Letter from NRM Youth in Kabale to Mzee/ State House Entebbe: “Re: Petition of the Conduct of the RDC and Deputy RDC Kabale (25.01.2016)

Petitetion to Statehouse 25.01.2016 P1Petitetion to Statehouse 25.01.2016 P2Petitetion to Statehouse 25.01.2016 P3

Interesting findings from the AG report on “Central Government and Statutory Corporations” – Part Two!

Here I will Travers through the report of Auditor General of Uganda’s Annual Report for the year ended 30th June 2015. This is on: “CENTRAL GOVERNMENT AND STATUTORY CORPORATIONS”. I will take the quotes and stories that seem to show parts of how the Government of Uganda works and what the Auditor General have cared about addressing in this specific report. Take a look! This here is Part two!

MoWT Lake Bisina RFP

Ministry of Works and Transport Sector:

Certain information from the ministry:

“management used the services of a local company to print Ministry materials at a cost of UGX.48,000,000 without following procurement guidelines” (…)”expenditure totalling to UGX.157,861,512 was inappropriately charged on budget lines to fund activities that were not planned for without authority” (…)”management explained that this was caused by UGX3,367,986,442 that was held on the Stanbic Bank Collection account as the funds were earmarked to replace worn out equipment and plant and MELTC, yet management does not spend these funds at source; and UGX.819,209,847 mainly consisted of funds earmarked or Lake Bisina Ferry landing sites and DRRU. MELTC will be required to return all the unspent operational funds when the Rural Transport Infrastructure (RTI)/U-growth project ends on 30th June 2016” (P:116 – 121). Comment: This here prove how the have chared funds without authority. The Ministry also has to release funds back to the RTI U as they have not done their work on the Ferry Landing Site.

Mukono Chairman

Non-payment of UGX.490m to Mukono District Council:

“Management explained that the long standing dispute between the Ministry and Mukono District affected the progress of the ICD project and an understanding had been reached between the two parties. However in December 2014, the Ministry sought legal advice from the Solicitor General on the pending compensation of UGX.490m to Mukono District and the Solicitor General advised that there was no justification for the compensation since the District could not prove that it owned the structures” (P: 132). Comment: This here proves mismanagement for Local Government Council and the Ministry, that the monies does not leave either party or to the party that deserve the money. Not well played by either ones.

Construction of Nwoya Community Justice House – Abandoned construction works:

“Nwoya Community Justice Centre was constructed by a local company at UGX.1,516,916,000. The contract commenced on 11th July 2014. Audit inspection carried out at the site on 19th September, 2015 revealed that the contractor abandoned the work. There was no construction work in progress” (P: 158). Comment: Here is mismanagement locally and also with the ministry therefore it is a building without a contractor who left the premises. The OAG and the Ministry should probe the contractors and also the Local Government Council for the little check on the work in their district. Or doesn’t it matter that the work and used monies on a court building left unfinished?

DCIC Map

Directorate of Citizenship and Immigration Control (DCIC):

Construction of Border Posts:

“Construct Sebagolo model border post with staff quarters), Kikagati mini border post and Ishasha mini border post” (…)”Was allocated UGX 200m and none used funds or absorbed” (…)”Sebagolo; procurement abandoned. No land title” (…)”Ishasha; procurement abandoned due to lack of structural drawings, border post building design and BoQs” (…)”Kikagati; procurement; abandoned due to lack proof of ownership of land” (P: 161).

Ministry of Affairs:

DGAL-Gulu – Delayed completion of the construction of a Regional Laboratory in Gulu:

The construction of the Regional Laboratory started on 28th January 2008 at a contract sum UGX.436,445,468 and was to be completed by 28th July, 2008 (after 22 calendar weeks)” (…)”at the time of writing this report, the construction had not been completed (after 7 years) and the site appears to have been abandoned. A total of UGX.236,330,768 (54,15%) was paid to the contractor and the building had been roofed, plastered and fitted with exterior doors and window burglars” (P: 177). Commented: They proved too been a breach of contract between the Ministry, Local Government Council and the contractors who was building on the site. These institutions should probe the contractor for delays and not finishing the building, while the government should check the history of the allocations and see why they haven’t done the work and delivered as budgeted in the past.

Police Apac 30.12.15 Go Forward Rally

Uganda Police Force:

Non-working vehicles:

“The Force had 291 and 970 uneconomical and grounded motor vehicles and motorcycles representing 27% and 28% respectively of the available fleet of 1091 motor vehicles and 3452 motor cycles” (P: 183). Comment: That such a giant part of their fleet is standing still and can’t be used for their entitled work. So it is a waste of funds and also equipment.

Land Titles:

“The budget of UGX.120m was again provided for the financial year 2014/2015, however, this was not enough to carry out the activity. This financial year (2014/15), UGX.3.7bn had been estimated to cover the surveying, titling, boundary opening, land purchase, land planning and design, compensation and inspection, however only UGX.120m was provided in the budget” (P: 185). Comment: This here prove how little the state care for police when they can’t secure funding for land in and titles for the Police Stations. Another proof of weak governance when they doesn’t care for their own civil servants.

Uganda Police Marine Unit

Police Boats:

“Police has over 40 vessels including long distance patrol boats, firefighting boats, fiber glass boats and inflatable boats deployed in the detach units on all major water bodies of Lakes Victoria, Kyoga, Albert, Edward and George. However, the Force lacks a marina at Kigo marine headquarters for safe docking and parking of major boats. As a result, some big boats are docked/parked at Lake Victoria Serena Hotel for safety purposes, while others are dry docked (parked on land) at Kigo headquarters” (P: 186).  Comment: We can see that the Police don’t have funding for the boats and to keep the upkeep of them. That proves that the Government doesn’t value the boats, since they don’t keep them in great areas.

