Sunday, 11 November 2012
STATEMENT ON THE CREATION OF 25 NEW DISTRICTS
Local
Government Administration in Uganda is premised on the policy of
Decentralization through devolution which seeks to bring social services such
as health, education, roads and water closer to the people. This is the very essence for the creation of
districts which Uganda Local Governments Association’s (ULGA’s) considered
opinion can only function if the appropriate parameters and adequate resources
for the new districts are availed. This
is mainly because creating more districts results in an increase in
administrative costs amongst the many other requiments that come with the
establishments.
The
Association remains concerned that in the wake of things, most of the districts
that started operating in July 2010 such as Agago and Ntoroko are still faced
with inadequate staffing and management capacity with as low as only 7% of the
approved structures. More so, some new
districts have no headquarters, others have departments with no offices, no
electricity nor the necessary tools and equipment to fully function as service
delivery centres.
An
analysis by ULGA on the progression of the division of the national cake
overtime shows that funding to the local government sector has continued on a
downward trend from 25% in the 2005/06 financial year to 17.6% in the 2011/12
financial year. The human resource
levels have remained at 55% with some new districts having only 10% staffing,
five years after government approved filing of the structures up to 65%. This si compounded by the low levels of local
revenue generated. The new taxes; local
service tax and local hotels tax have failed to yield significant revenue
leaving Local Governments to depend on Central Government transfers for their
financing by up to 97% in some cases.
This has continued to limit their autonomy and discretionary powers,
which are necessary ingredients of devolved power and responsibility.
Given
the status quo, ULGA therefore calls on Central Government to seriously
consider the recommendations of the on-going holistic review of Local
Government financing, once finalized by the Local Government Finance Commission
(LGFC) before the rush for more districts is embraced.
We
also call upon the Parliamentary Committee on Local Government and Public
Service to critically review the proposal for creation of new districts and
make realistic recommendations to the August House as they will determine the
future trend of service delivery to our communities.
Odok
Peter W’oceng
PRESIDENT
ULGA
Gertrude
Rose Gamwera
SECRETARY
GENERAL ULGA
CONGRATULATIONS TO ENGINEER PETER SEBANAKITTA UPON BEING RE-APPOINTED EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR UNRA
On behalf of the Old Boys of St Mary's College Kisubi, I wish to congratulate Engineer Peter Ssebanakitta on being Re - appointed Executive Director Uganda National Roads Authority (UNRA). We are happy to see him once more in that position. We want to pray for him because the challenges are many, yet those who are waiting to see his Authority delivering are many, hence there are no short - cuts but to meet the challenges. As a fellow Lourdalian at SMACK, I must say, we are proud of his achievements, and wish to request that Mr. Ssebanakitta endeavours to find more time to add to the efforts of SMACK Old Boys. May be he can give a lecture on challenges of Executives in Uganda, and many Old Boys would gladly embrace the opportunity. The young ones at school may also benefit from his advice on how to be relevant when they get to the world of work.
I take this opportunity to wish Engineer Ssebanakitta the best while delivering remains the key word.
William Kituuka Kiwanuka.
Ssebanakitta
re-appointed UNRA boss
Richard
Wanambwa
Posted Sunday, November 11 2012 at 02:00
Posted Sunday, November 11 2012 at 02:00
Works and
Transport Minister Abraham Byandala has reappointed Eng. Peter Ssebanakitta as
Executive Director of Uganda National Roads Authority.
According to an
October 31, 2012 letter, Eng. Byandala wrote notifying Eng. Ssebanakitta of the
renewal of his five-year contract under similar terms and conditions as the
previous one.
“I am pleased
to inform you that you are re-appointed as the Executive Director of the Uganda
National Roads Authority (UNRA) in accordance to Section 20 (1) of the UNRA
Act,” Eng. Byandala wrote.
The letter
which was copied to the Permanent Secretary and Eng. Byandala’s junior
ministers says the appointment would run until October 2017. Eng. Ssebanakitta,
on Friday, acknowledged receiving the letter and said he was ready to continue
with his work. He promised increased vigilance and supervision on both existing
and yet to be constructed roads in the country.
