Uganda's Prime Minister Ruhakana Rugunda. On Thursday, he called a
meeting of select Cabinet ministers to chart a blueprint about Uganda’s
state of preparedness in relation to the upcoming elections in
neighbouring Rwanda and Kenya. PHOTO FILE | NMG
Uganda'sPrime Minister Ruhakana Rugunda on Thursday
morning called a meeting of select Cabinet ministers to chart a
blueprint about Uganda’s state of preparedness in relation to the
upcoming elections in neighbouring Rwanda and Kenya.
The meeting, sources familiar with the matter told Sunday Monitor,
was attended by Foreign Affairs minister Sam Kutesa, junior Internal
Affairs minister Mario Obiga, government Chief Whip Rose Nankabirwa,
minister in charge of General Duties Mary Karooro Okurut, Security
minister Lt Gen Henry Tumukunde and officials from the Finance ministry.
Sources,
who attended, intimated that the meeting largely deliberated on the
August 8 Kenyan polls, which pit the incumbent president Uhuru Kenyatta
against four-time presidential aspirant Raila Odinga.
The
two principals also hail from the biggest political families of
founding president Jomo Kenyatta and his ally-turned rival Jaramogi
Oginga Odinga.
Elections in Kenya,
usually underlined with ethnic undercurrents, have since the frenzied
2007 polls become the centre of attraction for both the domestic and
international community and its fortunes or misfortune have wide-ranging
impact on all neighbouring countries.
The
2007 post-election violence that claimed more than 1,000 lives and
displaced about 600,000 people left Uganda writhing in shortage of fuel
and other essential commodities imported.
More than 90 per cent of Ugandan bound cargo (imports) goes through Mombasa Port at the Indian Ocean.
According
to Kenya Ports Authority (KPA), Uganda continued to dominate the
transit market share with her cargo at the port growing by 8.2 per cent
from 5.522 million tonnes in 2014 to 5.977 million tonnes in 2015
followed by Rwanda and South Sudan.
The port still, serves as the region’s first transport corridor to Burundi and eastern Democratic Republic of Congo.
Dr Rugunda, according to sources, said it was Uganda’s hope that the elections “ go on well” for the better of the region.
However,
other ministers in attendance also presented views on how to beef up
Uganda’s preparedness in the likely event of the worst.
The meeting also agreed that there is no need to issue a travel advisory to the two countries but the line ministries and security outfits, the army and police, would continue monitoring the situation and the borders with the two countries closely.
The meeting also agreed that there is no need to issue a travel advisory to the two countries but the line ministries and security outfits, the army and police, would continue monitoring the situation and the borders with the two countries closely.
Kampala and Nairobi may have a few bones of contention once in a while, but the chord cannot be cut.
Mr Kutesa, who was designated spokesperson of the joint monitoring committee, was not readily available for comment as he was convening a Uganda-Tanzania border meeting in the Tanzanian northwestern town of Bukoba.
Mr Kutesa, who was designated spokesperson of the joint monitoring committee, was not readily available for comment as he was convening a Uganda-Tanzania border meeting in the Tanzanian northwestern town of Bukoba.
The State minister for
International Relations, Mr Okello Oryem, confirmed the meeting and said
Uganda’s main worry is on the fuel supply side and a few basic
commodities “but it was agreed that we have stock of everything we need
for at least three weeks”.
“This time we are fully prepared for any eventualities and each line ministry is working around the clock,” Mr Oryem said.
He
also revealed that they have engaged the Rwandan government and
extended at the highest level for assurances that their bound cargo from
Mombasa through Kampala will not be interrupted.
Rwanda,
itself will be holding its third ‘multiparty presidential elections’ on
Friday, August 4. Rwandans abroad will cast their votes a day before.
Rwanda’s first multiparty democratic presidential poll took place in 2003 while the second was held in 2010. The incumbent president Paul Kagame won both.
Rwanda’s first multiparty democratic presidential poll took place in 2003 while the second was held in 2010. The incumbent president Paul Kagame won both.
