Natalie Brown U.S. Ambassador to Uganda
A new report from the Unites States of America indicates that the nation’s taxpayers injected USD953Million (Shs3.404Trn) into Uganda’s economy in the last two years.
Released on Saturday, by Natalie Brown U.S. Ambassador to Uganda, she revealed that through November 2021, the United States of America provided assistance valued at $122 million (Shs440bn) to support Uganda’s fight against COVID-19 response, $206Million (Shs736bn) to Uganda to host 1.4 million refugees.
Uganda’s health sector was the biggest beneficiary of the funds receiving over $517Million (about Shs1.48Trn in 2020), while $60Million (aboutShs214.503bn) went to Support the country’s economic growth, especially in agriculture and $13Million nearly Shs46.475Bn went towards promotion of justice and democracy in support of a more inclusive, empowered, and literate society.
In her report, Brown wrote that 2020 was difficult characterized by the outbreak of COVID-19 that brought life to a standstill, took too many lives, shuttered the global economy, and disrupted key education and health initiatives.
She however said that despite the challenges brought by the pandemic, this didn’t deter US from nurturing its relationship with US but instead, the Mission ensured that the almost $1 billion invested annually by the United States government continued to encourage economic growth and employability, improve health and education, promote democratic values, and strengthen security.
“As we approach 60 years of relations between the American and Ugandan people, the United States looks forward to deepening its commitment to help empower the Ugandan people to build the healthy, prosperous, and democratic nation they richly deserve,” wrote Brown.
However, a section of social media users denied claims made in the report, with many wondering where all this money has gone, denying ever seeing this money in Uganda.
One social media user going by King Williams appreciated US Mission for the assistance via Twitter but asked, “But do they bother to follow whether donations does its intended purposes? Seeking clarification, I have not seen the military assistance listed above, how much money does the USA spend on funding SFC militants?”
Isabirye wondered if there was another Uganda that the US was talking about, “Are we talking about the same Uganda, because I swear to God we have never seen this money.”
Po’ Auli weighed in remarking, “You well know all that money does not benefit Ugandans but rather it goes directly to the dictator and his family while these suppress and oppress indigenous Ugandans.”
Kenneth Agaba said that all the social media accountability provided by US looks nice, but there’s no social impact from the “assistance” writing, “I’m very sure you are aware of where the money goes.. Buying luxury cars, building malls, apartments for the few inner circle and regime apologists and the rest we get teargas.”
However, US Mission defended its support in the report highlighting the specific areas they focused on including support to more than one million Ugandans to access TB diagnostic services and helped treat nearly 27,000 new or relapsing TB patients to get on treatment programs that led to nearly 80% TB Patients receiving medical treatment.
The Mission claimed that in 2020, more than $21 million went towards in clean energy programs for Uganda, where Solar companies accessed finance and transaction advisory services with U.S. support and over 4,000 agricultural enterprises acquired off grid solar solutions for irrigation, value addition, and post-harvest handling
The Mission also alleged that it supported Uganda Revenue Authority (URA) registered year-on-year revenue growth of $709 million by helping the Authority bring on board new taxpayers to a tune of 189,377 new taxpayers, of which 97,327 are in business and expected to file tax returns regularly.
This, the U.S. Mission’s fifth annual Report to the Ugandan People, and it comes at the time the Mission is set to celebrate 60years collaboration with Uganda.
