Unicef representative in Uganda, Dr Doreen Mulenga and Ambassador Per Lindgärde
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Norway, Sweden cut aid, Bigirimana stays
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Norway, Sweden cut aid, Bigirimana stays
At the same time, the government came under fresh pressure from anti-corruption watchdogs to explain why under-fire OPM permanent secretary Pius Bigirimana remains in office in spite of a House resolution passed last week to compel the government to have him suspended.
Commenting on the Auditor General’s findings, which highlighted the loss of billions of shillings meant for post-war recovery efforts in northern Uganda and Karamoja sub-region, the Norwegian Minister of International Development Heikki Holmås said: “This amounts to no less than stealing from the impoverished people of northern Uganda who have been subjected to conflict and misrule for years.” “We have a policy of zero tolerance for corruption and other misuse of funds, and we intend to get to the bottom of this,” Mr Holmås said.
The deputy head of the Norwegian Embassy in Kampala, Mr Morten Svelle, later told the Daily Monitor that due to the OPM scandal, Norway has decided to suspend disbursements of all funds to Ugandan institutions until further notice. “Norway is aligned with the actions taken by the affected donors and takes active part in all follow-up activities,” Mr Svelle said.
The Swedish government through its development agency, Sida, also announced it had stopped all funding to the Uganda “awaiting further clarity.” Uganda receives about $50 million (about Shs130b) in development aid from Sweden.
Sweden and Norway have been funding key initiatives in health care, democratic governance, including peace and security, private sector development schemes, research, water and sanitation and energy.
A special audit by the Auditor General found substantial evidence detailing how aid from Ireland, Norway, Sweden and Denmark was transferred to unauthorised accounts in a sophisticated scam which resulted in the theft of at least Shs50 billion.
Over the past few years, several donor nations including the UK, Norway, Sweden, Ireland and Denmark, have provided in excess of Shs70 billion for reconstruction efforts in northern Uganda.
Norway alone is reported to have provided NOK60 million (Shs30b). The report published by the Office of the Auditor General details widespread irregularities and fraud involving some NOK75 million (Shs33.6b). Of this, NOK27 million (Shs12.1b) of the funding provided by Norway has been misused.
News of the further aid suspension to a tune of Shs30 billion came on the day the Anti-Corruption Coalition Uganda accused the government of “impunity” in light of Mr Bigirimana’s continued stay in office.
Parliament last week ordered the government to interdict Mr Bigirimana immediately.
“His [Bigirimana] continued stay in office even with all the evidence in the AG’s report and a key resolution of Parliament is a sign of impunity of the highest order,” the head of Anti-Corruption Coalition Uganda, Ms Cissy Kagaba, said.
Taking action
But as more donors froze aid to Uganda, Prime Minister Amama Mbabazi said in a press statement that the government had decided to pay back the stolen funds to the Peace, Recovery and Development Project (PRDP) donor account.
Mr Mbabazi’s announcement drew almost immediate condemnation from Parliament’s Public Accounts Committee, whose members have rejected the idea. PAC warned of audit queries if government diverts taxpayers money to pay for people they called “thieves” in OPM.
Mr Mbabazi said the money for refund would be sourced from elsewhere but when convicted in courts of law the suspects would be punished and made to refund it. At least 17 officials from OPM, Bank of Uganda and Ministry of Finance have already been interdicted over the fraud as investigations continue.
Responding to the Daily Mail story which indicated that he received donor funds on his private account, Mr Mbabazi said he had instructed his lawyers to study the issue and advise him on the possible remedy available. “It is ridiculous, a wild figment of someone’s imagination to suggest that I took money then called for the investigations,” he said.
Misuse of aid funds in Uganda
Aid funds that were intended to go towards reconstruction efforts in northern Uganda have been misused. This misuse of funds was discovered by the Office of the Auditor General of Uganda.
“This amounts to no less than stealing from the impoverished people of northern Uganda who have been subjected to conflict and misrule for years. We have a policy of zero tolerance for corruption and other misuse of funds, and we intend to get to the bottom of this,” said Minister of International Development Heikki Holmås.
