Possible outcome of the revised Investment Code of 2017!

Yesterday at the Plenary in the Parliament, discussed the revised Investment code of 2017. Which in its self isn’t the most exiting thing. Nevertheless, the reality is that this is now in Parliament shows a push from the Members of Parliament and the Committee of Ministry of Finance, Planning and Economic Development (MoFPED). That they are up to something. They are trying to forge something ahead. However, as the President has claimed the bureaucrats for being lazy, this shows another attempt. However, if this parts of the laws are enacted. Will ensure that it takes longer and the quality of the Foreign Investor to hold onto the new demands of the state. This will also give more power to the Uganda Investment Authority (UIA).

As the September report on the bill states. They will register all investments and all incentives inventory, as off who is doing what and licensed to do. As the Foreign Investor has to comply too a more rigid laws to be able to in the first place now.

Because the change of laws is that an exports of a minimum of 70% of the production in the given incentive, hire at least up to 60% Ugandan citizens and accept to monitored by the authorities and the statutes within the law. This being the UIA, which has the oversight.

The Incentive before launching has to verified and certified by the UIA. The same authority that has oversight and register the incentives. The Foreign Investor has to notify the UIA if they are complying with their inventory to the UIA as per law.

As to make it more hectic for anyone to invest is not allowed to directly to be investing in farming, as production of agricultural output. They cannot do that, but they can be able and allowed to own factories and businesses that helps the farmers to get better crops or bigger livestock.

The law states further the priorities for a Foreign Investor, as per law: “1. agro processlng; 2. food processing; 3. medical appliances; 4. building materials; 5. light industry; 6. automobile manufacturing and assembly; 7. household appliances; 8. furniture; 9. logistics and ware-housing; 10. information technology; or ll. commercial farming”.

This really put the parameter for what they can and cannot do. They are specific as to who allows, what sort of investment, who certifies and who monitors. Therefore, a foreign investor, by law has to comply a lot more and has to have more paperwork to prove his business-plan, prove his investment, his hires and his initial plan for getting exports of the giving products. This will clearly hamper investments and create a longer time-table for them. As the Foreign Investor cannot focus on local market, but on international market, because that is how it is by law. In addition, when you invest in something, you don’t want to loose your certification or your rights to produce or export given products.

Also, the same investor needs to incorporate the business with the Registrar General, a certified of remittance by the Bank of Uganda, the second, the certified of remittance to lodge an application to the Department of Immigration and this department have to give the Foreign Investor a permit to do stay and do business in Uganda. Therefore, before engaging with the new criteria of the UIA and MoFPED, the investor has to get the BoU in check and get the Department of Immigration. If all of these factors doesn’t slow down a process, nothing does. This is clearly a way of securing jobs for bureaucrats and lesser the burden of the foreign exchange and remittance in general.

1. Get UIA Approval and Certification of Business
2. Get BoU Certification of Remittance
3. Get Department of Immigration – Permit and Application of Remittance
4. Getting monitored by the UIA to see you comply with the codes.

If that sounds like an easier way in, it doesn’t, more offices and paperwork, before even spending money. This code will clearly hamper more foreign investors from coming, unless they are giving Presidential Handshakes to the President. I am sure he then lets them in. Peace.

Bosco warns bureaucrats of sacking: They are his scapegoats for the lack of foreign investors!

President Yoweri Kaguta Musveni does not miss a beat; he skips on every track and sings his tune. He is never to blame and his patronage or his growing bureaucracy to blame. No, it is the ones that is hired to do the work, not the legislation, he passes through the Parliament, or from the State House even; no, it is the bad-boys in the offices, which are enforcing them. The big problem are the ones following the guidelines and following the rules, which the President has put up over time. Clearly, Bosco have forgotten that memo or these laws for that matter. It is his own words, and actions that tends to end up in scriptures that people has to follow. Not like they are blindly swallowing air at the offices, they are following the protocols and the rules of the day. Which have been implemented over the 32 years the President has resided over the main post of the nation.

“President Museveni warned lazy and bribe-taking bureaucrats to resign or risk being sacked. “We still have these lazy armchair officers at the different offices who continue to disturb our people; the investors. I will chase all these saboteurs,” he said. Investors must be facilitated to bring in expert skills, Mr Museveni said, instead of being frustrated through increased work permit rates and other bureaucratic procedure” (Dan Wandera – ‘Chinese are doers not talkers, says Museveni’ 01.10.2018, link: http://mobile.monitor.co.ug/News/Chinese-Museveni-Tiles-Nakaseke-Kyambadde-bureaucrats/2466686-4785104-format-xhtml-y40t4fz/index.html).

Therefore, Mr. President. You should look into the rules, the regulations and the laws that you have enacted, as the bureaucrats are following them and abiding them. They are making it slow, because the process you have built for them. If it was slim and easy laws to process and security check the investors, then the bureaucrats would do that, however, the NRM and you Mr. President has made it this way. They are most likely also giving you a Presidential Handshake to able to spend fortunes in the nation too. You know this and the state organizations knows too.

