Museveni: Time up for all corrupt officials

By Mubiru Ivan

President Yoweri Museveni has said it is ‘time up’ for corrupt civil servants since government now has enough manpower to handle corruption more firmly.

The President made the revelation on Tuesday during the celebrations to mark the 25^th anniversary of Transparency International Uganda (TIU) in Kampala where a national anti- corruption dialogue was held under the theme ‘Citizen’s participation in the fight against corruption: A Sustainable Path to Uganda’s Transformation.’

While Ugandans were complaining of officials suspected of corruption not being put in jail, according to the President,  it is within the law that they have to be prosecuted first. He, however, noted that while the government had put in place laws to protect public servants, there was now need for quicker methods of demanding accountability.

“The laws are there, the institutions are there but the personnel handling them are the problem. I don’t need a frightened civil service. The country needs confident and able leaders who know what is right and do what is right,” he said.

He re-echoed the people’s views that increment in the remuneration of salaries of public servants was not the cure to corruption because public servants in government institutions like KCCA, Bank of Uganda, URA were still corrupt despite the high pay.

The Bank of Uganda is under investigation by the Parliament Committee on Commissions, Statutory authorities and State Enterprises (Cosase) over fraudulent dealings. Previously the President accused officials in the Ministry of Finance and the Uganda Revenue Authority of corruption.

The President said that patriotism was the cure to corruption and that he would talk more on the government’s new efforts to curb corruption in Kololo on December 10, 2018.

At the same function, Museveni was recognized for his efforts of curbing corruption through setting up anti corruption office, setting up legal frameworks against the vice.

Others recognized were former Leader of Opposition Wafula Oguttu, Lady Justice Nakamya Elizabeth and Former Inspector General of Government Augustine Luzindana.