Police Mariners staff, Post Mariners Post-Education and Fuel issues:

“Marines unit has a workforce of 197 staff with over 40 vessels. A review of the unit nominal roll revealed that only 10 staff have mechanical/technical related qualifications while 6 have qualifications in fisheries” (…)”The Accounting Officer further explained that some training is already underway both within and outside the country, and that in the current financial year, 45 staff are undergoing marine training by Korean instructors” (…)”The unit detaches are provided with 200 liters of fuel for operations per month (6.4 liters per day) and yet the fiber boats at each unit consume 20 liters per hour. According to the in-charge, each unit detach requires at least 60 liters a day which puts the fuel requirement per month to 1,800 liters for the units to effectively monitor the waters” (P: 188-191). Comment: That there are 40 vessels and only 6 have seamen education. 10 mechanical people who can fix the technical problems with the boats that the police have. Yet again, the training has to happen by donors or foreign because the government can’t be able to finance their own personnel training. That should be worrying. The last issues that the boats can be used as much they can because of the use of 20 liter per hour. They miss the 1600 liters they need to function, because they are only allocated 200 liters. Show’s a mismatch of the use of funds for this part of the UPF.

Uganda Prison Service:

Congestion:

“By June 2015, the population of prisoners stood at 45,092, exceeding the available capacity by 28,575 inmates (occupancy level is 273%). Some prisons are overcrowded, housing up to 3 times their designed holding capacities” (P: 197). Comment: The government might not be expected to deliver at hotel to the inmates in prison. But to congestion them like cattle or having housing for them that creates diseases and poor hygiene; shows that the punished people in prisons get not only time to serve as convicts, but also get conditions that makes their stay a health hazard.

Funds of Consolidated Funds:

“UGX.2,808,413,252 was reported in the statement of financial position as cash and cash equivalent at the end of the financial year. The unspent funds should have been transferred to the consolidated fund by close of the year however, UPS did not remit the funds to the condolidated fund” (P: 195). Comment: This here proves that this government outfit doesn’t have the properly functioning accounting practices since they don’t follow the laws for unused allocated funds.

Reference:

Office of the Auditor General – The Annual Report for the Year Ended 30th June 2015 – Central Government and Statutory Corporations 30th June 2015.

Interesting findings from the AG report on “Central Government and Statutory Corporations” – Part One!

Ugandan shillings

Here I will Travers through the report of Auditor General of Uganda’s Annual Report for the year ended 30th June 2015. This is on: “CENTRAL GOVERNMENT AND STATUTORY CORPORATIONS”. I will take the quotes and stories that seem to show parts of how the Government of Uganda works and what the Auditor General have cared about addressing in this specific report. Take a look! This here is Part one!

What it contains:
“This is Volume two of my Annual Report to Parliament and it covers financial audits carried
out on Central Government Ministries, Departments, Agencies, Universities and Uganda
Missions abroad” (…)”Section 2 presents my findings and audit opinion on Government of Uganda Consolidated Financial Statements including major observations” (P: 25).

kampala road work

Nugatory expenditure:
“Government paid UGX.26.1bn during the period under review as delayed settlements of obligations arising from contracts for construction services, Court awards, and contributions to international organizations etc” (P: 34). Comment: The government has no issues wasting giant sums of settlements it seems, shouldn’t’ there be away to not use the money on these settlements?

Unsustainable pension liability:
“The Ministry of Public Service recorded an outstanding pension and gratuity liability of UGX.199,255,907,539 as at 30/6/2015 (up from UGX.108,681,159,047 as at 30/6/2014). It was noted that the gratuity and pension arrears continue to accumulate, a fact which the Accounting Officer has attributed to inadequate budgetary provisions over the years” (P: 35). Comment: There been press release from the Ministry of Finance, Planning and Economic Development during 2015 doesn’t seem like they want to fix it, instead blame the pensioners. Well, they have learned from their master right?

Understocking of the Government petroleum strategic reserves:
In 2012, the Government of Uganda and a private petroleum company entered into a concessional agreement to refurbish, restock, maintain and manage the petroleum strategic reserve facility at Jinja. Despite the concession requiring the operator to ensure that 40% (12million litres) of the storage capacity of the products is available at all times, I noted during inspection in September 2015, there was only 274,000 litres of petrol and 331,000 litres of diesel in stock compared to the required stock levels of 20,000,000 and 10,000,000 litres respectively” (P: 38). Comment: Doesn’t seem like they follow the guidelines from 2012 and proves that the Governmental agencies doesn’t follow the plans they have or have the procurement to buy what their supposed to. This here is just barely enough considering the use of oil and diesel!

JinjaRoad Roundabout Kampala

Construction of Kampala-Entebbe expressway:
“It was observed that the unit cost for the Kampala-Entebbe expressway was US$ 2.315 million per lane kilometre while the similar expressway was US$ 1.204 million per lane kilometer” (…)”This is less than half of the cost of Kampala-Entebbe Expressway which is US$.9.261 million per Km” (…)”However, a review of the services provided by the consultant’s revealed duplication of activities as the originally recruited private firm serves the same purpose as the international firm” (P: 38-39). Comment: This here has been discussed and been put out there, but still proves the misuse of funds, especially when one of the reasons is that you have two companies that have the same role on the site, instead of only one, and that adds the price per kilometer of roads.

Mismanagement of funds under the Ministry of Local Government (MoLG):
“the diverted funds revealed that UGX.3,827,011,454 remained unaccounted for and UGX.635,621,910 was questioned due to inappropriate accountabilities” (P: 39). Comment: Unaccountable use of funds is a beauty and proves that funds have been used without waivers or accounted for; where it has been used is something that we can ask, but they could by Kit-Kat bars in Masindi or extra bottle of cokes in Lira for all we know.

