President Museveni, at the 35th Heroes Day celebration last Sunday, expressed concern over Uganda’s rampant corruption, revealing that some State House staff have been involved in corrupt practices.
The Inspector General of Government (IGG) estimates that corruption costs the country at least Shs1 million per hour.
Dr. Kizza Besigye, a former presidential aspirant, has called on President Museveni to surrender himself to the Directorate of Public Prosecutions (DPP) for prosecution over corruption allegations.
Besigye believes this is the only credible way for Museveni to demonstrate his commitment to fighting corruption and take the issue seriously.Museveni’s concern about corruption was evident last week, as he revealed that some staff at State House have been involved in corrupt practices.
The IGG’s estimate of at least Shs1 million lost per hour highlights the urgent need for action.
“I have received reports that people, including those in my office, accept bribes to arrange meetings with me. Can you imagine? We recently arrested an individual who allegedly extorted money from an investor, and the matter is currently in court,” said Museveni.
According to Museveni, most of the victims of corruption at the State House are foreign investors who come to Uganda to engage in various sectors of the economy.
He also stated that he has instructed the Ministry of Finance to address the issue of high interest rates charged by money lenders to stimulate investment in the country.
Dr. Kizza Besigye has called on President Museveni and his family to surrender to the DPP for prosecution, accusing him of being the source and embodiment of corruption in Uganda.
Besigye tweeted that Museveni’s failure to resign or surrender would render his anti-corruption rhetoric mere noise. He also criticized anti-corruption bodies for inaction.
“If Museveni fails to surrender himself for prosecution or resign, everything else he talks about is just noise,”
He further criticized the anti-corruption bodies, claiming that they can only dance around the problem without taking decisive action.
Joseph Kabuleta, president of NEED, joined Besigye in condemning Museveni, accusing him and his family of looting national resources. Kabuleta highlighted the absence of mineral wealth in the national budget, allegedly controlled by Museveni’s family.
He cited a US court case where Museveni allegedly accepted a $500,000 bribe, labeling him the most corrupt individual in government. Kabuleta emphasized that removing Museveni from power is crucial to tackling corruption, as the root of the problem lies in the top leadership.
“To enable meaningful decision-making in the country, we need to wrestle power away from these ‘thieves’,” Kabuleta emphasized.
He believes that tackling corruption should begin with removing Museveni from power, as the root of the problem lies within the top leadership.
He also criticized Uganda’s budgeting process, noting the increasing misuse of classified expenditure while allocations for essential sectors like health, education, and agriculture decrease.