Tag: Government of Uganda
Press Release: USAID Partnership cuts Maternal Mortality in half in target facilities (19.10.2015)
MEXICO CITY – The U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) and its partners released a new report today showing an almost 50 percent reduction in maternal deaths in target facilities in Uganda and Zambia. Equally as unprecedented as the reductions in mortality, these results were achieved in just two and a half years.
The Saving Mothers, Giving Life Mid-Initiative report, released at the Global Maternal Newborn Health Conference in Mexico City, demonstrates the impact of a public-private partnership led by the U.S. government that includes the Ugandan and Zambian governments, Merck for Mothers, the Norwegian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, Every Mother Counts, and Project C.U.R.E.
The results of the report include dramatic progress in just the first half of the initiative:
Maternal mortality fell by 53 percent in target facilities in Zambia and by 45 percent in Uganda.
Zambia saw an 81 percent increase in the number of women receiving treatment to prevent the spread of HIV and AIDS to their infants.The number of women giving birth in a facility rose by 30 percent in Uganda and by 43 percent in Zambia. A 29% and 37% decline in perinatal mortality and stillbirths in Zambia, respectively.
Saving Mothers, Giving Life makes high-quality, safe childbirth services available and accessible to women and their newborns by focusing on labor, delivery and the first 48 hours of postpartum when most maternal deaths and half of newborn deaths occur. The initiative addresses the critical delays that cause maternal deaths: delays in seeking services, reaching services, and receiving quality services. Saving Mothers, Giving Life applies a district wide approach by linking communities to all facilities in target districts.
Due to the unprecedented success of this partnership, Saving Mothers, Giving Lives is expanding to 16 new districts in Zambia and Uganda and one state in Nigeria. The model can help achieve the global vision of ending preventable child and maternal deaths.
UN Human Rights Office of the High Commissioner – Alleged execessive use of Force and Degrading treatment by Uganda Police Force (20.10.2015)
Good-Deeds list of 2015: A Global report of the East African Countries
This here is to prove what I have found in this report. There would be more meat to the bone if it wasn’t just from one source. But is still worth looking at and from the perspective of the donors, also who the recipients are and the size of the monies. I will take the perspective and look at directly how this affect the East African Countries. Some of the numbers aren’t surprising to those who have followed it. More the amount and changes that has been. Essentially that so many of the countries have been in the top 20 of countries receiving Humanitarian Assistance. That should be a worrying sign of the leadership. The good news for the matter in this case is that Tanzania is nearly out of it all; Burundi stopped being in the top 20 after 2008, also that Uganda went out of the list since 2010. But take a look and see if you catch some wisdom!
Humanitarian assistance is this:
“Humanitarian action is designed to save lives, alleviate suffering and maintain
and protect human dignity during and in the aftermath of emergencies”
(…)
“4 Principles:
• “humanity – saving human lives and alleviating suffering wherever it is found
• impartiality – acting solely on the basis of need, without discrimination between or within affected populations
• neutrality – acting without favouring any side in an armed conflict
or other dispute
• independence – ensuring autonomy of humanitarian objectives from political, economic, military or other objectives” (GHA, P: 20).
UN-Coordinated Appeals:
“The UN-coordinated appeals represent the largest collective request for international humanitarian assistance” (…)”The UN-coordinated appeals are based on the needs assessed and responses planned by a group of UN agencies and NGOs in specific countries” (GHA, P: 22).
Where are the money coming from:
“The group of 20 largest government donors of international humanitarian assistance in 2014 was largely the same as in previous years, and the US continued to provide the largest sums. However, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates joined the ten largest and 20 largest donors respectively. Driven by the conflicts in the region, total contributions from Middle Eastern donors increased by 120% from 2013” (GHA, P: 29).
Government donors:
“Government donors gave a record amount of international humanitarian assistance in 2013, but in 2014 they gave even more – reaching a new high of US$18.7 billion. This was up by nearly a quarter (24%) from the US$15.1 billion given in 2013 and was the largest rise in volume in the past 15 years” (GHA, P: 30).
