Government and donors enable WFP to assist 1.2 million refugees and build local economies in Uganda (31.01.2020)

KAMPALA – The United Nations World Food Programme (WFP) commends the Government of Uganda and all its donors for helping it to contribute to the basic food needs of 1.2 million refugees and their host communities across the country in 2019.

Donors and the Government of Uganda supported WFP to meet the basic dietary needs of refugees through monthly food or cash transfers. In addition, donors funded the treatment and prevention of malnutrition among refugees and Ugandans living around refugee settlements.

WFP was also able to support smallholder farmers to improve their yields and incomes while reducing food losses.

“The partnership between government, donors and WFP is vital to fight hunger and malnutrition in Uganda,” said El-Khidir Daloum, WFP Country Director. “The ability of donors to swiftly provide funding and entrust us to deliver assistance to those seeking refuge —often women and children fleeing unimaginable hardships—needs our heartfelt recognition.”

In 2019, WFP’s refugee operation received contributions from Uganda, Canada, the European Commission, Ireland, Japan, Sweden, the Republic of Korea, the Russian Federation, the United Kingdom, the UN Central Emergency Response Fund and the United States of America.

Donors enabled WFP to help boost economies within Uganda by purchasing food locally. In addition, WFP strengthened its food and cash distribution procedures, including using biometrics to confirm identities in order to improve the accountability and integrity of the refugee response.

The government and donors helped WFP to expand cash-based transfers, reaching 35 percent of all refugees assisted. Cash allows refugees to choose what food they buy and stimulates economic growth in and around settlements. Cash also boosts government efforts to enhance financial inclusion.

Through cash-based transfers, WFP injected US$35 million into refugee settlements in 2019.

At the end of 2019, Uganda hosted 1.38 million refugees— the highest number of refugees in Africa. More than 67,300 refugees arrived from the Democratic Republic of Congo and South Sudan between July and December. Women and people under the age of 18 make up 83 percent of refugees.

They typically arrive in Uganda with little to no assets, leaving them heavily dependent on assistance. A WFP and government study in 2017 found that even while the government gives land and the UN and other organizations provide additional assistance, refugees remain vulnerable for years.

By meeting their basic food and nutrition needs, WFP and its partners enable refugees to begin a journey toward self-reliance and resilience in line with Uganda’s refugee policy.

Donors to WFP’s relief and development work in Uganda to support refugees and host communities in 2019 were: Canada (US$562,000), the European Commission’s Humanitarian Aid and Civil Protection Department (US$16 million), Ireland (US$2.3 million), Japan (US$2 million), the Republic of Korea (US$7 million of oil and rice), Russia (US$1.5 million), Sweden (US$1.7 million), Uganda (US$2.7 million of rice), the United Kingdom (US$56 million), the UN Central Emergency Response Fund (US$3.5 million) and the United States of America (US$110.6 million).

Contributions also came from multilateral (US$2 million) and private donors (US$306,400).

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The United Nations World Food Programme is the world’s largest humanitarian organization, saving lives in emergencies, building prosperity and supporting a sustainable future for people recovering from conflict, disasters and the impact of climate change.

Opinion: Museveni ask his new ministers to desist from himself…

“I call upon all ministers and public servants to desist from engaging in any form of corruption. Corruption by any government officials is a great betrayal to Ugandans who are desperately yearning for service delivery. I implore the general public to embrace this fight and report the crooked officials with evidence, as opposed to rumours and we will take action” (Yoweri Kaguta Museveni, 13.01.2020).

President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni, the President since 1986, whose now richer than God, but came into power with little or nothing. Therefore, he knows what he did to get there. He knows the implicated scandals, the grand corruption and often noticed missing funds in the headlines in the Republic.

That is why these sorts of desisting from corruption Telling the Ministers and the Public from stopping it. Meaning it should stop and get all evidence on plenty of high ranking officials in this government. Get the evidence of state owned enterprises and authorities. There are plenty of officials who would easily be implicated and connected with government tenders and whatnot.

