Unending corruption scandals give govt bad image
- Written by Sam Evidence Orikunda
Corruption has affected service delivery
As MPs debated the Anti-Homosexuality Bill, 2023 after several reports of cases of sodomy in schools, one foreign activist went on Twitter and asked why Uganda was focusing much on fighting homosexuality and yet the country is emersed in a pool of corruption scandals.
To her, focusing on ending corruption would have been much better than directing all our energies on fighting homosexuality which she thinks isn't that dangerous. So many Ugandans responded to her tweet asking her not to indulge in Uganda's internal affairs. Several others told her that they will not tolerate homosexuality which is being pushed and hugely funded by foreigners.
Thank God the law that criminalizes this vice was passed and we hope we can save our children and the rich culture of the African people. I do not want to go far from the thoughts of that activist who wondered about our focus on fighting homosexuality yet we are mute about the corruption scandals.
I believe we should use the same energy because the two evils have a great impact on the development of our country. The National Resistance Movement government over the past years has made tremendous achievements in terms of service delivery, infrastructure development, security and many others.
Corruption is a virus which is eating up everything and could lead to the collapse of NRM. The impact we've made in making the lives of Ugandans better is being washed away by the so many cases of corruption being reported in different government institutions every day.
The people serving in government top positions no longer have shame, they engage in unethical acts and make it look so normal. The region of Karamoja has been behind in terms of development and security and recently, they were facing famine and a number of them lost their lives but the aid which was procured for them was diverted and taken to the areas which are better by people who are actually better and who are capable of buying those similar items for themselves.
This is not only disturbing but also soils the good image of the government which Ugandans have entrusted with so much support over the years. While addressing the nation, President Museveni said that people should learn to supervise themselves.
"Do what is right without anybody pushing you," he said.
In Uganda today, it seems everyone wants to be pushed and forced to do what is right, those who are entrusted with public funds and offices do not want to do what they're supposed to do, they actually do the opposite of what the public expects from them.
Most Ugandans especially the youth cry for lack of jobs but when they're given jobs they don't perform some start absconding from duty and others engage in unprofessional conduct hence becoming a problem to the institutions where they serve.
The media has done a great job as far as exposing corruption is concerned both in local government and central governments, I think it is the only channel left for us to use in the war against corruption. However, sometimes they're also compromised because the corrupt officials usually try to cut any channels which can be used to let the cut out of the bag.
The iron sheets scandal wouldn't have caught any attention of anybody if the media didn't boldly give it space and attention. The NRM government gave a priority to fundamental rights like freedom of expression, this gives everyone a right to express themselves freely without being coerced or forced to say what they're not willing to say.
I think that's why we've succeeded in having one of the freest media spaces as compared to other countries in East Africa. The great progress of the NRM government in the areas of peace and stability, infrastructure development and several others need to be guarded by becoming very serious about fighting corruption especially when there's enough information that an official has involved himself in any corruption scandal.
The police and the judiciary as the custodian of the laws which are well stipulated in the constitution should do what they're supposed to do. It really frustrates the hopes of Ugandans if they get to know that the officials can't be touched by police or even when they're touched by police the courts will set them free.
The good programs that the NRM government puts in the manifesto during elections will not be realized since the monies will be ending in the pockets of the few. The good image, that the NRM has earned for the years will be spoilt by the corrupt government officials.
The writer is a deputy RDC Sheema district
Comments
If the president would take his own advice seriously, he would have gotten rid or at the very least demoted the very iron sheet thieves he is parading around with.
That tells the kind of leader he is, one who tolerates thieves, no wonder stealing is no longer a shameful thing among most government officials to the highest level.
We know the limits of freedom of expression in this country and people who have been killed or are in unknown prisons for it.
If government has so much support as u claim, how come the same people have to be denied free coverage of elections, coerced with monetary and other inducements including the brutality of the army during elections?
You clearly know that M7 is not only corrupt to the core but a hardcore organized criminal who survives on corruption. You are the RDC not because of yours services to the people but your services to M7, which is the root cause of endless or unending corruption scandals.
You are the RDC either because of patronage, nepotism, tribalism or being M7's militant. You pick one.
In other words Orikunda, if you are not also corrupt and did not know; the NRM regime is the government of the corrupt, by the corrupt and for the corrupt.
And therefore, has no image worth damaging, because it is corruption itself that can't get damaged.
Otherwise, what happened to Gen Tibuhaburwa's 2019 "Hakuna Mchezo" Declaration?
In other words Orikunda, keep your Meal Card and save your soul from pretending to sanitize the NRM rotten and irredeemable image.
The Chinese say, "You can't curve anything from a rotten wood". And I suppose rotten wood can't even make charcoal to use for cooking.