A report published by the Office of the Auditor General of Uganda on 19 October 2012 contains strong criticism of the Office of the Prime Minister in Uganda. The criticism concerns the misuse of aid funds intended for the reconstruction of northern Uganda under the Peace, Recovery and Development Plan for Northern Uganda (PRDP).
“We are now carrying out a full investigation into the extent of the fraud. Together with other donor countries, we will make sure that we have all the facts on the table. When we have a more accurate picture of what has happened and how it could have happened, we will decide on an appropriate response. Funds that cannot be accounted for or funds reported as misused must be returned,” said Mr Holmås.
Over the past few years several donors, such as the UK, Norway, Sweden, Ireland and Denmark, have provided a total of NOK 155 million for reconstruction efforts in northern Uganda. Norway has provided NOK 60 million. The report published by the Office of the Auditor General of Uganda indicates widespread irregularities and fraud involving some NOK 75 million. Of this, NOK 27 million of the funding provided by Norway has been misused, according to the report.
“One bright spot in all of this is that the misuse of funds was revealed by Uganda’s own audit institution. Norway has supported the development of the Office of the Auditor General of Uganda for many years. This case shows how important this cooperation is. It is vital to have a national audit institution that is effective and can uncover irregularities and misuse of public funds. I am pleased that the Office of the Auditor General of Norway is to continue its cooperation with the Office of the Auditor General of Uganda,” said Mr Holmås.
Funding provided by Norway for the reconstruction of northern Uganda was ceased in 2011 and general budget support for Uganda halted in 2010. The reasons for the withdrawal of funding were both Uganda’s failure to adequately follow up cases of corruption and Norway’s desire to focus its efforts on areas where Norway has comparative advantages, such as energy, climate change and gender equality.
Press contact: Communications Adviser Svein Bæra, mobile phone: +47 916 72 042 or Press officer on duty, international development, mobile phone: +47 913 95 000 (no text messages)
“This amounts to no less than stealing from the impoverished people of northern Uganda who have been subjected to conflict and misrule for years. We have a policy of zero tolerance for corruption and other misuse of funds, and we intend to get to the bottom of this,” said Minister of International Development Heikki Holmås.
A report published by the Office of the Auditor General of Uganda on 19 October 2012 contains strong criticism of the Office of the Prime Minister in Uganda. The criticism concerns the misuse of aid funds intended for the reconstruction of northern Uganda under the Peace, Recovery and Development Plan for Northern Uganda (PRDP).
“We are now carrying out a full investigation into the extent of the fraud. Together with other donor countries, we will make sure that we have all the facts on the table. When we have a more accurate picture of what has happened and how it could have happened, we will decide on an appropriate response. Funds that cannot be accounted for or funds reported as misused must be returned,” said Mr Holmås.
Over the past few years several donors, such as the UK, Norway, Sweden, Ireland and Denmark, have provided a total of NOK 155 million for reconstruction efforts in northern Uganda. Norway has provided NOK 60 million. The report published by the Office of the Auditor General of Uganda indicates widespread irregularities and fraud involving some NOK 75 million. Of this, NOK 27 million of the funding provided by Norway has been misused, according to the report.
“One bright spot in all of this is that the misuse of funds was revealed by Uganda’s own audit institution. Norway has supported the development of the Office of the Auditor General of Uganda for many years. This case shows how important this cooperation is. It is vital to have a national audit institution that is effective and can uncover irregularities and misuse of public funds. I am pleased that the Office of the Auditor General of Norway is to continue its cooperation with the Office of the Auditor General of Uganda,” said Mr Holmås.
Funding provided by Norway for the reconstruction of northern Uganda was ceased in 2011 and general budget support for Uganda halted in 2010. The reasons for the withdrawal of funding were both Uganda’s failure to adequately follow up cases of corruption and Norway’s desire to focus its efforts on areas where Norway has comparative advantages, such as energy, climate change and gender equality.
Press contact: Communications Adviser Svein Bæra, mobile phone: +47 916 72 042 or Press officer on duty, international development, mobile phone: +47 913 95 000 (no text messages)
Sweden resumes aid to Uganda
Monday July 28 2014
Kampala.