There is enough ghosts, over-inflated state contracts and some-what. Therefore, days like today. Feels futile. The state has created a lot of mechanisms, a lot of organizations fighting corruption. Still, the big-men, the men sanctioned by the State House and the secretive investment deals are overshadowing the supposed battle against corruption.

When there is lack of transparency from the top. There will be less from the bottom too. There is no reason for changes, when everyone is eating and the ones with influence of the State House. They got an ability to get kickbacks, suits, graft and so-on. This is not news, but a reality.

The NRA historicals can steal land, take property and easily, therefore have other perks too. The NRM knows this and let them go. If your big enough and has the blessing, you can eat UNRA funds, eat NSSF funds and GAVI Funds with no costs or damages. You get to build a mansion and own business, on stolen funds.

That is why statements like today is worthless. Not believable. He has the Public Procurement And Disposal of Public Assets Authority (PPDA), Financial Intelligence Authority (FIA), State House Anti-Corruption Unit, Inspectorate of Government (IGG) and Auditor General (AG). Nevertheless, the big-fish is not getting caught. You have the Police Force and the Judiciary too. Still, all of these cooks cannot make a decent meal. Its a bland mix of watery soup, not even a good broth.

That is why President Museveni. We have to see you fight yourself. Not walk, not talk, but battle your own shadow and that’s not happening. Because, your not a cartoon character, but a self-styled President for Life. Peace.

Opinion: Parasites and lies, a walk against himself…

“I have never stolen anything from anybody. And I am also not a poor man” – Yoweri Kaguta Museveni at the Walk Against Corruption on the 4^th December 2019

Today, was the official walk against Corruption in Kampala, as the President, the Anti-Corruption Unit at the State House and all other governing parties involved muster up a decent crowd of paid participants, staff and whatnot, security guards and whoever they could find. To walk a distance in the midst of Kampala.

At one point, the guards and security told pieces of the march to slow down, because it couldn’t walk faster than the President. Even as he went to Kololo, he still went at a rate, that was to slow too many. This walk will not change anything. It is a PR Stunt, which will not gain anything fruitful. It is more public wastage in order of looking sincere, which it is not and will never, be.

“It is a moral problem because you make yourself a parasite. Corrupt people are parasites because they get wealth which they did not earn, because they think that God does not see the bad things they do. In the last 60 years, I have been watching and I have not seen these corrupt people being successful sustainably” – Yoweri Kaguta Museveni at the Walk Against Corruption on the 4th December 2019

With this in mind, the President is truthfully telling the world that his rich. His vastly rich, Ritchie Rich, rich actually. However, the President doesn’t tell how he got there. It was not like he had wealth and assets going into the role of the Presidency. Not like he had estates, businesses and ranches going in. No, he was an impoverished former Minister, who had gotten grants by mercy of Nyerere and who was hired by Obote II. That is who he was until 1986. Therefore, his wealth has come with power and with incentives given to him over time, also boosting his accounts and also his cronies.

Secondly, if it is a moral problem, then its engraved into this administration. If corrupt people are insects and parasites, there is surely a lot of them in his cabinet, in his offices and around his closest associates. Himself is a parasite then. Because, he haven’t gained wealth on innovation, marketing or basic business models, but by being in-office and getting bargain by kickbacks and inside deals.

Last, but not last. We can say you Mr. President has been successful, gaining more and more power, more and more money and depleting the state, little by little. To a point, where nothing isn’t up for grabs, where secret deals inside the State House decides, if they are staying or going. The Presidential Handshakes and whatnot is the ones crediting to you. That is why walking today is obnoxious and outrageous. Only naïve and dumbfounded people believes this PR Stunt.

The man cannot fight himself. He will not tarnish his own creation and destroy what he keeps him there. Therefore, this is charade, packed as a rally and a march against something. But in the end, it will only further show the rot, the plight and the suffering the actions made by this cause. Peace.

