A top minister in Ugandan President Yoweri Kaguta Tibuhaburwa Museveni’s government has revealed that the officials he supervises have been sending her money for unknown reasons, re-igniting the debate on the country’s corruption culture.
An impoverished East African nation that has been ruled by one man for nearly four decades, Uganda is one of the most corrupt countries in the world. To access a number of public services that should be free, some people have reported having to pay a bribe to corrupt officials. Public servants also reportedly pay bribes to influence promotions.
And in the age of technology, one does not have to carry bags of cash to deliver bribe money to the intended recipients: bribes can be sent in a click.
Now, Minister Milly Babirye Babalanda is complaining about the mobile money mode of bribery. In a recent address to Resident City Commissioners (RCCs) and Resident District Commissioners (RDCs) from Ankole and Kigezi sub-regions, Babalanda (one of the most powerful ministers in Museveni’s current cabinet) narrated how RDCs have made it a habit to send her money on her mobile phone without indicating the reason for the transaction.
She told the presidential envoys in districts and cities that she had a very good salary that she was contented with and did not need money from RDCs, especially money she did not have an idea why it was being sent to her.
Reminding them that she was their supervisor, Babalanda asked the RDCs and RCCs if they wanted to compromise her, a minister whose salary is way fatter than their Shs2m. While RDCs and RCCs earn about Shs2m, a number of them live large. Unfortunately, in a corrupt country like Uganda, the responsible agencies (most of them corrupt themselves) are not interested in finding out RDCs’ money sources.
Babalanda also revealed that she was shocked when someone sent a cool Shs20m to her without telling her why the money was being given to her.
The minister from Busoga also told the RDCs that she has since filed a complaint to AIGP Christopher Damulira, the Director of Crime Intelligence, so that the case can be managed. She went on to reveal that when the sender, whose identity she did not want to expose, was quizzed, she claimed that the minister was a good friend of hers. With the sender’s motive unclear, Babalanda said she returned the money.
It should be remembered that Minister Babalanda and the Presidency were previously on the spot over allegations that officials in her office had asked for bribes to include certain people and delete other from the final list of RDCs and RCCs. Reports indicated that each RDC/RCC job was sold at Shs20m. Minister Babalanda responded to the allegations, some of which had come from an MP belonging to Museveni’s ruling NRM party, and is now a top member of Gen Muhoozi Kainerugaba’s MK Movement. (See Details Here and There).
Babalanda is not the first Museveni minister to be shocked by a low-earning government official offering her a bribe that is so big. We have previously reported about another minister who was shocked after an office typist tempted him with a Shs40m bribe. (See Details Here).
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