Prime
Let’s normalise punishing corruption and negligence
Security officials look on as excavators dig through the rubbles at Kiteezi landfill in Kiteezi, Wakiso on August 11, 2024. PHOTO/ ISAAC KASAMANI
What you need to know:
The issue: Waste management
Our view: The lack of accountability has become so ingrained and widespread that when incidents like the collapse of Kiteezi garbage dump site happen, it is generally accepted that the culprits will walk away scot-free.
Too often in the past, we have faced crises over issues that could have been predicted, prevented, and/or avoided. The Kiteezi disaster is one such example where government officials had access to information, reports, and warnings on the consequences of inaction but for a slew of excuses, chose not to act.
In the Kiteezi garbage dumpsite or landfill case, we have had a national disaster in the making for at least 10 years.
It is on the record that city officials had information that the landfill would reach capacity by 2015 and elected to maintain the status quo.
The technocrats who occupied the responsible offices in the management of Kampala City and environment management are well known.
Also well documented is the fact that money continued to be allocated to the management of a site that those in charge already knew was untenable.
There have been many instances in the history of this government when management of public affairs was so shoddy or scandals so big rocked our institutions but to date, few people, if any, have been held to account.
Government officials have acquired junk helicopters, hired underqualified executives, put the country in peril by signing unfavorable agreements and continued to authorise pouring millions of taxpayers’ money into white elephants. Yet compared to the number of public debacles the nation has suffered, no officials have resigned, few have ever refunded public money or been prosecuted for it.
Last year, the office of the prime minister and several other government ministers and legislators were implicated in the theft of iron sheets meant for resettling people in Karamoja.
Aside from selective prosecution of a few individual members, hardly any pressure was brought to bear on the bulk of those found in possession of the misappropriated goods. It took external sanctions to call out some of the accused.
The lack of accountability has become so ingrained and widespread that when incidents like the collapse of Kiteezi garbage dump site happen, it is generally accepted that the culprits will walk away scot-free and probably be promoted into the next office in another ministry of government agency where the chain of incompetence will continue.
From fires to unconcluded murder investigations, families and institutions have unanswered questions and the country is no closer to the truth, years after the fact.
We should normalise holding office-bearers personally accountable when they violate their oath of office or are so criminally negligent.
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