Group Work

Ethical issues are questions of right and wrong that face a society, community, organization,
corporation, institution etc.
These include areas such as the social, environmental and economic impact of your actions and
inactions.
Our group will look at corruption as an Ethical issue for the presentation
Corruption is defined by the World Bank and Transparency International (TI) as “the misuse of
public office for private gain.”1As such, it involves the improper and unlawful behaviour of
public-service officials, both politicians and civil servants, whose positions create opportunities
for the diversion of money and assets from government to them and their accomplices.
Corruption in Uganda is widespread and seen as one of the greatest obstacles to the country’s
economic development as well as to the provision of quality public services. Corruption-related
challenges in the country stem from a weak separation between the public and private spheres,
leading to extensive clientelistic practices and patronage, as well as widespread political
corruption. Such corruption challenges are exacerbated by weak law enforcement, which fuels a
culture of impunity, particularly with regards to high-ranking officials involved in corruption
schemes. Corruption affects a wide range of sectors and government institutions, including
procurement, police, and the defence, education and health sectors. As an aid dependent country,
Uganda needs a sound public financial management system, to ensure donors’ funds are spent
wisely and leakages are avoided. In spite of reforms, there is still room to improve the level of
transparency and accountability of the country’s public financial management system still. . The
Ugandan government has acknowledged that corruption is one of the main challenges facing the
country. But recent developments have raise questions on the government’s political will to
address it. Several reforms, laws and new institutions to fight corruption have been established.
However, in spite of recent investigations and corruption trials, an effective enforcement of the
laws in place is still lacking.
Ultimately, all parts of society must share the responsibility for containing corruption because all
are willing or unwilling participants. Each corrupt transaction requires a “buyer” and a “seller.”
1
The World Bank, Helping Countries Combat Corruption: The Role of the World Bank, Poverty Reduction and
Economic Management Network, September 1997
The government is responsible for dealing with civil servants who engage in extortion and
bribery but it is businesses and individuals who offer bribes to civil servants to obtain certain
advantages.
Nature of corruption challenges
Corruption-related challenges in the country are a result of a lack of separation between the
public and private spheres, leading to extensive clientelistic practices and patronage, as well as
widespread political corruption. Such corruption challenges are exacerbated by weak law
enforcement, which fuels a culture of impunity, particularly with regards to high-ranking
officials involved in corruption cases. According to respondents to the National Integrity Survey
conducted by the Inspectorate of Government in 2008, the most recurrent forms of corruption in
the country include the payment of bribes (66% of the respondents); embezzlement of public
money (15%), nepotism (5%), and favoritism (3%).
Forms of corruption
The most outrageous form of corruption took place at the state level where people swindled
millions of dollars from the government. This corruption evoked wide-spread condemnation, but
the corrupt people were protected by the state machinery and by the complicated bureaucratic
procedures. The state was treated as a personal property by 'life' Presidents and their henchmen
and they looted it without mercy. In essence, privatization of the state had been effected. Ali
Mazrui has ably defamed this phenomenon:
Another form of corruption at the state level was the privatization of the instruments of coercion.
These were largely the army, police and para-military institutions such as the State Research
Bureau, an armed spying body. Since the colonial days, the army was dominated by the people
from the northern part of Uganda. When the politicians realized that they could not stay in power
through fair elections, they privatized the instruments of coercion. After doing so, they rigged
elections with impunity and suppressed the population. However, the privatization of the
instruments of coercion was challenged when the National Resistance Army (NRA) and other
groups waged guerrilla warfare
How corruption can be dealt with

1. Corruption is not only about bribes: People especially the poor get hurt when
resources are wasted. That’s why it is so important to understand the different kinds of
corruption to develop smart responses.
2. Get incentives right: Align anti-corruption measures with market, behavioral, and
social forces. Adopting integrity standards is a smart business decision, especially for
companies interested in doing business with the World Bank Group and other
development partners.
3. Build capacity for those who need it most: Countries that suffer from chronic fragility,
conflict and violence– are often the ones that have the fewest internal resources to combat
corruption. Identify ways to leverage international resources to support and sustain good
governance.
4. Sanctions matter: Punishing corruption is a vital component of any effective anti-
corruption effort.

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Ethical issues are questions of right and wrong that face a society, community, organization,

corporation, institution etc.

Nature of corruption challenges

How corruption can be dealt with

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