Prime
Corruption wears designer suit on a teacher’s salary
Nicter N. Kaweesi
What you need to know:
- Our leaders, you won’t be in office forever. Soon, you will taste the consequences of this failed system.
You are going to need popcorn for this one! On August 7, footage captured Primary Seven pupils of Masaka Primary School in Butungama Sub-county, Ntoroko District, sitting mock exams with their legs fully submerged in floodwater from the River Semuliki in their classroom. While the rest of the school was closed due to the floods, these pupils were forced to return and sit for their exams in these dire conditions.
In stark contrast, as we struggle to build a future for ourselves under such challenging circumstances, a select few entrenched in deceptive practices parading their posh cars, and designer suits continue to live far beyond their legitimate means. This blatant disparity highlights the deep-rooted inequality and corruption that perpetuate our suffering.
Article 164 of Uganda’s Constitution mandates authorised and lawful use of public funds, while Section 46 of the Public Finance Management Act, 2015, limits commitment to budget-appropriated purposes.
These funds (our money) are intended to provide public services such as healthcare, education and infrastructure. However, it has been siphoned to buy designer suits and fly our leaders across the country to attend thanksgiving ceremonies upcountry.
There is quite a disparity between an official’s modest income and their extravagant lifestyle, funded by our hard-earned money. It is almost like watching a budget-friendly soap opera with a luxury production except the real drama is in how our resources are being spent. We are the generation that was sold the promise of a free education for all.
However, the government has consistently provided a stagnant annual operational expenditure ranging between Shs5,000 and Shs18,000 at primary level per pupil for the past 25 years as per the National Planning Authority Issue Paper on Uganda’s Education Reforms (2022). At this rate, schools like Buchimo Primary School receiving only Shs5.6m a term, implying a Shs2,500 per pupil per term.
Despite calls for more funding, we are told there’s no money, yet the office of the Inspector General of Government is overwhelmed with corruption cases that are never addressed.
This pattern of neglect extends beyond education to the public health sector. Uganda’s maternal mortality rate, for instance, is estimated at 189/100,000 live births, according to the 2022 Demographic and Health Survey, meaning 11 women die each day from pregnancy-related causes.
Through their eyes, we see the profound struggles caused by high healthcare costs, structural flaws, poor transportation, inadequate referral services, unequal health facility distribution, and frequent drug stock-outs, especially in low-income communities. This misallocation of resources is causing a serious failure in addressing our critical needs.
But here is the good news: we have come to realise that the issue is not lack of funds, but rather the rampant leakage of taxpayers’ money (our public right). This money has become an open hunting ground for those in power and their allies. It is all too blatant as the recent protests have shown. For example, Shs5b allocated for each parliamentary regional sitting could have supported our protesting medical interns, who are crucial to Uganda’s health system. Additionally, poor waste management at Kiteezi landfill, which could have been mitigated by following the 2022 feasibility study, highlights the negligence of our leaders.
Meanwhile, we are unable to secure funding for public services as money is siphoned off daily. Our concerns are either ignored or dismissed by those in authority, describing them as foreign manipulation, despite widespread national outcry.
Our leaders, you won’t be in office forever. Soon, you will taste the consequences of this failed system. The public has had enough of your show. We are no longer willing to foot the bill for your greed. Enough is enough. Ugandans deserve a country where leadership serves the people, not one where the people are burdened by the greed of a few. The time for change is now. We demand integrity, accountability, and a commitment to the public good. It is time to build a nation that works for everyone.
Nicter N. Kaweesi is a student at Makerere University.
