Finance Ministry is bedroom of corruption in Uganda; parliament the sitting room, says MP Kivumbi

The Shadow Finance Minister and Member of Parliament for Butambala Muhammed Muwanga Kivumbi has said that fighting corruption in Uganda would take a long haul because the vice is deeply entrenched in the most vital organs of the government.

While speaking during a talk show on NBS TV said that corruption has been deeply entrenched in the Ministry of Finance which holds the treasury of the country.

He noted  that corruption sleeps at the ministry labeling it a bedroom for the corrupt with the help of parliament.

“The bedroom of corruption is the treasury, sitting room is the Presidency, and Parliament is the kitchen,” he said.

“The headquarters of corruption is in the Ministry of Finance. We don't have opening balance and closing balance for our money. The money called back from districts is not found anywhere."

The legislator said that by nature of his docket, he does follow money and has written different reports and attached names to money but he can not make a revelation because his immunity is not guaranteed should he do so.

Kivumbi added that while the parliament could have helped stamp out corruption, they do not have the moral authority since they have made themselves easily bribable time and again.

“Unless we have a Parliament that is fully democratic and corruption-free, we won't make progress. I know MPs who are hired to speak for and peddle corruption. I know MPs paid to make a case for bad law,” he said.

The legislator argues that MPs can not do much, they are like priests who receive an offertory of Shs100m from a churchgoer.

He maintained that the matter of corruption requires those with a moral authority to address, unfortunately they are the fewest given all spheres.

“Who are the messengers saying no to corruption? How many of these people didn't bribe voters during the election? You must have a moral authority to speak against corruption,” he said.

“If I took Shs100 million to a church, does the priest have the authority to ask me where I got that money from? Even if I stole that money, do you think the priest will reject that amount?"

In reply, NRM’s women’s league chairperson Lydia Wanyoto reasoned with Kivumbi  that corruption indeed exists and there is a spirit to fight against it, but “the body is weak”.

“We have accountability committees in Parliament but what they are doing is post mortem. I would be happy if we stop dealing with post mortem and start preventative measures,” she said.

“If money has been released for a quarter, there should be a stakeholders' meeting detailing how this money will be spent. If people get to know and mobilize the communities, we shall be able to see value for money.”

While delivering his 2021 State of Nation Address, president Museveni said he had discovered the basis of corruption in the country, insisting that the Ministry of Finance was the beginning of all forms of corruption.

He said after the Ministry of Finance, corruption heads to parliament when it is supported and later justified by the Auditor General.

“Corruption starts at the Ministry of Finance where projects are designed with extras; adding things that are not supposed to be there; these projects then go to Committees of Parliament…and I want to warn the Committees, then the Auditor General, where there is collusion all the way,” he said.