Anti-corruption war boosted

Source: Sunday Vision, Uganda
By Abou Kisige and Jeff Lule

WITH Uganda losing over sh500b through corruption annually, the Anti- Corruption Coalition Uganda (ACCU) has trained over 50 activists to monitor corruption.

Jasper Tumuhimbise, the ACCU programme co-ordinator, on Friday blamed the deficiency in the fight against corruption on ignorance. "ACCU has recognised that the lack of legal knowledge among civil society, individuals and organisations undermines the efforts of actors in the fight against corruption," he said during the launch of the Legal Aid Project at Hotel Equatoria in Kampala.

The Legal Aid Project is a service aimed at addressing constraints faced by regional corruption activists at grassroot level in the fight against corruption.

Citing the Constitution, Inspectorate of Government Act, Public Procurement and Disposal Act, Penal Code Act and the Prevention of Corruption Bill, among other tools, Tumuhimbise hailed Uganda's legal and policy frameworks on corruption as the best in the world.

He said the training of the 50 regional activists was part of the coalition’s efforts to extend the battle against corruption.

ACCU brings together 70 civil society organisations, individuals, religious leaders, academicians, media practitioners, the youth, women, politicians and key institutions involved in the fight against corruption in the country.

ACCU is a non-governmental organisation that aims at providing a forum through which activists can influence and enhance their capacity to tackle corrupt tendencies.

Tumuhimbise said civil society was indispensable in the fight against corruption.

"There is a significant proliferation of regional and district quasi anti corruption coalitions Agencies in all corners of the country to monitor the effective use of public resources,"

He said civil society is arguably an indispensable entity in the fight against corruption which needs to be empowered to adhere to the principles of good governance and democracy.