Inside the Mess at Uganda’s Embassy in Addis-Ethiopia

The latest Auditor General’s report (2025) has laid bare a trail of delays, funding gaps and staffing mess at Uganda’s Embassy in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia—raising serious questions about efficiency under the watch of Head of Mission, Ambassador Rebecca Otengo Amuge.

The explosive report reveals that critical plans for the construction of the Chancery and Official Residence have stalled, with key documents including designs, bid papers, feasibility studies and preliminary reports all failing to be completed within the expected six-month timeline. What was meant to be a flagship development has instead crawled at a snail’s pace, casting doubt on project management at the mission.

Even more eyebrow-raising is how funds have been handled. Out of USD 135,026 released from the Treasury, only USD 29,648.01 was actually spent—mainly on per diem and air tickets for the Project Management Team during multiple engagements with consultants. A hefty USD 105,377.99 remains unspent, parked as a commitment for consultant payment, raising questions about delayed implementation despite available funds.

The staffing situation at the embassy paints an equally troubling picture. The crucial position meant to deputize the Head of Mission remains vacant, while the number of foreign service officers is reportedly too small to effectively handle the embassy’s wide mandate.

This includes representing Uganda not only in Ethiopia, but also in Djibouti, and at major continental and international bodies like the African Union, the United Nations Economic Commission for Africa, and IGAD.

As if that’s not enough, the embassy has been operating without funding for key activities such as consular services and investment promotion—core functions expected of any diplomatic mission. This has severely crippled operations, leaving critical areas underperforming.

The financial strain runs deeper, with the report highlighting a staggering 72% funding deficit in the embassy’s strategic plan. In simple terms, the mission is running on barely a fraction of what it actually needs to achieve its goals.

Performance has also taken a hit. Only 8 out of 12 targeted interventions in the strategic plan were fully achieved, while compliance with the National Development Plan III (NDPIII) outputs stands at just 54.2%. Worse still, some of the performance indicators used were either too vague, not aligned to activities, or missing altogether—making it difficult to accurately measure progress.

Accountability systems appear shaky as well. The embassy delayed submitting quarterly performance reports by between 16 to 40 days, while lacking a proper annual Monitoring and Evaluation framework, relying instead on a broader five-year plan.

But perhaps the most startling revelation is in recruitment. A total of 17 local staff were hired without approval from the Permanent Secretary at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. To make matters worse, there is no approved structure guiding the recruitment of local staff—raising red flags about procedural compliance and oversight.

The findings paint a picture of an embassy grappling with operational, financial and administrative challenges, even as expectations remain high for Uganda’s representation at key regional and international platforms.