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Mnangagwa sworn as Zimbabwe president for new five-year term

Zimbabwe’s President Emmerson Mnangagwa was inaugurated Monday for his second full term after a disputed national election in which he defeated challenger Nelson Chamisa.

The main opposition says Mnangagwa’s re-election means another five years of economic stagnation and what they see as presidential illegitimacy. An estimated 40,000 people saluted Mnangagwa as he arrived at National Sports Stadium in Harare Monday.

In his speech, Mnangagwa thanked Zimbabweans for what he called a “peaceful” and “transparent” elections. He promised to exploit Zimbabwe’s natural resources to establish a manufacturing base and turn around the economy.

“The numerous mineral resources in our country must be sustainably exploited to leap-frog our industrialization and development," Mnangagwa said. "The lives of our citizens and the fortunes of our country as a whole must be improved...Riding on our abundant resources as well as skilled and hardworking people, Zimbabwe is poised to take its place as a competitive manufacturing jurisdiction.”

Mnangagwa appears to have a heavy task ahead of him, with his country suffering one of the highest inflation rates in the world, and possessing an almost worthless currency. Unemployed 23-year-old Martin Chibeza says he had to drop out of school as his parents could not afford the fees. He wants the president to spark the economy and create jobs.

“He must re-open industries which are yet to reopen such as automotive and entrepreneurship that would be helpful for us," Chibeza said. "Some of us do not have education, so if some industries open, we will get employed, even when you did not finish school.”

Back to the inauguration: That’s a 21-gun salute and flyover by Zimbabwe Defense Forces forces to mark the beginning of Mnangagwa’s new term. Mnangagwa supporters such as 69-year-old Marker Mugadzi were in a celebratory mood.

“What has happened today is really great," Mugadzi said. "President Mnangagwa is our friend, we fought together the liberation struggle. I wish the government can provide water and repair roads, land and decent houses. That’s my wish from Mnangagwa.”
 

Mnangagwa took power in a 2017 coup that unseated longtime ruler Robert Mugabe, then won the disputed 2018 election. In last month’s elections, the 80-year-old politician beat 45-year-old Nelson Chamisa of the Citizens Coalition for Change party, according to official results which the opposition is protesting.

The CCC’s vice president Tendai Biti sees a gloomy future for Zimbabwe if the election results are not reversed.

“The election has been condemned by virtually every [observer] team and most significantly SADC, who have made it very clear, that it falls so short of required international standards," Biti said. "So, under those circumstances, a flawed process cannot produce a flawed outcome. Therefore, we are back in the zone of 2018 where legitimacy was contested. And once legitimacy is contested, you can’t govern.”

Only three presidents from the Southern African Development Community (SADC) — whose observer mission said the polls were not credible — attended Mnangagwa’s inauguration Monday. The three were Filipe Nyusi from Mozambique, Felix Tshisekedi from the Democratic Republic of Congo and South Africa’s Cyril Ramaphosa.

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Foreign aid isn’t free money, it must come with strings attached

In early August, the World Bank announced that it was suspending new loans to Uganda over the country’s draconian anti-homosexuality laws.

Although a controversial decision by the World Bank, the fact that a Ugandan man is potentially facing the death penalty for ‘aggravated homosexuality’ shows that the Bank is justified in its stance.

International aid should always come with strings attached. International aid is incredibly important. The money sent to less economically developed countries either directly or through bodies such as the World Bank goes to help some of the poorest people on the planet by helping their countries to build schools, hospitals, transport and energy infrastructure, and sanitation.

Ultimately it provides a lifeline to the poorest people on the planet by lifting them out of poverty and ensuring that they can provide a better life for themselves and their families. The UK should be proud of this. However, the case for international aid risks being undermined if the money we send is used to support regimes which implement policies which violate the rights of others.

Taxpayers would be rightly outraged if their largesse was used to fund governments which persecute sexual, racial, or religious minorities. This could lead to growing resentment and disillusionment towards international aid and would strengthen the hand of those who would prefer it if the UK reduced the foreign aid budget even more. International aid is too important for this to be allowed to happen.

