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Makerere under Babies born to Why 2019 could be Uganda’s oil sector
Prof. Nawangwe mums with HIV good for businesses expects US$ 1bn
Issue No. 554 Jan. 11 - 17, 2019 Ushs 5,000,Kshs 200, RwF 1,500, SDP 8
FDC, Kadaga
face-off exposes
Among, Katuntu
Legal fight over COSASE looms
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Dec. 14 - 20 2018
INBOX
Cover story
FDC, Kadaga face-off exposes Among, Katuntu
Legal fight over COSASE looms
4 The Week
31 Comments
Cholera reported in
Kampala Museveni shouldn’t limit
alternative leaders
9 The Last Word
Museveni’s land politics: Why the
president’s defence of squatters is humane
but economically retrogressive
28 Health
Babies born to
mums with HIV, face higher
14 Analysis risks even though they’re HIV
negative
Makerere’s demigods: How Prof.
Nawangwe is creating a class of
untouchables at Uganda’s top varsity
34 Arts & Culture
20 Business
Book Review: African leaders
Why 2019 could be good and democratic rules
for businesses
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Ugandan wins
environmental
research grant
Ketty Adoch, a Ugandan
innovator in the Agriculture
sector has been named among
eleven innovators nominated
for the Artificial Intelligence
(AI) for Earth Innovation
Awards. Adoch, a geographical
information systems specialist
in agriculture works towards
monitoring change detection for
Land Cover Mapping around
the areas surrounding the Mur-
chison Falls National Park. Also
on the list of grants is Torsten
Bondo, a business development
manager and senior remote
sensing engineer from Denmark
who applies AI to improve crop
water efficiency in Uganda President Yoweri Museveni flags off phase one construction of the Kampala Flyover Project on
using machine learning. December 19, 2018 at Nakivubo Blue Primary School.
The Artificial Intelligence (AI)
for Earth Innovation Awards
are organized by Microsoft
and the National Geographic
Society (NGS), to provide funds
I wasn’t a member of Boda Boda 2010, Kitatta
to innovators for research on Former Boda Boda 2010 time of his arrest, he was at a Inspector General of Police
global environmental chal- patron Abdullah Kitatta hotel where he always held Kale Kayihura to give him
lenges in the key focus areas of started his defense at the meetings as a leader. security because his life was
climate, agriculture, water and army court in Makindye “My story can be in danger because of the
biodiversity conservation. on Jan.07. Kitatta who was verified by the nature of work he was doing
The grants are awarded to speaking in Luganda denied footage of the for the NRM.
research teams and organi- possessing any guns and hotel’s CCTV In December last year,
zations working across five said that he has never been camera. This a seven member panel
continents to advance scientific a member of the notorious is the only chaired by Court Mar-
exploration and research on Boda Boda 2010 motorcycle evidence tial boss Lt Gen Andrew
critical environmental chal- group but rather worked in that can save Gutti found Kitatta and
lenges with the power of Artifi- two offices – one of the ruling me from these his co-accused liable of the
cial Intelligence. National Resistance Move- allegations,” charges and asked them to
Each recipient will be given ment Party and another of the he said while prepare their defense against
access to Microsoft Azure and National Union of Drivers in the dock. With among others possession of
AI tools that includes in the Cyclists and Allied Workers further interroga- fire arms which are a preserve
National Geographic Explorer Association in Nateete. tions, he added that President of the defense forces.
community. He explained that at the Museveni had asked then
trodat
Seals within
Introducing in Uganda
30 min
Plot No.17,Shop No.NS 13/2 Madhvani Bldg, Nkrumah Road, Opp.Post Bank Kampala-Uganda | Tel:0754-262707,0757-777400 | Email:sales@ultimark.co
A bishop recently said President Yoweri Museveni was sent by God to bless and serve Uganda.
Kyadondo East MP Robert Kyagulanyi also known as Bobi Wine hugged and shook hands with
fellow musician Moses Ssali, also known as Bebe Cool.
D
uring his New Year speech, Presi- control the production process i.e. did vice of his master and his hours of work,
dent Yoweri Museveni reiterated not decide what to produce, using which pay or length of his apprenticeship were
his commitment to defend squat- technology, in what quantities, and for regulated by the guild. There was no bar-
ters being evicted by “land grab- which market. Those who tilled the land gaining between master and servant.
bers”. Yet he also promised to protect the did not own it. This made feudalism ret- The situation pertaining to land and
ownership rights of title holders. In trying to rogressive because the owner of the asset labour in Uganda today that Museveni is
please both, Museveni may be doing good did not control the production process. trying to protect is similar to this medi-
politics but it is bad economics. Here is why. Capitalism is dynamic because it fuses eval economically retrogressive feudal
At the heart of capitalist develop- user and ownership rights. system. The peasants Museveni is pro-
ment (all “advanced” countries in the In Uganda, the 1998 Land Act recreated tecting do not hold land as real estate
world today are capitalist) is the transi- feudal relations in agriculture. It left the i.e. a commodity to be bought and sold
tion of most people’s livelihoods from holders of title as legal owners and gave as circumstances warrant. Rather they
depending on agriculture to depending security of tenure to squatters by issuing hold it for its subsistence and customary
on industry and moving from rural to them “certificates of occupancy.” This value. They use the land to meet their
urban areas. The persistence of peasant made both sides losers. While the tenant subsistence needs, a factor that makes the
agriculture in Uganda as the main source has security of tenure via his certificate market secondary to their lives. The cus-
of livelihood for the vast majority of our of occupancy, the land is encumbered by tomary value of land is embedded in the
people is only a re-statement of our con- a title held by the landlord. The landlord fact that for many (if not most) peasants,
tinued backwardness and poverty. has title but it is also encumbered by the it is inconceivable to sell it. This is because
In most of Europe, the transition from certificate of occupancy of the squatter. some have their graves on it and selling it
agriculture to industry was brutal. It Under these circumstances, a bank would offend the dead, anger their ances-
involved the forceful expropriation of would find it difficult to lend anyone of tral spirits or raise the ire of the gods.
land from peasants to commercial inter- them because of these competing user Museveni may not realise that his
ests. This paved way for commercial rela- and ownership claims. Equally someone humane actions actually stifle progress
tions to penetrate and transform agrarian trying to buy such land has to negotiate to commoditisation of both land and
structures. The expropriated peasants with the user and the owner thereby labour. The persistence of the subsistence
were reunited to the land through the increasing transaction costs and creating economy makes it difficult to release
initiative of capital. The other expropri- uncertainty. This undermines land as a human beings in agriculture to be avail-
ated peasants went into cities where, commodity that can be easily traded. able for industry as labour. The peasant
destitute, they were willing to accept Capitalism is dynamic because it com- will not accept to migrate to cities to earn
substandard wages in factories. This moditises land and labour. In medieval substandard wages in industry if he can
made growth of manufacturing possible, times, land and labour did not exist as live by his garden.
thereby paving way for the industrialisa- freely and easily traded commodities. Thus, in the short term, Museveni is
tion of Western Europe. Labour existed only as human beings protecting the peasant’s current subsis-
Contrary to ahistorical but popular and land as soil to be tilled. But the idea tence. But this is at the price of crippling
beliefs common most especially among of abstract land and abstract labour i.e. as the mechanism, brutal and dehuman-
African elites and their cheer leaders in agents of production – impersonal, dehu- ising though it is, that transforms the
the West, the rise of the West from poverty manised economic entities, did not exist. peasant into an industrial proletariat.
to affluence was not initiated by kind and There were lands of course – estates, And this process will, in the long term,
benign leaders seeking to improve the wel- manors, and principalities. But they were make the peasant better off. Secondly, it
fare of the vast majority of their citizens. not “real estate” as we know it today is very difficult to create a large market
Rather it was championed by a very small, available for buying and selling as the when peasants are self-sufficient i.e.
selfish and greedy group of industrial- occasion warranted. Land could be sold produce most of what they consume.
ists, merchants and commercial farmers under some circumstances (with many Without land, peasants meet their needs
who allied with the state to expropriate strings attached) but was not gener- purely from the market.
ordinary peasants of their land and exploit ally for sale. Nobles owned land but no Rampant land grabbing is suggestive
workers via substandard wages. Due to the self-respecting nobleman would sell his that commercial agriculture is becoming
inhumanity of this process, Karl Marx said estates – exactly the same way Museveni attractive business. In blocking land
capitalism came to the world “dripping cannot sell Karamoja to Kenya today. grabbers, Museveni is being humane
with the blood of labour”. The same situation pertained to labour. but not developmental. There may be
Pre-capitalist Europe was feudal; a The medieval world had serfs, peasants, humane ways to eliminate the peas-
mode of production characterised by cobblers, journeymen, apprentices who antry but they are a very slow process.
land. Land was owned by landlords, laboured. But these did not constitute Historically, this transformation has not
tilled by peasants. The peasant decided today’s vast network of job-seeking involved kissing and hugging. Musev-
what to produce e.g. rare chicken or individuals selling their services to the eni’s saving grace is that Uganda’s poli-
goats, plant beans or peas. He would pay highest bidder. The peasant tilled the tics may not allow short term costs that
the landlord rent in kind or in money. master’s land and paid rent in money or make possible transformation in the long
Thus those who owned land did not in kind. The apprentice entered the ser- term.
