UK cuts aid to Uganda over graft

The United Kingdom has cut aid to the Uganda government accusing its officials of stealing billions of shillings in aid money.

The Express of UK quotes a top Conservative Party official, Justice Greening, as saying 1.3million Pounds, approximately 5.2 billion shillings was diverted by government officials.

About 37.5 million Pounds meant to be sent to Uganda over two years is now to go directly to charities working with the poor.

Greening, who has been leading the campaign for aid cuts to Uganda, is quoted by the Express as saying it cannot be business as usual.

The aid cuts are in relation to the Auditor General’s findings last year that unearthed theft of up to 50 billion shillings in the Prime Minister’s Office. The money meant for post war programmes in Northern Uganda was reportedly misappropriated by staff at the Office of the Prime Minister.

One of the officials, Principal Accountant Geoffrey Kazinda, is currently serving a five-year jail term at Luzira Prison.

After the scandal, several countries including Britain, Ireland, Norway and Denmark suspended aid to the Ugandan government.

The paper quotes Prime Minister Amama Mbabazi saying Police have undertaken extensive investigations in the affected ministries.

Last year the UK's total aid budget for Uganda was about 99 million pounds.