Uganda’s UN Mission in a mess

ON THE SPOT: Appointments of first-timers, including of  a couple, to same mission raises concern as Kutesa plans to take rotational UN General Assembly presidency next year

KAMPALA - The government has secretly appointed US-based Duncan Muhumuza as deputy head of Uganda’s Permanent Mission in New York as Kintu Nyago, whom President Museveni named a diplomat in August, last year, prepares to leave Kampala to assume the same office.

Ministry of Foreign Affairs, however, defended the sudden change as “normal”. It followed the promotion of Mr Muhumuza, reportedly on the direction of State House, from First Secretary to an Ambassador, skipping the career Foreign Service ranks of Counsellor and Minister Counsellor.

Mr Nyago was the President’s deputy principal private secretary until he was politically re-deployed as ambassador and deputy Head of Uganda’s New York Mission during the general reshuffle of the country’s envoys on August 18, 2012.

A year later, Nyago is yet to assume the new role. He previously told this newspaper he was to take up the New York post by early July, and in an interview last week, said he expected to report as “the substantive deputy head of mission” this month.

“You can have two Captains in a battalion; one a commander and another without command responsibility,” he said in response to Mr Muhumuza’s elevation. He said he expected no challenge to his authority or duplication of duty because “I should imagine they (New York Mission staff) are professional.”

The goings-on at the Ugandan Mission in New York have become of interest and under greater scrutiny as Foreign Affairs Minister Sam Kutesa prepares to take over the rotational presidency of UN General Assembly next year. Analysts say now is the time for Uganda to deploy its most experienced and knowledgeable career diplomats to the post since running the UNGA presidency is demanding and a mistake during the period could cause irreparable damage to the country’s international standing.

On Tuesday, Foreign Affairs permanent secretary James Mugume said it was “normal” to have both Muhumuza and Nyago as deputies reporting to Amb. Richard Nduhura, the substantive permanent representative.

“The Appointing Authority can appoint anyone to anywhere at any time,” he said in response to the timing of the deployment of Muhumuza, a son to Eliphaz Laki, a county chief in Ankole slain in 1972.

There are several procedures, including financial considerations, to be fulfilled before Mr Nyago can take office, the PS said.

According to Harold Acemah, a retired career ambassador and Uganda’s former diplomat at the New York Mission, wealthy nations such as the United States, the UK and Russia do assign one ambassador for each of UN’s political; economic; social and humanitarian affairs; de-colonisation matters; finance and budgets; and, legal committees.

There is no precedent of Uganda appointing two deputies to the UN Mission and Amb. Acemah said parachuting Mr Muhumuza from First Secretary to Ambassador would be “irregular”. “Unless his appointment is political, it would be outside Foreign Service guidelines,” he said.

A senior government official told this newspaper, an account we could not independently verify, that Mr Muhumuza - a lawyer - is a US Green Card holder, meaning he would, as an American citizen, not fully enjoy diplomatic immunities and privileges such as local tax exemptions.

In the Tuesday interview, PS Mugume also defended developments at the New York Mission where the Minister Cousellor Beatrice Pacunega, a former State House Protocol official, allegedly worked to have her husband and former Kyambogo University lecturer Manano Pacunega, deployed as Counsellor at the same UN Mission.

He said: “It is okay because we have many couples [working at various diplomatic missions].”

Arthur Kafeero and Margaret Kafeero, who were both incidentally deployed to the New York Mission, are the latest Ugandan couple to serve at the same station. Prior, a Ugandan couple assigned to Nairobi often fought in office and eventually divorced to the embarrassment of the country.