The Independent Uganda: You get the Truth we Pay the Price
When the budget for roads grew from 4% to 18.2% of total spending
My research paper argued that the government should shift emphasis from political patronage to investment in infrastructure. In the 2007/08 budget, government made its move. It created the Energy Fund and Road Fund and threw money at these two sectors. In all the consequent budgets it has shifted spending emphasis to investment in these infrastructures. Our dream came true.
In the 2015/16 Budget, development (investment) spending took 60%, recurrent (consumption) 40%. Transport and energy sectors took 33.6% of the budget while public administration had grown from Shs700 billion to 1.7 trillion against a budget of 18.3 trillion. Thus, although patronage had more than doubled, as a share of the total budget it had fallen from 20.6% in 2002 to 9% in 2015/16. The budget for roads had grown from 4% to 18.2% of total spending.
Thus, even with its alleged corruption, Uganda National Roads Authority (UNRA) did a great job. From independence in 1962 to 2008 when UNRA began its work, Uganda had built 2,200km of tarmac of which only 700km was in good condition, 1,000km in fair condition and 500km in a bad condition.
By the time the old guard at UNRA was disbanded, they had built 2,000km of new tarmac roads and rehabilitated 1,000km, giving our country 4,000km of good tarmac. There were 1,900km of tarmac roads under construction and 1,000km to commence construction in the 2016/17 Budget.
When it comes to electricity, current installed capacity is 850MW of which only 650 is effective supply. Today demand is about 600MW and growing at about 10% per year. However, government has poured money into generation and in the next three years, Uganda will add 1,200MW on the grid, 150% more than it did in its first 55 years since independence.
Indeed, UETCL is going to invest over $1billion in transmission infrastructure to carry this electricity while Umeme will invest between $1.5 and $2 billion in distribution infrastructure. The challenge for Uganda now is going to be one of excess capacity – whether we can be able to consume all this power or find someone to buy it.
Thus over the last 15 years, transmission lines have grown from 1,400km to 3,000km. From independence to 2006, Uganda had built only 6,000km of medium voltage distribution lines. Rural Electrification Agency (REA) alone has added 8,000km of low voltage distribution lines. In the next two years it will add another 10,000km.Umeme has increased distribution lines from 8,700km to 13,000 and increased low voltage lines from 13,000 to 19,000 in ten years.
The biggest growth has been in the water sector. Only three years ago, National Water and Sewerage Corporation (NWSC) was serving 23 towns. Now it is in 179 towns and growing; and by end of July they shall be in 202 towns. Its assets have grown from Shs600 billion to Shs1.25 trillion in three years. Kilometers of water pipes have grown 6,500km to 10,200 over the same period.
One can argue that people are angry because they do not eat these infrastructures. But these investments are critical for our country, as they will give our economy future productivity gains.
I put Uganda among countries with similar per capita income, per capita revenue and per capita spending. And then I compared their investment in different infrastructures and the economic viability plus sound management. In almost all indicators – water, electricity, roads, etc. – Uganda comes among the top three performers.
It is, therefore, ironic that people are angry at government at this moment in time when it is actually doing the right thing.
amwenda@independent.co.ug
Everyone wants to go to heaven but no one wants to die
Can’t put it better.
Brilliant!
Also, this govt is a horrible communicator & woeful propagandist (the good type).
The problem is disparities in public sector management, because when a certain sect feels left out then it causes anxiety and anger for example pay between the semi autonomous parastals and the core civil service.
Mwenda, in all respect, I cannot agree with you no matter what statistics you display, be they true or cooked. Truthfully answer the following questions (if not here to yourself at least) and you will understand how the common ma/woman, who lives on less than 0.5$/day views your presentation; if they were to read it.
1. At what expense do these infrastructures attain? 2. What percentage of the population gains directly from them? 3. What debt per capita is every human Uganda resident is incurring due to these infrastructure? 4. Is it honest for one to eat/consume/utilise something alone and then compel all others including those who will never ever benefit pay for it? 5. Investment in infrastructure is like spending now what might not even realise profits…. the Uganda Railway died before making any returns after over 100 years in operation. My dear Mwenda, would you have been patient if during your childhood, your beloved father had sold the family land and livestock and bought bonds that would mature in 25 years at the expense of your upbringing,education and feeding…allegedly to wait for billions after 25 years when you would be an illiterate,jigger infested unhealthy tonto drunk with extended amoebic belly? 6. Is it prudent to forego a meal in order to get a car? 7. Do you the difference between basic needs and WANTS? Answer truthfully if you are as honest as I think.
