The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Uganda would like to respond to stories in the media associating Uganda’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, Hon. Sam Kutesa, to an ongoing case involving an official of China Energy Fund Committee, Dr. Patrick Ho and a former Foreign Minister of Senegal, recently arrested in New York on allegations of bribery.
In the course of his work as President of the General Assembly (PGA) of the United Nations during its 69th Session in 2014 – 2015, Hon. Sam Kutesa interacted and engaged with numerous organizations including, civil society, media and private sector. This engagement, a role undertaken by all the Presidents of the General Assembly, is necessary for promoting the core objectives of the UN in the areas of development, peace and security as well as human rights.
One of the key priorities that Hon. Sam Kutesa focused on as PGA was the post-2015 development agenda. It was during his tenure that the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, including the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) was negotiated and concluded. The PGA convened a number of High-Level Thematic Debates, including one on mobilizing means of implementation for the post-2015 Development Agenda.
Working closely with the UN Department for Economic and Social Affairs (UN DESA), he engaged with a number of Non-Governmental Organizations which have consultative status with the UN Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC).
These organizations regularly participated in events and activities organized by the PGA in areas of sustainable development, particularly on gender and women empowerment, youth, energy and climate change. One such organization, which was recommended by UN DESA, was the China Energy Fund Committee (CEFC) which has consultative status with ECOSOC.
It should be noted that CEFC’s collaboration with the UN, predated Hon. Sam Kutesa’s tenure as PGA and has continued with successive PGAs. The organization, together with UN DESA had an initiative in which CEFC sponsored a UN Energy Grant. The grant provided US $ 1 million to fund energy-related sustainable development programs, awarded to individuals, institutions, or partnerships for achievements, leadership, and innovation in advancing energy for sustainable development.

The PGA participated as a member of a High-level Steering Committee responsible for the selection of candidates for the UN Energy Grant. The Advisory Council was chaired by the Under-Secretary-General for UN DESA.

Together with then UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon, Hon. Sam Kutesa presented the inaugural award of “Powering the Future We Want” Grant to We Care Solar, on September 14, 2015, in recognition of its solar power kit for health clinics in a lightweight, durable, and affordable package. The award ceremony was also attended by Dr. Patrick Ho representing CEFC.

The Ministry is providing this background to provide a context to the interaction and engagement which Hon. Sam Kutesa had with CEFC and its representative Dr. Patrick Ho which was in fulfillment of his official functions as President of the UN General Assembly.
It is therefore erroneous to insinuate or infer that Hon. Sam Kutesa, from references made to him and CEFC in the said media stories, is linked to the bribery allegations.

Amb. Patrick S. Mugoya
PERMANENT SECRETARY

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Foreign Affairs Minister, Sam Kutesa.

Parliament has summoned the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Sam Kutesa, to give a statement over the state of Uganda’s Missions and Embassies abroad.
The move follows a recent embarrassing situation in Uganda’s Embassy in United States where a Ugandan diplomat, Kintu Nyago a few days ago is said to have “accidentally” shared a confidential government brief about South Sudan with the UN Security Council, triggering a diplomatic incident and embarrassment.

Hon. Jack Wamanga Wamayi the Mbale Municipality MP and Hon. Felix Okot Ogong the MP for Dokolo South while discussing before the house in parliament questioned the capacity of Uganda’s officers whom they said are a mere political appointments to the missions abroad.

They argued that such jobs require people who are well trained and conversant with diplomatic methods of work.
“We feel very embarrassed when an officer reduces Uganda to a laughing stock like it was in New York when the Uganda’s Charge` d’ affaires, Kintu Nyago, shared a private mission document on South Sudan with UN Security Council. This shows that office cannot handle sensitive information about our Country. We need to have competent officers in such offices if those currently in place cannot handle the tasks,” Wamayi charged.
Okot on his part questioned why the Minister of Foreign Affairs is never in Parliament to brief parliament on matters under his ministry.

