PRESIDENT Yoweri Museveni has directed that severe action be taken against civil servants and political leaders who flouted procurement rules and regulations during the preparations for the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM) hosted in Kampala in 2007.
In a directive to Prime Minister Apolo Nsibambi, Museveni said taking action against the culprits “will deter any corrupt tendencies amongst public servants and political leaders.”
He warned that government officials caught stealing and wasting public funds will face the law.
According to a release from State House, Museveni yesterday said: “I spared these people during my campaign trail because the public was very annoyed with the poor performers. I made a public contract to the voters that action will be taken against the corrupt and the non-performers.”
The directive, made yesterday in the address to a consultative workshop with the donors on the budget for the financial year 2011/2012, comes just days after Parliament exonerated Vice-President Prof. Gilbert Bukenya and three ministers of misuse of funds during the 2007 Commonwealth Summit that cost sh500b.
Cleared last week were ministers Sam Kutesa (foreign affairs), Eng. John Nasasira (works) and Prof. Khiddu Makubuya (Attorney General).
The Auditor General and the Parliament public accounts committee have said the ministers caused loss of 740,000 euros (sh6b) in the leasing of executive cars used by the dignitaries.
The President in his address at the Serena International Conference Centre in Kampala reiterated the Government’s commitment to good governance, service delivery, the anti-corruption crusade and improvement of infrastructure.
Museveni also said an anti-corruption committee to investigate political leaders and senior public officers named in corruption-related scandals will be put in place soon.
“The committee is mandated, among other duties, to recommend disciplinary action and prosecution where necessary,” he said.
On the management of oil revenue, he dismissed allegations that the oil resource will be a curse to Uganda, saying the Government will provide for the prudent management and accountability of petroleum resources.
All revenues will be collected by the Uganda Revenue Authority, he said.
Museveni also said necessary mechanisms for transparency and accountability shall be put in place before large scale oil revenues begin to accrue.
A petroleum fund, into which all oil and gas revenues will be deposited, shall be established.
In order to ensure transparency, the fund will have a dual role of financing government priorities in infrastructure through budgeting and saving for the future generations.
All spending, the President said, will be done through the budget. He stressed the importance of the non-oil economy, adding that it will be protected.
Museveni said the Bank of Uganda will act on behalf of the Government through its investment strategy consistent with its handling of Uganda’s foreign exchange reserves.
“The manner in which oil revenue will be managed must not compromise the growth and export potential of non-oil sectors,” he said.
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