President Museveni Signals Return of Leader Recall as Tool to Fight Corruption

President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni has said the fight against corruption requires restoring direct accountability of leaders to the people, including revisiting the right of recall.

Addressing a rally in Mpigi today, the President recounted meeting some of his bazzukulu on his way to the event who raised concerns about persistent medicine shortages in public hospitals and Parish Development Model (PDM) funds not reaching intended beneficiaries.

Museveni noted that corruption is not a new phenomenon, recalling that even during the colonial era some abaami abused authority. He said this history informed the NRM’s decision to return power to the people through elected leadership structures, from LC1 to Parliament.

“Government mobilises and allocates resources, but protecting them is the responsibility of all of us through accountable leadership,” he said.

The President reminded wananchi that during the National Resistance Council (NRC) period, local leaders were elected and directly answerable to the people, a system he said strengthened oversight at the grassroots.

“We may need to revisit the right of recall so that wananchi can hold leaders accountable,” Museveni added, calling for collective action backed by credible evidence to decisively defeat corruption.