The Independent magazine Issue 340

Comment

Uganda’s tough land questions

Health

Business

HIV-negative Cheaper partners face cross-boarder infection risk calls in offing

Issue No. 340 October 24 - 30, 2014

Ushs 5,000,Kshs 200, RwF 1,500, SDP 8

Killings in the city Policing experts explain what has gone wrong

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INBOX

Contents Killings in the city Policing experts explain what has gone wrong

Issue No. 340 October 24 - 30, 2014

16

10

Cover story

29 RWanda

Business

President Paul Kagame speaks out on BBC documentary

20

Health

Though it is possible for a positive and negative person to be in a sexual relationship without having the negative partner infected, doctors advise not to take the risk of continuing to have unprotected sex in such cases of discordance.

FIRST

Kerosene tax: Will the reinstatement of the Shs 200 [excise duty] on Kerosene stop ‘bad’ business people from adulterating it with diesel?

COVER STORY

3 // Off-line 4 // Inbox 6 // The Week 7 // News Makers

Crying over crime: The` Uganda Police Annual Crime Report 2013’ indicated a general decline in crime, but a recent spate of robberies and killings is putting renewed pressure on security agencies. Are the criminals winning?

STRATEGY & EDITORIAL DIRECTOR: Andrew M. Mwenda MANAGING EDITOR: Joseph Were BUSINESS EDITOR: Peter Nyanzi WRITERS: Haggai Matsiko, Joan Akello, Julius Businge, Ronald Musoke, Patrick Kagenda, Flavia Nassaka, Nicole Namubiru PHOTOGRAPHER: Jimmy Siya DESIGN/LAYOUT: Ronny Kahuma, Daniel Ortega

Cheaper cross-border calls: Uganda to scrap excise duty on regional calls come Nov.01 as roaming charges in EAC are set to reduce by 60% following the implementation of a One Network Area initiative by partner states.

Columns 09

Last Word Behind our public sector incompetence: The public sector lacks not competence but needs incentives to motivate workers in delivering quality services.

27 Comment

Uganda’s new burden of HIV/ AIDS

By Morris DC Komakech

Uganda’s tough land questions

By Morris Ogenga-Latigo

PUBLISHER: Independent Publications Limited, Plot 82/84, Kanjokya Street, P. O. Box 3304, Kampala, Uganda Tel: +256-312-637-391/ 2/ 3/ 4 Fax: +256-312-637-396 E-mail: editorial@independent.co.ug, advertising@independent.co.ug, circulation@independent.co.ug Website: www.independent.co.ug

2

October 24 - 30, 2014

Offline Prof Ali Mazrui, a renowned Kenyan academic worldwide died in the United States after being ill for several months.

Former FDC party president Kizza Besigye told sacked premier Amama Mbabazi to quit the NRM party or else brace for hostility from within.

Uganda Cranes is now in a very tricky situation after backto-back losses to Togo in the Africa Cup of Nations (Afcon) 2015 qualifiers.

Oct. 24, 1951: Harry Truman proclaims US’ war against Germany is over

O

n this day in 1951, President Harry Truman finally proclaimed the US’ war with Germany which began in 1941 was officially over. Although fighting had ended in the spring of 1945, most Americans assumed that the war with Germany had ended with the cessation of hostilities six years earlier. Complicating the treaty process was the status of territory within what was formerly the German state. Following World War II, the major western powers [U.S., Britain and France] and the Soviet Union agreed to divide Germany, including the capital of Berlin, into democratic and communist-controlled sectors.

Each side claimed the other had vio-

lated post-war treaties regarding their respective spheres of influence in post-war Europe.

The conflict over Berlin came to a head in June 1948 when Stalin ordered a blockade of the city. Truman did not want to abandon Berlin to the Soviets. The treaty process was thus put on hold until the western powers could agree on what to do about Berlin. In his proclamation on this day, Truman stated that it had always been America’s hope to create a treaty of peace with the government of a united and free Germany, but that Soviet policy had “made it impossible.” The official end to the war came 10 years and two months after Congress had declared open war with Nazi Germany on Dec. 11.

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Contact your nearest MultiChoice branch for further details.

DStv…everything else can wait!

October 24 - 30, 2014

3

Inbox Mengo’s evictions The silence surrounding the chilling ultimatum for all Local Governments and administrative units in Buganda, on the hitherto Official Mailo estates, to vacate their long held premises by the end of this year is deafening. It was issued by Vincent Mayiga, Mengo’s representative to Masaka. Actually the situation of our Local Governments, Sub County and Town Council authorities now resembles that of the hapless Bibanja tenants on private Mailo land.

Characterised by the absence of security of tenure, they are institutionally hindered to effectively plan and de-

Who’s right, wrong? velop. As the fear for eviction looms in the air, at any moment! Inevitably this negatively impacts on the social economic transformation of this region. This is an issue of national concern.

Financially constrained, our Local Governments etc, lack the resources to effectively re-locate. Consequently, we look towards the Government of Uganda, including Parliament, for expected intervention to amicably solve this crisis, based on social justice.

Ambassador Kintu Nyago New York

Refer to: “Mbabazi’s fate” (The Independent Oct.10). It is only change that is permanent now that we have failed to see the permanency between former Prime Minister Amama Mbabazi and President Yoweri Museveni. It shows that the world may not know what is right and what is wrong. What is right today is wrong tomorrow or what is wrong today is right tomorrow. Opposition strongman Kizza Besigye was wrong when he fell out with the ruling party in 1999 but today we judge him to have been right and leaders who stay in power for long were wrong in 1986 but today they are God’s agents. Let us watch the space.

Enock

Amama Mbabazi

Don’t over-glorify Museveni

Refer to: “Mbabazi’s fate” (The Independent Oct.10). A lot of what has been written in this aims at glorifying President Yoweri Museveni. I think you are overestimating Museveni. There are people who are smarter than Museveni in this Country and John Patrick Amama Mbabazi, Hon. Member of Parliament for Kinkizi may be one them.

Hannington Tusubira

INSIGNIA

by Lime Trees Developments

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Style up UNBS A friend recently refuelled from a Petrol Station on Kyabazinga Way in Jinja town and his car conked out after less than a kilometre. He had been sold adulterated fuel.

He took the fuel out of his tank and took it to the Uganda National Bureau of Standards office in Jinja. The people on duty there informed him that they had received so many reports about the 4

same station and had actually caught the operator doing exactly that! Was this an admission of their being helpless to do anything? Must motorists continue to suffer at the hands of this unscrupulous Petrol Station? Could the UNBS then just pack up their office in Jinja and sail off into the sunset?

Paget Kintu

October 24 - 30, 2014

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InBOX Follow us on Facebook @ www.facebook.com/TheIndependentMagazineUganda Follow us on Twitter @ http://twitter.com/#!/ugandatalks

Where is the objectivity?

President Yoweri Museveni Refer to: “Mbabazi’s fate” (The Independent Oct.10).

This article and some of the reactions to it goes a long way to show how de-graded Ugandans have become, no objective thinking and

News aNalysis

analysis of events. At the moment almost 80 per cent of respondents believe President Yoweri Museveni is right to shove aside whoever aims at Presidency and as well making it a crime to do such. I am no supporter of JPAM because he was part and parcel of the machinery that laid out the foundation of dictatorship, but looking back at almost all presidential contenders against Museveni, there is not one who has not been victimised. This lead to one question: Have Ugandans accepted that the way Museveni and the family rules them is the way to go? Good Luck.

Stewart

TribuTe:

Independence

Letters are welcome !

Day in pictures

busiNess

Ali Al’amin NSSF’s Shs 366 Mazrui Feb.24 1933 to billion Oct.13, 2014

Issue No. 339 October 17 - 23, 2014

Ushs 5,000,Kshs 200, RwF 1,500, SDP 8

Supplement Uganda Health system strengthening project scholarships scheme

The Editor welcomes short and concise letters from our esteemed readers on topical issues. Please send them to: The Editor, The Independent Publications Ltd, P.O Box 3304, Plot 82/84 Kanjokya St, Kamwokya.

Kampala,Uganda.

What next for Afande Kaweesi?

Police boss Kayihura’s tactics under spotlight

Email: editor@independent.co.ug

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The Week

Uganda Police, Iran sign MoU

Country mourns tycoon Kasiwukira

IGP Kale Kayihura (L) and the Iranian IGP Brigadier General DV. Esmael Ahamdi Moghadan sign an addendum to the MoU under which Iran will train Uganda police officers in different fields. INDEPENDENT/Patrick Kagenda IGP General Kale Kayihura and his Iranian counterpart Brigadier General DV Esmael Ahmdi Moghadan on Oct. 18 signed an addendum to a memorandum of understanding (MOU) to strengthen collaboration and share experiences in training in marine, traffic, canine, ICT, strategic command (4CI), Special Forces, medical health care and welfare of police officers. The addendum follows the signing of an MOU between Iran and the government of Uganda on March 1, 2007 in Tehran. Gen. Kayihura said on top of completing the police polyclinic and building a 500-bed hospital that will also be

accessed by the public at an affordable cost, Iran will also provide technical support to the new garment factory of the force. Police Spokesperson Fred Enanga said a special delegation would be sent first to identify relevant fields of further study and both parties had agreed to identify and attach liaison officers at their respective embassies to enhance coordination in the implementation of the MOU. Recently, a group of 20 anti-terrorism officials who were trained by Iranian instructors were passed out at the Police Training School at Kabalye.

Oct. 17 was grim day for the business community and music fans countrywide.

The country woke up to the shocking news of the mysterious death of tycoon Eria Sebunnya Bugembe popularly known as Kasiwukira. His body was found a few meters from his Muyenga home lying in a pool of blood after hit and run car knocked him dead when he was on his routine morning jog. Though the post mortem report indicated that Kasiwukira had been hit by a speeding vehicle, suspicion of ill motive abounds. “We are not satisfied with police investigations. If Kasiwukira was knocked by a car, why doesn’t police explain to us why there were no smashed particles of the car windscreen or even treads of a breaking car at the scene?” asked Godfrey Kirumira, a city businessman. Kasiwukira started out by selling music cassette tapes for popular musicians such as the late Paul Kafeero , Haman Basudde, Afrigo Band, and Jose Chameleone, among others. In addition to owning SEB industries, manufacturers of tiles and pavers, Kasiwukira has been the owner of Nalubwama and Temuseo Mpoza arcades in the heart of Kampala.

Thousands of mourners from all walks of life attended his burial on Oct. 20.

Pistorious gets 5-year jail term for homicide

Oscar Pistorious

South African athlete Oscar Pistorious has been sentenced to five years in jail for killing his girl friend Reeva Steenkamp. Pistorious shot at Steenkamp three times through a bathroom door. In defense, he said he it was a mistake, as he suspected there was an intruder in his house in Pretoria,

South Africa’s capital. Judge Thokozile Masipa ruled that the athlete will serve a minimum of five years against a defense argument for community service and house arrest.

Pistorious was convicted of culpable homicide but cleared of murder.

Eria Sebunnya Bugembe

Rights group calls for review of ‘discriminatory’ laws Amnesty International, a human rights watchdog, has urged Uganda to review laws that it said have encouraged violence, gender-based discrimination and state repression. Sarah Jackson, Amnesty’s deputy regional director for East Africa, told the Prime Minister Ruhakana Rugunda on Oct.17 that the laws include the Public Order Management Act, the Anti-Pornography Act and the Anti-Homosexuality Act. She said the public order law was misinterpreted to mean people should seek permission, 6

rather than notify Police before holding gatherings and that the law should be reviewed to prevent violation of freedoms of assembly and of expression, accusing the legal framework of failure to recognize the basic unchallengeable rights of individuals. In a new report titled, “Rule by Law: Discriminatory Legislation and Legitimized Abuses in Uganda,” which was launched on Oct.16, the group says though Police enforcement of the laws has lessened, they have created fear among the people.

October 24 - 30, 2014

Deputy Regional Director Sarah Jackson hands over a copy of the latest Amnesty International Report to Prime Minister Dr Ruhakana Rugunda at his office Photo by PMPU

The Week

Makerere hosts continent's first Africhild Center A center of excellence for research on the state of the children in Africa has been established at Makerere University. The center, dubbed Africhild Center was launched on Oct. 15. Gender Minister Karoro Okurut said at the function that the centre was meant to improve child protection practices and inform public policy through scientific research and knowledge development across the continent. The center primarily focuses on research, advocacy, capacity building, technical backstopping and building partnerships. Karoro acknowledged the fact that Ugandan children, like other African children, are still facing problems of violence, abuse and unequal opportunities that need to be tackled. She said to tackle this problem, there’s need for more and better data on the situation of children and evidence on the impact of the efforts to improve child protection. Prof. Edward Kirumira, the principal of the College of Humanities and Social Sciences, was picked as the pioneer chairman of the AfriChild Center advisory board. He said Uganda was chosen to host the center due to the country’s robust legal

Amama Mbabazi Karooro Okurut, (M) joins the board members of the Centre of excellence for the study of African child to cuts a cake after the launch at Makerere University on Oct. 15. INDEPENDENT/JIMMY SIYA

Mbabazi takes leave amid pressure from NRM members

and policy frameworks in the region that relate to the well-being of children.

He said given its positioning in Uganda, and access to a wide range of southern networks, alongside northern ones, the center provides a huge opportunity for the facilitation and transfer of research outputs and effective practices across institutions, regions and sectors.

After nine years without leave, former Prime Minister and current NRM Secretary General Amama Mbabazi has taken two-months ‘leave’ effective Oct. 20. He wrote to the NRM Chairman President Yoweri Museveni notifying him that he had taken leave until Dec.31. In the letter, Mbabazi indicated that during his absence, the deputy SG Dorothy Hyuha would be performing his duties. The embattled Ex-premier has been under pressure from members of the NRM Central Executive Committee (CEC) to surrender the position of secretary general following his ouster from the cabinet over accusations that he was secretly mobilizing to take over from President Museveni. Recently, Capt Mike Mukula, the NRM National Vice Chairperson for eastern region, was quoted in the media warning Mbabazi to quit CEC or risk embarrassment. Grass root efforts have also been launched recently to kick him out. As the SG, Mbabazi has been a member of all the key decision-making organs, including CEC, which comprises the party’s chairman, four vice chairpersons, treasurer, representatives of historical, women and workers’ leagues.

Total CEO killed in plane crash in Russia A private jet Oct. 20 collided with a snow –clearing machine at Vnukovo airport in Moscow, Russia, killing a passenger and all three crew members. Airport officials confirmed that the dead passenger was Total’s Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Christophe de Margerie. All four were French nationals heading to Paris, France. Hours before his death, Margerie, 63, met Dmitry Medvedev, Russia’s prime minister, to discuss foreign investment. The Frenchman had been quoted in media defending Russia’s energy policies saying Europe needed the former’s gas following sanctions imposed on Russia over the Ukraine crisis. According to The Guard-

ian, Total in April forecast that Russia would become its biggest source of oil and gas by 2020 due to its partnership with the Russian energy company Novatek on the Yamal project. The project will tap natural gas reserves in north-west Siberia. Also, Russia accounted for about 9% of Total’s oil and gas output in 2013 and it is among Russia’s top foreign investors. The oil company is among the top four largest by market value behind Exxon, Royal Dutch Shell and Chevron.

De Margerie has been Total CEO since February 2007, and has overseen a string of new oil and gas investments in Africa, Uganda inclusive.

Modern sensibility

Biplous Touch

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October 24 - 30, 2014

7

News Makers

I have problems with Ugandans. They have no saving culture and do not know how to be economical. They overestimate themselves,” President Yoweri Museveni “This country has been brought to its knees by President Museveni, Corruption stinks to its high heaven, the Judiciary is compromised and the Parliament has remained a shadow… We (FDC) can present an alternative government to bring back the lost hope,” Maj Gen. Mu-

Minister of State for International Affairs, Henry Okello Oryem, (M) joinns members of the Korean Embassy in a mock preparation of Bibimbab (traditional Korean food) during the celebration of S.Korea’s National Foundation Day on Oct. 16.

INDEPENDENT/JIMMY SIYA

Kiwanuka Moses (L), the national vice chair Youth Eastern Uganda and Kitatta Ibrahim the Youth League chairman Lwengo District and member of the National Conference, display some of the signed lists by NRM youth members asking the secretary general Amama Mbabazi to resign. INDEPENDENT/

gisha Muntu

Amama is a cautious shrewd Contriver who always acts as a smooth operator … he knows this (sacking )is not the end of life…like everybody else, he will sit down and reflect on what is known as the after-action review,” Simon Mulongo A visitor to the Uganda Press Photo Exhibition and Awards 2014 looks at some of the photos that where exhibited at Makerere University Art Gallery on Oct. 15. INDEPENDENT/JIMMY

“If you decide to offer a service (child care) do it with all your heart and soul.

