By Sunday Vision Reporters
US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton is expected in the country this week for high-level talks with Government officials, according to highly placed sources.
The exact day of her visit is not yet clear though, according to government sources, issues on the agenda include the 2011 general election, Uganda’s relations with Iran and the controversial Anti-homosexuality Bill.
Last year, the US Congress directed Clinton, to closely monitor the Uganda Government’s preparation for the 2011 general elections.
The Congress, America’s legislative arm, further directed her to actively promote the independence of the Electoral Commission. To execute this assignment, Clinton will work with the European Union and Canada.
Congress told Clinton to write reports on the steps taken by the Uganda Government to address concerns raised ahead of the polls.
The directive is included in the section dealing with Uganda in the US Foreign Operations Appropriations Act for Fiscal Year 2010. Under the Act, Uganda is allocated $70.6m (130b) in assistance.
US Assistant Secretary of State for African Affairs, Johnnie Carson who was in the country last month, also called on the Government to strengthen the Electoral Commission in order to instil confidence among the political players.
He explained that it was not the practice of the US government to support candidates in elections. He pledged US government’s funding towards the voter registration process.
Museveni, however, informed Carson that there was nothing to worry about.
When contacted, Foreign Affairs Permanent secretary James Mugume declined to comment on the visit saying he did not have the information at hand. Efforts to confirm with the US embassy were also futile. In his speech while in Accra, Ghana last year, President Barack Obama promised to fight for genuine democracy, the building of strong institutions and change of “leaders who exploit the economy to enrich themselves.”
US have vowed to closely watch the preparation of the polls. The Government said it was glad that the US was taking special interest in the polls.
“We have no objection to it (directive), but it has come at a time when we have already moved on. We have put in place several safeguards to ensure a free and fair election,” responded international affairs minister Okello Oryem.
In his state of the nation speech, President Yoweri Museveni assured the nation that the 2011 general elections will take place as scheduled, and asked Uganda’s development partners to back off the country’s poll preparations.
He said donors would be more helpful if they “concentrate on energy, roads, and the railway...that is what I want to hear not lectures about what I am an expert in.”
The opposition has on several occasions criticised the West for what they call providing extensive support and subsidies to the Government without holding it accountable.
Uganda will hold presidential and general elections early next year. Emotions are running high over possibility of vote stealing. The opposition parties have opposed the composition of the Badru Kiggundu-led Electoral Commission and want it disbanded.
However, the Government has clarified that the opposition was party to nominatingthre current EC and the person they rejected was dropped. The US has also criticised Uganda’s move to have a law with stringent measures against homosexuality.
Talking about the Obama administration’s human rights agenda for the 21st century in December last year, Clinton said in reference to Uganda, “Governments should be expected to resist the temptation to restrict freedom of expression when criticism arises, and be vigilant in preventing law from becoming an instrument of oppression, as bills like the one under consideration in Uganda to criminalize homosexuality would do.”
This will be her second trip to Africa as Secretary of State. She was in Africa last year where she toured Kenya, South Africa, Angola, Nageria, Liberia , the Democratic Republic of Congo and Cape Verde.
Most of Secretary of State Hillary Clinton’s talks were on economic development, human rights, corruption and good governance.
US Vice-president, Joe Biden, was in Kenya, the birthplace of President Barack Obama’s father, to press for political reforms in the country and discuss the situation in Somalia and Sudan.
He assured the Kenyans that if the Government strengthens its rule of law, the country will open the door to greater US aid and investment.
Published on: Saturday, 19th June, 2010 |
