Speaker of Parliament Anita Annet Among has tipped the Inspectorate of Government (IGG) to increase public engagement to effectively fight corruption.
According to Among, the IGG Beti Kamya should create friendships with the public to enable free flow of communication and information to aid in the tracking down of corrupt officials.
“I want you to increase on that awareness outside there. Create friendship with these people; when you create friendship with these people, they will be able to tell you. So when you create awareness, it will reduce some kind of corruption that is outside there,” Among said.
She made these remarks on Thursday, October 3, 2024, during the handover of the Bi-Annual Performance Report at Parliament. The reports showed that between January and July 2024, 1,657 complaints were recorded, compared to 1,276 between July and December 2023, showing a significant increase in community engagement.
She commended the IGG for the work and contribution towards the betterment of the country and emphasized collective responsibility to bring about change in the country.
“We want to thank you for the good work you are doing; we do appreciate the work you are doing for this country, and it is you and us to bring change in this country, and we will always give you our unwavering support as Parliament towards that,” she added.
Among further asked the Chairperson of the Legal and Parliamentary Affairs Committee, Hon. Stephen Mugabi Baka, to support the IGG in executing her tasks.
While presenting the Bi Annual Report to the Speaker, the Inspectorate of Government, Beti Kamya, urged Ugandans to actively participate in the fight against corruption in order to eradicate the vice.
“During the reporting period, the Inspectorate of Government prioritized corruption prevention as the main approach to eliminating the vice and promoting adherence to the rule of law. We have opened the Inspectorate to the public and are inviting everyone to join the fight against corruption, recognizing themselves as victims of it,” Kamya said.
She also expressed concern about widespread corruption in the recruitment of government jobs.
“The Inspectorate conducted research on the cost and extent of corruption in staff recruitment by district service commissions across 20 districts. The findings revealed rampant corruption in the process. We also carried out a cost-benefit analysis of outsourcing recruitment firms for government departments and agencies,” Kamya said.
The research stemmed from numerous complaints about irregular recruitment by commissions. Preliminary findings confirmed widespread corruption, especially within district service commissions.
