After a week-long retreat at the National Leadership Institute (NALI) in Kyankwanzi, President Yoweri Museveni’s government is planning a number of new changes to ensure that it operates and serves Ugandans better.
At the introspection retreat in Kyankwanzi last week, ministers, permanent secretaries and the top brass of the ruling National Resistance Movement (NRM) were in attendance and discussed the economy, politics, the thorny issue of corruption and land evictions, among other issues. Here are some of the changes coming soon following the retreat:
CORRUPTION: E-government, more funding, new law
The retreat came weeks after Museveni vowed to crush corrupt officials in his government. As he opened the retreat, the president narrated the history of corruption in Uganda and strategies to combat the vice that costs the country about Shs10tn every year.
After the Kyankwanzi retreat, Ugandans should expect more automation of government services and processes, with a number of them done online so as to reduce bribery and corruption cases, according to ICT and National Guidance Minister Dr Chris Baryomunsi.
“Therefore going forward we are going to prioritize the issue of ICT, the issue of digitalization, the issue of e-Government. The issue of ensuring that government and other services are fully automated to minimize human-to-human interactions,” Dr Baryomunsi further explained.
Anti-graft agencies are also expected to receive more funds and powers to bark and bite corrupt officials. Baryomunsi has revealed that the retreat has recommended that government strengthens the agencies responsible for fighting corruption “in order for them to do their work effectively and efficiently through increased funding of their interventions.”
Government also plans to amend the Anti-Corruption Act and other relevant laws to ban graft convicts from holding office, and to generally “make corruption a risky venture.” Officials convicted of corruption are currently barred from holding office for just 10 years.
“We also resolved the review of the law, disciplining and sanctioning of errant and public officers because there is a thinking that maybe the law is weak and that is what is promoting impunity among the public officers. The law is going to be reviewed and made stronger with respect to disciplining and sanctioning public officers who are errant,” said Baryomunsi.
“We want to make corruption a risky venture. Now the law says if you’re convicted of offenses related to corruption, you are barred from holding public office for 10 years. We want to amend that law, the Anti-Corruption Act of 2009, to make it stronger so that if you are convicted of corruption, then the verdict should be much more stronger. And maybe we should say you should never hold public office again.”
He added that government will also start compensating Ugandans directly instead of going through law firms representing individuals or organizations. This follows allegations that law firms took over a half of monies meant for compensating cooperative societies.
The president also made it clear that public service provision must be strengthened and that there should be value for money. “It was resolved that the government ensures the provision of mass services to cater for basic needs. So, as to reduce the cost of living of Ugandans. That is why government introduced UPE, Universal Primary Education. That is why we have been saying health for all like immunization for all children,” noted Baryomunsi.
LAND EVICTIONS: Amendment of land laws, land transactions automation, officers’ individual liability
The retreat also made recommendations on the other thorny issue: land evictions. In recent years, cases of powerful, wealthy and well connected individuals chasing people off their pieces of land have been chaotic, leaving many injured and others dead.
Minister Baryomunsi says the ministers, permanent secretaries and NRM leaders resolved to “enact a comprehensive law regarding land evictions.
“Yes, we have laws, but we are going to study these laws, look at where the gaps are, and come up with a comprehensive law on the issue of land evictions,” he explained.
“We are also going to amend the existing Land Act. One of the resolutions was to enhance the capitalization of this land fund in order to solve the issue of dual ownership, which is the basis for the land conflicts and the evictions.”
Government also plans to “fully implement” the Land Information Management System “to guard against double land titling and land fraud.” What this means, the minister further explained is that every process of land transaction in the country could become automated, soon.
He further noted that it has been resolved that officers be held individually liable for fraudulently issuing land titles. These officers, Baryomunsi further revealed, will face sanctions and dismissal.
SYSTEM OF COMMITTEES
According to Baryomunsi, participants in the retreat resolved that a system of committees should be adopted for the better functioning of Museveni’s cabinet, with members reasoning that work will “become much easier” if done under committees.
OTHER RESOLUTIONS
Regarding taxation, Baryomunsi has revealed that those attending the retreat agreed on the “need to develop a strategy for the implementation of a vertical and horizontal integration business model for the economy to promote value addition in order to increase the competitiveness of Ugandan products on the local and international market, simplify tax filing, motivate citizens to pay taxes voluntarily, and invest in tax education.”
“For us who hold public offices, we must ensure that the money Ugandans have paid through taxes is put to the right use, particularly in the provision of high-quality and efficient services,” he added.
See what Museveni told his ministers, permanent secretaries and NRM bosses on the fight against corruption HERE.
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