Corruption forces fourth Ugandan minister to step down

Dec 14, 2011, 14:19 GMT

Kampala - Uganda's minister of the presidency resigned Wednesday following allegations that she stole government-owned radio transmission equipment and installed it at her private radio station.

The resignation of Kabakumba Matsiko, whose main task was to run the capital and assist the president, comes just two months after three other ministers resigned over corruption allegations.

President Yoweri Museveni, who was reelected this year in a vote the opposition says was rigged, has seen his administration repeatedly beset with scandals.

Several Western governments have threatened to withdraw aid to the country if Museveni, in power since 1986, does not crack down on graft.

'To error is human even if we feel begrudged over the manner in which justice may not have been carried out,' Kabakumba told reporters in Kampala.

Three cabinet ministers, including Museveni's influential and long-serving foreign minister Sam Kutesa, resigned in October over allegations that they misused millions of dollars meant for a 2007 Commonwealth Summit in Kampala.

Former vice president Gilbert Bukenya was in remand in prison over the same allegations at the time the three ministers resigned. However, the charges against Bukenya were dropped in November, just days before his trial was due to begin.

Analysts had previously viewed the willingness to take on the high ranking officials as a sign that the government was getting serious about tackling corruption.

The concerns over dirty deals also prompted parliament this year to put on hold all activities involving newly discovered oil reserves in the west of the country.

Reports indicated that the state's oil deals were tainted and ministers had received large bribes from foreign energy companies.