President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni has backed field inspection tours by Ministers David Barugahara and Florence Nakiwala Kiyingi Nameere, saying the widespread and persistent nature of corruption makes their investigations necessary.
In a statement addressed to Ugandans, especially the “Bazzukulu” on Wednesday, President Museveni dismissed concerns that the ministers could be “Kutomera” (bumping into issues blindly) during their field visits, arguing that the magnitude of corruption reported by citizens warrants direct intervention.
He said his campaigns were at one point interrupted by complaints from angry citizens over corruption, particularly in the Parish Development Model (PDM).
“Earlier on, I had met a delegation of elders from the Bunyoro area talking about the selling of local government jobs,” President Museveni said, adding that there were also numerous reports of “ghosts” of learners and teachers in government schools and health centres.
He said the challenge now was for the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) to assign a dedicated officer to quickly assess the evidence being gathered and ensure that suspects are prosecuted.
President Museveni identified the alleged cover-up by officials responsible for protecting national interests and the failure by some elites to report corruption as major obstacles in the fight against the vice.
He said the ministers’ decision to engage citizens directly through public gatherings, commonly known as barazas, had helped bypass what he described as a blockade by corrupt officials and their allies.
“By going to the People directly in the form of Barazas (public gatherings), they have by-passed the blockade of the thieves manned by the responsible elements of the elite,” he said.
President Museveni, however, praised leaders who report corruption, citing Hon Byamukama, whom he said exposed an alleged racket of extorters operating at State House.
He said the information enabled authorities to set a trap, leading to the arrest of the suspects.
“This corruption in Uganda is stoppable,” President Museveni said.
He urged government officials not to shield corrupt colleagues and called on citizens with information to report it.
“Do not cover-up if you are a Government officer and report if you are a citizen,” he said.
President Museveni also revealed that he had previously assigned former minister Raphael Magyezi to follow up on corruption complaints raised by citizens.
President Museveni said although Mr Magyezi visited some of the affected areas, decisive action appeared not to have been taken, contrasting this with the public response to the ongoing field inspections by Barugahara and Nameere.
He said the large crowds attending the ministers’ public meetings reminded him of the early days of the National Resistance Movement (NRM), when people voluntarily turned up for public meetings without being provided with food, drinks or other incentives.
He said the current public enthusiasm demonstrated that citizens were eager to see decisive action taken against corruption.
“Salutations,” Mr Museveni concluded, signing off as “Yoweri K. Museveni, Ssaabalwanyi.”