Therefore, the UK should ensure that its foreign aid budget is only ever spent – with the exception of emergency situations – on countries which share our values. For those countries who do not share our alues, any support should be contingent upon them abolishing egregious laws. In so doing the UK can not only improve the financial condition of people and nations, it can also help to bring freedom and democracy to these countries and help to end the persecution of minority groups.

The same should also go for tackling climate change. The government should again insist that aid is contingent upon the beneficiary nation implementing environmentally friendly policies while also providing them with the funding they need to adopt green energy. Debt relief should also be linked to decarbonisation as suggested by the IMF.

Not only would this free up revenue for developing countries, it would also help to tackle climate change. It is people in the poorest countries who are most vulnerable when it comes to climate change and so it is only right that the UK leads the way in helping these countries to develop in an environmentally sustainable way.

Finally, the UK should work with organisations such as the World Bank and the IMF to ensure that countries receiving financial support make the necessary economic reforms. Countries receiving development and stabilisation loans should be encouraged to stamp out corruption, implement fiscal reform, open their markets to the rest of the world, and embrace free trade.

This is the only way that these countries can ever hope to escape poverty and improve the lives of their citizens. Foreign aid is incredibly important and the government should commit to increasing the foreign aid budget. However, it is essential that money sent by UK taxpayers is used to not only lift people out of a life of subsistence but also allow them to live their lives as they see fit, to love who they want, to worship how they want, and not be persecuted simply for being who they are.

It should also be used to help countries transition to sustainable, market economies. International aid is a powerful tool and so should always come with strings attached.

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Ugandans allowed to cultivate marijuana for medicinal purposes

Uganda’s parliament has enacted the landmark Narcotics and Psychotropic Substances Control Bill 2023, signaling a pivotal change in the nation’s approach to controlled substances.

The newly passed legislation authorizes the licensed cultivation and medical usage of marijuana, while concurrently instituting severe penalties for substance abuse-related infractions. This groundbreaking move comes after the Constitutional court annulled the 2016 Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substance Control Act in May, spurred by a successful legal challenge from the Wakiso Miraa Growers and Dealers Association.

A key factor in the court’s decision was the parliament’s failure to maintain a quorum during the passage of the 2016 law. Following three exhaustive sessions, the 94-clause bill was ratified in August 2023, sparking intense debate among lawmakers. Pending presidential approval, the first clause of the bill will take immediate effect. Wilson Kajwengye, the chairman of the Defense and Internal Affairs committee, underscored the urgency of addressing existing regulatory voids concerning narcotics and psychotropic substances.

Designed to align Uganda’s stance on drug and psychotropic abuse with nations practicing zero tolerance, the new law reserves cultivation of marijuana and khat for medical and other authorized purposes only. Violators face harsh consequences, including asset forfeiture, extensive incarceration, and hefty fines.

Kajwengye recommended centralizing license issuance under the ministry of Health to ensure restricted medical usage, while entrusting the ministry of Internal Affairs with enforcement responsibilities.

Khat will also be classified as a controlled substance, its cultivation and consumption conditional on licensing and medical prescriptions. International obligations will strictly govern the regulation of both cannabis and khat. Attempts to exempt khat from the list of controlled substances were thwarted.

Asha Kabanda Nalule’s motion to delist khat was overwhelmingly rejected, with Attorney General Kiryowa Kiwanuka warning of escalating substance-related problems if khat remained unregulated. Notably, clause 10 imposes life imprisonment for administering narcotics or psychotropic substances to minors. Clause 11 mandates licensing for farmers cultivating prohibited substances, with non-compliance resulting in imprisonment. Pharmacists found prescribing restricted drugs could face severe fines or ten years in prison, according to Clause 7.

Clause 8 stipulates that medical professionals violating these regulations will be struck off the professional registry. While proposals to include police and army personnel in specific provisions were declined, the state minister for Internal Affairs, General David Muhoozi, lauded the law’s enactment, emphasizing its role in mitigating the social toll of substance abuse.

In closing, deputy speaker Thomas Tayebwa exhorted parents to monitor their children’s well-being closely, underscoring the vital necessity of this legislation for families afflicted by substance abuse.

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Telecoms battle for customers

The two major telecom companies in Uganda – MTN and Airtel – are fighting for the souls of Ugandans by dangling cashless merchant payment platforms in the form of MoMo Pay and Airtel Pay, each promising better rewards.

