It is Every Ugandan’s duty to hold
thieves of Public funds accountable
By Adellah Agaba
Corruption
in Uganda remains pervasive, with Transparency International’s Annual Corruption
Perceptions Index (CPI) 2011 ranking Uganda at 143rd place out of
182 countries with a score of 2.4. Previous compilations of the index between
2002 and 2010 indicate that Ugandans perceive corruption to be endemic and on
the rise.
The
pervasiveness of corruption in Uganda is partly attributed to citizens’ apathy
and passiveness towards corruption. Despite the elaborate legal and regulatory
framework to fight corruption, many Ugandans remain ignorant of the provisions
of these laws, and cannot utilize them to contribute to the fight against
corruption.
Recent
scandals are a cause of alarm. It’s shocking at how government institutions are
rotting due to the cancer that has eaten up all the working systems. Ugandans
are getting used to the disease that it no longer surprises them that a public
servant is causing a big financial loss to the economy!
In the Prime
Ministers’ office the financial loss of over
Ugx 50bn is just a tip on the ice bag of the rot that is taking place in the
OPM and causing the country losses through donor withdrawals. The pension’s scandal in the Ministry
of Public Service is more shocking considering the overwhelming numbers of over
1000 Ghost pensioners which has caused a financial loss of over UGX 169bn tax payers’
money. Interestingly, my own father was published in the Daily monitor, 1st
October 2012, as one of the alleged ghost beneficiary from the scam. However,
shock could be seen in my eyes having my dad called “Nabwire Winfred”. Even
thieves are smart when it comes to forgery; the alleged beneficiaries that
reported to CID had same complaints. The ID project has since gone under the
carpet! We can’t mention all the scandals and exhaust them. What has become of
our beautiful pearl of Africa?
What do we
blame on this rampant increase in corruption? Lack of political will to fight
it, low wages and salaries in public institutions, weak monitoring and
accountability systems, or the passive attitude of the citizens on issues of
corruption? The state of the roads in the country, health centres that are
rotting away with no sufficient drugs, the poor quality of the education system
are indicators of increased levels of corruption that we as Ugandans need to
fight or else Uganda in the next 50 years might not be what we envisage.
I commend the work being done by the Uganda Police Force in
trying to bring officials especially in the Ministry of Public Service to book
and recommend that the same be done in other ministries; we just can’t tell
what dirt can be discovered. The Police should
further provide protection to whistleblowers to encourage more Ugandans to
report any incidences of misuse of public resources because collective
responsibility will help flash out officials who are making it impossible for
Uganda to move forward. If we are to make an analysis, you will notice that if
all the dirt is unearthed and proper financial management and accountability is
established, Uganda can actually pay its own bills without depending on the
donor community. Citizens need to join hands and hold the government
accountable or we shall see our economy rot before our own eyes. For God and my
Country!
The writer works with Uganda Debt
Network.
aagaba@udn.or.ug