FDC, Kadaga
face-off exposes
Among, Katuntu
Legal fight over COSASE looms
By Haggai Matsiko
Jan. 14 could see sparks in parliament in a dispute between Speaker Rebecca Kadaga and leaders of the
opposition over the tenure of the committee on Commissions, Statutory Authorities and State Enterprises
(COSASE).
L
ed by Bugweri County MP Abdul representation in the House”. should have approached the Opposition
Katuntu and his deputy, Bukedea Section (5) adds that: “Parties or organisa- Chief Whip, who designates these roles
Woman MP Anita Among, COSASE tions shall have powers to withdraw and and made this point. This would have been
has become one of the most impor- relocate members from individual commit- understandable.”
tant committees for its handling of what is tees.” Instead, Ochan said, they skipped this
being billed as parliament’s biggest investi- The function of whips in selecting chair- office and went direct to the Speaker cre-
gation in many years; the investigation into persons of committees is also addressed ating a sense that they undermined the
the central bank’s closure of seven defunct under section Rule 15 section (10) under other offices.
banks, which started in October last year. “Other functions of the Government Chief “When you do things in what appears to
Leadership of COSASE has over time Whip, Opposition Chief Whip and Party be bad faith,” she told The Independent,
become a platform of prestige, political Whip shall include—“(c) supplying lists of “you cause these kinds of unnecessary con-
influence and posturing, and some say, Members to serve on Standing and sectoral flicts.”
financial gain. Committees”. She said her colleagues Katuntu and Anita
The committee’s tenure and that of 11 Opposition chief whip, Semujju Nganda Among had “politicised the whole issue”.
other committees expires on Jan.13 but who shuffled the COSASE leadership, told But as the FDC leadership insisted on their
the Speaker has singled out COSASE and The Independent that as the opposition, position, Kadaga told a press conference at
indicated that she prefers its current leaders they would stick to the law and reject Kada- parliament that her decision would be final.
to continue in their positions, a position ga’s move to extend Katuntu and Among’s “I am the head of this institution and
opposed by the Forum for Democratic tenure. my proposal is good for the institution,”
Change (FDC) which appointed them and “If they insist,” Nganda warned, “there Kadaga said, “What we are doing is the
has shuffled them. will be no COSASE come January 13. They work for the people of Uganda not for par-
In the rules of parliament, the appoint- might go ahead with their investigation but ties. COSASE is winding up on the Bank
ment of chairpersons of sectoral committees there will be no report. Someone will go to of Uganda investigations. We expect them
such as COSASE is covered under Rule 184 court and it will be null and void.” to write the report and hand it over to the
which covers the “Composition of Sectoral House before they move.”
Committees”. Katuntu is the problem Ochan disagreed with Kadaga on this.
Section (2) of Rule 184 states that: “In The Leader of Opposition, Gulu Woman “I have enormous respect for her and I
the selection of Members of Sectoral MP Betty Aol Ochan, told The Indepen- agree that she is the head of parliament,
Committees, the parties or organisations dent that Katuntu’s approach is part of the which makes her the custodian of our
represented in Parliament shall designate problem. laws,” Ochan told The Independent, “That
through the Whips, Membership to Com- “If the issue was really that they had not is why she should not be the one that abuse
mittees on the basis of party or organisation concluded their work,” Ochan said, “they the same laws and best practices.”
Makerere’s
demigods
How Prof. Nawangwe is creating a class
of untouchables at Uganda’s top varsity
By Flavia Nassaka when they want,” he said, “This can’t con-
P
tinue happening.”
rof. Barnabas Nawangwe, the 63- “We used the right legal processes to
year old vice chancellor of Mak- reach this decision. We are ready to defend
erere University Kampala has a ourselves if parliament summons us,” he
tough job. The university is rarely said.
without a fire he must put out. Squeezed Then he issued another warning; all staff
by a cocktail of scandals, strikes, and mal- who speak ill of the university in public
administration, Nawangwe nonetheless will also be punished. It was not a harm-
often attempts to cut a calming pose with less threat as some lecturers had already
apt smile, neat navy blue suits, matching learnt. One of these is Dr. Stella Nyanzi, a
university stripped ties, and a close-cut to popular activist and medical anthropolo-
his balding head. But this ruse failed on gist with special interest in sexual anthro-
Jan.03. pology and youth health.
He was addressing journalists a week As Nawangwe spoke, Nyanzi was lan-
after he fired 45 teaching staff over guishing in Luzira Maximum Security
offences ranging from sexual harassment Prison near Kampala on charges of cyber
of students, insubordination, fraud, and harassment and offensive communication
absconding from duty among others. Riled against President Yoweri Museveni. The “I’ve realised what plagues Makerere is
by Nawangwe’s decision, the sacked dons university had earlier suspended her from the recycling of these same leaders. The
had petitioned the Speaker of the national her job for allegedly insulting the First same people are given different positions
parliament to get the decision reviewed, Lady Janet Museveni. at different times. They just keep rotating
and Nawangwe was not impressed. He Dr. James Ocita from the literature and covering for each other,” the don said,
called a press conference and, in a move department of the faculty of Arts is another adding that Makerere as an institution
that was likely to inflame the situation than victim of Nawangwe’s tough rules on needs a clean up to get rid of leaders who
diffuse it, he revealed that lecturers he had speaking out. He was fired for alleged feel they own the institution.
fired over absconding duty will now also slander and insubordination. Dr. Deus Kamunyu Muhwezi, a lecturer
have to return salaries they earned without Ocita says in reality, his troubles arose and head of the Makerere University Aca-
working. from him criticizing some leaders of the demic Staff Association (MUASA) agrees.
“We wonder why they had to run to university; including Nawangwe and Prof. “Makerere is presided over by demi-
lawyers and parliament yet there’s a staff Mahmood Mamdani; the Director of Mak- gods,” he told The Independent on Jan.06
tribunal where they can appeal if they feel erere Institute of Social Research (MISR) after Nawangwe’s tough press confer-
they weren’t fairly heard,” said the tense- for abuse of office. Nyanzi is also from ence.
looking Nawangwe, “We can’t tolerate MISR. “Even the visitation committee found
staff working elsewhere and earning from Ocita says he and many of his colleagues some of these leaders not deserving to hold
us without any service rendered. We are were unfairly fired. these positions. This institution should
going to write to them.” be bigger than individuals but they will
The Independent has established that the Silence voices tell you that I will deal with you and they
government remits about Shs122 billion to Nawangwe’s actions have had a chilling surely deal with you,” he said.
the university annually to be added to col- effect on debate at the university. Muhwezi says although MUASA had
lections from paying private students and A lecturer in the College of Humanities recommended that one Prof. Bruce Kabasa
donations and grants. In total, 75% of the who spoke on condition of anonymity for who heads the appointments board to be
budget is spent on salaries and 25% is used fear of being punished described the situa- dropped because of his incompetence, the
to undertake other activities. tion tersely. University Council retained him in recent
Nawangwe said some of the beneficiaries “You can’t speak out. You can’t get jus- appointments.
of the 75% have not worked for it and he tice,” the don said, “Most of the colleges Makerere University has a record of
is ready to battle any free riders. He added are suffering in silence.” controversy from students, staff, and the
that the lecturers’ reaction to his recent The don referred to the case of Stella administration. Many controversies often
move is an indicator that they do not Nyanzi who had to stage a controversial spill on the streets as students protest and
want to be accountable and are now being nude protest out of frustration because she police chase them with teargas and batons.
forced out of their comfort zone. was not listened to when she complained President Museveni in November 2016
“What has been happening is that they about the poor leadership of Prof. Mam- ordered the university closed over similar
can choose to be absent, release results dani. issues and appointed a Visitation Com-
Negotiating infrastructure
deals with China
Four things African governments need to get right
By Folashade Soule
President Xi Jinping at the Beijing Summit of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation 2018. EPA
Y
ou don’t negotiate with China !” I ects in East Africa appear to be a good My ongoing research into China
was quickly told when I started in- example. In Kenya, the Standard Gauge funded infrastructure projects is con-
terviewing African public servants Railway is the largest infrastructure firming that African governments can
about their infrastructure deals project since independence from Britain learn from best practice in this area. The
with Beijing. There is a widespread view in in 1963. China Eximbank provided most best deals depend on the following four
Africa that you accept whatever terms are of the finance for the first phase – 472 conditions being met.
offered, for fear that the money might go kilometres of track between Nairobi and
somewhere else instead. Mombasa – at a cost of US$3.2 billion. 1. Involve everyone
China is the leading infrastructure In neighbouring Ethiopia, an electric The process in Chinese deal-making
finance provider on the continent – as train line from Addis Ababa to Djibouti, tends to go like this: Beijing will begin by
demonstrated by a recent pledge of which is also Chinese-financed, opened making financial pledges, often aimed
US$60 billion (£47 billion), most of which two years ago. The cost for this more at a number of countries; these are fol-
is for infrastructure projects. Big projects expensive type of railway was US$3.4 lowed by meetings at state level between
on the slate include hydropower plants billion – for 756 kilometres. Kenya claims a Chinese delegation and the African
in Angola and Guinea, an oil refinery in that its railway cost more for reasons like head of state and their senior officials.
