The Executive Director of Alliance for Campaign Finance Monitoring (ACFIM), Henry Muguzi has cautioned Ugandans not to ever think that President Yoweri Museveni will fight corruption in his reign because it is one of the greatest pillars that he stands for.
Muguzi said Museveni fully supports corruptions and that this can be evidenced by the statements he made during the recent International Anti-Corruption day commemoration at Kololo Independence Grounds.
“Ugandans are still bewildered by the statements made by the head of state, President Museveni, on International Anti-Corruption Day which condoned corruption as acceptable as long as the proceeds of the same are invested inside the country. This statement must be condemned in the strongest possible terms because it is misleading. Corruption is about one or a few individuals grabbing and taking away money or national resources from the benefit of the collective (public benefit) to the benefit of one person or small group of persons. Corruption is not a pre-requisite of economic growth or development and there is nothing good about it,” the activist said on Thursday.
Muguzi added that corruption is internationally recognized as one of the predicate financial crimes whose monies have often been laundered through investment in real estate.
“And this is exactly what is happening to Uganda where proceeds from corruption have been used to erect expensive/luxuries apartments, shopping malls and acquisition of land. It is recalled that the late Professor Ali Mazrui once argued that a certain level of corruption is desirable for the functioning of the state in Africa. Whatever the case, proceeds from corruption must be confiscated on sight by any meaningful state.”
While at Kololo independence grounds during the International Anti-Corruption Day on December 9, the Inspector General of Government (IGG) Beti Kamya said the “mercenaries” recruited to fight corruption do not care if they win or lose the war because they will still earn their huge salaries and benefits anyway.
“None of us in this tent would die because there is no medicine in Mulago hospital because we have medical insurance and can even fly out for Medicare…we may fail to prove to the court that you’re corrupt but through the lifestyle audit we will prove that you took the money,” Kamya said.
She added that it was time for public officials who live a lifestyle that is not commensurate with their salaries and earnings to explain the source of their wealth. “People in villages do not own the corruption loss, if they own and personalize the cost and pain of corruption then they will all come up against the corrupt.”
However, President Museveni cautioned her that Uganda is ‘still lucky’ because the thieves who steal government money are still investing it in Uganda through building 5-star hotels. “With the lifestyle audit, the thieves will now start taking the money abroad and there will be no evidence which will be a loss for everyone.”
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