Andrew people are angry not because they Don’t have roads, a few people are interested in roads, what people want is good governance, respect of human rights, respect of the rule no one can be happy when government is violat against it’s own citizens.
Investments are welcome but how are common UGANDANS benefiting from that? People want jobs, fair fistribution of resource. Respect for fellew countrymen.Museveni has concentrated wealthy in specific group of people or class, and this is the major cause of grievence,driving Ugandans isania. The prospect of museveni not leaving power soon is also causing canage to some part of the community that doesn’t support museveni agenda, people such as Besigye supporters, so grievence is not how many miles museveni has build or not build, but social problems and that is where Mr museveni should look to improve if at all is going to attempt to continue ruling,social issues first. People want to see real change in their lives, social mobility is just within a limited number of Ugandans that are associated with Mr museveni. Therefore some people genuinely feel left out or isolated by the government. The continuation of violating the rule of law, increasing levels of aggravated toture unleashed on the citizens, the increase of extra judicial killings, and street executions are all causing tension and axiaty among Ugandans.
So James Bantu you can have you cake and eat it at the same time. You want jobs and fair distribution of resources but not infrastructure to generate those jobs
Well Andrew it’s a shame that it took 35 years just to construct 2000 miles, yet JUBLEE in Kenya did 7000 miles within four years they intend to construct 3000miles more next year, Andrew make a contrast and make a judgement if rely NRM is serious and worth prising for 2000 miles in 35 years, JUBLEE for president Uhuru and Ruto 7000 miles in 4 years compare that.
This shows how Mr museveni is not serious on developments issues,but he is serious on rhetoric and patronage.
Have you tried to find out the resource envelope for Kenya?
Andrew I knew used to measure the Cost Benefit Analysis,as indicated by James, Have you measured the cost of roads compared to Rwanda or Kenya, Time for completion, Quality of the roads, quality of the tractors(remember the first batch from China, who is paying the debt yet they are now scrap?)
So Ugandans should just be happy for anything, no matter the cost, quality or durability. OKAY thats interesting, let me clap
RWASUBUTARE, my absolute n unconditional respect for your post.
Mwenda tries to sex up his presentation as is evidenced by his headline chart.
But no amount will take away the reality.
These so called developments are simply to line people’s pockets and that there is some benefit to the populace is just an accident.
M7 did not buy jets at $740m because our security was in grave danger, it was because it was an opportunity to steal more than $400m near to an election.
Ditto the equipment from Japan
Today, money n the kitchen sink are being thrown at electricity dams when the viable, quicker and sensible thing would have been to supply solar panels for mostly rural domestic use.
Even M7 himself once derided people who demanding for tarmac roads whether they were going to eat the tarmac. What has changed so much now that he derides the people of Teso while they are starving and that if he gives them food aid then they are compromising his tarmac roads!!!!!
Rwasubutare, no need to appeal to M9s conscience, he has none.
It’s like appealing to a 50 year old man who marries a 12 year old girl when he is also prepared to give away his own 12 year old to a 60 year old.
In 1972, when George McGovern was campaigning for US presidency, he displayed very clear figures of what the Vietnam cost….. and let Americans themselves do the cost-benefit. analysis …what they were foregoing/spending/losing and what they were gaining. He summarised thus:
“elect me now and I will stop that war in 24 hours;then I will give every living American (babies included) 1,000$ cash”. The people elected Nixon;calling him the better man….Watergate scandal followed and Nixon was impeached….. ejakait, democracy is funny. In conclusion, I can only say “let the mob harvest what they sow”.
