THE FDC POSITION ON THE NEW CRISIS IN SOUTH SUDAN 2025 .
UPDF Is In South Sudan Now In Response To This New Crisis.
However , FDC Does Not Support This UPDF Deployment To South Sudan. Parliament did not adequately consider the deployment .
Instead, FDC Proposes That, The World Supports South Sudan: in the following
(1) The full and proper implementation of the 2018 Peace Agreement of South Sudan;
(2)The call for the release of Dr. Riek Machar and all other opposition leaders /military officials arrested on the same matter.
(3) The Existing UN Peacekeeping In South Sudan (UNMISS) And Upgrade It To A Peace Enforcement Mission if necessary .
HISTORICAL BACKGROUND
We need to understand the background to this crisis from its historical origin .
1955-1972: The First Sudanese Civil War
History isn’t always sequential. Four months before Sudan’s official independence, the First Sudanese Civil War broke out, with the Sudanese government representing the north and a unified separatist movement pushing to make the south an independent state. The conflict lasted for 17 years, until an agreement signed in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, led to the creation of the Southern Sudan Autonomous Region (SSAR).
1983-2005: The Second Sudanese Civil War
2013-2015: Outbreak of the South Sudanese Civil War
THE CURRENT CRISIS
South Sudan’s current crisis stems from a complex history, marked by decades of conflict, political instability, and ethnic tensions, culminating in a civil war that erupted in 2013 and a fragile peace deal in 2018, which has since faced challenges
1.The removal of Gen. Alfred Futuyo the governor of Western Equatoria statefrom the position of the Governor on the 10th Feb 2025
2. And the attempts of the SSPDF to arrest the Governor of Western Equatoria Lt. Gen Karaba led to exchange of gunfire at his residence in Yambio town, forcing former governor to flee on the 10th Feb 2025 ;
3. On 11th march 2015 : The removal of The National Health minister, Yolanda Awel Deng, a member of the armed opposition (SPLM-IO), but no replacement was announced.
4. The removal of this key figure of SPLM-IO from office caused more tensions between the SPLM of Gen. Kirr and Dr Machar’s party (SPL-IO), leading to unrest in Western Equatoria, Western Bahr Al Ghazal and Upper Nile states. Notably:
12th Feb 2025 : SPLA-IO accused the South Sudan army (SSPDF ) of attacking one of its cantonment sites during “violent pursuit” of Karaba, whose whereabouts remains unknown.
These conflicts could escalate further should Kiir and Machar fail to resolve tensions caused by reshuffle.
Divisions in coalition govt threatened peace initiative with opposition groups.
Kenyan President Ruto 20 Feb announced that Tumaini Initiative, which seeks to bring holdout opposition groups into govt, had once more been adjourned at govt’s request, but said talks would resume in March. Divisions within govt over reshuffle could delay their resumption, however.
NEW DEVELOPMENTS
Dr. Riek Machar is under arrest.
Hon. Fungaroo Kaps Hassan
Deputy President -FDC (Incharge -Northern Uganda).
UMEME- UEDCL TRANSITION
As you’re aware, Umeme Limited’s 20-year contract comes to an end, the Uganda Electricity Distribution Company Limited (UEDCL) is set to take over tonight. This transition marks a significant shift in Uganda’s electricity distribution landscape.
Umeme’s concession agreement, signed in 2005, has expired, and the government has decided not to renew it. Instead, UEDCL, a state-owned entity, will assume control of electricity distribution.
This arrangement, came as a result of the privatization of the Uganda Electricity Distribution Company Limited)
Umeme had been heaadquartered in Kampala, Uganda and the Key shareholders includes; Actis, a UK-based private equity firm (62%), and the Ugandan government (33%), with the remaining 5% held by other investors.
Umeme has been responsible for distributing electricity to over 3 million customers in Uganda.
The Umeme-UEDCL transition is a critical issue that requires careful examination. As the Forum for Democratic Change (FDC) party, we have several concerns regarding this transition.
Firstly, the transition process has been marred by uncertainty, with many Ugandans unsure of what to expect. The government’s decision to take over the distribution network from Umeme has been welcomed, but the lack of clear communication on the transition plan has created anxiety among the public.
Furthermore, we are concerned about the financial implications of this transition. The government borrowed $435 million to finance the takeover, which will add to the country’s already significant debt burden. This is unacceptable, especially considering the government’s poor track record in managing public finances.
