The clerics including the Archbishop of the Church of Uganda, the Most Rev. Stephen Samuel Kaziimba Mugalu, the Mufti of Uganda Sheikh Shaban Ramadhan Mubaje, the Archbishop of Kampala Dr Cyprian Kizito and others say that they remain the most trusted custodians of ethical values for the country.
Religious leaders under the Inter-Religious Council of
Uganda- IRCU have asked the government to involve them in the fight against
corruption.
This is carried in their first-ever pastoral letter on corruption entitled
'Enhancing Voice and Action on Integrity and Ethical Conduct in the fight against
corruption in Uganda.
"We implore the Government to inculcate and mainstream ethical values in
all government and training institutions. This should be done in partnership
with religious leaders, designated Anti-corruption agencies, the private sector
and civil society organizations," reads part of the pastoral letter signed
by eight religious leaders.
The letter was presented to the Deputy Inspector General of Government (DIGG)
George Bamugemereire on Wednesday at the National Anti-corruption Conference
2020 at Sheraton Hotel.
The Conference is held as the world marks the International Anti-corruption Day
under the theme 'Promoting Social Accountability through Active Citizenry'.
The clerics including the Archbishop of the Church of Uganda, the Most Rev.
Stephen Samuel Kaziimba Mugalu, the Mufti of Uganda Sheikh Shaban Ramadhan
Mubaje, the Archbishop of Kampala Dr Cyprian Kizito and others say that they
remain the most trusted custodians of ethical values for the country.
The religious leaders add that they are best placed to advocate
for a corrupt-free country, talk against the ills of corruption and demand for
accountability from their religious institutions and duty bearers in government.
Dr Joseph Serwadda, the Presiding Apostle- Born Again Faith in Uganda said that
the first pastoral letter on the fight against corruption in Uganda is one of
the commitments by religious leaders to building a country that everyone wants.
"The written message to all religious leaders and the
faithful in Uganda is a social accountability call of honesty and faithful
stewardship. Therefore, the Uganda we all desire to see will only be possible
if all of us take seriously our calling as stewards of God's gifts including
time, our lives, families, money and national resources," he said.
Serwadda appealed to all religious leaders to be a voice and
mirror which reflects God the many faces of humanity in the fight against
corruption.
//Cue in "as stewards we...
Cue out:...fight against corruption."//
In the pastoral letter, religious leaders acknowledge that they
are aware of corruption within their worship places and call upon all faithful
to resist the temptation of being poor managers of any kind of resources that
are entrusted with them. The clerics say that honesty and faithful stewardship
are virtues that are required of everyone as God's ambassadors.
The clerics call upon the general public to live by example through
self-sacrifice and steadfastness so that they remain morally upright and
exemplary.
Studies like the Global Integrity Report, have in the past years
estimated that more than half of the government’s budget is lost to corruption
each year.
According to the 2018 Corruption Perceptions Index reported by
Transparency International, Uganda is the 149th least corrupt nation out of 175
countries. The country’s best ranking on corruption was in 1996 when Uganda was
ranked 43, reaching an all-time high of 151 in 2016.
