The newly appointed Inspector General of Government (IGG), Beti Namisango Kamya, has sounded a strong warning to government officials involved in corruption that “their days are numbered.”
In a televised interview following her appointment, Kamya said she the corrupt should immediately chose whether to put their house to order and join her in the fight against graft or fall like other who have fallen before.
The former lands minister and opposition diehard, Kamya was last week named new IGG amid criticism majorly on her integrity considering the gravity of the office she is set to head and the high levels of corruption in Uganda. Her appointment now awaits approval by parliament before she takes office.
Beti Kamya, however, says she is up to the task and would like full public support to end graft in the country, as it is currently the biggest impediment to development.
“I think it’s God who has prepared me for this job; I have worked in government for 5 years at a level of a minister but also as an MP as well as other assignments. I am also well conversant with reports which puts me in a position to undertake the task” Beti Kamya said.
“To the corrupt, get your houses in order because days of corruption are numbered. Don’t fall with those who will fall but rise with those who will rise as crusaders against corruption” she warned.
She however said fighting corruption in Uganda will require rallying the whole population against the practice since it is no longer an individual affair but has been institutionalized with many officials colluding to steal public funds.
She says her immediate task is to enhance governance capabilities of government institutions and promoting rule of law, which even if it requires amendments in the laws, she is ready to pursue.
Kamya pledged to work alongside other agencies already in place to fight graft including the State House Anti-corruption Unit led by Col Edith Nakalema.
Kamya’s appointment comes at a time when the ruling government is battling dwindling public confidence in the fight against corruption with anti-graft agencies criticized for being “toothless” as tax-payers money is stolen.