Gerald Bareebe
Parliament
Gen. Elly Tumwine yesterday launched a new voluntary group to fight corruption and one of his first targets could be the President’s Office – which he says is one of many graft-ridden institutions in the country.
Speaking yesterday at the launch of the Parliamentary Volunteers anti Corruption Campaign (PAVACO), of which he is a pioneer founder, Gen. Tumwine said he was going to wage a protracted peoples’ war to wipe out corruption which he described as ‘the evil of our time’
“Corruption is even in the presidents’ office,” Gen. Tumwine said, adding, “have you not heard [cases of] corrupt there? It is also in parliament, in some of the religious leaders, journalists, NGO’s, teachers, the parents and some communities. You find a whole community agreeing to commit a crime.”
Although Gen. Tumwine said that the president’s office was corrupt, he emphasised that President Museveni has a will and commitment to fight corruption arguing that it was one of the evils which National Resistance Movement went to the bush to fight.
Gen. Tumwine’s new anti corruption group comes as Uganda is ranked third in the 2009 corruption Barometer by Transparent International.
He said he plans to carry out his campaign through country wide mobilisation of volunteers groups from villages to parliament, working with the ministry of education and education institutions, recruiting youth, working with security agencies, coordinating with the media, NGO’s and government.
Quoting Museveni’s State of the Nation address which was delivered early this month Gen. Tumwine said, “The remaining war that must be fought relentlessly and won is the war against corruption.”
Gen. Tumwine, comments attracted mixed reactions from MPs with some members saying that corruption was being encouraged and glorified by big people in government. They, however, unanimously agreed to join his association to fight corruption.
But some MPs wondered whether Gen. Tumwine was falling out of the system while others argued that just like the campaign against HIV/AIDS, the fight against corruption can only succeed with the will and commitment of president Yoweri Museveni.
“People who fight corruption are seen as opposition, so how are you going to fight it with out being seen as a critic of the government?” Mr Tom Butime (Mwenge County North, NRM) asked the general.
But Gen Tumwine said, “I have no fear about telling my leaders, telling my government where they have gone wrong. Saying this does not mean I support opposition. If this was for one party, I would not be part. Corruption will catch with you whenever you are.”
MP Oleru Huda (Yumbe woman) wondered why Gen. Tumwine was declaring a war on corruption at a late time after the government had ignored the practice to adversely affect the society.
Responding to Gen. Tumwine’s commets, presidential press Secretary Mr Tamale Murundi yesterday said corruption in the president’s office and the entire country was being exaggerated by NGO’s in order to access donor funds.
Mr Tamale said, “I don’t disagree with him because the president’s office includes RDC’s but not every one here is corrupt. Even the president one time said that some government officials are corrupt. But NGO’s and opposition have to create a situation to show that Uganda is the most corrupt country on earth so as to get donor money.”