The Swedish government has resumed aid support to Uganda and announced $200 million (Shs526b) in “development strategy cooperation” for the next five years.
The package, according to the Swedish minister for International Development Cooperation, Mr Hillevi Engström, will be channelled to projects to improve child and maternal, including sexual and reproductive health and rights, sustainable growth and employment.
The Swedish government has resumed aid support to Uganda and announced $200 million (Shs526b) in “development strategy cooperation” for the next five years.
The package, according to the Swedish minister for International Development Cooperation, Mr Hillevi Engström, will be channelled to projects to improve child and maternal, including sexual and reproductive health and rights, sustainable growth and employment.
“Sweden wants to help create better conditions in Uganda for sustainable economic growth and development,” Mr Engström, was quoted in a statement issued by the Swedish embassy in Uganda. “This is why Swedish aid to Uganda will remain substantial,” it added.
The aid will also be channelled to other areas such as research, innovation and business sector.
The Swedish Finance minister, Mr Anders Borg, during his visit to Uganda, days after the signing of the Anti-homosexuality law early this year, announced that his country would withhold its aid because the law violates human rights. Other countries like the US, Norway and Netherlands enraged by the piece of legislation similarly reacted by pulling the plug on direct aid funding to government projects.
Stung by the withdrawal of aid by partner countries, the government recently also issued statement clarifying on the law saying it was “misunderstood”.
The Swedish Finance minister, Mr Anders Borg, during his visit to Uganda, days after the signing of the Anti-homosexuality law early this year, announced that his country would withhold its aid because the law violates human rights. Other countries like the US, Norway and Netherlands enraged by the piece of legislation similarly reacted by pulling the plug on direct aid funding to government projects.
Stung by the withdrawal of aid by partner countries, the government recently also issued statement clarifying on the law saying it was “misunderstood”.
“Its enactment has been misinterpreted as a piece of legislation intended to punish and discriminate against people of a ‘homosexual orientation’, especially by our development partners,” the government said in the statement.
“Uganda reaffirms that no activities of individuals, groups companies or organisations will be affected by the act,” the statement said.
“Uganda reaffirms that no activities of individuals, groups companies or organisations will be affected by the act,” the statement said.
Affirmation
In the latest communication, however, Mr Engström, said his government “continues to support human rights and freedom from violence.” He however, announced that, Sweden’s development cooperation with Uganda following past events “will change.”
In the latest communication, however, Mr Engström, said his government “continues to support human rights and freedom from violence.” He however, announced that, Sweden’s development cooperation with Uganda following past events “will change.”
The focus, according to the statement, will now be on reducing poverty, reducing infant mortality and improving maternal health and broadening cooperation, especially with civil society and the private sector to ensure than the “prospects of making a difference in meeting the most crucial challenges in Uganda are increased.”
scholarships
More than 74 Ugandan students have been awarded Master’s Programme scholarships by the Swedish Institute to undertake their studies in different Swedish universities.
The scholarships cover all expenses, including international air passages and a monthly stipend.
Speaking at an Alumni Networking event at his residence on Elizabeth Avenue in Kololo, a Kampala suburb, the Swedish ambassador to Uganda, Urban Anderson, said that the influx of foreign students and researchers from Uganda and elsewhere to Sweden is necessary for his country to keep her levels of excellence.
More than 74 Ugandan students have been awarded Master’s Programme scholarships by the Swedish Institute to undertake their studies in different Swedish universities.
The scholarships cover all expenses, including international air passages and a monthly stipend.
Speaking at an Alumni Networking event at his residence on Elizabeth Avenue in Kololo, a Kampala suburb, the Swedish ambassador to Uganda, Urban Anderson, said that the influx of foreign students and researchers from Uganda and elsewhere to Sweden is necessary for his country to keep her levels of excellence.
“Our dependence on trade requires that we work hard to ensure healthy, respectful relations with partners across the globe. At the same time, this fosters the climate of openness to new ideas that will continue to make Sweden an innovative hub and in these efforts we want to partner with Uganda.”