Fr. Gaetano Batanyenda Criticizes Creation of Parallel Anti-Corruption Unit

By Moses Ntare

The chairperson of the inter-religious council for Kigezi sub region Rev.Fr. Gaetano Batanyenda has criticized the decision by president Yoweri Museveni to create a Parallel anti-corruption unit in Uganda despite the presence of the Inspector General of Government.

During the state of the nation address mid this week, president Museveni made it public that the new anti-corruption unit headed by former Uganda National Teachers Union –UNATU Secretary general James Tweheyo will take on corruption cases involving public servants.

The president revealed that the inspectorate of government had failed to execute its Mandate.

Rev.Fr. Gaetano told journalists in Kabale town that the decision by the president is not in good faith since he is only aiming at creating a unit that is only Answerable to him.

Geatano says that the inspector General of Government has been effective because parliament had the powers to check them on how they execute their duties.

He says that the parliament of Uganda has always scrutinized the reports of the IGG and also gone ahead to help in ensuring that those implicated in misuse of government resources.

Batanyenda says that the reports from the office of the IGG have always been shelved by those who are supposed to act and hold those implicated accountable.

The man of God says that it is clear that the IGG Irene Mulyagonja is confident and sure of what she is doing because she has tried her level best irrespective of the challenges of what they go through.

Batanyenda says that the president should have instead looked at the bottlenecks being faced by the inspectorate so that better results can be realized.

He says that the president rushed to make decisions on the matter since some of those implicated in corruption scandals are well placed in the country’s top leadership and have always been shielded by the fountain of honor.

Batanyenda says that the president must have made the decision to protect his henchmen from being exposed by the inspector General of Government.

On the issue of infrastructure.

Batanyenda says that the quality of infrastructure in the quality is itself wanting and wonders why the president would spend time to boost that the situation is good.

He adds that the infrastructure is as good as useless since there is no produce destined for markets.
Batanyenda further revealed that the ruling party has decided to reduce Ugandans to beggers in their own country.

On the issue of economic development.

He says that the president is very correct to say that the economy is very okay and growing because him and his henchmen are doing well since they get free money and tax holidays.

Batanyenda says that there is no way how the president should come up and start telling Ugandans that the economy is doing well yet farmers are struggling and the country is grappling with heavy debt burden.

Batanyenda says that the Agriculture sector on which a bigger percent of Ugandans rely is crawling making it hard for Ugandans to survive and meet the costs of living.

He accuses the president and the Ruling NRM for creating many administrative units such as districts, Municipalities, town councils among others.
Batanyenda says that he government now spends a lot of money to run the newly created administrative units.
He goes ahead to blame the president for indulging soldiers in the operation wealth creation saying that they have greatly contributed to the collapse of the agriculture sector.
He says that it was a grave mistake for soldiers to be deployed to coordinate farming and the distribution of inputs.

Batanyenda calls on the president to practice what he preaches and not to just tell Ugandans that all is on the right track.