Dear Editor
Independent Reports that have emerged indicate several attempts aimed at rationalizing corruption in Uganda.
There can be no better way in which we can fight against this illegal activity than changing people’s ethical conduct.
I am extremely aware that most if not all African states combined have a Gross Domestic Product-GDP which is lower than many European countries, and this is due to corruption especially in public service.
I have also come to realize that our country has got several legislations against corruption but these are honored in breach, some of which simply allow officials to steal in accordance with the law.
Therefore, we must not be impressed that only the enacted laws will solve the problem.
I conclusively highlight a few of the remedies that can be done in order to mitigate corruption as have been demonstrated in different parts of the world.
Firstly, we must strengthen our institutions since they are very central in the fight against corruption.
We must create institutions that defy this activity, that are recognized by the laws such as the parliament, judiciary, and civil society, executive.
All these institutions must stay strong. We must also create a bundle of laws to ensure that those who engage in activities that are detrimental to the society are punished in accordance to the law and ensure that these laws create a hostile environment for people who engage in corruption.
We must create an environment where everybody is involved in the fight against corruption, religious leaders, traditional leaders and any other private citizen, this fight should not be left to only the political class.
We must apply several international opportunities that can be exploited by member states to ensure that funds that are ill-gotten are repatriated i.e. the UN convention against corruption, continental collaborations such as the African convention for combating corruption and prevention which allows African countries to participate in the fight against corruption through collaboration. All these should not be honored rhetorically.
We also need to sanitize our politics, so that whoever seeks public offices exhibits a highest degree of integrity, and finance their political campaigns in a clean manner.
I therefore look forward to that time where corruption in an exception rather than the rule, where the laws
enacted to fight corruption will be observed, where public offices are given to people who deserve them but not those who have bought them and I look forward to that country where the citizens are doing what is good and right.
Juma Mayeku, Namisindwa District
