Editorial
High-level corruption betrays leaders’ call for patriotism
President Museveni is known for preaching patriotism, and yet the theft by many of his ministers have failed to lead by example
For the past many months, the national dialogue in Uganda has been soured by stories of high-level corruption involving Ministers and heads of public institutions such as the National Social Security Fund (NSSF).
Hardly had the storm died down on the mismanagement of workers money, than a new scandal about the theft of Iron sheets (imagine iron sheets) meant for Karamoja youth, erupted. At the centre of the scandal are the highest ranking politicians in our beloved country, who helped themselves on items that were meant for the poorest in the country.
The Karamoja iron sheets scandal and all those that benefited from it, must own up and stop the pretence because the items were clearly labeled ‘For Karamoja’.
It is a sad state of affairs for Uganda that we jump from one scandal to another without the leaders ever reflecting on the implications of their evil actions and taking serious steps to address the problem of corruption.
The loss of public resources to the few well-connected individuals has severely crippled the delivery of civil services and is a major reason for the prevailing rampant poverty, ill-health and unemployment.
But more disappointing is the fact that the same leaders who claim to be patriotic and award themselves medals, are the same people stealing from the poor.
In recent years, the government has vigorously promoted patriotism and Pan-Africanism in Kyankwanzi and other places as values for the prosperity of our country and continent. On the contrary, their actions including stealing from the poor, reflect the opposite of what they preach.
They say that actions speak louder than words. Conspicuous corruption, wastage have come to characterize Uganda’s politics and politicians.
This is a call to all religious, cultural and community leaders as well as fathers and mothers to rise up and sound the alarm about the effects of corruption and plunder of public resources. The generations that will come after us, must be better than us.
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