Instead of sending warnings of firing and calling them saboteurs, maybe, you should look into the laws, the regulations and use your NRM Caucus to implement changes that opens the gates for investors and also financial transactions in the country, as rigid it is today. That is why people are tending not to remit or sending funds, as the expenses for doing so is bananas. That is why you should use your powers for something good and not just order the army to solve crisis. But before you do that, maybe, just maybe, look into the plenty of laws that is enacted and active. Which are hampering foreign investors. That is if, you really care.

At this moment, you are just using the patronage, the cronyism you have created as a scapegoat. Not to make the state better or the financial climate either. Peace.

UNRA: Termination of the Contract for Civil Works for Upgrading of Musita Lumino/Busia – Majanji Road (104km) From Gravel to Paved (Bituminous) Standard (12.06.2017)

#UGBudget17: Half borrowed and a third paid back in Interests!

Today the Ugandan government, the National Resistance Movement finally read the Shs. 29 Trillion budget for the 10^th Parliament. However, it is not necessary the size of funds and all, which is allocated, but the way it is funded. Like “Government hopes to raise sh14.6 trillion in revenues to fund the 2017/2018 budget” (Uganda Debt Network, 08.06.2017). Of the 29 Trillion, they expect to get close to half of that, but the monies has get from somewhere and also be of use. What is left are relieved like this: “The balance sh14.3 trillion (49.5%) of the National Budget will be raised through internal and external borrowing” (Uganda Debt Network, 08.06.2017). With this in mind, half of the budget is adding more debt. So if a nation already having lots of debt and debt repayment, it still adds another half budget. This is a bad cycle of events.

There lets us put things in perspective: “Our concern is sh9.9trillion, which is 35% of the total budget, will be spent on debt repayment” (…) “Amount of money spent on debt repayment has escalated in the recent past now at 9.9 trillion for fy2017/18” (Uganda Debt Network, 08.06.2017).

Therefore, the state and the NRM are clearly getting funds through loans to pay-off their interests. AS the 35% of spending is on interest in the coming fiscal year. This should worry, even if the corruption, misspending of obnoxious amount of funds through the paradise of Okello house. Still, that 1/3 of the coming budget is paid interest on old loans, which are been made by this government and by this President. What it show is the lack of concern of the future and how sound fiscal policies. At this state, the government of Uganda are clearly footing the bill. They are filling in the blanks for where they in the past had happy donors filling the envelopes.

The NRM and President Museveni is overspending and misusing state reserves, as the revenue and the state coffers do not sustain this massive overspending. Certainly, it is visible, also the worry of the running interest rates and growing debt as close to half of this year alone are by loans. Neither if it is local, by foreign or multi-national financial institution does save the fact, that the state has a problem.

That of the coming fiscal year, the state is borrowing half, and repaying that with 35% says a lot. IT says the fiscal policies needs change and it is dire. The state are clearly walking the wrong path. And remember this, there will be supplementary budgets during the fiscal year, that will expose the overuse of funds and needs for more loans. Therefore, they are surely going to exploit the faith in future, without having the funds for it today. Peace.

Uganda: Civil Society Position on Tax Revenue Measures for FY 2017/18 (21.04.2017)

The NRM Regime have during the FY2015/2016 fallen behind on paying out UGX 2.7 trillion!

Today I am dropping numbers that are devastating, as the numbers of debt that the National Resistance Movement (NRM) isn’t paying, show’s sufficient motives for malpractice when it comes to budgeting and the structure of payments. There are certainly not enough transparency and clear audit of the state reserves, as the State is misusing seriously amount of funds. The NRM Regime and their President should be ashamed by their record.

Emmanuel Katongole is the Head Information Technology in the Ministry of Finance, Planning and Economic Development (MoFPED) in Uganda on the 12^th April 2017, he dropped a document on their web-page that show’s the domestic arrears of the Republic of Uganda in the last Financial Year.

If you wonder what Domestic Arrears means: “The amount by which a government has fallen behind in its payment of interest and principal on debt to lenders within its own country” (Encyclo.co.uk). So Katongole will literately show how bad the National Resistance Movement is on paying their bills and expenditure. All the sums of this report is in Ugandan Shillings (UGX).

Like under the Office of the President and the Internal Security Organisation (ISO) who itself leaves arrears in the margin of 3.8bn shillings and 8bn shillings in other payable arrears. That one part of the budget and current audit of the Office of the President as the total of verified arrears at June 2016 was 37bn shillings alone. So the Office of the President owes a lot of funds that it hasn’t paid, not only for the ISO!

The State House by the verified arrears at June 2016 was 1bn shillings. What is more unsettling is that the Pensions and Gratitude for Veterans are the sum of 183bn shillings, Survivors 315bn shillings, EXGRATIA 10bn and UNLA 26bn shillings. The Ministry of Defense by June 2016 verified arrears was 718bn shillings! So the MoD are a lax payer of their expenses and expenditure.

