M7 allocates $4.9b towards improving Uganda's performance in APRM

President Yoweri Museveni has allocated 4.9 billion US dollars towards addressing challenges identified during Uganda's performance in the areas of political, economic and corporate governance under NEPAD's African Peer Review Mechanism. He made the revelation during the 9 th Summit of the APRM Forum at the just-concluded African Union meeting in the Egyptian Resort city of Sharm El Sheikh.

Peter Ntimba was there and reports that the meeting was not without a degree of drama, as journalists stampeded Egyptian security personnel, having been denied them access to the Meeting of African Presidents;

President Museveni touched down in Sharm El Sheikh at noon on Sunday, June 29 th , 2008 for the Summit where areas of mutual interest where being discussed largely behind closed doors. A major highlight was the scrutiny of Uganda's performance in the APRM process where African President's assess each other.

The APRM process entails the setting up of National Focal Points by participating countries that voluntarily committed themselves to fulfilling set standards of democracy and good governance.

In 2005, the Ministry of Finance, Planning and Economic Development designated the National Planning Authority to implement the APRM by setting up an independent Commission with membership from Government, the Opposition, Parliament, Civil Society, the Academia, and Religious Groups among others to carry out countrywide consultations.

The people's views were compiled and submitted to a Panel of Eminent Persons which made it's assessment and President came to explain to his peers how government has succeeded in some aspects and faltered in others.

The stage was set at the venue of the Summit, the Maritim Conference Centre as delegates started arriving in droves and security officers were on high alert to ensure nothing disrupted the deliberations.

However, only a few video and still photo journalists were accredited the opportunity to record the Heads of State prior to the review and this did not go down well with the rest, who decided to use their muscle power;

The fracas notwithstanding, President Museveni responded to concerns contained in the review report which include what were termed as “negative political developments” citing the lifting of Presidential Term Limits and rampant corruption.

In regard to term limits, President Museveni said that the state of Uganda's political, social and economic development, such as the lack of strong institutions to carry out necessary programmes, was taken into account.

He said that Ugandan's elected to follow the examples of the UK, Germany, India which are leading democracies unencumbered by term limits and attributed Zimbabwe's election crisis this limitation.

On corruption, the President observed that there is no lack of political will to fight it but rather, that there is a lack of the resources to enforce existing legal frameworks to curb the scourge.

Uganda's APRM NEPAD team in Sharm El Sheikh included the Minister of State for Finance-General Duties Jachan Omach, Commission Chairman Prof. Elisha Semakula and Vice Chairman Bishop Zac Niringiye, NPA Executive Director Saul Kaye, the Programme Coordinator Sylvia Ofoyuru, MPs Tress Bucanayandi and Christine Abia, Fred Gume and Abbas Agaba.

Some offered their assessment of the review of Uganda and the conclusion of the crucial part of the APRM process; [Jachan, Saul, Warren]. Uganda is the seventh out of the participating countries to be reviewed.