Nigeria, and a new city in Egypt. the terrain and the need to carry higher Infrastructure projects under discussion
Yet, when you look closely at what hap- volumes of cargo. At the same time, how- have often already been passed over by
pens on the ground, some African coun- ever, many believe other issues to have Western donors.
tries are much better at negotiating with been at play – including failures around Once a project is broadly agreed, the
the Chinese than others. Railway proj- the negotiation process. relevant Chinese contractors, mostly
new to dealing
Benin, for example, during negotiations close the gap in information and knowl-
over road projects several years ago, the edge.
Chinese contractors were unhappy about Some have argued in the past that
certain conditions being imposed. Then
president Yayi Boni agreed to intervene
with China; they many African governments fail to
negotiate successfully with the Chinese
on their behalf to bypass national regu-
lations in areas including labour and should take every because they lack a strategy. I actually
see plenty stratagems and tactics on the
opportunity to
construction. Such situations are best African side. What is required is a more
avoided. coordinated and coherent approach –
On the other hand, some outside something China has been working on
interventions can be positive. In Togo,
Senegal and Tunisia, and the current
share lessons from its own perspective. It is better for
African governments to have no deal
government in Benin, I’ve seen examples
of the cabinet hiring international law with one another. than a bad deal. With the right approach,
they can achieve much more than is often
firms with experts who have worked in thought to be the case.
the Chinese government and its develop- Folashade Soule is a Senior Research
ment banks. This can bridge the differ- Associate, University of Oxford
A model of the moon lander for China’s Chang’e 4 lunar probe. NET PHOTO
C
States find itself engaged in a new space satellites - including communications,
hina became the third country to race? remote sensing and meteorology.
land a probe on the Moon on Jan. This does not mean the Chinese were
2. But, more importantly, it became China’s achievements in space not concerned about the global power
the first to do so on the far side of Like the U.S. and Russia, the People’s space efforts can generate. In 1992, they
the moon, often called the dark side. The Republic of China first engaged in space concluded that having a space station
ability to land on the far side of the moon is activities during the development of bal- would be a major sign and source of
a technical achievement in its own right, one listic missiles in the 1950s. While they did prestige in the 21st century. As such,
that neither Russia nor the United States has benefit from some assistance from the a human spaceflight program was re-
pursued. Soviet Union, China developed its space established leading to the development
The probe, Chang’e 4, is symbolic of program largely on its own. Far from of the Shenzhou spacecraft. The first Chi-
the growth of the Chinese space pro- smooth sailing, Mao Zedong’s Great nese astronaut, or taikonaut, Yang Liwei,
gram and the capabilities it has amassed, Leap Forward and the Cultural Revolu- was launched in 2003. In total, six Shen-
significant for China and for relations tion disrupted this early programs. zhou missions have carried 12 taikonauts
among the great power across the world. The Chinese launched their first sat- into low earth orbit, including two to
The consequences extend to the United ellite in 1970. Following this, an early China’s first space station, Tiangong-1.
States as the Trump administration con- human spaceflight program was put on In addition to human spaceflight, the
siders global competition in space as well hold to focus on commercial satellite Chinese have also undertaken scientific
as the future of space exploration. applications. In 1978, Deng Xiaoping missions like Chang’e 4. Its first lunar
One of the major drivers of U.S. space articulated China’s space policy noting mission, Chang’e 1, orbited the moon
policy historically has been competition that, as a developing country, China in October 2007 and a rover landed on
with Russia particularly in the context would not take part in a space race. the moon in 2013. China’s future plans
of the Cold War. If China’s successes Instead, China’s space efforts have include a new space station, a lunar base
AfricellUG @AfricellUG
T
The country’s agriculture sector has
heir hope is that the economy, which been growing at about 2% per annum “We hope that the issues surrounding
has shown signs of recovery, is likely over the last five years, which is well foreigners engaged in petty trade espe-
to remain sound to stimulate growth below the population growth rate and cially Chinese will be resolved,” he said
of businesses. below the 3-5% growth rates in other East adding, “we engaged government last
But the risk is that inflation, which the cen- African countries. year and we hope this will be concluded
tral bank has tried to control since last year, In the medium term, the agriculture this year.”
could make a comeback in the course of the growth rate is expected to remain around He says the government needs to come
year driven by a likely surge in food prices 2.5%, assuming reasonable weather con- up with a policy that clearly spells out
due to unpredictable weather conditions. ditions and no army worm infestations, trading activities that foreign nationals
Luckily, the conditions that pushed the according to the World Bank, even as it can engage in as it is in the neighbouring
central bank rate to 10% as at the end of employs more than 70% of the popula- countries such as Kenya.
2018, the lowest since 2011, still remain tion. “In Kenya, a foreign national cannot run
the same and the economy is seem to be Badagawa, however, said there has been a hotel that is below 3 star hotels,” Kay-
still performing well, according to the a hiccup in trade and commerce segment ondo said.
latest monetary policy report from Bank especially in the importation of capital Local traders have in the past two or so
of Uganda. equipment and machinery such as motor years protested against foreign nationals
The Gross Domestic Product grew vehicles since the government came up engaged in petty trade saying they are
between 7-8% for the first 10 months with a law that prohibits import of motor driving them out of business.
of last year and is expected to sustain vehicles above 15 years. On Nov. 08, 2016, traders in the
growth going forward supported by The new shift, Badagawa, says trig- northern Uganda town of Lira refused to
the ongoing investment in public infra- gered a sharp decline in motor vehicle open their shops for business protesting
structure such as the Karuma and Isimba imports since the end of last year, a what they termed as `unfair competi-
Hydropower dams. momentum expected to continue this tion’ from foreign traders mainly those of
Trade captains and analysts who spoke year. Indian origin.
to The Independent showed optimism for Everest Kayondo, the outgoing In 2017, Kampala traders marched
growth of businesses in 2019 citing likely chairman for Kampala City Traders around the city protesting Chinese
improvement in the economy. Association says though they expect involvement in small businesses.
“We are coming from periods of slow businesses to thrive following projected It is estimated that more than 600 for-
growth since 2016 but we have observed growth in the economy this year, their eigners, mainly of Chinese and Indian
some faster growth starting 2018 because worry is how the local population will origin trade in Uganda without the right
of the improvement in the agriculture participate in this growth. work permits or documents to operate
Going forward
Badagawa says there is need for gov-
ernment to come up with stabilisation
fund to help farmers remain in business
in periods of decline in commodity prices
as it has been with the recent case in Tan-
zania.
m has boosted capacity to meet the growing demand. COURTESY PHOTO. In November last year, the Tanzanian
government deployed military to buy
businesses, according to the ministry of cashew nuts from farmers to solve a row
trade. over prices.
Martin Okumu, the former director of President John Pombe Magufuli had a
communication at the Uganda National month earlier ordered for a 94% increase
Chamber of Commerce and Industry and of the crop prices to Tshs3, 000 per kilo-
now the executive director of Sapientia gramme to encourage farmers to grow the
Professional Consultants, however, says crop.
growth of local businesses is likely to
remain unchanged as a result of high In Kenya, a However, traders were reluctant to pur-
chase the commodity at the government
foreign national
interest rates, high transportation and prescribed price as farmers halted the sale
energy costs. of their crop for weeks, arguing that the
“Interest rates of about 18-25% per offers from private traders could not meet
annum are relatively high to borrow,
import goods, sell and make a break-
cannot run a the production costs.
“Someone (government) needs to plan
even,” he said.
“Most countries including whose hotel that is ahead on the quantities of crops that will
be produced so that farmers do not make
below 3 star
nationals are in Uganda – Chinese and losses as prices falls,” Badagawa said,
Europeans –are lending at 2-5% per in reference to government’s sponta-
annum. They buy goods from their own neous response to save farmers plight in
countries and bring them to the Ugandan
market at a lower price because they
hotels declining maize prices last year.
Patrick Mweheire, the Stanbic Bank
borrow their capital from their financial Chief Executive told The Independent last
institutions at low interest rates. This month that the New Year is expected
benefit, unfortunately, is not there for the to be good for businesses including the
local traders fighting for a share of the banking industry, carrying on momentum
same market.” from 2018.
This comes as private sector credit, He said the growth in businesses
though on a recovery path, remains below is likely to be driven by the expected
its historical trend, and its contribution to US$15-20bn investment in the oil and gas
economic growth could be weighed down industry ahead of production slated for
by increased borrowing requirements and the next three-four years
U
a pick-up in activity in the sector this shifts.”
ganda’s oil and gas industry is year following a calm 2018 that involved At the time the government announced
expected to rake in investments designs of key production infrastruc- the 2020 first oil timeline; many
worth over US$ 1 billion this ture such as the East African Crude Oil observers said the schedule was quite
year,according to senior energy Pipeline and the two central processing ambitious considering the range and cost
ministry officials. facilities. of infrastructure involved.