Largest recipients of international humanitarian assistance, 2013:
“Five of the ten largest recipients were in sub-Saharan Africa – Sudan, South Sudan, Somalia, Ethiopia and Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) – and these received a combined total of US$2.8 billion, 13% of international humanitarian response” (GHA. P: 52).
Country by County facts for the East African Countries:
This is the countries on the listed as the ones getting the most Humanitarian Assistance from 2004 – 2013. In that period the South Sudan country got 2% which is combined $2Bn. Uganda got also 2% which is combined $1,6Bn. Ethiopia got 6% which is combined $5,9Bn. Somalia got also 4% which is combined $4,7Bn. Democratic Republic of Congo got also 4% which is combined $4,6bn. Kenya got also 3% which is combined $3Bn (GHA, P: 53).
From the Top Country recipients from 2004 – 2013:
| Country/Year | 2004 | 2005 | 2006 | 2007 | 2008 | 2009 | 2010 | 2011 | 2012 | 2013 |
| Burundi | 10 – $176M | 14 – $182M | 14 – $162M | 18 – $177M | ||||||
| Democratic Republic of Congo | 9 – $331M | 6 – $472M | 3 – $451M | 6 – $573M | 6 – $623M | 7 – $501M | 12 – $449M | 8 – $472M | 10 – $449M | |
| Ethiopia | 4 – $481M | 5 – $709M | 9 -$383M | 7 – $334M | 2 – $924M | 3 – $747M | 4 – $685M | 5 – $693M | 6 – $488M | 8 – $457M |
| Kenya | 19 – $100M | 11 – $273M | 14 – $208M | 11 – $327M | 9 – $426M | 8 – $305M | 8 – $538M | 11 – $407M | 14 – $314M | |
| Tanzania | ||||||||||
| South Sudan | 10 – $495M | 1 – $875M | 4 – $664M | |||||||
| Somalia | 11 – $174M | 11 – $213M | 10 – $349M | 8 – $299M | 5 – $646M | 7 – $611M | 10 – $256M | 2 – $1,073M | 4 – $589M | 7 – $458M |
| Uganda | 9 – $183M | 13 – $197M | 12 – $249M | 12 – $248M | 13 – $257M | 16 – $167M |
(Source: Development Initiatives based on OECD, DAC, UN, OCHA FTS, UN CERF, IMF, WED and UN SCEB data).
– The first number is the actual place on the table because this is the ones that was a part of the 1-20.
– The amount of money is US Dollars in Millions.
Some information about the different Countries:
Democratic Republic of Congo:
6, 8 Million people affected including refugees (GHA, P: 12).
4, 7 Million people targeted in UN-Coordinated Appeals. (GHA, P: 13).
The percentage of the UN Appeals that was met in 2014 was totally 46% /GHA, P: 23).
The Country got in total $449M, which was the top ninth country in the world, of the pledges it got 71% and underfunded 29% this was in the year of 2013 (GHA, P: 51).
The things they have mentioned the forgotten crisis the Humanitarian assistance there has no more than 3 Incidents on the FCA index since 2004. This incidents are caused by the troubles of LRA (GHA, P: 64).
Ethiopia:
The Country got in total $449M, which was the top ten country in the world. This was in the year of 2012-2013 (GHA, P: 51).
Kenya:
“Periodic incidences of inter-communal violence combined with climatic shocks and food and livelihood insecurity have left many people vulnerable and in need of assistance in Kenya over recent years. In 2013 approximately 1.7 million people were estimated to be in need of humanitarian assistance, compared with over 4.4 million people in 2012” (GHA, P: 55).
The country received directly support from Saudi Arabia $ 43M in 2014, which is 6 % of the total allocations from the Arabic country (GHA, P: 35).
The things they have mentioned the forgotten crisis the Humanitarian assistance after result of the refugee crisis from Somalia, there has more than 1 Incident on the FCA index since 2004 (GHA, P: 64).
Tanzania:
The things they have mentioned the forgotten crisis the Humanitarian assistance there has no more than 1 Incident on the FCA index since 2004 (GHA, P: 64).
