We missed the drumsticks!
Jun 07, 2006
SIR — My ancestors have a saying that every time you enjoy an omelette, you are forfeiting a drumstick (chicken thigh)! This fits very well in the history of our privatisation and other ‘investment’ schemes over the last two decades.
SIR — My ancestors have a saying that every time you enjoy an omelette, you are forfeiting a drumstick (chicken thigh)! This fits very well in the history of our privatisation and other ‘investment’ schemes over the last two decades. Let me illustrate what might have been.
Uganda Airlines: This national carrier was ‘performing’ or ailing at the same rate as Kenya Airways (KQ) at the time of the latter’s privatisation. It was slowly and systematically dismembered and ‘eaten’ in bits and crumbs, till what remains of it are flags serving as curtains in Entebbe slums!
Imagine if we had taken the KQ route: The Flying Crane is spreading its wings even further to the far east and so needs five long-haul jumbo jets, and seven medium range ones for the regional routes. Boeing and Airbus are vying for this lucrative deal. What a drumstick! Those who ate the omelette crumbs, this is what you forfeited! UTC/PTC is modernising its fleet, currently at 350 buses and needs 200 double-decker state-of-the-art coaches. Leyland, Isuzu, Nissan, Mercedes, Steyr are falling over themselves to please the chief executive officer and win the deal, 400 graduates are being recruited as inspectors and supervisors, among other jobs
Nytil Jinja has won the AGOA market for the next 25 years, besides the domestic one, where it supplies locally manufactured fabrics for the textile needs of the country. The Chinese, having angered EU and US, are seeking joint ventures with Nytil to partake of the AGOA market indirectly
The Uganda Commercial Bank is expanding to Sudan, having won the confidence of the donor community rebuilding Southern Sudan. A 120-man strong expatriate team of Ugandans is contracted to revamp the banking industry in Southern Sudan.
The Cooperative Bank, alongside the Cooperative Unions have been so successful in implementing the Poverty Eradication Action Plan (PEAP). Uganda is now exporting expertise to Eastern Europe and India.
Uganda Development, Uganda Leather and Tanning Industries (ULATI), Uganda Grain Milling, have been implementing a rural transformation scheme through UDB-financed hides/skins and grain growing programmes. All these are now in limbo — having been eaten as omelettes. This is the modern ‘eating’ way: a contractor builds a road to its specifications and a mansion is given to the minister who gives him the contract!
Amon B. Mbekiza
Kampala
Imagine if we had taken the KQ route: The Flying Crane is spreading its wings even further to the far east and so needs five long-haul jumbo jets, and seven medium range ones for the regional routes. Boeing and Airbus are vying for this lucrative deal. What a drumstick! Those who ate the omelette crumbs, this is what you forfeited!
Amon B. Mbekiza
Kampala