This article is from the source 'guardian' and was first published or seen on . It last changed over 40 days ago and won't be checked again for changes.

You can find the current article at its original source at http://www.guardian.co.uk/global-development/2012/nov/20/uganda-defeat-thieves-aid-donors

The article has changed 2 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.

Version 0 Version 1
Uganda vows to 'defeat these thieves' in bid to reassure aid donors Uganda vows to 'defeat these thieves' in bid to reassure aid donors
(about 20 hours later)
The Ugandan government has promised to claw back misused aid money in a bid to regain support from international donors that have suspended funding over allegations of corruption.The Ugandan government has promised to claw back misused aid money in a bid to regain support from international donors that have suspended funding over allegations of corruption.
In a press release published on Monday, the government sought to assure donors that it was working hard to tackle corruption in state departments, after Britain, Sweden, Ireland, Norway and Denmark suspended portions of their aid budgets over allegations that money intended for peace recovery programmes in the north of Uganda had ended up in the private bank accounts of officials in the prime minister's office.In a press release published on Monday, the government sought to assure donors that it was working hard to tackle corruption in state departments, after Britain, Sweden, Ireland, Norway and Denmark suspended portions of their aid budgets over allegations that money intended for peace recovery programmes in the north of Uganda had ended up in the private bank accounts of officials in the prime minister's office.
On Friday, Britain, Uganda's largest bilateral donor, halted all direct financial aid to Uganda after initial findings of an investigation into donor funding indicated some money had been misused. It is understood that no British money was involved. In August, when corruption allegations were first mooted, the Department for International Development suspended half of the £26.9m it channelled directly through the Ugandan government.On Friday, Britain, Uganda's largest bilateral donor, halted all direct financial aid to Uganda after initial findings of an investigation into donor funding indicated some money had been misused. It is understood that no British money was involved. In August, when corruption allegations were first mooted, the Department for International Development suspended half of the £26.9m it channelled directly through the Ugandan government.
In a meeting with the EU, US, China, Japan, the World Bank and the IMF on Monday, the Ugandan president, Yoweri Museveni, acknowledged the "rampant corruption in the country" and vowed to clean up the civil service.In a meeting with the EU, US, China, Japan, the World Bank and the IMF on Monday, the Ugandan president, Yoweri Museveni, acknowledged the "rampant corruption in the country" and vowed to clean up the civil service.
Museveni told donors that rooting out corruption in government was akin to a war. "Kindly inform your home constituencies that you are dealing with capable people who fought the dictatorship of Idi Amin; fought the dictatorship of UPC; defended Uganda from Sudanese-sponsored terrorism; destroyed the colonial army that was killing Ugandans; stopped the multiple crimes of that army against the people of Uganda; enabled the Ugandan economy to recover; contributed to regional peace, etc. The recent revelations have been made by people sympathetic to the revolution. They are the whistleblowers. We have the capacity to defeat these thieves as we defeated all the other enemies of Uganda."Museveni told donors that rooting out corruption in government was akin to a war. "Kindly inform your home constituencies that you are dealing with capable people who fought the dictatorship of Idi Amin; fought the dictatorship of UPC; defended Uganda from Sudanese-sponsored terrorism; destroyed the colonial army that was killing Ugandans; stopped the multiple crimes of that army against the people of Uganda; enabled the Ugandan economy to recover; contributed to regional peace, etc. The recent revelations have been made by people sympathetic to the revolution. They are the whistleblowers. We have the capacity to defeat these thieves as we defeated all the other enemies of Uganda."
The minister for finance, Maria Kiwanuka, assured donors that all misused funds would be returned, adding that the property of those accused of taking the money could be liquidated and their accounts frozen. "We feel that it is paramount that government and development partners move together. We have a legal system under which we operate and parliament is fully involved in this," she said.The minister for finance, Maria Kiwanuka, assured donors that all misused funds would be returned, adding that the property of those accused of taking the money could be liquidated and their accounts frozen. "We feel that it is paramount that government and development partners move together. We have a legal system under which we operate and parliament is fully involved in this," she said.
Museveni and Kiwanuka's comments were in stark contrast to those of the deputy spokesman for the ruling NRM party, Ofwono Opondo, who on Sunday reportedly told Uganda reporters that the country could do without donor funding. "This is not the first time the donors are cutting aid. The NRM is not faint-hearted about their aid," the Daily Monitor reported him saying.Museveni and Kiwanuka's comments were in stark contrast to those of the deputy spokesman for the ruling NRM party, Ofwono Opondo, who on Sunday reportedly told Uganda reporters that the country could do without donor funding. "This is not the first time the donors are cutting aid. The NRM is not faint-hearted about their aid," the Daily Monitor reported him saying.
Uganda has the highest bribery levels in the region, according to the east African bribery index, published by Transparency International in August, and more than half of Ugandan respondents said they believed corruption would get worst over the next 12 months. Uganda has the highest bribery levels in the region, according to the east African bribery index, published by Transparency International in August, and more than half of Ugandan respondents said they believed corruption would get worse over the next 12 months.