“It is true I
have received the letter redeploying me in the same position and I must thank
the ministry and UNRA board for entrusting me with this responsibility once
again,” Eng. Ssebanakitta said.
rwanambwa@ug.nationmedia.com
Engineer Ssebanakitta joined
the Ministry of Works and Transport in 1981 as a pupil engineer, Ssebanakitta
worked in various positions rising to the rank of Commissioner for Roads before
joining the Road Agency Formation Unit as the Maintenance Division Manager. He
later became RAFU's Engineering Division Manager before he was appointed as the
Executive Director of UNRA in July 2008.
His 27 years of experience span across
road maintenance management, road development projects management and planning
in Uganda's road sector. During his five year tenure as Commissioner for Roads
in the Ministry for Works and Transport, Eng. Ssebanakitta was responsible for
the management of development and road maintenance activities on the national
roads as well as developing and coordinating policy for the district, urban and
community access road network countrywide. And as RAFU's Engineering Division
Manager, he was responsible for the management of all upgrading and
rehabilitation projects on the national roads network. In an earlier interview,
he claimed to 'have intimate knowledge of both the national roads network and
the road industry in the country'.
At
a press briefing held at UNRA offices on October 1st 2008, Eng. Ssebanakitta
revealed that his organisation was carrying out a programme dabbed 'Operation
No Pot Holes'. "UNRA is currently on a countrywide programme to seal all
potholes and edge failures on all national bitumen (tarmac) roads," he
said.
In
addition to the repair of existing roads, UNRA is also undertaking a
comprehensive road upgrading programme. This entails upgrading of roads from
murram to tarmac, reducing corners and slopes, increasing width and redesigning
of humps.
Eng.
Peter Ssebanakitta brings to UNRA a wealth of experience and knowledge of the
road sector. He holds a Bachelor of Science Degree in Engineering from Makerere
University and a Masters of Science in Highway Engineering from the University
of Birmingham in UK. Joining the Ministry of Works and Transport in 1981 as a
pupil engineer, Ssebanakitta worked in various positions rising to the rank of
Commissioner for Roads before joining the Road Agency Formation Unit as the
Maintenance Division Manager. He later became RAFU's Engineering Division
Manager before he was appointed as the Executive Director of UNRA in July 2008.
His
27 years of experience span across road maintenance management, road
development projects management and planning in Uganda's road sector. During
his five year tenure as Commissioner for Roads in the Ministry for Works and
Transport, Eng. Ssebanakitta was responsible for the management of development
and road maintenance activities on the national roads as well as developing and
coordinating policy for the district, urban and community access road network
countrywide. And as RAFU's Engineering Division Manager, he was responsible for
the management of all upgrading and rehabilitation projects on the national
roads network. In an earlier interview, he claimed to 'have intimate knowledge
of both the national roads network and the road industry in the country'.
ABOUT THE NEW SCHEME
By Joel Ogwang
THE Government is to engage private
contractors to help raise $1b (sh2.5trillion) to develop over 1, 900km of roads
geared at stimulating tourism, agriculture and oil and gas sectors across the
country.
Under the new contractor-facilitated
financing scheme, contractors will express interest in road projects and source
for their funding from any financial institutions.
The scheme seeks to fast-track
development of 20 out of the 44 priority roads to be worked on this 2012/13
financial year.
The roads will be upgraded from gravel
to tarmac.
Construction is expected to be
completed within a period of three to five years from commencement. Their
development will last between six to 36 months.
A Design-Bid-Build project delivery
strategy will be adopted for road projects for which designs are ready whereas
the Design and Build approach will be adopted for road projects where designs
are not yet ready.
How it will work
The Government will enter a memorandum
of understanding with shortlisted firms to confirm their relationship in
respect of financing and implementation of the works.
