VZCZCXRO7667
RR RUEHGI RUEHRN RUEHROV
DE RUEHKM #0113/01 0290756
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
R 290756Z JAN 09
FM AMEMBASSY KAMPALA
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 1083
INFO RUEHKH/AMEMBASSY KHARTOUM 0767
RUCNIAD/IGAD COLLECTIVE
RUEHXR/RWANDA COLLECTIVE

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. 
 
 
- - - - - - - - 
WHAT WENT WRONG 
- - - - - - - - 
 
¶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 
 
KAMPALA 00000113  002 OF 002 
 
 
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. 
 
- - - - - - 
NEXT STEPS 
- - - - - - 
 
¶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. 
 
- - - - 
COMMENT 
- - - - 
 
¶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