This business of giving lip service will not be entertained anymore,” Mary Okurut

917

Number of unregistered orphanages the gender ministry says it will close. Out of the 1,000 existing orphanages, only 83 are registered.

8

JIMMY SIYA

SIYA

Shs 220, 000

Shs 19 b

Amount of a loan Uganda Clays has Amount Makerere students will pay in failed to pay that NSSF has decided graduation fees, up from to take over Shs 90,000, the reason some of them are striking.

October 24 - 30, 2014

Shs 30 b

Amount UNRA has earmarked to compensate 400 people affected by the construction of the second phase of the Northern By-pass.

Opinion

The Last Word

Behind public sector incompetence

By Andrew M. Mwenda

It is a product of poor incentives rather than lack of professional competence

T

he usual response of the international development community to public sector incompetence in poor countries is obvious – and makes sense.

First they advise that we should put in place institutions of accountability like parliamentary oversight committees, a free press, an ombudsman etc. The second is to give financial aid to pay salaries of public officials, furnish government offices with modern technology gadgets – computers and cars etc. The third is technical assistance in form of skilled foreigners to perform tasks.

These interventions have been employed across our continent for over 50 years with little to show for all the money and effort. Yet they continue to enjoy broad support among the international development agencies and African intellectuals, “civil society” activists, politicians and journalists. I have grown increasingly suspicious of these solutions to the point of exhaustion. Today I can hardly read a book or an article in a newspaper or even listen to a politician or academic speak.

They just parrot the same talking points without reference to our reality.

In 1998, my friend gave a car dealer he trusted Shs5 million to import for him a car from Dubai. The guy took the money and disappeared – apparently, he had gone broke. My friend reported to police.

He then spent the next four months visiting the Central Police Station (CPS) headquarters in Kampala almost daily. Nothing came of these efforts. One morning I linked him to a Criminal Investigations Department (CID) officer to assist locate the car dealer. He gave some “facilitation” to the CID officers and within two hours they called us back to CPS and we found the man there – arrested. With a threat of throwing him in jail, his family refunded my friend’s money and the CID officers took a small percentage of it.

I learnt that CID has capacity to locate a criminal within a few hours. Whenever a crime happens, the ability of CID to investigate it depends on the persons involved.

For example, if a very rich man is involved in a serious crime, CID officers will investigate the matter and produce a report akin to what you would expect of the New York Police Department (NYPD) or even

better. However, they might not hand it to the state. Instead they might take it to the rich man and say: you can buy your way out of this case or we can take it to the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP).

Of course the rich man will pay a couple of millions of shillings and the CID will submit a watered down report for the DPP who will take it to court and lose the case. Cases involving small poor people in villages are poorly investigated because there is no incentive for police officers to do a good job. When there is political pressure – like in the case of John Katuramu etc. – the police will be careful because the president and his top men are watching.

Besides this is the time to prove oneself and secure a promotion or get fired. The problem is therefore not one of capacity but incentives. Pouring money into the police to “build capacity” is wrong when incentives are poorly arranged.

This insight is the key to understanding the growing threat of epidemics like Ebola and their likelihood to precipitate economic – or even state – collapse in West Africa. As I write this article, the international community has been seized by a “save the Africans” fever. The US and UK governments, the EU and the UN, NGOs like Doctors Without Borders etc. are falling over themselves to save Liberia, Sierra Leone and Guinea. Even with the massive foreign help (witness the billions of dollars and the armies of doctors, nurses, administrators, etc. who are flocking to these countries), the virus seems to spread and spread.

Yet just look at Uganda’s healthcare system: with all the good things it has done, it is still a shame. According to the World Bank, our hospitals and clinics diagnose diseases correctly only 30% of the time. Drugs are often diverted from public hospitals where they are free to be sold in private clinics owned by people working in the hospital. Patients go to public hospitals where doctors recommend drugs available at their private clinics – well because they took the drugs out of the government hospital.

I once visited Mulago and witnessed a lady giving birth on the floor as the blood of another (who had given birth on the same floor) was flowing freely to her ears.

Mothers of newly born babies by caesarean section were locked in a room that used to be a store. It had no ventilation; no lighting except by kerosene candles and the women were packed there like sardines. Across the hall, other mothers who had given birth by the natural process were being housed on the balcony with no windows or mosquito nets. I wondered what Uganda’s free press, civil society, parliament, elected president, etc. do to help.

Yet this same dysfunctional healthcare system has consistently contained Ebola each time it has reared its ugly head in our country. What do our public and clinical health officials, our politicians and administrators see in Ebola that makes them pull out all their skills and public spiritedness but which is absent when it comes to routine healthcare problems of malaria, whooping cough etc.? What incentives motivate high levels of public spiritedness and professional competence in response to Ebola in Uganda that we can transfer to routine health problems?

To resolve the problems of service delivery, public debate in Uganda (and Africa) needs to shift from democracy to incentives. What incentives will make public officials serve the ordinary citizen diligently? A genuinely democratic system while desirable (and we should always strive for it) does not necessarily produce a government that serves its people. It is possible that excellent public service in Sweden and Norway is a product of the conscience of the elite than of democracy. I’ve read and witnessed the depredations of the public sector in India – a genuine democracy with a free press, free and fair regular elections, regular changes of government and a vibrant civic life. Its public sector, in performing basic functions like healthcare, education and provision of clean water to its poor citizens who constitute the majority, is worse than Uganda’s. India taught me that a democratic process can produce undemocratic outcomes. What are required are incentives that make public officials serve the ordinary citizen. amwenda@independent.co.ug October 24 - 30, 2014

9

Cover Story

Killings in the city Policing experts explain what has gone wrong

By Patrick Kagenda

In the wee hours of October 17, a well-known businessman,Eriabu Sebunya Bugembe aka Kasiwukira, was found dead a few metres from the gate to his mansion in Muyenga, an upscale suburb south east of Kampala city. Kasiwukira, who made his first millions in the music recording business, was an assistant treasurer to Kwagalana, an exclusive club of some of the richest men and women in the city.

P

reliminary investigation points at an attack as he was heading out for his routine morning jog. Police forensic investigation, basing on evidence of extensive damage to internal organs, appears to confirm earlier speculation that he was run over by a car. Was it a hit-and-run accident? If so, was it a

targeted hit?

Kampala is a quiet city with minimal crime especially in high-end residential areas like Muyenga. Accidents are more common as the

October 24 - 30, 2014

roads are narrow forcing joggers to jostle for space with motorists on poorly designed and unlit roads.

Kasiwukira’s slaying, if it is indeed a homicide as police is saying is a major blot on the police in many ways. Many commentators have noted that it happened, literally, in the police boss, IGP Kale Kayihura’s backyard. IGP Kayihura lives in Muyenga which is also home to police’s pet project: the `community policing’ model. This approach, which is being promoted

by IGP Kayihura, always uses Muyenga as a model.

Unfortunately, the model which emphasises collaboration between police and the community to fight crime

Cover story appears to have failed this time.

Preliminary information suggests that the vehicle suspected to have knocked and killed Kasiwukira was parked in the area for some time. Although, it is said not to have had a number plate, no red flags were raised in this model policing village.

But Kasiwukira’s killing is also significant as it happened just a day after a murder that has shaken the nation.

On October 16, 2014, three men, all of them with links to the Police Flying Squad team assigned to fight serious crime were shot by a city trader; Geoffrey Muhairwe.

Juma Deogratius Jaaya, a police operative from the nearby Kibuye Police Station, and Muhammad Kiwana, a former police operative in the Wembley Squad, the precursor of the Flying Squad were killed on the spot.

When their bodies were retrieved from Ndeeba, a downtown suburb of the city, it is alleged that Shs20 million in cash was recovered from the scene of crime.

Another man, Matiya Lukwana Busuulwa, also a former police operative in Wembley, survived with serious injuries and is in hospital. What happened is not clear yet.

Police crime link

According to police, the businessman; Muhairwe, says Kiwana and Busuulwa had offered to sell him boat engines for Shs20 million.

At this point, possibly because he was a serving officer, the police are saying it is not clear how Jaaya got mixed in their transaction. It is also not clear why the money was not exchanged at Muhairwe`s business premises but at a fuel station a short distance away. In a mafia style exchange setting, all four people involved were armed with guns. “There is a puzzle we are trying to put together to establish the authenticity of the matter,” says Fred Enanga, the police spokesman, “The fact that they all were armed shows the level of distrust between them and must have been to something else. “We are trying to establish who armed these people and why the trader shot them from behind, which means they posed no threat to him.”

The Ndeeba shooting and the involvement of its current and former officers, has put the police on the spot. Although the men are all linked to police, residents in the area where they died say they are well-known criminals. Even the would be victim, Muhairwe, is no angel, according to residents. They say he has a criminal record.

The police say the license for the gun he was carrying had not been renewed.There is also talk of a second shooter; an accomplice to Muhairwe, who is not being mentioned.

According to Enanga, the police are investigating how its officers, current and former, were caught up in the shootout.

But some observers, including Fred Egesa, a former police officer turned-security

Geoffrey Muhairwe's shop in Ndeeba Nsike II Village Lubaga division. analyst and private investigator, it is quite clear what is going on.

They partly blame the surge in crime on so-called `informers’ in serious crime fighting outfits. Both Wembley and the Flying Squad, they say, are built on the model of `using a thief to catch a thief’. As a result, known criminals are seen in cohorts with police, at the stations, in police transport, and during operations. In the end, the socalled informers start passing off as police officers. As IGP Kayihura has said on numerous occasions, most of these people have military backgrounds.

“This city is awash with veterans of former rebel groups and now we have Iraq returnees who are jobless,” he said at a police function in September.

Egesa and others are warning of danger.

“The police should stop depending much on informers because they oscillate

IGP Gen. Kale Kayihura

Independent/ P. Kagenda

between the government and criminals.

They should be regulated and countered because they can become case blockers at the same time,” says Egesa.

False police deployments

Egesa says Uganda is witnessing a surge in general crime as the country advances economically.

“People`s love for riches is increasing and lifestyles are changing,” he says, “As people want more they design ways of how to acquire what they want and some of these ways may be through crime.”

“The situation has been made worse by the Uganda police lacking what in security terms is called `intelligence dreamers’ to project what crime is bound to emerge, at what time, why and what will be the implications of that crime,” he adds.

While appreciating some of its achievements, Egesa is also critical of today’s police methods.

“Today there is a lot of false deployments and the criminals know that response to an attack is almost zero. That is why we are seeing villages raided by thugs, homes broken into and police only appearing in the morning.”

He could be referring to crimes like what happened on the night of Aug. 27 when robbers broke into several homes of residents of Bwebajja Jjanyi and KKB Zone along Entebbe Road in Wakiso District near Kampala.

Bwebajja Jjanyi LC1, Jimmy Kimala, says the thieves struck at around 1am. They raided house-to-house and took away cash, phones, TV sets, and other portable electrical gadgets.

The attackers left over 21 people injured, some seriously. Bwebajja is under the KajOctober 24 - 30, 2014

11

Cover story jansi Police Station, which is about 4kms from the scene of the attack.

The Bwebajja attack hit headlines and sparked a flurry of police activity. However, that did not deter attackers from hitting another village, this time in Mukono District, also near Kampala around the same time and in similar style.

When Nantabulirwa Village in Goma Division in Mukono District was attacked, the robbers also were after laptops, TV sets, Hoofers, phones, flat irons, and other electronics. The Nantabulirwa police post was even nearer; just 1.5kms away and the officers on duty could easily hear the alarm of besieged villagers.

However, as in the Bwebajja robbery, police only appeared in the morning, long after the attackers had vanished.

sation,” he says.

Egesa says it is a mistake to find a police constable in the traffic department today, in CID next month, and the other month in the Environment Protection Force and so on. He says such a constable will not master any policing skills, “All they can do best is to give a SITREP (situational report).

Declining crime figures

The incidents come at a time when, according to the Uganda Police Annual Crime Report 2013, cases of robberies; both aggravated and simple, had decreased by 15.8% from 4,194 cases in 2012 to 3,620 cases in 2013. But the recent surge in crime could see to higher figures for 2014.

The same annual crime report says in 2013, 7,095 cases of break-ins were investigated compared to 7, 340 cases in 2012, reflecting a decrease of 3.4% while 18, 146 cases of thefts were investigated in 2013 as compared to 20, 649 cases in 2012 reflecting a decrease of 13.8%. Yet burglary alone, which recorded 3,846, was among the top 10 crimes registered. This means the crime was on a lowly trend.

The other danger is that the new crime trend of break-ins and burglary appears to be carried out by highly organised gangs.

This can be easily picked from what appears to be a rising spate of violent crime across the country.

On Sept. 5 Excel Supermarket, also in Kajjansi, was attacked, the guard killed, and goods stolen after a break in.

On Sept. 12 at around 3am thieves broke into a university students’ hostel in Kampala.

At about 5am on Sept. 29, passengers aboard a Kampala bound taxi from Luwero were robbed of all their possessions at gun point by two pistol welding men. Majority of the passengers were traders.

On Oct. 14 the Uganda Wildlife Authority outpost in Bukwo, Kapakaburi was attacked and a ranger attached to Mount Elgon National Park was killed.

Experts like Egesa say, the rise in crime should have been anticipated and planned for by police.

“As a country advances so does crime, especially general crime which needs a formation, design and procedure for intelligence. Today this is not happening in the Uganda police, because there is no speciali12

October 24 - 30, 2014

“There should be steady brains that sit and analyze, assess, and counter,” he says, “If this is not there criminals take the day and it becomes very easy for them to earn through crime.”

He suggests that what is needed now is an IGP in charge of domestic intelligence who hails from a domestic intelligence background.

“Lack of a supervisor or an oversight body above the CID has made the police a breeding ground for corruption because officers know once a case is reported they can manipulate it and no one will ask them their interest in that case.

“All the retired domestic intelligence officers should be kept active in service like is the case in China or in the west because letting them sit idle yet they have a lot of knowledge is not only a big waste but a security threat to the country as the case is slowly appearing to be in Uganda,” he says.

More personnel needed

Fred Enanga the Police Spokesperson

The incidents come at a time when, according to the Uganda Police Annual Crime Report 2013, cases of robberies; both aggravated and simple, had decreased by 15.8% from 4,194 cases in 2012 to 3,620 cases in 2013

“Today the CID is not fully empowered and allowed to flow,” he says, “What has happened is that Gen. Kayihura has built a very strong efficient crack force but has failed on building a strong police intelligence unit.”

He says this is partly because the boss, Inspector General of Police (IGP) Kale Kayihura, is an army general and “sees things only in the way they are done in the army.”

But, Egesa says, unlike army operations, the techniques of tackling domestic insecurity do not change much. What is needed is intelligence gathering and this requires creation of an intelligence brain bank.

In their defence, Police spokesperson Fred Enanga says the lack of planning in Uganda’s urban centres, including Kampala, foments crime.

“It has led to sprawling slums, with inaccessible roads and poor lighting which breeds crime and makes police response to incidences tricky,” he says.

Then he hints on a problem that refuses to go away; the lack of personnel.

Enanga says there is growing general crime because the huge numbers of people moving from the rural countryside to urban centres like Kampala are putting pressure on policing needs.

Although the general number of police personnel has risen from about 20,000 five years ago to about 45,000 today and counting, Enanga says more are needed.

“People are coming to Kampala in the hope of getting jobs and when they fail, they resort to other means some of which is crime. Also the cost of living has gone so high that people are devising alternative means thus resorting to crime,” he says.

The Chairperson of the Parliamentary Committee on Defense and Internal Affairs, Namugwanya Benny Bugembe, agrees with Enanga that the lack of jobs leads to high crime levels.

“Unemployment has reached very high and unbearable levels,” she says, “many people are attracted to Kampala when looking for jobs and when they fail getting the jobs some resort to crime.”

She says her committee has advised the government to recruit and deploy more policemen. “The police budget is to be increased to do more community policing,” she says. But, she adds, the government has to come up with a comprehensive plan to employ the youth.

Cover story

a better future.

October 24 - 30, 2014

13

Supplement

Karamoja taking baby steps towards providing nutritious meals to its children

S

NV Uganda’s Learning and Earning through school Gardens (LEARN) project is slowly starting to take root in the North Eastern Karamoja region. The two year project is bringing parents back to school through use of school gardens as demonstration learning centres for good agricultural practices. In Nakapiripirit district, one of the two districts in Karamoja where the project is being implemented, parents have already established and planted school gardens in all the 15 target schools. While the uptake is still slow, the start

is encouraging.

Karamoja is home to 1.2 million people.

UNDP’s development index puts Karamoja as one of the World’s poorest places. Malnutrition in the region is the highest in Uganda with 45% of children under 5 stunted (UNICEF, 2014); and over 80% of Karamoja’s population live below the poverty line.

