No New Jet for Ugandan President

%u201CNo New Jet for Uganda President%u201D

To:  Gulfstream Jet, Virginia %u2013 USA                                    

From: Ugandans & Friends of Uganda

We Ugandans appeal to you in the spirit of humanity that you should not take the order to supply a new  Gulfstream 5 Executive Jet to Uganda for the following reasons:

• 90% of Ugandans have no shoes, wear a second hand piece of clothing %u2013 including underwear and live in a grass thatched house with little or no electricity and water.

• Ugandans spend $5 on issues related to the Presidency and his family before they spend a $1 on national health.  Women deliver babies in bushes.  Uganda has over 11,000 prisoners on remand because the judicial system has no funds to process cases. 

• A recent survey by the US-based Kaiser Family Foundation shows that 76 per cent of Ugandans were unable to afford health care in the year ending 2007,  66% unable to access food and 71 per cent unable to access clothing.  Overall, 82% of Ugandans are failing to afford basic necessities. 

• The above explains why 10% (3m) Ugandans suffer from some form of mental illness or depression according to a survey by the department of psychiatry at Makerere University.  Poverty was singled out as one of the significant factors causing this problem. Uganda has just 25 psychiastrists. 

• In October 2007, the North and East of country were flooded by torrential rains that destroyed lives of 6 million people. Government pledged $11 million but delivered just $3.5 million.

• Primary school teachers earn a meagre $85 a month, increased recently to $120 after a five year freeze in a country averaging 6% annual inflation.  Pensions are not paid because the government cannot remit $235 million required per annum to the National Social Security Fund. 

• The Paris Club of donors, World Bank and IMF wrote off $4.5 billion of Uganda%u2019s debit hoping that savings would go to the poor.  Since then, Uganda has spent $100 million building a Presidential palace, $58 million on a Chogm Champaign party and $235 million is lost in government corruption. 

• 49% of the country%u2019s budget is financed by the international community including the USA.  This Jet is a kick in the teeth of tax payers of nations committed to eliminate poverty in the 3rd world.

• The President%u2019s reasons for a new jet are so that he can fly non-stop for longer hours and because the old one will not have spare parts in 2 years time.  But Uganda%u2019s problems are on the ground and not in the air.  Gulfstream Jet makers say they will supply spares as long as there%u2019s a jet flying out there.

• This jet will not make poverty history but %u2018a story of poverty%u2019 to be told for generations to come.  Ordering the jet is President Yoweri Museveni and in power for 22 years.  When his time to go came in 2006 after 20 years, term limits were removed from the constitution.  He%u2019s now President for life.

We appeal to directors and workers of Gulfstream Jet and rest of the world that America can do without taking this order because Uganda would be a better place without it.  This is in the spirit of humanity.  Sign the petition and read full text: %u2018No New Jet for Ugandan President%u2019 at: www.ukversion.co.uk  

Thank you                                                                     

Signed: Michael Senyonjo
UK Version PO Box 776, London UK, HA0 3XW