The outlay for this year is part of the She said the government has also In the field, for instance, oil companies
close to US$20bn that the government revised its timelines for first oil by 24 needed to develop infrastructure to
expects over the next three years as the months to 2022 following a series of produce the oil. These included drilling
joint venture oil company partners step missed deadlines. and completing more than 400 wells,
up activities to commercialize Uganda’s According to the government’s original setting up two central processing facili-
petroleum resources which were discov- road map, first oil was scheduled for ties, laying of over 200km of in-field flow
ered over a decade ago. 2020 but the joint venture oil companies lines, laying approximately 150km of
The development of the upstream proj- failed to submit their final investment feeder pipelines, construction of base
ects are being taken forward by the three decisions in time. Muloni said the gov- camps and minor access roads, among
joint venture partners, CNOOC Uganda ernment had expected the key decisions others.
Ltd, Total E&P Uganda and Tullow to be made latest end of 2017 or in the Besides the crude oil pipeline and
Uganda Operations Pty Ltd. first quarter of 2018. refinery development, the oil companies
Eng. Irene Muloni, the Minister of “Unfortunately, it has not happened had to do Front End Engineering Designs
Energy and Mineral Development said and 2018 has come to an end,” Muloni before making their final investment
E
for 5th Entrepreneurship
I
lectricity Regulatory Authority has
nsurance Regulatory Authority has
licenced 114 players to carryout insur-
ance business this year. These includes
reduced power tariffs for consum-
ers due strengthening shilling and Programme
T
easing inflation.
32 insurance companies; one Micro The domestic consumer tariff has been he Tony Elumelu Founda-
Insurance firm, one re-insurer, five Health reduced by Shs 0.5 from Shs 769.5 shillings
Membership Organizations (HMOs), 35 tion, the leading African-funded
of the 2018 fourth quarters to Shs 769 of and founded philanthropy com-
insurance brokers, two re-insurance brokers the first quarter of 2019.
and 24 Loss Assessors, adjusters, insureance mitted to empowering African
The average tariff for the commercial
surveyors and risk advisors. entrepreneurs, is now accepting applica-
consumers has been reduced by Shs 1.3
The Authority also licensed fourteen com- from Shs 686.1 of last quarter of 2018 to tions for the 2019 cohort of the TEF En-
mercial banks and two credit institutions to 684.8 of first quarter of this year. trepreneurship Programme.
sell insurance products to their clients. The Medium industrial consumers have The Programme is a 10-year, $100 million
Authority renews licences of all insurance been rewarded with a Shs 1.2 reduction commitment to identify, train, mentor
players annually as a way of scrutinizing from average tariff of Shs 614.4 of fourth and fund 10,000 African entrepreneurs.
their suitability and therefore protect the 2018 quarter to Shs 613.2 during the same
interests of policyholders and beneficiaries. The Programme’s objective is to gener-
period under review.
However, effective next year, the Author- The tariffs for large industrial consum- ate at least 1,000,000 new jobs and create
ity will start issuing perpetual licenses and ers reduced by Shs 4.3 from average of Shs at least $10
as such the licenses issued will remain in 382 of 2018 last quarter to Shs 377.7 for the billion in
force until suspended, varied or revoked, as first quarter of 2019. Extra-large industrial new busi-
per Section 44 (2) of the Insurance Act 2017. consumers’ tariff reduced by 0.6 shillings ness revenue
“The public is advised to deal with only from average 312.5 of 2019 last quarter to across Africa.
licensed insurance players,” the Authority 311.9 shillings. Founder
said in a statement.
and UBA
ACCOUNTING Chairper-
son, Tony
ICPAU ready for new O. Elumelu,
said “The
reporting standards private sector
T
must be the
he Institute of Certified Public Ac-
core driver Tony Elumelu
countants of Uganda and its mem-
of Africa’s
bers are ready to implement the new
international accounting standards economic transformation, but this sector
that took effect at the beginning of this year, cannot attain its full potential if entre-
according to Frederick Kibeddi (CPA), the preneurs are left behind.”
president and Ruth Nseko, the vice presi- Now in its 5th year, the TEF Entrepre-
dent of the Institute. The standards include Ruth Nseko and Frederick Kibeddi neurship Programme has empowered
IFR9, IFR 15 and IFR 16. The standards 4,470 entrepreneurs, using a bespoke
have to do with monitoring of commercial November examinations for accounting stu- and robust selection, training and imple-
loans and their servicing and provisions for dents on Jan.03 in Kampala. mentation process to create visible and
leasing of property among other things. The The results included those for Accounting sustainable impact across all 54 African
Institute’s executives said the new standards Technicians Diploma (ATD), Certified Public
countries.
will reduce fraudulent reporting and related Accountants (CPA), and Certified Tax Advi-
sor (CTA) courses. A total of 6,202 candidates Last year, over 2,210 Ugandans entre-
criminal accounting practices. They said
attempted the examinations compared to preneurs applied for the program, rank-
implementing these standards will ensure
that companies grow and hence create vari- 6, 139 candidates who sat for the June, 2018 ing Uganda the third highest after Nige-
ous opportunities including jobs. examinations. The average pass rate for the ria and Kenya in submissions, with a
The duo was speaking to The Independent three courses was 47.4% compared to 40.3% total of 126 successful applicants receiv-
on the sidelines of an event for releasing the for June 2018. ing US$5000 as seed capital.
ELECTRICITY
Electricity tariffs drop The average tariff for the commercial con- The tariffs for large industrial consumers
E
sumers has been reduced by Shs 1.3 from reduced by Shs 4.3 from average of Shs 382
lectricity Regulatory Authority has Shs 686.1 of last quarter of 2018 to 684.8 of of 2018 last quarter to Shs 377.7 for the first
reduced power tariffs for consumers first quarter of this year. quarter of 2019. Extra-large industrial con-
due strengthening shilling and eas- Medium industrial consumers have been sumers’ tariff reduced by 0.6 shillings from
ing inflation. rewarded with a Shs 1.2 reduction from average 312.5 of 2019 last quarter to 311.9
The domestic consumer tariff has been average tariff of Shs 614.4 of fourth 2018 shillings.
reduced by Shs 0.5 from Shs 769.5 shillings quarter to Shs 613.2 during the same period
of the 2018 fourth quarters to Shs 769 of the under review.
first quarter of 2019.
U
2017, according to ERA. this year and 60% by 2027.
ganda government is expected to Tibalwa said key transmission lines that “ERA urges all qualifying Ugandan
commission Isimba and Karuma are under construction including Tororo- households to embrace the policy and get
hydropower dams this year as one Opuyo-Lira, Bujagali-Tororo, Kawanda- connected to electricity which shall in turn
big step towards boosting the elec- Karuma, Karuma-Lira and Kawanda-Kap- increase electricity consumption in both
tricity supply in the country. eeka are expected to be completed this year. short and long term,” Tibalwa said
The commissioning of the two hydro- ERA’s Manager for Communication, Only consumers whose houses are
power plants with a combined capacity of Julius Wandera, said many areas country- located 30 to 90 meters from an existing
783MW will see the country’s installed elec- wide including northern region that has power distribution line qualify for free
tricity generation capacity increase from the been experiencing repeated power outages connections provided that their houses are
current 955MW to 1,738MW. will benefit from the new infrastructure that wired by certified electricians, according to
This development is expected to reduce is being constructed. the policy.
on the power cuts as well as drive the elec- “From a regulator’s point of view The regulator also expects that the newly
tricity cost downwards amidst the growing there are headaches that are going to be licensed mini-grids and off-grids small
demand from commercial and domestic answered…because of that infrastructure power plants in different parts of the coun-
consumers. coming onboard,” he said. try will allow more households and institu-
Currently, the average electricity retail Wandera said the regulator expects con- tions to access power.
base tariff rates applicable for the year 2019 tinued refurbishment of the ageing Jinja They include; the 0.3MW Kisizi hospital
as announced by the Electricity Regulatory based Nalubaale Power Station, formerly mini hydro-power plant, the 0.1 Bwindi
Authority (ERA) on December 24, 2018 for known as Owen Falls Dam to ensure con- Mini-hydro power plant, the 0.04 Swuam
the various consumer categories include; tinued supply of electricity from the facility Community Micro-Hydro-power plant
Shs769 per kWh for domestic consumers, to the national grid. in Bukwo, the 0.05MW Pamoja energy
Shs684.8 per kWh for commercial consum- Meanwhile, Tibalwa said they support power plant in Kamwenge, the 0.05MW
ers, Shs613 per kWh for medium industrial government initiatives geared towards Muduuma Biomass plant in Mpigi and
consumers and Shs377.7 per kWh for large growing electricity demand and supply the 0.23MW Kitobo small power plant on
industrial consumers. including ‘the energy rebate policy’ and the Kitobo Island.
Other are Shs311.9 per kWh for extra- ‘electricity connection policy.’ Others expected to be constructed in
large industrial consumers and Shs751.1 per Energy rebate policy deals with electricity 2019 include the 0.1MW plant in Bukasa
kWh for street lighting. compensation to an individual or firm that Island and the 0.03MW plant in Bunjako in
The Chief Executive Officer of the ERA, designs, finances and constructs electricity Mpigi district.
