President Yoweri Museveni has once again reiterated his resolve to fight corruption in his government, saying he is now “fully” engaged in the war against theft of public funds but also against individuals who have refused to listen to his guidance.
In a short letter he authored today, Mr. Museveni this time points to permanent secretaries and chief accounting officers in government ministries and department, as well as town clerks, sub-country chiefs and Managing Directors in government parastatals as the responsible culprits in cases of corruption. He accused the investigative bodies for most of the time refusing to dig deep for evidence pinning the corrupt, and therefore offering them an opportunity to walk scot-free.
As for politicians (MPs) who were recently arraigned and charged, Mr. Museveni declined to make a comment but insinuated that there is enough evidence to pin them on the charges leveled against them. This however comes just a day after the speaker of Parliament made comments suggesting that the president had given her assurance on the release of one of the arrested MPs -Cissy Namujju (Lwengo district Woman MP).
Bellow is President Museveni’s letter in full:
Greetings. Fellow Ugandans and, especially, the Bazzukulu. Although busy celebrating Maama’s 76th birthday, I am also fully in the war against obwiibi (theft) of government money, obutagambirwa (not listening to guidance) and okweragyiira, okwetuminkiriza (doing things that are not agreed upon).
Since some of the cases are in court, the law does not allow us to comment on them. The evidence will come in court. However, I can assure the Ugandans, that these vices will be stamped out. The NRM does not victimize anybody without proof. That is why some People think that the NRM is soft on corruption. We insist on proof, and apparently proofs are abundant but the responsible People have not been looking for them.
Who are the responsible officers for money? It is the Permanent Secretary in a Ministry, A Chief Administrative Officer (CAO) in a district, a town clerk in a city or Municipality, a Gombolola Chief in a sub-county and a managing Director in a Parastatal. In the constitution, it is these that are responsible for government money, for personnel affairs, for procurement, etc.