- The President said all accounting officers were hired on merit through competitive examinations by the Public Service Commission.
- He said the government sat pretty knowing nothing would go wrong since those entrusted with public funds were all thought would do their job with integrity.
Image: YOWERI MUSEVENI/X
Uganda President Yoweri Museveni has acknowledged the existence of runaway corruption in his government which he says is costing the country an estimated UG Sh10 trillion annually.
In a statement to fellow countrymen, Museveni said he had trusted individuals bestowed with the mandate of safeguarding public funds but they have let him down.
“Although busy celebrating Maama’s 76th birthday, I'm also fully in the war against obwiibi (theft) of government money, obutagambirwa (not listening to guidance) and okweragyiira, okwetuminkiriza (doing things that are not agreed upon),” he said.
The President said all accounting officers were hired on merit through competitive examination by the Public Service Commission like was the olden days of the National Resistance Army (NRM).
He said the government then sat pretty knowing nothing would go wrong since those entrusted with public funds - Permanent Secretaries, Chief Administrative Officers (CAO), town clerks, chiefs and Managing Directors – were all thought would do their job with integrity.
“That is why we never bothered with corruption for a long time, knowing that there are capable people handling money, personnel and procurement,” he said.
“We now know that many of them have let us down. We shall, therefore, have to work with victims of this corruption and some patriots to crush this betrayal,” Museveni said.
The Head of State said there’s empirical historical evidence that community involvement has worked before in eliminating graft in Uganda.
He particularly cited the invasion of Kampala by NRM fighters on January 26, 1986, which led to the ouster of the military regime of General Tito Okello.
Museveni said the time has come, yet again, for corruption perpetrators to be crushed through the alliance of patriots, which he is among, and the victims, the masses.
“The masses can be encountered in the village barazas, etc. The patriots are to be found in the political leadership, some public servants, the churches, etc. Corruption is diverting a lot of money that could develop the country. IGG estimates Ug. Sh.10 trillion per year,” Museveni said.
He added that some of those accused of corruption have already been taken before court and their trial is ongoing.
Museveni, however, said he would not want to delve deeper into the specifics of matters before court but assured the accused person that due process would be followed in their prosecution.
“The evidence will come in court. However, I can assure the Ugandans, that these vices will be stamped out. The NRM does not victimise anybody without proof,” he said.
“That is why some people think that the NRM is soft on corruption. We insist on proof, and apparently proofs are abundant but the responsible people have not been looking for them.”
Museveni said corruption in the Public Service particularly by the police, medical Assistants, veterinary assistants, chiefs, and teachers dates back to the colonial era but there’s a new crop of economic saboteurs who are evading payment of taxes.
To put it in context, the President said Uganda would be self-reliant if the tax evaders were upholding their patriotic duty of paying what’s due to the government.
He said if this were the case, Uganda’s GDP of US $55 billion would result in 20 per cent taxes equivalent to US$11bn or UG Sh48 trillion.
“Our real budget without debt payments is Ug Sh56 trillion. Therefore, the thieves are parasites that must be stamped out, and the indisciplined are saboteurs of our fast development and must also be stopped.
“This year, our economy grew by six per cent. It will grow in double digits if we stamp out thieves and the indisciplined,” Museveni affirmed.