Steven Ariong, Moroto – Civil society organizations operating in the Karamoja region have been urged to act as exemplars in the fight against corruption by being accountable in all their dealings with the public.
The call was made by Dr. Mikisa Ayub, the Executive Director of the Karamoja Anti-Corruption Coalition, on Wednesday while training the CSOs in the region.
Dr. Mikisa said it would be difficult for civil society organizations to demand accountability from government officials if they themselves are not exemplary.
“We must make corruption the primary enemy in our operations so that we can have a voice to demand that government officials be accountable to the people of Uganda,” he said.
The training, supported by the Danish Embassy and GIZ at Rapona Hotel in Moroto Municipality, aims to eliminate corruption in every department.
The Karamoja region has remained a fertile area where both NGOs and government officials misuse resources in the name of helping the impoverished region.
Between 2003 and 2010, the Karamoja region had a total of 480 non-governmental organizations, both local and international. However, their output was not commensurate with their numbers.
This publication noticed that there was much duplication of work, and many of the resources meant to uplift the living standards of the poor Karimojong were being used on administrative costs.
One international development partner received UGX 1 billion from foreign aid to support the Karimojong but instead spent UGX 900 million on administrative costs, including retreats, and only UGX 100 million on practical activities, which angered Moroto district leaders.
It is against this background that Dr. Mikisa said civil society organizations must be accountable to the people they are supporting.
He cautioned them against the duplication of work, adding that it is a form of corruption.
