THE CONCEPT OF "CITIZENS" AS COMPARED TO "SUBJECTS" IS AFRICA'S GREATEST GOVERNANCE CHALLENGE

OPINION: The Invasion Of The African Woman President

 
By Arinaitwe Rugyendo

Assessing Dr. Ramphele’s Eye on the SA Presidency

Yesterday, I woke up to not so surprising but quite telling news.

The renowned South African anti-apartheid activist and Co-Founder of the Black Consciousness Movement, Dr. Mamphela Ramphele, had declared her intentions to jump into South Africa’s elective politics.

Under her newly formed political platform; ‘Agang,’ which is Setswana for ‘Let’s build,’ she’s plotting to metamorphose it into a political party. That means that should she succeed, she will definitely run for a possible future South African Presidency in 2014. And what is telling about this is that she will have become the first black woman in South African to run for presidency since the country returned to democratic rule in 1994. To this, I shall return.

Dr. Mamphela_Ramphele

To me, this piece of news wasn’t that surprising at all. I encountered this great woman during a Leadership training at Mont Fluer- Western Cape around April 2012. She had been invited to facilitate a discussion on a topic; ‘Africa in a Competitive and Changing World.’ Mont Fluer, the venue for the famous Mont Fleur Scenarios, had been the place of choice for the ‘Archbishop Desmond Tutu Leadership Programme’ run by the prestigious African Leadership Institute (see www.alinstitute.org). The venerable Desmond Tutu is its patron, and through it, he is building it as an experiment to build a new network of inspirational leaders around the continent, who are together committed to tackling their countries’ most stubborn problems. A living legend for many, Tutu acknowledges that from the economic turmoil in Europe, to the revolutions in the Arab world and to the presidential race in the US, it seems that everywhere leadership is in crisis. The training is often addressed by Africa’s top thought leaders. In the particular case of ‘Class 2012,’ the collection of facilitators included Dr. Ramphele.

By the close of her electrifying presentation, I had quickly detected, and quite correctly, that she was up to something very big in future. During her presentation that afternoon of April 25th, I asked her if she was plotting for a South African Presidency. She shyly answered me she was simply a subject on a discovery journey to becoming a ‘citizen’ and creating many more and that the appreciation of the concept of ‘citizen’ was the most critical issue underpinning South African leadership today.

Embedded in her ‘Citizens Movement for Social Change,’ a social movement currently focusing on promoting engaged citizenship and which I highly suspect has given birth to ‘Agang,’ is a drive bring change in the socially fractured South African society, place it on a forward moving journey to real ‘Citizens.’ She gave me a T-shirt with these very words inscribed at the back to take to my country Uganda and help analyse the connection between the rulers and the ruled and find out if the former weren’t actually ‘chiefs’ and the latter, ‘subjects’ instead of ‘citizens.’

I found this to have been a new ground in the African Leadership discourse. Everywhere on the continent, leaders who care about the conditions of their people, are fast running out. They are running out because majority of them treat and drag their citizens alongside their vision as if they were subjects and not shared participants of the very vision that is supposed to transform them. It is for this reason that Dr. Ramphele has severally published books focusing on social-economic issues in South Africa receiving numerous prestigious national and international awards, including honorary doctorates acknowledging her service to community and her leading role in raising development issues and spearheading projects for disadvantaged persons in South Africa and elsewhere in the world.  In a sense, she has been defining a new ground in continental leadership discourse where African leadership needs to cultivate better and practical solutions using such rare values as service to the community, selflessness, courage, morality, being the best among equals, building followers-not subjects, caring, humility and vision.

Enabling Africans realize that they need to move from ‘subjects’ to ‘citizens,’ is a new ground. It is also an attempt to make citizens of African take charge of the affairs of the state.

I was glad she echoed this in her speech (see http://www.iol.co.za/news/politics/mamphela-ramphele-s-full-speech-1.1472163#.UScpRVprZXc), emphasizing that African leadership was about the ability to be responsive to the social economic needs of the people.

