As Uganda leaps towards a USD 500 billion economy by 2030, it is a good and achievable target, but unrealistic until corruption is phased out and the rule of law is allowed to take its course.
During his inaugural speech as the new President of Uganda for the term of 2026-2031, Museveni made remarks that Uganda will attain a 10-fold economic boost and reach half a billion dollars through the main pillars, namely, ICT, agribusiness, tourism, and service delivery.
However, this is too far from being achieved because of the alarming levels of corruption across almost all sectors of government. Right from the least Ugandans who buy their way out of everything, starting from being put forth during hospital visits, to the boda boda riders who buy their freedom out by bribing traffic officers.
The trend spreads from the least and poorest to the “big fish” or government officials who have forgotten the main role of serving Ugandans to serving their selfish interests by diverting resources to buying big chunks of land, making offshore investments, living lavish lifestyles in communities with subordinates struggling to find at least 2 meals a day, to mention but a few.
The IGG’s report for the financial year 2025/2026 indicated that Uganda loses about ten trillion Ugandan shillings to corruption, bringing a great loss in budget delivery and denying the majority of Ugandans access to planned services like good roads, free medical care, education, and many essential services.
Curbing corruption to the least levels means that the population gets the intended services like good health care and infrastructure development, because without these, the president’s dream will never be achieved. The bad roads will not enable farm produce to reach the processing plants or the market place; thus, the factories will also not be able to deliver or even transport their products to a wider coverage of the market.
It is a synergy that works together in that one thing boosts and sets the next rolling. If the money meant for infrastructure development does its work, then there is access to the factories and markets, the Uganda Revenue Authority gets the taxes and hits its set targets, the national treasury has funds, and hence, more economic planning towards the 500 billion dollar economy is aided.
But how is corruption going to be ended in a country where it is abnormal not to be corrupt? This brings me to the next point, which is the rule of law.
Another hindrance to this wonderful dream is not letting the constitution work, and yet it was put in place to keep Ugandans in check by serving justice to all in ways that law transgressors are punished well, as the citizens in good standing enjoy the freedom.
There is a famous saying in Uganda known as “Gamba Nogu,” where you can reach out to someone superior who twists the situation such that the culprit makes their way out without being penalized.
There are many examples where some individuals were arrested on counts of being corrupt, some with exhibits or enough evidence, and somehow they escaped without being charged, cases dropped, and even reinstated in their jobs, and they continue as if nothing happened.
If you check the previous headlines, you will find that some parliamentary officials who were involved in billions of dollars transferred to their individual accounts have already been given bail, and yet the country was jubilating that at least this time the big fish is also going to suffer under the law.
The former Speaker of the 11th parliament was exposed when social media was awash with the parliamentary exhibition, a famous hashtag that brought to the public jaw-dropping dubious transactions that were being carried out; her property was temporarily seized, and the public was sure that the new term, having started that way, maybe the rule of law was going to take course.
To the surprise of many, up to now she has never been brought to court, and no cases were read to her. This left the public with little or no hope that the fight against corruption is something the new government intends to take on and that the rule of law is not yet fully taking off.
As a country, we are still running on the 1995 constitution, and many people want new reforms and a whole overhaul of the constitution, but the big question remains: why change the constitution, and yet the present one is not being used?
The president needs to let the rule of law take center stage. If one is caught on the bad side of the law, let them go through the whole process; if found guilty, they should serve the said punishment; if found innocent, then they should enjoy their freedom.
These are the main reasons why we are going to propel ourselves as a nation to a USD 500 billion economy by having zero tolerance for corruption and letting the rule of law operate. Why?
Because all economies that have improved gradually have zero tolerance for corruption and their constitutions are functional. No one is above the law, and everyone is a watchman of the other for accountability.
It won’t be an easy task because the corrupt have rooted themselves deep into the system which we can briefly address as cartels. Highly sophisticated robbers from Uganda, these groups have a chain of operation and can hardly be traced; for example, one time it was discovered that these groups even inflate the national budget with funds meant for themselves by passing them through various entities and ministries.
Now, to stop such a group of thieves is no easy job, but we can’t give up just like that. Just like Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum said, “the biggest obstacle preventing people from challenging the impossible is the belief that impossible exists, and the greatest achievement in empowering a person is instilling in them the concept that nothing is impossible”.
With H.E. Yoweri Kaguta Museveni at the top, nothing is impossible, and if the masses conceive this wonderful concept and adopt the household income-generating programs put in place, we shall surely get there.
FOR GOD AND MY COUNTRY.
The post MUZIRA JOSHUA: Zero Tolerance to Corruption And Rule of Law: Uganda’s Only Way Out appeared first on Watchdog Uganda.