Residents have questioned the use of anti-corruption community engagements, commonly known as Barazas, aimed at exposing and investigating corruption among government officials and institutions, as many issues talked about remain unresolved.
Speaking at the Anti-Corruption Baraza held at Booma Grounds in Masindi Town on Tuesday, Mr Wahid Babyesiza Juma, the district councillor representing Labongo sub-county, said although several Barazas have been held by the anti-corruption agencies in the area over the years, many of the concerns raised remain unresolved.
‘I reported a corruption related case to the Office of the Inspector General of Government but since 2024, I have never received any response,’ he said.
He added that, ‘Instead, investigators often engage the accused individuals without adequately addressing complaints submitted by residents,’ he added.
Mr Haruna Irumba, a resident of Kijura South Cell, also expressed frustration over delays in investigations, citing the long-standing bitumen-related case, which he said has remained unresolved for more than a decade.
‘Officials from these anti-corruption agencies need to be more sincere if they want people to believe what they say and what they do. They come to us and we tell them what is happening on the ground but to our surprise they never respond back,’ he said.
Ms Salama Kugonza, the Board Chairperson of Recreation for Development and Peace, a youth-focused non-governmental organization committed to empowering young people living in poverty, said the government’s failure to take action against those who engage in corruption has made many lose hope in the fight against the vice.
In response, the Director of Information and Communications at the Directorate of Ethics and Integrity, Office of the President, Mr Nicholas Abola, said this has been as a result of poor coordination among public servants within the different Ministries, Departments and Agencies.
‘The key issues that we have come across that relates to the work of the directorate of ethics and integrity are the issues of poor coordination among public servants,’ he said.
According to Mr Abola, in many offices of government there is poor coordination and when they come before the public, they fail to answer in unison and the public may not trust in whatever they do.
He mentioned some of the key issues the public raised, with others pointing at the need to review some of the laws that enable anti-corruption agencies to fight corruption.