“Do you remember the dream we embraced to build ours into a great society – a prosperous constitutional democracy united in its diversity? Do you remember our commitment to promote human dignity (Ubuntu) and banish humiliation and disrespect of our apartheid past? Do you remember our vow to promote transparency and accountability in public life? Do you remember that we agreed that our democracy would be known for being responsive to the social and economic needs of all citizens? Do you remember?” she asked her audience.

It is easy to understand her problem with modern South Africa. On one hand, you a ruling party, the African National Congress (ANC), fast disconnecting itself from the revolutionary tenets that it stood for, and the National Democratic Party (NDP) on the other hand busy propagating white privilege. In the middle ground is a huge population with no hope. Stories are being told that the only thing holding this loose thread is the shared respect South Africans are still holding for Nelson Mandela. Given the icon’s frail condition, everyone knows this is only temporary and is only cover for a time bomb waiting to explode. Societies like these then, need bridge builders.

“The country of our dreams has unfortunately faded for many of my fellow South Africans. The dream has faded for my sisters and brothers in rural areas who live under the threat of being again made subjects of traditional chiefs and other unelected traditional leaders through proposed acts of our own Parliament. The dream has faded for the many living in poverty and destitution in our increasingly unequal society. And perhaps worst of all, my generation has to confess to the young people of our country: we have failed you. We have failed to build for you an education and training system to prepare you for life in the 21st century. As a result the dream has faded for young people in both urban and rural areas,” Ramphele rightly admits.

And therein lies the subject I left hanging earlier; ‘The Era of the African Woman President.’ Studies show women are most likely less corrupt than men. The typical African woman literary runs the family, prepares the food and feeds the kids while the husband is away busy.  Because they spend most the time with us, they understand issues of selflessness, service and community engagement much better than the men. Renowned world leaders have acknowledged their moms and wives’ strong influence on their leadership careers. They rarely mention their dads. If Africa is being messed up by the men, let’s try women and see! Ask the Malwaians and the Liberians for tips.

Twitter: @RugyendoQuotes

FIGHTING FOR SOCIAL JUSTICE IN UGANDA – BISHOP DR. ZAC NIRINGIYE

Black Monday is a social movement against the theft of public funds much more by government officials and leaders. This is a citizen’s action against theft of public money without shame. This theft affects us through bad health services, bad schools, bad roads, no jobs and much more!

As we celebrate the 57^th anniversary of Rosa Parks decision to sit down for her rights on a Montgomery, Alabama bus, and put the effort to end segregation on a fast track, what social injustice is going on in our countries?

Rosa Parks was arrested on December 1, 1955, after she refused to give up her seat on a crowded bus to a white passenger. She was required to surrender her seat because of her race, which was the law in Montgomery at the time.

Rosa Parks later teamed up with Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and together with their united African-American Community launched a boycott campaign for the public transport for more than a year (381 days). Rosa lost her job and Kings home was attacked but they did not give up.

As we celebrated Rosa’s 100^th birthday on 4^th February 2013, Uganda’s own social justice campaigner, Bishop Dr. Zac Niringiye was arrested and detained from 8.30am to 5.30pm for speaking against corruption in Uganda.

What actions can you take as citizens: wear black every Monday, reject any calls or acts of corruption, shun the corrupt and boycott and avoid all their hotels, super markets, shopping malls, drinking joints and all their businesses.

Be inspired by the social justice achievements of Rosa Parks and Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. as well as the likes of Nelson Mandela.

For more information on the Black Monday Movement, visit their facebook page: Black Monday movement

Be part of the Black Monday Movement.

M7 THREATENS ARMY TAKE OVER - RESTORE TERM LIMITS NOW!

Swords drawn. President tells legislators at a retreat of the ruling NRM party that the military, of which he is the Commander-in-Chief, is watching political developments in the country closely and will not accept confusion in Parliament.


President Museveni is reported to have warned the ruling party’s retreat in Kyankwanzi on Wednesday that if the “confusion” in Parliament persists, the military would not allow it.

