Back in Command- M7 Appoints Col Edith Nakalema to Protect Investors.

By Earnest Kivumbi Benjamin updated at 1111 EAT on Sunday 07th May 2023

Col Edith Nakalema has bounced back in State House following her appointment as Head of State House Investors Protectorate Unit by President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni.

At the news of her appointment, Nakalema’s fans poured on social media with congratulatory messages. Among them is Church of Uganda Archbishop Kaziimba Mugalu.

“I congratulate my daughter, Col. @edthnaka on her new appointment as the head of @StateHouseUg Investors Protectorate Unit. With her impressive track record and commitment to service, I have no doubt that she will excel in this important role. Best wishes for a successful tenure!”

In her message , Col Nakalema couldn’t hide her gratitude. “Feeling incredibly thankful for the outpouring of congratulatory messages upon my appointment.
Glory to God for his continued blessings.
I remain grateful for the continued trust of H.E President @KagutaMuseveni.
Lastly, my heartfelt appreciation goes out to all of you, my dependable friends, for your unwavering love and support.
Ready to serve with your collective efforts.”

During the International Labour Day celebrations recently, President Museveni announced his latest anti-graft plans in a speech delivered in the rural eastern Uganda district of Namutumba.

“I am using this Labour Day to tell everybody that we are going to have a big fight. I am going to set up another small unit in my office where the investors can ring directly if anybody asks them for a bribe or delays decisions,” Museveni said.

Col Edith Nakalema appreciated by President Apostle Dr Jospeh Sserwadda – Courtesy photo

Once created, the new unit will join a considerably long list of constitutional bodies like the Inspectorate of Government (IG), Auditor General, Parliament, Judiciary and police in the fight against corruption.

Already, there are at least two known parallel organs located inside State House for the same purpose: The State House Anti-Corruption Unit (Shacu) with its unlimited reach, together with the Health Monitoring Unit which is supposed to keep tabs on public health service delivery.

So far, Shacu which is run almost like a military operation, is heavily involved in investigating widespread corruption in the country’s land offices. It, however, also actively conducts parallel ‘special investigations’ inside government, among other areas.

He focused attention on graft which, in all its forms, costs Uganda more than Shs9.1 trillion annually.

That annual loss was revealed following a study commissioned by the IG in 2022 which was conducted by the Government Transparency Institute, an international think tank in good governance. The think tank found that a significant portion of the losses which accounted for 44 percent of government revenue in 2019, could be attributed to bribes paid to tax officials.

The President echoed what has become a common theme of his recent public addresses; singling out corrupt politicians and civil servants as “parasites” who have overtaken other problems facing the country like poor infrastructure.

“These are the ones interfering with your future. They are the ones disturbing investors, asking for bribes and delayed decision-making which raise the cost of doing business in Uganda,” he said.

Museveni denounced a group within the tax body, Uganda Revenue Authority (URA), which he said goes around waylaying and blackmailing traders saying: “I will charge you so much, but if you bribe me, I will charge you less”.

“I already have a report about these groups and you will hear what will happen. The army has done its work, we have stabilised the country (and) that is why people are coming,” the President said.

During her previous position as Head State House Anti Corruption Unit, Nakalema registered tremendous sucess that must have inspired her boss to bring her back.

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