South Sudan:
“Insecurity and displacement has left millions of people in South Sudan vulnerable and in need of assistance. Approximately 4.4 million people were estimated to be in need of humanitarian assistance in 2013. This compares to the estimated 4.6 million people requiring assistance in the country in 2012″ (GHA, P: 55).
7, 8 Million people affected including refugees.
64% of the people in the country affected (GHA, P: 12).
4, 5 Million people targeted in UN-Coordinated Appeals.
40% of population targeted in UN-Coordinated Appeals (GHA, P: 13).
South Sudan Refugee Response Plans (RRP) UN-Coordinated Appeals in 2014 was 54 % met. The main South Sudan Appeal in 2014 was 90% met (GHA, P: 23).
The Country got in total $644M, which was the top third country in the world, of the pledges it got 72% and underfunded 28% this was in the year of 2013 (GHA, P: 50).
Somalia:
“Somalia has suffered over two decades of conflict, displacement, poor basic service provision and severe food insecurity. In 2013 around 3.2 million people were estimated to be in need of humanitarian assistance. This compares to 2012 when, at the beginning of the year, an estimated 3.8 million people were in need of humanitarian response” (GHA, P: 55).
19 % of population targeted in UN-Coordinated Appeals (GHA, P: 13).
The country received directly support from Saudi Arabia $ 1M in 2013, which is 0, 4% of the total allocations from the Arabic country (GHA, P: 35).
The Country got in total $458M, which was the top eight country in the world, of the pledges it got 51% and underfunded 49% this was in the year of 2012-2013 (GHA, P: 51).
The things they have mentioned the forgotten crisis the Humanitarian assistance there has no more than 2 Incidents on the FCA index since 2004 (GHA, P: 64).
Uganda:
The things they have mentioned the forgotten crisis the Humanitarian assistance after result of the war against the LRA, there has more than 3 Incidents on the FCA index since 2004 (GHA, P: 64).
The numbers here are set for certain amount of time and most for the biggest receivers and donors. So what other has gotten is not in the report. But knowing the areas and situation there been more money donated then I have seen here. This money and contexts are set for one set of people and their struggles.
The numbers will be different for 2015 because of the new progressions that has been in the countries. The results and share difference is not only with the more Internal Displaced People (IDPs), but also with refugees from their neighboring countries. This with the continuation of fighting internally in the South Sudan has led into people fleeing to Kenya and Uganda. We will hope that the new peace agreement will lead again to more stability in South Sudan. As there has been people fleeing from LRA in DRC as they still have ability to come down there from C.A.R. The Burundian sham election and third term for Pierre Nkurunziza will make more humanitarian assistance in Tanzania and Uganda. This will lead to more pledges in the next year, even if there might be cuts of direct Governmental donor funds directly to Burundi as reactions to the situation which is now in place. So because of this I am sure the numbers and statistics will be different.
Still, it’s still healthy to see what it was in this report. And what it really says about the countries. That you usually wouldn’t read in the paper. That’s why I picked this numbers and quotes in, so you get something inspiring and seeing how things are changing. All amounts of monies are in US Dollars. Just so you know! Peace.
Reference:
Global Humanitarian Assistance Report 2015
11th Northern Corridor Integration Projects Summit – Joint Communique (17.10.2015)
The quagmire of the FDC continues today as the Police want to show some flex again
There are times when the political party is in a calm and good state. That is not the FDC party of the Uganda. This is not because of the Forum for Democratic Change (FDC) choice they, but because of the government of Uganda and the Police is enforced to go after the party it seems.
Yesterday started with the Flag-Bearer and Chairman of the FDC Dr. Kizza Besigye being again under house arrest and all roads leading towards his house in Kasangati on the outside of Kampala.
Today after a night of House Arrest he got taken in by the Police and had some hours of detained in the Nagalama Police Station. After a few hours he was taken away from that Police station by yet some other Police enforcers. He was sent to Kiira Road Police Station.
While earlier this morning FDC Spokesman Hon. Ibrahim Nganda Ssemujju was also set in House Arrest, stopped his car while driving out and not being able to leave from his premises. This led to the Police stopping his kids from entering school and travelling there. They had also to stay in the home. As they took him out of his car they threw him to the ground as hard as that his suit got destroyed.
