Will AU Summit go the CHOGM way?

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Written by Akol Amazima Friday, 30 July 2010 08:41

All is well that ends well, so goes the saying. In 2007 Uganda became the first East and Central African state to host the Common Wealth Heads of Governments Meeting (CHOGM). Prior to that meeting, a series of activities which included lobbying, sabotage were in high gears.

Uganda's Opposition politicians also took a fair share of the blame in the heated debate that led up to the historic conference when they were accused of sabotaging the event. But despite the criticism that was leveled against the government, especially regarding procurements and awarding of tender projects, President Museveni and his loyal lieutenants managed to have the event a success.

Billions of shillings were sunk into Kampala and it was well decorated that it became the cleanest city in the region then. But the manicure didn't last more than a year as potholes, dust and rubbish made their way back onto the streets of Kampala.

As if that was not enough, only a few months after the conference, the Ugandan media begun to reveal how tax payers lost huge amounts of money through shoddy deals that surrounded hiring of VIP cars, publicity and security.

The findings implicated key and powerful politicians in Museveni's government for having had a hand in the rot that happened then. The top politicians included vice president Prof. Gilbert Bukenya, Foreign Affairs minister Sam Kuteesa, Security Minister Amama Mbabazi.

In Madiba's South Africa, as preparations to host the world's biggest soccer event got under way, the mood was one of excitement as the country underwent thorough preparation to welcome the world.

But now that the world cup is over, will Jacob Zuma's South African live to maintain the infrastructure that was set up? Are we about to hear that some of his government ministers "pocketed" monies that were meant to do build roads and stadia?

Are we about to hear that there are some untouchables in Zuma's government diverted funds into personal businesses? Will the Johannesburg roads become a potential ground for fish farming as the case was with Kampala after CHOGM? Africans have proved that they are good at doing shoddy work even in their own continent and countries.

The 15th African Union Summit held in Kampala just ended. Unfortunately the good publicity and pomp it would have got was overshadowed by the sadness that is still griping the country as a result of the July 11 bombings where over 76 people were killed and many others injured.

One fails to understand why big conferences and gatherings in Africa are always preceded by catastrophic events? Towards CHOGM, the Uganda government had planned to give away part of Mabira forest reserve to Mehta for sugar cane growing where many people demonstrated against the giveaway. In the process innocent Indians were sent to their creator through the strike that followed.

In South Africa as the country was busy preparing to host world cup, the nationals embarked on a serious struggle to send all African foreigners back to their countries. In this process many people died.

What was most disheartening about the South African violence is that it didn't spare even the big starts such as musician and freedom fighter -Lucky Dube. For sure he would have lived to watch and perhaps perform at the World Cup!

Finally, as seen from the many conferences and big international events, it is evident that greed always takes away the advantages of such international events. Many of us are simply keeping our fingers crossed to see that the just ended AU summit held in Munyonyo does not end accusations and commissions of inquiry implicating embezzlement of funds.