ASIA NAMUSOKE: Accountability Without Humiliation: A Response to Mike Ssegawa

What the report says

Watchdog Uganda published an opinion piece by Asia Namusoke Mbajja responding to Mike Ssegawa’s defense of ministers Balaam Barugahara and Justine Nameere. The article argues that Uganda does need tougher action against corruption, absenteeism and weak public services, but says public shaming of civil servants is not the right way to achieve accountability.

Namusoke, writing as a health professional, describes conditions in government health facilities as strained by heavy workloads, staffing shortages, medicine gaps, limited equipment and poor accommodation. She says these pressures do not excuse wrongdoing, but they should be part of any fair assessment of why services fail. The piece stresses that allegations should be investigated through proper channels rather than through social-media confrontations or public embarrassment.

The author also warns that humiliating workers in front of patients can damage dignity and reputation before the facts are established. She asks whether such public confrontations lead to real improvements, such as better staffing, supplies or patient care, or whether they mainly create spectacle. Her broader message is that reform should target both corruption and the system failures that make service delivery difficult.

The commentary reflects an ongoing debate in Uganda over enforcement tactics in public institutions, especially health services, where citizens often demand accountability while workers argue that under-resourced facilities make delivery difficult.