Later in the day the Police picked Hon. Ibrahim Nganda Ssemujju and taken into custody and arrest by the Police. And he ended at the same Kiira Road Police Station around the same time of Dr. Kizza Besigye.
Earlier in Jinja today where the planned events and rallies was supposed to be for the Party of the FDC. The Police didn’t appreciate the concern and demonstrations against the Police for arresting their leader. So the Police in Jinja actually started to shoot at the demonstrators. According to Comrade Augustine Ojobile there was ten injured in the skirmishes from the Police. Even a Journalist got shot at the Kakindu Stadium which is showing how much the Police care.
So when Nganda Ssemujju entered and came to Kiira Road Police Station and later ended up in the Nakawa Court. Dr. Kizza Besigye got moved again when they both been in the same Police Station. The People’s President was up into yet another Police vehicle and sent back to the Nagalama Police Station.
If you thought the Forum for Democratic Change had enough issues in the last 24 hours. Your wrong, Sir! The new offices of the party in the Kirekka were ransacked by the Police.
So the FDC is totally under attack and stopped for doing their work and purpose of being a political party. Their leaders are being put into Preventative Arrest. There are rumored that they are charged with the breaking the POMA or Public Order Management Act. The honorable Anti-Besigye Act!
This proves that the FDC is not for the moment an legal entity that is not allowed to mobilize in the Eastern or Western district. With the Uganda Police destroying last weekend’s rally in Rukungiri, the car convoy that was going there was stopped with metal trenches on the road. That also led to trucking the car of Dr. Kizza Besigye to Lyantonde. There we’re also many leaders of the FDC actually where in Police custody in the prison there, and also in Rukungiri. So that before the planned rallies in the Eastern Uganda. The FDC is already under siege, not only the home of the Flag-Bearer, but the organization and is really feared by the Police of Uganda. Like their Al-Shabab on steroids! Gen. Kale Kayihura needs a brain-check a cold ice drink and a brain-freeze, because right now his actions is wild as a screaming hyena and causing chaos instead of actually policing in the land. Congratulation for official looking like a baffon! Wokoloso is what you are Mr. Dear Sir Kale Kayihura!
FDC Ladies and Gentleman! Stay strong the Police fear you and your presence before the General and Presidential Election this coming 2016. The Ugandan Government and Police is on you as headless chickens using any excuse in the world to deliver pain instead of generating peace because of your ability to being a genuine political party with certain ethics and codes that the ruling party NRM lacks for the moment; As been seen by the NRM Primaries for Local Council elections and finding their candidates for the Election, which has been marred with fraud and rigging. When there are cracks in the inner party flow of the President and Mzee. While the FDC party can’t hold a rally without having a dozen of police trashing it and jailing delegates who are even elected into the Parliament. Something is wrong in that picture right?
Updated:
Peace.
What does the Amendments to the Public Finance Management Bill of 2015 intially mean “Government of Uganda not needing approval for short-term loans”
Today there are planned voting for the Public Finance Management (Amendment) Bill of 2015. This is confirmed through the Minister of Finance, Planning and Economic Development Hon. Matia Kasaija. I will first quote the bill itself then comment on the matter at hand.
“An Act to amend the Public Finance Management Act, 2015; to provide for the preparation of Budget Framework Papers by Sector; to repeal the provision on the requirement to represent a certificate certifying that the policy statements of the votes are gender and equity responsive; to provide for virement by a vote of not more then ten percent of the budget of the vote; to provide for further financing of supplementary estimates; and to provide for guarantees and advances by the Bank of Uganda” (P3, 2015, PFMA).
Amendment of Section 13:
“The Minister or another person responsible for the vote, as any case may be, shall base on the priorities identified in the Budget Framework Paper of the sector of the vote, cause to be prepared for the vote, a policy statement for the vote, for the proceeding financial year and shall submit the policy statement to the Parliament by the 15th of March” (P4, 2015, PFMA).
