President Yoweri Museveni has responded firmly to recent social media stories spreading false and malicious allegations against key figures in the National Resistance Movement (NRM), Abu Mukasa and Prossy Nalweyiso.  

He acknowledged that arrests had been made under his orders, following intelligence information, but criticized those dragging innocent names into the mix.

“Some staff at State House have been arrested for a number of offences and they are already charged in the appropriate State courts. The facts of the alleged offences will come out in the trial,” Museveni stated.

He however, questioned why names such as Abu Mukasa, a prominent NRM supporter and investor, and Prossy Nalweyiso, a veteran of the People’s Resistance, were being falsely implicated.

Museveni praised Abu Mukasa for his invaluable contributions to Uganda’s economy. “Indeed, Abu Mukasa has brought billions of dollars of investments to Uganda. That seems to be his offence to the foreign and local parasites that would like Uganda’s economy to remain stunted as long as they benefit individually,” he remarked, clearly frustrated with those seeking to undermine his efforts.

Mukasa’s role in bringing the multi-billion-dollar bulk fuel supplier Vittol to Uganda was highlighted. At one point, Vittol was offering competitive prices for petroleum, diesel, and kerosene far below those being charged by other suppliers.

“He brought to us a multi-billion-dollar bulk fuel supplying company known as Vittol that, at one point, was offering to sell us a tonne of petroleum at $61.5, a tonne of diesel at $83 and a tonne of Kerosene at $79.25 while the parasites, working with our either corrupt or careless officials, were supplying the same products at: petroleum at $97.5, diesel at $118 and Kerosene at $114 respectively,” Museveni said.              

According to Museveni, these “parasites,” working with corrupt or careless officials, inflated prices, costing Ugandans significantly more. Mukasa’s intervention, along with other investors like Sheikh Maktoum, has been instrumental in bringing cheaper fuel and investment opportunities to the country.

“Sheikh Maktoum has brought us other investors in Air Cargo, gold refinery, produce export, etc. After a long struggle with the parasites, Uganda is now getting cheaper petroleum products,” Museveni stated, reminding Ugandans of the many times the Energy Minister had stepped in to order lower prices.

On the allegations surrounding Prossy Nalweyiso, Museveni reaffirmed her loyalty and long-standing service to the NRM cause. “Yes, she is not highly educated. However, the majority of the NRA freedom fighters were even less educated than Nalweyiso. Nevertheless, these uneducated Ugandans liberated both the uneducated entirety of other Ugandans and the educated that had failed to solve the problem of governance and constitutionality in Uganda.”

Museveni also invoked a biblical reference to expose those spreading lies and exploiting the system for personal gain. “We shall know them by their fruits, Jesus educates us in the book of Matthew, chapter 7, verse 20.”

He called out those attempting to undermine the contributions of the uneducated cadres within the National Resistance Movement (NRM) to remember that these individuals played a big role in addressing Uganda’s major economic challenges in the past, such as crippling shortages of essential goods and the prevalence of black market practices.

“There is a simple acid test you could apply to discover the usefulness of the uneducated Nalweyisos,” Museveni said. “In 1986, you had crippling shortages of soap, salt, paraffin, sugar, etc., and you had magendo (smuggling), Kibaanda (forex black market), and Kusamula (speculation). What happened to those problems? Who contributed to their solution? Were the uneducated Nalweyisos part of the contributors?”

He reminded Ugandans that while there are still challenges like poverty and unemployment, it was the NRM, using both educated and uneducated individuals that solved those earlier problems. He elaborated that the NRM had always understood how to harness the skills of modestly educated fighters, alongside those with formal education. “The Political Commissars and the intelligence officers were normally Makerere graduates – the Arondas, Muntus, Matsikos, etc. – while the Secondary school leavers and some of the uneducated, were Combat Commanders – Saleh, Kashaka, Mugume, Kyaligoonza, Musisi, Peter Kerim, etc.”

