Vote out corrupt leaders the IG asks masses in Masaka region

The Inspectorate General of Government has rallied the locals in greater Masaka district to embrace the fight against corruption by rejecting corrupt leaders by voting them out of office in the coming general elections.

The call has been made during a series of community sensitization meetings held in town councils in Masaka region, while delivering the message of the Inspector General of Government Betty Olive Namisango Kamya, the Director of Research, Education and Advocacy in Office of the Inspectorate of Government, James Onying Penywii said that the IGG office has embarked on sensitizing locals in the country about their responsibility in the fight against corruption since they are greatly affected by the effects of corruption.

Kamya says that empowered communities can ask the right questions and they can easily ask the duty bearers why they don’t get the services they require which are in most cases compromised because of corruption tendencies of public officials.

He explains that citizens have the responsibility of fighting corruption asking locals at all levels to take up their responsibility and join the fight against corruption instead of leaving all the responsibility to government agencies put in place to fight corruption like the inspectorate of government.

Penywii says corruption which is embedded in almost every sector in the country is costing the country a lot of money saying that a survey done recently by the IG showed that every year the cost of corruption is Shs 10 trillion which is about 20 percent of the national budget.

Penywii says that the government has put in place several measures to fight corruption but the problem of corruption still remains unsolved asking locals to join the fight against corruption since the fight deserves concerted efforts of all stakeholders.

“Citizens bares the biggest burden of corruption since it affects services delivery and this has left members of the public frustrated and angry waiting to see something done on corrupt leaders, though this is difficult to achieve since the corrupt leaders don’t usually sign documents that can easily link them to corruption, so it’s high time the citizens take it upon the selves to punish these leaders that are implicated in corruption by voting them out of office because they have failed to ensure that there is improved service delivery because of corruption though moreover some of these leaders are on spot for being drivers of corruption. “ he added.

Sam Agaba Masaka Region Inspectorate of Government said empowerment of the community will help the fight because people witness the corruption tendencies and some even take part in issuing bribes adding that citizens can take on this tough role of fighting corruption when they stand on their principles and say no to corruption.

The locals in Bukomansimbi town council, Kalungu and Lyantonde town council where the meetings were held called upon the government to put up strong measures and strict laws that can make those implicated in corruption punished and their properties sold to compensate for swindled money so that it can deter others from taking part in this evil act.

“We have realised that its our responsibility to fight corruption but it would be better if the fight was coined in a top to bottom approach, this would make it easier but if we still have top government officials who are corrupt it become challenging top stop low ranking officers from being corrupt moreover they also get little pay” Ssekitto Waswa a resident of Kalungu added.

Lukaya town council deputy chairperson Hajj Edrisa Kigozi, said that there is a need to have mindset change by citizens and become patriotic if the country will be liberated from corrupt people.

“People still have a mentality that corruption benefits two parties that is those that solicit and those offer it this thinking is a major problem which needs to be addressed if we are to get a corrupt free society because in most cases these services that locals pay for to access them are for free” he added asking locals to desist from issuing corruption to access services and always offer information that can lead to arrest of corrupt public officials