{UAH} Pojim/WBK: Ministers vow to fight graft after Museveni outburst

http://www.observer.ug/news-headlines/36861-ministers-vow-to-fight-graft-after-museveni-outburst

Ministers vow to fight graft after Museveni outburst

Written by Deo Walusimbi

Last Updated: 18 March 2015

Some of the ministers at the retreat

Stung by President Museveni's harsh criticism of the weaknesses in the health, education and road sectors, three ministers have vowed to act.

In his speech at the cabinet retreat on Monday, the president blamed corrupt civil servants and politicians for poor service delivery in some sectors. He said new roads are sinking because of corrupt officials at weigh bridges who allow overloaded vehicles through.

He further said that some district officials hire out road repair equipment for private work. Museveni urged the minister of works and transport, Eng John Byabagambi, to fix the problems in the roads sector.

Speaking to The Observer in separate interviews yesterday, Eng Byabagambi, Simon Lokodo (minister of state for ethics and integrity) and Dr Elioda Tumwesigye (minister of health) promised to take action on the president's concerns.

"We have to lock the corrupt [in prison] and remove the key," Lokodo said.

He added that he is coming up with a new law on the recovery of assets from corrupt people, but not necessarily basing on conviction in court. If the proposed bill becomes law, Lokodo explained, the government would be able to attach anyone's assets as long as there's justification that these were illicitly acquired.

"As long as you are not able to account for the assets that you have and we have justification to suspect that you must have acquired them by illicit or improper means, we shall attach those properties," he said.

Lokodo maintained that so as long one can't give an adequate explanation, their property would be seized and money recovered for the state. On his part, the works and transport minister said he would start fighting corruption at weigh bridges immediately.

He, however, admitted that the task is "complicated" because the culprits are often law enforcement officers. With that dimension in mind, he called for the weigh bridges to be transferred from UNRA to the ministry of works where he can exercise direct control.

"In one day I impounded [the number of] vehicles they [law enforcement officers] impound in a month," he revealed.

"But we are coming up with a formula, which is designed in such a way that when your vehicle is impounded, you pay for the damages you caused according to the extra tonnes you are carrying without taking the culprits before the magistrates," he said.

On health, Dr Tumwesigye said he would fight people "who believe in primitive accumulation of wealth, who steal everything."

Asked about the deplorable state of many hospitals and theatres, he said besides corruption, there is also a lack of capacity. Tumwesigye pointed out that some of the people assigned to design the theatres are not competent.

"We are addressing these problems and we are trying to look for money to build some hospitals and we are going to support about 27 health centre IVs…," the minister said.

Turning to the theft of drugs in public health facilities, he said much as the vice had "reduced", some bad people remain in the system.

"It's difficult to completely get very clean people, but it's an ongoing struggle we must fight to make corruption very expensive," he said. 
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Ministers vow to fight graft after Museveni outburst

http://www.observer.ug/news-headlines/36861-ministers-vow-to-fight-graft-after-museveni-outburst

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