26 November 2007
editorial
Nairobi — ONE OF THE INTERESTING SIDESHOWS OF last week's Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting in Kampala was the Commonwealth Business Forum, which was held before the main meeting and brought together government officials and private sector players.
The forum offered unique insights into ways of strengthening private-public partnerships and also offered a platform to attract investment to East Africa.
The presence of President Paul Kagame of Rwanda, who gave a rousing keynote address, as well as of business leaders from Kenya and Tanzania, was a demonstration of how the rhetoric of regional co-operation can be translated into practical steps to attract investment into and across the region.
The decision to fast-track the political federation of East Africa has clouded some of the economic partnerships that have been built over the years, including the Customs Union. The seamless promotion of the region as one entity at the Business Forum demonstrates how economic partnerships can help cement political unity in East Africa.
And yet, sustainable political institutions and partnerships have a direct effect on economics. The Ugandan government used the Business Forum to demonstrate that it has achieved a measure of recovery and is, therefore, ready to transform the country into a progressive and wealthy society.
The ongoing peace talks in northern Uganda offer an opportunity to cure the cancer of political instability in that part of the country but the government has to do more to fight corruption, especially in public procurement and public offices. The momentum built by the trial of three former ministers over missing money meant for vaccination should be the start of a sustained and transparent crackdown on corruption, not a convenient show put on for a watchful world.
It is also important that the government allow the seeds of democracy sown over the past couple of years to grow by allowing the opposition, the media and civil society groups to operate freely without undue political or economic pressure.
THE ISOLATION OF THE OPPOSITION DURING the summit might have been a politically pragmatic step for the government, but while their grievances can be delayed, they cannot be completely ignored.
As long as a section of the population feels left out of the country's economic and political space, the economic growth of recent years will only bring development to a small section of the population, leading to increasing social unrest and, ultimately, political instability.
In other words, while economic growth can hold the country together, the distribution of economic gains is a political function that requires political inclusion and accountability. One cannot exist without the other and the Club, hopefully, will give the government an opportunity to use its renewed credentials to heal domestic wounds.
But the fact that President Yoweri Museveni came out smelling good, must be Godsend for the country's international reputation as an investment destination. Two years ago in Malta, the Club had raised serious concerns about the political situation in Uganda - including the arrest of opposition leader Kizza Besigye in the run-up to presidential elections - which must have left Museveni red in the face.
He must, therefore, have sighed with relief when the meeting in Kampala seemingly smiled kindly at him - despite the controversial change to the Constitution that allowed him to run for a third term in flawed elections last year.
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