The President’s reported warning came days after Defence Minister Crispus Kiyonga also delivered a veiled fear of a military intervention if MPs continue undermining public confidence in Parliament.

It also comes at a time when the NRM leadership is reasserting its authority over members, some of whom have joined the crusade against corruption.

Dr Kiyonga warned the House rules committee last week that soldiers were watching Parliament.

“If the military feels the country is in the hands of wrong politicians, some officers might be forced to intervene in the name of refocusing the country’s future,” he said while not ruling out the possibility of a coup.

The minister was testifying before the committee investigating the chaotic break-down in decorum which forced Speaker Rebecca Kadaga to suspend debate on the oil Bill late last year.

Some of the sources at Kyankwanzi said Mr Museveni echoed his minister’s fears.

However, the Daily Monitor could not independently establish what the President meant by the army, which is represented in Parliament, not allowing the confusion to persist.

But caucus spokesperson Evelyn Anite accused the sources of “putting words in the President’s mouth”, saying the head of State only emphasised that action shall be taken against difficult party MPs.

Simmering tensions between the two arms of government mounted after MPs signed a petition to force a recall of the House to discuss the controversy sparked by the sudden death of Butaleja MP Cerinah Nebanda.
The petition drew the wrath of Mr Museveni.

Fearing a threat to the country’s democracy, critics yesterday reminded Mr Museveni and Dr Kiyonga that Uganda’s government was elected by the people.

Mr Haruna Kyeyune (Indep, Kyotera) and Ms Florence Namayanja (DP, Bukoto East) said the insinuation of a military takeover is intended to intimidate independent-minded legislators.

Ms Namayanja said the government wants to suppress the right to free speech which is guaranteed by the Constitution.

“The President needs to be reminded that we have rule of law, the Constitution which is clear on the separation of powers,” Mr Kyeyune said.

Mr Livingstone Okello-Okello (former MP Chua) suggested that the country is headed for military government.

But the President’s press secretary, Mr Tamale Mirundi, said “even if the President made the statement, why should the indiscipline in Parliament persist?”

He said those criticising the President are fighting a proxy war and do not understand NRM politics.

“The President fought for democracy, he is a strong believer of democracy and rule of law. One of his achievements is an independent Parliament and there is no need to capture this institution,” Mr Mirundi said.”

Ruling out the possibility of military coup because of House indiscipline, Mr Mirundi said “a jigger cannot force you to cut off your toes.”

Samuel Otada (Indep, Kibanda), Jack Sabiiti (FDC, Rukiga) and Abdul Katuntu (FDC, Bugweri), some of the senior members in the House, accused the President and Dr Kiyonga of blackmail.

Laid bare
“It is good news, the pretence is now over, none of these two gentlemen can claim to have democratic credentials. They do nobody a favour to have democratic institutions in place,” Mr Katuntu said.

 

 

 

 

 

 

STATEMENT BY CIVIL SOCIETY ORGANISATIONS ON THE RECALL OF PARLIAMENT

 n Summary

Concerned. Civil society members say blocking the recall of Parliament by President Museveni could scare away partners and investors frightened by the standoff between the two institutions.

As the standoff between Speaker Rebecca Kadaga and President Museveni over re-calling of Parliament remains unresolved, civil society organisations yesterday called for a solution to avoid a “paralysis of leadership that might scare away foreign direct investments into the country.”

MPs started a process last month to collect at least 125 signatures required to recall Parliament from recess to discuss events related to the sudden death of Butaleja Woman MP Cerinah Nebanda.

The stalemate between the President and the Speaker took a new twist at a New Year’s Eve meeting in Rwakitura, Mr. Museveni’s upcountry home, in which he reportedly swore that Parliament would only be recalled “over my dead body”.
The President warned MPs behind the petition of “severe repercussions”, should they proceed with the move to recall Parliament.

Reviewing the challenges faced by the country in 2012 and setting their agenda for the New Year, CSO’s under the Uganda Governance Monitoring Platform (UGMP) said the past year witnessed a “further deterioration in the democratisation process.”

