In a point blank response on the World Bank Group’s decision to suspending public financing for Uganda development projects over the Anti-Homosexuality Act, President Yoweri Kaguta Tbuhaburwa Museveni has revealed how his government’s officials blew the money on activities such as seminars which the elderly but long serving ruler considers less important.
The debate on whether Uganda can do without foreign aid and loans from international lenders has been raging on since the World Bank suspended funding for a number of key development projects.
President Museveni believes that the Ugandan economy can stand without loans or some form of foreign aid.
As such, he has given insights into his fight with economists at the Ministry of Finance, Planning and Economic Development who have been pushing for loans from the World Bank and other lenders.
President Museveni also blasted some top Ugandan government officials for prioritizing seminars, instead of purchasing equipment and establishing structures to help drive Ugandans out of poverty.
In his view, most of the loans have not positively added to Uganda’s transformation journey as a significant portion of the same has been splashed on seminars instead of investing it in basic requirements of the project.
Museveni cited a scenario at the Ministry of Agriculture, Animal Industry and Fisheries (MAAIF) where nearly Shs3trillon was borrowed and spent yet there was largely nothing to show for the trillions spent.
“We discovered that a total of USD 800 million had been borrowed over a period of ten years, but that ministry did not have zonal diagnostic labs and research centres and did not buy the mechanisation equipment like combine harvesters or even tractors, no irrigation equipment,” noted Museveni.
“Much of that money was spent on seminars yet those are the basic requirements of that ministry if it is to assist the struggle for economic transformation.”
The president also decried the self-centredness as exhibited in the profit repatriation by aid givers who always want to use the aid they extend to Kampala to support their exported products to Uganda.
This, he added, hinders development of Uganda’s local industries.
“Uganda has been manufacturing ARVS and other medical drugs at our quality Chemicals factory in Kampala – Luzira. The aid givers from abroad, for a long time, were not allowing us to use their money to buy the Ugandan manufactured drugs,” complained Museveni.
“To qualify for aid, we had to forget our industrialisation and job creation for our people and support the job creation for other people.”
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Museveni further noted that some of the key areas such as infrastructure and health, the aid givers sought to treat Ugandan officials like kindergarten kids.
Even when he is under the watchful eye of the international community, Museveni has insisted that he is not ready to denounce African culture in favour of Western Culture yet Uganda is able to sustain herself.
Meanwhile, contrary to some predictions that Museveni was going to order Parliament to amend the Anti-Homosexuality Act, the president has once again announced Uganda’s position on homosexuality. (Read it Here).
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