Ministry of Justice and Constitutional Affairs owes verified arrears by June 2016 the amount of 684bn. Shillings Court Awards unpaid by the Ministry is 203bn shillings. The Electoral Commission has growing verified arrears by June 2016 because of Unsettled penal insterest for URA in the total sum of 3.2bn shillings. Uganda National Roads Authority (UNRA) has by June 2016 billed up verified arrears by 283bn shillings.

This is just some of the government that has not paid their dues and their expenses, their salaries or pensions, even their lacking covering of funds to pay debt, either internal or external. So the National Resistance Movement are clearly running an economy and fiscal policy that isn’t healthy for the republic.

Just to drop the total sum that the Government of Uganda has failed to pay or failed payments on their debt are by June 2016 the total of 2.7 Trillions of Uganda Shillings! Which is an insane number and amount of misspent monies by the state. The strategy by the Republic to fail so miserably cannot be sustainable, as the invoices and the target to pay their debt should be the most important. Still, the NRM doesn’t seem to think so. They are surely missing steps to having a sound economy when the verified arrears are hitting 2.7 trillions by June 2016. So the Financial Year of 2015/2016, the Ugandan government failed to serve out over 2 trillion of their needed expenses!

What is troubling that the year before, the total state had not paid on their debt and failing expenses in the Financial Year of 2014/2015 as by June 2015 we’re totally 1.389 or close to 1.4 Trillion shillings. So the miss-match between FY2014/2015 and FY 2015/2016 are 1.3 Trillion shillings. So the clear picture is that the Election Year for the NRM is very, very expensive.

Just think about that… eat the bill and pound on the amount of lost monies in the system. Peace.

 

Uganda: CSBAG – “Reducing Wastage and Curbing Inefficiences to Finance our Priorities for the FY 2017/2018 (09.04.2017)

Uganda: “Rejection of bids for upgrading of Rukungiri-Kihihi-Ishasha/Kanungu Road Proc Ref UNRA/Works/2016-2017/00035” (29.09.2017)

A look into the proposed International Contribution to the National Budget of Uganda for the Financial Year 2017/2018

There are many budget posts in a National Budget, but as there are talk of lacking international support of the budget in the Republic of Uganda. The certainty is that even as the donors are fleeing the National Resistance Movement (NRM) and the President Museveni own way of saying he doesn’t need them. Still, I want to show the world collectively what the NRM government have donor sponsored projects through the National Budget, these are projects and development of infrastructure that the NRM needs to show something after over 30 years reign.

Like take Japan the donor funding to the Northern Uganda Farmer Livelihood Improvement Project in the next Financial Year gives to the project Ush. 31.33bn. also donate funds to is the Nakawa TVET Lead Project got Ush. 4.69bn. Japan also donates to Kampala Flyover Construction and Road Upgrading Project with Ush. 155.44bn.

World Bank itself is donating funds in different ways to two other projects, which is African Centeres of Excellence that got Ush. 13.36bn. and Albertine Region Sustainable Development got Ush. 9.35bn. On the other hand the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia donated to the Construction of 5 Regional Technical Institutes with funds of Ush. 6.98bn.

Belgium has also offered their donor funds into the Ugandan state through various projects, like the Program/Project Support to Improve the Quality of Teaching and Learning with Ush. 11.97bn. also the Rehabilitation of the National Teacher Training Centre Kaliro allocated Ush. 15.16bn, they also gave to Rehabilitation of the National Teacher Training Centre Muni funds of Ush. 15.16bn. another project that Belgium was behind is the Support to the Implementation of Skilling Uganda with Ush. 15.96bn.

The Democratic People’s Republic of China has donated to new development projects in Uganda, like they are donating to Industrial Substations Ush. 91.74bn. they also donated to Isimba Hydro Power Plant Ush. 407bn. and also  Karuma Hydro Power Plant where they have pledged Ush. 1,305.07bn. or Ush. 1.3 trillion to that alone! The Chinese is also involved in Entebbe Airport Rehabilitation where they have funded Ush. 148.13bn. the pledged funds for Standard Gauge Railway will first come next Financial Year 2018/2019 and not this financial year.

African Union (AU) funds to the UPDF Peace Keeping Mission in Somalia with total Ush. 256.66bn. United Kingdom pledged funds to the Road Infrastructure for Delivery of First Oil with Ush. 252.63bn.

The pledged funds for Kampala-Jinja Highway are first for FY 2018/2019, but no official donor or loaner of funds. Therefore the estimated funds come from thin air. What is also relevant is to see that the Funds from Austria and Denmark has been suspended for different development projects. Still, which I haven’t mentioned is the funds from African Development Bank, also GAVI and Global Funds still gives to health care development, even with the knowledge of the rampant corrupt behaviour in the Ministry of Health.

Therefore if the NRM are contemplating that they are themselves giving these sorts of projects to the people, I hope the donors are putting up boards or signs in the entrance or hallways, even start of the roads where it says what sort of amount of funds they spent on it. So that President Museveni or any other crony can take all the credit, because the credit and the footing the bill to somebody else! Peace.

CSBAG Statement: The Budget We Want 2017/18 (20.01.2017)