Saleh right and wrong
Dec 02, 2006
The Minister of State for Micro-finance, Gen. Caleb Akandwanaho (Salim Saleh) cancelled a credit scheme he was to launch in Lubaga North constituency on Friday following protests from some MPs.
The Minister of State for Micro-finance, Gen. Caleb Akandwanaho (Salim Saleh) cancelled a credit scheme he was to launch in Lubaga North constituency on Friday following protests from some MPs.
Under the scheme, Saleh was to give out sh200m for anti-poverty programmes. NRM legislators opposed this because the area MP, Beti Kamya, belongs to the opposition FDC. NRM MPs believe that such money should go to NRM strongholds.
It was right to cancel the scheme, but not for the reasons given by the caucus. Saleh has unique methods of work.
The soldier-turned politician prefers military methods where a commander carries money in his pockets to the battlefield and distributes it to his fighters, say to buy cigarettes, as a morale-boosting mechanism.
However, civil government sectors follow clear procedures before money is spent. This is why Saleh complains of delays in implementing Bonna bagaggawale programme.
The Ministry of Finance is yet to release the implementation strategy and Saleh should wait for this before he can give credit to any group, be it in NRM strongholds or not. Discretionary handouts will not achieve the objectives of the programme.
There should be a criteria for selecting groups which qualify for credit and mechanisms for recovering the funds.
For this reason Saleh was right to cancel the launch.
Once the procedures are in place, politics should be kept out of the programme. Disbursements should not be based on political affiliation because these are public resources that should benefit all Ugandans.
The NRM performed poorly in West Nile, Teso, Acholi, Lango and Kasese in the March elections? Should these areas be excluded from the programme? Definitely not.
Under the scheme, Saleh was to give out sh200m for anti-poverty programmes. NRM legislators opposed this because the area MP, Beti Kamya, belongs to the opposition FDC. NRM MPs believe that such money should go to NRM strongholds.
It was right to cancel the scheme, but not for the reasons given by the caucus. Saleh has unique methods of work.
The soldier-turned politician prefers military methods where a commander carries money in his pockets to the battlefield and distributes it to his fighters, say to buy cigarettes, as a morale-boosting mechanism.
However, civil government sectors follow clear procedures before money is spent. This is why Saleh complains of delays in implementing Bonna bagaggawale programme.
The Ministry of Finance is yet to release the implementation strategy and Saleh should wait for this before he can give credit to any group, be it in NRM strongholds or not. Discretionary handouts will not achieve the objectives of the programme.
There should be a criteria for selecting groups which qualify for credit and mechanisms for recovering the funds.
For this reason Saleh was right to cancel the launch.
Once the procedures are in place, politics should be kept out of the programme. Disbursements should not be based on political affiliation because these are public resources that should benefit all Ugandans.
The NRM performed poorly in West Nile, Teso, Acholi, Lango and Kasese in the March elections? Should these areas be excluded from the programme? Definitely not.