Uganda’s anti-corruption watchdog, the Inspectorate of Government, has launched a five-year strategic plan to fight corruption.

However, this not the first time the East Africa nation is launching such a campaign. A similar move was 10 years ago was thwarted by President Yoweri Museveni after the anti-graft sought to subject public grants and senior people in the private to wealth declaration as a yardstick for fighting these,

Speaking on Tuesday at the launch in the capital, Kampala, Inspector General of Government Naluzze Aisha Batala said the plan is designed to make a significant contribution to addressing corruption and is aligned with national development frameworks, including Uganda Vision 2040, the Tenfold Growth Strategy, and the Fourth National Development Plan.

“The plan is not merely a policy document; it is a bold declaration of intent and a firm institutional commitment to act with independence and precision in the fight against corruption and maladministration,” Batala said.

The plan sets a clear direction to strengthen institutional resilience, enforce accountability without fear or favour, restore and sustain public trust in the government systems, and deliver measurable anti-corruption outcomes, Batala added.

Key priorities will include improving corruption perception standing, higher conviction and asset recovery rates, stronger compliance and enhanced digital, forensic, and investigative capacity toward the realization of a corruption-free Uganda, the official said.

Robert Lugolobi, director of anti-corruption at the Inspectorate of Government, said the plan also seeks to foster active citizen participation in the fight against corruption and maladministration at all levels of governance, and to strengthen mechanisms for prevention and detection of corruption in the public sector.

According to the agency, corruption costs Uganda more than two billion US dollars annually, equivalent to about 23 per cent of the government’s yearly budget.

Corruption was a key feature in the presidential election campaign – as has been the case in past polls – with President Museveni promising to root out the vice. Howler ordinary Ugandans did not believe the promise of their leader, whom they accuse of lack seriousness.

• A Tell Media / Xinhua report