“The quandary Uganda has faced over the last month, following the tragic death of Nebanda, is only one manifestation of a government struggling with the lack of trust from its own people, Dr Zac Nirigiye, a citizen’s ambassador from the UGMP, read from a statement.

Dr Nirigiye added that Parliament was not spared from the same harassment, intimidation and arm-twisting vented on innocent protesters in the past year.

Mr. Okwiri Rabwoni, the executive director of Centre for Constitutional Governance, warned that the crisis may scare away development partners and foreign investors, wary of the effects of the impasse between two critical arms of government.

Mr. Rabwoni cautioned that Parliament was within its rights to reconvene “If the necessary signatures are acquired unless there is no longer rule of law in Uganda.”

UGANDA 25 YEARS FROM NOW - POSSIBLE SCENARIOS

UGANDA 25 YEARS FROM NOW – POSSIBLE SCENARIOS

By Maj (Rtd) Okwiri Rabwoni

12/12/12

INTRODUCTION:

Uganda is a country at the centre of the richest sub-region of the African continent; the great lakes region, that is east and central Africa, including the vitally strategic horn of Africa.

Most of the countries in this region share the following general characteristics:

1.     Massive reserves of oil, gas and other precious minerals

2.     Large masses of fertile land for agricultural exploitation

3.     Africa’s remaining forests.

4.     Large water resources e.g. R. Nile, R. Congo L. Victoria etc.

This huge reservoir of resources is in a highly volatile socio-economic and political setting characterised by:

1.     Very young populations(75% below 35years)

2.     High levels of unemployment (approx 88% of young people in the case of Uganda)

3.     Fragile and unstable political systems, with a budding institutional foundation.

4.      High level of state corruption and abuse of office.

5.     Large populations of poor exploited and marginalised women forming the backbone of rural households.

6.     Inadequate investment in education and health.

This is a volatile mix - given a global economic crisis that is leading the world powers into a second scramble for scarce resources - puts our region in the eye of the storm.

There are two possible scenarios Uganda could find herself in depending on how she resolves the leadership crisis facing her now.

The contemporary economic and ideological showdown is between the USA and China with their respective global allies.

The war for the control of RESOURCES, INFORMATION, MILITARY BASES and DIPLOMATIC ALLIES is being waged now and Africa is the battleground.

How we survive as a continent and as countries will be determined by how smartly our leaders position themselves in this conflict vis a vis our peoples interests.

1^st SCENARIO:

We could follow the path of Switzerland and the Nordic countries by doing the following:

1.     Investing in education and cutting edge technology. Spreading ICT to the grassroots.

2.     Focusing on democratic governance, constitutionalism, the rule of law and human rights.

3.     Frugal use of public resources, fiscal and monetary discipline, transparency and accountability in our relations with foreign corporate and state interests.

4.     Heavy investment in programmes that lift women and young people from extreme poverty.

5.     Supporting regional integration efforts in a Pan African Agenda.

2^nd SCENARIO:

Uganda could follow the path of Nigeria, Angola, DRC , and other resource rich countries with failed states. Its characteristics are the following:

1.     A narrow minded, corrupt and undemocratic state system based on family, clan and patronage.

2.     Government characterised by phobia for institutions and modern systems of governance.

3.     Income disparities, social inequality (extreme poverty amidst plenty) and communal conflict over land and water resources.

4.     Foreign control of national resources and national defence policy in collaboration with government agents.

5.     An intimidated political opposition and suppressed civil society.

6.     The country exhibiting symptoms of a failed state.

CONCLUSION:

 The 1^st scenario demands a sober, enlightened and patriotic leadership that can defend the interests of our poor people against pressures from different international, corporate and state interests.

If Uganda’s history is anything to go by and if the country continues along the present path, the second scenario is almost guaranteed.