“We have lately had many issues that need clarification from the Foreign Affairs Minister but he is never in the house the clear the air about these bad public images,” Okot noted.
It was at this point that Deputy Speaker, Jacob Oulanyah, ordered the Minister of Foreign Affairs to bring a statement to Parliament and a report clarifying how a confidential document was leaked to the UN Security Council was leaked by Uganda’s representative in   New York.

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I’m very disappointed at how many people (led by journalists and editors) are taking this Banyoro-Bafuruki issue. First, the derogation added to the word Mufuruki or Bafuruki is very regrettable. You and me know that Mufuruki or Bafuruki is a simple word used to refer to someone who has shifted or migrated. Even if you shift from one part of your one acre land to another part of the same land, you “Kufuruka”. The same is used to refer to you leaving that Muzigo in Katwe and going to stay in another house in Kamwokya. Kufuruka simply means shifting or migrating. So in that sense, we are all Bafuruki. The derogatory way the word is being used in unwarranted and unfortunate.

But there is a big problem in Kibaale/Bunyoro that needs to be addressed. First, even if we were to look at Bafuruki to mean people who came to Bunyoro from outside Bunyoro, there are many other Bafuruki from other tribes other than Bakiga. This reference to Bakiga as Bafuruki is therefore inappropriate and used to fulfill selfish intentions by those who call themselves as such.

President Yoweri Museveni addressing a press conference

I should for the record state that I’m a proud Munyoro from Kibaale. I have lived, studied and worked with Bakiga and other settlers in Kibaale. I have also reported widely on these issues and conflicts as a journalist over the years, until I stopped in 2002 because of the organised (and almost irreconcilable) tribal trends the Banyoro-Bakiga issue took. I recognize the traditional concerns of Banyoro and Bakiga’s past concerns of marginalization in Kibaale (as stated in their memorandum to President Museveni).

But the main problem (though symptomatic) in Kibaale and increasingly in many parts of Bunyoro is one of tribal voting (tribe based politics) by the Bakiga which Ugandans need to look at with open minds. People in Bunyoro might have overlooked the massive immigration by the Bakiga into the area (despite the historical land problems) had it not been for the obvious tribal voting trend. Wherever you come from, the issue of voting people on the basis of tribe is completely unacceptable.

There is a verifiable trend showing that Bakiga in areas they settle in, once they become majority vote for only Bakiga. It has been starting from LC1, LC3 chairpersons and councilors, MP constituencies etc. In other words, Bakiga have failed to get integrated in areas they move to. You might want to remember that politics or voting in Kabale has always been sectarian, based on religion. Politics in Kabale has for long been a struggle between Catholics and Protestants. Now this sectarian politics is being exported to other areas, and has to be checked. But before you demonize or victimize the Bakiga for this trend, you need to look at what is happening elsewhere say in Kibanda county of Masindi district. The MP for that area (Otada Amooti) comes from a dominant tribe that is not indigenous. Just like Sam Kutesa and Hanifa Kawooya are from the dominant tribe groupings in their respective constituents, though the area is of Buganda.

The point is that you are looking at a situation where people for one reason or another move into another area, become the majority and start voting only their tribes people. In the case of Bunyoro, do you expect people there to accept to be ruled by Bakiga voting on tribal basis for their own tribal interests? If for some reason the Bakiga find themselves in a situation (marginalized as they claim) where they have to vote one of their own, what do you expect them to do? These are political questions we need to look at as a country and address. If people of one tribe move massively into another area and start (as is happening Bunyoro) voting as one block of immigrants (one tribe), taking over most or all political positions, what do you expect the indigenous people in the area to do? What should a Munyoro faced with the prospect of never winning a political office because the Bakiga only vote Bakiga do? And is any Munyoro going to accept this situation? No. Is any Ugandan going to accept this situation where the right to be elected is cancelled by your minority status as a tribe? No. Even those who can tolerate this situation at a national level, they can not accept this situation to partake in their areas of origin because our indigenous areas are our real homes (in African speak. Even black Americans still say Africa is their home).

