UGANDA DELAYS IMPLEMENTATION OF NORTHERN RECOVERY PLAN

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 KAMPALA 000113

SENSITIVE

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PGOV PREF PREL EAID UG
SUBJECT: UGANDA DELAYS IMPLEMENTATION OF NORTHERN RECOVERY PLAN


1. (SBU) Summary: The Government of Uganda (GOU) has announced a
delay in the implementation of the Peace, Recovery, and Development
Plan (PRDP),its framework for rehabilitation and recovery in
war-ravaged northern Uganda. On December 22, 2008, Prime Minister
Apollo Nsibambi informed donors in a letter that the implementation
of the PRDP would begin in July 2009. Nsibambi reluctantly took
this step after northern parliamentarians raised concerns about the
capacity of the GOU to deliver promised projects and accountability
within the current PRDP structure. Some northern politicians, who
had privately requested the delay and commended Nsibambi for his
honest appraisal of the PRDP's shortcomings, then publicly
criticized the GOU for lacking the political will to assist
long-marginalized northern populations. GOU officials are fully
aware of the political ramifications of their decision, but believe
that "getting it right" is more important than rushing forward and
not being able to deliver critically-needed resources to the north.
Practically speaking, the delay does not affect ongoing U.S.
Government programs supporting the PRDP's priority sectors in
health, education, agriculture, and infrastructure. End Summary.



2. (SBU) In December 2008, Prime Minister Nsibambi was scheduled to
present the PRDP on the floor of Parliament just before Christmas
recess. The Acholi and Northern Parliamentary Groups raised a
series of fundamental questions about the PRDP, which caused Speaker
of the House Edward Sekkandi to recommend a private meeting between
northern parliamentarians and Nsibambi. David Wakikona, the
Minister of State for Northern Uganda, told P/E Chief that he and
the Prime Minister had met with Leader of the Opposition Morris
Latigo and parliamentarian Reagan Okumu, both northerners. Wakikona
said that Latigo and Okumu raised legitimate concerns about
confusion between the national and local governments over PRDP
responsibilities, about local governments lacking the capacity to
effectively implement and oversee large-scale development projects,
and about the Government not consulting with local governments in
designing the PRDP. These complaints highlighted for the Prime
Minister that the Government had failed to clearly communicate what
the PRDP would deliver to the people of northern Uganda. (Note: The
Prime Minister's Office (PMO) visited every district to work with
local officials to design the PRDP over a one-year period. In order
to address parliamentary criticism, the GOU conducted seminars for
parliamentarians on the PRDP. USAID supported the PRDP seminars in
November and December 2008. However, the GOU has failed to follow
up with a public communications strategy on the PRDP. USAID's
Office of Transition Initiatives is prepared to help in this effort
once the GOU's message is crafted. End Note.)


3. (SBU) Wakikona said that the parliamentarians agreed that a
delay in the implementation of the PRDP to allow the GOU to address
these concerns was acceptable. Wakikona also reached out to other
northern critics. Gulu District Chairman Norbert Mao told P/E Chief
on January 2 that he had spoken to the Nsibambi, Wakikona, and PMO
Permanent Secretary Pius Bigirimana. Mao, a key political player on
both the local and national levels, said that he was satisfied that
the Prime Minister was making a good faith effort to properly
implement the PRDP. He has not publicly criticized the delay.
Wakikona also spoke to Livingston Okello Okello, the Chairman of the
Acholi Parliamentary Group, who also endorsed the delay.
Nonetheless, Okumu and Okello could not resist the opportunity after
the announcement to publicly criticize the GOU for "suspending the
PRDP" and lacking the commitment to assist the north.


4. (U) In response, the GOU issued a press statement on January 9
saying it had not suspended the PRDP and explained that the Ministry
of Finance, line ministries, the districts, and the PMO had
struggled with the challenge of disaggregating which funds were new
resources, additional to normal budgetary allocations. In the
statement, Minister for General Duties Adolf Mesigwe explained that
between January and July, PRDP activities within the districts would
be prioritized for full-scale implementation beginning in July 2009.
(Note: July 1 is the beginning of Uganda's budget year. End Note.)
During this period, each ministry will submit its procurement plans
to the PMO and plans for measurable indicators will be developed and
made available to all stakeholders. The statement also outlined
activities under the PRDP framework including road construction,
resettlement programs, and provision of tractors to open up land,
electrification projects, and ongoing donor programs. These
included $163 million in development assistance from the U.S.
Government, $100 million from the World Bank, and substantial
contributions from Denmark, The Netherlands, and the European Union.


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WHAT WENT WRONG
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5. (SBU) The GOU's explanation, particularly the challenges of
disaggregation, is an accurate assessment of the fundamental reason
for the delay. Over the past year, U.S. Mission personnel, who

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chair and participate in three donor groups dealing with the PRDP,
witnessed the struggle between the Ministry of Finance, the line
ministries, the district governments, and the PMO to clarify what
funds were considered additional to yearly budget allocations, much
of which would also go to PRDP priority sectors.


6. (SBU) What is not reported publicly is that the previous
Permanent Secretary at the Prime Minister's Office, Martin Odwedu,
was a key impediment to the implementation of the PRDP because he
allowed personal corruption and cronyism to obstruct the creation of
a workable bureaucratic structure for the PRDP. On January 15,
Wakikona told P/E Chief that on at least three occasions in 2008 he
had complained directly to President Museveni about Odewdu's corrupt
activities. Museveni informed Wakikona that "the Odwedu problem
would be resolved." Odwedu's contract was not renewed and he left
government service in October 2008, paving the way for an extremely
competent replacement, Pius Bigirimana, to take charge. Technical
assistants at the PMO also expressed concerns about Odwedu's
interference and foot-dragging during the PRDP process. Mission
personnel who work with Bigirimana have thus far found him to be
energetic and effective. His actions to date indicate that the
implementation of the PRDP is his number one priority. Wakikona
warned Prime Minister Nsibambi of Odwedu's efforts to undermine
Bigirimana. Odwedu is facing criminal charges in three separate
corruption cases.

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NEXT STEPS
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7. (U) The PMO gave each district work plans which disaggregate
funding requests by PRDP priority sectors and indicate whether they
are in addition to the current allocations. The Prime Minister
established offices in Gulu and Kitgum, which will oversee PRDP
implementation and provide technical assistance to district
governments. The districts and ministries will provide the PMO with
quarterly performance reports to determine whether the GOU is
getting value for money. The GOU promised to release funds in a
timely matter to the ministries and district accounting officers.

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COMMENT
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8. (SBU) The Prime Minister's blunt announcement of the PRDP delay
surprised and disappointed outside observers, including ourselves.
But the positive flip side is that the delay signals recognition by
the GOU that without a fully coherent and accountable internal
process, the PRDP will fail. The GOU was under immense political
pressure from the international community and northern politicians
to move the PRDP forward because it is highly sensitive to
accusations that it lacks political will to support development in
the north. And indeed, it appears that some northern politicians
are using the delay merely to seek political gain rather than work
with the GOU to ensure the effective implementation of the PRDP.
For our part, U.S. Government programs in the north continue
unimpeded and we will support the PRDP implementation process when
it begins in earnest starting in July.
BROWNING