KAMPALA – Former Bishop of Kampala Diocese Zac Niringiye has downplayed Mr. Museveni’s anti-corruption walk, saying that the president has reduced himself to a level of an activist instead of taking necessary actions against the corrupt.
Bishop Niringiye said that Museveni’s government has totally, reliably and completely failed to deal with corruption and that this part of the narrative is deceptive and that has been part of the NRM story.
“Take away corruption and this government will collapse,” he said noting that “we had the Black Monday where we were walking against corruption. We were arrested, beaten and teargasse.”
“The nature of corruption is the abuse of office or use of public office for private gain. When you do a demonstration, you have an audience to which you are demonstrating. You hope the duty bearer will recognise your efforts”.
“Who does President Museveni hope will notice him because he is mobilising the entire government to do this? Corruption today is the government. Does the government need to amplify its voice? It is the citizens who need to do this”.
He noted that the President using his office to change the constitution, to remove the Age Limit and distribute money to stay in power is the ultimate corruption.
“The general gain of Museveni is to stay in power for as long as he can. The President knows who the corrupt individuals are. He has put them on the spot before. This is an exercise on the treadmill walking to nowhere.”
Journalist Andrew M. Mwenda in a statement said the purported anti-corruption march is merely a public relations exercise to create an illusion that the government is fighting corruption.
“Yet corruption is the grease that turns the wheels of Museveni’s politics and the fuel that runs our country. Therefore our president cannot be genuine or serious about fighting it,” Mr. Mwenda wrote.
“One has to be a fool, deluded, ignorant or an outright hypocrite to imagine that a government in a poor country such as Uganda can fight corruption,” he added.
President Museveni today led the country in a walk to highlight the gains made so far in the fight against corruption.
