Local Government Minister Balaam Barugahara has intensified his fight against corruption, declaring that the misuse of public funds in local governments will no longer be tolerated.
Speaking during a visit to Jinja District, the minister criticized the district’s proposed administration block, which had been budgeted at Shs19 billion, despite Shs3.9 billion already having been spent on the project.
“The time for losing money in local governments has come to an end, and the time to stop corruption is now. From Jinja, I visited the district administration block, which had been earmarked and costed at Shs19 billion,” Barugahara said.
The minister described the planned building as unnecessarily extravagant and directed that the project be scaled down.
According to Barugahara, the funds saved should instead be invested in priority sectors such as health facilities, staff housing, and other essential public services that directly improve the lives of citizens.
His remarks form part of the government’s ongoing “Expose the Corrupt” campaign, a nationwide initiative aimed at strengthening accountability, eliminating corruption, and ensuring taxpayers’ money is spent on projects that deliver value to Ugandans.
Barugahara has been conducting inspection tours across the country to assess government projects and monitor service delivery.
The campaign has already led to investigations into several projects and administrative changes in some local governments, as authorities step up efforts to tackle corruption and improve transparency in public institutions.
