Karamoja leaders want EU to fund districts directly

Mr Attilio Pacifici enters a compound through a local gate at Rupa village in Moroto District. PHOTO BY DAVID MAFABI.

MOROTO- Leaders in Karamoja have demanded that the European Union and other donors disburse project funds directly to beneficiary districts instead of channeling monies through government.

“We want you to send the money directly to us. We can make accountability and we have the capacity,” said Moroto District chairman Andrew Keem Napaja.

In a meeting with European diplomats accredited to Uganda last week, the Karimojong leaders led by Mr Napaja said although EU and other development partners have been sending a lot of funds to the region, very little reaches the common man as most of it is lost in government ministries.

However, according to Karamoja Affairs minister, Mr John Byabagambi, local governments do not have satisfactory capacity to manage the funds.

“These people cannot manage the funds the government gives them; so, how can they be able to manage and account for the big funds from EU and other donors?” he wondered.

Mr Napaja told the visiting team led by EU Head of Delegation to Uganda, Mr Attilio Pacifici, that a number of projects close before they start as the money is held up in the Treasury.
“We don’t want the money to be sent through intermediaries, we want it to come directly [to the districts],” he said.

The European diplomats were in Karamoja for their annual retreat and to appraise themselves with the development challenges and opportunities in the sub-region as well as listen first-hand to the concerns of all stakeholders.

Abim District chairperson Jimmy Ochero said instead of receiving funding through an agency or government ministries that have other priorities, direct funding would eliminate leaks.