Norway suspends aid money to Uganda

Norway has suspended aid to Uganda after an audit found that 13 million dollars had been embezzled. Three other European countries previously ended aid to Uganda over similar theft. Uganda says that they have fired 12 government officials who are suspected of taking the money.

From Reuters Alert Net, writer  Elias Biryabarema gives us more details.

The growing scandal adds to concerns about corruption under President Yoweri Museveri, accused by his critics of creating a culture of impunity for cronies who steal public money but are loyal to his party, the National Resistance Movement (NRM).

Norway joined Britain, Ireland and Denmark in suspending aid after Uganda's auditor general last month exposed the theft of funds meant for reconstruction in two impoverished regions. It implicated officials in the prime minister's office.

"Norway has suspended any disbursements to Uganda government institutions until further clarification has been provided," Ambassador Thorbjorn Gaustadsather told Reuters, saying Norway's total aid to Uganda amounts to about $70 million a year.

Uganda's information minister, Mary Karoro, said the government was determined to punish all officials involved in embezzling the money that was meant to fund recovery efforts in northern areas after an insurgency by the Lord's Resistance Army in the 1990s and early 2000s.