Ugandans Don’t Want Their Government to Bail out Big Businesses · Global Voices
Prudence Nyamishana

A public school in Uganda. Tweeps argue that taxpayers money need to bail out schools like this one. Image released under Creative Commons by The Sustainable Sanitation Alliance.
When news broke that the government of Uganda intends to use 1 trillion shillings (US$300 million) of taxpayer money to bail out defaulting businesses, Ugandans on Twitter called the move a ‘scam” and suggested the bailout money go towards Uganda's neglected public schools instead.
The companies that the government wants to rescue accumulated debt from loans they privately acquired from various banks in Uganda. Many of the businesses are run by powerful well-connected tycoons. Some central bank and ministry of finance officials are against the bailout plan.
David Mpanga, a Ugandan lawyer, called the plan “socialisation of loss”:
The privatisation of profit and socialisation of loss. Must we all pay for business failure when we didn't all share in the profits made?
— David F.K. Mpanga (@dfkm1970) July 22, 2016
Allan Ssenyonga was surprised to find out that one of the enlisted businesses is a discotheque:
Club Silk is one of the companies in need of a bail out. Is this really a priority for Uganda?? #ScamBailOuts
— Allan Ssenyonga (@ssojo81) July 22, 2016
Fredrick Tumusiime suggested:
For any #bailout, the public must acquire a stake in the firm(s). No public money for private sins. #ScamBailOuts https://t.co/kQ95Ky2cqB
— Fredrick Tumusiime (@tufre80) July 22, 2016
Ugandans questioned the rationale of plans to help well-connected and powerful tycoons in a country with little investment into infrastructure, and dilapidated schools and hospitals.
Sarah Bireete suggested that the government bail out poor schools:
Poor Ugandans can't continue to subsidise the rich #ScamBailOuts Bailout schools with no classrooms, books &latrines pic.twitter.com/YkNYlFEQd1
— Bireete Sarah (@SarahBireete) July 23, 2016
Jeff shared a photo of a company that the government should be helping out:
A photo representing the companies that need bail out by the Government using taxpayers money #ScamBailOuts pic.twitter.com/nZuldcEzBH
— Jeff 4.7.1™ (@andsjeff) July 23, 2016
And another photo of a dilapidated public school:
Karungu Seed School,Buhweju District.
Does it need a BailOut? NO,Bailout companies that don't pay Tax #ScamBailOuts pic.twitter.com/giwY9J1zXa
— Jeff 4.7.1™ (@andsjeff) July 23, 2016
While Samwise Gamgee advised:
If Bailing them out is a matter of National Importance, sharing their profits should be a matter of National Importance too. #ScamBailouts
— Samwise Gamgee (@Sambannz) July 22, 2016