Parliament has rejected a move to have the Uganda National Road Fund (UNRA) mainstreamed back to the Ministry of Works and Transport. This followed a vote by the legislators against a bill, the Uganda National Roads Authority (Repeal) Bill, 2024 thought sought to have the functions of the agency revert to the mother ministry. The bill was moved by the sector minister, Gen. Katumba Wamala in a sitting of the House on Tuesday, 23  April 2024 chaired by the Speaker, Anita Among.

Katumba Wamala in his justification said that merging the agency into the ministry would lead to a saving of She39 billion in wages per month paid to the over 1500 staff. “UNRA is in effect bigger than the ministry and this is an agency. The ministry staffing is 529 and the bill is Shs17 billion while UNRA’s bill is Shs71 billion, Katumba Wamala said. Minister Katumba Wamala added that the parallel operations of UNRA and the Uganda Road Fund have caused division in the mother ministry which has affected direct command and control as well as effective delivery of services. “The Ministry of Works generates policies and the boards of agencies generate policies, that is contradictory. These are two areas commanding in one area. We have three accounting officers in the same ministry; one for Road Fund, UNRA and one for the ministry; – that is wastage of resources”, he added.

He said that through rationalisation, the ministry willabsorb all UNRA staff under the Public Service terms and conditions, adding that the move will address the fear of unemployment that will be created by the merger.

However, the Chairperson of the Committee on Physical Infrastructure, Hon. Dan Kimosho who presented a report on the bill that rejected the mainstreaming.

Kimosho defended UNRA’s autonomy saying the agency has for the last 15 years, constructed 3,686km of new paved national roads representing an average of 230km per year said that “The role of UNRA in the management, development and maintenance of the national roads infrastructure is critical to the performance of the works and transport sector and the country’s development aspiration in light of Uganda being a transit and land-locked country”, he said.

The committee also argued that mainstreaming UNRA into the ministry will lead to the same challenges experienced in the past that led the same ministry to spearhead the formation of UNRA and would necessitate future reforms to recreate it,” the report added in part. “The committee is concerned that government likely to suffer a setback of delayed project implementation and completion of important and strategic road infrastructure because of the shocks that come with the rationalization process,” Kimosho added.
  On the move to have UNRA staff absorbed into the ministry, the committee noted that there is no guarantee of employment following the dissolution of the agency.

Members of Parliament supported the committee position of retaining the autonomy of UNRA arguing that the agency is doing good work.

“Let UNRA stay because it is handling critical work. If it wasn’t for UNRA, we who come from Western Uganda would be cut off,” said Rubabo County MP, Hon. Naboth Namanya.

Under section 6 of the UNRA Act (2006), UNRA is responsible for the management, development, and maintenance of the national roads and to advise government on policy matters concerning roads and to assist in the coordination and implementation of the policy relating to roads.

Following the vote on the bill, Speaker Among directed the minister to brig amendments on the 2006 UNRA Act that will see the minister have more powers of oversight in the sector.

The proposal for these amendments were earlier moved by Maracha County MP, Hon Denis Oguzu Lee and supported by Kampala Central MP, Hn. Muhammad Nsereko.

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Parliament of the Republic of Uganda.

The International Rescue Committee (IRC) welcomes the passage of a $9 billion global humanitarian aid package that will avoid sharp U.S. cuts in the midst of near record humanitarian need and displacement. The package will save lives and help drive solutions to support people facing armed conflict, economic turmoil, and those affected by the climate crisis. Amid ongoing challenges such as the latest wave of missile strikes in Ukraine, spiraling conflict in Sudan, and imminent famine in Gaza which continue to uproot and destroy lives, U.S. assistance remains essential for people in the worst conflict-affected areas,and remains a vital investment in building resilient futures. However, we remain deeply concerned that the package prohibits aid from going to the United Nations Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA), which plays a central role in the humanitarian response in Gaza – a role that other aid agencies cannot replicate – as well as its critical work assisting millions of Palestinian refugees across the Middle East. All civilians in need of lifesaving humanitarian aid deserve access to it.  

With the United Nations estimating that over $46 billion is needed to serve nearly 300 million people in need this year, and only 9% of funding received so far, other countries must follow suit and increase their own funding. The US must continue to use all of its leverage within the international community to build better, bolder solutions fit for people affected by the world’s most challenging crises. To bolster its leadership in the humanitarian field, the US must match these ambitions in future fiscal years.

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of International Rescue Committee (IRC) .

The First Annual Meeting of the ECOWAS Women Peace and Security Regional Steering Group for 2024 was formally launched by the ECOWAS Commission. The focus of this important event, which takes place in Abuja from April 22nd to 24th, is themed “Sustaining the Momentum Towards Monitoring and Reporting on the Women, Peace, and Security Agenda in West Africa Using the Continental Results Framework (CRF).”

