Just like so many other things with the National Resistance Movement (NRM), they have giant plans and even laws to abide. As the Leadership Code Act Amendment of 2016, which stated that a Tribunal would be created and elected by the President and Public Service Commission. That Tribunal was supposed to follow up on the possible breaches of the Leadership code, have inquiries and collect reports of these within the government.
However, that has not happened, because the NRM, haven’t had the same wish for that or even tried to allocate funds for this They have anticipated that someone else is paying their tab. The Minister for Ethics and Integrity Simon Lokodo wanted, as he was the sponsor of the amended code. However, he never considered the costs of making a Tribunal, meaning someone has to pay for the manpower and the elected people for this. That is bad leadership in itself. As the Ministry should have had the funds before the Parliament enacted the changes of the law. The Parliament should also know about these provisions and the possible outcome of amending the Leadership Code. However, they didn’t!
“Government plans to spend a total of Shs117.7 billion to implement the new zero tolerance to corruption policy approved by Cabinet on Monday” (…) “Fr Lokodo said the European Union has so far given government Shs 3.1b to establish the Leadership Code tribunal. He said the tribunal should have been established shortly after the amendment of the Leadership Code Act last year, but did not take off because of lack of funds” (Draku & Wandera, 2018).
So, this isn’t only a story about the Government of Uganda has yet another body to fight corruption and doing it through the Ministry of Ethics and Integrity. As the Tribunal under Lokodo Ministry, will be a part of a collective of government institutions doing similar actions. This being Uganda Police Force, Public Procurement And Disposal of Public Assets Authority (PPDA), Office of Attorney General (OAG) and Inspectorate of Government (IGG). All of these should be more than enough, as even the Judiciary and the Uganda People’s Defence Force (UPDF) are an investigatory body. Certainly, knowing the NRM, they could be involved in the manners of these. Especially, if the person was a big-man in their view.
Therefore, this is yet another expert facility and another institution to fight the same thing. As the mushrooming of the state continues. This is bound by law and until the law is repealed, the Tribunal is bound to appear. Because, it is in law and was enacted.
What I wonder, what will the Tribunal do, that the Police, PPDA, OAG, IGG, The Judiciary and UPDF isn’t doing already and what results will differ from what they are doing today?
I don’t think any of these possible institutions will really fight the corruption. As the finalization and the orders of confirmation comes from upon high. The President and State House is deciding what is happening in the end. The biggest deals are happening their without public insights in the State House. Therefore, if the NRM wanted it to be real.
They have to change the pattern of the President and his State House. The cronies and the elites around the President has to keep things transparent and open. However, they are not doing so. Therefore, any of these institutions will not make a significant difference. Peace.
Reference:
Fraklin Draku & Derrick Wandera – ‘Government to spend Shs117b on fighting corruption’ 01.11.2018 link: http://www.monitor.co.ug/News/National/Government-spend-Shs117b-fighting-corruption/688334-4831334-jswwdm/index.html
MinBane 