It will also enter into a conditional
commercial contract with the winning tenderer conditioned on loan agreements
being signed between the state and the winning contractors’ financiers.
The contractors will, in turn,
negotiate with the finance ministry on interest rates and repayment periods,
says Dan Alinange, the Uganda National Roads Authority (UNRA) publicist.
"It is a new thing we are
trying-out. Under this arrangement, the contractor will price the road per
kilometre and we (UNRA) will value the bid based on the cost of the road,"
he says.
"The contractor and financier who
offer the best deal will win the tender and go ahead with the road works. The
finance ministry will pay the financier over time".
The shortlisting of firms for the works
will be conducted in accordance with the public procurement procedures
contained in the Government of Uganda’s Public Procurement and Disposal of
Public Assets Act, 2003 and will be open to all bidders from eligible source
countries.
To close corruption loopholes, the
process up to the signature of the loan agreement will involve negotiation,
cabinet approval, parliamentary approval and Attorney General’s legal opinion
of the loan.
This will be followed by signature of
the loan agreement between Government and the contractors’ financiers.
The project works will then commence
immediately after the loan becomes effective following signature of the loan
agreement and commercial agreement.
How UNRA was doing the bidding In the
past, UNRA was taking unsolicited offers from contractors, notes Eng. Peter
Ssebanakitta, the executive director.
"Now we are opting for a
structured way of taking proposals," he says. Proposals calling for
expression of interests have been advertised in the local media. However, no
contractors have submitted their proposals.
"But we will start receiving them
(proposals) by October. Contracts will most likely be given out early
2013."
Roads financing in
Uganda
Traditionally, Uganda has relied on
direct budgetary allocations to fund infrastructure developments but scanty tax
revenues have meant the country’s road network remains poor, stifling growth in
east Africa’s third largest economy.
For example, Uganda has only 3, 500km
out of a total 20, 000kms of national roads under tarmac/ paved, while the rest
are in bad to poor condition.
District, urban and community access
roads are not any better.
However, the continued prioritisation
of the roads and transport sectors, with over sh1trillion injected in the
sector in the last three national budgets, has raised public appetite for
better roads, yet it is not wholly quenched with quality roads.
One reason roads experts advance for
this predicament, is the continued funding of road works off the consolidated
fund, a norm adopted from the colonial times.
Experts argue that state funding of
roads does not ensure reliability, timeliness and adequacy at a time Uganda
hopes to transit from being a third-world/ low developed country into a
medium-income status.
They also note that even when monies
are ring-fenced for roads, they are susceptible to budgetary cuts due to the
ever-changing government priorities and competing demands from other sectors.
“With funding of roads from the
consolidated fund, we can’t get better roads easily,” says
Eng. Dr. Michael Odongo, the Uganda
Road Fund (URF) executive director. “Countries are moving away from this source
of funding because it has many challenges.”
The low road sector funding, too,
threatens the realisation of the five-year National Development Plan as bad
roads increase the cost of doing business, limits marketing and mobility of
factors of production and, ultimately, infringes on the gross domestic product.
Economists assert that quality roads
would leverage Uganda’s stagnated annual economic growth threshold of 6% over
the past decade.
“This (Uganda) is a small economy and
if we’re to wait for tax revenues to come in so that we develop these roads, it
may take time,” says Alinange.
Why the new scheme
The contractor-facilitated financing
schemewill come as sweet music to financial institutions, contractors and the
Government, with its after-effects trickling down to road users who are starved
of quality roads.
Ssebanakitta argues that with a poor
investment climate in Europe beckoning, Africa is turning out to be a
favourable investment hub for international investors, adding that one such
sector that will benefit was roads and transport.
“In the past, we were getting ad hoc
proposals of contractors who want to use their little money which didn’t
measure up to the size of work they had. This meant projects lasted longer than
the agreed time,” says Ssebanakitta.
“Now they have Public-Private
Partnerships (PPP) where they can get money and we pay over time or through
road tolls. PPP leverages innovation.”
