted that the IG, DPP, CID, and State House Anti-corruption unit received 693,264 complaints involving abuse of office, conflict of interest, land disputes, nepotism, impersonation, tax evasion, recruitment irregularities and forgery. And they prosecuted and convicted136 public officials, recovered Shs67.1b and instituted disciplinary action against more than 11,000 public officials.
While this is good, it is but a miserable drop in the ocean. The cost we pay for corruption is too hefty. According to a report by the ombudsman Beti Kamya, we lose Shs9 trillion to corruption in one year. The report covered periods of July to December 2023 and January to June 2024, calculated that Shs9.144 trillion had been lost.
Clearly the issue is not how many watchdog agencies we have but how committed we are to fighting corruption. It is true when they say that you shall know them by their fruits. If all stakeholders are truly invested in fighting corruption, the let us see some solid political will, prosecution of those found dipping there sticky thick fingers in the kitty, not selectively but without fear or favour. The corruption fight can be won but is our resolve deep enough or is it simply cheap political rhetoric?