With the merchant payment platforms, users can now electronically pay for any commodity/service. With this payment platform, no charges are levied against any transaction.

Speaking on the sidelines of the just-concluded annual Bankers Conference, Richard Yego, the managing director of MTN Mobile Money Uganda, said the merchant payment solution was a way of mitigating the unending attacks on business operators by assailants looking for hard cash.

Yego added that MoMo pay would help business owners and operators to access affordable credit lines from MTN.

“When we collect money electronically, we can collect data about the merchant’s activity. With this data, we can develop a scorecard that we base our decisions on to reward merchants with lines of credit. We can easily predict what amounts to give them because we can predict what the merchant can afford to pay back,” he said.

To entice more merchants to onboard on the Momo Pay merchant platform, Yego said they had capped all the transactions charges at one per cent across all sectors.

“For the merchants in the informal sector like boda bodas, salons and market vendors, no transaction charges will be levied. We want them to collect their money free of charge. This is the only way we can attain a cashless ecosystem.”

Yego added that they had enabled assisted payments for the merchants to make assisted payments like school fees and utility bills.

“We pay the merchant four per cent for the value that we have transacted. We want to push to a period where the merchant is asking for the Momo Pay service instead of the client asking for it.”

According to the third market performance report by Uganda Communications Commission for the three months ending March 2023, the mobile money industry recorded 1.44 billion mobile money transactions, up from 1.40 billion transactions at the end of December 2022. The growth is linked to a spike in transactions like person- to-person transfers, utility and merchant payments, gaming and school fees payments.

MTN MoMo Pay currently has about 280,000 merchants, while Airtel Pay has approximately 480,000 merchants. Speaking to The Observer, David Birungi, the public relations manager of Airtel Uganda, said they had partnered with Dlight Uganda Limited to help Ugandans acquire phones on a hire purchase plan.

Birungi emphasized that the affordability of phones would ease digital financial inclusion since more people would be able to access their wallets on the phone. Gerald Orombi, the general supervisor of operations at the Liquor Shade, a bar located in Kisementi, said merchant payment platforms had made the movement of money easier and secure.

“Our clients no longer have to come carrying money in their bulging pockets. I can make payments easily. Almost 90 per cent of the clients now opt for one of the two platforms to make payments. I think as time goes by, we might be seeing less and less cash at the counter.”

However, there have been concerns from several waiters and waitresses that the level of clients who tip them for their service could drop. A waiter at a popular hangout who preferred anonymity said, “Most of us almost live off the tips. Now if every client is paying the money directly, to the company merchant code, it means we will be sent out of the system.”

Drawing from his experiences, Orombi said they had become deliberate at empowering waitresses and waiters at the liquor shade.

“The more sales they make, the higher their percentage. The waiters should become innovative. I also have an individual merchant code. Let them have their merchant codes where their tips can be deposited.”

Godfrey Muhindo, the safety and security operations officer at Total Kisementi, said the introduction of MoMo Pay as a payment alternative had influenced an increase in both the number of clients and their sales.

“Since we introduced MTN MoMo Pay, our sales have increased. Almost all the clients that we interact with here want to pay off their phones. We got to realize that most customers don’t like carrying cash since it helps the person spending to track their expenses.”

Muhindo noted that since pump attendants are not allowed to use phones, the relationship with customers sometimes is affected.

“The phone on which the money is sent is kept away in most cases. This means that I have to politely request the customer to tell me the transaction ID for the payment they have made. Some of the customers are rude and complicated, which is understandable because no one has the time for waiting.”

He recommended that MTN introduces scannable digital payment platforms with a provision for printing a receipt. This, Muhindo said, would allow them to maintain a duplicate of each payment made. Like Muhindo, Michelle Mutesi, the manager of Julie’s Restaurant located along Kira Road, said although the two innovations had encouraged seamless payments, the absence of the same service in her value chain makes the use of cash unavoidable.

“The money we receive via the merchant code is in most cases transferred to the accounts. Now you will go to the market yet the supplier/vendor doesn’t have a merchant code. I now have to incur the withdrawal costs. The system should be rolled out further downwards so that our suppliers in the informal sector can interact with us easily. We love it when it is cashless from the client to the last mile supplier.”