Because of the high rate of polygamy in the region, many women are left to fend for the family. Close to one fourth of the households depend on women to simultaneously

Parents of Napiananyia primary school harvesting vegetable (cowpeas leaves) ii14

October October 03 24 -- 09, 30, 2014 2014

source incomes and run the household. Not surprising therefore that most of the victims of malnutrition are women and children.

The region has depended on World Food programme relief for the last 50 years, food security remains elusive to this very day with many Karamojong’s still expecting relief food to continue.

The main causes of household food insecurity across the region are attributed to reduced access to food (in particular staples) as a result of lack of sufficient livelihood and income generating options at the

Midday meals in Natapararengan primary school enriched with vegetables from the parents-led demo garden. 5 schools have started enriching the midday meals with vegetables. household level and high food prices which are a result of supply – demand imbalances which is exacerbated by the lack of sufficient food being produced in the area. The above factors have resulted in inadequate food consumption with many families having one meal a day and poor dietary diversity for large sections of the population.

After half a century of providing lifesaving relief, with reduced donor funds, even the most dedicated humanitarian organisation like WFP is rethinking their humanitarian assistance to Karamoja. The UN agency has cut down on food relief and is slowly moving away from food donations to cash and voucher based assistance to the most vulnerable groups including school going children who depend exclusively on WFP for their mid-day meals. But this in itself is not enough. Like most rural areas in Uganda, agriculture still remains the primary source of income and food security. Addressing the food insecurity concern in Karamoja will require efforts aimed at incorporating growing of food into their nomadic lifestyle. The challenge is how?

SNV has since 2009, used the school gar-

dens model to engage and mobilise parents and community members to participate more actively in the education of their children. School gardens serve as an entry point to interest rural parents to come to the school on regular basis to learn good agriculture practices from the school demonstration gardens and at the same time discuss and find local solutions to the issues affecting the learning outcomes of their children. The uniqueness of the school garden model is that it addresses the household food security issues affecting the parents and the school related issues affecting the learning of their children at the same time. School gardens also provide an avenue for nutrition and environmental education for pupils, parents and community members.

SNV’s field experience in implementing the school gardens programme in 750 primary schools in the districts of Arua, Nebbi, Nwoya, Kasese, Kyenjojo, Bundibugyo, Soroti and Lira has shown the commonality of food security issues affecting rural households; the majority of rural households are grappling with low farm productivity, limited access to markets, limited access to exten-

sion services and adverse effects of climate change. The approach of using school gardens as demonstration centres for surrounding communities to learn good agriculture practices has proved to be effective because schools serve as a great pull centre since a significant number of rural communities have their children in schools. By encouraging parents to participate and learn good agricultural practices, many have ended up adopting the practices at home and realising improvement in farm productivity. It also helps youths to learn agriculture at an early age and view it positively hence producing a cadre of young people capable of feeding the future generations.

The LEARN project is targeting improving food security for 1,250 parents in 25 schools in Abim and Nakapiripirit district and ultimately having these parents providing mid-day meals to their children (3,750 school going children).

Already communities are slowly buying into the idea of participating in the school gardens and adopting the good agricultural practices at home. A total of 72 parents from 2 schools (Loreng and Lokaala primary school) are learning good agricultural practices in Nakapiripirit. Parents in 5 schools in Nakapiripirit have already harvested cow peas from their school gardens and have started supplementing their children’s diet by adding vegetables to the food cooked at school. Parents in the 5 schools are also drying the cowpeas leaves for pupils to eat during the dry season.

Parents are now being trained on nutrition sensitive agriculture to tackle the severe cases of malnutrition in the communities.

Across the schools, each school garden is encouraged to plant among other crops vegetables (cowpeas, amaranthus and beans).

SNV is also supporting the formation of young entrepreneurship clubs at school to encourage children to take up agriculture as a vocation given the high school dropout rates in the region. 6 pupil clubs have planted gardens.

It may take a while to wean Karamoja off its dependency on relief aid but the small baby steps and results being seen are a good indication that the time for the region to become self-reliant may have finally come.

October October 03 24 -- 09, 30, 2014 2014

iii 15

Rwanda

Bernard Makuza the new President of the Rwanda Senate. Courtesy Photo

By Our Correspondent

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he new President of the Rwanda Senate is Bernard Makuza. He was on Oct.14 elected unopposed in a vote supervised by President Paul Kagame. He was voted by 25 senators out of 26. The event was attended by government officials, diplomats, and representatives of international agencies.

The office of Senate President which doubles as that of the country’s vice president has been vacant since the abrupt resignation of Dr. Jan Damascene Ntawukuriryayo last month that insiders say was instigated by a vote of no confidence that was underway.

Senator Prof. Laurent Nkusi who was nominated by a fellow senator turned down the request and instead campaigned for Makuza during the exercise in the Rwandan parliament. Makuza who was nominated

by Senator Munshinzimana Alphonse is a veteran of Rwandan politics Makuza has been one of the two vice presidents of the senate and joined the House in 2011 as a presidential nominee. He has been responsible for two critical roles of the House; legislation and oversight.

Prior to joining the country’s bicameral parliament, the new president served in ambassadorial capacities in Burundi and Germany before being appointed a prime minister by ex-president Pasteur Bizimungu in 2000, a position he held until 2011.

This 11 year turn as the chief minister 16

October 24 - 30, 2014

Makuza’s moment Former Prime Minister elected Rwandan Senate President “I know a lot has been achieved but we have to work together in all areas by identifying the opportunities for Rwandans but also to find solutions for the existing challenges,” he said means Makuza managed to succeed where his predecessors Faustin Twagiramungu, now firebrand opposition politician based in Belgium, and Celestin Rwigema, a parliamentarian at the East African Legislative Assembly failed. His staying on longer could be an indication of acquiring good mastery of how government works and RPF politics. The appointment of Makuza to the prime minister docket reduced the

turnover of Rwanda’s prime ministers which made the position look volatile and a potential disruption of government business. His successor Dr. Damien Habumuremyi’s stay was relatively very short.

He was removed in the recent cabinet reshuffle in which President Kagame shuffled a number of ministers and dropped others after occupying the office for less than three years.

Sources in government attribute Makuza’s success as senior minister to his understanding of President Kagame’s methods of work. Indeed, in his acceptance speech, Makuza committed not to deviate from the agenda of the government.

The position of senate president is critical in the Rwandan government. Article 38 of the constitution vests powers to approve appointment of heads of judiciary, ambassadors. and heads of commissions in its hands. But more importantly, the head of Senate is the interim president designate in case of an eventuality that could prohibit the President to execute his duties like

Rwanda death, resignation or permanent incapacity.

A lawyer by training, the new senate president is said to have been a member of the defunct Democratic Republican Party.

In the spirit of power sharing, presidents of the senate have always originated from other political parties other than the ruling RPF. Neither President Kagame nor Makuza bothered as a courtesy to acknowledge the work of the outgoing president, perhaps confirming earlier speculation that his departure was due to something bigger than meets the eye. President Paul Kagame after officiating the swearing in ceremony, took some few minutes to challenge some leaders about poor leadership and greed for selfenrichment instead of serving the citizens.

“The first offense as a leader is to lie to those you serve.

Leadership is not about working for your own benefit. Leadership is not about working for your own interests, your status or that of your family and friends it’s about serving,” he said.

“There are those who use you and praise you so that you fulfil their benefits rather than serve your people. Make a choice between your interests and that of our people,”

Makuza speaks out

After swearing-in, the new senate president assured the country of his ambitions to serve Rwandans calling on his fellow leaders to cooperate and work together for the economic development of the country.

“I know a lot has been achieved but we have to work together in all areas by identifying the opportunities for Rwandans but also to find solutions for the existing challenges,” he said.

Who is Bernard Makuza?

Bernard Makuza (born 30 September 1961) is a Rwandan politician who was Prime Minister of Rwanda from March 8, 2000 to October 6, 2011.

He was a member of the Democratic Republican Movement (MDR) before allegations were made that the party promoted genocide. He then resigned membership before being appointed Prime Minister and now belongs to no party.

Makuza was the Rwandan Ambassador to Burundi and then Ambassador to Germany before being appointed as Prime Minister.

His appointment to the latter post by President Pasteur Bizimungu in March 2000 followed the resignation of Prime Minister Pierre-Célestin Rwigema, who had been heavily criticised in the Rwandan press and by some parliamentarians.

On 6 October 2011, President Kagame appointed Pierre Habumuremyi to replace Makuza as Prime Minister. Makuza was instead appointed to the Senate and later this week elected as the Senate president.

Rwanda may sell next dollar bond with growth beating region

By Agencies

Rwanda is planning to offer longer-dated local debt and may sell its second Eurobond as early as next year as the East African nation’s economy is set to grow faster than the regional average. The dollar debt sale “won’t be this year,” Finance Minister Claver Gatete said in an interview in London on Oct.20. “We believe it can be 2015.” The government is deciding whether to make the maturity on next month’s Rwandan franc issuance seven years, the longest yet, he said.

R

wanda is transforming its debt marInternational Monetary Fund projects subket with more sales of local securities Saharan Africa growth of 5.1 percent this after the debut US$400 million interyear and 5.8 percent in 2015. national bond in 2013. The Eurobond due Relations with foreign donors, who May 2023 returned 11 percent this pulled aid from Rwanda over year, compared with the 9.5 concern that the country was percent average among 57 supporting rebels in neigh“There are no emerging markets tracked bouring Democratic Repubby Bloomberg indexes. lic of Congo, “are now problems with the President Paul Kagcompletely repaired,” donors.” The Rwandan ame said in August the Gatete said. “There are country may sell as no problems with the government has denied much as $1 billion in donors.” The Rwandan claims it backed fighters its second international government has denied offer. Gatete said they claims it backed fighters in in Congo are still working on details Congo. and declined to comment Yields on Rwanda’s dollar on the amount or what the bond were little changed at proceeds would be used for.

6.6 percent by 9:27 a.m. in Kigali.

Rwanda may issue franc debt with The country is rated B+ at Fitch Ratings maturities as long as 20 years, he said.

Ltd. and B at Standard & Poor’s. Gatete Gross domestic product will probably said the coffee-producing nation is targrow more than 6 percent this year and geting BB, putting it on par with Croatia exceed 7 percent in 2015, he said. The and Guatemala.

Finance Minister Claver Gatete October 24 - 30, 2014

17

Rwanda

Kagame speaks out on BBC documentary `Rwanda’s untold story’ carries connotations of betrayal

By Our Correspondent

Rwanda National Congress (RNC), a group of Rwandan exiles whom government accuses of being involved in subversive activities in Kigali with intention of destabilising the country. “They used revisionists and genocidaires to give the Rwandan narrative; the truth about Rwanda. We are now the killers and the genocidaires are not. It’s the publicity being done. All discredited people for various reasons on Rwandan story are the ones who have been selected to tell the story that should be believed about all of us,” Kagame noted.

The Rwanda leader asked why an institution of BBC stature could choose to tell lies.

Rudasingwa, formerly a director of cabinet in the office of the President. documentary by BBC that seeks to The two are senior members of RNC and rewrite the 1994 genocide against courts have convicted them in absentia over the Tutsi is raising criticism globally crimes related to threatening state security. and in Rwanda. President Paul Kagame, Also, interviewed are researchers and indischolars and researchers on Rwanda around viduals whom IBUKA and Kigali view as the world, and civil society say the BBC’s genocide deniers. documentary titled: `This World: Rwanda’s President Kagame said well-intentioned untold story’ is an attempt to negate the criticism is good because there is always a genocide and undermine Rwandans. The lot to learn from it but he said those behind President who was supervising the election the BBC documentary were cynics. of the new president of the Rwanda Senate “We are getting stronger not weaker... on Oct.14 at the Rwandan Parliament in such things should give us more strength.

Kigali said it was regrettable that a media Let us do more of what we are doing. house of BBC stature That’s the only way to chose to produce a pack answer back to these of views by people he cynics. Every day termed ‘completely I read these things discredited.’ He said the I feel stronger than documentary carries conever before,” Kagame notations of betrayal. told an audience that It was the first time included diplomats Kigali responded to the from European capidocumentary which BBC tals. has denied negates the The Rwandan genogenocide. cide happened just 20 Linda Melvern, the years ago and is very top British journalist fresh in the minds of President Paul Kagame Gen. Kayumba Nyamwasa Dr. Theogene Rudasingwa and researcher who has those who survived spent over 20 years on and witnessed it. Any the genocide story and authored a book; He cited double standards in the practice of revisionist approach towards it angers them `A People Betrayed’ is quoted by press as freedom of expression as advocated for by and they feel either not understood or blasaying: “Some aspects of this film are very the west, saying the no western media can tantly minimised. troubling.” Some Rwandans and friends give same treatment to what happened in Several petitions and joint protest letters of Rwanda took to the BBC Broadcasting Bosnia and the Holocaust. by various scholars in the world have been House to protest the broadcaster’s “revisionKagame said: “I have never seen where directed to BBC Director General, Tony ist” approach to the Rwandan genocide. the world supports terrorism…these people Hall. They accuse the media house on misRwandan survivors’ groups have written in the BBC Documentary were behind the informing the world. They want the BBC to to the BBC’s Director General, Tony Hall, throwing of grenades and killing Rwandans apologise. to complain that `Rwanda’s Untold Story’ and they were given platform. I think they “Three of the untenable claims made politicises the 1994 massacres and makes should give it to ISIL. Why don’t they give in the programme are of the utmost con“a mockery of the BBC’s reputation for them platform in the name of freedom of cern: the first is a lie about the true nature integrity and fairness”. Andrew Wallis, the speech and see what they say?” of the Hutu Power militia. The second author of `Silent Accomplice: The Untold The ISIL is an acronym for Islamic State, is an attempt to minimize the number of Story of France’s Role in the Rwandan a military outfit fighting to carve out an Tutsi murdered in the genocide, and the Genocide’, has said the BBC has “pushed Islamic state in the Middle East region of third is an effort to place the blame for aside” 20 years of scholarly research into the Iraq and Syria. It advances an extreme form shooting down President Habyarimana’s massacres. of Islam. plane on April 6, 1994 on the Rwandan The documentary which has been conProminently, the BBC report features Patriotic Front (RPF),” one of the petidemned by IBUKA, an association of genoformer senior officials in the RPF governtions reads. “We hope that the BBC mancide survivors and a section of scholars and ment who have since fallen out and live in agement will quickly realise the gravity civil society was shown on BBC Two early exile like Gen. Kayumba Nyamwasa, former of the genocide denial in `Rwanda’s this month. It features some members of ambassador to India and Dr. Theogene Untold Story’,” the petition adds.

A

18

Feature

Hair extensions and goats Salons hope you can’t tell goats and humans apart

By Sam Piranty

In China, hair extensions, wigs and weaves are big business. Buyers in hair salons and shopping malls are often told they are getting real human hair - but when you look closely, sometimes things are not as they seem. In a tiny village in Hunan province, central China a man dressed in a white vest and shorts rides around the dusty streets on a rusty bicycle, shouting and ringing his bell.

I

stop him and ask what he’s up to. "I’m collecting hair," he says. "When I ring my bell women come out and I cut their hair.

I make hair extensions."

I ask him how much he pays women for their hair. "I offer them a good price, but I need to make a profit," he says with a smile.

The streets of the village are covered in hair drying beneath the scorching sun.

Some of the hair is definitely human hair, yet the number of shaven goats wandering the streets suggests otherwise.

After collecting the hair, he takes it to a small factory where ten women weave it together into hair extensions.

Looking on, I can see that some of the hair being woven together is human and 20

October 24 - 30, 2014

some of it definitely is not. He then sells it to larger factories where it is treated with chemicals before being sold to shops around the country. I left Hunan wanting to see where the hair went next. So I visited the megacity of Guangzhou. The city - formerly known as Canton - has always been one of China’s most important trading hubs and wealthiest cities.

Massive hotels and office blocks dominate the skyline close to the vast and murky brown Pearl River. The tops of the skyscrapers are hidden amid the thick palpable pollution. Beneath the smog is where I met Lily. She owns a shop selling wigs and hair extensions in Guangzhou’s enormous beauty exchange centre in an area known as

Sanyuanli.

Here you can buy anything from nail polish and night cream to foot spas and foundation. The lower floor of the market however is dedicated to hair - terrifying mannequins sport wigs and weaves of every colour the rainbow has to offer.

Lily sits on a stool in her shop, bunching the recently delivered hair together into fringes, curls and metre-long straight extensions.

The hair is held together with labels which supposedly tell us their country of origin. Here, apparently, one can buy hair from Peru, India and Brazil.

