President Yoweri Museveni has told members of the NRM Parliamentary Caucus to continue with the aggressive fight against corruption in central and local governments.
While addressing the NRM Parliamentary Caucus at Munyonyo, Museveni said there were persistent challenges affecting service delivery and the implementation of government programmes due to wide spread corruption which must be brought to a stop.
The President directed that corruption in the health sector and the Parish Development Model (PDM) be decisively tackled. He highlighted theft of medicines, absenteeism among health workers and the diversion of PDM funds as some of the most reported cases by wanaichi that must be stopped to ensure government interventions reach their intended beneficiaries.
Museveni also raised concern over the alleged sale of government jobs and called for an end to all forms of corruption. He urged MPs to speak out against such practices without fear and to closely monitor government programmes in their respective constituencies.
The President said MPs have an important role to play in ensuring accountability and improving service delivery.
“Corruption weakens government institutions just as diseases weaken the human body. It diverts resources meant for development and creates resentment among the people,” he said.
“Apparently, this local corruption where you have the LCs or some of the leaders taking the PDM money, that’s how you get local resentment,” he said.
The President directed Prime Minister Robinah Nabbanja to instruct Barugahara to investigate allegations of theft and misuse of PDM funds in Pakwach, Maracha, Iganga and Buwambo.
He recalled that during a campaign stop in Maracha, residents turned a political rally into a discussion about alleged abuse of the programme.
The President further raised concern over reports that investors had been frustrated by corrupt government officials, resulting in some businesses relocating their factories to neighbouring countries.
He specifically cited alleged abuses surrounding the allocation of land in industrial parks, saying such practices risked undermining Uganda’s industrialisation agenda and limiting opportunities for employment.
Museveni said government would continue working to eliminate bureaucratic and corrupt bottlenecks that discourage investors, stressing the need to create an environment capable of attracting and retaining investment.
Museveni said he would present proposals to Cabinet aimed at addressing the challenges facing public health facilities and additional measures to eliminate corruption in public service >