He added that today’s commanders are both educated and combat-experienced, but emphasized that the African resistance needs patriots, whether educated or uneducated. “Educated traitors are poison for Africa,” he warned, as he criticized social media figures who spread false narratives. “The ‘informant’ on social media is actually, Mr. Misinformant.”

He noted that the real issue for these “parasites” appears to be Uganda’s economic growth. He credited the NRM’s correct philosophical and strategic positions for Uganda’s robust economy, pointing out that significant foreign investments have been pouring in from countries like China, India, the UAE, and Europe. “Our agriculture is very strong. We shall shift it to irrigation. The strong UPDF and other security forces guarantee peace.”

He also condemned the online blackmailers, who he accused of targeting good investors like Sheikh Maktoum in an effort to drive them away from Uganda. He explained that some of these individuals even go so far as to demand money in exchange for not publishing defamatory stories. “We shall use the law to deal with these parasites,” Museveni vowed, urging Ugandans to be aware of these blackmailers.

Defending Prossy Nalweyiso’s contributions, Museveni pointed out that despite her lack of formal education, she is supported by highly educated professionals such as lawyers, economists, and Army officers. “She brings in her knowledge of our struggle and patriotism,” he said, highlighting her frequent radio appearances where she educates Ugandans about the history of the struggle.

He then shared a personal anecdote about his long history with Abu Mukasa, a key NRM supporter and investor, whom he first met in Washington many years ago. Mukasa, at the time, was working for Harris, an American military radio supplier. The President admired Mukasa’s initiative, sharing how he linked up with Harris through a well-known American General whom he met by offering to cut the grass in the General’s compound.

“Such initiatives by our young people are good. Stop Nyeko (envy), ihari (hatred), obuggya (jealousy), and etima (bitterness),” Museveni concluded, urging Ugandans to focus on the progress of the nation rather than tearing down those who are contributing to its development.

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The Public Accounts Committee (PAC) has called for an immediate halt to all funding for the International Specialized Hospital in Lubowa, citing it as a “ghost project” that is likely to cost Ugandans far more than the Shs286 billion already spent, with no tangible work to show for it.

This recommendation is part of the PAC report on the Auditor General’s Treasury Operations audit for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2023, which was presented by PAC Chairperson Muwanga Kivumbi. Kivumbi urged Parliament to suspend further funding until a special audit by the Auditor General is completed and reviewed.

“The Committee recommends that work on the Lubowa project be stopped until Parliament has reviewed the special audit report from the Auditor General. Those responsible for financial losses should be held accountable by refunding the misused funds. Furthermore, the owner’s engineer should face legal charges for issuing false completion certificates,” Kivumbi stated.

The PAC’s recommendations follow numerous irregularities identified in the project by the Auditor General. The report revealed that although seven promissory notes amounting to $133.6 million (approximately Shs476.5 billion) had been paid to the project’s financier, only 23% of the works had been certified by the government’s engineer, valued at just $57.5 million. This discrepancy suggests a potential overpayment of US$76.1 million (Shs286 billion).

Kivumbi warned that the government’s method of paying through promissory notes based on milestone certificates issued by the owner’s engineer—who lacks full access to the construction site—could lead to significant overpayments or payments for incomplete work.

The Auditor General also highlighted that, per the project agreement, payments are to be made upon completion of specific milestones and issuance of completion certificates by the owner’s engineer. However, it was revealed that the engineer’s certification was based more on progress reports from the contractor and consultation fees than actual physical work done, raising concerns about the integrity of the process.

While the Accountant General, Lawrence Semakula, told the PAC that all payments were backed by certification from the owner’s engineer and the government was obligated to honor promissory notes with binding due dates, the Committee was not satisfied.

Muwanga noted that the PAC was only provided with promissory notes, not the milestone completion certificates necessary for making payments.

The PAC also faced challenges in verifying the status of the project, as multiple attempts to visit the Lubowa hospital site were blocked by the project developer, leaving the Committee unable to confirm whether any work was being done.

