MoFPED Matia Kasaija letter to All Development Partners: “Re: Clarification on the Decision of Cabinet of the Republic of Uganda Concerning the Reorganization of Government Institutions” (26.09.2018)

To All Stakeholders: UNRA remains committed to its mandate (15.09.2018)

Solicitor General letter to UNRA: Sector Support Project v RSSVP Lot 1 – Civil Works for Upgrading of Rukungiri Kihihi-Ishasha / Kanungu Road (78,5km) to Bituminous Standard (14.09.2018)

Opinion: If the Cabinet scraps NMS and UNRA, what about the weird expenditures at the Presidential Affairs?

As the giant Cabinet of the Republic are planning to scrap Uganda National Roads Authority (UNRA) and National Medical Stores (NMS), that these are going back into their ministries. Because of how these two organizations has supposed wasted government funds and spending. The National Resistance Movement (NRM) knows the ordeal and the reasons for that, but they are instead scrapping the organizations, to keep the deals in-house and not as sole organization doing the operations as expert organizations for the government. That is why this will go back to Ministry of Works and Transport for UNRA and Ministry of Health for NMS. I have one more vital idea for the Cabinet members, but don’t expect them to so.

Today’s news:

“The Cabinet has taken a decision to scrap Uganda National Roads Authority (UNRA) and National Medical Stores and transfer their mandate to the mother ministries to reduce wastage of resources. According to a source, the decision was taken in two meetings with the first held on August 20 and the last one on Monday last week. The source said President Museveni was unhappy with the UNRA performance, especially in the rural areas where roads are impassable yet it is where majority of votes for his NRM party are” (Andrew Bagala – ‘UNRA to be scrapped in merger of government agencies’ 03.09.2018 link: http://www.monitor.co.ug/News/National/UNRA-to-be-scrapped-merger-government-agencies/688334-4740804-qvrsbnz/index.html?utm_medium=social&utm_source=twitter_DailyMonitor).

As these ideas are noble, but we know the reasons in itself. More direct control and cannot use the organizations as faults for the corrupt, graft and embezzlement anymore. The Cabinet are thinking this will stop this, but they are just making sure the deals and agreements made with tenders and buying, will be happening in-house and not by experts in the same regard as today. That is the real reaction to what is happening with this.

My advise would be find ways to merger and move responsibility from the Office of the President, State House and Office of the Prime Minister. As these could be moved to their representative ministries, as the Youth Livelihood Programme should end elsewhere. The budgets for the Residential District Commissioners are put under the President, this should be put Minister of Local Government and not under the President.

Like what does the budget of Internal Security Organization and External Security Organization lay under neath Office of the President, as this should be under the Ministry of Internal Affairs or Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

As well as all the development expenditure that is parts of the Office of the President and Office of the Prime Minister. Both of these should have been put under fitting expertise of certain ministries, as the Ministry of Agriculture, Ministry of Education and Sports, Ministry of Works and Transport and so on. As well, as the ones fitting Ministry of Internal Affairs and Ministry of Internal Affairs. All these ministries could have connected these projects under the State House, Office of the President and Office of the Prime Minister.

Like what does the Uganda AIDS Commission does under the Office of the President, shouldn’t this be under the Ministry of Health? Why does the Office of the Prime Minister have the Disaster Preparedness and not the Ministry of Internal Affairs or the Ministry of Local Government?

This is just what I wonder about, because, if the Cabinet is serious about scrapping UNRA and NMS, why are not the government looking into the weird expenditures at the Office of the Prime Minister, State House or even the Office of the President?

They should really ask and wonder. If they are not doing this as a political stunt, as we know how corrupt these enterprises are, but will it make a difference to cut out the middle-man? Peace.

Uganda: MoH Press release on the death at Naguru Hospital due to Crimean-Congo Haemorrhagic Fever (24.08.2018)

Opinion: Hon. Kipoi is in a land of trouble, but is the charges justified?

Today Tony Kipoi, the former Member of Parliament in the 9^th Parliament in the constituency of Bubulo West. In 2014 he had issues that he had no excuse for not taking part of 15 sittings in the row. Therefore, the Parliament threw him out and had a By-Election to chase him out of his seat. Well, just a year into his term (2012) as MP he was arrested for his connection with rebels in the Democratic Republic of Congo, however, that didn’t stop him from serving a few more years, before he was kicked out. Therefore, in retrospect, the issue wasn’t really there, but somehow it became one.

