The commitment signed on behalf of Parliament by the Deputy Speaker Jacob Oulanyah also pledges that henceforth, Parliament shall provide timely service to the people of Uganda, negotiate all government contracts with integrity and ensure zero tolerance to corruption.
Members of Parliament have adopted
a commitment to be honest, uphold ethical values in all dealings and refuse to
elicit or accept any bribe.
The commitment signed on behalf
of Parliament by the Deputy Speaker Jacob Oulanyah also pledges that henceforth,
Parliament shall provide timely service to the people of Uganda, negotiate all
government contracts with integrity and ensure zero tolerance to corruption.
Oulanyah read out the commitment
he signed on behalf of the Institution at this morning anti-corruption event at
Kololo Independence Grounds before it was adopted. He said that the damage
caused by corruption in the country is evident and called upon parliamentarians
to strive for change.
He said that if all the money
appropriated in the budget is utilized with integrity, there would not be a need
for numerous borrowing to support government programs and projects.
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The Leader of the Opposition in
Parliament Betty Aol Ocan said that for all those who walked today, it will be
a shame to backslide, and attacked Ministers for being consistent absentees in
Parliament which is also a case of corruption.
Ocan said that besides
quantifying the money swindled annually, parliament needed to quantify the
amount of losses caused to the tax payer by keeping away from that work that Ugandans
elected them to do.
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She said that corruption
tendencies like swindling and heaping money in bedrooms yet several people
wallow in abject poverty should be fought through promoting exemplary
leadership among legislators.
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But Government Chief Whip Ruth
Nankabirwa attacked Ocan for pointing fingers at others yet it is a
responsibility for all of them to be accountable since it is because of the
conduct of all MPs in committees and how they handle reports that leaves a lot
to be desired, among the public eye.
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Kampala Central MP Muhammad
Nsereko said that the gesture of walking against corruption was good but might
not bring results. He, however, condemned the planning of the walk that
inconvenienced several Ugandans heading to work and also the blocking of
another walk by former Presidential Candidate Col. Dr Kizza Besigye.