Prashant Chalke, the financial controller at Century Cinemax, said the introduction of the merchant payment platforms had provided an alternative payment platform to the traditional cash and visa payment systems.

“The bank network for the cards is down sometimes. MoMo Pay has come in to fill that gap. Since it acts as an extra wallet for customers, it eliminates the need to carry large sums of money and facilitates easy reconciliation of payments. It is much safer than a bank. It eliminates the risks of carrying hard cash.”

World Bank fallout: Can Uganda survive without foreign assistance?

Over the years, scholars of all walks of life have voiced their opinions on the subject matter of foreign aid, and the impact it has had on the recipient ‘needy’ countries.

For the most part, they agree that it [foreign aid] has been a bad omen to underdeveloped countries like Uganda. Taking into account the prevailing face-off between Uganda and one of its major funders, the World Bank President Museveni as if in direct retaliation for a statement released by the international lender to suspend funding to Uganda for passing the Anti-Homosexuality Act, wrote a letter [the following day] on August 9, 2023 unapologetically affirming the state’s stand on the matter of aid.

In his letter, the president blatantly tells the donors that their loan and aid packages are neither decisive nor indispensable elements for Uganda’s desired social-economic transformation; even continuing to label it [aid] a source of distortion and stunted growth across Africa precipitating crises in Niger, Burkina Faso, DR Congo, et al.

The written message gave off a chest-thumping pan-African demeanour reminiscent of the former guerrilla’s revolutionary days and is bound to generate support for the leader from his mostly traditional electorate since he reverberated the populace’s general stand on the gay rights issue.

Many important issues were brought to light by the mail namely: the ghosts of foreign aid. Raising an old debate on the poison of foreign handouts, and loans.

THE AID

For instance, it is common knowledge that aid, and loans never get to reach the grassroots, let alone leave donor countries. In the letter, the president revealed that the ministry of Agriculture, Animal Industry and Fisheries took out a loan of $800 million [Shs 2.9 trillion] over a period of ten years only to spend it on seminars! The loan wasn’t used to set up the much-needed zonal diagnostic labs, research centres, or mechanised equipment, the general ranted.

This signals that a big chunk of the loan was most probably remitted to the donor countries where ministry officials took trips to attend the said seminars. This is because donors tie aid to their respective countries and home-grown companies to further their economic interests in what has come to be known as tied aid.

On the word of the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development [OECD] in a 2021 Development Assistance Committee [DAC] report, up to 21 per cent of aid is tied, that is, 40 per cent [$16.7 billion] of USA’s aid, 37 per cent [$1.5 billion] of South Korea’s aid, and 17 per cent [$4.8 billion] of Germany’s aid is designed to make its way back to the donor countries.

Implying that we take out loans that are never going to bear fruit in our societies but, instead, snap the cuffs on us; we [un]knowingly make business for our lenders. This was unmasked in the same letter President Museveni wrote when he stated that aid policies were directly against growth. He gave an instance that despite locally manufacturing ARVs and other drugs, donors weren’t allowing the government to buy Ugandan-manufactured drugs with their money!

In his words, “To qualify for aid, we had to forget our own industrialization and job creation for our people and support ... the job creation for the other people”.

To parade his distaste for foreign aid, and public borrowing, the president attached a metamessage from June 2017 in which he stopped the minister of Finance, Planning and Economic Development Matia Kasaija from borrowing $914.79 million [Shs 3.3 trillion] because as he noted most of the borrowing has been having no value addition to Uganda’s transformation journey.

It, therefore, comes as a shock that after the president realised the worthlessness of borrowing, Uganda’s public debt has blown up at a rate never seen before from Shs 34 trillion [$8.9 billion] at the time of drafting the published metamessage [2017] to Shs 80.7 trillion [$21.74 billion] in 2023, a spike in borrowing of Shs 46.7 trillion [$12.6 billion] in six years.

In passing, the written publication mentioned market arrangements Uganda has with the USA such as AGOA – Africa Growth Opportunity Act as a fall-back position Uganda has retained that is crucial for its transformation.

What the president conveniently overlooked is that to maintain the AGOA agreement, Uganda must satisfy USA human rights requirements among which will include gay rights. In the recent past, Guinea, Ethiopia and Mali have been banned from AGOA for human rights violations. If Uganda doesn’t acknowledge gay rights, it’s most likely going to be knocked off AGOA’s trade list.