Abim Hospital 2014 P3

Fixed budget allocation for essential medicines and health supplies:
The annual budget allocation of UGX.218bn for essential medicines and health supplies to all health facilities across the country has remained constant since 2011/2012 despite the remarkable increase in the number of patients” (P: 42). Comment: That the money are stagnate while the amount of patience goes up shows quickly; why the hospitals doesn’t have the necessary medicine? That is the simple reason why they don’t have enough.

Regional coordination and monitoring framework for Northern Corridor Integration
Projects:
For example amounts totalling to UGX4.2bn was disbursed to fund the power interconnection and the Hoima-Lokichar-Lamu oil pipeline. However, the protocols do not provide for regional coordination and monitoring as well as the audit framework to provide an independent assurance on the utilization of joint funds” (P: 43). Comment: Money to a project that don’t have a framework for the regional coordination and can’t utilization of the funds, that means they are just sitting in the fund, without any use or monitoring it.

Compensations of Project Affected Persons (PAPS):
“Review of the compensations for the Project Affected Persons (PAPs) on the two projects of Mukono-Kyetume-Katosi road and LPC Busega revealed inconsistencies in the names of the PAPs appearing in the Chief Government Valuers report and those compensated” (…)”A sum of UGX.1.3 bn paid without resolving the inconsistencies was questionable” (P: 44-45). Comment: That already over-expensive road project that has gone over margin and had issues with the contractors of the road-building. So that the government haven’t compensated the once that lost land where the road where built. Therefore the project is even more expensive, since this will be add-ons to the ones that already registered and billed for.

Budget performance-Budget shortfall:
“21 entities budgeted to receive UGX. 2,272,017,747,273, out of which UGX. 1,481,698,945,173 was received translating into a 65% out-turn for the financial year. This left a funding gap of UGX. 790,318,802,100 (35%)” (P: 55). Comment: This here proves how the budget is underfunding and not procuring from the Ministry of Finance, Planning Economic Development (MoFPED) to deliver the cash in-due time to the projects and other state entities that supposed to get funding to do their work. The ministry with biggest shortfall was the Ministry of Energy and Mineral!

MoFPED – Payment of avoidable interest on VAT:
“It was noted that as of November, 2014, the outstanding VAT obligations for BIDCO stood at UGX.744,420,170, included in this figure was late payment interest charge of UGX.168,747,557. Accordingly, a sum of UGX.700,000,000 was paid to URA towards settlement of the tax arrears” (P: 93). Comment: Bidco got to pay less to cash to URA then expected in a settlement, instead of paying everything they needed as they hadn’t cleared in their VAT. So the government was not getting what they we’re entitled so the company of BIDCO got off cheap.

AfDB STATS

Payment of the fourth instalment under ADB Subscription:
“It was noted that the payment of Uganda’s 4th instalment of UDS.1,293,299 which became due on 16th March, 2015 had not been made. As a result, the callable shares related to the missed instalment had been suspended in line with the Board of Governors resolution on the sixth general capital increase of the bank meeting” (P: 95). Comment: This here proof that they don’t take the place in the Pan-African Bank institution, only take the loans from African Development Bank, but not taking charge in paying dues to it.

Presidential Initiative on Banana Industrial Development (PIBID):
“It was noted that the PIBID project has been operating without an approved strategic plan. The strategic plan is supposed to guide the budgeting process by creating integrated link with the annual work plans which feed into the budget to ensure effective service delivery and achievement of set project objectives” (…)”During the financial year 2014/2015, the PIBID project had a budget provision of UGX.9bn out of which only UGX.2.7bn was released as vote on account and as a result, activities worth UGX.6,682,145,000 were not under taken. (P: 100- 103). Comment: 6,3bn was not released so that is under the double, but not triple of the ones that has procured to the PIBID.

Department of Ethics and Integrity:
“Directorate’s approved structure/establishment indicated that whereas 60 posts were approved, only 46 had been filled by the year-end leaving 14 vacant” (…)”that withholding tax amounting to UGX.4,662,524 due to URA was not withheld from seven (7) service providers and as such, funds were not remitted. Failure to withhold tax exposes the entity to a risk of penalties and interest charges by URA which may lead to nugatory expenditure” (P: 111-113). Comments: This here proves the defaults on the hiring of people in the department and also mismanage off tax.

This here must been seen as interesting; the report is big, so there is more to come. This here will be series with many pieces as the actions of government is to interesting to NOT be put on blast. Peace.

Reference:
Office of the Auditor General – The Annual Report for the Year Ended 30th June 2015 – Central Government and Statutory Corporations 30th June 2015.

30th NRA/NRM Liberation Day with the “First National Address” – On the Parliamentary Steps on the 26. January 1986 (Transcript of the Speech)

500px-Uganda_Regions_map

Today is the Liberation day after the Bush-War in 1986. That led to the fall of Milton Obote, Yusuf Lule and Tito Okello. After years in the bush and using the guns and being armed to their teeth and after that actually run Uganda; that happens after losing the election in 1980 as a independent with the Uganda Patriotic Movement. He lost to Sam Kutesa his now Foreign Affairs Minister and loyal ally. Because he claimed the 1980s elections where UPC and Milton Obote won, he went to the bush because the system could not be fixed in peaceful ways. Today is the 26th January in remembrance of this and show respect to the start of 30 year reign of power. Here is a transcript of the speech he had that day. If that is to long I have the cut video clip first that can show the glimpse of what he was trying to say. Take a look and read if you will!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ANYyEjHXIuI

Here is the speech he held on the NRA/M liberation and after the bush-war in front of the Parliament on the 26th January 1986:
NO ONE should think that what is happening today is a mere change of guard: it is a fundamental change in the politics of our country. In Africa, we have seen so many changes that change, as such, is nothing short of mere turmoil. We have had one group getting rid of another one, only for it to turn out to be worse than the group it displaced. Please do not count us in that group of people: the National Resistance Movement is a clear-headed movement with clear objectives and a good membership.

