Nebbi Bishop denounces corruption among leaders

By Mike Rwothomio and Lee Ofoymungu

In Uganda, news about leaders swindling resources meant for the common man has become normal.

Corruption as the abuse of entrusted power for private gain erodes trust, weakens democracy, hampers economic development, and exacerbates inequality, poverty, social division and the environmental crisis.

Corruption continues relentlessly notwithstanding the government’s effort to ensure it’s populace benefits from services being provided out of the tax payer’s hard-earned cash.

A recent survey conducted by the Inspectorate of Government indicates that annually, Uganda loses 20 trillion shillings through corruption.

In greater Nebbi, the media has always been flooded with reports about leaders stealing drugs from Public health Facilities, swindling or diverting funds meant for the public, failing to account for projects, and exaggerating figures amongst others. In his Christmas Message at Stephen Cathedral Goli on December 25, The Bishop of Nebbi church of Uganda Rt Rev Pons Ozelle Awinju denounced rampant corruption amongst leaders adding that it is setting back development in the area.

He said the Government of Uganda is doing its best to steer the country’s economy full speed ahead but the rooted corruption amongst leaders is to blame for the setbacks.

The Bishop who visited the Asian Country of  Singapore recently pegged the souring, flying and progressing economy of that country with only 5 million people to zero corruption. The Asian nation of  Singapore gained its independence in 1965, three years after Uganda’s independence from British rule.

He therefore calls for mindset change amongst leaders in the area such that the Alur Sub-region and the entire nation can develop with effect from next year.

The woman MP of Nebbi Agnes Acibu during a Thanksgiving prayer for Nebbi District local government last week at Nebbi District headquarters said “we should have the people we serve at heart in the execution of our duties”.

She also called for better coordination between leaders from the District to the local level to champion prosperity and development in Nebbi.

According to activists, Exposing corruption and holding the corrupt to account can only happen if everyone understands the way corruption works and the systems that enable it.

This year, a peculiar move by the government of Uganda has seen the movers and shakers in the country including ministers tasting prison life after they were implicated in the Karamoja Iron Sheets scandal.

President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni in his string of speeches has been vociferous against corruption by leaders.

Most Ugandan political and economic analysts attribute the country’s staggering and bulging public debt to deep-seated corruption by leaders.

Michael Atingi-Ego, Deputy Governor of the Bank of Uganda told Parliament that as of August 2023, provisional data indicates that total debt stock stood at a staggering UGX88.807tn, representing a 2.8% increase compared to June 2023, with the rise in debt primarily driven by a 19.1% increase in domestic debt.