Date: November 25, 2024
As part of the upcoming Anti-Corruption Week activities (December 1–9, 2024), the State House Anti-Corruption Unit (SH-ACU) joined the Minister of State for Ethics and Integrity, Hon. Akello Lilly Rose, who also serves as Chairperson of the Inter-Agency Forum Against Corruption, for a joint inspection of service delivery gaps and a community engagement meeting (Baraza) in Greater Masaka District and City on November 23, 2024.
The Baraza brought together multiple institutions under the Inter-Agency Forum, including the Directorate for Ethics and Integrity, Inspectorate of Government (IGG), Public Procurement and Disposal of Public Assets Authority (PPDA), Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions (ODPP), Office of the Auditor General (OAG), Financial Intelligence Authority (FIA), Criminal Investigations Directorate (CID), Internal Security Organisation (ISO), State House Health Monitoring Unit (HMU), and SH-ACU.
District and security leadership also participated, including the RDC, RCC, LCV Chairperson, Commander of the Armoured Brigade, RPC, DPC, CAO, and Town Clerk.
During the engagement, residents and community leaders highlighted several challenges undermining service delivery, including:
- Extortion of Parish Development Model (PDM) beneficiaries
- Fraudulent sale of government land by officials to private individuals
- Inflation of student numbers in schools to increase capitation grants
- Poor construction standards in government-funded schools
- Other cases of corruption and abuse of office within public institutions
Following the complaints and preliminary investigations, several officials were arrested to aid in further inquiries. These include the Chief Finance Officer, District Education Officer, Forestry Officer, Commercial Officer, and multiple PDM Parish Chiefs.
The arrests reaffirm Forum’s commitment to holding accountable all public officers who exploit communities through corruption and abuse of office.
The Greater Masaka engagement and inspection forms part of the build-up activities to the National Anti-Corruption Week (December 1–9, 2024), which will rally Ugandans across the country to take a stand against corruption under the Inter-Agency Forum’s coordinated efforts.
