| Envoys to get weekly briefing on promoting Uganda image |
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By C. Mwanguhya Mpagi & Hussein Bogere |
| KAMPALA — The government is leaving no stone unturned as it battles an increasingly unfavourable international image over its handling of the political transition. The latest innovation is a weekly briefing to ambassadors at their different stations in an effort to coordinate how they speak about and market the country. The Minister for Foreign Affairs, Mr Sam Kutesa, revealed yesterday that work plans had been drawn and embassies equipped to effectively conduct the business of defending and marketing the country. Kutesa said at the weekly cabinet media briefing at Nakasero that Kampala would monitor the output of the diplomats in the different missions. The minister said government has also hired a law firm, Hunton and Williams, to advise it on how to deal with donors and to counter negative publicity. The firm has in turn hired a major public relations firm Hill and Knowlton to clean the country’ s image. Uganda, once seen as a darling of the western donors, has recently suffered a major image backlash following sustained attacks on President Museveni’s apparent desire to hang on to power beyond the constitutional two terms which expire in 2006. As a result major donors led by the former colonial power, the United Kingdom, are re-examining their aid packages to the country. A World Bank commissioned study has warned that the country was at risk of a civil war should Museveni push ahead with the third term project. “What we have done is to hire a law firm (Anthony and Williams), which has also hired a PR firm,” Kutesa said “There is nothing to be ashamed about. In fact if I had money I would hire more. We have rejuvenated our embassies to promote Uganda,” he added. The move comes as Uganda faces increased bad publicity in the foreign media over its handling of the transition to pluralism and President Museveni’s perceived ambition to cling to pow er after 2006. Kutesa said other diplomatic efforts were being pursued to clear this image and promote the country. “We have cordial relations with development partners,” Kutesa said, adding that the media hype of them withholding aid was not a true representation of the country’s relations with donors, “but a lack of communication.” He however admitted that the various donors have raised concerns about several issues on the country’s political transition. The donors had expressed discomfort with the transition and the open voting system in Parliament, the omnibus Bill (which has since been withdrawn and replaced with two bills) and the progress on the roadmap to multi-party politics, Kutesa said. Parliament last month passed a motion changing its rules of procedure to allow open voting. The Nyombi Tembo motion attracted criticism as many, especially opposition members viewed it as a scheme to intimidate members into supporting Movement positions. Kutes a said the other cause of concern; the speed of implementing the roadmap to the transition was on course as a referendum to determine the political system is due by end of July. “We are not under any pressure to open up. It is the government of the NRM which initiated the move to open up and we are going as a Movement to campaign for a “Yes” vote to allow parties operate. We are not under pressure to open up,” he said. Kutesa also called for “utmost good faith” from the donors when dealing with the government. |
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