Other than this, there are a Press Release from 24^th December 2012, where the Police Force states this: “Yesterday, Sunday, 23 December 2012, the Police with its sister security agencies, arrested Hon. Kipoi Tony Nsubuga of Bubulo East constituency at 10:30 in Matimuku Guest House, Njala Village, Fort Portal, Kabarole district, while he was holding a meeting with some Ugandan security officers and Congolese rebel officers. The Ugandan Officers and Congolese rebels were also arrested. For, some time, now, the Police with its sister security agencies have been closely monitoring subversive activities of Hon. Kipoi Tony in and out of the country. In particular, he has been recruiting personnel from our security services as well as Congolese rebels belong to a Congolese rebel group called COGAI, based in areas around Bunia, Ituri, Democratic Republic of Congo. He had promised to support the rebel groups with fire arms.We also have information, that Hon. Kipoi Tonny has foreign sponsors who at this point it would not be wise to disclose” (Ugadna Police Force, 24.12.2012).

In April 2014, President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni expressed this about Kipoti:

“You elected a mad man Kipoi and when he got there, he wanted to overthrow the NRM government with guns. We threw him in. But because of the courts which are confused, they released him on bond and he fled to Congo. You have been here for long without any representation” (State House, 14.04.2014). T

What is striking with this, if this fellow Member of Parliament was already monitored and already had an issue with the and had to be arrested one year after becoming MP. Why wouldn’t the Electoral Commission disqualify him and his candidacy in Bubulo West? Since he was already known for his foreign support of the COGAI in Ituri, Democratic Republic of Congo?

The strangest thing, is that there is no direct connection with COGAI or FPRI. Which the state tries to put forward, and when it comes to making such accusation the state has usually delivered easily against detractors. Therefore, I had to look into possible sources and finds very little proof behind the accusation and the actual connection. Other than police in 2012, but nothing else connecting Tony to any warlord in the DRC.

The pure evidence of a Ugandan connection to FPRI or COGAI is this one from the UN Security Council in 2012: “FRPI also sells gold directly to Ugandan armed forces officers posted along the Congolese border. A regular client, cited by Congolese armed forces, militia members and a Lendu community leader, is a former Ugandan armed forces officer, Alex Mugisha. In exchange for gold, he has delivered arms and munitions to FRPI at the Semliki border crossing” (UNSC, P: 25, 15.12.2012).

With this evidence, there are clear indication that the group of rebels connected to Kipoi has traded their conflict minerals or gold with Ugandan counterparts. Therefore, to have middlemen in Uganda seems natural at this point. That is why the Presidents family is involved in this business as well.

But going back in time, the Observer had an article in 2^nd November 2014 written by Sadab Kiatta Kaaya which stated: “In November last year, he was arrested by the DRC authorities but was later accorded a guest-of-the-state status, accommodated and protected by the DRC government. “You know he is a crafty man. I think when he got arrested, he told them that he has a rebel group and given the problems we have with them [DRC], they felt he would be of value to their interests,” Ambassador Kinobe said, when asked about Kipoi’s whereabouts” (The Observer – ‘DR Congo refuses to hand over ex-MP Kipoi’ 02.11.2014).

So after the troubles with law, even as a lawmaker and MP. He still had issues, which followed him from 2012 and also with the refusal to show-up in the Parliament. Tony has been one whose been in the spotlight of the President and the NRM. He has been one of many who has been alleged connected with militias and charged with treason. Kipoi isn’t the first one. He won’t be the last. What I wonder is who is connected to Alex Mugisha and does the business with the Congolese Rebels from Ituri. That would answer a lot of open questions.

It is hard to believe the information directly from the state, especially considering how they are not transparent about their looting of Congolese gold to through the Ugandan businesses. These are kept low-key and used to earn vast fortunes on others misfortunes. While supporting militias and insurgency inside the DRC. That is not news, but a fact that has been stated through international investigations and through the system of the United Nations Experts.

I’m just also wondering why Museveni turned on Kipoi and as he made him MP before taking him down. Now he is supposed detained and jailed in Uganda after a being in exile in Botswana. Why is suddenly back in the spotlight and getting into issues. What did he really do, pee on the lawn outside of the State House? Did he offend the buttocks of the Janet Museveni? What did he really do?

Would be nice to get some proper representation of the possible crimes he did, if he did any, since the evidence and the investigations of UPF isn’t representative and the criminal investigations can be turned in favor of the will of the President.

Why I can also question the government, is because the National Equality and Democracy, a liberation party from the diaspora wrote this on the 3^rd December 2016: “The red notice meant that the Bubulo county West parliamentary representative Hon Kipoi Tonny Nsubuga would be arrested if found in any of the Interpol member countries. Interpol found that the organisation was being used wrongfully by the regime to pursue its political opponents. The winning of this case is historically a wakeup call and is a sign of injustice that all Ugandans are going through. Innocent Ugandans have been victims of circumstances for years under Museveni Rule. Since 2012 kipoi’s legal team has been battling political cases with Uganda government for an equal society. He emphasized much on Mr [ Museveni ] to do whatever he could in order to assist in restoring democracy, and stop unnecessary constitutional meddling which has lead to political instability in the country. The regime after falling out with him over political differences, he was accused of trying to overthrow the government, Kipoi left to exile in neighbouring DRC. The government continued to pursue him and even sued him under CRB No 1034/2013and secured a red notice 2014/11357 in Lyon France” (NED, 03.12.2016).

