JEEMA Questions Local Government Anti-Corruption Strategy, Cites IGG's Role

The Justice Forum (JEEMA) party has voiced strong skepticism regarding the current anti-corruption campaign spearheaded by the Ministers of Local Government. JEEMA’s spokesperson, Swaib Kaggwa Nsereko, stated that the party doubts the strategy’s effectiveness, arguing it lacks empirical evidence and could potentially undermine the constitutional authority of the Inspectorate of General (IGG).

According to JEEMA, the IGG is Uganda’s constitutionally mandated ombudsman under Article 223 of the 1995 Constitution, and should remain central to anti-corruption efforts. Nsereko criticized the ministers’ approach as being based on “individual imagination and speculation” rather than tested methods. The party estimates that Uganda loses over Shs10 trillion annually to corruption, resources that could otherwise be invested in national development priorities.

JEEMA is calling for accountability from the ministers, challenging them to pledge resignation if corruption persists in targeted districts by the next financial year. The party advocates for empowering citizens to report corruption through existing legal channels, specifically highlighting the Whistleblowers Protection Act, 2010. They urge the IGG to enhance public awareness about the protections and the five percent reward offered to whistleblowers whose information leads to the recovery of stolen public resources.

Furthermore, JEEMA calls on Ugandans to fulfill their constitutional duty to combat corruption by cooperating with statutory institutions like the IGG. The party believes that effective anti-corruption measures require institutional independence, evidence-based strategies, and active citizen participation, rather than what they term “drama.” JEEMA insists that strengthening existing institutions and ensuring citizens have the confidence and legal protection to report wrongdoing are key to sustained progress in combating corruption.

Source: Nile Post