NRA marching to Kampala 1986

Of course, we may have some bad elements amongst us – this is because we are part and parcel to Ugandan society as it is, and we may, therefore, not be able completely to guard against infiltration by wrong elements.

It is, however, our deliberate policy to ensure that we uplift the quality of politics in our country. We are quite different from the previous people in power who encouraged evil instead of trying to fight it.

You may not be familiar with our program, since you did not have access to it while we were in the bush so I shall outline a few of its salient points;

The first point in our program is the restoration of democracy. The people of Africa-the people of Uganda-are entitled to democratic government. It is not a favour from any government: it is the right of the people of Africa to have democratic government. The sovereign power in the land must be the population, not the government. The government should not be the master, but the servant of the people.

In our liberated zones, the first thing we started with was the election of village Resistance Committees. My mother, for instance, cannot go to parliament; but she can, surely, become a member of a committee so that she, too, can make her views heard. We have, therefore, set up village, muluka, gombolola and district committees.

Later we shall set up a national parliament directly elected by the people. This way we shall have both committee and parliamentary democracy. We don’t want to elect people who will change sides once they are in parliament. If you want to change sides, you must go back and seek the mandate of the people who elected you.

Democracy
Some of these points are for the future, but right now I want to emphasis that the first point in our political program is democracy for the people of Uganda. It is a birthright to which all the people of Uganda are entitled.
The committees we have set up in these zones have a lot of power. You cannot, for instance, join the army or the police without being cleared by the village committee.

You must get a recommendation from the people in your village to say that you are not a rogue. Hence, the soldiers who are joining us from other armies will have to be referred back to their villages for recommendation. The same applies to the police.

Suppose, for instance, that we want to recruit some 500 soldiers from the District of Rakai and say 10,000 youths in the area apply to join. If 5,000 of those are cleared by their area committees as people of good character, the selecting military team will choose the most physically fit from among those, and we shall end up with an army that is both of good character and in good physical condition. This is an example of some of the work to be done by the village committees.

Another important aspect of the committees is that they should serve as a citizens’ intelligence system. If I go to address a rally in Semuto, Rape-ka or Nakaseke, I shall first meet the muluka and gombolola committees in the area. They will tell me whether the muluka chiefs are thieves, or the hospital personnel are selling drugs, or whether there are soldiers in the area who are misbehaving. They are thus able to act as watchdogs for the population and guard against the misuse of power.

The second point in our program is the security of person and property. Every person in Uganda must be absolutely secure to live wherever he or she wishes. Any individual or any group of persons who threatens the security of our people must be smashed without mercy.

Museveni 1986 Uganda

Security
The people of Uganda should only die from natural causes that are beyond our control, but not at the hands of fellow citizens who continue to walk the length and breadth of our land freely. When we were in Nairobi during the peace talks, it was a very painful experience sitting in a room with criminals across the table. 1 was advised that being a leader, you have to be diplomatic.

This prompted me to ask: “But does diplomacy apply to criminals as well?” to which the answer was, “Yes”. I saw then that the whole process was a farce. We tried peacefully to push the case that the Amin elements, and people like Bazilio Okello, who had killed people in broad daylight, must be excluded from government.

Our voice, however, was a lonely one because there were so many pressures from the International community which is interested only in trade. They do not care how many skeletons we have in Uganda: all they care about is for the road to be opened so that their goods can have free passage. We, therefore, made our position very clear: we were not going to take part in any government which included and Involved criminals. Unfortunately these people believed they had tricked us. Tito Okello, for instance, came back saying that my signing the agreement showed that they had removed the teeth from the salambwa (poisonous snake).

Our position, however, has always been very clear. If you play tricks with us, we shall play tricks with you; if you are honest with us, we shall be honest with you; if you are violent against us, we shall be violent against you. We are people who pay others in their own currency and we never use cowardly tactics. When I was in the bush, I had a lot of pressure from people who said that we should assassinate people like Obote, Muwanga and Bazilio.

NRA M7

Against assassination
I disagreed because I argued that when you assassinate people like that, you turn them into martyrs and heroes. What you need is to develop enough strength to enable you to sweep that kind of garbage to where it belongs: on the dung-heap of history. Why should anybody bother to kill small people like Bazilio? You may kill Bazilio Okello but you will be left with many other Bazilios.

Therefore, the security of the people of Uganda is their right and not a favour bestowed by any regime. No regime has a right to kill any citizen of this country, or to beat any citizen at a road block. We make it clear to our soldiers that if they abuse any citizen, the punishment they will receive will teach them a lesson. As for killing people – if you kill a citizen, you yourself will be killed.

During our struggle, we executed five soldiers of the National Resistance Army for killing people in Bulemezi, Ngoma and Fort Portal. One of these soldiers had killed a doctor in order to steal his money.

What, on the other hand, has been happening in Kampala? Recently, people were massacred in Luwero and a high-powered delegation was sent there: you know these so-called high-powered delegations led by Excellency’s and honorables, etc. Personally, I do not like being called ‘Excellency’.

People in Bulemezi call me Yoweri or Mzee wa Kazi. Now, these Excellency’s, and honorable ministers and high-ranking military personnel, and what-have-you went to Luwero. Can you imagine what they did? We were told that they had transferred the person who had killed the people in Luwero to another station! Can you imagine? Someone kills 100, 50 or even two people and you say you have transferred him to another area? It was suggested that the solution to some of our problems would be for Kampala to be completely demilitarized.

Disciplining soldiers
So I asked: “Where are you going to take these criminal soldiers? Even if you take them to a national park they will kill the animals there!” The solution, therefore, is to put criminal soldiers where they belong: in prison.