“This is essentially a ghost project, and the risk of Ugandans losing money is very real. Parliament must address this issue urgently,” Muwanga emphasized.

The Ugandan government contracted Finasi-ISHU Construction SPV SMC Limited in May 2015 to design, finance, construct, and equip the International Specialized Hospital of Uganda at Lubowa.

In December 2018, the government signed a Promissory Note Purchase Agreement with the Ministry of Health, Africa Export Import Bank, Trade & Development Bank, and Barclays Bank Limited to fund the project up to $379.71 million. Parliament approved the project’s execution and funding in March 2019.

However, debate on the PAC report was postponed by Speaker Anita Among because no Finance Ministry officials were present in the plenary at the time of the report’s presentation.

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The Dutch coalition government, headed by Geert Wilders’ far-right Freedom party (PVV), is considering sending Africans whose asylum requests are rejected to Uganda, in plans that opposition politicians have said are “totally unfeasible”.

During a visit this week to the East African country, the Dutch minister for trade and development, Reinette Klever, said the cabinet was exploring the idea and that Uganda was “not averse” to it, the Dutch public broadcaster Nos reported on Wednesday.

Klever offered few details and it is unclear whether such a plan would be legal or feasible, but it is reported to involve rejected asylum seekers from Uganda and the surrounding region – the exact list of countries has not been specified – being taken in by Uganda and hosted in exchange for financial compensation.

“In the end we want to curb migration,” said Klever, who is part of the PVV.

Her ministry said she had briefly discussed a number of possibilities for accommodation in Uganda and the region during her visit. The plan is in its early stages as the Dutch cabinet investigates “what legally is possible and desirable,” a spokesperson said in an email.

Uganda’s foreign affairs minister said the country was willing to contemplate the possibility. “We are open to any discussions,” Jeje Odongo told Nos.

However, on Thursday another minister struck a firmer note. “I don’t think Uganda would agree to that,” Okello Oryem, Uganda’s state minister for foreign affairs, told Reuters, noting that his country already sheltered 1.6 million refugees from Sudan, South Sudan and Democratic Republic of Congo.

“We don’t deport any refugees. Why do European countries deport refugees?”

Wilders welcomed the plan on social media, but other members of the country’s four-party coalition government were more hesitant given Uganda’s draconian anti-gay legislation and patchy human rights record.

“We have to be very vigilant when it comes to LGBTI people,” said Claudia van Zanten of the populist farmer’s party BBB. Diederik Boomsma of the anti-corruption NSC acknowledged Uganda’s human rights reputation was a concern.

Opposition politicians decried the idea. Jesse Klaver of the Green Left party said it was an effort to distract people from the scant progress the government had made in tackling broader issues. “They are not building houses, they are not managing to keep hospitals open,” he said.

The leader of D66, Rob Jetten, described the idea as “totally unfeasible and ill-considered”, citing the fact that similar plans had already been floated by Denmark and the UK. “The result? Zero people went to Africa,” he said.

The UK’s failed plan to send asylum seekers to Rwanda for processing, a policy of the previous Conservative government that was abandoned by the new Labour administration, is estimated to have cost British taxpayers £700m. It was viewed as the most extreme form of “offshoring” asylum, in that even people with successful claims would have had to stay in Rwanda.The coalition government in the Netherlands has focused much of its attention since taking office in July on curbing asylum, with promises to introduce the country’s “toughest ever” policy on immigration, even though EU data suggests the country has an average number of asylum requests among member states.

The Netherlands received two first-time asylum applications per 1,000 residents last year, matching the average across the bloc, according to the data. Ten-member states, including Greece, Germany and Spain, reported higher ratios.

News of the Dutch plan comes days after the European Commission president, Ursula von der Leyen, called for the idea of “return hubs” outside the EU to be explored, citing a deal between Italy and Albania as a possible model.

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