Even so, only oil-producing countries in Africa have benefited from AGOA namely: Nigeria, Angola, Gabon, and Equatorial Guinea. Predominantly, Uganda’s aid comes in the form of bilateral aid which is assistance given by any government directly to the Uganda government.

Emergency/humanitarian aid, say during or after disasters, multilateral aid that is aid from international organizations like the World Bank; and non-governmental aid which is channelled through nongovernmental organizations [NGOs] after it is raised from public donations.

In the past five years, for example Uganda has been a beneficiary of aid from the World Bank to a tune of $4,380.8 million [Shs 16 trillion] in loans, and grants. From the United Kingdom [UK], Uganda receives more than £95 million [Shs 442.5 billion] annually in aid; in addition to $1 billion [Shs 3.6 trillion] annually from the United States that it invests in Ugandan communities through 13 agencies, the USA embassy website in Uganda clarifies.

In the recently read national budget for the financial year 2023/24, loans and grants amounted to Shs 2.78 trillion [$753 million] while external financing/project support contributed Shs 8.26 trillion [$2.2 billion]. This brought the total foreign contribution to the 2023/24 financial budget to Shs 11.04 trillion [$2.9 billion] translating to 20 per cent of the national budget that is dependent on foreign aid.

I tried to reach out to Ramathan Ggoobi, the permanent secretary, ministry of Finance, Planning and Economic Development, and secretary to the Treasury, to comment on what alternatives the ministry is working on to bridge the gap that will be caused by the withdrawal of foreign aid, and what happens to the 20 per cent financing of the national budget when all external support is axed. All attempts to reach him on his phone were unsuccessful.

The spokesperson, ministry of Finance, Jim Mugunga was available to speak but intimated that he couldn’t place his comments above the president’s 27-page letter on foreign aid, and those of the minister of state for Finance, Planning and Economic Development Henry Musasizi who told the parliament’s finance committee to prepare for possible budget cuts. In Jim Mugunga’s words, the issue had been milked!

All else equal, aid has its perks because it has translated into more than a few hospitals, roads, scholarships, even vaccines. But the juice of it isn’t worth the squeeze because of the malevolent intentions attached to it. By way of illustration, in 2011 India refused foreign aid from England because it had no impact on its development; however, Britain begged India to keep taking the money!

When India landed its third spacecraft, the Chandrayaan 3 on the moon on August 23, 2023 on a small budget of $75 million, something the UK hasn’t accomplished, India came under fire from the British press who went as far as demanding that India returns the £2.3 billion it allegedly took in aid between 2016 and 2021.

This goes to show that foreign aid bears ill will and isn’t meant by the givers to be properly used for development. Rather, donors are counting on it getting fumbled so that they can have the recipient(s) in a chokehold so that they can exploit them.

In as much as the ruling class, and elite in Uganda, and Africa at large romanticise the idea of an aid-free continent, the reality couldn’t be further from the truth. Foreign aid, and loans are the meat and potatoes of governance in Uganda and are perhaps the most logical explanation for the source of the ruling class’ obscene wealth.

Ban secondhand clothes? But ours is a secondhand economy!

President Museveni recently said Uganda would stop importing second-hand clothes and instead have everyone patronize the growing apparel industry in the country.

When the announcement was made, there was a loud scoff from Ugandans that could probably be heard all the way at State House Entebbe, because the relationship between Ugandans and secondhand things is an old and intimate one. And it is not always about the prices, as The Observer discovered in our foray into downtown Kampala’s Owino (St Balikudembe) market, Ham Shopping Plaza, Nabugabo road and other arcades downtown.

Ugandans’ love for secondhand clothes stems from an ingrained belief that secondhand is stronger and better quality, while others said it is the only way they can afford international designer brands at a song. However, in villages in far-flung districts where residents depend on one meal a day, the apparel many people can afford is sold in secondhand markets and even then, the prices are considered exorbitant.