Another issue is the fate of Umeme employees. While UEDCL has promised to absorb all Umeme staff, we are skeptical about the ability of the government to manage such a large workforce. The history of government takeovers in Uganda is replete with examples of workers being laid off or having their benefits reduced.
We also question the government’s ability to improve the efficiency and reliability of the electricity distribution network. Umeme has been criticized for its poor service delivery, and we fear that the government may not have the capacity to do better.
We in the FDC, further concerned about the cheating of Ugandan tax payers by those who Government officials who negotiate agreement concessions with investors.
A case in point is this row deal which we think only advantaged the investor st the expense of Ugandans electricity consumers. Umeme has not been paying taxes and it has been the most expensive in the East African region where by the every unit cost Ug1000Shs. We demand Parliament to carry out a cost benefit analysis as Umeme is signing out this will help us to go into fair deals in the future. We have had enough of shoddy deals in AGOA – Tristar Aparell, Isimba Dam construction, Karuma dam construction, Bujagali dam, Entebbe Express High way, Entebbe Airport construction, Standard Gauge Railway Lubowa Specialised Hospital by Pineti among others. So technocrats in the ministries of Finance, Energy and Attorney General’s Office must be held liable for this unfairness.
As the Forum for the Democratic Change (FDC) party, we strongly criticize the concession agreement in the Umeme-UEDCL transition. Here are our key concerns:
1. *Lack of transparency*: The concession agreement was negotiated and signed in secrecy, without involving key stakeholders, including Parliament and the public. This lack of transparency creates room for corruption and abuse of public funds.
2. *Unfavorable terms*: The agreement allows Umeme to earn a guaranteed return on investment of 20%, regardless of its performance. This is unacceptable, especially considering that Umeme has been criticized for its poor service delivery and high tariffs.
3. *High termination costs*: The agreement requires the government to pay Umeme a termination fee of $300 million if the concession is terminated. This is a heavy burden on the taxpayer and could have been avoided with better negotiation.
4. *Limited government control*: The agreement gives Umeme significant autonomy to operate the electricity distribution network, with limited government oversight. This could lead to Umeme prioritizing its profits over the public interest.
5. *No clear plan for improvement*: The agreement does not provide a clear plan for improving the electricity distribution network, which has been plagued by outages, high tariffs, and poor customer service.
6. *Risk of job losses*: The agreement does not provide adequate safeguards for Umeme employees, who may face job losses or reduced benefits during the transition.
7. *Lack of public participation*: The agreement was negotiated without involving the public, who are the ultimate beneficiaries of the electricity distribution network.
This lack of public participation undermines the legitimacy of the agreement.
We saw Umeme issuing out a circular that it shall have an Annual General Meeting ( AGM) of it’s share holders by 31st of May 2025, we in the FDC , we are concerned about the fate of shareholders in Umeme which we think by close of business tonight, will become a defunct organization owing to the elapse of the contract between Umeme and UEDCL. Who will chair such meeting?? Among the money for the buyouts that Umeme is claiming, there is no component of its shareholders which are constituted by Majority the NSSF which has over 23℅ of the shareholders.
Lastly, we are concerned about the lack of transparency in the transition process. The government has not provided clear information on the terms of the takeover, including the buyout amount and the financing arrangements.
Where as Parliament passed 720bn for Umeme to be paid and it was a loan facility from Stanbic Bank, Auditor General last week presented a report to Parliament quering the money Parliament had approved, it came up with 432bn isntead for the buy out. Earlier, Umeme had asked for 857bn from Government as buyout. This lack of transparency creates room for corruption and abuse of public funds.
In conclusion, as the FDC party, we urge the government to address these concerns and ensure a smooth transition that benefits all Ugandans. We demand transparency, accountability, and a clear plan for improving the electricity distribution network.
Finally, We in the Forum for Democratic Change (FDC), we demand for a thorough investigation into the Umeme deal. With Umeme’s 20-year concession coming to an end, it’s essential to scrutinize the agreement to ensure that Ugandans don’t lose out in the future.
We think Instituting an ad hoc committee to conduct a forensic audit is a great step towards transparency and accountability. This investigation should focus on; Financial implications, Efficiency, reliability and Value for money
By conducting a thorough investigation, we believe Parliament can ensure that the lessons learned from the Umeme deal inform future agreements and protect Ugandans’ interests.
Kikonyogo John
FDC SPOKESPERSON