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2 BMM 41st Edition- DECEMBER, 2019 Editorial content UNFORTUNATE: Health has been particularly vulnerable and the recently approved guarantee of loans of up to US$379 million to build a specialised hospital in Lubowa stinks most, critics have said. FROM PAGE 1> Reigniting the crusade to end theꢀ of public funds and impunity! This 41st edition of the Black Monday newsletter focuses can imagine. Our analysis shows that over the past 34 years, Uganda has lost close to 30 tril- on the plight of the health lion in theft. sector in Uganda, and teases Against this backdrop, we have found it pru- out the different challenges dent to relaunch the Black Monday campaign facing the sector which need as our contribution to the anti corruption to be urgently dealt with to struggle. The Black Monday Campaign seeks to mobilize citizens to mount a sustained assault give a clean health bill to against the injustice of theft of public funds. Ugandans. We hope you enjoy The ultimate result is to see that integrity in reading it. Black Monday is public life is restored through a citizen-led pro- a campaign that focuses on cess that rejects theft of public money. In this protesting the of public new phase, we are going to have a dual strategy. First is work towards a Public Private Partner- funds with impunity and ship including key government agencies, civil promoting integrity. society, and the private sector. We shall also have purely citizen focused engagements to inspire citizens to reject corrupt political and gandans continue to struggle with public officials. We are also aware that even an ailing public service delivery in the civil society sector, there are stories of BUKEDEA DISTRICT. Residents of Bukedea airing their concerns about the worrying conditions at the score card, yet day in day out we are corruption and abuse of donor funding. Aware Various hospitals in the District. bombarded with news of increasing that citizen organizations receive this money thefUt of tax payers money. Ugandans continue on behalf of Ugandans, we commit to launch an citizens to take are restated below: working honestly to wallow in poverty, while a few privileged expose on such corruption, and push for cor- • Wear black clothes every Monday as a sign • Demand political action from the State individuals benefit from their plight. The re- rective action by the relevant actors. We will of your resolve against theft of public funds against public money thieves cent rumors that some 90 billion shillings was continue with publication of our monthly news- and shun corruption at a personal level • Speak to at least 5 Ugandans about dangers printed by some individuals in collusion with letter to give citizens well analyzed information • Isolate all public money thieves and de- of theft of public funds and actions needed. the central bank are sickening. More sickening that they can use to cause and take action. nounce them wherever you encounter them is the public secrete that this may not have been • Boycott all businesses and enterprises a one but rather done more regularly than we Some of the actions that we encourage of the corrupt and supporting Ugandans CONTINUED HONOR AMONG THIEVES: UGANDA’S ODIOUS DEBTS IN THE NAME FROM PAGE 1> OF THE SICK AND DYING liament was told would be through irrevoca- activities that was rumoured to have been What is in the Lubowa hospital deal that is ble promissory notes. To some, the eagerness claimed even before the ink dried on Parlia- The Mystery Lucky investor unnerving observers? with which government pushed the loan cover ment’s approval. and the form of coverage raised red herrings. What has raised further suspicion is that Then there are questions about the mystery On March 11th 2019, Parliament approved How unique was this project that government government has demonstrated uncharacter- lucky investor. Official records indicate the in- a government request to guarantee a loan of was staking everything to cover for the inves- istic efficiency in mobilizing money for this vestor as a joint venture between FINASI, said US$379million (about Shs1.4trillion) to Finasi tor? project ramming through approval processes to be an Italian firm and Roko Construction Group to secure funding for the ultra modern Soon after approval questions emerged where much smaller needs like a radio therapy Company to make FINASI/ROKO described in hospital. The government’s commitment, Par- about a US$50million for pre-project start machine at Mulago which required a minute official documents as a Special Purpose Ve- fraction of the amount for the Lubowa Hospi- hicle. But information about FINASI on their tal project took for ever and a series of state- own website is scanty, from shareholding to ments and back and forth following a public projects undertaken, nothings seems to pass outcry. a few