Given this situations, how do we move from here. The President has suggested many good solutions, but I too a Munyoro do not agree with the proposal of ring fencing some political positions to indigenous people. This is denying people a right to be voted on tribal basis, which is the same problem pertaining–only that this time it will be the Bakiga and other immigrants that will be disadvantaged unlike the current situation where the indigenous Banyoro are disadvantaged.

Apart from the gross unfairness to none indigenous tribes, ring fencing political positions will create a situation where the immigrants will after the proposed 20 years feel a justice to continue dominating the political space in Kibaale/ Bunyoro or any other area where this policy is implemented. In simple political mathematics, this means the indigenous should have their 20 years of undisputed political leadership and handover after 20 years to the immigrant majority as the immigrants seek to get and retain power.

The major ingredient of the solution as also proposed by the President is to undertake civic education amongst all Ugandans to desist from tribal and other sectarian tendencies. In relation to the problem at hand, there is need to sensitize the Bakiga and any other immigrants to desist from tribal voting and other tribal tendencies in areas they migrate to if Ugandans are to continue to welcome Ugandans from other areas. The indigenous should also be sensitized to desist from tribal tendencies against immigrants.

But as the president said, “Genuine national integration must include scrupulous respect of everybody’s rights to the land of their heritage, politics, and culture”. First, there must be a recognition of the superior right of indigenous people in any area to determine the affairs of the area. There is a simple logic of knowing that Uganda is a collection of many peoples (tribes) that some commentators seem to negate when arguing on rights of Ugandans to move and be voted in any part of the country. Every indigenous person enjoys natural rights in his or her area and other civil rights (those given by the constitution). But these rights which are also enjoyed by other Ugandans are less superior as recognized in Constitutional articles providing for the right of any Ugandan to move settle and stand for any political office. The articles require following the norms and respecting the way of the people where one moves to.

We should therefore refine the constitution to limit the rights of voting and being voted by immigrants, by putting a time frame. For example the law could provide that no one will have a right to vote in an area (sub country) in which he or she has not lived for the past three or two years. In the same vein, the law could provide that no one shall have a right to stand and be voted on political positions in an area unless he or she has been the specific area for the past 20 or 10 years (any number). This would allow the process of natural integration and sensitization suggested above (and by the president) to take place. Remember that part of the complaints by people in Kibaale/ Bunyoro is that the Bakiga have a tendency to come from other parts of the country and vote for their relatives or tribesmen in Kibaale (Banyabuzaale). Actually, in some areas it is difficult to know who stays in Kibaale, Kamwenge, Kisoro or Kabale. The time limitation to enjoy political rights in a place is a widely espoused principle in many constitutions worldwide. You can not become a US President unless you were born there. Whether you moved to the US when you are two years and you are now 65, you don’t qualify? That is why some people in the US are still trying to look for evidence that Barrack Obama was not born in the US.

In relation to Kibaale (which makes this problem and situation quite unique), the land issue should be cleared by paying off absentee landlords and giving back the land to people who were on any particular land by 1983, the period required by the constitution to guarantee bonafide occupancy (12 years before the coming into force of the 1995 Constitution). The indigenous people and any other migrants who will have occupied or customarily owned land by 1983 should be helped to get land titles. Those who came later should be asked to explain where and how they came on land they occupy, and given an opportunity to apply for leases from the district or kingdom (whoever of the two will have been given the other land that had not been occupied by 1983). But this opportunity to apply for such land should be open to all people in the country, including the indigenous Banyoro. This will solve the unrealistic proposal of titles being given to only indigenous Banyoro, since some of the Banyoro might have sold to Bakiga.