Ziria Tibalwa Waako told The Independent distribution infrastructure in an area that is ERA is developing a framework for
in an interview that “2019 is a glittering year not connected to the national electricity grid. regulation of these mini-grids to ensure
because of the infrastructure that is coming Tibalwa said the policy would continue they operate within agreeable terms and
onboard and the positives that it brings.” to encourage industrial customers in 2019 conditions and in line with the country’s
She also said key players in the sector including medium industrial, large indus- electricity framework.
including power distributor Umeme and trial and extra large industrial customers to The Uganda Manufacturers Association
transmitters would expect to invest more in invest in the electricity network. Executive Director, Daniel Birungi told The
the infrastructure this year to facilitate elec- She said more efforts will be geared Independent that they would continue to
tricity distribution to consumers. towards implementation of the 2018 gov- engage government on key policies geared
The country had 1.3million electricity ernment policy to connect consumers at no towards lowering power tariffs and elec-
consumers connected to the national grid cost. The policy implementation is expected tricity extension in their areas of operation
as at the end of September 2018, up from to increase consumer’s access to electricity to ease the cost of doing business.
U
By Isaac Khisa rising costs of operations.
He said the performance
ganda’s private suggests that the underlying
sector activ- demand has significantly
ity increased improved and perhaps also
for December justifies the Monetary Policy
2018 signalling Committee maintaining a
improved busi- hawkish bias in light of these
ness environment. The Stanbic risks that could feed through
Bank Purchasing Manager’s into core inflation.
Index (PMI) for manufacturing Last month, the Bank of
and services rose to 56.6 for Uganda maintained its cen-
December from 55.7 recorded tral bank rate at 10 % saying
in the previous month owed to the outlook for inflation had
increased demand for various improved. The bank’s head
products and services. Any- of Fixed Income, Benoni
thing above 50 denotes growth; Okwenje said overall input
Airtel Uganda acting Marketing Director, Michael Lukyamuzi (R) hands over a brand anything below, contraction. prices increased again in
new motorcycle to the telecom’s mobile money agent from Zigoti Electrical Uganda This triggered companies December, with rises in both
Limited, George Ssenoga, in the ongoing Beera Millionaire with Airtel Money to increase their staffing purchase prices and staff
promo. COURTESY PHOTO. levels, purchasing activity costs contributing to overall
and inventories during the inflation.
month. Four of the five “Where purchase prices
broad sectors covered by rose, companies reported
the survey – agriculture, higher fuel costs and
industry, construction, increased prices for raw
wholesale & retail and ser- materials such as food items
vices sectors – saw employ- and cement,” he said.
ment rise, the exception The survey, sponsored by
being construction. Stanbic Bank and produced
Commenting on the survey by IHS Markit, has been
findings, Jibran Qureishi, the conducted since June 2016
regional economist E.A at and covers the agriculture,
Stanbic Bank said it has been industry, construction,
a strong finish for the private wholesale & retail and ser-
sector in 2018 despite of the vices sectors.
Dimension Data East Africa General Manager, Ndung’u Kahindo (L) and Ted
Ogonda, the Engineering Manager in charge of sub-Saharan Africa at Cisco
Systems, Kenya, address the media on business opportunities for 2019.
Dimension Data East Africa plans to launch its digital business solutions
including big data and analytics, artificial intelligence and machine learning
technologies this year. Courtesy Photo.
Weekly share price movement (Jan. 04, 2018)
Security Dec. 03 Jan. 04 Movement
BATU 30,000 30000 00
BABU 138 139 -0.7
CENT 1,071 980 9.2
QCL 190 249 -23.6
DFCU 822 845 -2.7
EABL 6,313 6,862 -8.0
EBL 1,242 1,434 -13.3
JHL 15,259 13,507 12.9
KA 319 347 -8.0
KCB 1,350 1,434 -5.8
NIC 14 15 -6.6
NMG 2,386 2,487 -4.0
NVL 338 337 0.2
Kenya’s Cabinet Secretary for Industrialization, Trade and
SBU 30 31 3.2
Cooperatives, Peter Munya, looks at some of the products during the
UCHM 29 24 20.8
recently concluded 19th EAC Jua Kali-Nguvu Kazi exhibition held at the
Eldoret Sports Club in Uasin Gishu County. Courtesy Photo. UCL 19 20 -5
UMEME 320 321 -0.3
ALSI -- -- --
O
Davies
R
By Caroline Fitzpatrick the ages of three and four. Four years Child development
later, second grade teachers rated the
esearcher at Concordia’s PER- same childrens’ classroom behaviour The content of media to which young
FORM center and Assistant using a social behaviour question- children are exposed is closely related to
Professor of Psychology, Uni- naire – which covers behaviour such as child outcomes.
versité Sainte-Anne physical aggression, inattentiveness and Age-appropriate programmes – like
Children today can access emotional distress over the course of the `Sesame Street’ for kindergarteners–
media through both tradi- school year. Teachers were unaware of which aim to help children understand
tional devices, like televisions, and por- which children had been exposed to vio- words or ideas, are known to help them
table devices like laptops and tablets. lent media. develop language and mental skills.
With more access, children are more To rule out the impact of the home New technology can be useful too.
likely to be exposed to violent content – environment on the development of Video chat technologies – like Skype
like real-life or cartoons where force is these behaviours, we controlled for the or Facetime – which give children an
being used and harm is being done to a contribution of early childhood aggres- interactive, two-way live exchange with
person or character. Studies show that sion, parenting quality, maternal educa- adults facilitate language learning.
37% of media aimed at children have tion, parent antisocial behaviour and On the other hand, violent films and
scenes of physical or verbal violence. family structure. video games often feature attractive
What’s more, 90% of movies, 68% of According to our results, teachers rated protagonists that engage in a dispropor-
video games, 60% of TV shows, and exposed children as more antisocial. tionate number of aggressive actions.
15% of music videos have some form Antisocial behaviours include; a lack of Children exposed to this type of content
of violence. In some cases, it’s rising – remorse, lying, insensitivity to the emo- can develop a deformed perception of
the amount of violence in mainstream tions of others, and manipulating others. violence and its actual frequency in real
movies has been growing steadily over life.
the past 50 years. Eventually, this can give rise to the
Evidence shows that this can be detri- Our results also reveal significant asso- impression that the world is an overly
mental to young children. Around the ciations between exposure to violent dangerous place filled with ill-inten-
ages of three and four children begin to media and classroom attention problems. tioned people. People that have such a
develop perceptions and expectations Furthermore, exposed children were worldview are more likely to interpret an
about the world around them. These reported to show more signs of emo- ambiguous or accidental gesture as hos-
views are strongly influenced by their tional distress; in terms of sadness and a tile or as a personal attack.
daily experiences. If children are often lack of enthusiasm. There are steps that parents can take.
exposed to scenes of violence, they may The results were similar for boys and By modeling, positive non-violent behav-
develop a view of the world as a more girls. iour – like using respectful communica-
dangerous place than tion to solve problems
it actually is. rather than aggression
To investigate this – and having conversa-
further, and predict tions about the violent
the types of mental images their children
health outcomes this are exposed to, parents
has, my colleagues and can reduce the nega-
I examined the poten- tive effects of violent
tial long-term risks media on their child’s
associated with expo- development.
sure to violent media Parents should also
on children’s devel- keep bedrooms free
opment. We found from screens, closely
that those exposed to monitoring children’s
violence become more media usage, and shut-
antisocial and emo- ting off the internet at
tionally distressed. night.
Caroline Fitzpatrick
Exposed to violence is a Researcher at Con-
Through parent cordia’s PERFORM
reports, we measured center and Assistant
children’s exposure Professor of Psy-
to violent movies chology, Université
and programmes in Sainte-Anne
1,800 preschool aged Source:theconversation
children between Cartoons often have scenes of physical or verbal violence. CHRIS BECKETT/FLICKR
T
he year 2018 witnessed an unprec- demic freedom and intellectual endow- can occasion double jeopardy.
edented clampdown from within ment in an increasing globalised and Several students have been warned or
Makerere University Kampala pluralistic society. The thread that runs suspended singlehandedly by the Vice
(hereinafter referred to as ‘Makerere’ throughout their book is that it is intel- Chancellor in utter contravention of
or ‘the University ‘) on freedom of expres- lectually harmful to overprotect students procedural and constitutional law appar-
sion and academic freedom through a bliz- from exposure to the many lines of dif- ently for engaging in activities deemed
zard of threats, warnings, suspensions and ference – opinions, behaviours, et cetera disruptive or inflammatory such as
online vitriol. in our society today. peaceful demonstrations(as sanctioned
Ever since its establishment, Makerere I wrote this as a sexualities researcher by the Constitution) and even flimsy
has enjoyed a deserved and vividly cre- at the university, Stella Nyanzi, was ones like stern social media posts.
ated image of a baobab of innovation, serving a suspension under the uni- These actions could be well inten-
activism, academic research and devel- versity’s regulations for using sexually tioned; that is motivated by good faith to
opment. Ranked alternately the 3rd or 4th explicit connotations in her scathing criti- score some public relations goals, ensure
best university on the African continent, cisms of the University Management. tranquility at the University conducive
Makerere stands head and shoulder The university in a tweet said it had for the forward movement of University
above many, alongside the greats in the amended its Human Resource Manual programmes and/or protect students
annals of Africa’s tumultuous history. to authorise the concurrent running of from “immoral contamination”.
