President Museveni has said it is high time corrupt government officials paid heavily for their sins of stealing from the public.

"Our big problem now is corrupt govt officials. This is what is slowing down our rate of growth. Those people must go to jail and they must lose opportunities of leadership, but they must pay back everything they have stolen," Museveni said.

The president was on Friday speaking at the 6th annual prosecutors' symposium held at Speke Resort Hotel in Munyonyo.

Museveni said government has made great strides in resurrecting the economy that he said had gone to the dogs by 1986 but noted the remaining problem now is corruption, especially by government officials.

He said these must be forced to cough what they have stolen.

"Our big problem now is corruption by public officials. This is what is slowing down our rate of growth but I am very glad that the DPP is very harsh on them. They cause us loss but we shall cause much more loss to them."

Earlier, the Director of Public Prosecutions, Jane Abodo had noted that her office has not left any stone unturned in prosecuting those involved in corruption.

The development comes on the backdrop of the Karamoja iron sheets scandal in which several senior government officials including ministers have been implicated in diverting iron sheets meant for the Karamoja Community Empowerment Programme.

So far three ministers including Mary Goretti Kitutu, Amos Lugoloobi and Agnes Nandutu have been arraigned before courts of law to face charges related to diversion of the iron sheets.

President Museveni recently said all those implicated in the scandal will face a political action, a statement many have since interpreted to mean sacking the ministers from cabinet.