There are no Chinese customers here though - every buyer seems to be from Africa. Nigerians, Ghanaians, Congolese, South Africans, Angolans and Ugandans scour the impressive hall for the best-priced hair extensions available. They tell me they can triple their money when they get home.

Towards the end of a busy day I ask shop owner Lily how her business is doing. "It’s ok, we used to sell to Europe and America, but now nearly 100% of my clients are in Africa," she says.

Lily shows me a list of the nationalities of the traders she sells to - of the 39 countries on the list, 37 are in Africa, reflecting the large African community in this city.

"It’s good business for me, but the problem is we pay more for the hair now, as living and production costs in China are higher now."

Lily then describes how in order to make her business profitable, she has to use fake scales when weighing out hair to customers and buy a mixture of human hair and synthetic or goat hair to lower costs.

"We say it is Indian hair or Brazilian hair, but in fact it is normally Chinese hair or even goat hair. They never realise. This is the only way we can keep things cheap," she says, adding that her customers always drive a hard bargain.

Before we can finish our conversation Marie from Uganda comes in, demanding: "I want Brazilian hair, only Brazilian, give me your best quality and best price."

The negotiation goes on for hours under the watchful eyes of the wig-wearing, angry-looking mannequins. As the sun sinks and the moon begins to rise over Guangzhou’s polluted skyline, Marie leaves empty-handed.

I run after her as she leaves the shop to ask if she knows that some of the hair isn’t human. "Of course I know. The Chinese think we’re stupid. I come all the way from Uganda and they think I don’t know hair," she says. Marie pauses and then lets out a huge, hearty laugh before coming close to whisper in my ear: "I laugh a lot when I go home and I know that the beautiful women of Kampala have goats on their heads."

BBC article

ADVERTORIAL

Family farming: Nourishing the world The fight against hunger forges ahead around the world, but with about 805 million people who still do not have enough to eat, a lot more still needs to be done.

Sixty-three developing countries have already reached the Millennium Development Goal hunger target of halving the proportion of chronic undernourishment by 2015. What their stories tell us is that to win the war against hunger we need political commitment, a holistic approach, social participation and family farming.

T

hroughout the world, family farmers play a crucial socio-economic, environmental and cultural role which, amid serious challenges, needs to be cherished and strengthened through innovation. Recognizing this, the United Nations designated 2014 as the International Year of Family Farming. The theme of this year’s World Food Day also celebrates the contribution family farmers make to food security and sustainable development: they feed the world and care for the earth.

The facts presented in FAO’s annual State of Food and Agriculture (SOFA) report clearly justify the emphasis being placed on family farming.

Around 500 million of the world’s 570 million farms are run by families. They are the main caretakers of our natural resources. As a sector, they form the world’s largest employer, supply more than 80 percent of the world’s food in terms of value, and are often the main producers of fresh food and prosper in dairy, poultry and pig production.

Yet many family farmers, especially subsistence producers, are part of the 70 percent of the world’s food-insecure population who live in rural areas. This means that family farmers still have a great potential they can

José Graziano da Silva fulfill with the right support.

SOFA points out the challenges the sector faces and how we can work together to overcome them.

Over the last few decades profound changes have happened in the way food is produced, traded and consumed.

Meanwhile, agricultural productivity has dramatically increased, thanks also to scientific and technological progress. A growing and increasingly urbanized world population is relying on food produced by a much smaller percentage of farmers compared to that of the post-Second World War period. The marketplace for agriculture and food products has become globalized. The diets of the vast majority of the people in the world rely on just four commodities. Family farming and the support it receives need to adjust in ways that can respond to these changing conditions. Innovation is key to make this happen: family farmers need to innovate in the systems they use; governments need to innovate in the specific policies they implement to support family farming; producers’ organizations need to innovate to respond better to the needs of family farmers; and research and extension institutions need to innovate by shifting from a researchdriven process predominantly based on technology transfer, to an approach that enables

and rewards innovation by family farmers themselves.

Additionally, in all its forms, innovation needs to be inclusive, involving family farmers in the generation, sharing and use of knowledge so that they have ownership of the process, taking on board both the benefits and the risks, and making sure that it truly responds to local contexts.

Clearly, family farmers need to produce enough food not just for themselves, but also for people in rural areas not involved in farming or city dwellers. They also need to generate income – money to buy inputs such as seeds and fertilizers, but also to guarantee decent livelihoods including paying for their children’s education and other needs.

flourishing production.

These efforts lead to sustainable territorial rural development, something that everyone – farmers, communities and governments – should invest in.

When we combine productive support to social protection and other public support such as better access to health facilities and schools, we can create a truly virtuous sustainable development cycle.

In the joint effort to promote environmentally sustainable and socially inclusive economic growth, women and the youth deserve special attention. Women play a crucial, yet not always duly recognized role throughout the food system – from producing and marketing food to ensuring adequate nutrition in families..

At the same time, we need to stem the exodus of the rural youth, who often are forced to look elsewhere when wishing to improve their lives. We need to create the conditions for the youth to view a life in rural areas as a future of opportunities; this includes training programs that can allow them tap into their entrepreneurial potential.

When family farmers are stronger, it is a win-win situation: more food available locally translates into more food security and into the possibility of producing and buying food for and in local markets. In turn, this means fresher and healthier meals that respect local culture and values local foods, contributes to better nutrition and makes more money flow in local economies helping them As we rapidly approach the flourish. The list of potential deadline of the Millennium benefits does not stop there Development Goals, we are also and includes, for instance, working together to forge the the possibility of linking local sustainable, hunger-free future production to school meals and we want. Family farmers are the opportunity to stimulate protagonists in this effort. industries that can support the October 24 - 30, 2014 21

I

By Nicole Namubiru f a couple is in a long term sexual relationship and one of them is HIV-positive and the other is negative, scientists refer to them as a `discordant couple’.

Dr Raymond Mwebaze, a general physician at St. Raphael of St. Francis Hospital Nsambya, says discordant couples are becoming quite common. “It is common that you will find HIV discordant couples some of which are discordant by choice,” he says.

Dr Mwebaze is describing an intriguing phenomenon of an HIV-negative person deliberatively choosing to be in a relationship with an HIV-positive person. Traditionally, it is unexpected that anyone who is HIV-negative would be in sexual contact with one who is positive. But that was in the past days, before the Anti-RetroViral (ARV) drugs were introduced and contracting HIV was like being sentenced to death.

Part of the reason that HIV-negative people are deliberatively choosing to be in a relationship with an HIV-positive person is that studies and findings on HIV transmission have proved that it is possible for a negative partner to be in an active sexual relationship with another that is positive for quite some time and not contract the virus. But there is a danger. “It is not a guarantee that the HIV negative partner will remain uninfected if they continue in an active sexual relationship with their HIV positive partner. This is because it is not clear what the reasons for discordance are,” cautions Dr Ben Kiwanuka of Mukwaya General Hospital. He advises such couples to nevertheless use protection during sex.

“Chances of contracting the virus cannot be ruled out,” he says.

The human body has several infection fighting mechanisms, one of which is called lymphocyte or white blood cell-mediated immunity. One of the White Blood Cells (WBCs) is known as the T-cell lymphocyte (T-cell). There are two main types of T-cells. One type has molecules called CD4 on its surface which helps organise the immune system to respond to infection.The other T-cell has a molecule called CD8 which destroys cells that are infected and produces antiviral substances.

Usually, when there is an infection, the number of WBCs in the blood increases to fight the infection. It does this by the CD4 replicating itself.

Scientists have found that HIV cannot live or survive outside a T-cell but, unfortunately, HIV has found a way of attaching itself to CD4 cells. The more the CD4 replicates, the more the virus also replicates. This is how HIV multiplies itself in the human body. In the process, the CD4 cells get infected and are attacked and destroyed by the CD8 cells.

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HIV-negative partners face infection risk Doctors explain why it’s best to use protection in a discordant relationship Even while a person with HIV feels well and has no symptoms, billions of CD4 cells are infected by HIV. Meanwhile, in a counter attack as the immune system attempts to protect the infected person, thousands of CD8 cells attack and destroy thousands of infected CD4 cells each day.

The measure of white blood cells (WBCs) per cubic millimetre of blood in a person’s body is what doctors call the CD4 count. In a normal adult body there are 4,000 to 10,000 (average 7,000) WBCs per cubic millimetre of blood.

However, as HIV infection progresses, more and more CD4 cells are destroyed. So a person’s CD4 count gives a good idea of how far the virus has progressed. Scientists believe most HIV transmission is from people with CD4 counts under 350.

Dr Mwebaze says scientists believe that in a discordant sexual relationship, the negative partner might have a difference in their cell receptors that the virus fails to find its way into the CD4 cell.

He bases on a famous study done in Nairobi on the so-called ‘Nairobi Prostitutes’ who were found to be HIV negative even when they had had unprotected sex with several partners, some of whom were found to be HIV positive.

“They were found to have changes on their cell surfaces that are presumed to be protective. The receptors on the surface of the cells on which the HIV virus should attach itself and enter the cell may be different from the normal. This means that the virus cannot penetrate into the cell,” he says.

“The other plausible factor could be as a

result of the presence of Immunoglobulin A (IgA) anti-bodies in the body fluid at the point of sexual entry. It could be in the vaginal secretions or the semen. These anti-bodies don’t allow the virus to survive in the secretion.

This could also protect a person from getting infected by the virus even if they have sexual contact with a positive person,” he adds.

He says it could also be that if someone is taking Anti-RetroViral (ARV) drugs correctly and gets proper feeding, their CD4 count is bound to be higher. He says chances of transmitting the virus to the negative partner become minimalbecause the virus is nearly suppressed. As a result, Dr Mwebaze says, HIV transmission will reduce if more people test and those found positive start taking medicine early. “The drug could wipe out the virus to levels that are almost not infective,” he says, “This could put their viral load to less than 20 copies per ml a level of viral load that is almost non infective.” But the viral load can rise and the HIV-negative partner in the relationship can then get infected. This pre-existing danger of infection is the reason doctors advise the HIV-negative partner in a discordant sexual relationship to protect themselves by using a condom.

“Anyone not protecting themselves is still prone to HIV. This cannot be ruled out,” says Dr Kiwanuka. He adds: “More research is being done by our very own doctors on the subject. The previous findings have shown that a patient who has successfully suppressed the virus and having their CD4 going up will barely transfer the virus to another person but this does not rule out the possibility that they may transfer the virus.”

Health

By Morris DC Komakech

Uganda’s new burden of HIV/Aids Government policies and spending key to achieving an HIV-free generation

T

he debate about a prospective HIVfree generation given the advent of WHO Option B+ attracts attention.

Further probing of the idea may expose it as a distant utopia. To have an HIV-free generation, our communities must come to a convergence on reducing new infections.

HIV/AIDS is a disease left to wreak havoc among the destitute of the world.

The wealthy and educated are surviving the scourge longer. Their children are able to avoid contracting the disease when compared to the children from impoverished communities. This explains why the global burden of HIV/ AIDS is most prevalent in underdeveloped countries like Uganda.

To think about a prospect of an HIVfree generation, we have to see the big picture of the structure of governance, the quality of public policies and the distribution of critical resources necessary to secure prerequisites of health. These forbearing conditions also shape how society places value on containing the HIV virus spread and caring for those living with the virus.

There is need for deliberate public health policy and unwavering fiscal commitment to this end. Unfortunately, our national spending priorities deprive the masses of critical social services needed to attain acceptable levels of health.

The recently passed HIV and AIDS Prevention Bill (2008) is an example of required policy instruments, which must be accompanied with equal funding commitment The Ugandan government has demonstrated inability to meet most of the MDG goals including reduction of HIV infections. Scientists now agree that at its current pace, Uganda may not achieve some of the MDGs in critical areas such as reduction of new HIV infection, eliminating mother to child transmission of HIV, providing services to reduce childmaternal mortality by 2035.

Uganda is a signatory to the 2001 Abuja Declaration, which committed governments to allocate at least 15% of its annual budget on health services.

Uganda has achieved barely 8% since 2007 while only Tanzania has achieved this objective. The ratio of healthcare workers to patients remains staggeringly

The HIV-free generation, health promotion in the context of maternal child health, and HIV infection prevention are crucial.

This is where our healthcare system is failing.

low and yet the WHO Option B+ remains the most promising opportunity to the achievement of this goal.

It is impossible to effectively implement this HIV treatment regimen when government’s per capita heath expenditure is far below the minimum international threshold.

An audit report in 2013 found that Uganda was spending only Shs2, 500 (US $1) a month on healthcare per person, which means it’s annual per capita health expenditure is about US$12. This is ridiculously below the 2001 Commission of Macroecomics and Health recommendation of US US$34 per capita.

The HIV treatment has three parts to it: the biomedical aspect, which includes treatment; the psychosocial aspect, which entails the social needs of persons living positively with HIV, and health promotion, which entails preventive strategies.

Each of these aspects is complimentary to each other and yet requires specialised skills, commitments, resources, and funding.

The HIV-free generation, health promotion in the context of maternal child health, and HIV infection prevention are crucial. This is where our healthcare system is failing.

The 380 people who contract HIV on the daily basis in Uganda are among some of the poorest. They

endure insurmountable challenges in accessing health information and live in economic production chains.

Opportunities for health promotion would mobilise distinctive and progressive cultural resources to enhance the quality, relevance, and efficacy of health promotion and the management of health to prevent new infections.

Without bringing in relevant cultural resources, communities will shun important services such as family planning. Social and societal discrimination remains amplified and more so where resources are scarce. Lastly and most importantly, is the understanding that to ensure an HIV-free generation, we have to ensure a reduction in new HIV infections. The WHO Option B+ is effective; however, certain cultural practices and beliefs are still retrogressive, oppressive, and predatory. These undermine opportunities for girls and women and make these two groups more vulnerable to HIV infection. Unless addressed, such conditions will continue to block progress towards achieving an HIV-free generation.

Morris Komakech is Global health researcher and Health Behavior Change specialist with interest in maternal-child health and HIV in Sub-Sahara Africa.

Can contact via mordust_26@yahoo.ca

October 24 - 30, 2014

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Comment

By Morris Ogenga-Latigo

Uganda’s tough land questions

Leaders need to champion radical reforms not play politics to please voters

I

n 1994, when supporting a candidate for the Constituent Assembly election, I extracted key issues in the Draft Constitution. On land, I was emphatic that former president Idi Amin’s 1975 Land Decree was the best option for Uganda. Of course the sentiments and politics of the day prevailed, and we now have in our 1995 Constitution provisions on land that are a noose around the development neck of Uganda.

For Northern Uganda, the post-war flux and adjustment in social and material relationships that followed the end of the LRAwar in mid-2000 made land an extremely explosive issue. At household, clan, and administrative levels, people fought, got injured, and even killed one another over “our land”. Politicians too reaped huge dividends defending “our land”- a supposed defence that stifled legitimate development initiatives.

In the heat, any attempt to bring logic and sobriety to the land debate, such as I once tried (see Land and Investment in the North: Legal and Conceptual Challenges.

New Vision, 5 August 2012), elicited very strong negative responses, with emotive accusations of “he is a traitor”, “he has been bought” etc. Yet, it is absolutely critical that we address honestly and squarely Uganda’s land question if we are to avoid the abyss and development gridlock that land conflicts are inevitably throwing us into.

In this article, I highlight some thoughts on Uganda’s land issues in respect to legal and conceptual questions; the tragedy of double rights, and the inevitability of change. I also review challenges that we must confront, and suggest some way forward.

Legal and conceptual questions

In colonial times, land in Uganda, other than that specified otherwise, was vested in the Crown of the United Kingdom; a responsibility that shifted to the Ugandan State after independence. It was the 1995 Uganda Constitution that changed this and provided that “Land is vested in the citizen of Uganda”. My main wonder is whether the framers of this Constitution really gave serious thought to their “vested” declaration!

Google search gives various meanings of vesting: “to give an immediate secured right of present or future deployment”; “the con24

October 24 - 30, 2014

veying of unconditional entitlement”; “conferring, bestowing (power, authority, property)”; “to accrue non-forfeitable rights”; “to give an immediate fixed rights of present and future enjoyment” etc.

In the absence of any constitutional definition, to our people, “vested” now means absolute power over land, unchallengeable even by the State, including unfettered access to and use of land in the hand of the State such as vacant road and railway reserves, ranches etc.

It is this non-scrutiny and undefined acceptance of “vested” that led to our leaders formulating, tragically as it now is, the “double land rights” in the Constitution and the Land Act 1998.

Tragedy of double rights

Under our laws, Ugandans have a right to own land through registered lease and freeholds, or through “customary” and “mailo” tenure systems.

In much of northern and eastern Uganda, there is blanket customary claim on land, with a given chunk of land owned by an individual or family also being a communal “belonging” under custom. Consequently, like in the case of Amuru Sugar Project, whereas individuals want to cede their land for the project, the “Lamogi community” have invoked their customary rights of “belonging” over this land (“megwa” in Lwo), even when not provided in law, and blocked land acquisition.

