Some individuals have taken it upon themselves to mobilize Ugandans to demonstrate against corruption by marching to parliament and carrying out other forms of civil disobedience to express anger towards corrupt parliamentarians.
Even though demonstrating is a constitutional right, it has always been used as cover by dissidents to unleash havoc and has always strayed away from the original intent and proper procedure as stipulated in the constitution.
The destruction that always ensues from the demonstrations, which always turn into riots, normally worsens the situation at hand, as it is in countries like Libya and Sudan, which used demonstrations to topple governments.
In spite of this, Uganda is at war with corruption, and it is every citizen’s obligation to lend a hand in this fight. However, it will be irrational to opt for destructive means that have proven to be ineffective, yet there are diverse options that can yield tangible results in the fight against corruption.
Additionally, the government is currently cracking down on corruption, as we have all witnessed the arrest of several members of parliament and other civil servants who have been involved in corruption scandals, and this effort needs to be aided with more information about the corrupt and not interfered with by demonstrations.
As stated by President Museveni and other authorities mandated to fight corruption, like the Inspector General of Government (IGG), most offenders have gone away with corruption cases due to a lack of evidence that could otherwise be used to prosecute them.
The corruption victims who are supposed to provide evidence have always opted to keep it to themselves or just post sentiments on social media, which don’t aid in the prosecution of the perpetrators. These are not any different from those who are planning to demonstrate, since their actions contribute nothing to the fight against corruption.
Options like whistleblowing should be more exploited since whistleblowers are protected by the Whistleblower Protection Act 2010 of the Laws of the Republic of Uganda. Though not widely embraced, the practice has proved to be more effective than the demonstrations, which only bring mayhem.