The off-budget financing of roads will
ensure road projects are kick-started and concluded within the contractual
period, with the Government paying the financiers later-on.
Right now, there is a limitation to
what extent the finance ministry can finance the roads budget against other
sectors.
UNRA estimates that a minimum of $1b
will be raised under the scheme.
“We have about 1,918km of roads which
need to be built to spur development around the country,”says Alinange. “We
think this is a step in the right direction.”
While the new scheme, as appealing as it
is, will be open to all contractors, winning the lofty tenders won’t come
cheap, says Ssebanakitta.
BAD GOVERNANCE TO MAKE ME FAIL WITH BLOGGING!
It is hard to believe that this is my
3rd blog! And, I am not sure whether I will be able to blog given the
forces that are blocking me from using the facility. The 1st blog
address is:http://www.williamkituuka.blogspot.com
The 2nd is: http://www.goodgovernancepractice.blogspot.com
And now, this is today's development.
Who ever is behind blocking my efforts, my prayer is simple: Let God change his heart.
William Kituuka Kiwanuka.
The 2nd is: http://www.goodgovernancepractice.blogspot.com
And now, this is today's development.
Who ever is behind blocking my efforts, my prayer is simple: Let God change his heart.
William Kituuka Kiwanuka.
THE WRITING I WISH PUT ON MY GRAVE
If there is an opportunity for a decent burial for William Kituuka Kiwanuka when time comes (you know in countries like our some people just disappear and their bodies cannot be traced), I would love the writing below put on my grave. As you are aware, death is a sure deal for all living, it is a matter of time!
Evidence of bad Governance in Uganda:
1. Removal of Constitutional Presidential Term Limits
2. Failure to release findings of a number of Commissions of Inquiry
3. Political decisions prevailing over economic sense like in the case of creation of new districts
4. Continued depreciation of the Uganda Shilling
5. Out right refusal to grant what the people of Uganda want in the name of Federal Local Governance.
CORRUPTION IN UGANDA
IF THERE WAS GOOD GOVERNANCE IN UGANDA, GERMANY WOULD SURELY INVEST
Source: The New "DE Magazine Deutschland" E6 1/2012
In the article: Businesses wanted.
Business in Africa is good for big corporations like Siemens and Daimler, but German SMEs hesitate to invest. Taking stock of the situation.
African nations account for only 2% of Germany's foreign trade. The Federal Government's Concept for Africa would like to see the better utilization of opportunities for economic cooperation and an increase in the number of German businesses with subsidiaries in Africa, which currently total about 600.
However, to date, most small and medium sized businesses have preferred to invest in Asia. This may be because Germans expect high levels of certainty and transparency. According to British risk consultants Control Risks, who analyze global business risks in foreign countries, the number of unsafe countries is particularly high in Africa. Exceptions are Senegal, Botswana and Ghana. High growth rates area attractive in South Africa, Angola and the oil rich Nigeria. A study by the German - African Business Association (Afrika - Verein - AV) on market opportunities for German SMEs is now advising businesses to consider Kenya, Mozambique, Zambia and Tanzania as well.
I am a crusader for Good Governance. My mission is to
contribute to the promotion of Good Governance and more specifically Democracy
ideal for Uganda.
Evidence of bad Governance in Uganda:
1. Removal of Constitutional Presidential Term Limits
2. Failure to release findings of a number of Commissions of Inquiry
3. Political decisions prevailing over economic sense like in the case of creation of new districts
4. Continued depreciation of the Uganda Shilling
5. Out right refusal to grant what the people of Uganda want in the name of Federal Local Governance.
CORRUPTION IN UGANDA
By Francis Kagolo
Uganda tops in corruption among the five countries under the East African community (EAC), a report by Transparency International has revealed.
The Eat African Bribery Index 2012 launched Thursday afternoon in Kampala ranks Tanzania and Kenya in second and third positions respectively.
Burundi was ranked fourth as Rwanda continues to record the best record in fighting corruption.
