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By Walimbwa Emma
Our presidents have come out on more than one occasion to denounce corruption in all its forms. As a matter of fact, one of our esteemed leader even proposing confiscation of property but will this bug ever end?
Corruption is “deeply” rooted in African culture that it will take more than the president’s directive to merely reduce let alone eradicate it. For instance when a kid refuses to go to school, a parent “bribes” him/her with a few coins and in learning theories taught in psychology, an action positively rewarded is often repeated and this confirms the English saying that “Charity begins at home”. This kid grows up to know that unless “something” exchanges hands, no fruit will be harvested.
Take Uganda for example, we have heard of all the strong laws in fact some of the harshest laws in regard to corruption but very few people are convicted. The IGG always does investigations and after wasting a lot of tax payers money, the IGG finds little or no evidence or the DPP prefers to drop charges against the accused. I often wonder why we should continue having the office of the IGG when approximately 90% of the reported cases are never prosecuted. The whistle blowers bill being passed into law has not changed anything in particular.
You decide to appoint a new IGG but no deputies which means the office of the IGG is not fully constituted therefore can be challenged in courts of law if it tries to prosecute somebody.
What needs to be done is to fight corruption in all its deferent forms right from the grass root to the top not only hand picking a few people who are chewing peanuts and leaving those going for the fat cake. Try to go and witness any campaigns for prefects in schools or even guild elections, the voters ask for bribes. So I think corruption is being taught in schools.
Photo Credits: Worldofstock.com
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