In the Busoga sub-region, public officials have admitted to engaging in corrupt activities, citing their low salaries as the primary reason, according to findings by the Inspectorate of Government (IGG) from recent dialogues.
Gerald Gwaira, an official from the Ombudsman’s office, has indicated that public servants defend their corrupt actions by pointing to their poor pay, which they believe affects their ability to work efficiently.
“At our corruption prevention and awareness workshops in Kamuli, Kaliro, and Namutumba districts, we’ve encountered a number of public servants who claim that their involvement in corruption stems from their inadequate salaries,” Gwaira reported to a group of public servants, CSOs, youth and women leaders, and religious leaders in Namutumba District.
However, Gwaira has noted that their research does not support the argument that low salaries are a cause of corruption, as there are cases of misappropriation among those with substantial salaries, suggesting that greed might be a contributing factor.
The IGG’s office has realized that it is more effective to prevent corruption through advocacy and awareness training than to simply arrest those found guilty.
“The IGG’s office will soon organize forums in each district of the Busoga sub-region to specifically address corruption. The responsibility to fight corruption lies with every Ugandan, not solely with President Museveni and the IGG,” he emphasized.
IGG statistics indicate that Uganda loses an estimated Shs10 trillion to corruption each year.
Gwaira cautioned, “If we don’t collectively tackle corruption, the future of Uganda is in peril,” implying that the poverty in the region is due to the unethical behavior of those in trusted positions.
Joseph Mulamuzi, an IGG officer, has observed that corruption in Uganda goes beyond public servants to include politicians and private individuals who fail to return government funds.
He pointed out the mismanagement of Social Assistance Grants and the failure of individual contractors to deliver on government-funded contracts.
Kagere Kauma, the Principal Assistant CAO of Namutumba District, has called for comprehensive investigations into those who do not repay government loans.
Charles Nabanja, the chairperson of Namutumba central market, has appealed to IGG Betty Kamya to investigate the conduct of Resident District Commissioners (RDCs) who are reportedly issuing unauthorized judgments on land disputes
