Mr. Ojambo First get a clear scope of issues under analysis from this article:
Uganda could lose $100m aid package By Isaac Mufumba Nov 21, 2004 JINJA – Uganda risks losing more than $100 million from donors for development and implementation of a national Non Motorized Transport Master Plan. The funds are pegged to successful implementation of a non-motorised transport pilot project in Jinja town. Donor agencies, led by the German Technical Cooperation Agency (GTZ), are reportedly unhappy with Jinja Municipal Council (JMC) for reneging on commitments it made prior to implementation of the project. JMC was obliged to contribute $5,300 while GTZ was to beef up the figure with $8,500 to fund work during the first year — of the 4-year pilot project, which is worth $66,626. Under the Jinja non-motorized transport pilot project, bicycle lanes and junctions were to be constructed along the main street, while zebra and pedestrian crossings were to be constructed in diverse points around the town. Signposts, bicycle shades and bicycle parks were also to be erected, under the same arrangement. However, the council later barred the project implementers from commencing work on the grounds that bicycle lanes could not be constructed along the main street – a decision that miffed the donors. In an October 27 letter, Dr Jurgen Heyen of GTZ wrote to the council, expressing displeasure at the change in plan. “Be rest assured that GTZ will not accommodate these inconsistencies, hence any shift of priorities of areas of intervention is not acceptable,” he stated. On the same day, the Institute of Transport and Development Policy in Charge of Africa, wrote to the Jinja Mayor, saying that the onus was on him to tell the minister of Transport about the success of the pilot project. “I will meet the Ugandan minister of Transport and I would like to tell him that the success story in Jinja is continuing. It is on your side to assure this,” he wrote. Efforts by Sunday Monitor to get an explanation from Mayor David Wakudumira were futile. However, the Jinja RDC, Mr Muhwezi Mugisha, said Friday that his office was investigating the matter. - Let me tell you something – in Uganda nothing will change for sometime. That is my simple view. Sometime back, people who agitated for a federal system and propping up baganda, when I argued against that, one man said look, the baganda will have this and we the banyankole that- we share, guess how I was shocked of the simplicity. - I have just been in front of the former Uganda Commercial Bank - just there one could see the imbecility of Ugandans. They allowed the man to remodel the building but even a none geometrician could easily see, the angle do not march the architectural plan of the original and new building!!!! - I don’t draw or construct buildings but I can see. Which nation in Europe or North America will ever allow such a mismatch in their capital city and on such a super building? - Now on the above issue remember I had argued against the arrangement basing on our debate on decentralization and necessity to rearrangement of it first and then get a federal system – - Let me tell you the two are incompatible and will never work together sociologically, economically, psychologically, administratively politically and fiscally. - Uganda politics and power quest. - Donor funds, it is only laughable. Whatever psychology behind it- URA money will go the same deep hole. THEREFORE, wanting and not wanting donor funds is not the issue, but rather MANAGERIAL, ORGANIZATIONAL and lack of SENSE OF DIRECTION – their new vision (see below and read on) - It is like believing in a supporting or opposing MP saying I couldn’t do much for you because the government couldn’t do much for you – and who is the government. Defeatism. - I don’t believe in that kind of people any more, I am sorry to say. - Straight away, I must tell you, as any other problem in Africa – urban problems are an African intrinsic trillema. It is African’s scientific use problematicity, perception, culture, lack of grounded insight and implementation failure. Traffic lights, lack of toilets, urban filth, Traffic congestion, urban location common sense? What is it? - I started a private urban planning entity and I can assure you things will change whether I am around or not. I’ve studied our urban problems and the socio-psychology of our people for long, what is necessary, designed an action program, we have disseminated it for prototyping – in some areas implementation has started and for the first time it is creating a sense of agency and purpose. - I am very assertive on matter of sociological importance. Amazed of my logic of scientific discovery? - I started tackling urban problems in Uganda some five years ago. As a consequence if you can recall, Makerere University started Urban Planning course, its now three or four years ago. - Uganda’s Urban problems are much more than movement politics. Surprisingly my data shows movement politicians are more interested in the issues of urban planning than non-movementist. - I have this data with me because I meet all sorts of people! - Now ask, who has the jurisdiction over Kampala Urban region, other small towns and municipalities? - All people who said they were going to kill me because I was talking about urban planning are in fact multipartist. They threatened me open on Ugandanet, privately etc. - They tried for three months here in Uganda and are people I know very well who tried to know everything about me through hacking into my computers, threatening me, sending mails some of, which I have and what have you! Even tracking my telephone conversations. - Mark you Uganda has all urban laws, which by the way are in place by can’t be implemented. Who implements the law and how? - First to plan a small town like Kampala is very very very simple given to the temperament of our people and society organisation and one does not need more than 5 committed planners and a few enforcing personnel. - When you break an urban law as any other law you’re liable to face the full force of the law. - Today courts of law are used to tell us how MPs murdered so and so – whether the story is true or not, how DP won constitutional case against UPM or NRM and all that. - Who enforces the law? May be is the question and if they