However, there is an increasing and its internal administrative disciplinary However, they present a risk of stu-
widespread feeling across our society proceedings with criminal prosecution in dents cringing at robust debate over
that its prestigious image turns pale and Courts of Law, all against its employees. topical issues. Objectionable words and
blurry by the day. To many, an Institu- Forget the clear lack of constitutionality ideas become perceived as violence
tion globally acclaimed as a lion of the in the amendment; it is ostensibly a similar to throwing stones or wielding
Intellectual landscape is soon or later carefully constructed legal manouvre to sticks. In the long run students embark
turning instead into the lions’ Prey. circumvent the characteristically highly on dangerous practices like silencing
A veritable journalist and political procedural and strict proof criminal jus- disagreeable ideas. This is what Andrew
pundit, Andrew Mwenda, has for tice system. This serves the purpose of Mwenda is referring to when he says
example severally expressed dismay passing judgement against employees young Ugandans gave upon thinking
about the products manufactured and like Stella Nyanzi deemed parallel to the (debate, analysis) and are comfortable
churned out by the university. Recently university seemingly inward -looking with their pre-installed ideas and con-
in his weekly column that runs in The rules without due regard to the parallel ventional wisdom ( silencing disagree-
Independent Magazine he regretted that” criminal due processes which obviously able speakers). Going forward, none of
most of the students from that University us should stay silent about this dictato-
depress me by their utter intellectual rial moment at Makerere.
ineptness, close-mindness and mistaking Students must elect from among them
of political sloganeering for intellectual those who are well equipped through
analysis. These are young Ugandans who
gave up on thinking long ago”. Going forward, past leadership experiences to lead them
and not opportunistic demagogues since
none of us
Several other persons across the spec- some past student governments have
trum have expressed the same or similar proved incompetent and motivated
feelings; with business managers ques- by personal interests and have either
tioning the “employability” of the uni-
versity’s students and graduates.
should stay ended up too comfortable in their newly
found largesse or crumbling under the
The question then is how did we get
here – in a situation where students
silent about heavy weight of bribery and patronage.
Academic and non-academic staff must
decades long graduated are regarded
far better qualitatively educated than us. this dictatorial rise up-to the occasion. It’s rather embar-
rassing that whereas past national gov-
moment at
There are several answers to this ques- ernments have been at the forefront of
tion but key of them must be the ever chocking academic freedom, these days
shrinking space for academic freedom stifling of the same is internally inspired.
and freedom of expression.
Individual Rights Activist Greg Luki-
Makerere. There is urgent need to jealously pro-
tect its honour and dignity for the over-
anoff and Prof. Jonathan Haidt of New arching objective of ensuring qualitative
York University in their book, `The Cod- education of Human Resource critical
dling of the American Mind’ published for development of this generation and
in 2018 create an evidence based Nexus those beyond with their attendant chal-
between free speech, exposure and aca- lenges especially unemployment.
T
he opposition, generally speaking, by his stage name—Bobi Wine. It aspirations to Uganda’s future, and
is a government in waiting. And is near- becoming acceptable in the fattening his ego by claiming to have
true to that, in democratic soci- eyes of Ugandans that the NRM grandeur ambitions that go beyond
eties, tables often turn with the and President Museveni can have as Uganda’s border, Museveni has
opposition taking over power and those much access to the electorate using become more opportunistic than
in power becoming the opposition. public resources while the opposi- nationalistic.
The regularity with which the power tion remains largely chained on poles The limiting of civic space for
table swings from opposition to ruling planted by the police and military. Ugandans has dire consequences for
party and from ruling party to the That is how tragic it has got; normali- Uganda, including but not limited to
opposition is usually an indicator of sation of the abnormal. stunting the growth of state institu-
the health of a county’s democracy, If you ask, who benefits from this tions that are critical for the growth
and how much power citizens have in cloudy and unbalanced sad situation and inculcation of a democratic cul-
choosing those they deem qualified to in which the opposition appears free ture. It also undermines the growth of
manage public affairs on their behalf. but when in real sense is chained? new emerging talent in both the oppo-
Equitable access to civic spaces by Certainly not Ugandans. The sole sition and ruling party—talent that
the ruling party, those in the centre, beneficiary of this situation is could offer Uganda solutions to chal-
and the opposition is sacred in a Museveni. But this comes at the cost lenges Museveni has failed to address
functioning democracy. However, of continuous psychological torture in the last 33 years.
in Uganda this space is alarmingly of Ugandans who are unsure of what The need for equitable access to
shrinking and becoming a monopoly will happen to the country without spaces in which the opposition and
of the ruling NRM party. him. By gluing his raw life-presidency the NRM must coexist to sell their
Denying spaces for the opposition agenda to the public for the benefit
and critics of the NRM is now an of Ugandans is not debatable. If the
established part of the power reten- opposition is perpetually stopped
tion strategy for President Yoweri
Museveni and his life- presidency
If the opposition from accessing the electorate, it
means Ugandans are being denied an
project. Some mistake this act of
opportunism for tactical astuteness on
is perpetually opportunity for the sprouting of new
political talent to widen leadership
the part of Museveni. Nothing can be
further from the truth. Bluntly put,
stopped from choices for citizens. Unfortunately,
this is what we are faced with. The
this primitive hogging of power has a
counterproductive effect on Uganda’s
accessing the consequence has been that Ugandans
have been disempowered, making
transition to democracy.
Already, Uganda is a black sheep in
electorate, it citizens weaker in the demand for
accountable leadership. This weak-
the original East African region—we
are the only country that has not had
means Ugandans ness of the citizenry is best illustrated
by the now infamous begging phrase:
a peaceful transition from one presi- are being denied Tusaba Govementi etuyambe (We ask the
an opportunity
dent to another. If the Democratic government to help us).
Republic of the Congo manages to
of new political
leader, despite its flawed electoral Uganda
process, the blackness of Uganda
talent to widen
will cast a dark shadow beyond East
Africa.
leadership
Increasingly, it is no longer even
‘‘news’’ when members of the oppo-
sition are blocked from holding
meetings, rallies, prayers, and choices for
music concerts, as is the case with
singer and Member of parliament, citizens.
Robert Kyagulanyi better known
I
n November 2017, scientists working in their arguments; the Amazon rainforest In the developed world, some govern-
Sumatra, Indonesia, made an exciting is a case in point. There, deforestation ments and businesses are making the
announcement: they had discovered a has reduced the production of vapour ethical choice by applying the “precau-
new species of orangutan, bringing to clouds that are essential to transporting tionary principle” to growth. Adopted
seven the number of great ape species glob- rain across South America. The drought in 1992 as part of the Rio Declaration
ally. that parched São Paulo between 2014 on Environment and Development, the
But one year later, the only home of and 2017 is believed to have been caused, principle embodies the conclusion that
the 800 wild Tapanuli orangutans is at least in part, by the absence of these it is wiser – and ultimately cheaper – to
being cleared for a $1.6 billion dam and “flying rivers.” As the Brazilian climate avoid environmental degradation in the
hydroelectric power plant. Although the scientist Antonio Nobre has noted, if first place.
project will contribute less than 1% of the these aerial water pumps are perma- The real challenge is to instill this ethos
country’s planned generating capacity, nently turned off, an area that accounts in developing economies, where the bulk
scientists say it will lead to the extinc- for 70% of South America’s gross of future infrastructure spending will
tion of this rare species. This raises, once national product would be turned into occur. Consider highway development.
again, a key question: what is nature desert. By 2050, there will be 15.5 million miles
worth? Of course, identifying critical natural of new paved roads, enough to circle the
Indonesia is not alone in making envi- capital is challenging, especially at Earth more than 600 times. More than
ronmentally detrimental trade-offs. The smaller scales. While many can agree 90% of this fresh pavement will be laid
twenty-first century will be a period of on the importance of protecting the in developing countries, which already
unprecedented infrastructure expansion, Amazon, it is harder to demonstrate the face huge environmental pressure. In
and a staggering $90 trillion will be spent value of preserving orangutans in Indo- the Amazon region, for example, there
over the next 15 years to build or replace nesia. But, over time, loss of the Tapanuli are nearly 53,000 mining leases encom-
dams, power plants, and other facilities. orangutan’s habitat would profoundly passing 21% of the basin’s land mass. In
In fact, more infrastructure will be built change the composition of the rainforest Guinea, a World Bank-supported dam
over the next decade and a half than cur- and disrupt its ecological services. At the is reportedly threatening a key chim-
rently exists. Naturally, habitats will be same time, the elimination of a species of panzee sanctuary. And in Tanzania, the
disrupted in the process. great ape – our closest kin – would erase government has approved a dam and
And yet, environmentally reckless an opportunity to understand better our hydroelectric plant in the Selous Game
growth is not preordained; it is possible own evolution and genetics. Reserve, a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
to make smart, sustainable choices. To do With human needs increasing as
so, we must recognize the true value of populations and incomes grow, there
nature, and make environmental ethics are legitimate reasons to build more
and cost-benefit analyses part of every
project.
