The World Bank is not the first, nor will it be the last western entity to threaten Uganda with aid cuts over human rights violations. The EU, USA and UK have all done it for no other purpose than gesture politics.
For clarity, gesture politic is any action by a person or organization done for political reasons and intended to attract public attention but having little real effect. After all, aid is not charity but rent.
Let us elaborate on aid with the help of ‘The Diplomat’s Dictionary,’ by Chas W Freeman.
“Rich countries have given subsidies and other forms of economic aid to allies and client state for political and strategic reasons since the earliest recorded history. Such aid is usually given as rent for bases and material facilities, or to induce support for the foreign policy of the donor power…, but sometimes also for the more general reason that the donor country considers that the economic well-being of an indigent ally will strengthen both parties in their pursuit of common objective.”
In plain language, any foreign aid to Uganda is not, and has never been charity, but “rent for bases and material facilities, or to induce support for the foreign policy of the donor power.”
Such donor powers, or rent payers include the USA, EU, Iran, Turky, UK, China, Japan, Russa, Iran, Saudi Sarabia and the Brentwood institutions, which include the World Bank, IMF, International Finance Corporation and Multilateral Investment Guarantee Agency (MIGA).
Today, there is a high demand for regional and global influence in Uganda that Museveni’s support is going to the highest rent bidder.
Regionally, the west needs Museveni’s support in hosting millions of refugees who would otherwise be flocking to Europe, causing huge social and political problems
The west also needs Museveni to provide troops for peace-keeping in South Sudan, DRC, Somalia and Central African Republic. This is because they are terrified by the prospect of failed states and the attendant security vacuum that would be filled by Islamic jihadists.
Globally, every major and emerging power is queuing up to pay rent disguised as aid to induce Museveni to support their economic, diplomatic or military interests.
This makes such scramble for rent payment a zero-sum game. Any threat by one power to cut off aid is an opportunity for another to take their place.
A classic case was in Zimbabwe, where British Prime Minister Tony Blair unwisely imposed crimpling sanctions. China stepped in and took Zimbabwe and the other 54 AU member states to Beijing. They have never come back.
Since then, western sanctions on Uganda have largely been gesture politics.
For example, when I was FDC envoy, I successfully lobbied the British government to cut aid over the mistreatment of Kizza Besiege. In his statement to parliament on 22 December 2005, then Secretary of State for International Development Hilary Benn said:
“The government's commitment to the independence of the judiciary, freedom of the press and freedom of association following the events surrounding the arrest and trial of the leader of the Forum for Democratic Change, Kizza Besigye…
I am concerned by recent developments in Uganda, and I have decided to cut £15 million from our planned budget support this year, and postpone a decision on whether to provide a further £5 million until after the elections."
Within months the UK had quietly reinstated aid to Uganda even while Kizza Besigye continued to be brutalised during and long after his court to challenge to the results of the 2006 elections.
Likewise, the World Bank aid suspension will be quietly lifted and the anti-gay law will remain in the Statute books. Wait and see.
Sam Akaki,
A former UN diplomat who never uses the over-used and degraded title – “Ambassador”
Apac Municipality
Maruzi country