So... some MPs believe Uganda needs donor support...

It was funny discussing with colleagues whether it is morally okay to leave the country and withdraw all financial grant committments, if a country's president wishes this.

Usually one argues that people who cannot decide on their own (for wahtever reason) must be protected from themselves. But does this also hold true for souvereign countries?


Please read the following article from today's The Monitor:

May 3, 2005
MPs disagree with Museveni over aid By Mercy Nalugo & Agnes Nandutu PARLIAMENT — Many members of Parliament yesterday contested President Yoweri Museveni’s assertion that Uganda can do away with donor aid. The mostly opposition MPs interviewed at Parliament yesterday said Uganda needs donors not only for development but also to maintain international relations.

The Vice-chairperson of the Parliamentary Budget Committee, Mr James Mwandha (Disabled Eastern), said Uganda cannot afford to be an island. “Even if we were not borrowing money from Britain, we still need them for international relations. You cannot simply talk like that because no country can afford to tell off other countries and they get away with it,” Mwandha said.

Museveni in his speech to commemorate the International Labour Day on Sunday said Uganda could do without donor aid if the Uganda Revenue Authority plugs the leakages and controls tax evasion. “If we get a GDP (Gross Domestic Product) collection ratio of 24 percent, we shall not need this ignominious practice of dealing with these so-called donors,” Museveni said.

The President’s comments come days after the British government announced last week that it had withheld Shs17 billion of aid citing concerns about the handling of several aspects of the country’s political transition.
Mwandha said Kenya has reduced its dependency on donors to 10 percent. Kenya came increasingly under donor criticism for failing to open up political space under President Daniel arap Moi’s reign.

“He (the president) is correct but provided we are disciplined. Public administration covers 18 percent of the national budget, which is too much. The Defence expenditure of 11 percent is still too high,” Mwandha said.

The chairperson of the Budget committee Ms Beatrice Kiraso (Kabarole) said that if the donors stopped sponsoring the country’s budget, it would cause a budget deficit as donor funds go directly to the consolidated fund for funding certain activities in the budget.
“The country’s overall budget would be affected. As a country we cannot stand on our own without donor support,” Kiraso said.

The chairperson of Parliament’s Finance Committee, Maj. Bright Rwamirama (Isingiro North) said the President’s remarks would dent the relationship between Uganda and the development partners.
“At the moment we cannot survive without international aid because we are among the least developed countries. We still need good relationship with donors because we desperately need them,” he said.

Mr Odonga Otto (Aruu) said President Museveni’s remarks are endangering the country for the sake of his third term bid. “Why did it take him long to say that Uganda does not need donors? We should not bite the hand that feeds us. Museveni’s desire for a third term must not be at the expense of Ugandans’ lives,” he said.

Mr Patrick Amuriat (Kumi) called upon President Museveni to maintain a good relationship with the development partners until Uganda is able to collect enough in terms of GDP. “Such remarks from the head of state are disastrous especially when 52 percent of our budget is on the good will of donors,” he said.

Mr Francis Epatait (Ngora) said the donors should not be abused when they question whether the money given to Uganda is being used judiciously. “For Museveni to scoff at donors like that is being shameless and it should be stopped. If he does not need donors, Ugandans need them. Museveni is not being appreciative of the support donors have given to Uganda for all these years,” he said.

Mr Abdu Katuntu said, “The only response to Museveni’s remarks is to abuse him.”
Movement MPs said much as Uganda needed the donor aid, it was not proper for them to dictate over the country. Mr Ofwono Yeri (Tororo Municipality) said, “Donors should not give us money with restrictions.”

Uganda’s representative to the Pan African Parliament Ms Loyce Bwambale (women Kasese) supported President Museveni’s remarks saying Uganda’s democracy should not be dictated by the standards of UK. “I am equally frustrated with donors. Britain looted us and instead of paying us back, they are shouting at us. We call upon them to understand our democracy,” she said.

Mr Sebalu Sitenda (Kyadondo East) said, the donors should not hide under aid to bring turmoil in our country. “This is a sovereign country which should manage its political affairs,” he said.
The Chairman of the National Economy Committee Mr Nathan Mafabi (Budadiri West) said if government does not redesign its programmes, Uganda cannot do without donor funding.

“As the chairman of the National Economy Committee have told Museveni to start borrowing money for development and not consumption. How do you borrow money to pay off people and announce that we can do without donors? Museveni is just endangering the relationship that we have with our development partners and he should stop it,” he said.

Mr Augustine Ruzindana (Ruhama) said Museveni’s remarks were just jokes. “He is aware that his government cannot do without donors, but he is just joking. Can Uganda alone sustain the health sector and many other sectors?” he asked.
Cecilia Ogwal said the President could have made remarks while he was out of his mood.

She said the president was expressing his disappointment to the donors since they are against his third term bid. “He is disappointed that he lied to donors who have invested much into democracy.