President has vowed to take strong action against corrupt actors within Uganda’s public service to eliminate corruption.
During the State of the nation address at Kololo Ceremonial Grounds on Thursday afternoon, the president revealed that he has got substantial evidence in hand, that pins public servants and political leaders in government circles to corruption.
President Museveni said he has uncovered a corruption racket involving individuals from the Ministry of Finance and various ministries who conspire to embezzle public funds.
He revealed that he has obtained concrete evidence of these illicit activities, which include accounting officers from different ministries collaborating to secure specific funds from Parliament, only to later share the money among themselves.
“I have been hearing stories that there is a racket from the Ministry of Finance to Parliament. I have been hearing but now I have proof. They work with accounting officers from different ministries to come to parliament to ask for certain funds and then they share the money.” he said
Expressing his determination to tackle this corruption, President Museveni emphasized the strength and patience of his administration in dealing with such malpractices. “The corrupt don’t know how strong we are; we are patient, but if you make a mistake, you will see,” he stated.
The President also disclosed alarming incidents of bribery within his own office. He mentioned that certain individuals have been taking bribes from investors to arrange meetings with him, highlighting a recent case where an individual was arrested for allegedly extorting money from an investor. The matter is currently being prosecuted in court.
“I have been hearing that people, even in my office, take bribes to arrange meetings with me, can you imagine? But we recently arrested one who is alleged to have extorted money from an investor. I feel amazed that some of our people can join “this corruption” knowing very well that we have the capacity to crash this group.Ababbi bafudde banange.” he stated
He reaffirmed his commitment to eradicating corruption and holding those involved accountable.
The President also addressed the corruption linked to fundraising activities, where opportunistic politicians, eager to please their electorate, pledge money they do not possess. This practice, he noted, requires urgent resolution.
The President said that corruption extends beyond financial theft, highlighting those who compromise national interests for personal gain. These individuals are not only corrupt but also traitors, and their activities are under stringent surveillance. Should they persist, they will face severe consequences backed by solid evidence.
“There are, however, other actors, that get bribes from foreigners to work for foreign interests. These are both corrupt and traitors and we are monitoring their activities. If they do not stop; and with evidence, we shall deal with them.”He added
As part of the anti-corruption drive, the President stressed the need to support inexperienced political actors who mistakenly equate leadership with control rather than guidance.
The President also addressed the corruption linked to fundraising activities, where opportunistic politicians, eager to please their electorate, pledge money they do not possess. He criticized those disregarding the advice of the National Resistance Movement (NRM) by dealing with unregulated money lenders who exploit them with exorbitant interest rates.
“Inexperienced, careerist minded leaders who do not listen to the advice of the NRM, is further complicated by the blood thirsty parasites in the form of the
unregulated money lenders who charge extortionate interest rates from these desperate political actors when they come to borrow money for unuseful
expenditures” said Museveni
The President downplayed foreign interference as a threat, attributing Africa’s setbacks to internal weaknesses like corruption, sectarianism, and poor army-building concepts.
He cited historical examples of African resilience and victories against imperialists, asserting that internal issues have created a false impression of Africa’s weakness.
The President commended the Parliament for their legislative efforts since his State of the Nation Address in 2023, reaffirming that with the eradication of corruption, Uganda’s progress is unstoppable.
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