The Monitor, Kampala, 24 January 2003

Flog the Corrupt, Mbale Voters Say

By Chris Obore
in Kampala

Residents of Mbale have suggested that public officials involved in corruption should be flogged in public.

The residents say that caning would be the appropriate punishment because experience has shown that the corrupt fear no laws or institutions.

The suggestion was forwarded to James Wapakhabulo, the third deputy prime minister and minister of Foreign Affairs, Wednesday.

Wapa was holding a consultative meeting with his electorate at North Road P/S in Mbale.

The voters said that corruption has reached an alarming level in the country despite efforts to check the practice.

They said that when probe committees identify corrupt public officials, such officials should be given several strokes of the cane in public.

Wapa answered that government was committed to fighting corruption. He urged the locals to be the watchdogs because they are at the grassroots.

Wapa was also angered by shoddy construction work done on most schools in Mbale Municipality, and said individuals were pocketing taxpayer's money.

He directed Mbale RDC Abbas Seguya to follow up cases where accountability has not been presented. He also directed that any contractor who does any shoddy on schools should be arrested.

Wapa is conducting a series of consultative meetings with his constituents.

The minister is the MP for Mbale Municipality.

The Monitor, Kampala, 24 January 2003

Editorial

Public Flogging the Answer?

Residents in Mbale are making good the African saying that a black man's ears are in his buttocks. By recommending that corrupt officials be flogged in public, they are expressing frustration at a vice that has affected every aspect of life in this country.

Public flogging has two advantages - it exposes the culprits so people know them and on a personal front, it is embarrassing to family and friends.

The issue however isn't with the punishment; it is becoming increasingly shameless for a person to be corrupt.

In some cases, thieving officials have turned into heroes especially if they invest part of the loot in community projects.

Here then lies the danger.