Activists seek new strategies to fight corruption

BY DAVID MAFABI
KAMPALA

A new Dossier report on Corruption by Uganda Debt Network has described the fight against corruption as “fighting back and a failure” because of government’s failure to grant the powers to recover and confiscate property of corrupt officials.

The report which details unabated corruption scandals seeks to empower ordinary citizens to participate in influencing poverty-focused policies, demand for their rights and monitor social service delivery to ensure prudent, accountable and transparent resource generation and utilization.

“Unless checked, the gravity of corruption remains heavy for Ugandan society in respect to equitable economic development, accountability and desirable service delivery outcomes,” reads the report in part.

The report launched Dec 6 at Hotel Africana says the perpetrators seem psychologically, materially and financially prepared to withstand the few days or months in jail, as long  as they have hope to return to their loot.

While releasing the report the UDN director of programmes Mr Julius Kapwepwe said a body to oversee seizure of property be put in place, be strengthened and operationalized to fight corruption at all levels.

The report recommends strengthening collaboration between media, civil society and government agencies, a deliberate effort to disseminate information about the need to fight corruption as widely as possible, empowering citizens to hold government accountable, sanctioning of public officials accused of corruption, and implementation of audit recommendations.

While discussing the report Justice Lawrence Gidudu said although the draws analysis of trends in corruption, implications of corruption cases and provides, it fails to provide concrete recommendations to be adopted by relevant policy and decision-makers. 

Listing his priorities, Justice Gidudu, said: “there is need to start by formulating and implementing strategies that strengthen the independence of anti-corruption authorities and employment of policies to trigger behavioral change if we are to fight corruption from society successfully”.

He explained that government and policy makers must also establish the Assets recovery Unit in either the ministry of internal affairs, ministry of justice or independently to identify, cease and recover property of those prosecuted of corruption.

“We should target prosecuting, imprisoning and recovery of property amassed die to corruption and as the culprit is released, he should find nothing at home to serve as a lesson to others who are corrupt,” said Justice Gidudu.

While closing the discussion, the former Minister of Ethics Mrs Maria Matembe said although the UDN report outlines the major corruption scandals 2012 - 2016 with high-ranking officials serving prison sentences for corruption-related offences, there is nowhere the report talk about president Museveni being a road block to the fight against corruption.

“True, President Museveni gives good speeches in the fight against corruption but he is the road block himself and until we get political will, our fight against corruption will bear no fruits,” said Mrs Matembe.

But the presidential adviser of political affairs Mr David Mafabi said anti-corruption agencies should be grateful that we have a president who speaks against corruption.

"And they should know that all those institutions are working well in the environment President Museveni has created, we just need to join efforts to give corruption a final blow not to apportion blame," said Mr Mafabi.

The report draws analysis of trends in corruption, implications of corruption cases and provides concrete recommendations to be adopted by relevant policy and decision-makers. 

The report by Uganda Debt Network (UDN), an NGO involved in good governance causes, says instead of collecting taxes, the employees resort to taking bribes. “Some informal sector actors connive with the Uganda Revenue Authority officials and local government tax law enforcers to dodge paying taxes, but end up paying bribes in order not to be caught on the wrong side of the law,” reads the report.

The report identifies the past graft scandals as;

July 1987: Nathan Bisamunyu-Uganda Industrial Machinery involved Shs760m
In 1988-1990 there was Santana Landover vehicles saga which involved $8m
In 1990 UPDF undersized military uniforms from China and M1-24 junk helicopters from Beralus involved $7m
In 1996 Danze tax evasion scandal involved over Shs6bn
In 2003 valley dam scandal to supply water to 2million heads of cattle in the cattle corridor involved Shs3.5bn
In 2005 Global Funds for HIV/AIDS, TB and malaria scandal involved Shs600bn
In 2007 CHOGM saga involved Shs500bn
Pension scandal involved Shs169bn
2012 OPM scandal and donor funds worth over Shs50bn
2014 Mukono Katosi road saga which involvesShs24bn