All leaders subject to the Leadership Code Act will soon be expected to declare all donations and gifts of whatever value and nature if Parliament passes the Leadership Code (Amendment) Bill, 2016.

Under the principal Act, a leader can receive a gift and not declare it to the inspectorate of government if it’s below five currency points in value and it’s in form of a souvenir.

In jurisdictions like the US where leaders surrender gifts got while on official duties, the rationale is to prevent office bearers from unfairly turning them into cash-cows.

The provision is part of the Bill to amend the Leadership Code Act, 2002 as government finally accedes to demands by the inspectorate of government to amend the principal act in order to explicitly provide for a Leadership Code Tribunal.

The Bill is being pushed by minister of ethics Simon Lokodo who yesterday interfaced with lawmakers on the committee of legal and parliamentary affairs committee to justify its introduction.

Ethics Minister, Simon Lokodo.

Lokodo said this Bill has been on the shelf for 12 years. Once passed, it will plug a number of loopholes in the principal Act as has been ably highlighted by courts over the years, Lokodo, with a number of technocrats from the directorate of ethics in tow said.

The Leadership Code Act provides for minimum standard of behaviour and conduct for leaders and requires leaders to routinely declare their income, assets and liabilities as one of the ways to prevent those with access to the public purse from fraudulently enriching themselves.