The third point in our program is the question of the unity of our country. Past regimes have used sectarianism to divide people along religious and tribal lines. But why should religion be considered a political matter? Religious matters are between you and your god. Politics is about the provision of roads, water, drugs, in hospitals and schools for children.

m7-1970

Case for unity
Take the road from here, Parliament Buildings, to Republic House. This road is so bad that if a pregnant woman travels on it, I am sure she will have a miscarriage! Now, does that road harm only Catholics and spare Protestants? Is it a bad road only for Moslems and not for Christians, or for Acholis and not for Baganda? That road is bad and it is bad for everyone.

All the users of that road should have one common aspiration: to have it repaired. How do you become divided on the basis of religion or tribe if your interests, problems and aspirations are similar? Don’t you see that people who divide you are only using you for their own interests not connected with that road? They are simply opportunists who have no program and all they do is work on cheap platforms of division because they have nothing constructive to offer the people.

Our Movement is strong because it has solved the problem of division: we do not tolerate religious and tribal divisions in our Movement, or divisions along party lines such as UPC, DP, UPM and the like. Everyone is welcome on an equal basis. That is why you find that when our army goes to Buganda, the people there call it:” amagye gaffe, abaana baffe”. When it goes to the West, it is: “amahe gaitu, abaana baitu”: which means that wherever the NRA goes, it is called ‘our army, our children’. Recently, Buloba was captured by our army, and the commander in charge of the group was an officer called Okecho. He comes from Pakwach in West Nile.

Therefore, the so-called division between the north and south is only in people’s heads. Those who are still hoping to use it are going to be disappointed. They ought to dig a large grave for such aspirations and bury them. Ma-sindi was captured by our soldiers led by Peter Kerim: he, too, is from West Nile. Dr. Ronald Batta here, who is from Madi, has been our Director of Medical Services for all these years in the bush.

Milton Obote_pic

Angry’ Obote
Obote tried to propagate the idea that there was a division between the Bantus and the Nilotics and that if the Bantus took over, the Nilotics would be wiped out. We have, however exposed him. Whenever, we captured soldiers from Ac noli, Lango and elsewhere, we would treat them well and then release them.

Obote would be surprised and he would ask: “Were you really captured? Did you see Museveni? Were you really not beaten?” Once we captured the police commander of Masindi, a man called Gala.

I talked to him and another man called Epigo, also from Masindi. When we released them and Epigo got back to Obote, Obote did not like what Epigo had to say: that the National Resistance Army was not a tribal army as the Obote government had been trying to make out. So Obote locked Epigo up in Luzira Maximum Security Prison because he did not want to hear the truth about our Movement and Army.

There is, in philosophy, something called obscurantism, a phenomenon where ideas are deliberately obscured so that what is false appears to be true and vice versa. We in the NRM are not interested in the politics of obscurantism: we want to get to the heart of the matter and find out what the problem is. Being a leader is like being a medical doctor. A medical doctor must diagnose his patient’s disease before he can prescribe treatment.

Similarly, a political leader must diagnose correctly the ills of society. A doctor who does not diagnose his patient’s disease adequately is nothing but a quack.

In politics we have also got quacks – and Uganda has had a lot of political quacks over the past two decades or so. I also want to talk about co-operation with other countries, especially in our region. One of our weaknesses in Africa is a small market because we don’t have enough people to consume what we produce.

ReaganMuseveni

Regional cooperation
Originally we had an East African market but it was messed up by the Excellency’s and Honorable ministers. It will be a cardinal point in our program to ensure that we encourage co-operation in economic matters, especially in transport and communication within the East African region.

This will enable us to develop this area. We want our people to be able to afford shoes. The Honorable Excellency who is going to the United Nations in executive jets, but has a population at home of 90 per cent walking barefoot, is nothing but a pathetic spectacle. Yet this Excellency may be busy trying to compete with Reagan and Gorbachev to show them that he, too, is an Excellency. These are some of the points in our political program. As time goes on, we shall expand more on them.

Last appeal
To conclude, I am appealing to those people who are trying to resist us to come and join us because they will be integrated. They should not waste their time trying to fight us because they cannot defeat us.

If they could not defeat us when there were just 27 of us with 27 guns, how can they defeat this army which you saw here? They cannot defeat us, first of all, because we have a correct line in politics which attracts everyone. Secondly, we have a correct line of organization. Thirdly, our tactics are correct.

We have never made a mistake either in strategy or tactical calculation. I am, therefore, appealing to these people not to spill more blood, especially of the young men who are being misled by older people who should know better.

Museveni-with-a-dummy-map-of-uganda

Afterthought: 

I think this is enough. And it is celebration of 30 years. I will not be smooth, but rather silent. Because it seems like President Museveni forget his cause, if it ever was his cause and to make a democratic change. Even if he used a long time to give a multi-party system. Still his rigging turns as bad or worse then Obote II. That means that after 30 years they are doing the same thing they fought against. Which must be an ironic way of celebrating 30 years of power, with the same leader that held this speech. A speech that was powerful and if truthful and the power ate the man. Then he forgot why he came to power. There are many theories, but the man who took power talked a way of democratic behaviour, but now is more totalitarian and police-state then the state he wished to build in 1986. Peace.

Press Release: Toward the establishment of a Pan African Agribusiness Holding Company (25.01.2016)

AU 25.01.2016 MoU

ADDIS ABABA, Ethiopia, January 25, 2016 – The Chairperson of the African Union Commission, H.E. Dr. Nkosazana Dlamini Zuma, and the Chairperson of SOBEK Trade and Investment (Egypt), Mrs. Manal Abdel Moneim, have signed a Memorandum of Understanding in support of an initiative to launch a Pan African Agribusiness Holding Company.

