MAIN CAMPUS - On Friday, March 21st, 2025, Kampala International University (KIU) held a thought-provoking public lecture on the Fight Against Corruption under the theme ‘The Role of Law Students and the Law in Promoting Integrity and Accountability in Uganda’ at the 6th Floor, IBM Library, Main Campus.

With Hon. Beti Kamya Turwomwe, the Inspector General of Government (IGG) as the Guest Speaker, the public lecture was held to educate and sensitize KIU students and staff on the dangers of corruption and its impact on national development.

Officially kickstarting the lecture, Dr. Mundu Mustafa, Deputy Vice-Chancellor, Finance and Administration appreciated Hon. Kamya, a champion of integrity for honouring the invitation to come and lecture students about the importance of ethical leadership and citizenship in promoting a culture of transparency and accountability.

Hon. Kamya pointed out that the country is in shambles because public officials entrusted with public resources misuse and misappropriate them leading to poor service delivery. She also noted that much as the public condemns corruption with a loud voice, it in turn supports it with covet actions.

“The corruption story in Uganda is pretty much the same story in Africa and it is sad. We have devised all means to fight corruption including lifestyle audits and whistle-blower accounts but corruption has amazing resilience and it is not going away,” she said.

 As a countermeasure, Hon. Kamya revealed, “We have devised another strategy; mindset change of the entire public of Uganda to recognise corruption as the monster it is, instead of a ‘vehicle’ to become rich”.

She described the new strategy as the most effective weapon since the public is a key player in recognizing corrupt individuals. “My job is to be the commander but we are all foot soldiers in the war against corruption,” Hon. Kamya added.

During a question-and-answer session, students posed pertinent queries to the Hon. Kamya, seeking clarity on key issues like: how the institution ensures corrupt individuals do not compromise its officials, why suspected corrupt individuals are released on bail and allowed to maintain their positions, and how the institution is leveraging technology in the fight against corruption.

In response, Hon. Kamya emphasized that the institution combats internal corruption through its Compliance and Ethics Department, Standards Unit, and Internal Audit Department. Regarding the release of suspected corrupt public officials, she noted that evidence is required to try them in court beyond reasonable doubt, but highlighted the need to improve the judicial system to effectively combat corruption. Furthermore, Hon. Kamya announced plans to fully digitalize the institution within the next year, leveraging technology to enhance its anti-corruption efforts.

Dr. Esther Kisubi, Dean of the School of Law, emphasized the importance of the public lecture by Hon. Kamya, the IGG. She stated that most courses at the university fail to adequately cover the topic of corruption. As a result, the IGG's lecture provided a much-needed, hands-on insight into corruption and strategies for combating it, offering students a unique and valuable learning experience.

Christine Ainebyoona, Deputy University Secretary and Campus Administrator of KIU Main Campus, delivered a vote of thanks, presenting a certificate appreciation to Hon. Kamya on behalf of the university. She expressed gratitude to Hon. Kamya for dedicating her time to enlighten students on the dangers of corruption and strategies for combating it, acknowledging the valuable insights shared during the lecture.