The real infrastructure. But if current trends
continue, short-term interests will strip
At the moment, this is not happening;
most infrastructure is planned and con-
challenge is to away the natural assets on which all life
depends. To plan for smart development,
structed on the basis of market assess-
ments that fail to account for nature. As
instill this ethos governments and business must
recognise nature’s role in supporting
a result, the world is facing a growing in developing economic activity and ensuring
economies,
crisis: the weakening of ecosystem ecological and human health. After all,
services – such as clean water, flood we do not – and cannot – live in a world
where the
defense, and bee pollination – that pro- where nature has no value.
tect biodiversity and form the foundation
bulk of future
on which human welfare depends. Maxwell Gomera, a 2018 Aspen New Voices
To change the status quo, we must make fellow, is Director of the Biodiversity and
infrastructure
an ethical choice not to expose critical Ecosystem Services Branch at the United
habitats and “natural capital” to greater Nations Environment Program.
spending will
danger – regardless of the possible eco-
nomic returns. Just as most of the world Copyright: Project Syndicate, 2018.
occur
has rejected the use of slave or child
labour, the permanent destruction of
nature must be repudiated.
Some economists have recognised this
by building environmental costs into
S
even decades after its adoption, the also undermined the credibility of collec- consider adopting a comprehensive legal
Universal Declaration of Human tive security, enabling increasingly flagrant instrument and civil accountability mecha-
Rights (UDHR) remains a beacon human-rights abuses. To address this, the nism for the protection of children in armed
of hope for the world, sending out Commission’s report recommends that the conflict.
an unequivocal message that an injustice Security Council’s permanent members Former US First Lady Eleanor Roosevelt –
anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere, voluntarily suspend their vetoes in situ- the driving force behind the UDHR – once
and that no abuse of human rights can be ations involving mass atrocities and, by declared that human rights begin “in small
allowed to continue without challenge. implication, allow more scope for the ICC. places close to home, so close and so small
While illiberalism and authoritarianism is And, beyond identifying the more detailed that they cannot be seen on any maps of the
on the rise, it is important to recall that the responsibilities of governments and interna- world. Unless these rights have meaning
UDHR – and the covenants and conven- tional institutions, new mechanisms should there, they have little meaning anywhere.”
tions it has inspired – champions every be created to ensure corporate compliance And indeed, `The Ordinary Virtues’ by the
person’s right to life, liberty, and security. with human rights. former Canadian politician Michael Igna-
Incorporated into many countries’ constitu- It is to the credit of the UDHR’s authors tieff, which grew from a Carnegie study,
tions, it stipulates that no one should be that, unlike the European Convention indicates that even in the world’s most
subjected to torture or to arbitrary arrest or on Human Rights, a single declaration desolate and lawless corners, individuals
detention. It enshrines the rights to a fair enshrines not only civil and political rights, have a strong sense of their own rights and
trial, privacy, free expression and associa- but also social and economic rights. But it is also, if to a lesser extent, of the importance
tion, and freedom of thought in religion and not enough to declare that such rights are of treating those close to them with decency.
conscience. Moreover, it emphasises impor- important. In South Africa, for example, a Yet, even as the world becomes more
tant social and economic rights, such as the modern constitution includes explicit com- deeply integrated, millions do not have a
right to work and form labor unions. mitments to upholding social rights. Yet the strong sense that human rights should be
But the authors of the UDHR – created country has found no satisfactory means of upheld as the universal rights of all. That
amid the Cold War politics of the 1940s enforcing them. is why the Commission, citing the work of
– could only agree on what rights people The desperate plight of the world’s Fonna Forman, founding Director of the
should have, not on why these rights should nearly 70 million displaced people and Center on Global Justice at the University
be regarded as fundamental, let alone how over 20 million refugees has just been rec- of California, San Diego, makes recom-
or by whom they should be protected. ognized in new agreements hammered mendations about how governments might
At the outset, there were no enforcement out in December this year. The Commis- actively encourage and support human-
treaties, no proper appeal mechanisms, and, sion’s report asserts unequivocally that the rights education – something few countries
until much later, not even basic covenants world’s refugee protection system should currently do.
countries could sign. A creature of its time, be strengthened, not least by reaching an After all, as Roosevelt pointed out, docu-
the UDHR also says little about the rights effective consensus on the balance between ments expressing ideals “carry no weight
of women, the disabled, the LGBTQ+ com- the right to movement and the power of unless the people know them, unless the
munity, and children. And so, despite major states to restrict it –with the long-term objec- people understand them, unless the people
advances over the last seven decades – such tive of a new international convention that demand that they be lived.” That simple
as the creation of the International Criminal supports Sustainable Development Goal truth must underpin the world’s agenda for
Court (ICC) and the UN’s Responsibility to 10.7, which commits states to “facilitate safe, championing human rights now and in the
Protect doctrine – human-rights abuses con- orderly, regular, and responsible migra- future.
tinue to be perpetrated at an alarming rate tion.” The Global Citizenship Commission
and with virtual impunity. One of the Commission’s most urgent sets report was made possible with editorial
To make recommendations relevant to of recommendations relates to the treat- help from K. Anthony Appiah, Craig Cal-
a review of the UDHR at 70, New York ment of children now at risk in the world’s houn, Andrew Hilland, Robert Shrum,
University convened the Global Citizenship 40-plus ongoing wars. A new report that Diane C. Yu, and many others. For the full
Commission (of which I was chair) under emerged this year from the Commission’s membership of the Commission, see gias.
the auspices of John Sexton and Paul Bog- work, Protecting Children in Armed Conflict, nyu.edu/2016/04/release-global-citizenship-
hossian. Our deliberations were informed edited by Shaheed Fatima QC, also calls commission-report/.
by a team of philosophers brilliantly led by for radical changes – for schools in conflict
Jeremy Waldron. zones to enjoy the same effective protec- Gordon Brown, former Prime Minister and
Beyond enumerating rights, the Commis- tion as hospitals; for states to take active Chancellor of the Exchequer of the United
sion argued for a new clarity about who measures to prevent sexual violence against Kingdom, is United Nations Special Envoy for
should carry out the corresponding duties, children and to prevent child abductions Global Education and Chair of the International
and how. Time and again, vetoes or threats and trafficking, and for a clear declaration Commission on Financing Global Education
of vetoes by the permanent members of that denial of humanitarian access is always Opportunity. He chairs the Advisory Board of
the UN Security Council have blocked unlawful where civilians are at risk of star- the Catalyst Foundation.
action. The resulting paralysis has not only vation. In the longer term, Fatima recom-
permitted massive loss of human life; it has mends that the international community
I
t was 1986. I had finished junior high
school in Fort Portal, Uganda and
moved to the Capital City Kampala, in
search of an opportunity to pursue high
school education. Mukono Diocese, which
was only two years old at the time, under
the leadership of the then Bishop Living-
stone Nkoyoyo was working with a young
man from England (Simeon Wiehler, now
a professor at the University of Rwanda) to
establish a home for street boys. By God’s
grace, Simeon invited me to join him, to
work as evening supervisor of the home in
exchange for tuition.
Our first home was a guest house, (adja-
cent to his Grace’s Residence). He had built
the house for missionaries. He allowed
Simon and a group of us teenagers to live
in the house for more than six months,
as we built our own round- houses on a
piece of land the diocese had donated to
be used for orphanage. Although I had
been brought up as an Anglican, confirmed
by an Anglican Bishop in Toro, living in
close proximity to an Anglican Bishop was
quite an experience. It was the first time
of sharing meals and jokes with a bishop,
riding in a bishop’s vehicle. Otherwise, it Fort Portal and ask anyone who attended or a need to build a Cathedral for Mukono
used to be the “Who” is “Who” who had the wedding, they will narrate his sermon, Diocese.
access to a bishop! yet it was preached in Luganda; a language On Tuesday January 2, 2018, I called to
In 1997, I came to the United States for not well spoken among the Batoro. wish him a Happy New Year, not knowing
further studies at Bryn Mawr College. Two In March of 2017, I flew to London to he was admitted at the hospital. After
years later, I heard his Grace was visiting spend a week with him while he was praying, the conversation turned to him
the East Coast of the United States and receiving cancer treatment. In spite of all the asking about my wife and two daughters
decided to invite him to visit the church I pain and side efforts from chemo, seldom and the Namugongo Marty’s Shrine he
had become affiliated with in Rosemont. was the conversation about his sickness. has been building. Two days later, I woke
Quite frankly, I never expected him to Every moment, he talked about Namu- to hundreds of WhatsApp messages
come. To my surprise, he did! gongo Marty’s Shrine, the orphan project, announcing his death.
I will never forget when he decided to For me, my family and many others, he
spend Easter holidays with me in Phila- was more than an Archbishop, he was the
delphia. Which prominent person leaves
his blood family and comfortable life in Through my man I knew who changed my life. I forever
cherish the special one on one time I spent
Uganda to spend Christmas with an ordi-
nary clergy, bachelor at the time, in a small interaction with his Grace, especially in Philadel-
phia, praying with him, reading scripture
house in the United States? But His Grace
did! with him, I together and listening to his considerable
wise council. I still hear his voice echoing,
There was one additional concern of
his, finding me a bride. That prayer was
gained a deep reminding me to be grateful to Jesus Christ
for his Grace and Mercy and for his free gift
answered in 2010 when I called and told
him and Mama Ruth that I had finally
appreciation for of salvation. Through my interaction with
him, I gained a deep understanding as well
found my missing Rib. He asked, what is
her name? I told him that her maiden name
the true meaning as appreciation for the true meaning of the
cross of Jesus Christ and the heavy price
is Kasiimo, which means a gift. When he
met her, he immediately agreed that indeed
of the cross of Christ paid for my (our) sins.
