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In 2018, the United Nations found that millions of dollars of aid had been stolen in Uganda. Germany has now partially stopped funding to force Uganda to speed up its investigations.
The German government announced on Friday that it was holding back 400 billion shillings ($ 106 million) of funds pledged in Kampala for the resettlement of refugees.
This decision follows the UK's decision in 2018 to suspend funding for Kampala after a UN investigation into the Ugandan refugee program uncovered evidence of corruption involving millions of people. dollars.
The scandal arose when a whistleblower in the Ugandan government informed the donors that large sums of money had been withdrawn from the account on which it had been deposited.
A joint investigation by the United Nations, the European Anti-Fraud Office (OLAF) and the Ugandan government then revealed that the number of refugees in Uganda was inflated and that resources to support them had been stolen. .
The Ugandan government has not yet arrested the suspects, thus prompting donors to question the country 's commitment to the investigation, hence the decision of Germany and the United States. from the United Kingdom to withhold funds.
Germany is "shocked"
The German ambbadador to Uganda, Albrecht Conze, said that Germany was shocked by the results of the investigation.
"I have to admit that what happened in February of last year, 15 months ago now, was a shock to Germany, all the more so than in the past year. a lot of the money comes from private sources, from people who donate, when you make a donation, you hear the donation was not well spent or diverted, you become very dissatisfied ", said Mr. Conze Friday.
Uganda officially hosts 1.3 million refugees and received $ 350 million from various donors in 2017.
For the time being, Germany has decided to withhold funds directly from the Ugandan government until prosecution of the suspects, but will release funds to international organizations such as the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees. refugees (UNHCR).
International donors
Uganda is heavily dependent on aid from international donors to cope with the financial situation caused by refugees in the country.
Mr Conze called for measures to restore confidence.
"We do not dispense [funds] until we saw that those who had been identified at the time were brought to justice and that they had to respond to the allegations that had been made at the time, "he said. -he declares.
"I'm a little surprised that it will take 15 months, I would not want to think that someone would like to sweep it under the carpet.You can do it with your own money but when you receive money from it. 39, friends, I think your responsibility is increased so I would expect the relevant authorities to take action here. "
The Ugandan Minister of Relief, Disaster Preparedness and Refugees, Musa Echweru, said the investigation would be thorough and the culprits punished.
He however described the decision of the German government as a blow.
"The truth is that it will hurt our operations.There is a lot to do, I only wish that they have not definitely adopted this position and that is my prayer."
He said that Uganda would work hard to get Germany and other donors to understand that the investigation processes may have been slow, but that they were ongoing.
"There is evidence of those who have done wrong, two or three people should be punished, so it will be enforced," he said.
UK also stops funding
Four donors – Britain, Germany, the European Union and the United States – have provided nearly 80% of funding for 2017.
All threatened to withdraw their funding after the corruption charges were made. In December 2017, 16 donor countries issued a statement calling for the prosecution of those responsible.
Germany is Uganda's second-largest donor after the UK, which provides more than $ 19 million. The UK stopped funding in February.
The New Humanitarian news website, New Humanitarian, wrote that the United Kingdom Department for International Development had confirmed that UNHCR funding in Uganda had been frozen.
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