FR GAETANO'S PETITION TO MPS ABOUT THEFT OF PUBLIC FUNDS

KITANGA CATHOLIC PARISH

P.O BOX 03

MPARO –KABALE

                                                                     UGANDA

                                                                                                            

        DATE.16^TH NOV 2012

ALL MEMBERS OF PARLIAMENT-KAMPALA-UGANDA

ALL CIVIL SOCIETY ORGANISATIONS-UGANDA

ALL RELIGIOUS LEADERS –UGANDA.

RE:DISHONESTY AMONG LEADERS:A STUMBLING BLOCK TO SOLVE UGANDA’S PERENNIAL POLITICAL  PROBLEMS

In the Gospel of St. Mathew, without fear or favour to the powers  that were existing at that time ,Jesus warned  the crowds and his disciples against the hypocrisy and vanity of the scribes ( politicians and public civil servants )and the Pharisees (religious leaders) in the words :“The scribes and the Pharisees occupy the chair of Moses. You must therefore  observe what they tell you, but donot be guided by what they do since they donot practice what they preach(say).”

Fellow leaders , Jesus was castigating  the leaders that: It is not enough to recall principles ,laws, writemanifestos, state intentions, programmes and policies, make heavenly promises, point to crying injustices and falsehoods and utter propheticdenunciations;these words will lack real weight unless they are accompanied for each individual by effective  patriotic action. We must walk thetalk. Oftentimes some of us leaders, either out of  negative and primitive fear or being compromised, we have not walked the talk and our silence, indifferentism and fear is slowly but surely mortgaging our country. Whenever some of us gather  courage and speak ,we soon or later contradict ourselves either because of sycophancy ,intimidation, bribe ,patronage and dishonesty  .We must courageously overcome these sins if we have to save our pearl of Africa (Uganda).

Fellow leaders. On the eve of Uganda’s Independence Golden Jubilee AnniversaryCelebrations, President Museveni ,during the prayer service at Nambole Stadium, publicly  repented for his sins and sins of  other leaders both past and present. I do not know whether God listened to his prayers and if he did, whether he forgave him because things are becoming  unbearable  day after day. During the prayer  service , he religiously  cited a litanyof sins but forgot others , which are more mortal than those he enumerated, and these are: Greed for power, breach of contract, bribery ,expropriation ,primitive arrogance , impunity ,deception  duplicity ,intimidation ,theft , inconsistency  ,land grabbing, sycophancy , balkanization of Uganda into tribal districts, blackmail,bad governance, bad leadership,possessiveness ,fear to do good, indifferentism, divide and rule, institutionalizing   an individual and individualizing an institution,inconsiderate,favouratism,insensibility ,double standards, patronage,insincerity,kleptomania,dishonesty,manipulation,nepotism,supresssion,torture,beackery,aggrandizement, pride,intolerence,extragavance ,bigotory,abusive language, despotism and others.

All the sins cited above ,plus those cited by the President , are morally, politically ,socially and spiritually deleterious  and lethal to humanity and they are being committed in our presence just before our eyes. What have we done to counteract them? All these sins are manufactured by the devil and we are supposed to fight the devil and his agents. So by keeping quiet are we not conniving with the devil in destroying Uganda? Are we not the devil’s agents? Are we not colluding with  the devil in oppressing the oppressed? Here I salute those MPS ,  Religious Leaders and CSOs  who have courageously and patriotically refused and rejected all forms of intimidation,blackmail,and bribery and stood up steadfastly with the suffering and downtrodden.

These are the honest few who still have the courage and the spirit of patriotism, to tell the emperor that he is naked. These people are not the enemies of Uganda,NRM and indeed President Museveni as some powers are trying to portray them.I honestly believe that the worst enemies of Uganda,NRM and Museveni are those MPs ,Ministers ,Advisors and lamentably and egregiously some Religious Leaders ,who know the truth and see things going amiss, almost in all sectors of life,  but fear to speak out because of either opportunitism,sycophancy,sectarianism  or egomaniacs .These are the enemies of Uganda  and humanity. They neither love Uganda nor believe in Uganda!

