In a passionate address to Parliament, President Museveni condemned the pervasive corruption in Uganda, revealing that even his own staff at State House have been implicated in the vice. He expressed shock and disappointment that some individuals in his office have been taking bribes to arrange meetings with him, and announced that one such case is currently in court.
The President lamented that foreign investors seeking to invest in Uganda have been victimized by corrupt officials at State House, and directed the Ministry of Finance to curb high interest rates charged by money lenders to boost investment in the country. However, he also acknowledged that the Finance Ministry has not been spared from corruption, with some officials colluding with accounting officers to embezzle funds.
President Museveni vowed to crush corruption in Uganda, stating that he will not grant amnesty to those found guilty. He expressed confidence that with the eradication of corruption, Uganda’s development is unstoppable. However, critics argue that the President’s words are mere lip service, given his failure to address corruption over his nearly four-decade rule.
Despite the criticism, President Museveni highlighted Uganda’s achievement of lower-middle-income status, with a per capita income of $1,182. He urged the East African Community to remove trade barriers and create a unified market, which would enable Uganda to develop further.
The President also praised Speaker Anita Among’s performance, despite allegations of corruption against her and the House she presides over. He commended her for not undermining the Executive, which he termed as a “risky miscalculation” by some foreigners.
However, opposition politicians and critics argue that President Museveni’s words are empty promises, given his inability to stamp out corruption and improve service delivery in Uganda. The Leader of Opposition in Parliament, Joel Ssenyonyi, even called for a boycott of the President’s address, terming it a “ritual.”