Mr museveni is sorounded by wolves, and soon he will fall into the wolves hands and he will be ripped apart. The wolves are determined to access the prize of dirty cash. But museveni is hiding with bags full of meat which the wolves are claiming to be part of, therefore entitled to eat a potion of that dirty cash as well. It is a prize wolves are determined to access alive or dead, museveni knows it, and has tried to fence off his yard to void the wolves from entry to the place were the prize is hidden, only few have access to it, namely muhoozi, kataha, saleh, rwabogo and patience, kutesa the rest can just smell it from behind the fence. But strongman Besigye has tried to access it in vain. A few people have decided to kulembeka from the gutters and some from sewage pipes and drains of State House. Parliament is apparently kulembekaling from the sewer pipes and Andrew from the sewage drains of statehouse, while tamale mirundi and Gilbert Bukenya the sewer drains have been blocked from inside to make sure they access nothing only smell.
Bantu, you have put me in stitches and made my otherwise uneventful day a little exciting.
The most angry is Logikol(comical) Tamale, the guy is livid and even wanted to take out his nuggu on the poor TV presenter
1.Govt’s role is to make strategic decisons thats why they are investing in projects that will benefit the future generation; the Panama canal was built in 1914 isnt it still a great trade route,The roads govt has constructed is mainly for trade not for ugandans to use it for an evening walk.
2.@ Dean Kazeyi Its cost effective to employ more ugandans in the civil service and pay them low wages than employ a few and pay them big wages.
3.@Ejakait so according to you the tramac road is the one causing hunger in Teso not their laziness and huge love for gossipng its not M7’s role to explain to the people of Teso the use of a road.
4.@Bantu you prefer govt to engage in sewage talk and abdon its strategic plans?
5.@Rwasubutare Bonds are investments for the rich they dont like seeing thier money lie idle.
6.@Rajab with the numerous reforms taking place Land will soon be owned by govt.
Winnie why don’t you first make a detailed analysis and evaluation on your arguments. Look at the comparison between NRM achievemens in 35 years, compare them with our neighbours kenya compare what JUBILEE party has achieved in four years, let us look at roads NRM 2200km in 35 years, JUBILEE 7000km in four and Jubilee party is constructing 3000km next year. So with this comparison winnie I don’t think you have anything to respond unless you are part of the wolves behind the fence. What strategy are telling me? Explain the government strategy on youth unemployment.
@james the problem is that you don’t deal with the insect that is in your eye first but rush to see the eye of your friend. countries have different problems and different political systems. Be part of problem solving than comparing shirts all the time
Winnie, a road is good and even desirable and useful BUT as an opportunity cost, it should not be built at the expense of food. A road cannot has never and will never produce food. You know why we need food.
Food in plenty will produce roads never the other way round. While I speak as a Christian but never a politician, it is the responsibility of the government to see that people under its flag get enough to eat; even if they are lazy (which the Iteso aren’t) to protect them (even when they stray outside the country) to treat them (even when they cannot pay) to educate them (even against their will) else the governement ceases to be responsible. Winnie if your father is earning 20m UGX per month and we see you on the street in rags begging, what can we conclude? Your father would be the most irresponsible person and does not deserve the job. These statistics of “growth by 7% and other figures which don’t translate into change in the population are not meaningful. Let the oil start flowing and you see.
1.@Bantu i am no wolf i am a British Citizen who has fallen in love with NRM which British citizen begs for money from Ug govt? you will one day regret why you took M7’s govt for granted you think in other parts of the world there is no unemployment?These are some of the strategic policies govt has put in place:(i)Govt has opened vocational training colleges like Nakawa,Abilonino,Jinja they train youth in garment design,electrical engineering Agriculture,Metal Fabrication etc its just that parents are still stuck with traditional courses like Medicine,law and Engineering they think that those who don’t make it to university are failures(ii)There are credit and loans schemes for the youth(iii)Just like in Britain,Apprentices are being offered to students in private companies that pay students some allowance.
2. Back then,govts all over the world owned all social services but with the liberation of the economy,discovery of ICT most of the jobs creators are businessmen (high flyers) and they normally prefer employing intellectually gifted persons this makes competition for jobs so tricky and technology is replacing human resource.
3. @ Bantu just stop comparing Ug to Kenya its actually ug that developed Kenya. In the 80’s,all goods were from Kenya coz there was practically,no govt. Kenya is not happy with our progress we have killed their markets.So if Kenya has more tarmacked roads,Ug should not attempt to build its road network coz Kenyans will laugh at us?
