Text Box: Issue: 2 Text Box: Page # Text Box: Research from the Institute of Development Studies looks at the politics of local-central relations in a selected number of African states which have adopted decentralisation. The research finds that local power structures are often ‘captured’ by entrenched local elites who are resistant to pro-poor change and are often supported by central governments or parties seeking to create and sustain rural power bases. The author thereText Box: fore argues that decentralisation will not have pro-poor outcomes until there is genuine willingness at the centre to promote and support pro-poor policies through local institutions. For Nile Basin, the research stated that: Powerful ruling parties in Tanzania and Kenya have used decentralised structures to renew or consolidate ruling Text Box: party power and influence at the local level. In Uganda decentralisation has been employed as a device for consolidating central power by enabling the President to manipulate and fragment rival ethnic claims while heading off demands for a multi-party system. Adapted from Text Box: Kintu Nyago, Uganda, member Unfortunately, the CEO had his objections against use of advocacy citing career considerations (he is working for the WWF). In addition his AGM promise to establish a regional office for the NBS, Canada in Nairobi was not fulfilled. His best efforts amounted to proposal to estabText Box: Following an extra-ordinarily successful Annual General Meeting last January, a new BoD was formed consisting of: Kunga Ngece, Kenya, CEO Elizabeth Wickett, Canada, Secretary General. Nabil El-Khodari (Egypt), Treasurer. Mohamed Elzeir (Egypt), member. Text Box: lish a new entity named ‘Nile Basin Organization’ with a different constitution/bu-laws that would represent the NBS in Kenya. The offer was not acceptable as the main aim is to establish a local presence of the NBS in the Nile Basin that would eventually become its main operational headquarters. To be continued…. Text Box: prevented the access of its board to the office. Furthermore, on later contacts with NAPE by phone, they claimed not to be aware of any partnership with the NBS. In spite of the fact that one of the current board members (F.C. Oweyegha-Afunaduula) have actively participated in our session. NAPE subsequently joined the NBD’s Ugandan National Forum, something that Text Box: was resisted by the old board. The matter is currently in front of a Ugandan court. The problem is the use of illegal approaches to destroy sincere NGO efforts. In fact, the leaking of a false NAPE/NBS‘ session report’ to the NBD who published it as an appendix to its 3rd WWF report, most probably by the same person, puts NBS on guard against use of same tactics. Text Box: The National Association of Professional Environmentalists (NAPE, Uganda) is most known for its successful advocacy against the Bujagali Hydro-electric Dam in Uganda. NAPE had been a partner with the NBS. One of our combined achievements was the 3rd World Water Forum session. Unfortunately, following the session, some members ‘took over’ NAPE by force and

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