The Ombudsman, on Tuesday, presented his 2009/10 report to both chambers of parliament, and it reveals possible cases of misappropriation in the distribution of iron sheets to vulnerable families.

According to the report, an estimated 4361 out of a total of 484,339 iron sheets have not reached the intended beneficiaries.

The report further indicates that authorities failed to account for 1,730 out of 67,245 sacks of cement, also meant for the construction of houses for the most vulnerable.

That some leaders took advantage of this otherwise noble cause at the expense of the neediest members of our community should not be taken lightly. We should not be complacent just because most of these materials were distributed accordingly, since tens, if not hundreds of intended beneficiaries, did not receive the taxpayers’ support, or were given substandard houses.

Rather than waste more time debating the relevance of the missing information in the report, our MPs should move quickly to demand accountability and ensure that those behind the exposed anomalies are brought to book.
Institutions such as the Office of the Ombudsman, and that of the Auditor General, are instruments which will help the country strengthen its good governance practices.

Considering that they started from scratch only a few years ago, they have already proved that we have what it takes as a country to keep our own leaders in check, and to succeed in the war against corruption.

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