Fuel stock in place for 16 days
Meanwhile, the Ugandan ministry of Energy revealed on Thursday that it had already put in place safeguards of stocking fuel that would last the country for at least 16 days, including stocking the Jinja storage tanks by Tuesday.
Meanwhile, the Ugandan ministry of Energy revealed on Thursday that it had already put in place safeguards of stocking fuel that would last the country for at least 16 days, including stocking the Jinja storage tanks by Tuesday.
“The total stocks for 16 days would be sufficient to avail room
for mobilisation of other stocks should there be a disruption,” ministry officials said.
for mobilisation of other stocks should there be a disruption,” ministry officials said.
Uganda
is a net importer of petroleum products through Kenya and consumes an
average of 162 million litres of petrol, diesel, kerosene and jet fuel
per month.
Average daily consumption
of all fuel products, according to the ministry stands at 5.4 million
litres and whose prices have been relatively stable over the last months
but could slightly go up as witnessed previously.
The
Uganda Revenue Authority (URA) commissioner for Customs, Mr Dickson
Kateshumbwa, told this paper in the same regard that they will continue
working with the Kenya Ports Authority, Kenya Revenue Authority and
Kenya Pipeline Company, to ensure continued flow of Uganda-bound
imports.
“Our [URA] staff are already
on ground in Mombasa, Nairobi, Eldoret, Nakuru and Kisumu, and we don’t
intend to withdraw them because we need our people on the ground to keep
facilitating different work,” Mr Kateshumbwa noted.
Previous losses
A number of Ugandan traders lost merchandise worth billions of Shillings, and the uprooting of the railway to landlocked Uganda by protestors and blocking of major routes meant imports from the coast could not be transported.
A number of Ugandan traders lost merchandise worth billions of Shillings, and the uprooting of the railway to landlocked Uganda by protestors and blocking of major routes meant imports from the coast could not be transported.
During the violence, at
least 16 Ugandan and Rwandan traders who saw their trucks and goods
destroyed on the Northern Corridor (Nairobi-Eldoret-Kampala highway),
worth $47 million (Ushs158 billion), have for close to a decade now
sought compensation.
Asked whether the
months of June and July leading to the Kenyan elections have witnessed a
surge in imports as traders rush to stock commodities, Mr Kateshumbwa
said the “situation has remained normal” owing to the general slowdown
of the economy during the last two quarters.
The
revenue collection body already early last week, reported a deficit of
Ushs457b ($126.4million), arising out of slow economic growth and low
import volumes, which slackened aggregate demand.
The
slowed aggregate demand affected investment decisions by many in the
wholesale/retail and manufacturing sectors. Many traders decided to
warehouse goods and/or re-export ex warehoused goods, which further
affected the customs revenue.
But in
any case, Mr Kateshumbwa added that unlike when Uganda was caught
offside in 2007, this time, Uganda is eyeing Tanzania’s Dar es Salaam
Port “as an alternative”.
In the
aftermath of the 2007 post-election violence, Uganda reached out to
Tanzania, and the two-signed a Memorandum of Understanding for
development of the Central Corridor (transiting through Dar es Salaam
Port).
Dar es Salaam is Tanzania’s
principal port with a rated capacity of 4.1 million down weight tonnage
(dwt) dry cargo and six-million dwt bulk liquid cargo.
Security
At both the Kenyan and Rwandan borders with Uganda, there have been reports of several people crossing into Uganda which is attributed to the election frenzy.
At both the Kenyan and Rwandan borders with Uganda, there have been reports of several people crossing into Uganda which is attributed to the election frenzy.
However, Mr
Douglas Assimwe, the principal refugee protection officer in the
Department of Refugees under Office of the Prime Minister, said they are
yet to register anyone as either refugees or asylum seekers.
“They [people] could be there, but have not registered in any of the groups of people we handle,” he said.
UPDF spokesperson Brig Richard Karemire downplayed the two elections as a viable source of threat to Uganda’s security
“So from the military side there is nothing to worry about,” he said.
“So from the military side there is nothing to worry about,” he said.
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