The people occupying forest reserves would be evicted without any compensation The Kiyonga and Ruth Mukama Commission have long made this recommendation. One of the major concerns of Banyoro is that since the colonial government gazzetted almost 54percent of the land in Bunyoro as forest reserves, immigrants have taken advantage to occupy the reserves. Everyone should be able to explain how they came to be where they are now and if they lawfully occupied where they are, they should be helped to get title.

The ban on selling land for 20 years is very welcome idea, and I’m surprised that the Bakiga (who in their memorandum tactfully call themselves Non Banyoro Community) would oppose the imposition of a ban on land they do not own or have never owned. The ban is important to protect unwarranted land selling that might make the return of land none empowering to the people that get this long awaited land ownership, as well as the possible uneconomic immigration that might result from people getting land only to sell.

REMEMBER all solutions need to be viewed in the historical realities of Bunyoro especially Kibaale. The British massively killed many of the Banyoro for their resistance and took away most parts of the kingdom’s land as forest reserves or (in Kibaale) given to Baganda collaborators. People there have been advocating for the return of their land since 1918. Despite the results of the 1964 referendum, the land was not returned to the Banyoro. Up to this day, people are still waiting for the land to be returned. Imagine that level of patience and trust in the authorities! But while the waiting has been going on, many immigrants have poured into and occupied most of this contested land. There is also an argument of the absence of willing seller, willing buyer situation in Kibaale where the privately owned land (mailo) belongs to absentee Baganda landlords. The current land law is very clear that no tenant can sell any land without the approval of the landlord, which means any claims that one migrated and bought land in Kibaale has legal loopholes and should not be over relied on.

Also, it should be remembered that not all immigration into Kibaale have been of voluntary individual (or families) into the area. There have been two resettlement schemes (Rutete in 1968 and Kisita in 1992), which brought more than 5,000 Bakiga families into one district, leave alone the district already having its own historical issues. The latter had been evicted (and compensated) from Mpokya forest reserve in Kabarole district, while the former was to do some depopulation in Kabale. It is these two resettlement schemes (each in a whole sub-country) that Museveni wants to be considered Bakiga constituencies. Remember, some hardliner Banyoro are against anything granting any piece of land or any rights to Bakiga as a group. Many Bakiga came to Kibaale as seekers of refuge or people seeking to work (as hard labourers) and many are still there as such. That is why talk of Bakiga as a hardworking group, a group that is very prosperous (and envied by Banyoro) is as empty as it is riling. This unfortunate view of Bakiga as harbingers of development in Bunyoro and people being envied for their success is just increasing detestation of the Bakiga.

Therefore, as we seek solutions, let us avoid this labeling of people as unfriendly to other tribes etc as it further incites them against immigrants. Also, let us understand the constitution and the spirit of the provision and other democracy principles. For example when article one says power belonging to the people… it does not mean that power in Apac (or any other area for that matter) belongs to the all other Ugandans. All Ugandans beginning from their most basic level of the family have equal inalienable natural rights as a people. Therefore when you go to people in any area, you find them with natural rights and rights given by the constitution that you cannot claim on equal terms. Also, by basing on majority to determine the winner in a democratic dispensation, it does not mean that a tribal majority giving you a victory means your election is democratic. It isn’t since it misses the democratic ingredients of free will based on informed choices. We should be cautious not to build a country based on fallacies which enable one tribe to continue electing itself in power, perpetuate itself in all spheres, etc. Just like Ugandans should stop thinking that being Ugandan means you have an equal right to determine issues in every area. We need to understand these principles clearly and then be able to chart a sustainable way forward. Any attempt to think you as an immigrant will force yourself on the people and community because you are a Ugandan in not sustainable.