Follow the Code: A secret walk against corruption

“On 4th December, 2019, H.E the President of the Republic of Uganda will lead the walk code named Anti- corruption walk. The walk is aimed at intensifying the fight against corruption. The walk will start from Constitutional Square to Kololo and a number of people are expected to participate in this walk” (Uganda Police Force – ‘TRAFFIC MANAGEMENT PLAN FOR ANTI-CORRUPTION WALK ON 4/12/2019’ 03.12.2019).

Merriam Webster states that a code name means: “a designation having a coded and usually secret meaning” (“Code name.” The Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster Inc., https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/code%20name). With this in mind, I never believed that His Excellency or the President is serious about this.

This is the President whose have had issues with demonstrations, protests and rebellion. Therefore, his not the man whose walking against anything. He was a rebel at one point, but that was for his own cause. That is why his stayed in power since 1986 and never left.

With that in mind, the man whose known for having someone close to his office or cabinet connected in some corruption every single year. It is seemingly happening, there are like those proverbs in the papers saying: “Missing Funds”, “Unaccounted Donor Grants”, “Fake Corporations/Products”, “Ghost Employees” and so-on. Even knowledge of kickbacks, secret agreements between the President and Foreign Investors. That is just happens on the regular.

That’s why the President has created dozens of agencies supposed to have the ability to monitor the state organizations, businesses and tenders. This being the Inspector General of Government (IGG), Office of the Auditor General (OAG), Public Procurement and Disposal of Public Assets Authority(PPDA), Anti-Corruption Unit – State House or even the Financial Intelligence Agency (FIA). All of these are supposed to combat the ill called corruption. Still, these are not able to do so, neither are the Judiciary nor the Law Enforcement they are working in tandem with.

That is why the walk is even more ridiculous, as if it’s not the man whose the V.I.P or the Fountain of Honour, whose often involved or accepts the corruption. That being some road-scandal, illegal tender nor the Presidential Handshake. Neither some procurement for some government agency played around with to ensure someone got greased.

So, this walk against corruption. The man whose behind the grand-corruption and his party is usually connected directly in these operations. That is why tomorrows walk is walking against itself. This is like the man who makes everyone sick, suddenly will drop the cure. The man who drops bombs over a nation, suddenly calls and walks for peace. It doesn’t work. That isn’t real!

Unless, the old man with the hat starts to shadow boxing himself, knock himself out and suddenly understand that his the problem. Not that it will happen. This is a PR stunt and nothing else. The NRM MPs, the ones who wants to show loyalty will show up. But everyone knows the state who does this on the regular. Will not stop doing it. That is why Total had secret talks in the State House with the President just this week.

We cannot expect anyone than the small-fry gets charged and taken into custody. The ones who are the big-fish will not touched, unless they have fallen out with Jajja. Peace.

Opinion: Did the Anti-Corruption Unit at the State House overtake the IGG?

Irene Mulyagonja, the fourth Inspector General of General (IGG), who was appointed to this position in 2012. Are now six years later appointed to Courts of Appeals as a judge. A position she used to have since 2008, when she appointed as a High Court judge back-then. Therefore, she’s returning to her field of work after 7 years in “absence”.

What is clear is that the IGG has lost the mantle, haven’t been as focused or had the pivotal role as it could have had. However, that is not her fault. The state has established a new Anti-Corruption Unit in the State House. The IGG, had already competition with the Financial Intelligence Authority (FIA), the Public Procurement and Disposal of Public Assets Authority (PPDA) and the Uganda Investment Authority (UIA). Combined with the Office of the Attorney General (OAG), the Judiciary and the law-enforcement in general. Therefore, in the field of anti-corruption, there is a bit many chefs to compete with.

So, as an IGG she’s become more of a ghost. But that is because, well, the state has funded and created the State House initiative, which have put the others on the back-burner. Not like they have any prominence or reckoning of late. I cannot even remember a substantial report from either of the authorities in ages. That revealed something substantial or even investigated state owned enterprises nor the government tenders. Its been so little or nothing.