A total of 9,303 respondents, mainly urban based and aged between 30 to 49 years, were sampled across the five countries in the survey conducted between March and May this year.
Consequently, Uganda registered the highest bribery levels with a percentage value of 40.7%, while Tanzania had 39.1%, Kenya 29.5%. Burundi, the worst ranked country last year recorded a significantly lower index of 18.8% this year.
With an aggregate index of 2.5%, Rwanda remained the least bribery-prone country in the region.
In Uganda, police remains the top most corrupt institution followed by the judiciary, tax services and the land services sectors.
Also vulnerable are the registry and licensing services, city and local councils, the health and education sectors.
Discussing the findings, anti-corruption experts attributed the problem in Uganda mainly to inadequate political will to fight corruption coupled with low salaries for civil servants.
Uganda tops in corruption among the five countries under the East African community (EAC), a report by Transparency International has revealed.
The Eat African Bribery Index 2012 launched Thursday afternoon in Kampala ranks Tanzania and Kenya in second and third positions respectively.
Burundi was ranked fourth as Rwanda continues to record the best record in fighting corruption.
A total of 9,303 respondents, mainly urban based and aged between 30 to 49 years, were sampled across the five countries in the survey conducted between March and May this year.
Consequently, Uganda registered the highest bribery levels with a percentage value of 40.7%, while Tanzania had 39.1%, Kenya 29.5%. Burundi, the worst ranked country last year recorded a significantly lower index of 18.8% this year.
With an aggregate index of 2.5%, Rwanda remained the least bribery-prone country in the region.
In Uganda, police remains the top most corrupt institution followed by the judiciary, tax services and the land services sectors.
Also vulnerable are the registry and licensing services, city and local councils, the health and education sectors.
Discussing the findings, anti-corruption experts attributed the problem in Uganda mainly to inadequate political will to fight corruption coupled with low salaries for civil servants.
IF THERE WAS GOOD GOVERNANCE IN UGANDA, GERMANY WOULD SURELY INVEST
Source: The New "DE Magazine Deutschland" E6 1/2012
In the article: Businesses wanted.
Business in Africa is good for big corporations like Siemens and Daimler, but German SMEs hesitate to invest. Taking stock of the situation.
African nations account for only 2% of Germany's foreign trade. The Federal Government's Concept for Africa would like to see the better utilization of opportunities for economic cooperation and an increase in the number of German businesses with subsidiaries in Africa, which currently total about 600.
However, to date, most small and medium sized businesses have preferred to invest in Asia. This may be because Germans expect high levels of certainty and transparency. According to British risk consultants Control Risks, who analyze global business risks in foreign countries, the number of unsafe countries is particularly high in Africa. Exceptions are Senegal, Botswana and Ghana. High growth rates area attractive in South Africa, Angola and the oil rich Nigeria. A study by the German - African Business Association (Afrika - Verein - AV) on market opportunities for German SMEs is now advising businesses to consider Kenya, Mozambique, Zambia and Tanzania as well.
Museveni's
Shs1.5bn Mercedes Benz Rattles Opposition
The UPC Vice President, Joseph Bossa
has blamed
President Museveni for spending the tax payers’ money to enhance his person
comfort, ignoring
issues that greatly affect the lives of Ugandans.
Bossa wondered how Museveni would find
it to buy a Mercedes Benz estimated at Shs1.5bn yet most Ugandans continue to
live under deplorable health conditions coupled with poor quality education.
He said a president who cares about the
people he is leading would have no reason of buying such a car when the people
don’t have medicine in hospitals and many Ugandans spend nights without a meal.
Museveni appeared in a sleek Mercedes
Benz during the 50th Independence Anniversary celebrations last
week, causing a huge public debate.
The UPC strongman observed that
Parliament should ensure
the presidency budget is itemized, saying this will put an end on extravagancy.
Bossa separately challenged Museveni to
come out and explain to the nation the location of the old presidential private jet.
“We want to know whether it was sold
up, parked or whether he is using it as a toy at his home,” said Bbosa.
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