This does not mean we forget the concerns raised by Bakiga (referring to themselves as None Banyoro Community). They should also never be sidelined on tribal basis at any level unless the democratic principles have obvious impurities as in the present case. Like someone asked recently, where is this trend in Kibaale witnessed anywhere in other parts of the country. How many Banyoro, Baganda, Alur or Basoga are occupying even LC1 positions in Kabale, the cradle land of the Bakiga? How about the clear trend showing that the areas where Bakiga are majority are led only by Bakiga, including sub-counties and counties (i.e. Buyaga and Bugangaizi)? This is not rocket science and can be seen by the barest of eyes. And the unhealthy trend is going to continue unless it is checked.

There are enough examples in Kamwenge, being almost replicated in Kyenjojo and Kibaale. It is good the highest office in the country has taken time to appreciate these issues and takes them seriously. What we need to see is real action to redress the situation in ways that will ensure peace and harmony as well as more appreciation of each other.

I appeal to my brothers the Bakiga to learn to be more humble given their situation. They have gained a lot of sympathy because many Ugandans do not understand and appreciate the real situation and issues. But as more Ugandans understand and reflect on the issues, the Bakiga might wrongly be viewed as a bad tribe just because some few selfish people keep organizing them to do everything as a tribe.

Gerald Businge

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Uganda Airlines commenced operations in 1977 and in 1998 MPs accused the then State Minister for Finance, Sam Kuteesa, of five counts of abuse of office and influence peddling.

The allegations related to the divestiture of the lucrative Entebbe Air Handling Services from the main bulk of the publicly-owned Uganda Airline Corporation. So the legislators used Article 118 of Uganda’s 1995 constitution to disgracefully censure Minister Sam Kutesa from parliament.

The airlines later collapsed after its cash cow “cargo and passenger handling enterprise,” a key income section of an airline business, was improperly taken up by a senior government official, Kutesa.

It is said that Sam Kutesa unscrupulously took over the most profitable arm of Uganda Airlines Corporation, where every Ugandan person had a stake, and not long the Uganda national airline had to collapse.

So to date no single police action has ever taken place against Minister Sam Kutesa. And this has made many people to wonder why police hunts for petty thieves and conmen and leaves out people like Sam Kutesa.

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The president of Uganda Peoples Congress Dr. Olara Otunu has advised supporters of the ruling political party in Uganda to stop mistreating people. He says that when the big thugs and politicians in government are out of Uganda and have fled to Burundi or Rwanda or US, the small people they have been using to persecute people will remain behind.

He says that when President Museveni and his family members will flee the country, the policemen and soldiers who are persecuting civilians will claim they were obeying orders of their masters from statehouse.
Otunnu says that the people reportedly committing atrocities in president Museveni’s government are adults with brains and they will be held criminally liable.

So Otunnu advises president Museveni’s cohorts, allies, and government officials to keep the diary of the events they do and those that have violated people’s rights to remember that the date and time of occurrence is at their door posts.

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While appearing before the oil Adhoc committee chaired by Michael Werikhe, Kutesa said he never received the alleged17 million Euros from oil companies.

Documents presented to Parliament by the youth member of parliament for western Region Gerald Karuhanga alleged that Kutesa and two other ministers received varying amounts of bribe money to help the oil company secure its interests in Uganda.

When MPS asked him why his name keeps coming up in bribery scandals Kutesa said that the bribe allegations against him are political and are advanced by his political enemies.

He said that Karuhanga’s oil bribe decrements tabled before parliament during oil debate on 11^th October are false.

Kutes said that these papers presented by karuhanga were given to him by the international companies which lost the oil business  because Karuhanga has no expertise  and  capacity to forge such  sophisticated  documents.

He advised mp Karuhanga to desist from being used in a matter which is damaging people s hard earned image.

Kutesa was furious over when Mps asked him how his son in law Albert Muganga came to be in the oil business in Jinja oil reserves and he warned them to avoid bringing in the relatives of politicians when politicians are implicated in any scandal because there is no law stopping their sons, daughters, wives and relatives to do any business in the country.