In Buganda, individuals also own large chunks of land under mailo tenure, but with those settled on such land also having rights in law over “their” pieces as bibanja holders.

Although the bibanja settlement originated from the magnanimous grant of use by “mailo” land owners, or even illegally through stealth, the bibanja holders must now be contended with and must, like the Acholi communes, equally consent to and be guaranteed benefits from sale of this land if any transaction is to take place.

Juxtaposed on the above two conflicting rights is the constitutional vestment of land in the citizen of Uganda but oil and mineral rights and the obligation to protect and develop it in the State. Conflict arising from this conferment of double rights to individuals and the State is best illustrated by provisions in our Constitution and laws

that give surface ownership rights over land to individuals but vests all rights on oil and minerals under it in the State.

These conflicting land rights have become a source of numerous land conflicts among citizens in Uganda, of intense citizen resentment against the Government, and now an impediment to quick implementation of investment initiatives. Yet Ugandan land must be used to create development, and our people must embrace this reality if we are to march forward with the rest of the world.

Inevitability of progress and change In the last two decades, we have witnessed Asian countries progress and join the ranks of the developed world. Over this period, Uganda too stabilised, grew and educated its population, attracted foreign investments and made tremendous economic progress.

As happened in Asia, Uganda’s progress is impacting on land in terms of perception, value, and use. With rapid change, therefore, we must look afresh at our land question.

Firstly, throughout Uganda, there is a growing trend towards individual, registered ownership of land, as opposed to traditional collective ownership under custom.

How and when then must and shall we deal with the double rights of individuals verses communities, and “mailo” verses “bibanja” holders? What must happen to land as a “common good” under individualised ownership?

Secondly, with education, industrialisation, and cross-ethnic mobility, traditional/ customary dependence on land for basic livelihoods and ethnic identity is diminishing. How will this affect the sentimentally held definition of, and people’s origin-based rights and ownership over, ethnic, clan, or communal land (i.e. Acholi or Lamogi land of the Acholi tribe or the Lamogi clan and Buganda land of the Baganda tribe etc.)?

Thirdly, change and the looming entry into the oil economy will render our current stand on land redundant. Uganda’s population is largely of young people, most of who detest agriculture and are flocking to urban centres, but who still have to eat and be employed. Our entry into the oil economy will compound this, drastically raise the cost of living, and turn our traditional expecta-

Comment tions and ways of life upside down.

Whereas oil producing countries such as Nigeria, Gabon, Angola etc. whose agriculture has collapsed have coastlines through which they can import food for their people using their oil money, what insecurity will we face importing food through Kenya or Tanzania, if we do not quickly develop our own sustainable food production systems?

Fourthly, progress cannot come without the effective role of the State as guide, protector, and instigator of development in this country. In light of current laws, contradictions, and conflicts on land, what must we do to ensure that the Ugandan State has capacity to play this role effectively and without undue obstruction by citizens?

Overall, we must contend with the reality of how progress and change will irreversibly impact land issues in Uganda, particularly ownership and use as now framed in our laws and policies. Of absolute necessity, we must also urgently define the trajectory of that change and our progress, anticipate and prepare for their consequences, and make those hard choices in respect to land.

As we ponder our next moves, a number of key challenges stand out relating to provisions in our laws, management of the Ugandan State, our inordinate focus on land ownership rather than use, and the inertia of custom.

Provisions on land in law

The foremost legal challenges we face are the provisions in our Constitution and Land Act that vested land in the people without imposing concrete demands on them.

Tragically, our laws, as they now are, ceded and subdivided Uganda, the land, among individuals rather than entrusting it to the State as the collective that, in modernity and country-hood, replaced custom in our governance, social organisation, and security; and that must hold us together. Yet, in spite of the conflicts and development bottlenecks they are generating, these provisions in laws are deeply popular with ordinary Ugandans and are politically extremely sensitive.

Even then, do we recognise the folly of ceding Uganda the land to individuals (persons/lineage) who are highly transitory and will inevitably die, and not to the State as a permanent common entity and bond (custom) that in normalcy holds our collective past, present, and future and is best placed to organise and hold us together?

With their reversal currently virtually politically untenable, what are we to do with those contradictory and obstructive provisions in our land laws?

Management of the Ugandan State Compounding the effects of the bad laws is the highly fratricidal way with which we have managed the Ugandan State since independence. In our selfish exercise of

State power, we have disregarded the ills of ethnicity, sectarianism, and corruption, and have even depended on them for survival.

This lopsided ethnic and sectarian participation in the State has seen key regime beneficiaries and those who “belong” derail the balanced progression in land use and trans-tribal land acquisition and ownership that we need for national cohesion and integration. The consequence has been emergence of deep-seated ethnic resentment and intense distrust of those in power, much expressed as resistance on land.

In tackling the land question, how do we deal with this political distrust of the State and the deep resentment of those who hold power? How will we, for example, restore the trust of Acholi politicians in the State that genuinely seeks Acholi land for development? How will we calm the bottled bit-

Against rapid world change, we still find comfort in defending our land in terms of subsistence and security of the poor, of ownership for women, of preeminence of custom

terness of the Baganda and others who have seen politically privileged groups grab their land while they wallow in poverty?

Without hope for corrective reforms and realignment, what do the escalating political, economic, and land acquisition and use disparities and conflicts and discontent, portend for our country? Without urgent land reforms, where will our country be 50 years from now?

To address these issues, we must firmly deal with key challenges, particularly disproportionate focus on land ownership rather than use, the inertia of custom, and dominance of politics over leadership.

Inordinate focus on ownership Currently, our greatest land reform challenge is the irrational focus on ownership rather than use. Communities are laying claims over huge chunks of “their land” that stands idle. The corrupt are hiding ill-gotten wealth through land purchased but unused and we are speculatively holding chunks of unused land. Rather than exploit land to generate wealth and create employment, we are content with mere ownership.

This irrational pursuit of “ownership” has even turned our customary conception of land on its head. In Acholi, for example, land under custom was assigned according to use; as hunting ground, grazing ground, so-and-so’s garden etc., and never as idle ownership. The narrative was about rights of access for usage, with the question of “to whom it belongs in use” but not “who owns it” only arising when there was a use dispute.

Now, however, any community entity will lay claim over “our land”, and proudly block any development initiative on that account. In the meantime, large tracts of land remain underutilised, or even redundant, while the community suffers the contradiction of poverty amidst plenty.

Unfortunately for Uganda, this base mindset is to be found even in the State. Our land laws and the recently launched Land Policy is largely about ownership rights- of women, of the poor, of bibanja holders etc. and little about how we must, as a country and people, collectively use this God-given resource to benefit us and transform our country.

Inertia of custom

Closely linked to the above misconception is our frigid fear of unknowns, and comfort in custom and tradition that prevent us from daring to explore and to break new grounds.

Against rapid world change, we still find comfort in defending our land in terms of subsistence and security of the poor, of ownership for women, of pre-eminence of custom etc., rather than on the challenges of ending subsistence and transforming rural life, of addressing urbanisation and youth flight from villages, of attracting investments to modernize our economies, and of building a strong, united and prosperous country.

How can we overcome this inertia of custom and free our land to enable it do for us the things that countries that effectively utilised theirs have realised?

Dominance of politics over leadership

Lastly, listening to Ugandans, many are aware of and share the same above concerns on land. However, having secured ownership of our land in law, and having suffered for long under our sectarian and predatory leaders, we cannot countenance any idea of our government leading any radical land reform to change the status quo. We would rather cling to and suffer in the security of our land holdings.

Equally, for politicians, any attempt at radical land reforms is fraught with huge political risks. Since contradictory provisions on land were enacted to appease and buy support, and politicians’ advocacy on land is much about playing to the gallery of voters, which leader will champion the October 24 - 30, 2014

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Comment radical land reforms that Uganda must embrace?

By Dr. Jude Kagoro

Way forward

Unless I am out of my mind, the land question in Uganda is a huge long-term challenge but one that we must address earnestly and with courage. In this, we must pursue honest, open national debate that should lead to development of a new shared vision on land and the putting in place of the institutional framework for its realisation.

Dialogue on a shared vision on land must involve everyone, proponents and opponents under the law, political and business leaders, cultural and religious institutions etc. It must also entail critical review of all land policies and laws, past and current; all known land studies, including one by Buganda Kingdom; the Uganda Vision 2040, 2025 and all development plans etc.

Since reversing current constitutional vestment of land in the citizen seems politically untenable, the State must invoke its mandate to uncompromisingly organise the country and lead development. In this, it must dictate, through strict policies and laws (e.g.

Land Use Policy and Land Holding and Utilisation Act), how land in Uganda shall be used, particularly for agriculture, homestead and rural settlements, urban development, industrial and infrastructure development etc. It must also institute measures to ensure compliance, progress and full accountability.

Implementation of the above will require a well-structured, legislatively empowered, independent, and fully funded and expressly facilitated implementation body manned by competent, motivated and dedicated personnel. A Uganda Land Development Authority (ULDA), modelled in the line of Malaysia’s Federal Land Development Authority (FELDA) that helped modernise that country, could be such a body.

Ending, I must again emphasize that Uganda’s land question is real and urgent, and the challenges are frightening sometimes. But then we hold our country in our hands, and no one else will come to do the things we must do. If we do not courageously address our land question, we will fail our country and history will judge us very harshly.

Prof. Morris Ogenga-Latigo is the former Leader of Opposition in the 8th parliament. mwolatigo@gmail.com

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Prof. Ali Mazrui: Remembering the giant mind of Africa

n October 13, the world woke up to the news that the life of Prof. Ali Mazrui, the eminent intellectual, had come to an end at the age of 81. The Kenyan, also a de facto Ugandan in many ways, had been fragile for some time. Though his human lifespan has ended, Mazrui’s intellectual legacy will be immortal. At 81 years and with his immeasurable achievements, Mazrui cannot be mourned but celebrated.

And so I am reminded of the commemoration of Prof. Mazrui’s 80th birthday at Binghamton University, New York in 2013, where I was privileged to be one of the guests—I will come back to this recollection in a moment. First, I will describe another kind of encounter I had, at its center, a scholarly debate I unintentionally generated by citing Prof. Mazrui’s work.

In April/May 2010, I was invited by renowned Professor of Anthropology, Jean Comaroff, to present a paper at an international conference on “Politics in Africa.”

The conference was hosted by the Center for Contemporary Theory and the Committee on African Studies at the University of Chicago. In the course of presenting the paper titled “Politics, Military and Society in Uganda,” I read out a citation from Ali Mazrui’s 1975 thesis, “Soldiers and Kinsmen in Uganda: The Making of a Military Ethnocracy.” The citation goes as follows: “Statehood has so far been the final consolidation of the marriage between politicisation and militarisation and that what we have now is a basic transition from the warfare state to the welfare state. This welfare state has been marked by a paradoxical process of attempting to divorce the military, which contributed so much to the rise of the modern state, from politics in the state.” At the end of my presentation, one American professor made a comment to the effect that I should not have quoted Mazrui because in his perspective, Mazrui was a “journalist” and not an academic.

For some minutes, I was disoriented because Mazrui’s thesis was central to my paper. Before I could react an argument ensued among senior professors in the room. Many thought that Mazrui was too big a name to ignore and that though a number of his ideas were considered eccentric in some American circles, his ability to generate academic debate was unquestionable. Of course, I had quoted several other scholars in that paper, but the fact that

Mazrui turned out to be the principle focus of the debate was in itself telling of what an icon he was in the intellectual milieu.

In fact, another professor at the same occasion inferred that any academic work on the socio-politics of Uganda and Africa as a continent cannot be considered complete if Mazrui is not cited. Indeed, Mazrui has been recognised by many as one of the world’s most proficient and provocative authors on Africa and beyond.

Perhaps one may excuse the professor’s description of Mazrui as a “journalist” but not the additional comment “not an academic.” For instance, in 1962, Mazrui was a political analyst for the British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) and he additionally did some writing and broadcasting for Radio Uganda and Radio Tanzania in the 1960s. Mazrui also wrote several articles in Kenyan, Ugandan, and South African newspapers including The Nation and The Standard (Kenya), The Monitor (Uganda) and The City Press (South Africa). One of Mazrui’s main strengths was his ability to creatively simplify heavy academic texts for the interest of non-academics.

Ultimately, in 1986, Mazrui’s legendary reputation travelled beyond academia when he authored and hosted the nine-part television series, “The Africans: A Triple Heritage.” This masterpiece was aired on the BBC in England, the Public Broadcasting Service (PBS) in the United States and subsequently on several television stations in Africa, including Uganda. In the series, Mazrui accurately put it that the modern African identity has been formulated at the Islamic, indigenous and Western civilization nexus. Additionally, Mazrui was a consultant and on-screen respondent on other TV documentaries such as "A History Denied", in the television series on “Lost Civilizations” aired on National Broadcasting Company (NBC) in the United States among others.

The Extraordinary Intellectual Mazrui’s academic curriculum vita (CV) is surely larger than life. Not that it was all a walk in the park. Just starting out into academia and feeling somewhat uninspired, Mazrui failed his Cambridge Certificate Exams with grades that would not allow him entry into any university, including Makerere. Mazrui soon recaptured his intellectual direction, attaining his B.A at Manchester University in England in 1960, an

Comment M.A at Columbia University in New York in 1961, and a PhD at Oxford University in England in 1966.

Traditionally, academic excellence is gauged by the number of publications one has with reputable publishing houses and journals. Mazrui’s publication credentials are, in fact, unassailable. Between 1967 and the time of his death (October 2014) Mazrui had published over 30 books and hundreds of essays in reputable journals. Interestingly, he published his first three books in a single year, 1967, and a further three books between 1970 and 1972. By all means, any academic will tell you of how gruelling it can be to nurture a book from an idea to being accepted by a reputable publishing house thus making my admiration for the prolific Mazrui even greater.

Besides his publications, Mazrui held several intellectual positions at different times of his life. Makerere University holds a proud record of having given Mazrui a platform to blossom and his first high profile appointments in the intellectual

toric Main Hall. He nurtured the culture of debate and critical thinking skills at the university and his products include Hon. John Ken Lukyamuzi (MP for Rubaga South), and Prof Augustus Nuwagaba among others. Fittingly, in Mazrui’s honour, Makerere University initiated the Mazrui Endowment Chair and the East African Ali Mazrui Centre for Global Studies in 2009.

Prof. Mazrui stayed at Makerere University until 1973 when he was forced into exile by the excesses of the Idi Amin regime.

Ironically, when Amin took over power through a coup in 1971, Mazrui was, for a short while, one of his favorite intellectuals.

Noteworthy, Mazrui had the reputation of somebody courageous enough to concurrently critique both Idi Amin and Jomo Kenyatta’s (in Kenya) regimes, eventually choosing the US as his exile destination.

Meanwhile, following the completion of his PhD in 1966, Mazrui regularly held visiting professor positions at several prestigious universities including, Chicago, Harvard, University of California Los Angeles

The author with the late Mazrui world. He joined “the Hill” as a political science lecturer in 1963, before becoming Head of Department of Political Science and later the first African Dean of the Faculty of Social Sciences. During his time at Makerere, the incumbent Chancellor of the University, Prof. John Ddumba-Ssentamu writes, Mazrui laid a firm foundation for Political Science studies including the introduction of courses in International Relations and Law, which have since gone a long way in making the Department more relevant for both local and international issues.

Prof. Ddumba-Ssentamu adds that Mazrui was an outstanding keynote speaker whose addresses and lectures were always looked forward to and attended to maximum capacity at the university’s his-

(UCLA), Oxford, Leeds, Nairobi, Teheran, Denver, London, Baghdad, and Sussex amongst others. Similarly, he was voted to numerous positions including as the President of the African Studies Association (ASA), Vice-President of the International Political Science Association (IPSA) and the International Sociology Association (ISA).

After fleeing Uganda in 1973 Mazrui worked for the University of Michigan for 18 years. In 1989, he went on to become Albert Schweitzer Professor in the Humanities and the Director of the Institute of Global Cultural Studies (IGCS) at the Binghamton University, New York. Mazrui also held three simultaneous appointments as Albert Luthuli Professor-at-Large at the University of Jos in Nigeria, Professor

Emeritus at Cornell University and Chancellor of Jomo Kenyatta University in Kenya. It is thus not surprising that Mazrui was ranked as the 73rd topmost intellectual in the world by both Prospect Magazine in the United Kingdom and Foreign Policy Magazine in the United States.

