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{
    "id": 242895,
    "url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/242895/?format=api",
    "text_counter": 283,
    "type": "speech",
    "speaker_name": "Mr. Ahenda",
    "speaker_title": "",
    "speaker": {
        "id": 256,
        "legal_name": "Paddy Ahenda",
        "slug": "paddy-ahenda"
    },
    "content": "Mr. Temporary Deputy Speaker, Sir, NGOs are non-governmental and are, therefore, not expected to operate as if they are government institutions. That is the meaning of that abbreviation July 13, 2006 PARLIAMENTARY DEBATES 2113 and that is exactly why NGOs were started in the first place. Donors that fund NGOs do not deal with the Government directly. If we understand the background of NGOs, we will definitely know where we are heading to. Because of the redtape that was rampant in the Government departments with regard to disbursing money at the grassroots level, NGOs were formed. Mr. Temporary Deputy Speaker, Sir, let me, at this juncture, take this opportunity to thank hon. Shakombo for coming up with this beautiful Sessional Paper. Let us move forward to regulate the establishment of NGOs. We need to open our eyes and ears in order to know where we are headed to with these NGOs. The NGO world has grown so big and at times I think that the entire NGO fraternity operating in the country could actually be having a budget much larger than that of the Government. What I am saying is true, it is only that we are not able to scrutinise their budget. The way the money from the NGO world trickles down is terrible. That is why this Sessional Paper is so timely. It will help in the creation of rules, guidelines and regulations that will help in the monitoring and evaluation of the money used by NGOs in this country. Some of the NGOs have been used as a conduit for money laundering. This Sessional Paper should address the problem of money laundering that is common in some of our NGOs. That way, we shall know when money is given to the NGOs and what it is used for. I will give an example of how we deal with NGOs in my district. We decided to include all the NGOs operating within the district in the District Development Committee (DDC). We decided to incorporate their work within the DDC so that we could jointly fund projects in the district. We are now seen as partners and not as if we are pulling apart. Mr. Temporary Deputy Speaker, Sir, we found out that some of the NGOs actually have a budget that is much higher than that of the Government Ministries with regard to particular projects. If we operate hapharzadly, then we shall have a duplication of projects at the district or constituency level. Some of the projects can be fully funded by NGOs and, in fact, completed up to the implementation level. However, some of the executives in the NGOs are operating in a different world. They totally disregard Government procedures, rules and regulations governing implementation of projects at the district or constituency level. This is an opportune time for us to open our eyes and know that the First World, which includes Europeans and Americans, is the inventor of NGOs. Money getting into the country through NGOs should directly benefit the people at the grassroots. Unfortunately, that is not taking place and it is because of lack of such regulations that hon. Shakombo is trying to introduce. If this Sessional Paper eventually becomes a Bill, all NGOs will be brought under one umbrella and their work will be co-ordinated. The NGO Council is just an NGO within an NGO. It, therefore, cannot regulate itself. They all are partners in the business of siphoning money. Allowing the NGO Council to regulate other NGOs is like giving something with the right hand and then taking it away with the left hand. So, the NGO Council cannot take us anywhere."
}