By URN
The Inspectorate of Government (IG) has tasked Civil Society Organisations (CSOs) operating in Kakumiro district to promote accountability, transparency and effective service delivery.
Victoria Mirembe Tindifa, the Supervisor of Advocacy and capacity building at the Inspectorate of Government (IG) explains that CSOs should ensure that members of the public are at the forefront of supervising, monitoring and demanding full accountability of government projects being executed and implemented in their areas of jurisdiction for effective service delivery to be offered.
Tindifa, meeting the CSOs at the Kakumiro district headquarters on Monday afternoon, noted that citizens have the right to demand effective service delivery from their duty bearers by tasking them to give full accountability for any government project being executed in their areas.
She says CSOs should Implore and equip citizens and the local community with skills and techniques on how to report about transparency and accountability of any government projects in their area adding that to improve transparency and fight corruption, local citizens should be involved.
She adds that citizen participation in the fight against corruption is crucial and this will ensure that leaders are held accountable and that public services are delivered transparently.
Tindifa further explains that the CSOs should ensure that there is systematic and continuous awareness and sensitization of the public on their role in the implementation of government projects and also how to report corruption tendencies in their communities.
She elaborated that CSOs should put in place avenues to empower citizens at all levels to reduce their vulnerability to corruption noting that corruption is one of the major obstacles that undermines the country’s social economic development.
Tindifa states that corruption leads to the loss of trust in government, poor infrastructure, delays in project implementation, low investments and inequality in Uganda and therefore there is a need to collectively tackle and eradicate the vice.
She says CSOs should work hand in hand with the IG to provide tools and platforms for citizens to monitor government activities, report issues, and engage in civic actions that promote transparency and accountability.
Andrew Kairu, the secretary Kakumiro NGOs forum stated that, most members of Civil society organisations and NGOs operating in the district fear reporting corruption cases because they are being intimidated yet they are not protected.
Rev. Eriab Businge, the Parish Priest Kakumiro stressed the need for protection of whistle-blowers especially on corruption cases stating that many have been targeted and killed.
According to IG, the total cost of corruption in Uganda is estimated to be 9.144 trillion Shillings per year which is equivalent to 44% of total government revenue in 2019.
