Aug 06 2007 Chris Hamblin
Uganda's proposed anti-money laundering bill, which has been in development for three years, has finally received cabinet approval. The Government expects to place the bill before the Ugandan Parliament "imminently", according to reports. The legislation appears to have been prepared mainly with money transmitters and in mind. The forthcoming creation of a credit reference bureau, legislation for which is also on the stocks, is also thought to be linked to the country's AML efforts.
The Ugandan situation is only marginally better than that in Kenya, which also has a money laundering bill languishing at the committee stage, despite its status as a centrepiece of a "governance action plan". Kenya has opened a National Crime Research Centre, however, after seven years of incubation. The centre brings together policemen, judges, people from research institutions such as universities and civil servants from the department of social services. Although Kenya does not have a financial intelligence unit with membership of the Egmont group as yet, this centre could be the genesis of one. Its job is thought to be a very comprehensive one, perhaps as all-embracing as that of the UK's Serious Organised Crime Agency, which contains the UK Financial Intelligence Unit.
