The Uganda APNAC Chapter, in conjunction with the country's Transparency International (TI) chapter, has recently completed a pilot project on the domestication of the African Union (AU) Convention on Preventing and Combating Corruption and other Related Offences. The pilot project was introduced to the Ugandan Chapter in June 2005.

The implementation entailed the collaboration of APNAC-U and TI-U on a series of activities geared towards the sensitisation of various segments of the society on the content and significance of the AU Convention. All the activities were geared towards the domestication of the Convention.

The first activity was the sensitisation of Members of Parliament (MPs) in the seventh parliament, many of whom did not know about the convention's existence. Subsequent activities included a sensitisation workshop for civil society organisations with anti-corruption and good governance programmes and, separately, a sensitisation workshop for the media.

Finally, a sensitisation workshop for APNAC-U members in the eighth parliament was organized.

One of the most significant achievements of this project is the publication of a study report on the Legislative and Policy Measures in Uganda vis-à-vis Practical Challenges of Compliance with AU anti-corruption Convention.

The report describes and analyses the existing legislative and policy framework on tackling and combating corruption in Uganda, highlighting the key principles and measures on corruption and the needed legal/policy reforms or changes that are required to conform with the obligations that Uganda agreed to in ratifying the AU convention in October 2004.

The specific objective of the study comprised in this report was the consideration of the effectiveness of the existing anti-corruption legislation and policies and the identification of the areas that need strengthening to ensure compliance with the requirements of the AU anti-corruption convention.

This report has been distributed to some members of parliament and civil society, and dissemination process is still on going.

The challenges met during the implementation of this pilot project are mainly to do with the political change and transition in Uganda .

The project commenced at a time when Uganda was undergoing a political change and towards the election period. As a result, many of the members of parliament who benefited from the first workshop didn't make it back to parliament, and this meant beginning a new chapter with some new members who hardly knew anything about APNAC or their oversight role as members of parliament.

Secondly, the project programmes were interfered by political programmes at the time, and media focus on the project was minimal.

Lastly, some of the activities involving members of parliament, clashed with some abrupt parliamentary programmes, and rescheduling such activities delayed the completion of the project.

These challenges were faced with a determined team implementing the pilot project programmes.

The success of the pilot project can be attributed to teamwork, proper planning, regular meetings, availability of funds, and good working relations with civil society, media and other development partners, who responded to programmes positively, when called upon.

Acknowledgments: The Uganda Chapter wishes to thank the Parliamentary Centre for introducing this programme to us, and DANIDA, which availed the funds for this project. We hope to continue working together for a better AFRICA and world.