4.@Rwasubutare so food is now grown on tarmac roads? You prefer govt to feed its citizens but how will the money be generated to feed them if there are no proper roads? all NRM is saying is that 1st built good roads to all boarder posts so that farmers can easily transport their products; govt has no apologies for fixing the roads to Congo,Rwanda,Sudan,TZ and Kenya.
A good author must use comparison,it’s absolutely applausable to use kenya as a yard stick when comparing uganda to any. First kenya is in the same income brackets with uganda. If I had compared let us say the USA or UK with uganda then that wouldn’t make sense because the of wide difference in income and skill man power but Kenya is right, so winnie you got that wrong dear try to analyse more, I told you that already. open your eyes, you sound green and in a deep sleep . We have had technical colleges you are talking about since early 1940 to date. We have had university for over 60 years so were are the engineers. How do expect this to work while others have failed to produce any engineer. Winnie your living in virtual world or a fantasy one. Things are different from inside, from the way you see them from outside.
@ Bantu its you who has got it wrong on unemployment. In the 60’s there were no issues of unemployment Ugandans were being begged to go and study but they were not interested perhaps that explains why most families have village mentality there is a difference between kids raised by educated and uneducated parents besides that the technical colleges you talking about were meant for those who had failed to make it to university now how do you expect one to study passionately well knowing that he is not university material?Currently one can have a university degree,masters degree and still go to the technical institutes to gain hands on skills.
So you want Uganda to begin competing with Kenya?Kenya has been in a comfort zone for a long time ;no wars We will one day be there we are taking one day at a time have you been to Japan or UAE?their roads,buildings are better than the ones in UK and USA and yet are not among the G7 nations they are comfortable they don’t need to blow their own trumpet.
Ugandans have had enough of Kenya; from depending on them economically to Nairobi Peace talks enough is enough.
Like the man from Nyangole would say, courtesy of a good education, Winnie is out of her depth and has gone in headlong at the deep end.
By her own admission she is a harlot who once in a while gets invited when executives get together to open their wine.
Unfortunately she catches glimpses of their discussions and thinks re can come here and regurgitate the conversations she has heard.
The only time I have seen her say anything near to some sense is when she talks about sex….. and even then………
@ Ejakait:Me a lawyer………….a British of Ug origin……….. to just get a glimp of what CEOs say?????just stop(I just cant go on)even at school i would answer all qns.
Ejakait tell me dont you enjoy sex ?are you ashamed of sex? you remind me of men who hide in shame when they meet women they had sex with for your case you may even run and hide in the bush when you meet your ex. have
You should carry out a research on why Ugandan men are dying of heart attack and stroke of late its coz sex is sweet men love harlots.
I promise you i will buy for you 10 bottles of wine at the end of the year so that you also have want to tell your village mates during Xmas.
Winnie, why do you keep reffering to your self as a British of Uganda original? You asked me if I have been in Japan or UAE? You further said that roads in Japan and united Arab Emirates are built well then uk or USA. Dear winnie my comparison was on how many kilometres of roads each country built within e specific period of time. You also said that Japan as UAE are not in g7 countried. We again you got it wrong Japan is a member of g3 and g7 . And to let you know that we are not interested in knowing who you are. So don’t tell me that your British, you making me sick.
Bantu, in every village or malwa group there will always be the idiot who claims to know it all, they will claim to have been to Kampaaara, or Nairobi or Mombasa, claim this or that vip as a relative or OB.
Winnie is that ‘know it all’ on this forum. There is NO intelligence or means test for one to be British, she thinks a beggar on the British streets is better than say M7!!!!
First she could even count, can’t even spell even with spell check. How do you argue with a person who quotes Japan n doesn’t even know it’s among the G7, sure she doesn’t even know what g7 or G20 means.
@Ejakiat you called me what? you better shut up; you think coz you have some …. you deserve to call me names?its you who could not comprehend the use of a road now out of shame you decide to call me names.I will and must chase you from this page dare call me another name you will see.
Bantu,Ejakait Rwasubutare, and Rajab: After my lecture,its good that you now know the use of a road.Bambi Ejakait its not for planting cassava and transporting your malwa In Britain we don’t know what malwa means.
