Concern as Lira leaders refuse to declare assets to IGG
Political leaders welcome the IGG Beti Kamya in Lira District on March 1, 2023. PHOTO | BILL OKETCH
What you need to know:
- IGG Betty Kamya called upon Ugandans to join hands in the fight against corruption.
The Resident City Commissioner (RCC) of Lira Lawrence Egole has expressed concern that some leaders in Uganda have continue to make false property declarations to the Inspectorate of Government (IGG).
“There are some leaders in this country and in this Lango region (northern Uganda) as well as in public officers who don’t even fear God. They lie with impunity. They hide their own assets and make false disclosure to the Inspectorate of Government,” Mr Egole obserced while speaking at the launch of the declaration of assets, income and liabilities for leaders for 2023 at Mayor’s Gardens in Lira City on March 1.
Speaking at the IGG-organized event, RCC Egole said such persons with questionable integrity forget that making a credible disclosure helps build the trust of the citizens towards individuals and government.
Lira City Mayor Sam Atul appealed to all leaders to remain accountable to their voters.
“As Lira City, we pledge to mobilise our leaders and civil servants and to rally the population in this fight against corruption,” he said.
Ms Judith Alyek, the chairperson of Lango Parliamentary Group, denounced corruption.
“Enough is enough. What we are seeing is enough. We shall take the mantle and together we shall fight corruption [in this country],” she added.
The deputy IGG Dr Patricia Achan Okiria, explained that the Inspectorate is empowered to deploy both preventive and enforcement measures to execute its mandate.
Besides, in order to ensure accountability, transparency and anti-corruption in the public service, the Ugandan Constitution within Article 223 tasks Parliament to establish the leadership code of conduct, she said.
“The Leadership Code Act was enacted in 2002 to operationalize the above constitutional provision. The Leadership Code Act has two main objectives: to provide the minimum standards of behaviour and conduct for leaders and public officers. Under this, the Code provides for the prohibited conduct and the prescribed penalty for the breaches of this law,” she added.
She added: “The second objective is to require leaders and all public officers to declare their income, their assets and liabilities, which is the main reason why we are here in Lira Industrial City today.”
IGG Betty Kamya called upon Ugandans to join hands in the fight against corruption.