If President Museveni ventured into downtown Kampala and the suburbs, he would be shocked to see how much is now sold secondhand; from furniture to crockery and cutlery, linens, gym equipment, designer handbags, clothes, shoes, wedding gowns; name it, it now comes in the secondhand market and Ugandans queue to buy. That is before we mention cars…

On a bustling Wednesday morning, amidst the cacophony of motorcycles, car engines and clamour of hawkers and Karimojong street children, The Observer embarked on a journey to discover the vibrant dynamics of downtown Kampala’s secondhand market. The streets were alive with energy, and as I meandered through the busy crowds, I found myself amidst a treasure trove of stories waiting to be told.

My interest in Ugandans’ unique (well, not so unique, since even developed countries have thrift shops and flea markets) love for secondhand clothes had been piqued by a hot debate that had swept our newsroom. Is the average Ugandan’s mindset truly locked on using strictly used things?

So much is this belief in the longevity and superior quality of secondhand merchandise that now traders pass off brand new clothes and shoes as ‘secondhand’ because that is the only way they can get their clients to buy!

“I buy and resell used shoes and clothes from downtown, but on a particular morning I turned up early in the morning as my regular wholesaler was still opening his bales,” one trader, who requested anonymity, told The Observer. “I was shocked to find him yanking price tags off brand-new apparel with labels such as H&M, Victoria’s Secret, Gap, Levi’s – stuff that had reportedly been shipped in from huge season-end sales in Europe – and he was rumpling them up to look used!”

When she asked him why he had to do that, “He told me he failed to convince majority of his customers to buy something that is not used, because they believe only secondhand things are good and durable”.

That day, she walked away with some of the poshest clothes that had never been worn by anyone else, but at secondhand prices. She declined to say how she repriced them for her own customers, however. Because most of the affordable, new clothes on the Ugandan market come from China and Turkey, lovers of UK and USA brands due to TV and social media influence, can only afford them if they turn up on the secondhand market.

For others, the secondhand market is their only available option, simply because that is what their budget can afford, and the president’s recent directive sounded very much like an insult, and Kampala City Traders Association (KACITA) has already protested the ban. Secondhand clothes are even more popular upcountry, where new apparel is not just scarce, but more people there live on less than a dollar a day.

Musa Sebuuma, a seasoned vendor at Kalungi Commercial Plaza, offered insight into the allure of these clothes. He said, “Secondhand clothes hold a distinctive place in society. They are affordable, [unique] and remarkably durable. Their prices are not fixed, allowing buyers to  find unique burgains.”

Sebuuma, who specializes in men’s garments, shared the hidden intricacies of these items on the market. He confirmed that indeed among the secondhand treasures are untouched, pristine garments – remnants or unsold seasonal stock from European/North American countries.

For example, when a popular retail store in the UK stocks clothes and shoes for the summer, as autumn approaches, the summer stock is discounted by up to 90 percent to clear stalls. When it is time to stock for autumn, any unsold stock from the summer clearance sale is disposed of at throwaway prices.

These new items arrive on Kampala’s secondhand market in bales similar to those of used items, because the prices are not much different.
Smart traders then buy from Nabugabo and beyond and resell to unsuspecting customers for a huge profit. What is not grabbed by the smart retailers then have their price tags quicky removed, seamlessly transforming them into ‘secondhand’ offerings for customers that prefer to buy strictly used clothes.

TOP DESIGNERS

Popular designer brands are visible, inviting shoppers to experience luxury at a fraction of the cost. For example, original Colorado, USA made Crocs in Uganda are almost exclusive to the secondhand market, where they can cost between Shs 30,000 and Shs 80,000 – so, secondhand is not necessarily cheap; it can also be a choice.

Walking through the labyrinth of paths in Owino and Kikuubo, I encountered vendors Paul Buyondo and Swaibu Seguya, who willingly discussed their trade. They said customers are drawn to secondhand items not only due to their affordability and longevity, but also because of the distinct character that comes with owning a piece of clothing with a history.

However, the two men’s tale extended Kampala’s so-called high society, who may not know what their ‘clothes plug’ actually means when s/he says: “I import my stuff from USA and UK”.

Secondhand clothes have meandered into the very heart of Kampala’s market; the vendors said high-end shops often frequented by the elite source some of their merchandise from people like Seguya and Buyondo, bringing designer pieces to customers that cannot be caught shopping in secondhand markets, at ridiculously marked-up prices.