Amendment of Section 17:
“A vote that does not expend money that was appropriated to the vote for the financial year shall by the 31st July of the following financial year, repay the money to the Consolidated Fund, except where the Secretary to the Treasury authorized the vote to retain money” (P4, 2015, PFMA).
“The authority given by the Secretary to the Treasury under subsection (2) shall be valid up to 31st of October of the financial year” (P4, 2015, PFMA).
Amendment of Section 20:
“The functions of a vote may be transferred to another vote or a vote may be assigned additional functions” (P4, 2015, PFMA).
“Where the functions of a vote are transferred to another vote or where a vote is assigned additional functions, the functions of the vote shall be financed accordance with sections 25” (P4, 2015, PFMA).
Amendment of Section 25:
“(4a) Where the funds in the Contingencies Fund are not sufficient to finance the supplementary budget, the supplementary budget shall be financed by a reallocation of the funds of the annual budget” (P5, 2015, PFMA).
Amendment of Section 36:
“(5a) In addition to subsection (5), a loan raised by the Government as a temporary advance by the Bank of Uganda, which does not extend beyond a financial year shall not require to be approved by the Parliament” (P5, 2015, PFMA).
Amendment of Section 82:
“(1) The bank may with the approval of Parliament, make temporary advances to the Government and local governments in respect of temporary deficiencies of recurrent revenue” (P:6, 2015, PFMA).
“(1a) Notwithstanding subsection (1) the bank may take a temporary advance to the Government, without approval of the Parliament, where the advance does not extend beyond a financial year” (P:6, 2015, PFMA).
“(5) The bank shall not guarantee a payment to any person on behalf of Government or make any advance to any person on behalf on of Government without the prior approval of Parliament” (P:6, 2015, PFMA).
Afterthought:
It is reasonable that you have dates for the Budget Framework for the next financial year as they are switching dates in the new amendment. From the 15th of March until the set date of the 31st of July, also by the end of the year pay the money that was voted for into the Consolidated Fund with an exception that the Treasury Secretary has a vote to retain that money. The first changes to the law aren’t really scary or worrying it’s the parts that I come to now seems scary!
In Section 36 the government will have the ability to take up loans without having vote by the Parliament. The Government can henceforth take up advances without being questioned as long as it is set into a certain timeframe. When this continues into the Section 82 where the Government doesn’t need a stamp of approval from the Parliament to take Advances from the Bank of Uganda to secure funding where there is “deficiencies of recurrent revenue”, which means that if a sector of Government is lacking money. They can go directly to the bank and extract funding without having approval from the Parliament. This is to secure balance of funds and to stop the deficiencies in the Government. Still it’s a worrying that the Government can get this ability. (1a) under the same sections is giving the same kind of advance within a financial year without an approval of the Parliament. While the last Section (5) is telling the bank can’t guarantee a payment to any person without approval of the Parliament to a person which represent or are a part of the Government. So With this means that a person or affiliated to the Government can get an advance or loan from the Bank of Uganda without approval of the Parliament, but still not allowed to get a direct payment form the Bank of Uganda. You do get that right? Some of it is if there is a deficiency in the Government. Are there so often missing funds now that the Government has to act in this way, because the lack of funds is so big now that they don’t want approval of the Parliament to fix their own deficiencies? And does the Government fear that giving the information and stamp of validation from the Parliament will show the current loans and advances that the Government does for the moment or need?
The Government must be needing loans towards the election of 2016. That must be reason why the Amendment is happening now and the deficiency is happing now. Also why should it be so hard to get the approval and show the country what the advances and loans are going to during the Financial Year! This is just proving what state of affairs has turned in the country and why people should address it. That this kind of laws get into effect shows how little oversight the Government wants to show and secondly shows how the Government want to loan money without proving paperwork for where the money is going. Since its still short time loans that is to withstand a Financial Year still that this is not looking good, should be visible. The Public Financial Management Amendment of 2015 is surely made to make life easier for the Government and not have to question their actions through the Parliament when it comes to short-term loans and advances. Something is surely up. And we’ll see over time how fruitful this will be and I wouldn’t be surprised if the inflation starts to rise after this amendment to the law get into effect. Peace.























