By Leonard Kamugisha Akida,
KAMPALA
Government of Uganda has been advised to rationalize all Anti-Corruption Bodies under the office of the Inspector General of Government (IGG) as a cost-cutting measure of saving public funds.
This call was made by the Democratic Party Acting Spokesperson, also the UYD president, Ismail Kiirya at a press briefing on Tuesday.
According to Kiirya, government spends alot of money on State House Anti-Corruption units yet they perform equally similar functions to the IG. He says incorporating these units under the IG will not only reduce on the unnecessary expenses but also enable government to monitor and regulate their operations.
“Let’s divert all the funds to these small units whose work is not benefiting Ugandans, to the IGG’s office”, said Kiirya.
In Uganda, the office of the IGG is mandated to fight corruption with the powers to; investigate or cause investigation, arrest or cause arrest, prosecute or cause prosecution, make orders and give directions during investigations; access and search – enter and inspect premises or property or search a person or bank account or safe deposit box among others. The jurisdiction of Inspectorate of Government covers officers or leaders whether employed in the public service and private sector or not, and also such institutions, organizations or enterprises as Parliament may prescribe by law.
Despite the mandated powers as enshrined in the constitution, DP says President Museveni has suppressed the office of IGG through creation of different Anti-Corruption units in the State House including the State House Anti-Corruption Unit under Brig. Gen. Henry Isoke, State House Investors Protection Unit under Col. Edith Nakalema, and State House Intelligence and Strategic Operations Unit under David Kalemera. DP says that establishment of these bodies burdens the already economically disfranchised Ugandans to fund them.
Kiirya who says these institutes sabotage the IGG’s work, charged President Museveni to incorporate and divert funds going into these bodies to the IG if he is true to his word on the fight against corruption.
“Let’s incorporate all these units in the IGG’s office if we are really serious about fighting corruption”, he said.
