By KT Reporter
The National Resistance Movement (NRM) presidential candidate, Yoweri Kaguta Museveni, has urged Local Council (LC) leaders to actively hold corrupt civil servants accountable and monitor government programs.
In 2021, the Inspectorate of Government said corruption is one of the major obstacles that are undermines Uganda’s social and economic development.
It noted that although substantial investments have been made to combat corruption in Uganda, it continues to impose wide-ranging costs on society.
The IGG said corruption leads to loss of trust in government, poor infrastructure, delays in project implementation, low investments and poor social service delivery, and loss of life. It said fully eradicating corruption in Uganda would result in total societal savings of at least UGX. 9.1 trillion, which is equivalent to 44% of the total budget.
The need to tackle corruption has emerged as one of the campaign issues in the ongoing Presidential campaigns. President Museveni’s opponents, like Robert Kyagulanyi Ssentamu, Nandala Mafabi, and Mugisha Muntu, have accused him of doing little to fight corruption at all levels.
Mafabi, while campaigning in Teso said the Forum for Democratic Change (FDC) has the best manifesto to move the country forward, promising to stop the theft of public funds, which he claimed amounts to over UGX 10 trillion annually.
Equally, General Mugisha Muntu, the Alliance For National Transformation candidate, said corruption in this country has exhausted almost all the systems, both in the private and political wings.
Museveni has raised the issue while campaigning in Soroti, Serere, and Ngora. He acknowledged that while some aspects of service delivery, such as immunization, have improved, issues remain in other areas, particularly in the health sector, with reported cases of theft of medicines at health centers.
Museveni said that the creation of the Local Council system was a response to widespread corruption, which included corrupt practices among Gombolola chiefs, teachers, and veterinary officers.
He proposed the LC system, which consists of various levels (LC1 to LC V), is better paced to monitor government programs and ensure accountability.
He reminded the community that these elected leaders are responsible for supervising the needs of the people and defending government programs against corrupt civil servants.
The president further stated that local leaders are entrusted with the responsibility to ensure government funds are used appropriately and not mismanaged.
“The NRM gave you a gun, but you don’t know how to fire it,” he remarked, stressing the importance of accountability.
He noted that eliminating corruption would boost the country’s economy through commercial agriculture, allowing funds to be allocated effectively.
Museveni assured that his government has maintained security and peace in the country, urging the people of Teso to support NRM to ensure continued stability.
He announced plans for cattle restocking, stating that after consultations with Teso leaders, the government will provide each household with five cows to enhance livelihoods.
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