The head of the State House Investors Protection Unit, Col Edith Nakalema has said she is ready to work with the State House Anti-Corruption Unit to crack the whip on government officials and other members of the public frustrating both local and foreign investors in the country.
“In his Independence Day speech, President Museveni said emancipation of the private sector will spur economic development and described delaying investors both local and foreign as enemy action. As the head of the State House Investors Protection Unit, I am going to work with the State House Anti-Corruption Unit to ensure enemy action is dealt with decisively,” Col Nakalema told journalists on Wednesday.
“When commander in chief speaks, ours is to move quickly and implement.”
In his address to the country on Sunday, President Museveni listed eight issues that he said if implemented well, they will help propel the country’s economic growth.
He specifically mentioned taming of corruption and protection of investors both local and foreign since they are wealth and job creators for the country.
“The seventh ingredient is to eliminate corruption. Corruption takes the forms of stealing government money meant for pro-people efforts, taking bribes from the public looking for services and from investors. Ugandans and non-Ugandans that want to do business in Uganda should not pay bribes. Report the scam to the State House Anti-Corruption team and Colonel Nakalema’s group. Action will be taken,” Museveni said.
Speaking in a joint press briefing on Wednesday, the State House Investors Protection Unit head said the unit is ready to receive complaints from investors but to also help them set up investments in the country.
“Our mandate is to collaboratively promote and protect a thriving investment climate in Uganda through coordinating with ministries, department and agencies to eliminate bottlenecks that impede both local and foreign investors from doing business,” Col Nakalema said.
The State House Anti-Corruption Unit boss, Brig Henry Isoke said the unit’s mandate focuses on receiving, scrutinizing and acting on all corruption related complaints in coordination with other state anti-corruptions agencies.
He said like they have done in the past, they are ready to collaborate with the State House Investors Protection Unit to deal with elements of corruption impeding investors doing their work.
“The unit acts as a rapid response to cases that are reported by the Ugandans and we receive complaints relating to corruption from all over the spectrum. We are therefore ready to work with the State House Investors Protection Unit to execute our mandate,” Brig Isoke said.
Mix of roles
According to many Ugandans, there is a thin line between the work of the State House Anti-Corruption Unit and the State House Investors Protection Unit.
Whereas Col Nakalema was early this year appointed as the head of the State House Investors Protection Unit, many associate her with the anti-corruption unit at State House.
Col Nakalema admitted that many members of the public call her office with anti-corruption complaints that don’t necessarily fall in the docket of investors’ protection unit.
She was however quick to note that there is collaboration between the two unit where the complaints are shared for redress.
“While the key goal is to fight corruption, there are clear distinctions in mandates of both units. They are different in the mandates but the goal is the same to fight corruption. By establishing these two units we are going to ensure enemy action is deal with decisively. As the State House Investors Protection Unit, we are coordinating and implementing the president’s directive on investments with zero tolerance to corruption,” Col Nakalema.
“Whereas the two units were established by the president to ensure corruption is fought collectively, mine is to receive complains that affect investors and progress of investments in the country and issues of investors who don’t know where to go.”
She noted that her mandate also involves coordinating with stakeholders in the investment sector including KCCA, Uganda Registration Services Bureau, National Environmental Management Authority, Uganda Investment Authority, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Ministry of Internal Affairs and Ministry of Lands among others to facilitate the work of investors.
