The Minister for the Presidency, Milly Babirye Babalanda, has called on the people of Busoga to embrace equitable service, strengthen their faith in God and actively participate in the fight against corruption as Uganda pursues its ambition of attaining upper-middle-income status.
Speaking on Saturday during a Sabbath service at a Seventh-day Adventist Church in Mafubira, Jinja, Babalanda urged believers to remain steadfast in their trust in God, saying divine guidance enables individuals to overcome challenges and succeed despite opposition.
"Stick to and trust God in whatever you plan to do because He will always pave the way for you, no matter who your enemies are," she said.
Babalanda also expressed gratitude to Yoweri Kaguta Museveni for the confidence he has placed in her throughout her public service career, noting that she has served in various capacities, including Deputy Resident District Commissioner, Senior Presidential Advisor on Political Affairs and Minister for the Presidency for two consecutive terms.
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She thanked God for guiding her throughout her leadership journey and said she has maintained a record free from scandal while serving in public office.
Addressing the challenge of corruption, Babalanda described graft as one of the biggest obstacles to Uganda's development and called on citizens to support government efforts to eliminate the vice.
Referring to President Museveni's message during his swearing-in ceremony at Kololo Independence Grounds, she reminded Ugandans that the fight against corruption requires collective action.
"As President Museveni stated during his swearing-in, 'this is Kisanja no more sleep and no more corruption.' It is our responsibility as Ugandans to fight corruption because it affects us all," she said.
Babalanda noted that corruption weakens the economy through lost efficiency, reduced investment and poor delivery of public services.
According to figures from the Inspectorate of Government, corruption costs Uganda an estimated Shs10 trillion annually, equivalent to about 9.4 per cent of the country's Gross Domestic Product (GDP).
She explained that the diversion of public funds increases the cost of government projects while reducing their effectiveness, resulting in underdeveloped roads, hospitals and schools, as well as delays in the delivery of essential public services.
Babalanda concluded by urging the people of Busoga to work together in promoting integrity, accountability and fair service delivery as the country advances its national development agenda.
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