Kampala, Uganda | URN | The Head of State House Anti-Corruption Unit Lt Col Edith Nakalema commits to consolidate gains in the anti-graft fight in order to improve Uganda’s global ranking.
Lt Col Nakalema told this publication that the recent ranking as captured in the just-released Corruption Perception Index, a global report by Transparency International, was a little bit impressive. According to the index, Uganda dropped 12 places from 149th position to 137, on a scale of 180 countries.
Nakalema who presides over a unit which was formed to reenergize the fight against corruption, alongside the inspectorate of government said that Uganda is moving in the right direction. Since its creation last year, the unit has stormed offices and made on spot arrests of officials thought to be engaged in corruption.
Nakalema notes that in the shortest time, they have learnt that Ugandans are ready to get rid of corruption which had penetrated the moral fibre of the country hurting not only service delivery but also the social apparatus.
She notes that every day the unit receives overwhelming complaints from citizens most of which are investigated and suspects handed over to respective authorities for appropriate action.
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However, Cissy Kagaba, the Executive Director of the Anti-Corruption Coalition Uganda (ACCU) shares a divergent view on the report saying that there is no improvement to boast about since Uganda is still being ranked poorly. Kagaba notes this year’s ranking might have come out of the poor performance of other countries.
She adds that until the government cracks the whip on big wigs in its own offices, who have been implicated in corruption, the struggle will remain futile.