So we have the right to question the state, as the facts will not come from this regime, they will play it in their favor, just like they have done with other dissidents. Kipoi is just one of many in line of fire. Museveni isn’t graceful when coming to opponents. Peace.

Uganda: Letter – “Re: Heightened Index of Suspicion for Crimean-Congo Hemorrhagic Fever (CCHF) in Your District” (21.08.2017)

MPS for Presidential Affairs FY 2017/18 proving massive spending on Mzee!

The Ministerial Policy Statement on the Presidential Affairs for the Financial Year of 2017/2018. These are clear of the priorities in the Republic. The Republic are putting as much funds into the State House, which is Ushs. 245 bn and under the Office of Prime Minister in the Development Expenditure Ushs. 245 bn. So there are certain aspects of government priority that isn’t healthy, as both the Office of the President and the State House get Ush. 300 bn in total. But take look at the beautiful priorities of the National Resistance Movement!

Office of the President:

“In the FY 2017/18, the total proposed allocation to Office of the President is Ushs 54.268 bn, reflecting a 2.8% increment against the FY 2016/17 approved budget” (GoU, P: 3,2017).

“The Committee noted that four (4) districts of Kagadi, Kakumiro, Omoro and Rubanda came in place in FY 2016/2017. In the FY 2017/2018, Namisindwa, Pakwach, Butebo, Rukiga, Kyotera and Bunyangabo will come into operation. The Committee however noted that additional cost implication of Ushs. 2.63 bn to facilitate 10 RDCs is not within the MTEF ceiling of Office of the President in FY 2017/18. The Committee further observed that facilitation for RDCs to conduct effective monitoring of Government programs is underfunded to the tune of Ushs. 3.0 bn” (GoU, P: 4, 2017)

Internal Security Organization:

“The Committee expressed concern without substantial facilitation to Internal Security Organisation, terrorists can successfully accomplish their interests of terrorism and insurgency activities and other forms of organized crimes including politically motivated ones without detection. This has in most cases resulted substantial spending in managing such acts” (GoU, P: 9, 2017).

State House:

“In the FY 2017/18, the total proposed allocation to Vote 002 is Ushs 245.567 bn, reflecting a 4.6% reduction against the FY 2016/17 approved budget” (GoU, P: 12, 2017).

External Security Organization:

“In the FY 2017/18, the total proposed allocation to Vote 159 is Ushs 31.343 bn, reflecting an increment of 16.4°10 against the FY 2016/17 approved budget largely on account of a 10 % budget cut on consumptive items” (GoU, P: 18, 2017).

Office of the Prime Minister:

“The Committee noted that the policy on refugees in Uganda is lacking. The Committee was informed that Office of the Prime Minister is in the process of conducting consultations with stakeholders to validate the Draft Refugee Policy. The Committee observes that in absence of the refugee policy, citizens are not aware of the right places and right engagement for refuges. The Committee undertook on-spot assessment of communities hosting refugees in Adjumani, Yumbe and Kiryandongo Districts and noted that in some instances, refugees have too much freedom and are more privileged at the expense of nationals” (GoU, P: 29, 2017).

“10.3.5 Lack of sustainable interventions for Disaster Preparedness

The Committee notes that Office of the Prime Minister has not made any efforts in putting in place sustainable interventions for Disaster Preparedness. In its oversight role, the Committee undertook a field visit to Nakasongola District, which is among the drought prone areas in the Country. The Committee was informed that during peak drought season, about 30 heads of cattle died per day and that the drought season occurs year in year out. The most painful thing to note is that Nakasongola District is surrounded by Lake Kyoga” (GoU, P: 29, 2017).

“11.1 VOTE 001 – OFFICE OF THE PRESIDENT

Budget Item UShs. (Bn)

(i) Recurrent Expenditure 118,929,091,000

(ii) Development Expenditure 5,216,904,000” (GoU, P: 32, 2017).

“11.3 VOTE 003 – OFFICE OF THE PRIME MINISTER

Budget Item (i) Recurrent Expenditure Ushs. 64,786,412,000 bn.