@ Bantu Kenya has a bigger economy than that of Ug coz of their access to the coast and their political stability.Why wouldn’t Kenya build more KM of roads if they are doing well?why do you think Kenya was in a hurry to complete the Railway linking Nairobi to Mombasa?its coz they know that Rwanda and Ug needs them badly.The cost of constructing roads in Ug is expensive coz of the land tenure system that requires compensation of land owners whether genuine or not ,over valuation of land and soliciting of bribes by officials in the procurement unit.Hope you know why Entebbe express highway is expensive;it was coz of the terrain and unique designs.
@ Bantu and Ejakait do you know what figurative speech/ language means?
For a nation to be among the G7 you need to have a big economy and also be a strategic ally for USA,Russia and UK now why doesn’t Saudi Arabia, UAE,China appear in this list? you think Italy and France deserve to be at the same league with Japan?Japan is in the G7 league mainly to monitor China,North & South Korea which are a threat to USA and UK hey are there in body but not in spirit.
Winnie, the sooner you shut your mouth the better for you.
As they say, when you keep your mouth shut no one will know whether you are an idiot or not.
You open it and you remove all doubt.
Do you know the criteria for being a G7 member and do you know the base date.
Since when has Russia been a G7 member?
Winnie, i honesty , doubt if your a lawyer, you have made me think that you are those scamers or kifesi groups. First you need to do some research on how countries qualify to be a member of G3 and G7,G20. remember Japan is number three biggest economy in the world, after china and USA, then German in the fourth place, France no 5 and Britain no 6 respectively. I want to remind you winnie that Britain is actually number 6 biggest economy by far smaller that you think. And that conspiracy talk you are talking about that Japan is in G7 to monitor south Korea and China, I can’t believe a lawyer can think like this, unless you’re tapped winnie. But going back to want I have always said to you, do your research otherwise you will get bruised on this forum.
Winnie I have not seen a lecture you gave us on the use of roads any body can cross chech your comments what they will notice is that there is no substance in your comments rather than you trying had to showcase your naivety to this forum. I don’t also think that you capable of lecturing people whose IQS are far above yours, so allow it.
Winnie said that there was no unemployment in 1960s. Winnie we
have never had employment in uganda as you want people to think. Why do I say this? In the 1960 uganda, what sort of jobs did uganda have?none. A few jobs which where available in public service were occupied by Asians and colonial masters and that was the order of the day. So uganda had no jobs for ugandans by that time only a few jobs available to Ugandans was being house boy for the previlaged few. The pay was pathetic so it was better not to have one. Again winnie your arguments are not researched you need to analyse your information as a kifesi lawyer or kicupuli.
Winnie let me give you free lesson in economics you seem not to be familiar with it. First what is G7 group of countries. These are countries classified as the most industrialised countries.here is the list beginning with the biggest to smallest economy respectively. 1.USA 2.china 3.Japan 4.German 5.France 6.Britain 7.Russian. to clarify why is Russia in this group yet it is not the 7th economy. Economy number seven is Canada not Russia so Canada seats on G8 countries. So winnie that silly talk that Japan is in G7 to watch china,north Korea and south Korea is an idle talk. Why? First south Korea is an allay of USA therefore not a threat to USA. Japan is a member of all theses leagues because it’s economically reacher than German, uk, France Russia and even reacher than china in terms on income per capital. Japan is defacto number 2 only to USA.
Thanks folks, and especially to Winnie whose relentless, tongue in cheek perspectives are refreshingly candid. Love her, hate her-she can hold her own-blow for blow! Kudos Ugandans! My favourite writer , South African writer Athol Fugard says when you have a problem , put it i words!
@ Bantu & Ejakait:I have never met my match on this forum ;Bantu you cant spell the word richer the word reacher does not exist in English.
I have never said my IQ is high i just love engaging in critical thinking nayee i beat all men on this forum when it comes to debating and analyzing issues.
There is no lecture on economics for me Bantu;G7 is just about current affairs.Its me who brought up the issue of G7 states will the intention to show how some states like UAE,Saudi Arabia,South Korea,Switzerland, are economically great but coz they are not loud like USA and don’t blow their own trumpet they cant be in the G7 league besides that G7 nations survive on allies e.g Japan and China are not in good terms what does USA do? they try to create harmony by allocating them a slot in G7 why was Russia kicked out of the G8 coz of the Crimea war;South Korea on behalf of USA spies on North Korea now how do you believe such a team? as usually the fuckery in Ejakait cant see this.