By Isaac Senabulya

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Sam Kutesa, Uganda's Foreign Affairs Minister

The Anti Corruption Court has begun hearing a case in which three ministers Sam Kutesa of Foreign Affairs, Mwesigwa Rukutana of labour and John Nasasira the government Chief whip are accused with abuse of office and causing financial loss to the government totaling to 14 billion shillings.

The ministers who resigned their posts on Wednesday appeared before the Anti Corruption Court Chief magistrate Irene Akankwasa and denied the charges.

The magistrate released the on a cash bail of 40 million shillings each, and ordered them to deposit their passports with the court. Their sureties were each bonded at 1 billion shillings not cash and ordered to deposit their passports as well.

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Ministers Sam Kutesa of Foreign Affairs, Mwesigwa Rukutana of Labour and John Nasasasira the rulling NRM Chief Whip have announced they have stepped aside from their positions.

NRM Chief Whip - John Nasasira

The three ministers are due to appear in the Anti Corruption Court on Thursday to start defending themselves against charges by the Inspector General of Government of abuse of office and causing financial loss to the government.

According to the IGG prosecutor Rogers Kinobe, the three while performing their duties, did, in abuse of authority, irregularly convened a consultative cabinet meeting and decided to that the government would fully fund the construction cost of the drive ways, parking areas and marina at Speke Resort Munyonyo hotel, which decision caused the government a loss of 14 billion shillings. Now called Commonwealth Resort Munyonyo, the Sudhir Ruparelia owned facility was meant to accommodate visiting Presidents attending the CHOGM.

“We have, in order to allow for the due process of the Court, which we highly believe in, and in the interest of the party to which we belong and the Government we serve, deemed it prudent and desirable to seek leave from our Appointing authority so as to step aside, until this matter is concluded,” reads the statement signed by the three ministers.

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Tomorrow (October 13) we are appearing before court to answer to charges of causing financial loss arisisng out of our official duties duties Chogm. We shall definitely take the opportunity to plead our innocence and demonstarte that we are not guilty of the offences charged.

We have, in order to allow for the due process of the court, which we highly believe in, and in the interest of the party which we belong and the government which we serve deemed it prudent and desirable to seek leave from our Apppoinintg Authoirty so as to step aside until the matter is concluded.

Dated 13, October 2011

Signed: Sam Kutesa
John Nasasira
Mwesigwa Rukutana

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Sam Kutesa, Uganda's Foreign Affairs Minister

The MPs who begun their special sitting to discuss the dealings in the oil sector on Monday were breating fire threatening to censure the three ministers after strong allegations were tabled that the three ministers have received bribes to facilitate unfair deals with oil companies, and that they are behind influence peddling in the oil sector.

The Youth MP for Western Uganda, Gerald Karuhanga moved a motion calling for a commission of inquiry into the dealings of senior ministers in the oil sector which was widely supported. Karuhanga presented documents which he claimed were accessed from US government dossiers indicate senior ministers received bribes to give oil companies better terms on oil agreements.

Karuganga presented documents alleging that:

• Kutesa Kahamba Sam through his company East African Development company Kenya received 17m Euros (close to 74 billion Uganda shillings)through his bank called EFK in Zurich. That the money was leaving a Tullow account 40037242019 in a bank in Malta…through a recipient bank in UAE Dubai
  • That On June 21, from Tullow on account 4003724191 from the same back to Dubai the Hon Hillary Onek (shows bank statements) received 500,000 Euros.
  • That July 6, Hillary Onek received another 500,000 Euros on his account 0034450627007 in a Dubai bank
  • Hillary Onek also received another 500,000 Euros on July 17, 2010 same bank same account
  • That Hillary Onek received 1.5mEuros on the same account same day.

Sam Kutesa however insisted the alelgations are false and documents presented were forged.

The MPs concerned stemmed from the consistent refusal by the government to publicly avail oil sharing agreements will oil prospecting and production companies.

Ultimate Media

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