Museveni to sack aged civil servants

By Mubiru Ivan

President Yoweri Museveni has said that he is going to kick out corrupt civil servants out of office.

The president said corrupt civil servants especially the aged who have overstayed in offices have manipulated the law to shield themselves.

The President made the revelation on Tuesday during the celebrations to mark the 25th anniversary of Transparency International Uganda (TIU) in Kampala where a national anti- corruption dialogue was held under the theme ‘Citizen’s participation in the fight against corruption: A Sustainable Path to Uganda’s Transformation.’

Museveni however said, corruption will be defeated since the officials in question have already exposed themselves.

He disclosed that Uganda now has more educated young people who will be used to replace the aged corrupt civil servants.

“We now have more educated young people. The pool from which to pick the replacements for the corrupt civil servants has grown,” Museveni noted.

While Ugandans were complaining of officials suspected of corruption not being put in jail, according to the President,  it is within the law that they have to be prosecuted first. He, however, noted that while the government had put in place laws to protect public servants, there was now need for quicker methods of demanding accountability.

“The laws are there, the institutions are there but the personnel handling them are the problem. I don’t need a frightened civil service. The country needs confident and able leaders who know what is right and do what is right,” he said.

He re-echoed the people’s views that increment in the remuneration of salaries of public servants was not the cure to corruption because public servants in government institutions like KCCA, Bank of Uganda, URA were still corrupt despite the high pay.

The Bank of Uganda is under investigation by the Parliament Committee on Commissions, Statutory authorities and State Enterprises (Cosase) over fraudulent dealings. Previously the President accused officials in the Ministry of Finance and the Uganda Revenue Authority of corruption.