(ii) Development Expenditure Ushs. 245,404,928,000 bn” (GoU, P: 32, 2017)

There are proof of enough lacking resources, lacking policies, even coming from the Office of the Prime Minister, that is the Ministry under Prime Minister Dr. Ruhakana Rugunda, the trusted appointee that was sought to fill the shoes of Amama Mbabazi. Therefore, the government are clearly not planning or having funds to keep the refugees in Uganda. There assistance is coming from donors, the Multi-National Organization and Non-Governmental Organization who apply needed help to the fleeing refugees in Northern Uganda.

We can also see the similar use of Development expenditure under the Office of the Prime Minister and the State House, which is Ushs. 245 bn. This is proving the misuse of funds on the State House, as the development expenditure should be more important than expensive water and all other projects under the State House. As well, as keeping the upkeep of the President. Even as under the Office of the President are alone getting Ushs. 118 bn. Therefore, the whole Presidential Affairs are really not a cheap ride for the Financial Year of 2017/2018.

The are really lot of spending on the President and Prime Minister’s portfolios, but still missing key policies to implement the spending. That is maybe why the State House needed supplementary budget before even getting the vote of the Ministerial Statement. If that isn’t bad planning or even misuse of State Reserves, than who knows! Peace.

Reference:

Government of Uganda (GoU)- ‘SUMMARY REPORT OF THE COMMITTEE ON PRESIDENTIAL AFFAIRS ON THE MINISTERIAL POLICY STATEMENTS FOR FY 2017/18’ (May 2017)

Parliament report on Nalufenya didn’t say much, but what it did say was important!

The 10^th Parliament went on a visit to the Nalufenya detention facility on the 19^th May 2017, that the Security Agencies in charge of the facility has made this sort environment and this allegations of torture there. Doesn’t come from the wind, but from the certain leaked photos and leaked information from former detainees at the facility. That is certainly the reason for the fear of ending in the dungeons of Nalufenya, as the report is clearly saying more than enough. Also, that the Police together with other security agencies worked to clean up the place and make sure the most hurt detainees was moved. If not the committee would have seen the real-deal. The manufactured story they tried to make, as the sudden massive move of detainees proves the state tries to cover-up their misgivings. Certainly, there are more untold, than told, but the indications are strong enough at this given time.

“Nalufenya Detention Facility is a gazetted police station that has been in existence since independence and was initially gazetted for the population of Jinja because of high crime rates in the district” (…) “Nalufenya operates as a special police facility dedicated to handling “handling profile cases” where suspects are brought from any part of the country for investigation and interrogation” (…) “The Committee was informed by the officers (SSP Henry Mugumya) that the police in carrying out the “special operations” works jointly with other sister security agencies such as Internal Security Organization (ISO), External Security Organization (ESO), Chief of Military Intelligence (CMI) among others” (Parliament, P: 6, 2017).

“From the inspections of the look of the lock up book/ register, the Committee found that within the course of one week, many detainees were transferred to Luzira Maximum Security Prison and other detention facilities. The Committee therefore, could not establish whether there had been overcrowding or not or whether those transferred had been tortured at the facility” (Parliament, P: 11, 2017).

“The Committee observed that detainees at Nalufenya detention facility are held incommunicado. All inmates noted that since their detention, their families are not aware of their whereabouts. They were therefore concerned of the psychological torture of their families” (Parliament, P: 13, 2017).

“The Committee is gravely concerned by the lack of coordination in the security agencies in executing arrests of suspects. It is apparent that owing to lack of coordination, the Police cannot always account for the cases of torture” (Parliament, P: 14, 2017).

“The detainees seem to live under fear and there is a general fear of disclosure of information to any person. Hence, even when the detainees would want to disclose information, they are constrained” (Parliament, P: 14, 2017).

That the level of fear inside the facility, that the state and their security agencies are really using all methods to pour the power over the detainees. As they are locked away from the world and their families left in the dark. That the usual openness of this report is rare, even as the covering-up and clearing the shop before the Members of Parliament came for visit. Is clear by the Lock-Up book and other initial part of the report. Since the leaked pictures and intelligence from the Nalufenya detention facility, therefore hard to believe that there isn’t anything illegal or torture happening at the place. The Committee of the Parliament couldn’t prove, because the clear moving of detainees and the other factors was shuffled away for the visit. Also, the proof that the Police cannot account for the cases of torture, since it might be other security agencies behind the violence on inmates, might show there are not only possible, but more likely for it there.

So with the little said in the Parliament report, it says enough to know there are implications and problems underneath the surface that the State and their security agencies was covering up, as the level of fear, the level of unaccounted affairs from other agencies and also the sudden move of detainees, are as proof of it as it need to be. There been lot of work and preparation by the Police Force before the Members of Parliament showed-up, to make sure that they couldn’t verify or indicate the leaked information was real. Peace.

Reference:

Parliament of Uganda – ‘Report of the Human Rights Committee on the Alleged Cases of Torture at Nalufenya Detention Facility in Jinja District’ (May 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.