{UAH} Museveni grills ministers over unspent cash

Allan,

I think Mr. Museveni is right to get annoyed with his ministers. We see pictures of children studying in open spaces, dangerous structures or under trees when government borrowed money? 

Mr Museveni rejected Rugunda's explanation, arguing that some projects such as construction of schools, do not require feasibility studies and that government technocrats should have a standard template for schools.

"That [lack of feasibility studies] is not always the case. This shows lack of seriousness. Why should the technical staff not have a standard way of building schools. We do not need feasibility studies for schools. I do not see what feasibility study you need to build schools. This is total failure on the part of leaders especially these technical people," Mr Museveni said.

With the President singling out the Education ministry, First Lady Janet Museveni took to the podium without prompting, and explained why a $100m grant from the World Bank to her ministry for the construction of schools remains unused, putting it at the risk of cancellation. 'We had a long a meeting with the World Bank and we agreed that we will narrow it down to 120 schools instead of 220 and we will put the rest of the money in other components of the programme. If we are concentrating on 120 schools, we hope that we will do a better job,' the First Lady said. Unimpressed with her explanation, the President asked: 'Honourable Janet, this World Bank money, you were supposed to use it in 16 months or what?'"

My advice to the President is for him to get foreign experts who know what to do, our own have failed; he can start by enforced deadlines followed by sacking the big shots who fail.

Peter Simon