Prime
Govt to stop renting properties abroad
Uganda’s High Commissioner to India, Prof Joyce Kakuramatsi Kikafunda (Right) gifts Foreign Affairs Minister Gen Abubakhar Jeje Odongo, a copy of her book (Triumph over Adversity) during the ambassadors’ conference in Jinja City on August 27. The book highlights her childless life and birth of her first child at 60 years; and quadruplets at 63 years, among other issues. PHOTO/PHILIP WAFULA
What you need to know:
- Government is thinking of a strategy whereby the government rents properties with a view to acquire them through mortgage arrangements.
Government is adopting a strategy aimed to end renting properties in selected Ugandan missions, the Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Foreign affairs, Vincent Bagiire Waiswa, has said.
Mr Bagiire made the remarks during the ongoing Ambassadors’ conference at the August 26-30 Civil Service College Uganda (CSCU) in Jinja. The gathering is themed: “Strengthening Governance and Performance of the Foreign Service for National Development.”
“As you are aware, some of you (diplomats) in expensive capitals will rent a property for around Є5, 000 per month; and that diplomat stays in that capital for four years, paying Є60,000 for the first year and Є240,000 by the time they leave.”
“Cabinet has agreed that going forward, we shall have a strategy of renting to own as opposed to renting and donating money to those capitals. We shall be communicating in that regard to agree how we are going to achieve that objective,” Bagiire hinted.
The Jinja conference aims at appraising diplomats on the government priorities and policies; enhancing performance and innovation among missions for improved service delivery.
Bagiire said the above objectives are aligned with the Ministry’s mandate of promoting Uganda’s national interests abroad, “which ultimately contributes to realisation of the National Development Plan III.”
The government currently rents properties for all its diplomats abroad, whose rental costs in some capital cities exceeds $80,000 (around Shs295m) per year per property, according to Margaret Kafeero, Head of Public Diplomacy at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
“The ministry is thinking of a strategy whereby the government rents properties with a view to acquire them through mortgage arrangements; the monthly rent would service the mortgages,” Kafeero said.
Kafeero added: “Uganda has 39 missions, besides the official residences and chanceries, we own less than 1 percent of staff housing; it is rented.”
On Tuesday, Foreign Affairs minister Gen Abubakhar Jeje Odongo, explained that ambassadors at the conference will interact with different stakeholders, including Uganda Investment Authority, Uganda Airlines, Uganda Tourism Board and Uganda Coffee Development Authority, among others.
He noted that Uganda and Africa are focused on strengthening regional cooperation, promotion of inter and intra-Africa trade and ensuring peace and security as “important and strategic pillars for the county’s national development.
“Regrettably, our region remains volatile due to the unfolding threats to regional peace emanating from the ongoing armed conflicts in DR Congo and Sudan, as well as the political differences in South Sudan which are not yet fully resolved,” Gen Odongo observed.
Ambassador Acheng’s fate
Asked about the fate of embattled former Ugandan envoy to Canada, Odongo said: “The government of Canada raised general conduct and behavioural issues with us about the conduct of Ambassador Jane Ruth Acheng.”
On August 16, Canada declared Amb Acheng “persona non grata” or “unwelcome person” due to what Foreign Affairs State Minister, Mr Henry Okello Oryem, called “many unresolved issues.”
Speaking to this publication on the sidelines of the conference, Gen Odongo said they have had the opportunity to invite Amb Acheng to discuss with the government and they took a position which she is aware of because she was part of that discussion.
“This work of diplomacy is a bit difficult; we are resident in host countries and sometimes when they raise issues, we have to respond,” Gen Odongo said.