With this in mind, maybe it was a gift from the President to appoint her to the Courts of Appeals. So, she can use her skills, her experience and her knowledge to good use. Since it was wasted at the IGG.

We can hope this is greener pastures, maybe even a relief. Since, the hopelessness and the diverted fight against corruption must be boring. When the ones and cases are directed to the State House and not to the other authorities. Even if their mandate, their mission and their government position is more bearing in law and in print, than the one suddenly created last year.

Well, good luck at a new venture Irene Mulyagonja. We have to see who will be the fifth IGG and who will be the ghost in the machine. Because the role of the IGG has diminished with time. We can just wonder, why they bother even having it at this point and time? Peace.

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Uganda: Anti-Corruption Unit – Request for Your Intervention in the Delayed Confirmation of Officers in Acting Capacity and Irregular Recruitment of Inspectorate Officers into the Inspectorate of Government (20.03.2019)

Uganda: Announcement of the National Dialogue on Compulsory Land Acquistion (20.03.2019)

Opinion: The Ghosts Continue to Haunt the YLP!

The Youth Livelihood Programme (YLP) by every minute going, seems like a forged project and fake government projects. In ways to secure funding for other things for other Public Officials, why do I say that? Because the YLP have been given a red-flag before. The YLP should be known for its ghosts and its forged documents.

The ones running it should be questioned, as the YLP is under the Office of the Prime Minister. Therefore, the known OPM who has misused funds, which is not breaking news, but more of the same. While it was revealed there was ghosts in the YLP. This has been known for a while. The was a similar report made in 2017, as it was in 2019. That is why I will show them. To prove the similarities and lack of change.

Just take a look.

Article from 2017:

“A recent government investigation has unearthed gross corruption, ghost groups, illegal fees charged for application forms and poor monitoring of the programme countrywide. The same evil has crept into the newly established Women Livelihood Programme started in 2015. The new findings back up the 2016 auditor general’s report, which found the Youth Livelihood Programme did not have a proper accounting framework. The report also found that recovery of funds was so low and some beneficiaries had vanished in at least 35 districts, including Masaka, Rakai, Wakiso, Kalangala and Kalungu. According to the ministry of Gender, Labour and Social Development, at least Shs 84.55 billion has so far been disbursed in loans to over 144,235 individuals affiliated to 11,503 youth groups countrywide, but only Shs 6.7 billion had been recovered by the end of January 2017” (Arua District Local Government – ‘PROBE FINDS ROT IN YOUTH LIVELIHOOD PROGRAMME’ 22.07.2017).

URN reported on the 4^th January 2019: “Among the queries raised by the auditor general John Muwanga in the reports, is the existence ghost beneficiaries under the Youth Livelihood Programme (YLP) – noting that about 527 million of the fund money is non-traceable. The money was allegedly spent on ghost groups in 30 districts randomly sampled during the audit period” (URN – ‘MPs grill Bigirimana over youth fund ghost beneficiaries’ 04.01.2019).

Before, I settle down on the matter, there was also a communique from the National Resistance Movement Youth League letter of the 14^th October 2016, when the Minister of State for Youth and Children Affair Hon. Nakiwala Kyingi, that all Youth Chairman should be connected with Local Technocrats, where they decide that NRM-YL had to use the YLP system to get funds. This was decided in 2016. Therefore, since then, the NRM-YL and others have to make YLP Projects to get funding and loans.

As we knows that, at the same time-frame of the Auditor General report claims funds gone mission in various of districts, also ghost projects and others. Proving this is deliberate actions done by people, who are eating of the YLP. They are using this designated funds to secure wealth or spend on whatever, without any proof.

This is clearly evident of corrupt behaviour and misuse of government funds. That is not new in the Republic either. The YLP is following a long line of short-cons in the government. In 2017, there was talk of vanishing funds in 30 districts, in 2019, there is talk of 35 districts. Certainly, this is managed and mismanaged deliberatly by the Public Officials. Peace.