Some upmarket shops and boutiques also have buyers that scout the local market for good deals. I was shocked to see a plethora of inexpensive, beautiful household items, including cups, tableware and seemingly new kitchen towels; good-as-new spects frames and their cases; phone covers for all tribes of gadgets; small-size gym equipment like dumbbells and rollers, as well as sportswear; there was even used underwear!

As I concluded my interview and stroll through downtown Kampala, I decided to buy myself a few inexpensive, secondhand shirts to breathe life into my wardrobe as I headed back home. Government will need good luck wishes on that planned ban, considering the politics of ‘voters and what they want’ that seem to go into every national decision and policy, lately.

Expert: new Narcotics bill risks exacerbating drug-addiction issue

On August 22, 2023, parliament passed the contentious Narcotics and Psychotropic Substances (Control) Bill. However, the full enactment of this legislation awaits the assent of President Museveni.

The passing of this bill has already ignited widespread controversy, particularly concerning the various clauses that prescribe severe penalties for the possession and distribution of banned narcotics.

TWAIBU WAMALA, the executive director of the Uganda Harm Reduction Network (UHRN), is a critic of the bill and asserts that it falls short of effectively addressing the underlying issues associated with drug addiction. In an interview with Geofrey Serugo, he says punitive laws alienate people from crucial health and social services.

What specific concerns do you have regarding the bill?

The escalating issue of drug use in Uganda has prompted a pressing need for an open and transparent environment in which information can be freely shared, and discussions about addiction can take place. Unfortunately, the impending law, which further criminalizes drug addiction and dependence, threatens to drive individuals grappling with this disease into the shadows.

The fear of legal repercussions may discourage people from seeking the vital medical assistance they require. Regrettably, by definitively positioning drug addiction and dependence as a matter of justice rather than a public health concern, the government risks exacerbating the problem.

Punitive laws of this nature tend to alienate individuals from crucial health and social services that are essential for managing drug dependence. These services play a pivotal role in preventing the transmission of diseases such as HIV/Aids, tuberculosis, hepatitis B, and hepatitis C, as well as reducing the associated harms of drug dependence.

Furthermore, they provide much-needed support to individuals, enabling them to live fulfilling and productive lives. In light of these concerns, it is a heartfelt plea from experts in harm reduction and human rights to President Museveni not to assent to this bill in its current form.

This plea is made to prioritize the sanctity of life, the preservation of health, and the safeguarding of dignity for those suffering from drug addiction and dependence. It is a call to rise above prejudice and stigma, and to strive toward a nation where individuals with drug and substance use disorders are met with understanding and unwavering support.

Can you provide examples or statistics that illustrate the challenges faced by addicted people in Uganda and why you believe a different approach is needed?

Between 2010 and 2019, Uganda has witnessed a significant decline in new HIV/Aids infections, registering a commendable reduction of 43%. Simultaneously, related mortality linked to HIV/Aids has also seen a substantial decrease of 61%. These encouraging statistics demonstrate the effectiveness of the country’s efforts in combating the HIV/Aids epidemic during this period.

However, despite these overall improvements, there remains a concerning trend. More than 60% of new HIV/Aids infections in Uganda are concentrated among specific groups, notably adolescent girls and young women (AGYW) as well as key and priority populations. This underscores the need for targeted interventions and comprehensive strategies to address the unique challenges faced by these vulnerable demographics.

Another critical aspect of Uganda’s HIV/Aids landscape is the estimated 9,500 individuals who engage in drug injection practices. National data, derived from a combination of sources including UNAIDS and UNODC, reveals that HIV/Aids prevalence among people who inject drugs stands at a significant 17%.

These findings emphasize the importance of tailored approaches to address the specific needs of this population, ensuring access to prevention, treatment and support services to reduce the spread of HIV/ Aids among them. In light of these statistics, it is evident that while progress has been made in the fight against HIV/Aids in Uganda, there is still much work to be done, particularly in addressing the disparities in infection rates among different demographic groups and effectively targeting interventions to reduce HIV/ Aids prevalence among people who inject drugs.