The MoU signed on Tuesday 19 January at the African Union Headquarters in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, aims at developing women’s agribusinesses by mobilizing investments and providing capacity to such businesses in different parts of the continent.

During the signing ceremony, the AU Commission Chairperson expressed her excitement about this initiative of the private sector, which, she noted was in line with Africa’s Agenda 2063. “I am very pleased that women in the private sector who are doing so well have not forgotten to support and pull other women along. I am very much inspired”. Dr. Dlamini Zuma remarked.

The Pan African Agrobusiness Holding Company initiative was inspired by the AU’s annual themes of Year of Agriculture and Food Security (2014); Year of Women’s Empowerment and Development toward Agenda 2063 (2015), as well as the African Agribusiness Strategy.

Water-Crisis in the City of Flint; Time to call in USAID to solve it as they do around the world; because water matters!

USAID_Water_Strategy_3-1_0

USAID and World Bank need to offer loans to Flint, Michigan; they can facilitate tap-water to the citizens of the city. This in a county where they have year after years of financial deficit and defaulted on budgeted projects of the city. This just by browsing through google after writing Flint, Michigan Budget Deficit, the articles goes back to 2009. That means 6 years where there been missing money for the county budget. This means that the country can’t deliver the community what it needs, because they don’t have the funds to finance what the town and county need.

Here is the USAID mission statement:

“Ending extreme poverty and promoting the development of resilient, democratic societies that are able to realize their potential. We fundamentally believe that ending extreme poverty requires enabling inclusive, sustainable growth; promoting free, peaceful, and self-reliant societies with effective, legitimate governments; building human capital and creating social safety nets that reach the poorest and most vulnerable” (USAID, 2016).

I will look at some reports of the water quality that has been in media where Cher and Big Sean has donated some Dasani water to the public because the bottles settle the issue with the tap-water that the county doesn’t have money to fix or use proper water-sources. Let’s say what certain reports done by various enteritis say about the water and economy in Flint. Take a brief look:

gm-confirms-flint-east-plant-closing

About Jobs and Poverty in City of Flint:

In a town of “In Flint, for example, absent other factors, employment would have declined by 12.7 percent between 1980 and 2009 because nationally, the industries it specialized in actually shrank over those years. However, Flint lost jobs in those poor performing industries in which it specialized faster than other metros due to a de!cit in the competitiveness of its existing local industries” (…)”At the most basic level, poverty results in lower standards of living. However, there are other, less direct effects that are even more troubling. For instance, poverty is highly correlated with low levels of education, and can thus trap individuals and households for generations, lowering socioeconomic mobility through lack of opportunity. The failure to combat the causes of poverty is also scally unsound; if those problems are not eradicated, state and local governments face smaller tax bases as well as higher outlays to support their populations. Poverty rates were well above the U.S. metro average in 2009 in all of Michigan’s metros except Holland and Jackson” (Michigan Economic Condition Assessment).

Flint GM Plant Workers

Economic situation in 2011 in Flint:

“In 2011, the numbers bear a startling story, as of 2009, 36,2 percent of Flint’s 102,000 residents were living below the poverty level, and nearly 20 percent were at an income level that was 50 percent below poverty level” (…)”In mid-1980s, General Motors – at a time when the company was experiencing records profits – laid off 30,000 autoworkers in Flint, eventually 80,000 in all, and shut down several factories” (Smith, 2011).

Emergency Manager takes control because of budget deficit:

“However, on December 1. 2011, the Governor of the State of Michigan appointed an Emergency Manager for the City of Flint, due in part to a deficit in the general fund, the decline in pooled cash, budget issues, and unfunded liabilities for post-employment benefits. The appointed Emergency Financial Managers and Emergency Manager  were authorized by virtue of their appointment to “act for and in the place and stead of the governing body and the office of chief administrative officer of the City of Flint” (…)”The General Fund deficit as of June 30, 2013, is now $12.9 million” (City of Flint, 2013).

Flint-sweepstakes

Assessment of the water from City of Flint in 2014:

“The City of Flint did experience drinking water issues in the summer of 2014. Issues began with areas of the city experiencing “rusty” water. This was largely due to the fact that the city distribution system contains hundreds of miles of cast iron pipe” (…)”The City of Flint received violations from the Michigan Department of Environmental Quality (MDEQ). The violations included a total coliform and E. coli in August and September of 2014, and a corresponding total trihalomethanes (TTHM) violation in December of the same year” (City of Flint, 2014).

Flint Michigan

Water quality report 2015:

“Prior to April 30, 2014, the city of Flint purchased water of the City of Detroit. On April 30, 2014, the City of Flint switched from utilizing purchased water from Detroit to a new water source, the Flint City River. Subsequently to the change in source water, the City of Flint experienced a number of water quality issues resulting in violations of National Primary Drinking Water Regulation (NPDWR) including acute and non-acute Coliform Maximum Contamination Level (MCL) violations and Total Trihalomethanes (TTHM) MCL violations” (…)”National Primary Drinking Water  Regulation (NPDWR) Violations – City of Flint:

Following the switch to the Flint River, the City of Flint experienced a series of NPDWR violations as follows:

Acute Coliform MCL violation in August 2014

Monthly Coliform MCL violation in August 2014

Monthly Coliform MCL violation in September 2014

Average TTHM MCL violation in December 2014

Average TTHM MCL violation in March 2015

Average TTHM MCL violation in June 2015” (US EPA, 2015).

Statement on quality of water in 2016:

“The American Water Works Association applauds President Obama for signing an emergency declaration that makes available federal aid for the drinking water crisis in Flint, Michigan” (…)”When a community changes water sources or water treatment, unintended consequences can occur. Water systems must be alert to these potential issues and have plans in place to address them” (…)”AWWA is committed to helping water utilities, elected leaders and customers in applying these and other lessons from the crisis in Flint” (AWWA, 2016).

