Uganda’s State House Anti-Corruption Unit in conjunction with Uganda Police have arraigned Leonard Kavundira, the Principal Cooperatives Officer in the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Cooperative before the Anti-Corruption Court on charges of Conspiracy to defraud.
The accused conspired with his co-accused who were earlier remanded, to divert over UGX3.4B meant for war loss compensation by the government of Uganda to Buyaka Growers Cooperative Society for their personal use.
Kavundira was remanded until 9th July 2024.
Corruption has a long history in Ugandan governments, with varying levels of severity. According to the 2023 Corruption Perceptions Index, Uganda ranks 141 out of 180 countries in terms of corruption perception.
In the 2019 Corruption Perceptions Index, Uganda was ranked 137 out of 180 countries, highlighting the urgency of addressing corruption.
The country’s corruption is in various forms as seen below;
1. Petty Corruption: Involves public officials at all levels engaging in small-scale corrupt practices.
2. Elite Corruption: Occurs through a patronage system, often exacerbated by foreign aid. Officials gain loyalty and support to maintain their power.
3. Public Procurement: Lack of transparency in government transactions contributes to corruption.