Uganda’s President Yoweri Museveni used his state of the nation address to threaten to punish corrupt officials but defended Speaker Anita Among, an official sanctioned by the UK and the US governments over corruption.
Museveni also warned those taking bribes to further interests of foreigners. He claimed he had evidence, enough to deal with the corrupt officials.
“Public servants and political leaders that steal Government money are corrupt and will be crushed. There are, however, other actors, that get bribes from foreigners to work for foreign interests. These are both corrupt and traitors and we are monitoring their activities. If they do not stop; and with evidence, we shall deal with them,” Museveni he said.
He also warned officials at the Ministry of Finance who connive with MPs and staff at Parliament to push through budgetary allocations on promises of sharing part of the money amongst the thieving gang.
“I have been hearing stories that there is a racket from the Ministry of Finance to Parliament. I have been hearing but now I have proof. They work with accounting officers from different ministries to come to parliament to ask for certain funds and then they share the money,” said Museveni.
“For sure the corrupt don’t know how strong we are, we are patient but if you make a mistake, you will see.”
This is not the first time Museveni has castigated the finance ministry over corruption. As The Pearl Times has previously reported, Museveni once said corruption begins at the Ministry of Finance. (See Details Here).
He also revealed that he was aware that even officials at State House were taking bribes to help investors fix appointments with him.
“I have been hearing that people, even in my office, take bribes to arrange meetings with me. Can you imagine?” wondered Museveni.
“We recently arrested one who is alleged to have extorted money from an investor. The matter is currently in court.”
DEFENDS SPEAKER ANITA AMONG
But Museveni did not make any significant pronouncement against the big fish who have been named in corruption. Last year, the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions (ODPP) cleared the Vice President, Speaker of Parliament, Prime Minister, ministers and MPs who had been named in a scandal involving the theft of iron sheets meant for the impoverished Karamoja sub-region.
Museveni threatened to take political action against those named in the iron sheets scandal, only for him to fire two ministers in a March 2024 reshuffle. (See Details Here, There and Over There).
Museveni defended the speaker for her good relationship with the executive.
“I want to salute the Speaker, Deputy Speaker and MPs. I hear some people saying that Anita Among is perhaps not powerful enough because she does not undermine the executive but that’s not the case,” said the president.
“In the past, there was a risky and shallow tendency by some actors who tried to use Parliament to undermine the Ugandan revolution. This was a miscalculation that was provocative, but we managed to handle it peacefully.”
Ahead of the state of the nation address, Museveni and Among had met Speaker Anita Among hours after the US slapped sanctions against her. The US sanctions followed sanctions from the UK. The speaker has denied owning a house in the UK, swearing that she does not even have a pussycat in the UK. (See Details Here and There).
Attempts to censure commissioners of Parliament, including former leader of opposition Mathias Mpuuga, who awarded themselves Shs1.7bn total as cash awards, seem to be hitting ‘interference from above.’ An opposition MP has withdrawn her signature from the censure motion, saying she had been hoodwinked. (Read Story Here).
Read Museveni’s full state of nation address 2024 Here.
(To advertise on The Pearl Times, send us a WhatsApp Message on +256(0)705690819).
