TAKEAWAYS

• Hon. Justine Nameere says complicated procurement systems fuel corruption.
• She called for digitization and simplification of government processes to reduce bribery opportunities.
• The MP also wants public officials’ wealth declarations made more transparent to improve accountability.

The Woman MP of Masaka, Hon. Justine Nameere, has spoken out strongly against corruption, saying Uganda’s bureaucratic systems continue to create loopholes for bribery and abuse of office.

Speaking during a discussion on corruption and governance, Nameere disagreed with arguments defending lengthy procurement procedures, insisting that too many processes only encourage corruption.

According to the legislator, every additional signature and approval stage creates another opportunity for government officials to demand bribes from service providers and suppliers.

“Every extra signature is a bribery point.”

She explained that procurement processes have become unnecessarily complicated, forcing citizens and suppliers to move from one office to another in search of approvals, something she believes has normalized corruption within public institutions.

Nameere therefore called on government to digitize most of its services and simplify procurement and governance systems in order to reduce human interference and improve accountability.

“Most government processes should be digitized.”

The legislator also emphasized the need for greater transparency, especially regarding wealth declaration by public officials. She argued that such information should be made public so that citizens can easily question unexplained wealth and help expose corrupt individuals hiding property under relatives’ names.

“We need a more deliberate fight against corruption.”

During his just concluded swearing-in ceremony, President Yoweri Museveni revealed how emphasis this term is going to be put on fighting corruption, a vice which has plagued different sectors of the country.