Attending Mazrui’s 80th Birthday Celebration In April 2013, I was most honored to be invited by the New York African Studies Association (NYASA) to attend and give a paper at its 38th annual conference held at Binghamton University, New York. The conference with the theme, “Global Africa, Triple Heritage and Pax Africana: Looking Back and Looking Forward,” was one of the most stimulating academic events. The organisers purposely synchronised the conference with the grand celebration of Prof. Mazrui’s 80th birthday as well as the 50th year of his publishing career. The conference guests included celebrated African scholars and Mazrui’s contemporaries such as Ngũgĩ wa Thiong’o, Ousseina Alidou, Adekeye Adebajo, and even politicians like former Nigerian military ruler, Gen. Yakubu Gowan among others. Sadly, another iconic intellectual on the guest list, Chinua Achebe, died a few days to the event.

The conference/celebrations exemplified Mazrui’s love for Makerere University and Uganda in general. Makerere had a special exhibition stand and was represented by a large delegation led by the Vice Chancellor Prof. Ddumba-Ssentamu. Uganda had the largest number of invitees, though most did not attend. Just imagine a list comprising of personalities like the Kabaka of Buganda, Princess Elizabeth Bagaya of Toro, Prof. Apollo Nsibambi, Prof. Mondo Kagonyera, Hon. Ken Lukyamuzi, Dr. Ssimba Kayunga, Al Hajji Habib Kajimu, Prof. Emmanuel Tumusiime-Mutebile, Sir. Gordon Wavamunno, Prof. Edward Kirumira, Dr. Charles Bwana and Hon. Jessica Alupo. At the function, Prof. Mazrui personally spoke highly of Makerere University and referred to Uganda as home, just like Kenya.

Despite his already fragile health, Prof.

Mazrui attended several presentations (including mine), actively discussed papers, freely interacted with his guests and found time to individually encourage young scholars in their academic endeavours. He was humorous and refreshingly down-toearth, a true inspiration. Indeed the iconic figure lived an exemplary life and has left shoes too big to fill.

Prof. Ali Al’amin Mazrui may your soul rest in peace.

Dr. Jude Kagoro is a Postdoc Fellow of the Institute for Intercultural and International Studies (InIIS) at the University of Bremen, Germany.

October 24 - 30, 2014

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Comment

By Mukesh Eswaran

The economic consequences of sex Myriad human interactions produce practices that perpetuate a sexual hierarchy of wellbeing

U

ntil recently, there has been very little analysis of women’s role in the economy. Two centuries ago, Mary Wollstonecraft published her proto-feminist A Vindication of the Rights of Women, and in 1869 John Stuart Mill, inspired by his wife Harriet, wrote The Subjection of Women in support of female suffrage. But new evidence is emerging of the cultural barriers to women’s economic advancement, which must be addressed if the world is ever to attain its goal of gender equality.

Early contributions to the economics of gender focused on the division of labor within households. Ideas drawn from trade theory – such as specialisation and comparative advantage – were used to explain why in the developed world men tended to work outside of the home and women within it.

This division of labour had important ramifications for women. As the Nobel laureate economist Gary Becker proposed in A Treatise on the Family, it influenced who would gain an education and develop professional skills.

Technological changes that lightened the burden of housework, coupled with changing attitudes toward women in the workplace, now allow many more women to acquire an education and the relevant skills to pursue careers. Indeed, in the United States, there are now more women than men studying at universities.

Why, then, do gender differences in economic outcomes persist? Economists have recently identified a fundamental reason in a phenomenon that remains pervasive: the gap in autonomy (or bargaining power) between women and men. The immediate effects of autonomy (or lack thereof) are felt within the household – for example, in how the family budget is spent – and this is determined largely by how well either partner is likely to fare should the relationship end.

A woman’s bargaining power will therefore be influenced by such factors as the type of job she has, her level of earnings and assets, the strength of her family ties, social attitudes toward divorce, laws governing the ensuing division of property, and the effectiveness of anti28

October 24 - 30, 2014

discrimination legislation.

When women’s bargaining power increases, the benefits to them, and to society, can be huge. Apart from being a desirable end in itself, female empowerment leads to lower birth rates and child mortality, better education for children, higher female participation in the labour market and politics (and, with it, better representation of women’s concerns), and the alleviation of poverty, especially in developing countries.

Moreover, raising women’s cultural and economic status can help tackle the problem of what the Nobel laureate economist Amartya Sen once called “missing women.” These are the women who would be alive were it not for sexselective abortions and gender discrimination in the provision of nutrition and medical attention.

Today, assumptions about gender (such as innate differences in abilities) have become intellectually untenable, while rigorous statistical analysis has identified the prime causes of gender differences in economic outcomes. But an important, and perhaps less explored, factor that determines women’s autonomy and economic wellbeing is non-economic.

For example, in a recent study, Alberto Alesina, Paola Giuliano, and Nathan

Raising women’s cultural and economic status can help tackle the problem of what the Nobel laureate economist Amartya Sen once called “missing women.”

Nunn examined levels of female participation in the US labour market of firstand second-generation immigrants from regions that historically used the plough in agriculture. The plough is significant, because operating it requires upper-body strength, which limits women’s eligibility for farm work. The authors found that even today, women originating from regions that historically used the plough were less likely to be employed than women whose forebears did not.

The finding suggests that in ploughusing societies, patriarchal values circumscribed female mobility, and allowed men – as a result of their greater economic contribution – to undermine women’s autonomy. Remarkably, these values, shaped many centuries ago, when certain physical attributes might have been important, have survived in modern societies, in which such attributes have become largely irrelevant.

Indeed, given that most jobs in developed economies require little or no physical strength, cultural values that discourage women from working outside the home are rightly regarded as archaic, serving only to undermine women’s economic and political freedoms. The research therefore appears to support the postmodern feminist view that women are constrained by unexamined socially constructed notions.

But, though Simone de Beauvoir’s claim in The Second Sex that “one is not born, but rather becomes, a woman” may be true, biology and evolutionary psychology are still relevant. Myriad human interactions produce institutions, norms, organizations, and practices that perpetuate a sexual hierarchy of wellbeing. Though the study of economics and gender has been transformed in recent years, the profound impact of culture demonstrates that we still have much to learn.

Mukesh Eswaran is Professor of Economics at the Vancouver School of Economics at the University of British Columbia, Canada.

His latest book is `Why Gender Matters in Economics’.

Call tariffs are set to reduce by 60% across EAC bloc plus South Sudan.

INDEPENDENT/JIMMY SIYA

Cheaper cross-boarder call tariffs in offing Uganda to scrap excise duty on regional calls come Nov.01, roaming charges to reduce by 60% as One Network Area takes shape

O

By Julius Businge

n Oct. 3, Uganda’s State Minister for Finance in charge of privatization, Aston Kajara wrote a one page letter to John Nasasira, the cabinet minister for Information and Communication Technologies (ICTs) titled; ‘Proposal to Remove Excise Duty on International Incoming Calls Originating and Terminating within the Northern Corridor Region.’ According to the letter, which The Independent has seen, Kajara made reference to the directive to the Summit of the Northern Corridor Integration on July 3, 2014 in Kigali, Rwanda to partner States to implement the One Network Area (ONA) by Sept. 1, 2014. This entails removing excise duty on inbound international incoming calls to Uganda from Tanzania, Kenya, Rwanda and Burundi with effect from Nov.01, 2014. “The legal

modalities for implementing this decision will be worked out soon in consultation with the ministry of justice and constitutional affairs,” the letter reads in part.

ONA is an arrangement between the EAC partner States - Uganda, Tanzania, Kenya, Rwanda and Burundi - aimed at making mobile calls from and to within the region charged at a lower uniform rate of Kshs 8.7 (UShs 253) per minute. The aim is to make international and roaming tariffs cheaper in a bid to deepen social-economic integration in the region. Some subscribers have been paying almost Shs 2, 000 to make a call to another country in the EAC due to the high roaming charges - but with the ONA arrangement, callers should expect friendlier charges.

The ONA comes at a time when partner States are struggling to practically implement the already signed protocols including the Common Market and the Customs Union. They are currently on a ten-year

roadmap intended to implement the Monetary Union before thinking of the final stage - Political Federation.

Under the ONA arrangement, it was planned that charges for making or receiving calls in other countries in East Africa [including interconnection charges] would be cut by more than 60%. But it would vary from one operator to another.

Already, Kenya and Rwanda have been applauded for being first to implement the ONA leaving Uganda, Tanzania and Burundi in their wake. South Sudan is also part of the arrangement but for various legal reasons it did not make it like Kenya and Rwanda did. It is expected that by end of December, this year all partner States should have responded positively to the ONA arrangement.

Earlier in 2007, telecom operators in the EAC had a similar initiative called ‘homeand-away’ which ran until 2010 in which customers were not charged for receiving calls while travelling in EAC countries.

However, because of the need to collect more taxes by governments, regulators imposed excise duty on incoming and outgoing calls for people travelling in the EAC. This was temporarily abandoned.

Isaac Kalembe, the media relations specialist at Uganda Communications Commission (UCC), on Oct.17 said Uganda was supposed to launch the ONA on Oct. 8 when the Standard Guage Railway project was launched in Kampala.

But while telecom companies in Uganda have no choice but to implement the ONA, it could be another month before actual implementation because they need ample October 24 - 30, 2014

29

Business time to negotiate with their counterparts in the region so as to fully implement it.

“We are looking at the end of December as our implementation deadline,” Anthony Katamba, MTN’s general manager for corporate services, told The Independent on Oct. 16.

Bharti Airtel, commonly known as Airtel, a multinational telecommunications services company based in New Delhi, India, has the edge on the telecom market in the region

Kenya, Rwanda ahead

Their Kenyan and Rwandan counterparts didn’t have such excuses. Press reports recently said Airtel Kenya had reduced call rates by 60% and offered free incoming calls for postpaid and prepaid customers roaming in Rwanda. Safaricom - the largest telecom company in East Africa - is currently offering its customers up to 60% discount while roaming in Rwanda. For Airtel Kenya, outgoing calls while roaming in Rwanda are being charged Kshs 10 per minute, down from Kshs 25 per minute. The rates apply to customers making calls from Kenya to Rwanda and customers making calls from Rwanda to Kenya.

Robert Rwakabogo, MTN Rwanda marketing manager , was positive on the initiative, saying MTN had implemented it starting with Kenya. Calls to Kenya now cost Frw 60 per minute compared to Frw 122, whereas receiving calls, formerly charged at Frw 51, is now free of charge. He said if implemented well, it would support crossborder trade and free movement of people in the EAC region through the promotion of easy communication means.

He said that roaming charges, which have always been a hindrance for many within the East African region, would now drastically go down, which he said would stimulate growth in the telecommunications sector.

Mixed reactions

However, some observers have mixed reactions about the initiative. Some are saying on one hand, businesses and callers are relieved, but on the other, telecoms could lose – which might lead to loss of jobs and perhaps taxes to governments.

Yet already, telecoms say they are struggling with high costs and need government action to support them. MTN’s Katamba

Major telecom operators in EAC Uganda MTN

10 million

Airtel

7 million

Kenya

Tanzania

Rwanda 3.5 million

13.5m

5.5m

8.7m

1m

22.2m

6.2m

2.2m

8.4m

Tigo Orange

0.4m

said the current tax by government on incoming and outgoing international calls has led to a 15% drop in calls. If this is waived, the impact should be positive.

“That will be good for us and our customers,” he said.

However, Regina Corry Busingye, the manager-brand and communication/commercial, at the partially Ugandan government owned Uganda Telecom - UTL - said the ONA could lead to an increase in cross border calls, which means an increment in revenues as well.

“This is a good move not only for the consumers but for the Uganda Telecom as well,” she said.

She said that the ONA is a great step in implementing universal access to ICTs in the region and eliminating trade barriers.

“ICT is a catalyst for economic development and as such this is a move in the right direction,” she said. UTL charges Shs 499 to call Kenya per minute, tax inclusive and Shs 899 for those calling Rwanda per minute, tax inclusive.

Busingye however stated that before the government scraps the excise tax, the ONA is not feasible in Uganda. She said all Ugandan operators agreed to launch the ONA on Dec. 1, 2014.

On the many opportunities likely to accrue from the ONA implementation on

2.2m

Zantel

1.8m

2.8m

2.8m

Leo Safaricom

30

1.3m

1.8m

1.3m (21%)

73.6m (52.8%)

21m 17.4m (45%)

31.5m (76%)

Total

2.6m 1.8m

Yu

Total (penetration)

Burundi

21m 16.7m (58.6%)

October 24 - 30, 2014

6.7m (63.5%)

the side of telecom companies, Busingye said increased movements of persons across borders is expected to enhance usage of telecommunications services by foreigners from within the region, which would result into higher volumes hence more revenue.

Katamba also said it was imperative to remove the tax but was optimistic that theoretically the market would be bigger but expressed a worry that the arrangement could favor big players such as Safaricom in Kenya, which is likely to out-compete its smaller counterparts.

Katamba said Kenyan players have higher chances of benefiting from the arrangement as there are only four players operating in a bigger economy [market] compared to some countries like Uganda where there are six players fighting for a relatively smaller market.

But he also added that operators with presence in almost all markets under this arrangement stand a chance of building ‘one solid network’ at regional level, hence giving them an upper hand to grow their revenues and meet their targets.

Available figures indicate that Bharti Airtel, commonly known as Airtel, a multinational telecommunications services company based in New Delhi, India, has the edge on the telecom market in the region. Operating in four of the five EAC countries with a total of 22 million subscribers, the telecom operator can safely be described as a regional network. South African giant MTN has operations in two countries (Uganda and Rwanda) with a total of about 14 million subscribers, while Safaricom, though all its 21 million subscribers are in Kenya, has the second largest subscriber base. With a total of slightly under nine million subscribers, Tigo Telecom operates in two countries – Rwanda and Tanzania. The French telecom company Orange operates in two countries – Uganda and Kenya – with a total of about 2.6 million, but Yu Telecom has more customers (2.8 million) though it operates in Kenya only. Leo Telecom is Burundi’s only operational telecom company with 1.8 million customers, while Tanzania is Zantel’s only market where it has about two million customers. In Uganda and Rwanda, MTN is the market leader, while Airtel leads in Tanzania followed by Tigo. Kenya appears to have the highest penetration rate (76%) followed by Rwanda’s 63.5%, Tanzania’s 58.6% and Uganda’s 45.6 %, while Burundi lags behind with slightly over 21%. Indeed, with an average penetration rate of just 52%, experts say the EAC telecom market is still virgin and the prospects for growth are enormous. Whether or not the ONA will spur growth in penetration rates across the region is what remains to be seen. jbusinge@independent.co.ug @juliusbusinge

Business

A customer buys Kerosene at one of the selling points. Government has approved excise duty on Kerosene. NET PHOTO

By Julius Businge

J

osephine, 28, a mother of two living in Lusaze, a Kampala suburb, has not been happy since the news broke on Oct. 8 that Parliament had finally seconded President Yoweri Museveni’s proposal to reinstate Shs 200 [excise duty] on Kerosene (paraffin). Josephine sometimes uses Kerosene in her stove for cooking and her lamp for lighting. “That extra 200 shillings means a lot to me who uses two litres of Kerosene every week,” she argues, adding it can buy some small items for me. Without the new tax, Josephine could save Shs 400. But of course, bigger consumers would save much more.

Was it proper to leave people like Josephine to incur a Shs 200 extra expense so that the government can collect Shs 15 billion from the new tax measure? Other analysts say the benefits surpass the tax revenue.

Given the fact that a majority of Ugandans (80%) are not connected to electricity and cannot afford other alternatives like solar power, they are left with no choice but to use kerosene for lighting at night. Available data show that over 60% of Ugandan households use kerosene candles. But President Museveni probably knows that unlike Josephine, the vast majority of households buy the fuel in smaller quantities – at most half litre or even less - which they use over a number of days – which means they won’t feel a serious pinch from the Shs 200 tax for a litre.

Official figures show that Uganda imports about 70 million liters of kerosene per year, but the fear is that if kerosene is too cheap, a good portion of this volume ends up running engines of trucks, machinery, buses and generators after unscrupu-

Paraffin politics up in smoke

Gov’t eyes Shs 15bn revenue tax on Kerosene as politicians cry foul

President Yoweri Museveni

Finance Minister Maria Kiwanuka

lous dealers mix it with diesel. This not only makes the government lose revenue on diesel but owners of these equipment and vehicles incur huge costs in maintenance and repair of their spoilt engines also.

As of Oct. 17, a litre of kerosene was retailing at an average of about Shs 2, 500 compared to Shs 3, 500 on average for diesel at most fuel stations in Kampala. This low price is tempting dealers to adulterate

diesel and the standards body [UNBS] does not have enough capacity to crackdown on them yet. Indeed, the government had in 2010 scrapped the tax on paraffin in order to make it cheaper for poor consumers. However, while presenting her 2014/2015 third budget four months ago, Finance Minister Maria Kiwanuka argued that the removal of the duty in 2010 did not lead to a reduction in the price to the final consumer as expected. It was the oil dealers rather than the final consumers who were the only beneficiaries of the tax rebate. They made more profit as a tax cost was taken off their shoulders.