Who draws the list and determines the criteria to be a G7 nation?its the same states in the G7 league now Bantu isn’t that conflict of interest?
How much will the silk road cost China?don’t you think that the road construction NRM is engaged in though humble is similar to the silk road project?How about the Silicon valley in USA?isn’t it in a humble way similar to the industrial park project in Mukono?
Bantu you just contradict yourself when you say that in the 1960’s Ugandans couldn’t be employed now that was voluntary unemployment as opposed to now where people are educated but there are no jobs the institutes you say were established in the 60’s were there to offer free education to Ugandans to study but you would plead with them in vain to study but they were not interested actually all Ug’s problems were created in 19060’s and 70’s.
Winnie honestly I don’t think you can correct the errors you made in your comments, your errors are on record in this forum. Your attempt to correct them in the above comment explains how naive you are. For me its to much to try to argue with an impersonator who poses as a lawyer, a British citizen, but doesn’t reason as one. The spelling issue is a simple case , every writer make spelling errors opposed to mistake as you put it. So that was an error, iam not in a writing competition with any one, neither iam I writing to get creditation from any one
I guess winnie you work at the red light streets of London that is why you are out of order.
4 ur record check me out on youtube google james jones bantu random machine.
@ Bantu you should have from the start told me that you have issues with sex and you want me to help you.
WINNIE, now you are talking.
I’m sure that is a subject after your heart and on this I will not argue with you.
Unfortunately it’s neither the place no the time.
ejakait, you make my ribs ache with laughter. There is a saying we were taught by Mr Oguti Bichachi (the best teacher I have met in life) that “….if you give Winnie-type a rope (long enough and for long enough) they will without doubt hang them selves. Now you have taken her round till by her own admission she admits her career….. which she calls law practice or is it low? I here below reproduce Sir Winston Churchill’s argument with a one Winnie…. who frequent VIP parties when they are common street urchins. Sir Churchill was witty very witty.
“Churchill: “Madam, would you sleep with me for five million pounds?” Socialite: “My goodness, Mr. Churchill… Well, I suppose… we would have to discuss terms, of course… ”
Churchill: “Would you sleep with me for five pounds?”
Socialite: “Mr. Churchill, what kind of woman do you think I am?!” Churchill: “Madam, we’ve already established that. Now we are haggling about the price”
Winnie thanks for offering me sex, however I don’t think your my type. You can offer it to your customers that buy you. Ejakait was right to call you an idiot and your comment above confirms it. I rest my case.
Hi brothers,
Why all this side tracking?
Focus on the issues in M9’s article and leave personal attacks/descriptors aside.
Leave our sister alone or re-focus her to the substantive issues – if you feel she has gone astray.
Cheers,
Dr. Eng. Kant Ateenyi Kanyarusoke
@Bantu i have not yet met my match on this forum; of course you r right to say i am not your type coz i cant also stand a man who knows nothing about the use of a road ,who thinks that G7 is about economics eeeish;next time come to this forum when you have packaged your balls well.
You & Ejakait seem more interested in sex talk i am so good at that but this is not the forum give me your address for more deliberations.
“Churchill: “Madam, would you sleep with me for five million pounds?” Socialite: “My goodness, Mr. Churchill… Well, I suppose… we would have to discuss terms, of course… ”
Churchill: “Would you sleep with me for five pounds?”
Socialite: “Mr. Churchill, what kind of woman do you think I am?!” Churchill: “Madam, we’ve already established that. Now we are haggling about the price”
You are kicupuli winnie, a waste woman no time for you.
Oh my gal WINNIE!!!!
On the 10th you said the USA blows it’s own trumpet, and here you are blowing your own.
Somehow I knew it would come to this, you propositioning someone.
Thank you but no thank you.
How will they hear that I was in Peckham or Upton Park or wherever you are
So what do you think brings together Governors of central banks of industrialised nations.
Ejakait:It seems you think meetings are a very big deal ask your mum why Governors of Central industrialized nations meet she will perhaps help you out.