The First Lady, Hon. Janet Kataaha Museveni, has asked corrupt officials and citizens to repent and change their way of life since their deeds continue to frustrate service delivery and hurt many innocent Ugandans.

Hon. Janet Museveni, who is also the National Champion of the Ambassadors for Integrity Campaign, urged the corrupt to “turn away from erroneous ways.”

She added in a speech read by Vice President H.E Jessica Alupo at Kololo Ceremonial Grounds on Friday: “Corruption is a hindrance to achieving aspirations of the National Development Plan III and Vision 2040.”

The prayers organised by the Inspectorate of Government in collaboration with Inter-Religious Council of Uganda were held under the theme, “Putting God at the centre of the war against corruption.”

The Guest Preacher was the Archbishop of the Uganda Orthodox Church, Metropolitan Jerenomos Muzeyi.

The First Lady said Uganda loses trillions of shillings yearly to mismanagement of resources, theft, fraud, neglect of duty, and miscarriage of justice.

A survey commissioned by the Inspectorate of Government in 2021 revealed that Uganda could be losing up to UGX20 trillion annually to corruption.

The survey indicated that about UGX10 trillion is swindled directly through undeclared taxes and utility user fees, corruption in procurement of government goods and services, inflation of the public payroll, ghost workers on public service payroll, shoddy works, sale of government property such as fuel, drugs, mismanagement of all government resources.

The First Lady asked religious and cultural leaders as well as families to join the government and other non-state actors in combating corruption.

“Corruption is primarily perpetuated and sustained through people at individual and institution levels, the government cannot fight the battle alone,” she noted.

Representing the First Lady, H.E. Jessica Alupo on the same occasion launched the Anti-Corruption Campaign 2022/23 under the theme, "Citizens Owning the War to Eliminate Corruption".

The Deputy Speaker of Parliament, Rt. Hon. Thomas Tayebwa described fighting corruption as a challenge.

“Corruption fights back. You touch someone who has stolen UGX10billion, he will use UGX50m to fight you. This is a challenge that we must address,” Rt. Hon. Tayebwa said.

He also demanded that recommendations of all Auditor General’s reports on corruption be implemented.

The Minister of State for Ethics and Integrity, Hon. Akello Rose Lilly said leaders should be role models who can cultivate a culture of integrity and guide citizens to operate within the boundaries of morality and integrity.

The Inspector General of Government, Hon. Beti Kamya Turwomwe said everyone should cry out to God to protect the UGX48 trillion passed in this year’s national budget and also participate in the fight against corruption.

Hon. Kamya said the government would continue rewarding whistleblowers who expose corruption as stated in the Whistleblowers’ Act.

“Parliament passed this Act to encourage people to report such cases. If a whistleblower helps in the recovery of Shs1 for example, he or she is entitled to five percent of that money,” she explained.

The IGG also announced that national interdenominational prayers against corruption would be held on the last Friday of every month of July.

The Speaker of the East African Legislative Assembly, Rt. Hon. Martin Ngoga, said fighting corruption is a process that should be constant, requires multiple approaches and a clear chain of accountability so that it doesn’t break.

“If the chain breaks anywhere, then accountability does not happen,” Rt. Hon. Ngoga said.

DM