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By Dickens Tiharihondijo
I once knew a man who worked in the Ministry of Finance before retiring and later passing away. While many of his colleagues enriched themselves through embezzlement—some of whom now own some of the biggest buildings in Kampala—he chose to remain honest. By the time of his death, he had little to show materially beyond a modest three-bedroom village home.
His widow, to this day, still struggles to access his pension. And in our society, men like him are rarely celebrated. Even religious leaders who spend their time preaching morality and condemning corruption will often reserve the front seat for a person who has stolen from public coffers—provided some of that stolen wealth finds its way into the offertory basket.
If you work in institutions like the Uganda Revenue Authority and choose to live only within your salary and legal allowances, society is quick to brand you naïve or foolish. We all know it is nearly impossible to build vast wealth from a monthly wage alone.
When we discuss corruption in Uganda, we often point fingers at President Museveni, blaming him for failing to curb it. We accuse him of not prosecuting certain individuals implicated in scandals. Yet, we seldom pause to examine ourselves—the very citizens who glorify the corrupt and shun those who live with integrity.
Until we stop rewarding theft and start honouring honesty, corruption will remain deeply rooted not just in our systems, but in our culture.
Torch Media Africa