Among the sins cited above, I have chosen to comment on DISHONESTY because of the nasty and horrendeous saga, in the office  of the Prime Minister Amama Mbabazi ,surrounding the PS Mr Pius Bigirimana.According to Concise Oxford Thesaurus Dictionary ,other words for DISHONESTY are:fraudulence  ,corruption, cheating,chicanery,double dealing, deception ,duplicity,falsity,craft  ,trickery,artifice,underhandedness,subterfuge, skulduggery and criminality. If any leader degenerates to the level of being DISHONESTY, it means thathis /her moral characterand integrity are seriously  questionable and doubtful.

On 1^st November ,2012 , Members of Parliament, under the good and able stewardship of Speaker Rabecca Kadaga,overwhelmingly voted to have Bigirimana kicked out over the scam that has since seen the country suffer aid cuts. It is my hope and prayer that  this time our Mps will remain united and resolute in resisting all forms of intimidation,partisan and bribery ,be it at State House , Rwakitura or any where else, as it has been happening with some selfish and greedy MPs from the ruling Party. Other leaders like Religious and Civil Society Organizations must come out in the open cohesivelyand be countedto give encouragement and support to our MPs,  and where necessary, criticize and lambaste them for the good of our Country.

On the scandal in the OPM ,nobody should be deceived that the unethical behavior in OPM,  is with PS Mr Pius Bigirimana only. There are many and more powerful and influential Bigirimanas and these are the real problem of Uganda not  only Bigirimana the PS.These powerful Bigirimanas are his god-father who are determined to defend him come what may and at any cost. In shielding Bigirimana, they are shielding themselves

In a similar manner we should be prepared ,as leaders ,to tenaciously stand together as compatriots  and patriots to defend our poor and vulnerable people of Uganda especially those from the great North whose money was indecorously swindled. Our political leaders and their cohorts are very insensitive  and callous .Mr. President and Rt. Hon.Amama Mbabazi.Why can’t Bigirimana be interdicted ?How about the former PS of Health Ms Mary Nannono? PS of Local Government Mr Kashaka and PSMinistry of Public Service Mr Lwanafa.Are these less Ugandan and less PS? By the way what happened to PS Kagodo of the IDs? Is he protecting and shielding some  people ?

President Museveni is reported to have said that he cannot interdict Bigirimana because he is                  a whistle-blower and therefore a state witness. Who,among his advisors advised him that if Bigirimana is interdicted he ceases  tobe astate witness? If he was a whistle-blower, as  President Museveni wants us to believe,why did Bigirimana try to control attempts, therefore to interfere, by CID to interrogate  him and other officers?Bigiriman’s stay in office is a wellcalculated move of hiding and concealing some vital information! Then for the Prime Minister,Amama Mbabazi, he is quoted to have stated that Bigirimana cannot be interdicted because thereis nothing in the Auditor General’s report that incriminates him. May be the PM has not  read the AG’S report ;and if he read it then he was preoccupied  with many things that he did not understand it;  and if he understood it then he is a liar to say that in AG’s report there is nothing incriminating Bigirimana.I am happy to reproduce the exercepts of the AG report where Bigirimana is implicated and therefore  has acase to answer.

“  Among other findings, the Auditor General report graphically  demonstrates that Bigirimana is directly and personally responsible for the following offences.

·         Without seeking clearance from the Ministry of Finance, and without any approved work plans, he personally approved payment of sh 15.5b out of the 20.1b which had been deposited on the Crisis Management Account. This was in contravention of his responsibility under section 14 of the Public Finance and Accountability Act (PFAA)(section 6.3.2page 22 of the Auditors report.)

·         Vide his internal memo of May ,21,2012 to the Principle Accountant ,he authorized payment of advances totaling sh 34.6 b on private Accounts of OPM  staff in contravention of sections 227,228 and 229 of Treasury Accounting Instruction. This includes amounts which should have been paid  to beneficiaries like suppliers and service providers. The whole amount was still unaccounted for by the time of the audit.(Section 6.3.6 page 27 of the Audit Report.)

