The former President of Botswana and Mo Ibrahim Foundation Board member made the comments at the opening of the first international Conference on Governance and Service Delivery in Developing Economies in Kampala on Tuesday, 25 August.
“Bad governance doesn’t just undermine service delivery, it retards development, and it also drives violence.”
The conference, hosted by Uganda Management Institute (UMI) and sponsored by United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) aimed at coming up with new approaches to public sector reforms and development agenda for developing economies.
The former President noted that poverty can only be effectively tackled through the promotion of democracy, good governance, peace and security as well as the development of human and physical resources.
Sir Ketumile said: “Corruption imposes heavy costs on the economy and distorts development policies. It hurts the poor disproportionately by diverting funds intended for development. It undermines government’s ability to provide essential services. It fuels inequality and injustice and discourages foreign investment”.
