Fed Up Of Ug Thieves: Bitter America Channels Ebola Funds Via Private Agencies After Vast Looting of Covid-19 Funds

Any other disease outbreak in Uganda is treated as a chance by the shameless government`s bureaucratic white-collar thieves. Yes, THIEVES… Period. And the same is seen as an opportune moment by these same filches to help themselves on billions of funds mobilized to remedy the situation.

Aware of what has gone on during such times in the past, the government of the United States has made a drastic and fantastic decision to channel the funds to fight the current strain of Ebola, through the private agencies. The US Ambassador, Natalie E Brown made the decision publicly known as she addressed members from the local and international press on Wednesday. Natalie divulges the US has forked out a total of UGX80Bn so far to credibly fight and mitigate the effects Ebola leaves in it’s wake.

Uganda Weeps

The Uganda government responds by shedding crocodile tears. The administration argues the decision by US denies the country the much-needed resources to use to fight off Ebola. Uganda’s Health Cabinet Minister, Jane Ruth Achieng, in absence of the US aid, now wants the national assembly to step in. This, by urgently clearing the appropriation and use of a total of UGX76Bn. This, she asserts, is what the regime requires in the immediate times to get on top of Ebola.

Bobi Influence

That notwithstanding, opposition kingpin Bobi Wine has been lobbying the donors in the West to close the aid taps. He pegs the case for the aid freeze on what he calls Gen Yoweri Museveni’s deteriorating human rights abuse record, plus massive theft of such development resources. Bobi made such remarks as he spoke to the European Union Human Rights Conference in Belgium, which took place in February this year. At that time, there had been in Uganda, disturbingly increasing occurences of grim cases of kidnaps and torture, notably, of the opposition sympathizers as well as their members.

EU Influence

Both the EU and the US have come out to strongly condemn Kampala’s supposedly degenerating human rights abuse. The EU, in particular, lobbies for the suspension of the oil pipeline construction. The same is being undertaken by France’s Total Energies and China’s offshore oil exploration company known as CNOCC. EU pegs it’s call on Kampala’s supposed human rights and eco-systems abuse.

The M7 Outburst

But Gen Museveni asserts EU’s call is influenced by the Europeans’ own inherent and dangerously ‘neo-colonialism’ practises against Africa. The President argues, that’s exactly what makes Europeans to feel envious of Africa’s progress.While Museveni threatens to sue Total Energies, should they listen to EU and abandon the project, he firmly states, the project will go on, all the same, with, or, without their input.

Total Energies sides with Gen Museveni. The firm vows to proceed with the job and to complete the project. The globally reputed oil exploration firm asserts, it has all the while abided by the necessary eco-systems preservation requirements. So, Total Energies opines, it’s unnecessary for EU to, again, waste valuable time to counsel them to style up.

Homo Slur

Uganda’s Deputy national assembly Speaker, Thomas Tayebwa has since dug in. Tayebwa mockingly advises EU to give their aid to homos. Such slur is an indirect jab to Bobi. The NUP Principal is being framed by the regime in Kampala, of accepting funds from the off-side sex maniacs in the West. This stance, reportedly in return for backing the practice.

The Sanctions

The US blacklists a number of cabinet ministers in Gen Museveni’s regime. Such is also the case in respect of members of the Uganda’s armed forces. Notable among the Uganda’s military officers under US sanctions, is Gen Edward Kale Kayihura. The other one is Gen Abel Kandiho. The former was in charge of the Uganda’s Police. He was fired for permitting the infiltration of the force by the goons and for failing to protect war materials.

Kandiho headed one of Uganda’s military intelligence services. He was shuffled at the whims of Kigali. Kigali accuses him of framing up it’s nationals and then, reportedly torture them. While Kale still suffers of prolonged undeployment, Abel, is enjoying himself. The country’s top-most CEO has since made him the Uganda Police Force`s top-most number three commander. He is, accordingly, the Force’s Chief of Staff.

The spark

During the days when the current security minister, Gen Jim Muhwezi, plus Capt Mike Mukula were the ones calling shots at the ministry of health, the country witnessed untold looting of funds there. That stolen cash had been gifted to Uganda by the international community to use to remedy the suffering of HIV and malaria sufferers.

Such was the gravity of the matter that Kampala buckled under International unbearable pressure and formed a public inquest into the massive sleaze. At the end of the day, the head of the inquest, Lady Justice James Munange Ogoola, recommended the firing of Muhwezi and Mukula. The president followed suit and fired the two ministers.

While Mukula was jailed, his boss, Muhwezi, was excused from the bad treatment. This, ostensibly because, Muhwezi had fought and captured power alongside the big man. During the public inquest, Muhwezi had made a memorably contemptuous request to the retired Principal Judge. He had requested the stinging Justice Ogoola to tell him where he was when brave men like him were fighting in the jungles.

Yet, also, the President would later on meet Mukula’s appeal process’ legal fees. That favor ended up assisting one of the ruling NRM Party’s Vice National Chairmen to escape from imprisonment. Muhwezi, together with former Foreign Cabinet Minister, Sam Kuteesa, had been before then censured by the sixth national assembly. This decision, since the duo had messed up with the Universal Primary Education funds at the time they were in charge of the Education and Sports Ministry.

The two have since been questionably named in several cabinet lineups despite those past censures to their name. That shameful sleaze aside, motherland Uganda has since witnessed yet another round of embezzlement of unimaginable proportions following the outbreak of the Corona Virus.

The Auditor General shares what went on via a disturbing forensic report. The report talks of hundreds of billions of aid disappeared by the government bureaucrats. The missing funds had been donated by people of good heart within the private sector. The balance of the total sums had been contributed by the international community.

One for the Road

It is true, the US and her allies in the West are very, very bitter with Gen Museveni’s regime for progressively working more and trading more with China and Russia, and this, to their apparent explusion. Subsequently, the bad blood can be used as an excuse to submit the US plus it’s allies in the West are merely extracting revenge against Museveni and his regime.

This notion, by slapping sanctions on Uganda and freezing aid. And by also, starting a new chapter of bypassing the regime by going through private agencies while giving out aid such as in the case of Ebola. Yet, the fact that the vice of human rights abuse is degenerating as Gen Museveni continues also to narrow the political space in order to monopolize power, is self-evident.

As for the vice of corruption, every one else , except the regime’s sympathizers and bureacratics, knows very well the fact that practises of graft, acts of resources wastage plus theft of public funds, is threateningly shooting out of the roof. The President has himself, rather though, mockingly joined the streets to purportedly express his personal disdain for the worst vampire of our Ugandan times.

All said and done, let each side between the regime plus the West, be true to themselves and then follow up on this by making the necessary amends. And this, in interest of each other’s interests and aspirations. Or, even accept to agree to disagree and move forward.

Author Profile

Stephen Kasozi Muwambi: Mr. Stephen Kasozi Muwambi is a seasoned crime investigative writer, majoring in judicial-based stories. His two decades’ experience as a senior investigative journalist has made him one of the best to reckon on in Uganda. He can also be reached via [email protected]