Refugee cash: Donors ask government to punish culprits

Donors have reiterated calls for tangible action against government officials who embezzled funds meant for refugees.

The Office of the Prime Minister (OPM) was last year hit by a scandal involving abuse of funds for refugees. Several OPM officials were interdicted while others are under investigations by the Inspectorate of Government.
But speaking during a consultative meeting on the refugee response in Kampala yesterday, the donors applauded the government for its open door refugee policy but cautioned on slow progress of investigations into those that swindled the money.

“From us, the United States, and I think, I speak on behalf of all the donors, remain concerned about the issue of fraud and corruption and the continued slow progress on investigations to hold those responsible accountable,” US ambassador Deborah Malac said.
The meeting that attracted ambassadors, donors and the private sector, among other dignitaries, is in preparation for the first global refugee forum to be held in Geneva, Switzerland, in December.

Ms Malac said the government should take advantage of the forum to address issues that continue to make donors cautious about funding the refugee response in Uganda.
“Your knowledge document should also include a forward looking language conveying commitment to take these concerns seriously and to take action,” she added.

The US envoy said her government provided $180m in funding for the refugee response in Uganda in the recently completed 2019 fiscal year, in addition to a combined total of $360m in 2018 and 2017.
She said the US will encourage burden sharing at the forum, calling on other donors and development partners to play their part.

The Japanese ambassador, Mr Kazuaki Kameda, also said whereas his government is committed to ensuring improved lives of refugees and host communities, he re-echoed the need to address issues of accountability and transparency in managing funds.

“The government of Japan like other development partners believes that contributions for refugee assistance in Uganda should not be misused in anyway. Effective measures should be put in place and punitive action shall be taken against those who have been implicated in substantiated cases,” Mr Kameda said.
The German ambassador, Mr Albrecht Conze, called on government to go beyond the assurances to act upon the implicated officials.

Mr Conze said it is important that “these investigations come to a close so that we don’t have an impression that someone is trying to slow them down”.
The minister of Relief, Disaster Preparedness and Refugees, Mr Hilary Onek, had earlier in his address assured the development partners that the era of misappropriation of funds was long gone.

Govt pledge
“Refugees have been documented electronically, services are being monitored very strictly, and we don’t expect any more misappropriation of any kind,” Mr Onek told the meeting.

The UN coordinator in Uganda Rosa Malango advised government to ensure that it offers regular updates on steps taken to address the raised concerns if trust is to be restored among the development partners.

State minister for Relief, Disaster Preparedness and Refugees Musa Ecweru said government would engage its investigating agencies to fast-track the process but urged the donors not to make any financial decisions that could victimise the refugees.

Government action

The Minister for Relief, Disaster Preparedness and Refugees, Mr Hilary Onek, in February last year directed the Permanent Secretary in the Office of the Prime Minister, Ms Christine Guwatudde Kintu, to interdict four officials as investigations into the alleged abuse of resources meant for refugees commenced.

The affected officials were Mr Apollo Kazungu (commissioner refugees), Mr Walter Omondi (Refugee Desk Officer in Mbarara), Mr John Baptist Sentamu, formerly the camp commandant in Mbarara, who was recently transferred to Hoima and Mr Francis Nkwasibwe (a registration officer/assistant commandant in Mbarara, who too had been recently transferred)..

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