Citizens decry corruption at the National Annual Citizen Corruptometer Convention.

AAIU organized a national annual citizen corruptometer convention under the theme” stand against corruption” with the aim to mobilize and stand in solidarity with partners and citizens to challenge theft of public resources in Uganda.

The event which was supported by Democratic Governance Facility (DGF) under the ‘Citizen Action for Greater accountability and Improved service delivery’ project was a mix of physical and online meetings with hubs in Kampala, Masindi, Kumi, Nebbi and Gulu districts attracting over 300 people among whom included partners, religious leaders, women, and young people.

During the convention, citizen stormed the online platforms (Twitter and Facebook) with the hashtag #standgainstcorruption and amplified their voices with a call to action to end corruption in Uganda.

In his remarks, the Country Director AAIU, Mr. Xavier Ejoyi noted that “Corruption eats the future of young people, bonds them in debt and leaves them in despair always wishing they had a contribution to their future” and called on young people to speak out and engage to end corruption in Uganda.

Rev. Borald Matovu while delivering his key note speech at the convention noted that “We have sugar coated stealing to being dishonest, corrupt and people talk about it as if it was a normal thing, but Ugandans have to be angry about this because it’s stealing the future of our children. The country is marred in debt due to corruption and the future generation will suffer the consequences”.

He also noted that although the Government has scored in establishment of laws such as the anti-corruption act 2009, implementation is still a challenge worsened with creation of parallel anti-corruption institutions.

Citizens also noted moral decay in the communities as a driver to corruption with those who are supposed to condemn corruption technically engaged in it.

Mr. Mutto Patrick from Gulu noted that many religious leaders who should be exemplary have been implicated in corruption scandals. Recently, the State House Anti-corruption unit arrested some pastors for misappropriating billions of shillings from citizens in the auspices of connecting them to state house. The citizen also noted that the corruption vice is ripping their communities off on quality service delivery in health and education.

Mr. Alfred Oduch from Nebbi, called on Government through the Ministry of Health to streamline the drugs monitoring systems and remove all private drug shops from Government hospitals to manage drug theft in all public health facilities in Uganda.

In various presentations by young people that included songs, art and poetry, young people expressed their understanding of corruption, how it affects their lives, communities, country and called on the Government to enhance their will to challenge corruption through urgently having the appointed a substantive Inspector General of Government fully constituted as required by the law; enhance budgets and funding for the inspectorate of Government; streamline the functions of the state house anti-corruption unit and reinstate the requirement for leaders to declare wealth held and owned by their spouses and children under the leadership code act 2002 (as amended).