FDC Katonga questions NAM summit projects

The Forum for Democratic Change (FDC) Katonga faction is concerned on the delays of the Non-Aligned Movement (NAM) and G77+ China summit projects and the manner in which money that was appropriated is being used just a few days to the events.

Mr Erias Lukwago, the interim party president questioned why the government is fronting JICA projects as NAM projects despite being appropriated money for NAM projects, especially the road repairs in Kampala city.
“That flyover project has been in the pipeline all along. It is funded by the Japanese government under JICA forum, it is now the one they are fronting. Where are those NAM roads, the guests are coming over the weekend on Sunday 14th, the portholes are all over, you go to industry area that corridor there, Mukwano road and see what is happening there,” Mr Lukwago wondered.

He added: “The budget was passed long time ago because it was not an accident that NAM is going to be hosted in January, they knew but where are those NAM roads, in the budget they appropriated for NAM and G77+ China summit roads, where are they?”

Mr Lukwago noted that the party is concerned that NAM and G77+China Third South summits are going to be another scam just like Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM) that took place in 2007.
He wondered why none of the roads is complete and whether the flowers that are being planted will be ready in just a few days to the summit despite the budget being passed on time.
Addressing journalists yesterday at their offices on Katonga road in Kampala Mr Lukwago said that NAM would be such a powerful bloc and would give Uganda, as host country.

However, he explained Ugandans may not benefit from the two summits just because the people running the programs are using it as an opportunity to steal taxpayers’ money.
“As we talk right now, the key people in running these programmes are already on the looting spree using this as an opportunity to do that. Look at that Speke Resort Munyonyo facility, the huge sums we sunk there under unclear circumstances, how is that investment is going to benefit us? It is a private property,” Mr Lukwago said.
He added: “Like it has been a tradition in the aftermath of NAM,G77,there will also be some cosmetic investigation posturing that now there is a probe of NAM scam, that is how it is going to happen, just put it on your calendar. There will be another posturing of sorts about investigating the NAM scandal.”

The opposition party officials want the delegates to focus on issues of human rights abuse, dictatorship and oppression Ugandans are facing.
Speaking to this publication last week, Mr Maurice Kairania, the KCCA deputy director of roads and drainage said that all the roads undergoing rehabilitation and renovation in the city would be completed by January 7th and commissioned on January 10th.
However, by press time Thursday evening works were still ongoing on Mukwano road and the greening of the city.

In the supplementary budget Parliament approved Shs26 billion for preparations to host the international summits taking place between 15 and 23 at Speke Resort Munyonyo in Kampala.
Between 1,000 and 1,500 delegates are expected in the country and at least 100 countries had confirmed representation at the two summits by Sunday, according to government.

In preparation for the two summits, KCCA embarked on reconstruction, rehabilitation and renovation of seven city roads that connect the venue of the summit as well as the city center where many of the hotels which the delegates will use are located and two drainage channels.
They include MukwanoR, Press Road, Kabalagala-Ggaba Road, Wavamuno, UCB-Lukuli Rise, Prince Badru Kakungulu Rise and Mobutu Road. While the drainage channel includes; Soya-Bunga on Ggaba Road and Auto Spa.