I am grateful to God for having given
I had a found a wonderful a gift from God.
In January 2011, his grace travelled to fort
Jesus Christ me an opportunity to interact with such a
special man. I will forever remember him as
Portal, spent four days with my family and friend, father and mentor.
officiated at our wedding ceremony and The very Rev Samuel Murangi, MSS, MDiv
also played a double role, as my Dad. Call Rector, Emmanuel Resurrection.
British don’t want World’s most expensive live fish bought for a whopping Shs6.7bn
Prince Charles as king! S Legend, a red and white Fish farm in the Japanese city
Prince Charles wouldn’t Koi Carp bred in Japan became of Hiroshima. The female carp
exactly be the people’s choice the most expensive live fish won first prize at the presti-
to become the next king, ever sold, after fetching a mind- gious All Japan Koi Show last
according to a new poll in The blowing price of $1.8 million year, and is expected to bag her
Independent. A surprising (Approx. Shs6.7 billion), more second title this year, which
46 percent said they would than $1.3 million more than the greatly increased collectors’
want the heir apparent to previous record. interest. Fans and collectors of
abdicate immediately to allow The fish is 101cm-long (about Koi carp are now expected to
Prince William, the Duke of 3-foot rulers) and is a Koi Carp travel from all over the world
Cambridge, to take the crown in from the highly-regarded to catch a glimpse of the most
the event of Queen Elizabeth’s Kohaku variety. It was bought expensive fish ever sold.
demise. by a collector from Japan after
a fierce bidding war at the Saki
I
t reads like it might be a gimmick but X-
Mode is anything but…Here we explain
what X-Mode is and how it works.
Subaru’s symmetrical all-wheel
drive already makes its vehicles the most
capable in their segments across rough
or slippery ground. And X-Mode makes
them better.
Previously only available on Forester,
X-Mode is now also available on XV and
Outback.
What is X-Mode?
A
his favourite skill, ‘around the world’ with soda giants Crown Beverages and
ndrew Stewart Tamale, also trick which he uses to balance the ball the latest being digital TV service pro-
known as Andy Skillz, is a 22 year on the bridge of the foot, flick it up to vider GOtv. Tamale has participated in
old freestyle footballer who reigns knee-level, loop the leg round the ball as several national and international tour-
as two time East African free style it falls, and allow it to land back on the naments and received his first award
champion. Freestyle football is a sport in bridge. three years ago as Talented Youth Star
which athletes compete to perform various To him, freestyle football is more of a of the year for two consecutive counts.
tricks using a football. talent which is largely self-taught and He is also a two time champion for East
The game remains a rare and unique grasped out of passion. Africa; a title that he holds to date.
sport although it’s growing worldwide. Tamale is the last born of his parents. In Uganda, Tamale says that the sport
This explains why Tamale is the only He went to Kiwatule Parents School for is less developed and lacks competitions
known Ugandan who plays the juggles primary education. He joined Kyambogo to up the skills and interest more people.
the ball left right and centre. College School where he completed ordi- He, however, has plans of rolling out
Tamale says that the sport involves nary level but the environment couldn’t competitions locally so that more young
doing short performances of about three allow him explore his talent. people can get to know about the sport.
30-second performances or a single “Fellow students and teachers only got Tamale has plans of keeping within the
minute-long performance depending on to know about my skill in the media like sport for the next five years and quit at
the stage of competition and the compe- newspapers and TV,” he says. a time when more young people have
tition’s structure. In other countries, it’s It was during his advanced education taken it up.
played in teams but not in Uganda or at Rise and Shine High School that he
east Africa because it’s very hard since had greater opportunity to explore his
it’s largely self-taught. skill. During advanced level, he started
“Evaluation is based on difficulty, origi-
nality, all round skills, trick execution,
mistakes, and variety,” says Tamale,
“Players are not allowed to touch the
ball with the hands or arms”.
For the last four years, Tamale has been
performing for crowds and has starred in
company advertisements, opening school
games, and entertaining guests at corpo-
rate parties and weddings.
Tamale initially played ordinary
soccer in 11 and seven positions until
he chose to specialise in freestyle. For
him, watching Youtube videos featuring
famous soccer players like Cristiano
Ronaldo, Lionel Messi and Zinedine
Zidane sparked off his love and training
for the game. The videos showcased
players performing tricks that Tamale
never believed would be possible to pull
off but was pushed to replicate. And so
during his primary seven vacation, his
mother Josephine Kirabo (RIP) bought
his first ball and boots. Even when his
father, Prosperous Ssentongo (RIP) never
believed that he would craft a career out
of the game, he still pushed on and has
since never looked back.
“My father wanted me to focus on pur-
suing formal education,” he says,
“I stumbled a lot trying to replicate the
tricks for a long time until I grasped.”
His brother Isaac Mwesigwa who
also doubles as his manager took on
to pushing the passion and prides in
When and where were you happiest? How would you like to die?
My mother was the first person to I don’t think about death now.
believe in my talent so I was very happy
having her around for my first big per- What is your motto?
formance. Winning the East African free- Work in progress.
I
t has now been more than three they do, and how they effect change well-resourced SMEs can maneuver to
years since the United Nations in the places where they operate. In take advantage. And when SMEs suc-
General Assembly adopted the other words, donors have little way of ceed, jobs are created, helping more
2030 Agenda for Sustainable knowing whether their money is being people find means of upward mobility.
Development, and the money required well spent. If African philanthropy is The African diaspora, as well as
to meet the Sustainable Development ever to serve as an effective catalyst Africans on the continent with
Goals (SDGs) – the agenda’s key targets of human progress, greater CSO disposable income, can help
– remains elusive. In fact, less than half transparency will be needed. governments achieve the SDGs by
of the $6 trillion in annual financing that Aware of these shortcomings, EPIC- directing resources to organisations that
is needed has even been pledged. Africa has formed a partnership with are best positioned to create African
But while the dearth of global funding the Rockefeller Foundation to create wealth. By strategically pooling their
could be viewed as a tragedy for the the African CSO Excellence Awards, financial resources, Africans could end
Global South, for Africa, it actually a program designed to recognise poverty, eradicate diseases, improve
represents a tremendous opportunity. organisational capacity on issues like health-care systems, and educate the
Foreign aid has long supported strategic ability, leadership, governance, continent’s children. All of this would
Africa’s progress. But Africans are financial health, and project monitoring. help Africa realise its economic potential
increasingly able to invest in their own The ultimate goal is to strengthen – including its potential to fuel global
solutions. By 2025, African household philanthropic infrastructure to make prosperity.
and business spending could hit $5.6 charities more effective and more Since 2015, Africa’s household
trillion, and Deloitte estimates that by accountable. spending growth has averaged 3.5%,
2030, a half-billion Africans will have Finally, Africa’s philanthropic push and by the end of 2019, consumer
disposable income. If every African with should target economic growth. One demand is forecast to add as much as
the means contributed a dollar a month of the best ways to shift Africans’ focus $1.1 trillion to African GDP – further
for a year to pool our own resources, the from poverty reduction to wealth evidence that a growing number of
benefits would be profound. creation is by supporting small and Africans have the financial means to
But before we can even begin to medium-size enterprises – including help the African continent achieve its
dream of legions of homegrown donors, female-run farms. That way, when gov- human-development objectives. What is
the immediate goal must be to create ernments build systems that connect needed now are the tools to adequately
networks and strategies to maximise intra-African trade to global value chains, channel Africans’ new philanthropic
the benefits of African giving. The capacity.
first step is to build philanthropic The international community should
infrastructure – the technological, legal, continue to support progress across
tax, and accountability systems needed Africa, and better resourced countries
to ensure that donations are secure.
While digital financial services have
While digital should fulfill their unmet SDG funding
commitments. But Africans do not
already made fundraising easier, the financial need to wait for the world to come to
scale of online giving in Africa remains the rescue; we have the resources we
small. For example, Africa’s largest services have need right here at home. After so many
already made
online fundraising platform, M-Changa, decades of dependence on foreign
launched in 2012, has collected money funding, it is time that wealth – and
from more than 340,000 donors for some
29,000 projects. China’s Tencent charity fundraising not poverty – dictates how the African
continent develops.
platform, by comparison, solicited 28
million donations in just three days last easier, the Carl Manlan, a 2016 New Voices Fellow
year.
Moreover, Africa’s civil-society
scale of online at the Aspen Institute, is Chief Operating
Officer at the Ecobank Foundation.
organisations (CSOs) must become
more adept at persuading potential
giving in Africa Copyright: Project Syndicate, 2019.
African donors that they are worthy aid remains small. www.project-syndicate.org
recipients. According to EPIC-Africa, a
Dakar-based nonprofit that tracks CSO
effectiveness, there is little credible data
on the number of African CSOs, what
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