clicks for verification or more detailed It is this uncharacteristic and unexplained information. flash of efficiency that has led to questions An analysis by the international anti-cor- about interests beyond delivery of a special- ruption organization, Transparency Interna- ised hospital. tional lays bare the hollowness of the group drawing mind boggling conclusions “Please note there is absolutely no connec- tion linking the company to Italy or Milan, outside of their own marketing documents. The Italian business register has NO com- pany registered as Finasi srl and it is unclear whether this entity actually exists,” notes TI in a brief on a fact check on the address and registration credentials of the firm. A Kampala law firm helped incorporate FI- NASI/Roko in Uganda but details about the shareholding of the company are scanty. On its website www.FINASI.com the com- BUKEDEA HOSPITAL. Pictures displaying the leaking roof of Bukedea . 2 BMM 41st Edition- DECEMBER, 2019 BMM 41st Edition - DECEMBER, 2019 3 Editorial content HONOR AMONG THIEVES: UGANDA’S ODIOUS DEBTS IN THE NAME OF THE SICK AND DYING UNFORTUNATE: Health has been particularly vulnerable and the recently approved guarantee of loans of CONTINUED FROM PAGE 2 >> up to US$379 million to build a specialised hospital in Lubowa stinks most, critics have said. KEY ISSUES pany states “Finasi was founded and started its operations in 1969. The Company was established as =• Previous why their argu- FROM PAGE 1> a 360° Importer/Exporter and pri- scandals have ment makes a lot Reigniting the crusade to end theꢀ of mary goods trader in the Middle targeted everything of sense. East and Africa. During the decades from immunization The medical Finasi has innovated and developed funds under the workers at the specific know-how in the Health- Global Alliance institute are su- care field delivering state of the art per committed, facilities and providing solutions for Vaccines and the facilities ap- public funds and impunity! Immunisation and added value services to its cli- palling inspite ents. Today, Finasi is a global turn- (GAVI) to critical of recent billions This 41st edition of the Black key provider for Healthcare facili- funding for injected from Monday newsletter focuses can imagine. Our analysis shows that over the ties,” but TI’s analysis has a rather HIV/Aids and largely private on the plight of the health past 34 years, Uganda has lost close to 30 tril- damning conclusion Tuberculosis under funding sources, lion in theft. “There is no evidence to suggest the Global Fund the situation is sector in Uganda, and teases Against this backdrop, we have found it pru- Finasi have the experience required initiative. Climate dire and given out the different challenges dent to relaunch the Black Monday campaign to undertake a project in this sector, change. the fact that the facing the sector which need as our contribution to the anti corruption of this value or of this size.” Lubowa project to be urgently dealt with to struggle. The Black Monday Campaign seeks to The company proudly claims to • On March 11th is designed as a mobilize citizens to mount a sustained assault have undertaken a number of hos- 2019, Parliament Build Own and give a clean health bill to against the injustice of theft of public funds. pital projects including the Sheikh approved a Operate (BOO) Ugandans. We hope you enjoy The ultimate result is to see that integrity in Khalifa Bin Zayed Hospital in Mary, government for at least the reading it. Black Monday is public life is restored through a citizen-led pro- Turkmenistan; Sheikh Zayed Uni- request to first ten years, a campaign that focuses on cess that rejects theft of public money. In this versity Hospital in Khost Afghani- guarantee a loan chances that protesting the of public new phase, we are going to have a dual strategy. stan; Sharg Al Nile in Khartoum, Su- of US$379million the minions lan- First is work towards a Public Private Partner- dan and Famboni General Hospital (about guishing on the funds with impunity and ship including key government agencies, civil in Moheli Comoros Island. corridors and promoting integrity. society, and the private sector. We shall also But TI and independent inves- Shs1.4trillion) to floors of Mulago have purely citizen focused engagements to tigation by Black Monday reveal Finasi Group to will find solace inspire citizens to reject corrupt political and nothing more than photos pur- secure funding for there. gandans continue to struggle with public officials. We are also aware that even ported to be of the projects on the the ultra modern an ailing public service delivery in the civil society sector, there are stories of BUKEDEA DISTRICT. Residents of Bukedea airing their concerns about the worrying conditions at the Finasi website and nothing on the hospital.

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