Uganda Pouring Billions into Burnt Nairobi HQ

Uganda plans to spend another 4.5 billion shillings fixing Uganda House. The government building sits in Nairobi, Kenya. Protesters burned it during tax demonstrations last June. The country has already spent 24.8 billion shillings on earlier repairs. No one has paid Uganda back for the damage.

Parliament members heard from foreign affairs officials this week. Vincent Bagiire is the ministry's top official. He told lawmakers that Kenya sent two letters saying sorry. The insurance company refused to pay. Legal experts agreed the company did not have to cover the costs.

Lawmakers want complete records of all money spent on the building. One member asked why Uganda has not sued Kenya in court. He pointed out that other countries have taken Uganda to court before. The Democratic Republic of Congo won a case against Uganda. That ruling forces Uganda to pay over one trillion shillings.

Committee members worry about Uganda's reputation across East Africa. They question why protesters target Ugandan buildings but not those from Tanzania. Some members think Uganda needs better public relations work. They want the foreign ministry to improve how other countries see Uganda.