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Ugandan President and National Chairman of the National Resistance Movement (NRM), Yoweri Kaguta Museveni, has expressed strong concern over the widespread corruption in Uganda, stressing the huge economic losses it has caused to the country.
According to President Museveni, the Inspector General of Government (IGG) has estimated that the country loses about Sh9.7 trillion every year due to corruption.
“This is unacceptable; corruption should be crushed and it will be crushed,” the president said in his keynote speech, speaking of the National Resistance Movement’s commitment to improving the quality of life of Ugandans.
President Museveni stated this at the opening of a public service leaders’ introspective retreat at the National Leadership Institute (NALI) in Kyankwanzi on Monday.
The seven-day retreat, themed “Responding to Citizens’ Call: Improving Socio-Economic Transformation Services”, will be attended by ministers, permanent secretaries and members of the Central Executive Committee (CEC) of the National Resistance Movement.
President Museveni stressed the historical roots and persistence of corruption and recounted anecdotes from his own childhood to illustrate how rampant corruption was before the National Resistance Movement leadership came to power.
He noted: “Corruption was endemic in Uganda before the National Resistance Movement leadership came to power, both during British rule and afterwards.”
The President drew a sharp contrast between the era before the National Resistance Movement and the measures taken by his government to fight corruption. He referred to the discipline enforced within the National Resistance Army (NRA) where misconduct was severely punished.
“When the NRA came along, all this misconduct stopped,” he said, stressing the public executions of those who committed atrocities against Vananchi, such as the notorious Zabroni. He said this was done to maintain discipline and integrity in the army.
Despite these efforts, President Museveni acknowledged that corruption still exists, especially among those responsible for government funds, procurement and personnel.
He noted that corruption has a dual nature: theft of government funds and disloyalty by private sector employees.
“To tackle the persistent problem of corruption, President Museveni announced several new initiatives, including the creation of a tax investigation unit and an accounting and auditing unit. These units will focus on investigating tax evasion, under-declaration of taxes and misappropriation of funds.
“We are involved indirectly,” he said, stressing that political leaders must step in when accountants fail to do their job.
He also stressed the importance of empowering the people through leadership structures to safeguard their interests, although he questioned its effectiveness in curbing corruption.
President Museveni has stressed the role of the judiciary in supporting anti-corruption efforts, calling for no bail to be granted to those accused of serious crimes including corruption.
“The only thing we need from the judiciary is to deny bail to those accused of murder, treason, terrorism, rape, defilement, corruption (embezzlement of public funds) and village theft,” he stressed.
The president reiterated his resolve to fight corruption and linked it to broader national goals such as security, healthcare, education and economic integration.
“Once we tackle corruption, we will have the other elements of the mass line that I spoke about recently in Kololo, which are different from the elite line. In addition to security for all, we also insist on universal immunization and universal health care; education for all (UPE and USE); prosperity for all; clean water for all; infrastructure development; and continental and regional economic integration to form markets for our wealth products. With these, we can’t go wrong,” he affirmed.
Vice President, Her Excellency Jessica Alupo, highlighted the progress Uganda has made in terms of security and economic stability under the leadership of President Museveni.
His Excellency Alupo stressed that the national security situation has improved, “Now, you can move from the north to the east, from the south to the west and from the center at any time of the day without any interference. This is military security.”
On the economic front, she praised the enduring stability achieved since 1986.
“Economic security speaks for itself; Your Excellency, you have maintained economic stability from 1986 till date,” the Vice President stressed, acknowledging the key role played by President Museveni in promoting stability and security in Uganda.
Ugandan Prime Minister Robinah Nabbanja also expressed gratitude and admiration for President Museveni’s leadership, which has taken Uganda to important development milestones.
“Your Excellency, allow me to thank you for your vision, wisdom and strategic leadership that has enabled Uganda to move from the ranks of the least developed countries to a lower middle-income country,” the Prime Minister said.
She reiterated her office’s commitment to coordinate with all other ministries, departments and agencies (MDAs) to ensure the successful implementation of the government’s ambitious operational strategy that aims to foster a public service culture that supports tenfold economic growth.
His Excellency Nabaja also welcomed President Museveni back from a thanksgiving ceremony in Kololo where the achievements of the National Resistance Movement government were celebrated.
“We are seeing Ugandans appreciating the performance of the NRM government,” she noted.
Speaking on the project delays, Mr. Nabaja stressed that the design review across MDAs had led to the slow implementation and completion of the project.
“I have brought this matter to the attention of all ministers and accounting officers,” she said.
Furthermore, she expressed appreciation for the progress in safe drinking water coverage, noting that, with the exception of the Karamoja sub-region, safe drinking water coverage has reached 65 per cent in rural areas and 70 per cent in urban areas.
The Minister of Public Service and Cabinet Secretary, Mrs. Lucy Nakyobe, also expressed her deepest gratitude to President Museveni for his vision and unwavering dedication to Uganda’s development.
“Your commitment to improving the lives of our people through strategic initiatives and policies provides the foundation for our efforts,” she said.
She also highlighted the important role that ministers and permanent secretaries play in improving services.
“Your presence here demonstrates our collective resolve to reflect, assess and strategize to deliver better services. Your expertise and leadership will be essential in guiding our ministries and departments towards our shared goals,” she said.
Ms. Chubu also appreciated the valuable contribution of the party executive committee leaders.
“You play a vital role in shaping our political landscape and guiding policy implementation. Your insights and support are invaluable,” she noted.
Ms. Nakyobe stressed the importance of meeting the needs and aspirations of Ugandan citizens, stressing that improved services are essential for national progress and prosperity.
She added: “Ugandan citizens have expressed their needs and aspirations and it is our responsibility to respond effectively and efficiently.”
Commenting on the significance of the reflection retreat, Ms. Nakiobbe said: “This retreat is a critical moment for us as the top leaders of Uganda’s public service. We have come together to demonstrate our commitment to rigorously assess our performance and develop ways to improve services for Ugandan citizens.”
She acknowledged persistent challenges in public service delivery, including inefficiency, bureaucratic delays, inadequate resource allocation and lack of accountability.
“Despite our concerted efforts and the progress we have made, it is undeniable that we still face significant challenges in public service delivery,” she said.
“The root cause of poor service quality is a lack of understanding of what we do, a failure to work together, and a lack of commitment and accountability to the public,” she explained.
Ms. Nakyobe called for strong moral leadership, effective policy implementation, prudent resource management and investment in human capital to transform Uganda’s public services.
“Through strong ethical leadership, effective policy implementation, prudent resource management, investment in human capital, and focus on citizens, we can transform our public services into a model of efficiency and effectiveness,” she declared.
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