The government of Uganda has categorically refuted fake news story written by the Daily monitor newspaper that the country has surrendered Entebbe International Airport to the Chinese money lenders over loans.
This followed after a fake story published by the Daily Monitor indicating that Chinese lenders, the Export-Import Bank of China, also known as Exim Bank, has taken over the Ugandan Entebbe International Airport and other assets in the country over the failure of the Ugandan government to repay a loan.
The paper also claimed that government has waived international immunity in the agreement it signed to secure the loans, exposing Entebbe International Airport to take over without international protection.
However, Vianney Luggya the spokesperson for the Civil Aviation Authority says the allegations that Entebbe Airport has been given away for cash is false.
“Government of Uganda can’t give away such a national asset. We have said it before and repeat that it has not happened. There isn’t an ounce of truth in it” Lugya clarified in a twitter thread.
THREAD:
I wish to make it categorically clear that the allegation that Entebbe Airport has been given away for cash is false. @GovUganda can't give away such a national asset. We have said it before and repeat that it has not happened. There isn't an ounce of truth in it.
— Vianney M. Luggya (@UCAA_Spokesman) November 27, 2021
He further explained that the Authority enjoys the freedom and liberty of spending what is collected (as per the budget).
“The lender’s monitoring of the account is only similar to what happens when one gets a salary loan or any other loan, & the bank requests that the salary is channeled through their bank”
It is true that @UgandaCAA opened up a Sales Collection Account in @stanbicug where all the Authority's revenues are deposited in line with the Escrow Account Agreement terms, but it does not mean that anyone is to control our finances.
— Vianney M. Luggya (@UCAA_Spokesman) November 27, 2021
The Authority enjoys the freedom & liberty of spending what is collected (as per the budget). The lender's monitoring of the account is only similar to what happens when one gets a salary loan or any other loan, & the bank requests that the salary is channeled through their bank
— Vianney M. Luggya (@UCAA_Spokesman) November 27, 2021
It does not mean that lending bank takes over your salary.
The loan terms provide a grace period of 7 years, and we are still within that grace period during which only interest is paid, and government has not defaulted on those obligations.
— Vianney M. Luggya (@UCAA_Spokesman) November 27, 2021
The government of China also yesterday dismissed claims that it wants to takeover Entebbe International Airport over loans.
The Chinese Embassy in Uganda described claims as intended malice by the Western powers.
Using their Twitter handle, the Assistant Minister of Foreign Affairs in China Wu Jianghao said that it’s not always fair to label the loans China gives to African countries as debt traps yet when Western powers give in loans, they are labelled as donations.
“Why is money offered by Western countries to developing countries considered ‘assistance for development, while the money offered by China is labelled as ‘debt trap’? This view is NOT logical or correct!,” said Mr. Jianghao.
“Why is money offered by Western countries to developing countries considered ‘assistance for development’, while the money offered by China is labelled as ‘debt trap’? This view is NOT logic or correct!”, said Wu Jianghao, Assistant Minister of Foreign Affairs, China pic.twitter.com/ErKkHWJ43N
— Chinese Embassy in Uganda (@ChineseEmb_Uga) November 26, 2021
In the same spirit, the Director-General of the Department of African Affairs of China’s Foreign Ministry Wu Peng said the claims are baselessly intended to ignite hatred.
“Which of the Chinese projects in Africa have been confiscated in Africa? NONE! The hype surrounding the Chinese ‘debt trap’ in Africa have NO factual basis and is being pushed on malicious grounds,” said Mr. Peng.
“Which of the Chinese projects in Africa have been confiscated in Africa? NONE! The hype surrounding Chinese ‘debt trap’ in Africa have NO factual basis and is being pushed on malicious grounds”, said @WuPeng_MFAChina, Director-General, Department of African Affairs, MoFA, China pic.twitter.com/Frqvme1frg
— Chinese Embassy in Uganda (@ChineseEmb_Uga) November 26, 2021