Uganda non-partisan in Congo conflict - PM

By Moses Mulondo

Uganda has secured its borders with the DR Congo to ensure that the conflict in North Kivu province does not spill over to Uganda, the Prime Minister, Amama Mbabazi has said.

He said Uganda is non-partisan in the conflict.

Mbabazi assured the country of stability, noting that the UPDF had degraded the capacity of the rebel Allied Democratic Force (ADF’s) ability to cause insecurity on the common border with Congo.

There have been reports that the ADF was regrouping in Eastern Congo.

Mbabazi said Uganda was committed to promoting stability, peace and co-existence in the wider region beyond East Africa, including South Sudan, Somalia, Congo and the Central African Republic.

He said the conflict in North Kivu was a localised problem caused by armed militias, which could be solved by dialogue, according to statement by the Premier’s press unit.

The statement said Mbabazi made the comments on Saturday while addressing journalists at his Akii Bua Road office in Nakasero, Kampala during the second edition of the ‘Ask the PM’ Tweet-Up platform.

“We recognise the sovereign integrity of DRC” said Mbabazi who has over 4,000 followers on twitter. “We support both the International Criminal Court and Congo’s effort to stabilise,” he added.

He said Uganda benefitted from a stable and peaceful Congo and did not support a split because it was against the will of the majority of the Congolese nationals who preferred a united DRC.

There had been suggestions that Congo should be split to provide lasting peace.

Mbabazi noted that the conflict had negatively affected trade between Uganda and Congo in addition to straining the provision of social services, especially in areas hosting over 15,000 refugees in the country.

On fuel shortage, Mbabazi said Cabinet had decided to open an alternative route through Tanzania and make it competitive to attract more fuel dealers.

The Government was also taking steps to revamp the fuel reserves in Jinja and to construct other reserves in a number of places, including Kasese and Nakasongola.

Mbabazi also said it was unnecessary for teachers to strike since the Government has prioritised them in the 2012/13 financial year budget by increasing their salaries.

He explained that out of the projected increase in revenue amounting to sh528b, teachers would take sh290b, while the rest of the civil servants would have sh23b for salary enhancement.

Another sh215b was committed to the construction of the Karuma hydro-electric power dam.

Mbabazi also said a Cabinet paper on the reforms in the public service for improved service delivery had been prepared and would soon be tabled in Cabinet for discussion.

He supported the creation of more districts, saying it was aimed at bringing services closer to the people.