·         He explicitly approved withdrawal of sh 1.4b in cash , of which 787m was withdrawn on Friday  as if all the activities were meant to take place on weekends. The auditors found no cash book to show how the money was utilized. There was not even a single record  accounting for the money and believe me ,all this money is lost. (Section 6.3.3 page 23-24 of the Audit Report)

·         He authorized transfer/diversion of sh 3b purportedly to refund monies earlier borrowed to procure  cattle boluses ,but there is no evidence ton prove  that such  a borrowing ever took place (section 6.6.6 Page 25 of the Audit Report)

·         He approved the following dubious withdrawals(i.e. with no work plans, no cash books, no accountability)from the sh11.1b which was irregularly diverted from the Norwegian Support to PRDP Account for the PRDP North Account.

·         Sh 8.1b for which auditors found no single accountability document.

·         Sh 1.3b paid Farm Engineers ltd for no specified purpose and no records were found at the time of audit.

·         Sh 776m to personal accounts (section 6.3.4.Page 25 of the Audit Report)

·         He diverted sh6.5b from the Norwegian support to PRDP account ,to drafting of Disaster   Management Policy  on June 27,2011.How can drafting a policy cost billions? No consultant would take even sh 1b.and there is even no break down detailing how the money was utilized(Section6.3.5 .page 25-26 of the Audit Report)

·         He approved payments of advances amounting to sh2.9b into the personal accounts of the two cashiers yet by the virtue of their roles Cashiers are not mandated to carry out field activities. And the money remains un accounted for ,mostly likely stolen (Section6.3.6.1,Page 27 of the Audit Report)

·         He authorized  payment of sh 6.8b to Caltex Ntinda but this firm was not procured in accordance with procurement regulations. No background check or  evaluation was done .Records with the registrar of companies  show that it is just a registered  business name. Its location  is unknown (a ghost probably).There is no record to show how money deposited was consumed.

·         He approved another payment of sh576m ostensibly for fuel for only four days to the same firm on February 6.2012 without  details to show which vehicles  took how much fuel and for which activity .This is enough to fuel 48 trailers on a return journey to and from Karamonja.It translates into sh144m worth of fuel per  day .But in  any case no food was issued from the stores  for transportation to any destination.

·         The other Officers with whom he performed this transaction i.e principal accountant, the commissioner for disaster management and a resettlement officer are all on interdiction  and facing trial, but PS is still scot free despite being the principle actor as an accounting officer. The auditors confirmed that OPM  staff always withdrew such monies in a lumpsum  as soon as it was deposited (retrieval by sender ) which is outright theft.(Section 6.3.10. Page 31-32 of the Audit Report).

·         He approved payments  to ghost suppliers and for supply of air. Unregistered firms whose addresses are  unknown were paid as if  they supplied relief, while some firms which supplied were over paid to the tune of sh 8.6(Section 6.3.11,Page33 of the Audit Report)

·         He authorized payment of sh13.7b to Farm Engineering Ltd. As the auditors observe, some payments to this firm were duplicated as evidenced by several transactions with the same voucher narrations. There is no documentation to support the payments: no work progress reports. No contract register, no contract implementation plan, no project/contract manager was ever appointed as required by procurement regulations, no call off orders were ever issued yet the firm was engaged on a framework contract, and, there were no memoranda of Understanding between OPM and the districts. The firm was always paid without the districts certifying the work done. Much of the money was paid for no work.(Section 6.3.12,Page34_37 of the Audit report)

·         He miserably failed in performing his statutory duty of ensuring that the ministry’s financial and accounting records were kept up to date and securely at all times as required under Section 420 of the Treasury Accounting Instructions. The former principal accountant took advantage of this failure to perpetuate his other fraudulent transactions. This would  not have happened if the PS had played his roles competently.(Section 6.3.6, Page29 of the Audit Report).”(see New Vision of Tuesday,November 6,2012 by Derrick Odokorach)

Secondly, PM Amama Mbabazi  is quoted tohave stated in a press statement, because of the pressure from the donors and MPs ,that the Government has decided to refund  stolen funds to the Peace, Recovery and Development Project(PRDP) donoraccount. The money to be refunded is about 50 billions.