can’t enforce it then why? - There are no efforts what so ever to redeem the situation – show me evidence! - Listen from streetlights, pavements, roads, buildings on Kampala Road, to housing structures under KCC permit in slums – nothing is in the slightest meets urban planning provisions. - That is KCC POWER to PERMIT and CONTRACT. - KCC hires its personnel so KCC knows better who works with what, where and when. Modern cities or at least vibrant cities flourish under three things: a) Law and order/basic security. b) Creating scared space c) Creating an environment that supports commerce. - These are just very small portions of what is all about urban planning. In fact as of today there is a lot of security in Kampala and other towns! A lot of open space and those full of commerce. - Therefore the above are not urban planning per se. I will not go further into that, I am still doing some studies on the prototypes and subsequent human reaction. - Claiming that land tenure system is a problem is rubbish. Is ownership of land superior to urban laws? What happens if a tenant can’t renovate a building in the USA or Canada? - What happens if a tenant or landlord can’t meet hygienic precondition in the cities of USA or Canada? - Even in Mugabe’s Zimbabwe they are trying to maintain what Ian Smith left behind – Oops. - So what is special about Kampala or bluntly Africans? It is easier to kill robbers in the city, chasing tax defaulters, than meeting health, construction, traffic and civic urban laws?!! - Unfortunately Kampala Mayor is old, a politician rather than urban planner, slow and out of step with contemporary urban development strategies, therefore can’t solve Kampala urban planning issue. - For if that were the case, he will become a victim of his own actions and circumstance - that is what has always happened. - I was a councilor in Europe and I do exactly know what human beings are by comparing my self to them - not small gods- therefore consulting the people is useless. May be a sole reason why urban planners are trained to a degree levels and above. - What will Owino trade tell about Owino planning or Muchiga eguli (potent gin) seller tell about a slum she is living in? - Mark you all those against my efforts to urban plan Uganda, are holders of degrees and above, then what will a Muganda landlord or Munyankole wannabe unschooled in urban issues have for a analysis about the subject matter???! - I have met more than a hundred so called urban planner that are informing my urban planning strategy – if they knew or had an idea of what they know – their will be much than what don’t see now. - Urban planning is a complex matter by the way and you must really be schooled in many things. Me Bwanika @ [EMAIL PROTECTED] www.idrconsulting.com 2005-06-09 15:16 skrev george ojambo <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> > >Mr Bwanika: > >Now that you are on the ground, you can observe first hand the situation in >the country/city. >I was equally surprised by the arguments made that foreign aid was fuelling >inflation in Uganda. In essence proponents of such bizarre claims were >pleading with the donors to cut back. Why not simply refuse donor money if >that is the case? > >My own interpretation of the situation is that Uganda as is the case with a >good number of developing countries lack the absorptive capacity. Donor >funds are not utilized and if they are, they are usually misspent because >the officials figure they have to spend the money. Apparently, the health >sector is over donor funded and the funds are tied to specific heal care >projects. That has denied the salivating sharks the chance to dip into such >funds for personal gains. Now they want the taps shut off if the funds >cannot be channeled through the treasury. That is the beef really. > >I have seen your series on urban planning in Uganda. I believe the current >mayor would do better for the city if he was to be given the space. There is >too much interference from the sons and daughters of the \'soil\' who feel >entitled to land or this in Kampala or anywhere in Uganda simply because >they are from the \'soil\'. > >Modern cities or at least vibrant cities flourish under three things: >a) Law and order/basic security. >b) Creating scared space >c) Creating an environment that supports commerce. > >What is your take on Kampala as to how it shapes up in each of the critical >factors above? What are the problems facing Kampala? Do you sense any form >of moral cohesion among the people who call Kampala home? Do you see any >sense of civic identity among the population? In other words, is Kampala as >the largest commercial center in Ugandan fulfilling its historic functions, >why or why not? > >From your serializations, Kampala seems to be vibrant but is doomed to >decadence and decline. Why is that the case? Kampala is also vibrant amidst >constant assault from intolerant and arrogant elements from the centre-the >RDC, movement extremists and arrogant politicians. Under such conditions, >have the city authorities over or underperformed? > >Regarding urban planning-there is hardly any planning in Uganda-do you get a >sense that things could change for the better? I mean do you envision a >situation that before entire neighborhoods are converted from one >use-residential to office space- the people could be consulted through >public forums? > >Do you see anticipate a scenario where [Ugandans are not good at acting, >they only react after the fact] the people who reside in the city would >respect city by laws-building permits, density restrictions etc? Who is to >blame for the lack of proper urban planning in the country? Would you finger >lax or lack of proper laws, lack of planning experts, greedy >stakeholders-engineers-architects, city authorities, the rich etc? Are there >any efforts to correct the situation? Where is it coming from? > >Ojambo > > > Bwanika ________ http://www.idrconsulting.com --> for your consultancy needs --------------------------------------------------------------------------------- http://www.Poker.se - Sveriges nya pokerportal! _______________________________________________ Ugandanet mailing list Ugandanet@kym.net http://kym.net/mailman/listinfo/ugandanet % UGANDANET is generously hosted by INFOCOM http://www.infocom.co.ug/
