The government of Uganda through the Ministry of Finance has directed that all development assistance from donors must be colloborated jointly with govt and will require prior approval by cabinet.
In a letter copied to 23 consulates and representatives of countries in Uganda, the Finance Minister, Hon Matia Kasaija,
also ditected that all agreements for development assistance shall be signed off by the ministers responsible for finance in line with the laws of Uganda.
In addition, all projects and programmes shall be implimented together with and in consultation with relevant government department or agency to ensure that the proposed support is in line with Uganda’s aspirations as enshrined in Vision 2040 and in the National Development Plan III and ensure sustainibility of investments carried out.
Minister Kasaija says the move is to steamline operations of development assistance and to ensure that “Ugandans obtain maximum benefits from assistance the country gets from donors.” Kasaija also said it is meant to avoid duplication of efforts by different partners and government.
This, according to Kasaija, applies to all programmes implimented by Civil Society Organizations and the Private Sector in line with the agreed Paris Principles of Aid Effectiveness.
During the signing off of projects and programmes by the finance minister, government and CSOs will agree on obligations for both parties, the accounting, reporting and monitoring arrangements, and the specific MDA responsible for supervision of the project or programme.
The ditective comes at the height of a longs-tanding lukewarm relationship between government of Uganda and Civil Society Organisations arising majorly on the activities undertaken and sources of funding for the activities implimented. The climax of the disagreement was the suspension of Development Governance Facility (DGF) operations in the country in February 2021.
The DGF was the biggest donor fund in Uganda providing financial and technical support to both state and nonstate actors in areas such as democracy, human rights, and rule of law.
On January 2nd, President Museveni ordered the suspension of DGF activities, stating that its funds were “used to finance activities and organizations designed to subvert [the] Government under the guise of improving governance.”
The blocking of DGF funding however, was interpreted by a section of Ugandans, as a backstabbing and a violation of their legitimate powers they are funded because it is done on baseless accusations that their activities are subverting government activities.
Others opined, that shutting down the activities of DGF was not only blockage of the activities of the actors they fund, but also a detriment of service to the people of Uganda and its environment since these organisations reach deep down to the ordinary person and extends services.