To make matters even worse, Kiwanuka said unscrupulous dealers were using the cheaper fuel to adulterate diesel – so far the most consumed petroleum product in the country. “This is very hazardous to all users in industry, transport and households,” she said, before revealing that the new measure was expected to generate about Shs 15 billion as revenue, which government would partly use in spearheading rural electrification programme.

However, the majority of Parliamentarians - for obvious political reasons - rejected the decision to reinstate the tax arguing that it was ‘anti-poor.’ But President Museveni also refused to assent to the Act insisting that the tax was necessary. The MPs consequently amended the Act on Oct. 8.

Will it cost Museveni?

Some political analysts had argued that reinstating this tax would cost President Museveni come election time in 2016. However, some say it is a decision that any wise political leader would make to prevent the worst scenarios in future.

Ibra Kasirye, an economist, and member of Uganda Economics Association, told The Independent in an interview that he supported the tax measure. He argued that kerosene, which was formerly known to be for the poor, was being used for the benefit of the rich, so the cost of using paraffin by unscrupulous people to mix with diesel would become higher. He argued that volume of kerosene imports had increased not because it was being used by more poor people but because of selfish individuals wanting to make more money through dubious means.

“I think the tax is a step in the right direction,” he said, adding that in a situation whereby the government cannot enforce prices for paraffin, the tax is an opportunity cost in order to deal with the dubious dealers. “The cost of doing nothing about it is far much higher; if you don’t deal with adulterators now - because you want to appease voters - they would extend their arm to even adulterate petrol, which is even more dangerous,” he said. jbusinge@independent.co.ug @juliusbusinge October 24 - 30, 2014

31

ExecutiveStyle

Benchmarking insurance service standards What is your personal leadership philosophy? s a firm believer in the principle of ‘servant leadership,’ I think it is important to empower your team and ensure that they are wellqualified and equipped to do their respective jobs. With that, one is able as a leader of a team to concentrate on strategic planning and ways to grow the business without being bogged down with day-to-day decision making. That way, people feel more confident and appreciate themselves a lot more to come up with useful ideas instead of having to depend on you.

Geoffrey Kihuguru, the CEO of Pentad Insurance Services, is a veteran career insurer.

He spoke to Peter Nyanzi about the critical issues in the industry.

A

What does Pentad Insurance Services do in brief?

We are an insurance consultancy firm, advising clients on the best protection they can get at an affordable price. We design insurance strategies, arrange insurance placements at the best price, advise clients on risk-mitigation methods, and supervise the claims process with the various underwriters. So basically we are a consultancy firm and brokerage is one of our activities.

What is your assessment of the insurance industry in Uganda currently?

The insurance industry is growing at a comfortable rate, having earned a gross premium income of Shs 463 billion in 2013, up from Shs 352 billion the previous year – a growth of 31%.

The market is skewed towards the non-life sector, which caters for about 76% of the premium income, with Life and the HMO sectors accounting for 12% each.

But our penetration level of 0.85% is very low as well as the contribution as a percentage of GDP. Comparatively, South Africa is the largest market on the continent with a penetration level of 15%, while regional counterpart Kenya have a penetration level of 3.4%. That means there is a very vast potential for growth. There is work to be done by the industry to educate the public about the benefits of insurance.

32

What three factors have been responsible for this situation?

The economic situation was a factor. Prior to 1971, the uptake was high in Uganda. Then after that came that period of 19711979, then the political strife of 1980-1986 and then the economic problems such as the currency exchange, which severely affected life insurance policy. Secondly, we literally operate a cash economy. In developed countries or even Kenya, people don’t use cash to acquire property or assets – they are acquired on hire purchase or bank loans - and this system requires insurance cover as a condition. Thirdly, confidence in insurance was low due to problems of non-payment of claims but this is now being addressed.

What should be done to address some of these challenges in the short term?

Public awareness is important.

The Uganda Insurance Association and our regulator (IRA-U) are doing quite a lot on that. We are also trying to be more visible and to ensure that claims are paid. Also, the industry needs to work towards coming up with products that the people actually need as opposed to introducing products they think the public want.

The issue of limited human re-

October 24 - 30, 2014

sources and skills in the sector is serious. What isn’t the industry doing right?

The industry hasn’t been training people and the result has been a proliferation of foreigners in the market. The Insurance Institute of Uganda, the training arm of the industry, is now seriously addressing this issue, in conjunction with the regulator and of course individual companies, to enable Ugandans to take on managerial responsibilities.

There are also new regulations such as a restriction on the number of expatriates that any company can employ. We are hoping that we shall see some progress on the issue of low skills in the next few years. At undergraduate level, it is easy to understand because of the very low absorption rate in the market but this is going to improve.

What is your take on the ongoing process to streamline the sector?

The Insurance Regulatory Authority of Uganda (IRA-U) is so far doing a great job of ensuring that there is sanity in the industry. They are now moving towards adopting riskbased supervision. The other good thing is that the regulator consults the Uganda Insurers Association and the Uganda Association for Insurance Brokers regularly on how to ensure

sound business practices, corporate governance, and an enabling environment for growth of the sector. So, we welcome the changes and hope that the process would lead to a strengthening of insurance industry and the financial services sector generally.

Any suggestions for the various stakeholders particularly the government?

I think the appreciation of insurance by the government is still very lukewarm and needs to improve. Most - if not almost all - government assets are not insured. We have been trying to help the government to realize the need to insure public assets as there is too much wastage.

This could also lower the cost as the larger the insurance pool, the more affordable the costs become. But generally, we need to work towards enhancing the penetration of insurance in the country. Take for instance agriculture insurance. This is basically an agricultural country with a majority of the population involved in agriculture. There ought to be greater government involvement in ensuring that there are insurance products that cater for these activities.

From a professional point of view, what in your view are the top five characteristics of a wellmanaged insurance company?

Focused and experienced CEO Well-trained and highlymotivated officers A strong capital base Claims-payment excellence A Customer-centric approach to business Your last word?

Insurance is and should be an integral part of life. It is a very essential risk-mitigation measure that should be embraced by all.

Insurance is affordable, contrary to conventional thinking, and people need to look at these risk-mitigation measures more seriously, and more so in these difficult economic times.

Business CSR

Accounting

MTN Marathon water project launched in Karamoja

P

resident Yoweri Museveni has saluted MTN Uganda and its partners for organizing the 2013 MTN Marathon which raised funds to provide safe and clean water to the people of Karamoja.

He was speaking at the commissioning of the water project in Nabilatuk village, one of the places in the two sub-counties of Nakakapiririt District where 18 boreholes were constructed using the Shs 400mn raised from the 2013 MTN Marathon. The President urged the district leaders to work with corporate companies to construct at least three boreholes in each village to increase access to clean and safe water in the district. MTN CEO Brian Gouldie said MTN Uganda was committed to continue partnering with other corporate companies for such causes.

Pensions

President Yoweri Musevevni (C), wife Janet Museveni and MTN Uganda CEO Brian Gouldie (R) at the launch of the Water Project in Karamoja

SES Broadband targets Ugandan market

L

NSSF to hold second Members’ AGM

T

he National Social Security Fund Ag Managing Director, Geraldine Ssali Busuulwa and her senior team will explain the current alleged mismanagement of the Fund to members when they turn up for the second annual meeting to be held on Oct. 28. The Fund will use the same event to reward the most compliant employers. The meeting is expected to attract over 500 people, including NSSF contributors, employers, workers Union representatives and government officials. Ssali said the Fund is worth Shs 4.4 trillion and will hit the Shs 5 trillion mark in Feb. 2015.

T

he Association of Chartered Certified Accountants (ACCA) in Uganda will host about 500 professional accountants from Eastern Africa for two days from Nov. 25-27, 2014. The convention to be held in Kampala, will draw participants from Kenya, Tanzania, Ethiopia, Rwanda, Sudan, Eritrea and other Sub-Saharan African Countries. It will be held under the theme; ‘Eastern Africa - The next growth frontier.’ The forum is aimed at facilitating the sharing of knowledge and best practice among business leaders and financial professionals; provide a forum for accountants to contribute to the policy debates and issues driving economic growth within the region.

Beatrice Isagayite, the ACCA boss in Uganda, said on Oct. 14 that the issues to be discussed are in line with regional economic growth and capacity building.

ICTs

uxembourg-based IT firm SES Broadband Services has described Uganda as a potential market for its products and plans to partner with local institutions to tap into it. Among its core business solutions, the company provides satellite broadband services which facilitate e-learning, which is critical in information gathering and fueling socio-economic transformation. Christelle Agossou, the visiting sales manager for the company, said on Oct. 13 that for Uganda to access their service, a customer needs to purchase their satellite kit at about 400 euros from any partnering distributor in the country. Agossou said their satellite broadband service gives customers an immedi-

NSSF Ag. MD Geraldine Ssali

ACCA Uganda to host regional accounting conference

ate, reliable and high speed internet access wherever they need it. She said they have the capacity to bring internet connectivity to an entire community via one single satellite antenna.

Christelle Agossou, the Sales Manager for SES.

CSR

Unilever trains 100 women

O

n Oct. 10, consumer fast moving goods dealer, Unilever announced that it had offered training to over

100 women in the areas of nutrition, hygiene, health and personal care. Unilever Uganda has been at the helm of driving the health and nutrition message through various markets, supermarkets, hospitals, ladies clubs, and schools among others. These drives have given the public an opportunity to not only win exciting prizes but most importantly getting them to experience Unilever’s brand portfolio through trial and wash demos. Unilever Uganda Marketing boss Diana Nabukenya said they have been a partner in the enhancement of the community for over 60 years and they are more than just a manufacturer of products.

“We are part of the Ugandan families,” she added.

October 24 - 30, 2014

33

Business

Biz Lab How I made it in business Nicholas Kagongo Arinaitwe, salt entrepreneur

K

Former Minister of Agriculture Victoria Sekitoleko, speaks at the high level meeting on feasible options for financing agriculture in Uganda by (CSBAG) on Oct. 14. She urged government to invest into agricultural research for better yields. INDEPENDENT/JIMMY SIYA

The Minister for Agriculture, Animal Industry and Fisheries Tress Bucyanayandi (R) launches the 2013/14 Agricultural Book in Kampala on Oct. 17. INDEPENDENT/JIMMY SIYA

Officials look at the three RVR heavy duty locomotives on Oct. 20. at the Kampala station. The company pledged to begin a passenger services next year. INDEPENDENY/JIMMY SIYA 34

October 24 - 30, 2014

agongo inherited ten salt pans from his father who also got them from his father. Located at Lake Katwe within Queen Elizabeth National Park in Kasese District, it has become a lucrative family business.

While his father found 40 salt pans, there are over 10,000 currently owned by individuals or families from which salt is wined for humans (Grade I), animals (Grade II) and industrial use (rock salt or Magadi).

Magadi is also used as a catalyst in cooking food and animal lick especially cows.

Some 60% of this salt is exported to Kenya, South Sudan, Rwanda and Democratic Republic of Congo.

Arinaitwe earns Shs 35,000 from selling a 50kg-bag of Grade I, and between Shs 7,000 to Shs 8,000 for Grade II. His colleagues who deal in rock salt, chalk between Shs 50,000 to Shs 60,000 from selling a 100kg bag

of rock salt.

From the income, Arinaitwe, armed with his diploma in tourism, is planning to establish a private museum to tap into the region’s status as a hub of tourist attractions, which include the equator, Lakes Katwe, George and Edward, Kazinga Channel, the national park and many more.

Tip to success Utilize peak seasons

Kagongo, who also works at Katwe Tourism Information Centre and as an environment conservation activist, does not wine salt but employs people to work for him at his pans. He has been in the business for over ten years and attributes his success to having the right people to work for him, 70% of who are women in the peak seasons from January to mid-June, and early July to Mid-August.

Share prices (October 17 ) Security BATU BOBU CENT DFCU EABL EBL JHL KA KCB NIC NMG NVL SBU UCHM UCL UMEME ALSI

Source: USE

October 17 7, 505 120 1, 794 650 8, 291 1, 523 12, 723 267 1, 749 20 9, 347 590 33 298 20 510 1, 844

October 10 7, 505 120 1, 744 650 8, 168 1, 483 12, 252 268 1, 759 20 9301 560 33 300 20 510 1, 823

Movement 0 0 50 0 123 40 471 -1 -10 0 46 30 0 -2 0 0 21

ART | BOOKS | SOCIETY | TRAVEL | CULTURE

A

By Dominic Muwanguzi

Making art relevant

fter the closure of the Uganda Railway Station from the public for twenty years, it has been opened with an Art Exhibition which is part of KLA ART 014 Festival.

The exhibition suits the time and space it has been set in. The work on display is engaging, interactive and expressive. These qualities have the potential to attract the public to the station, but also create an atmosphere of local belonging. The installations, photographs and paintings are set in a local context with inspiration from day to day life experiences of urbanites like those living in Kampala.

The mixed media installation - made from wood, metal sheets, plastics and aluminium wires- strategically set up at the main entrance of the Station building is interactive as well as expressive. The installation is evocative of the artistic form of the globe and has a dummy figure of a man dangling inside its space.

The exterior of the installation has patterns of miniature squares made from wood on which the audience pastes tick-on papers expressing their opinion on how Kampala can be improved socially, politically and economically. Engaging the public like this inspires a quality of local ownership of art. It is a departure from the "passive" appreciation of art found in art galleries where the public walks in and appreciates the artwork on display from a distance.

Helen Nabukenya’s colourful stripped textile installation, Golden Heart, hanging atop the station building is dramatic because of the stripped and silky textile fabrics stitched together. This can be interpreted as a metaphor to love, strength and unity to be shared by the women.

The narrative installation created under the theme of, Tuwaaye, seeks to celebrate the life of ordinary women in our community. Golden Heart, according to the artist statement, was an inspiration of four women in her neighbourhood of Buzinga.

According to her, “the stitched is the only thing that can last and that is still a woman".

An everyday setting is all you need

says Francis Xavier Nnagenda’s abstract painting, Vendor on Scaffold, is a careful observation of the challenge of surviving in a fast developing city like Kampala.

The painting has a female figure climbing a scaffold- temporary metal structure for workers on a building site-with a child slack on her back. On her head rests a fruit basket, a symbol of a hardworking woman in the city. The modernist painting conjures up the complexity of living in the city which keeps on rejecting its own citizenry because of the enormous challenge of keeping tab with

modernisation and a fast growing population.

Nnagenda here is relevant. With the city council’s infamous policy to evict vendors from the city, this painting shows the dilemma these unfortunate people are faced with.

The scaffold is only temporary and the sight of a woman climbing it is as frightening as disturbing. Her safety and her family represented by the child on her back are bleak!

From a critical perspective, the exhibit is more instructive than experimental. The work on display conveys a message of using art to explore the day to day life of the urbanites in the 21st century.

This is much visible in the work of Ethiopian video art artist, Mulugeta Gebrekidan’s work, Creativity for Survival, where a cafeteria is set up in the open space of the railway station on the outskirts of Addis Ababa and the public is served a cup of tea freely.

This work imbues the concept of interaction and creativity which is important in the process of adapting to the fast changing scenery of a city like Addis Ababa. The other strength of the exhibit is the idea of bringing together artists from different corners of the continent and they share their personal experience of Kampala while juxtaposing it with experiences from their own home cities. The result is an objective picture relayed to the public- one notices that African cities are all faced with the same challenges from unemployment, urbanisation to sometimes state interference in urban planning. In the spirit of this exhibition that is to extend art to the public, it is worth noting that the Kampala audience will find it engaging and educative. Perhaps it is a better way to kickstart local appreciation of art.

The exhibition is open now until Oct.31 at the Uganda Railway Station, Kampala.

Images in the article are courtesy of 32 ° East -Uganda Arts Trust.

October 24 - 30, 2014

35

Art

Resurrecting the dead Can art really bring back life?

By Fred Ndoli

As Rwandan art advances, so do artists and their creativity. Timothy Wandulu is one such artist. He recycles what is often referred to as useless garbage into beautifully artistic pieces. On meeting Wandulu, you cannot avoid noticing the jewellery that adorns his neck and the hands.

The beautifully made necklace is from a former tablespoon, while the bracelets were a fork in past life.

W

andulu gets his raw materials from garbage and old metals which he recycles to make his art pieces.

The self-taught artist moves around, from streets to rubbish pits looking for used airtime cards, cutlery, paper, old plastic and metallic cans which he in turn turns into admirable art pieces.

