A coalition of civil society organisations against corruption has urged the government to enact the Proceeds of Crime and the Whistleblower Bill to intensify war against corruption.
The CSOs stressed said it was important to strip corrupt individuals of their unlawfully acquired wealth to effectively combat corruption.
The proposed legislation aims to address gaps in the current legal framework, improve coordination among relevant bodies, introduce innovative strategies, and raise public awareness about the necessity of tackling proceeds of crime.
During a media briefing in Kampala, Marlon Agaba, the executive director of the Anti-Corruption Coalition Uganda (ACCU), said the main incentive for engaging in corruption is the benefits derived from it.
“Even if they serve a prison sentence and subsequently enjoy the proceeds, it remains acceptable to them,” he said.
Agaba argued that without confiscating these proceeds, anti-corruption endeavors will struggle to make a significant impact.
“The resources and incentives for individuals involved in corruption lie in the illicit gains. What do I gain from this?” Agaba said.
He cited the various forms through which corrupt proceeds materialize, including luxury cars, high-end schools, hospitals, and extensive farms.
Agaba urged the government and President Museveni to display their dedication to combating corruption by passing the Proceeds of Crime Bill, which facilitates the recovery of embezzled assets and permits the state to seize unexplained wealth from public officials.
“If the President is truly committed to fighting corruption, I believe this pending bill needs to be ratified,” Agaba stated.
He stressed that reclaiming stolen assets is pivotal in removing the incentive for corruption and preventing the country from incurring substantial financial losses.
Yona Wanjala, from the Civic Advisory HUB, called for an assessment of government agencies responsible for anti-corruption efforts due to concerns regarding their operational capabilities.
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Analysis: The corrupt will always find a way
Seizing proceeds of crime would certainly get corruption in a check but that would only work if there were stronger and cleaner investigative bodies to unearth who owns what, says the Nile Post’s Kenny Kazibwe.
In the grand scheme of things, Mr Kazibwe says, the corrupt would still find a way to register ill-gotten wealth under the names of other persons and in the face of a corrupt police, they can effortlessly hide their wealth and get away with it.
“This Bill would really be good but if we cannot have a transparent system that is capable of tracking assets in foreign lands and repatriating them, it won’t be enough just seizing ducks and potatoes – which is what the corrupt will declare anyway,” Kazibwe said.
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In light of President Museveni’s recent call for more evidence to prosecute corruption suspects, Wanjala underscored the necessity of such an evaluation.
He suggested that the investigative bodies might lack the essential resources and expertise required for thorough probes, potentially impeding anti-corruption campaigns.
Wanjala proposed that auditing these institutions could identify deficiencies in technical capacity, equipment, and logistics, instead of establishing new bodies.
Understanding these shortcomings within existing agencies, according to Wanjala, is vital for empowering and enhancing their effectiveness.
Felix Kafuuma, the head of programmes at the Alliance for Finance Monitoring, shed light on the entrenched issue of corruption fueling the commercialization of politics in Uganda, inflating costs, and transforming politics into a lucrative enterprise.
Kafuuma said the escalating expenses of political campaigns and the increasing monetization of politics are directly linked to widespread corruption.
He noted the scrutiny faced by the media due to its significant role in the political arena, often utilized by politicians for voter outreach, leading to substantial spending on media campaigns.
Kafuuma highlighted how MPs frequently resort to financial inducements and bribes to secure votes, resulting in substantial election-related expenditures.
This financial burden, he explained, prompts MPs to seek methods to recoup their campaign expenses once in office.