Flint Michigan P2

Afterthought:

So with seeing this little evidence and also seeing how the state goes in with Emergency Managers both over-controlling the mayor and the city hall because of the growing deficit that surely must have taken emergency measures that must have been done to save budget funds.

The result that has caused havoc now has been visible since August 2014. That is more 17 months when they had it in after changing of water sources to the Flint River. It is staggering how long the results have been – if it is the pipeline or the source it is still scary to know that there been steady violations; that have been pushed under the rug or not discussed. I don’t know why the fuzz is happening now or if it is campaign season and that is why the Americans and world hear about water-quality and crisis in Flint.

The unemployment that goes back to foreclosure of car-factories and other automobile industry has destroyed the economy while the rich have moved from the central town to the suburbs in the county while the town has had steady rise of poverty in the city of Flint. That is why I ask for USAID to do their business and bore holes in the city of Flint in the state of Michigan. USAID has an mission to work amongst poverty and create possibilities and with the amassed levels of poverty in Flint, with closure of schools and abandoned houses an such proves the need for AID from USAID. They should come in with their programs to salvage and create better water with their technicians as they have done for decades in African Countries and Latin America, and help their own as they are in need.

Dasani

The bottles of Dasani given from Big Sean and Cher won’t do much but a tear-drop in the ocean. The emergency funding from the federal funds might help, but that is also done in fashionable loans so the debt burden on the City of Flint. So as a failed banana republic that usually gets programs and aid from USAID, it is time to deliver that to City of Flint. As they have unemployment on the levels of sub-Saharan Africa, they have high crime-levels and public with little faith in the government institutions. Schools are detreating and other institutions are weaker than before. People are living on non-working programs and many suspended as they have been living to long on this state-program. They work with poverty eradication that the City of Flint needs. They can start microfinancing programs to get people to start smaller businesses and grow the level of monies spent in the city. Fund them through water programs similar to WASH strategies of the USAID to secure the level of water quality and food security as a part of that. Something USAID can do in city of Flint. They have already lost some part of their autonomy as the Michigan state put in two Emergency leader both Emergency Manager and Emergency Financial Manager who overpower the people’s chosen leadership of the town and also control the monitoring of the functions of the town, this to get control of the deficit; but also leaving the limbo of the democratic institutions in the city. That means it fits perfectly to what kind of environment that USAID goes into which often is totalitarian or semi-democratic societies with big-men who are stronger control over government institution than ordinary procedure. This is the same with the Emergency leadership of City of Flint. So it not only the economic difficulties, unemployment rate, poverty standard, in the end it also fits the levels of institutional malfunctions to fix the budget deficit as the governor of Michigan has seen.

usaid_water_strategy

So if the USAID will follow their mission and do something good, use their skills and WASH programs, then they should put them into use in the City of Flint, Americans helping Americans. Not a vile and foolish picture, the money that US Government have put into USAID over the year, this here good be a good service back and prove that the money is well spent, as the USAID can finance and find way to fix the water and give of their knowledge to create a more prosperous society. City of Flint should try to get a Memorandum of Understanding to give way so that USAID can give the citizens of Flint what they deserve before Michael Moore makes another film displaying the deteriorating city he was raised in. USAID shouldn’t just build water wells in Afar region in Ethiopia, when there a city in America where they can’t get healthy water; their WASH personnel could really give AID and create development in Flint. This is if the City of Flint could accept it and give way to the organization to show way. USAID have the skill and manpower needed, Flint have not the funds or the situation to get out of it. This here is a decline of a city ever since General Motors starting to leave and move automobile factories since the 1980s. Therefore the reforms have to come and why not through USAID. They can bring hope and more then Big Sean’s bottles of Dasani. Peace.

Reference:

American Water Works Association (AWWA) – ‘Statement from AWWA CEO David LaFrance concerning Flint water quality crisis’ (19.01.2016)

City of Flint – ‘Annual Water Quality Paper 2014’ link: https://www.cityofflint.com/wp-content/uploads/CCR-2014.pdf

City of Flint – ‘Comprehensive Annual Financial Report for the Fiscal Year Ended June 30. 2013’

‘Michigan Economic Condition Assessment 2.0’ link: http://www.brookings.edu/~/media/Research/Files/Reports/2012/2/23-michigan-economy/0223_michigan_mid_metros.pdf

Smith, Jay Scott – ‘Flint’s economic fall like none other in the country’ (26.11.2011) link: http://thegrio.com/2011/09/26/flints-economic-fall-like-none-other-in-the-country/

USAID – ‘MISSION, VISION AND VALUES‘ (07.06.2016) link: https://www.usaid.gov/who-we-are/mission-vision-values

United States Environmental Protection Agency – ‘Transmittal of Final Report – High Lead at three residences in Flint, Michigan’ (04.11.2015)

Press Release: AfDB approves US $76.7-million for Uganda’s agriculture programme (20.01.2016)

Green-Economies-Africa-rpt

The African Development Bank (AfDB) has approved a US $76.7-million loan to finance phase two of the Uganda Farm Income Enhancement and Forestry Conservation Programme (FIEFOC-2).

The programme, which was commended by the AfDB Board on Wednesday, January 20 for its good design and high-impact development objectives, comprises agriculture infrastructure and agribusiness development activities as well as an integrated natural resources management scheme aimed to consolidate and expand key achievements of its predecessor (phase one), which was completed in December 2012.

Designed within the context of Uganda’s National Development Plan and long-term development strategy – the Vision 2040 – the Project focuses on improving farm incomes, rural livelihoods, food security and climate resilience. It will also support sustainable natural resources management and agricultural enterprise development.