To him "every material can be reformed or revived to achieve a beautiful art piece. “As an artist-I give life to materials that can be thought to be dead and useless," he explains.

The 24 year old self-taught artist embarked on his art journey way back in 2003 with sketches in pencil, pen and paints. He says he took it as a hobby. It was in 2012 when, together with other artistes from Ivuka Arts, they started Inema Arts centre in Kacyiru.

Wandulu believes in society being his sole inspiration.

36

October 24 - 30, 2014

"Am inspired by my surrounding t and people’s way of living; that is where I source my ideas," he explains. His art works include mixed media paintings, metallic installations, while using paints, inks and dyes, plastics, metallic frames and wires from which he derives various art works one can marvel at.

"Preferably installations and sculpture pieces pass on my massage to the public more and I love this," he says.

Wandulu has been involved in various projects but is mainly proud of the ‘No zone Rwanda,’ a Kenyan initiative and educative project empowering language expression among students through English and

mathematics which involved making drawings for animations. The program introduced earlier this year has been aired weekly on the national television.

Next year, Wandulu hopes to stage more exhibitions, including what he calls an ‘open studio exhibition’ which will involve live painting and art piece creation.

"I would like to share this art experience with the public through this event," says.

Wandulu also hopes to partner in an art project with Richard Karekezi, the man who possibly introduced him to Rwanda’s art industry.

"Besides the sermons he took me through, he is a talented artist one would wish to work with,” Wandulu says.

Art

Bishops defy Pope Francis When Pope Francis, the spiritual leader of the world’s 1.2 billion Catholics, recently called for the Church to take a more accepting approach to gays, unmarried mothers and remarried divorcees, many saw a new candle being lit to shine light on these groups, especially the gay people.

But that was before the Conference of Bishops on Oct.19 the hair is labelled in Guangzhou refused to approve the section on "welcoming homosexuals". with fake country of origin; from The bishops even refused to Peru, India, and Brazil. The cusapprove a watered-down sectomers are exclusively African tion on “ministering to homotraders from Nigeria, Ghana, Congo, South Africa, Angola, and sexuals” that had stripped away the welcoming tone of Uganda. One dealer told BBC: "We say it is Indian hair or Brazil- acceptance contained in the draft document. ian hair, but in fact it is normally Instead, they inserted a Chinese hair or even goat hair.

They never realise. This is the only new paragraph that referred to homosexuality “as one of way we can keep things cheap." the problems Catholic families have to confront”.

Speaking at the ceremonial closing of the synod on Oct.20, Pope Francis appealed to the Church “not be afraid of change and new challenges”.

Kampala women and goat hair In Uganda, hair extensions, wigs and weaves are big business.

Buyers in hair salons and shopping malls are often told they are getting real human hair for about Shs600,000 - but when you look closely, sometimes things are not as they seem. It starts in tiny villages in central China where a number of shaven goats wandering the streets give a hint. Whatever its origin; goat or human,

Norbert Mao Shs350m medical bill When opposition Democratic Party President, Norbert Mao, fell sick in July, he was evacuated by chopper to Entebbe Airport and by commercial flight to Nairobi, Kenya. But who actually paid his medical bill at Nairobi Hospital which the government says was Shs350 million but Mao says Shs30 million? Soon after he returned in September, Mao was categorical: “We did not receive any money from State House.” But the government spokesman, Ofwono Opondo, recently told journalists in Gulu that “the government find Mr Mao as a very unappreciative person”. Mao has reacted by affirming his earlier position. “In case any government official took the money and used it, he/she should be responsible for paying it back because I am unaware of any government contribution towards my medical bills.”

Many people are with Mao on this.

The government must show evidence.

President Obama fails to pay for meal in restaurant The U.S. President Barack Obama might have a salary of US$33,000 Approx. Shs90 million) per month and a non-taxable US$50,000 (Approx. Shs10 million) for expenses, but that failed to impress one strict waitress in New York last month.

Obama had taken his wife, Michelle, out – as we like to say. But things go tricky when the bill arrived.

Obama’s credit card was rejected.

"They thought there was some fraud going on," Obama revealed later.

Fortunately, he said, First Lady Michelle Obama had a credit card on hand and paid for the meal.

Snowden in New York!

The American whistle-blower turned fugitive in Russia, Edward Snowden, may not be able to go home, but his statue recently was erected in Manhattan, New York – albeit briefly.

The Snowden statue stood opposite a statue of President Abraham Lincoln for precisely two hours, until the artist, Jim Dessicino, was evicted for not having the proper license.

Snowden leaked the information about US surveillance programs, flying to Hong Kong and eventually to Moscow.

Police’s dirty habits criticised

Late Eria Sebunnya The manner in which the Uganda Police Force handled the body of Kampala city tycoon Eria Sebunnya Bugembe aka Kasiwukira has shone a light on their dirty habit of pushing anything they need to carry under the seats of its pick-up Toyota trucks.

To them, the metallic floor of the pick-up is the perfect carry-all for everything; criminal suspects, accident victims, the dead, expectant mothers, stray cows, and dead dogs.

For some time now, there have been numerous complaints about how the police push accident victims and dead people under these pick-up seats. Since Kasiwukira’s poor handling became public, many have suggested that if the police do not have proper ambulances, it better leave the dead or injured for relatives, friends, and good Samaritans to handle them in a more befitting manner. Even the dead and injured deserve to be handled in a dignified manner.

October 24 - 30, 2014

37

Frankly speaking

I want to own a TV network

Mariam Ndagire, CEO Trendz Studios Ltd. The performing artist talked to Joan Akello about entertainment and her dreams

What do we not know about you? ’m shy; especially the attention that comes when you are off the stage is uncomforting. I love little children, and that my biological father died when I was in S.3 but I never had any attachment to him. I was his only child.

He was a Catholic. It has taught me that though I’m not in a relationship with my son’s father, I really want him to know what it means to have a dad.

I

touched my heart.

I’m a perfectionist; I don't trust anybody with my work because delegating is so hard for me

What is your idea of perfect happiness?

When you are happy inside and at peace

plore in yourself?

I’m a perfectionist; I don't trust anybody with my work because delegating is so hard for me.

When and where were you happiest?

When I had my son in 2000 and the first time my song Mulongo Wange composed by Kato Lubwama was played on CBS Radio.

What is your greatest extravagance?

My son, previously, it was my wardrobe.

How did you feel at your first stage performance?

I was among the performers CBS radio invited for its Embuutu in the 90’s. When the MC announced that I was next on stage, the huge crowd started applauding. I had only one song so why were they shouting? I started shivering but later I relaxed and gave in my best.

To this day, I tell MCs never to announce that I will be performing; it scares me.

What is your greatest fear?

Being misunderstood yet the audience will not wait for the right answer but I have developed hard skin. Recently my son’s dad was hit by thugs and media reported that I refused to visit him in hospital but I know what I’m doing.

Are you married?

No, I’m single and a mother to my son, I would like to have someone, that forever friend. I don't know what God holds for me but I’m watching the space.

What is the trait you most de38

Which historical figure do you most identify with?

Idi Amin. I was born in 1971 during his era; Ugandans were thinking straight, disciplined, and the city was clean but the society started rotting in Obote’s regime and got rotten in this regime. Our rulers should borrow some of things Amin used to do. I think Jennifer Musisi is doing the same because she grew up in Amin’s time.

What is your current state of mind?

Anxious because the goals I want to achieve are not moving in the direction I want them to.

On what occasion do you lie?

When I lie, I feel bad inside so I always tell the truth.

What do you most dislike about your appearance?

I’m comfortable.

What is the quality you most like in a man?

Honesty.

What is the quality you most like in a woman?

Honest, respectable, and dignified.

How have you managed to be the above woman?

I never want to disappoint my fans and family so I would never want to do anything that does not befit the Mariam Ndagire brand.

What do you value in friends?

Trust, and also be there for me.

Which talent would you most like to have?

I did Mathematics, Economics

October 24 - 30, 2014

Who are your heroes in real life?

My aunt-Hajjat Nuruh Bongole who brought me up after my mother passed on.

and Geography in A’Level with the hope of becoming a pilot.

If you could change one thing in society, what would it be?

I’d love to see Ugandan content appreciated on the continent and world over but the players are stagnant. I started Uganda Film Network after the success of my first movie Down this road I walk but I think film makers wanted to be paid. Through Mariam Ndagire Performing Arts Centre I’m training and mentoring the youths who hopefully will appreciate quality.

What do you consider your greatest achievement?

Creating the Mariam Ndagire brand.

What do you regard as the lowest depth of misery?

Losing a loved one is hard that’s why I cried when Juliana lost her only son.

What is your most marked characteristic?

Dignified, respectable.

Who are your favorite writers?

Tyler Perry, Shonda Rhimes especially Grey’s Anatomy, Scandal and Maya Angelou especially her book Heart of a Woman. It

Which living person do you most admire?

Tyler Perry, I don’t know how he does it; he is writing and directing movies, TV series, TV Sitcoms,writing his autobiogra phy and acting in some projects.

I ‘m still trying to get his formula, he inspires me.

What is it that you most dislike?

People who want free things end up as thieves.

What is your greatest regret?

I never regret; I learn from mistakes and move forward.

How would you like to die?

As long as it is not painful and after I have fulfilled most of my dreams such as setting up the centre, mini studios. My biggest dream is to own a TV network like Oprah’s.

If you were to die and come back as a person or a thing, what would it be?

As me but as an American woman or a bird that sings.

What’s your philosophy about life?

Do what is good for you but do not step on other people’s toes.

What is your motto?

Be true to your dreams.

By Yusufu Mubiru

mubiruy@yahoo.co.uk

When should you sell your vehicle?

T

here is no magical mileage threshold that tells you when it is time to ditch your car. In fact, many of today’s vehicles routinely exceed 200,000km without experiencing major mechanical problems.

The decision of what to drive and when it is the right time to sell or trade in your car is a big one. There are lots of things to consider when figuring out how to decide whether to keep or replace your car, including upcoming financial needs, the age of the car, and what you can get at a dealership versus what it is worth to you.

Consider the age and mileage of the car

A car that has more than 200,000km on its odometer is going to have more mechanical problems than a newer car. Take into account the kind of driving you have done.

Driving on pot holes has probably done more damage to the car, so this should be a factor in choosing to keep or sell your car.

Determine how much it will cost to keep it on the road.

Ask your mechanic for a rundown of all the: Big repairs that must be done right now to keep your vehicle running.

Additional repairs that can be postponed but need to be done over the next year.

Major maintenance that will come due during the next 12 months based on how many miles are on the car.

Is it possible that if you postpone that work, you will run a greater risk that your car will break down and stick you with a bigger repair bill once you are towed to the garage?

You should not consider oil changes and the normal routine service.

If you conclude that you will have to spend more than the car is worth to keep it on the road for another year, then it makes financial sense to invest that money in a new car.

How much “life” your car has will depend on several factors, including the following Age and mileage of the vehicle.

The reliability of the make and model in question. Some cars, if well-maintained, can be expected to last until the odometer hits 200,000km other less reliable brands may be ready to retire after only half that mileage.

Is the vehicle well-maintained? Have

Selling your car while upside down will result in a financial hit that may be difficult to absorb. you gotten regular oil changes and tuneups, maintained proper fluid levels, and replaced worn parts as needed? If you are not the original owner of your vehicle, did the previous owner take good care of it?

Are you still paying your car off?

If so, find out whether you are “upside down” on your loan. Being upside down simply means that you owe more on your car than it is worth. Selling your car while upside down will result in a financial hit that may be difficult to absorb. Refinancing your loan may help you close the gap more quickly, but the best advice if you are upside down on your loan is to hang on to the car as long as possible.

Safety Auto manufacturers continuously work to make cars safer to drive. Major safety features, such as anti-lock brakes and airbags, have been added to cars manufactured since the mid-1990. If your car is older than this, it likely lacks these safety features, so it is not able to provide you with the same level of protection. It may be worth selling your car and getting a newer one that can offer more updated safety features.

October 24 - 30, 2014

39

global comment

By Dani Rodrik

Are services the new manufacturers?

Developing countries seek new growth model as export-oriented industrialisation runs its course

T

he global discussion about growth in the developing world has taken a sharp turn recently. The hype and excitement of recent years over the prospect of rapid catch-up with the advanced economies have evaporated. Few serious analysts still believe that the spectacular economic convergence experienced by Asian countries, and less spectacularly by most Latin American and African countries, will be sustained in the decades ahead. The low interest rates, high commodity prices, rapid globalisation, and post-Cold War stability that underpinned this extraordinary period are unlikely to persist.

A second realisation has sunk in: Developing countries need a new growth model.

The problem is not just that they need to wean themselves from their reliance on fickle capital inflows and commodity booms, which have often left them vulnerable to shocks and prone to crises. More important, export-oriented industrialisation, history’s most certain path to riches, may have run its course.

Ever since the Industrial Revolution, manufacturing has been the key to rapid economic growth. The countries that caught up with and eventually surpassed Britain, such as Germany, the United States, and Japan, all did so by building up their manufacturing industries. Following the Second World War, there were two waves of rapid economic convergence: one in the European periphery during the 1950s and 1960s, and another in East Asia since the 1960s.

Both were based on industrial manufacturing. China, which has emerged as the archetype of this growth strategy since the 1970s, traveled a well-worn path.

But manufacturing today is not what it used to be. It has become much more capital- and skill-intensive, with greatly diminished potential to absorb large amounts of labour from the countryside.

While global supply chains have facilitated entry into manufacturing, they have also reduced the gains in terms of value added that accrue at home. Many traditional industries, such as textiles and steel, are likely to face shrinking global markets and over-capacity, driven by demand shifts and environmental concerns. And one downside of China’s success is that many other countries are finding it much harder 40

October 24 - 30, 2014

to establish more than a niche in manufacturing. As a consequence, developing countries are starting to de-industrialise and become more dependent on services at much lower levels of income than has been the pattern for developed countries – a phenomenon that I have called premature de-industrialisation.

Can service industries play the role that manufacturing did in the past? Already, services contribute the bulk of GDP in developing countries, even in low-income countries where agriculture has traditionally played a big part. Young workers who leave the farm for the cities are increasingly absorbed into urban services jobs instead of manufacturing. And international trade in services has tended to expand more rapidly than trade in goods.

Among the optimists are Ejaz Ghani and Stephen D. O’Connell of the World Bank.

In a recent paper, they argue that service industries could serve as a growth escalator, the role traditionally assumed by manufacturing.

In particular, they show that services have exhibited “unconditional convergence” in productivity recently. That is, countries furthest away from the global frontier of labour productivity have seen the fastest productivity growth in services.

This would be very good news, but there are reasons to be wary. The GhaniO’Connell evidence includes data starting in the early 1990s, during which developing countries were experiencing economy-wide convergence, boosted by capital inflows and commodity windfalls. It is unclear whether their conclusions extend to other periods.

Two things make services different from manufacturing. First, while some segments of services are tradable and are becoming more important in global commerce, these typically are highly skill-intensive sectors that employ comparatively few ordinary workers.

Banking, finance, insurance, and other business services, along with information and communications technology (ICT), are all high-productivity activities that pay high wages. They could act as growth escalators in economies where the work force is adequately trained. But developing economies typically have predominantly low-skilled labour forces. In such economies, tradable

services cannot absorb more than a fraction of the labour supply.

That is why, for all of its success, the ICT sector in India has not been a primary driver of economic growth. By contrast, traditional manufacturing could offer a large number of jobs to workers straight off the farm, at productivity levels three to four times that in agriculture.

In today’s developing countries, the bulk of excess labor is absorbed in non-tradable services operating at very low levels of productivity, in activities such as retail trade and housework. In principle, many of these activities could benefit from better technologies, improved organisation, and greater formalisation. But here the second difference between services and manufacturing comes into play.

Partial productivity gains in non-tradable activities are ultimately self-limiting, because individual service activities cannot expand without turning their terms of trade against themselves – pushing down their own prices (and profitability). In manufacturing, small developing countries could thrive on the basis of a few export successes and diversify sequentially through time – t-shirts now, followed by the assembly of televisions and microwave ovens, and on up the chain of skill and value.

By contrast, in services, where market size is limited by domestic demand, continued success requires complementary and simultaneous gains in productivity in the rest of the economy. Focusing on a few sectors yields no quick winning opportunities.

Growth therefore must rely on the much slower accumulation of economy-wide capabilities in the form of human capital and institutions.

So I remain skeptical that a services-led model can deliver rapid growth and good jobs in the way that manufacturing once did. Even if the technological optimists are right, it is difficult to see how that will enable developing countries to sustain the kind of growth they experienced over the last couple of decades.

Dani Rodrik, Professor of Social Scienceat the Institute for Advanced Study, Princeton, New Jersey, is the author of `The Globalization Paradox: Democracy and the Future of the World Economy’.

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