Meanwhile, the prevalence of hepatitis B virus (HBV) and hepatitis C Virus (HCV) among people who inject drugs (PWID) in Uganda stands at 8.4% and 2%, respectively, according to data from the UNAIDS Country Factsheet for 2021. This is a concerning statistic, highlighting the significant risk factors faced by PWID in the country.

The 8.4% prevalence of HBV among PWID underscores the urgent need for targeted interventions and harm reduction strategies within this vulnerable population. HBV is a highly infectious virus, and its prevalence among PWID underscores the potential for rapid transmission within this community.

What alternative measures or policies do you advocate for when it comes to addressing the issue of drug use?

In addressing the pending legislation, I earnestly call upon the president to carefully consider the critical harm-reduction approach before assenting to the bill. It is imperative that the new law embraces a progressive harm reduction-based strategy.

This approach involves providing comprehensive support to individuals grappling with drug dependence, including access to medical treatment, psycho-social support, rehabilitation services, and medication assisted treatment (MAT). Drug addiction is a complex and challenging medical condition that necessitates a gradual process of recovery. Criminalizing those in need of life-saving interventions not only fails to address the underlying issues but also exacerbates harm.

Recognizing drug addiction as a health issue, rather than solely a criminal one, is essential to fostering successful rehabilitation and recovery, with the invaluable support of family and relatives. What’s more, we should adopt the medication-assisted therapy. I urge government to allocate sufficient funding for medication assisted treatment programs and to decentralize these initiatives across the country.

Furthermore, it is vital for the government to endorse community-based service delivery points that offer specialized harm reduction services in a non-discriminatory and welcoming environment. Additionally, the inclusion of methadone, a crucial medication for treating drug use-related medical conditions and addiction, on the list of essential drugs is paramount.

This would enable clinical officers and nurses, under the prescription of a licensed medical officer (doctor), to dispense opioid-based medications, ensuring greater accessibility to essential treatment options.

Lastly, we need to invest in job-creation for at-risk groups. To effectively combat the recruitment of at-risk individuals as drug mules and errand boys by drug traffickers, investment in job creation programs is essential.

These programs should be strategically designed to cater to vulnerable groups, offering them alternative opportunities that can remove them from the grasp of drug traffickers. Additionally, there is a collective hope that the government will uphold the promises outlined in the recently passed bill, which includes investments in treatment and rehabilitation centers throughout the nation.

Are there any international best practices or models that UHRN believes Uganda could learn from when it comes to dealing with addiction?

The World Health Organization (WHO) has raised significant concerns about the criminalization approach and its adverse effects on public health. Specifically, punitive measures associated with drug addiction have been criticized by the WHO for their role in exacerbating the epidemics of HIV/Aids, viral hepatitis, and tuberculosis (TB). This criticism stems from the recognition that punitive actions can deter individuals addicted to drugs from seeking essential harm reduction and health services.

The punitive approach to drug addiction tends to stigmatize and marginalize affected individuals, pushing them further away from seeking help. When people who inject drugs (PWID) face criminalization, they are less likely to access harm-reduction services, such as needle exchange programs and supervised injection sites, which are critical in preventing the transmission of HIV/Aids, hepatitis C, and hepatitis B.

This lack of access to harm reduction services not only puts PWID at increased risk of contracting and spreading these infections but also contributes to the overall burden of these diseases in the community. In response to these challenges, the World Health Organization strongly advocates for a comprehensive package of harm reduction interventions.

These interventions not only play a crucial role in reducing the transmission of HIV/Aids, hepatitis C, and hepatitis B but also aim to prevent overdose-related deaths among people addicted to drugs. Importantly, these harm-reduction strategies are designed to create an enabling environment where individuals addicted to drugs can access the healthcare system and engage with essential services such as TB care and mental health support.

By emphasizing harm reduction over punitive measures, the WHO aims to promote a more compassionate and effective approach to addressing drug addiction and its associated public health challenges. It underscores the importance of treating addiction as a health issue rather than a criminal offense, ultimately leading to better outcomes for both affected individuals and the broader community.

Countries that have embraced and rolled out harm-reduction interventions, such as Seychelles, Kenya and Tanzania among others, have managed to reduce morbidity and mortality associated with illicit drug use, reduced new HIV/Aids infections and other blood-borne infections, reduced drug-related crimes and promoted effective social re-integration.

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