KAMPALA – The current wave in the country – regarding corruption tendencies – particularly at Entebbe International Airport has attracted the attention of the Inspectorate of Government’s office.
As a societal weakness – Beti Olive Kamya – the Inspector General of Government – IGG claims that the Uganda Civil Aviation Authority-CAA cannot investigate itself – sanctioning her office to investigate allegations of persistent corruption scandals.
Whereas – corruption and service delivery are inseparable in Uganda – the IGG’s office has over the last five years, investigated merely 21 cases relating to the CAA – and Kamya brags to have recovered huge amounts of money from fraudulent procurements – indicating a systematic problem in the Authority but as a norm – no identities of the culprits could be revealed.
Kamya – who on Wednesday addressed member of the media at the IG head offices in Kampala- was shy to release detailing regarding the identities of people in the past investigations – creating an impression that her involvement in such matters were simply a wastage of time – as continue to chorus how would make recommendations and take the necessary action within the IG mandate.
Kamya commended the Director of Citizenship and Immigration Control, Maj Gen Apollo Kasiita-Gowa for swiftly apprehending the culprits, but added that it was not enough to dismiss or commit them to disciplinary action.
“As the Inspectorate of Government, we shall work with the Uganda Civil Aviation Authority and the Directorate of Immigration to prosecute those that were apprehended. It is not enough to dismiss or punish them, but we also need them to be prosecuted,” she said.
Kamya applauded the public for coming out strong on the corruption practices at the Airport, noting that if this momentum continues, Uganda shall be redeemed from corruption. She emphasised that corruption in Uganda cannot be effectively addressed without functional systems that enable the general public to be actively involved in the processes of promoting good governance and taking charge of the fight.
In the past few days, different airport users have expressed fury via social media platforms over extortions at Entebbe Airport. The reports have since led to the arrest and dismissal of staff at the Airport by the CAA.
Following public complaints, all staff at the airport will be required to wear their name tags for easy identification. CAA also re-instated a 2021 directive to the airport staff banning the use of personal mobile phones while on duty.
On Friday, CAA Deputy Director General, Olive Birungi Lumonya said that one of their staff suspected to be involved in extortion had been arrested after a video recording showing him bargaining for a bribe went viral on social media. Lumonya also said that since 2020, at least 26 staff operating at the Airport had been terminated; suspended and others subjected to other disciplinary measures.
A list of cases at the Airport indicates that some of the cases committed by the officials since 2020 include extortion of money, attempted extortion and human trafficking, negligence, aiding smuggling of rhino horns, theft of money from passenger bags, conspiracy to traffic humans, facilitating illegal passengers and others.
Actions taken for these offences are termination of contracts and dismissal, suspension, final warnings, transfer to other stations and others.