Fellow leaders, I think every one of us knows how social services in our Villages, Parishes, Dioceses and Constituencies  are in a very sorry state!I I also believe that every one of us is sympathetic with the teachers, doctors and nurses, police officers and many others whose services are not appreciated. The response from the government to their misery is usually very repulsive and repudiatory.They are treated with  primitive arrogance and impunity From which account does the government  hope to get  money to pay for the thieves, if  it has failed to get money to pay teachers and  medical workers , to provide better living conditions for our police officers and to provide social services to Ugandans ?In any case why should the government use the tax payers money  to pay for the thieves when they are at large with their loot?

Hon. Members of Parliament ,your integrity and independence are at risk. This year you resolved to have the ministers  mentioned in the oil scandal  to step aside and your resolution was not honoured.Again youmade another resolution to have PS Kagoda interdicted over IDS cards but nothing has happened. Now thereis this saga of Bigirimana .We are watching and yet to see how far you can go to defend your integrity. On all resolutions ,you start well but it seems on the way  some of you are injected with “kintu kidogo”- youknow better. The executive has studied you and it knows  that when you are hard up financially ,you make noise and you are invited for the caucus meetings. What follows, you are silenced. This time let your No be No and your Yes be Yes.

Lastly ,the anti-corruption court acquitted the three Ministers namely Kuteesa,Nasasira and Rukutana of Chogmfunds. Now what next? Where is the money? Who stole the  money? The onus is on the government to tell Ugandans who stole their money since ,the fact is that the money was stolen!

UNITED WE STAND AND DIVIDED WE FALL and UNITY IS STRENGTH

FOR GOD AND MY COUNTRY

Fr Gaetano Batanyenda.

batanyenda@gmail.com.

0703212388

DR. MATEMBE RALLIES STUDENTS TO FIGHT AGAINST BAD GOVERNANCE

Matembe rallies students to fight against bad governance

“There is killing of organisational ability, centralising authority and denial of human rights. That is not the Uganda you want to live in”. Miria Matembe, former ethics minister 

By ALFRED TUMUSHABE

Posted  Wednesday, November 21  2012 at  02:00

In Summary

The activist appealed to university students to uphold integrity and serve to create a Uganda they dream of.

Former Ethics and Intergity Minister Miria Matembe has argued youth, especially the educated to be bold and courageous enough to fight bad governance.

Ms Matembe told student leaders from universities and other institutions of higher learning from Ankole and Kigezi regions at ogy on monday that the current government was more pre occupied with how to sustain itself in power than serving Ugandans.

Ms Matembe, who was the key speaker at the dialogue on the theme "The Uganda we want in the next 50 years" told youth that they were the majority and should actively work for the fulfillment of the Ugandan dream they wish to live.

"Look at the nepotism, corruption and divisions that are killing our country.  Vision has been replaced by [personal] ambition. How can you claim to have vision when donor money for northern Uganda is swindled?” Ms Matembe asked.

She added: “ I want to describe Uganda as a sick nation. Even the diseases that are invading us testify to the fact that Uganda is, indeed, sick. You must start thinking seriously. ” Ms Matembe said the ideal Uganda should be built on democratic principles such as freedom of assembly, where everybody is engaged in gainful economic activity and upholding of integrity and ethical conduct.

She advised young people to have integrity, passion and a vision to mobilise and educate other people, including their parents about what is right. “What Uganda needs is transformative leadership with integrity at all levels. Take up leadership but be people-centered and service oriented,” Ms Matembe said.

The Ex Minister also argued students to campaign for the restoration of the Presidential Term Limits.

WHAT STUDENTS WANT

Sheila Nduhukire, The Guild President MUST " A Uganda where corruption is a risk, equal opportunities and the rule of law".

Nicholas Masajjage - MUST: "A Uganda where everyone from school has a job. That can happen because we have a lot of resources."

What kind of Uganda do you want to live in?