Uganda moves to tackle extractive industries corruption

Posted on October 12 2011

Uganda's parliament has voted to suspend all new deals in the oil sector following claims that government ministers took multi-million dollar bribes.

MP Gerald Karuhanga said in parliament on Monday that UK-based Tullow Oil paid bribes to influence decisions.

Tullow said it rejected the "outrageous and wholly defamatory" allegations.

The vote is a big blow to President Yoweri Museveni, who has been in power since 1986, analysts say.

The BBC's Joshua Mmali in the capital, Kampala, says it means the government will not be able to sign new oil deals until a petroleum law is enacted.

During a heated parliamentary debate on Monday, Mr Karuhanga tabled documents alleging that Tullow Oil bribed Prime Minister Amama Mbabazi, Foreign Minister Sam Kutesa and former Energy Minister Hilary Onek.

This is great news! Corruption of this sort has to be tackled: those involved have to be named and oil revenues have to be made accountable, most especially through country-by-country reporting.

Uganda has taken a step in the right direction.

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2 Responses

Ivan Horrocks says:

October 12 2011 at 2:38 pm

And even as we report this we can bet that the oil industry and its agents will be organising to make sure that MP Gerald Karuhanga is discredited and/or keeps his mouth shut in future. A politician with courage!
- JohnM says:
  
  October 12 2011 at 4:41 pm
  
  Or maybe he will just disappear or have an accident ?