The Uganda Institute of Professional Engineers (UIPE), has condemned the recent arrests of it’s members by the Minister of Local Government Balaam Barugahara, during the ongoing anti-corruption drive in the eastern districts of Mbale and Bulambuli.
The president of UIPE Eng. Peterson Mwesiga, in a statement released over the weekend, noted that even though the body which represents over 12,000 engineering professionals is in support of the Presidents renewed anti-corruption drive, they were against the alleged public mockery of their members.
“While UIPE fully supports His Excellency the President’s renewed crackdown on corruption in this ‘kisanja no more sleep – no kukongola – no corruption’, we believe that the gains of this fight are lost when it is reduced to a charade” he said.
He added, “A mockery, a public spectacle, a theatrical grandstanding, and a show of might for the cameras by powerful, but perhaps excited and overzealous high-ranking government officials playing to the gallery.
Mwesiga noted that some of the registered engineers being arrested capriciously have had long, illustrious, and distinguished careers, with an impeccable record of public service.
“Like the arresting ministers, these engineers too have wives, husbands, children, and grandchildren – and a proud and noble profession to protect” he said.
He added, ‘Arresting engineers arbitrarily, without understanding the planned scope of works and quality specifications, only serves to humiliate and demoralize technical staff and worsen service delivery”.
Mwesiga further advised that such arrests should be preceded by adequate investigations supported by competent technical personnel, and must follow due process, noting that otherwise, the arbitrariness subtracts from the very corruption fight that the body supports.
“Why should a minister act as an arresting officer, and on the basis of information received at a public rally? Why do such investigations, if any, not take equal interest in the actual working conditions and political pressure faced by engineers in local government settings – which is the real problem that must be confronted if we are serious about fighting corruption?” he said.
Mweisgwa’s remarks follow the recent impromptu visit by Minister Balaam to Naiku Health Centre III in Bungokho Central, Mbale District, the minister said he discovered what he described as nine ghost workers on the facility’s payroll.
While addressing media during the visit, Balaam noted that government pays salaries for 19 health workers at the facility, but only three had reported for duty by 9 a.m. when he arrived.
“Government pays 19 staff here but by the time we arrived at 9am, only three people had reported… and out of that, I have discovered nine of them are ghost workers,” Barugahara said.
He said documents had been seized for verification with the District Health Officer’s records to establish why the alleged fictitious workers continued to appear on the payroll and who had been receiving their salaries.
“We are going to verify with the DHO’s file… Who signs for them, who takes that money, who are they so that government may have them out of the list and also arrest the people involved in this corruption,” he said.
