The head of the State House Anti Corruption Unit (ACU) Col. Edith Nakalema has said that she is determined to arrest and charge any official from Uganda Revenue Authority (URA) who will be reported to be corrupt.
Col. Nakalema said this while delivering a key note address to the new 260 URA recruits on the “Impact of Corruption on National Development” and the role of every citizen in the fight against the vice.
The recruits have completed a two months training which involved integrity skills, technical competence and patriotism at the National Leadership Institute in Kyankwanzi district.
She urged them on staying pure and honest while executing the roles that they are yet to assume in the tax collection and administration system of Uganda warning thus, “I want to believe that we shall not have suspects in this new group.”
“When we sensitize you the way you have been undergoing here and you don’t follow, we shall use the iron hand which we are also good at,” she warned.
She pointed out that the extent of corruption that has permeated almost all sectors, if not wiped out immediately, it will act as a major constraint on economic development and poverty alleviation.
Reports from the Anti Corruption resource centre indicate that atleast 38% of Ugandans had to pay a bribe to access public services.
Nakalema further urged the recruits to choose to be faithful, work hard and be one another’s keeper to ensure that corruption does not take Uganda backwards.
According to her, “Although some people have become so arrogant and they don’t fear to be taken to courts of law because they know they will bribe, we are determined to defeat that.”
The Commissioner General of URA Johnson Musinguzi Rujooki called upon the new staff to serve the country with honor.
He said that as URA, they are deliberate about the direction they are taking.
“The mission is clear and well cut out – to liberate our country from economic dependency,” he said.
Rujooki also delivered a state-of-the art public address system, screens and a WIFI connectivity solution to the National Leadership Institute Kyankwazi in homage of the long standing strategic partnership that URA stands with NALI.
The final lecture was hosted by the commandant of the institute Brig. David Kasura.
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