500px-Uganda_Regions_map

In 2013, about 19.7% of the population, or 6.7 million people, were unable to meet their basic needs, according to a Uganda National Household Survey, which also disclosed that the incidence of poverty was highest among the food-crop growing category in the rural areas due to low income. Thus, the programme seeks to increase production and farmer incomes through improvements and expansion of irrigation schemes, development of agribusiness and adoption of sustainable land, forest, and water management practices and technologies to generate income from natural resources.

The programme will be implemented over a five-year period in five districts – Nebbi, Oyam, Butaleja, Kween, and Kasese – where irrigation schemes are located. The districts have an estimated 1.8 million population, 52% of them women. It will also benefit 300,000 households of which 20% are female-headed outside the irrigation command areas, by introducing or improving soil-conservation measures in the catchments feeding the irrigation schemes.

Furthermore, the project is expected to provide technical skills in conservation and other farming practices that promote environmental management and thereby increasing agricultural productivity in the project areas. It will also assist in the formulation and implementation of measures that reduce deforestation and promote agro-forestry which will lead to emission reduction and the protection of carbon reservoirs as part of the Reduction of Emissions from Deforestation and Degradation (REDD+) agenda. Carbon dioxide (CO2) to be sequestered in 20 years through tree-planting is estimated at 245,000. Training under the project will provide an opportunity for special attention to be given to intensification of climate-smart farming operations.

The project is anchored on the Bank’s Country Strategy for Uganda (2011-2016), which focuses on infrastructure development and increased agriculture productivity as well as human capacity improvement and skills development for poverty reduction. It is also in line with the Bank’s Ten-Year Strategy (2013-2022) and High 5s, which prioritize agriculture and food security as one of the key areas for the Bank’s future assistance.

The total cost of the project is estimated at US $91.43 million. In addition to the US $76.7-million AfDB loan, the Nordic Development Fund (NDF) will provide a US $5.6-million grant while the Government of Uganda will contribute US $9.13 million in counterpart funding.

The People’s President has massive campaigns in Iganga district today; also a brief look at the governance level in the district

Iganga 180116 P3 FDC Iganga Town

Today have been a massive day for the FDC campaign convoy in the Iganga district, campaign rallies and travels through it and seen how the public of the district has reacted to Dr. Kizza Besigye campaigning there. The levels of appreciation towards him and his campaign team, take a look!

Iganga 180116 P2 FDC Kiwanyi

Hon. Abu Katuntu joins the campaign trail in Iganga, this morning we have rallied the people Kiwanyi as our second stop over.

Iganga: The Mamba is finally here Kizza Besigye campaign team’s security is tighter in Busoga region. This re enforcement is from bridged in Jinja town.

Iganga 180116 P1 FDC

Message in Iganga Town:
“For the last 30 years Busoga region has been the champion of poverty in Uganda. We want to remove that poverty from you. FDC has got comprehensive programs to handle the problems of Busoga. First of all we are to get rid of grass thatched huts in the region by providing 10 iron sheets to each house hold as a quick short term measure for improving the quality of housing.” Besigye said to a big roar of approval from the tens of thousands of supporters in Iganga town.

Besigye Iganga

Governance issues in Iganga:
Some information in the Iganga District, these different stories tell the level of money and how they have governed the area. Interesting, right?

Iganga District Logo

Misuse of funds:
“Iganga district officials have been ordered to report to parliament by Minister Adolf Tumwesigye after they misused district funds” (NBS TV, 19.12.2013).

Iganga NRM Cards 27.10.15

Paid loyalty in the district:
“Residents of Iganga town received shs 5,000 from MP Peter Mugema as an appreciation for supporting the NRM resolution that fronted President Museveni as the sole party candidate for the 2016 elections” (91.2 Crooze FM, 22.04.2014).

Push away from the market in town:
“Law enforcement personnel in Iganga have impounded merchandise belonging to 150 street vendors. The town clerk Iganga municipal council, Assy Tumwesigire says the street vendors had three months earlier been given a notice to vacate the streets of Iganga municipal council in vain. Tumwesigire says the vendors had earlier been instructed to take up gazetted areas like markets but have since become hesitant to comply. One of the traders whose merchandise was impounded, Janat Namukuve says she had borrowed 400,000 shillings from one of the microfinance institutions with a view of setting up a business of cooking food but now all her capital is no more and does not know how she will pay the loan” (Step FM/TV, 02.03.2015).

Hospital conditions:
“Residents of Iganga Municipality have expressed concern about the growing stench of dead bodies from Iganga Hospital. Dead bodies are dumped in a makeshift structure without a door leaving dogs and flies to feast on them. The structure also lacks a roof” (NBS TV, 11.03.2015).

Local Coffee program:
“The MP Kigulu South Milton Muwuma Kalulu has said that on Wednesday 15th April 2015 he will be distributing coffee seedlings to his constituents. Speaking from Iganga district headquarters, Muwuma said that this is a government program which is meant to be implemented by prepared farmers in the area. He said “that the government brought 50000 coffee seedlings plus eucalyptus trees, therefore farmers with prepared gardens are to benefit from this project” (Source: Ibrahim Ndogha, 14.04.2015).

Anppcan Iganga IDLC

Appreciation for a local NGO:
“Iganga District Local Government applauds ANPPCAN Uganda for the positive impact on the lives of Orphans and Vulnerable Children. ‪Together‬ along the path to ensure all children are protected, secure and cared for” (Anppcan Uganda Chapter, 24.06.2015).

Reactions after NRM Primaries in 2015:
“Court in Iganga has granted bail to the 4 suspects who were arrested yesterday in connection with abduction of NRM district registrar Kirunda Yazid. Toto Abdur Akimu Ali 40, Sserumbe Henry 25, Matende Beast 24, have been granted bail by the Chief Magistrate Iganga Court Komakech William after paying 250,000 cash each” (RFM Iganga Fans, 27.11.2015).

I think that was enough for today, hope you enjoyed it. Peace.