INSPECTORATE OF GOVERNMENT TO PARTNER WITH KCCA TO FIGHT CORRUPTION

In a bid to fight corruption in Uganda, the Inspector-General of Government (IGG), Beti Olive Kamya has reached out to Kampala Capital City Authority (KCCA) leadership for a partnership.

Kamya together with her deputy; Anne Twinomugisha Muhairwe and other officials paid a courtesy call to the Lord Mayor, Erias Lukwago on Monday and called for a partnership against corruption.

Corruption lowers the quality of public services and infrastructure, distorts government spending decisions, decreases tax and customs revenues, and damages confidence in the rule of law.

“In spite of all the efforts and resources invested in establishing the frame works to eliminate corruption in Uganda, it is growing by leaps and bounds to now pandemic proportions,” Kamya said.

Kamya said that the Inspectorate of Government is committed to fighting corruption and ensuring Ugandans get value for money.

“I can’t do it alone, I need every Ugandan and that is why I’m here to partner with KCCA leadership,” Kamya said.

She revealed that she is to create a special unit to help KCCA handle corruption cases.

“I’m persuaded to create a special unit that will be reporting directly to the IGG. This unit will ensure that there is thorough investigation and reporting on corruption issues” Kamya said.

She revealed that the her office is going to focus more on the prevention of corruption.

“We cannot put in our very best to fighting corruption because we are not victims and sometimes we are the perpetrators. Our new strategy is to recruit Ugandans - the real victims of this vice,” Kamya said.

Despite public complaints that the big fish are always not arrested over corruption, Kamya said they are committed to apprehend them.

“The big fish is slippery; you will never get their signatures and evidence pinning them. But we shall arrest those thieves,” Kamya said.

The Lord Mayor, Lukwago, welcomed the idea of forming a special unit to assist the institution in addressing corruption issues.

“I’m happy that you are partnering with us to fight corruption and we welcome the idea of the unit,” Lukwago said. 

He highlighted that fighting and preventing corruption will help the city fulfill its dream of being a smart city. Kampala has a Five-Year Strategic Plan worth UGX 7 Trillon to transform Kampala into a modern city in five years.

“We need an average of a trillion every year but we are getting UGX 400b from Government yet the country loses about UGX 10 Trillion every year to corruption,” Lukwago said.

He added “Do we really have patriots in this country if we are losing UGX 10 trillion every year? Ugandans deserve better, lets fight corruption,”

The Deputy IGG, Twinomugisha called for investing in values and mind set change. 

“If you have a certain degree of values, there are things you can’t do. You have to be honest and in that you will not be corrupt,” Twinomugisha said. 

Bonny Bukenya a councilor at KCCA called for investigations into people who are collecting money from vendors in the markets yet KCCA suspended collection of dues from the vendors.