Nigeria’s leadership and dedication to the Women, Peace, and Security agenda was demonstrated by the presence of the H.E. Mrs. Barr. Uju Kennedy-Ohanenye, the Honorable Minister of Women Affairs and Social Development at the opening ceremony of the workshop. The Minister declared that  “With robust national action plans and localized security resolutions, Nigeria is spearheading efforts to ensure that women are not only participants but leaders in our peace and security framework,”.

In her opening remarks, H.E. Professor Fatou Sow Sarr, the ECOWAS Commissioner for Human Development and Social Affairs, emphasized that consistency in action and advocacy is crucial to the inclusivity of women in peace processes across the African continent. As we convene under the theme of sustaining momentum, our focus is clear: to fortify the mechanisms for monitoring and reporting that underpin our agenda, ensuring that peace and security are unshakeable pillars in our region,” said Professor Sow Sarr.

The representative of the German Embassy, H.E. Mrs. Susanne Schroeder conveyed Germany’s unwavering dedication to accompanying ECOWAS’ endeavors. She stated that the European Union through our ongoing collaboration are committed to strengthening the involvement of women in peace and security throughout West Africa. We aim to create an atmosphere where their valuable contributions to peacebuilding are acknowledged and indispensable,” stated Schroeder.

The European Union Delegation’s representative, H.E. Mrs. Eno Moma, highlighted the importance of the EU’s efforts in fostering stability and inclusivity. The European Union is dedicated to fostering a strong partnership with ECOWAS, with the goal of recognizing the crucial role of women as key participants in promoting the stability and security of the region, Mrs. Moma emphasized.

The meeting will address important discussions regarding the successes and obstacles in the implementation of the Women Peace Security agenda. The focus will be on utilizing the Continental Results Framework to ensure thorough monitoring and reporting. The discussions aim to strengthen regional cooperation, identify successful practices, and improve strategies to support the involvement of women in peace and security initiatives throughout West Africa.

This inaugural meeting is a crucial milestone in the ECOWAS’ ongoing dedication to the Women, Peace, and Security agenda. It provides a vibrant platform for revitalizing regional and global endeavors to foster a peaceful and inclusive West African region.

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS).

The IRC has named Samuel Kamunyu Karuru of Ghana and Reginah Onyango of Rwanda as the winners of the Wazoku crowdsourcing challenge to improve the last mile delivery of essential medical supplies. 

This latest completed challenge was launched in July 2023 and focused on finding new and improved solutions to help medical supplies like medications and surgical equipment reach rural communities. Delivering the medical supplies that the IRC’s clients need requires the creation and maintenance of efficient and reliable supply chains, often to locales and contexts that are difficult to access or navigate. 

In 2022, in Sierra Leone alone, trucks were used to deliver 95 types of free healthcare supplies to 1,386 clinics. However, supplies were reported having arrived damaged, having exceeded safe temperatures, or not having arrived at all. A resultant loss factor of 12% across the distribution cycles was attributed in part to problems with the packaging and transport of supplies.

From July to October 2023, the Challenge gathered worldwide attention in 49 different countries. This led to 180 registrants and 92 proposal submissions from 33 different countries. Solvers’ innovative proposals gave the IRC concrete options to replace the existing, one-time-use cardboard boxes with improved, sustainable and effective packaging. The 92 solutions were whittled down to 42 by expert IRC evaluators and health stakeholders, followed by a shortlist of 9 finalists. 

Karuru and Onyango’s winning solution for this challenge will be awarded US$25,000. The solution proposes using packaging for shipping made of corrugated polypropylene. Using this material for packaging results in boxes that are reusable, heat and moisture resistant, light weight, fireproof and insulated. As a result, materials that need to be kept at a certain temperature can be transported safely using this packaging. It is estimated that each packaging box made from this material would cost US$4.61 to produce, making this solution both innovative and cost-effective.  

Samuel Karuru is an engineer who specializes in using computational methods to improve electro-mechanical systems. He is currently pursuing a joint Master’s through ETH Zurich and Ashesi University in Berekuso, Ghana. Reginah Onyango, his partner in developing and submitting this solution, is a mechanical engineer who currently works as a Vehicle Production Manager in Kigali, Rwanda. She holds a Bachelor’s degree from Kenyatta University in mechanical engineering, and certifications in project management, Computer Aided Design, and lean frameworks. 

Karuru said: “Learning about the challenge, I had never been so convinced that I should get something done. Feasibility was a challenge, and we liaised with suppliers/manufacturers to ensure that it could also be implemented easily. It was very rewarding when we settled on our final idea and even did some paper models to visualize the final product. The evaluation process was a long nail-biting experience, but learning about the win was just incredible: something I am still recovering from.” 

Onyango said: “It was very fulfilling to have a design that we both had a lot of confidence in after putting in many hours and the result was a confirmation that we actually got it right. We are eagerly anticipating new challenges and opportunities from the IRC, SeaFreight Labs, Wazoku, and their partners.”

The IRC has other open innovation Challenges open to the public for their innovative ideas, proposals, and prototypes in exchange for financial awards and collaboration, viewable here

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of International Rescue Committee (IRC) .