Among argues IGG should investigate corruption in private sector
KAMPALA– The Speaker of Parliament, Anita Among wants the Inspectorate of Government [IG] to be mandated further to investigate corruption in Uganda’s private sector.
Among said last Thursday in her office while receiving an annual report from the Inspector General of Government (IGG], Beti Kamya, whose suggestion to audit the lifestyle of public servants remains unpopular among powerful government officials.
The Constitution under Chapter 13, Article 225 gives the IG powers to investigate cases of corruption and abuse of office among others.
The jurisdiction of the Inspectorate of Government covers officers or leaders mainly employed in the public service and also institutions, organizations, or enterprises as Parliament may prescribe by law.
“It is noted that the mandate of the IGG focuses on two things; elimination of corruption as well as the abuse of office in public offices. It is so absurd that it limits to public offices and yet you find that most of the money that is got from public offices is taken to the private sector. So it limits corruption to strictly public offices,” Anita Among said.
She called for a constitutional amendment to ensure that the mandate of the IGG is widened to ensure that the private sector investigations are also carried out.
Recently, the Inspectorate of Government together with the Governance Transparency Institute conducted a study on the cost of corruption in Uganda and revealed that the estimated cost of corruption per year is Shs 9.144 trillion.
Among described this as absurd and called for the amendment of the constitution to ensure that it does not limit the IG to only the public sector.
She added that it is baffling that abuse of office has moved to almost all institutions including Non-Governmental Organisations [NGOs] and yet they have just been left outside.
The Speaker said that parliament will ensure that government funds are not siphoned into the private sector.
“You should be able to push your hand into the private sector where government money has gone. We also want you to ensure that the cases that are before you are taken to court as fast as possible. Don’t hold cases, ensure that you prosecute these people,” the Speaker emphasised.
On the lifestyle audit, the IGG Betty Kamya said that they need a legal framework to operationalise it after it was launched in December 2021 by President Museveni.
She said that several Ugandans are interested in having top officials audited, adding that some of them have done this through the established whistleblowing mechanism.
“Our directorate of legal affairs is working on the legal framework for which we will operate and I think it is ready. We have got requests from the public to audit government officials who are known and are suspicious,” she said.
Among, however, said the IGG should trade slowly while moving to an audit lifestyle because some people will recommend leaders for audit based on hatred. She advised the IGG should not concentrate on auditing lifestyle, but instead look at where there is a loss of money.
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