The Witness Issue One

NEWS

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Witnessing Uganda’s developments Issue No.01 | November , 2014

Uganda’s economy on the rebound Improving Uganda’s Road network still a priority for government Achievements of NRM since 1986

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Jinja Sailing Club

your perfect venue for retreats

inja Sailing Club is a newly renovated restaurant, bar and conference facility on the shores of Lake Victoria, having an enchanting view near the Source of the River Nile.

The picturesque and tranquil gardens by the lake set the scene for a perfect family retreat.

Whether it is for that long-awaited, cold beer in the Explorer’s Bar at the end of a hard-working day, or for a mouthwatering meal at The Captain’s Table, the Club can satisfy our guests’ requirement.

Mr. Kamalesh Chatterjee, Manager of the Club says being located on the shores of Lake Victoria gives Jinja Sailing Club an added advantage, which allows all our guests to have unique experiences.

He adds that the club’s restaurant is famous for serving up delicious Continental, African and Indian dishes, and the resplendent Gardens play host to wonderful retreats and events on various occasions.

To name a few of the delicacies extremely in demand are “ Fresh whole Large Tilapia & Chips”, “Old Fashioned Fish & Chips”, “Kuku

in Basket” “Steak Rosini” “Honey glazed Pork Ribs” and the delectable “Thin Crust Pizzas” – for which guests come from afar to savour.

The Explorer’s Bar hosts entertainment evenings on Saturdays with Live Guitar. The Bar list offers a wide range of Wines along with Spirits of all types. Mocktails also appear on the list to quench the thirst of the Teetotaler.

Boat cruise experience to nearby attractions such as the Source of the Nile, Samuka Island and Kakira in our own luxury boats are a few of the attractions for our esteemed guests from all over the world.

For private functions and events, the setting is ideal and breathtaking to make each and every event a memorable one.

There is ample space in and around the beautiful gardens with a dancing floor which makes our Club heavily in demand for hosting weddings, reception parties, team building workshops and Conferences by the Corporates. The Manager says the Club’s mission is “To make Jinja Sailing Club a “Numero Uno” for Food, Drink, organizing Events and Workshops in Uganda.”

A few Glimpses of Jinja Sailing Club

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The Witness News November- December 2014 Contact: 1-5 Nile Pier Road, Nile Crescent, Jinja, Uganda Tel: 0434120222 | Mob: 0750 035901

NEWS

Witnessing Uganda’s developments

NEWS

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Witnessing Uganda’s developments

Issue No.01 | November , 2014

Contents...

Democracy and good governance:

Since 1986, the NRM Government has progressively worked towards establishing democratic governance as part of the fundamental change it promised on assumption of power. As a result of this, Ugandans are at liberty to make decisions that affect them including electing their leaders at all levels from the village, sub-county, districts, municipals and national levels.

Agriculture sector remains Uganda’s safest bet of spreading wealth: Uganda is arguably the regional food basket feeding South Sudan, the eastern Democratic Republic of Congo, parts of northern Tanzania and western Kenya

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Publisher JSR Witness Company Ltd

Editorial

Contributing Editor Julius G. Musoke Reporters Alfa Male Faridah Nasejje Jo Ikea Julius Musoke Photography James S. Odongo Layout & Design KAHROY Artworks

Address

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Shri Ganesh Plaza First Floor, Suite No.13-2 P.O.Box 6129, Kampala Telephone: 0772 669270 0774 988757 0704 211 600

Resurrecting Uganda’s Health system Government makes progress in reviving health sector: When President Museveni ascended to power in January, 1986, he found a dilapidated health system following two decades of neglect.

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Uganda’s economy on the rebound: Opportunities abound as the economy gets back on a positive growth trend curve

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UPE’s other side

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Why more Ugandan women are becoming successful entrepreneurs: Much as they contrib-

ute differently, women are catching up with their male counterparts in several sectors including business.

Pomp, flair, and fun on show at 2014 Kampala City Carnival: When Jennifer Musisi, KCCA unveiled plans on July 31 for this year’s city carnival, she promised three things:

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54 Uganda @ 52 Years of Independence slightly edited version of his speech:

Tourists to experience Uganda’s rich cultural heritage: Millions of tourists who have travelled to Uganda over the last three decades have mainly come here to enjoy the country’s nature, mainly game, flora and the beautiful scenery.

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Disclaimer: The Witness News encourages stakeholders to submit articles for publication.

The publisher reserves the right to edit all non-sponsored articles before publication. Neither the publisher nor any person acting on behalf of the publisher, may be held responsible for the use to which information (content) in this publication may be put.

Non-commercial reproduction authorized subject to acknowledgement of source and must obtain written permission.

November- December 2014 The Witness News

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NEWS

WITNESS

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Witnessing Uganda’s developments

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Witnessing Uganda’s developments

Editor’s Note

W Dear Reader,

elcome to our very first issue of The Witness News magazine. We are a new publication and we hope to grow into an organized platform for accurate reporting on Uganda’s development. The Witness News was founded with the prime and focused objective of providing accurate reporting on both government and private sector programmes and projects which are all geared towards turning Uganda into a prosperous middle-income nation in the next 25 years. As you probably have figured out, the intention of this publication is to take note, document, and publish the exciting economic development story that is unfolding before our eyes in Uganda. Following two horrendous decades borne out of the political turmoil of the 1970s and 1980s, thanks to the able stewardship of President Yoweri Museveni, the country has made a miraculous recovery in the last 28 years. It has been painstaking work and although challenges abound, experts say the country is ready for takeoff and the government’s ambitious plans of transforming the country from a backward and peasant society to a modern

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The Witness News November- December 2014

and prosperous middle-income country by 2040 are not far-fetched. We definitely believe in this vision and The Witness News would like to be a part of this exciting story. We will be there to objectively report on the exciting oil and gas story until the first drop of oil gets out of the Albertine Graben. We will also be there to report on the budding tourism industry and the agricultural sector as well as the huge infrastructural projects that will soon be harnessed to provide thousands, if not millions of employment opportunities to our Ugandan youth.

Thanks to the peace that Uganda is enjoying, these are exciting times to live and work in Uganda. And obviously we would like to be a part of these developments. We will bring to the fore all these exciting stories, if only to inspire fellow countrymen and women to believe in our motherland. Once again, I welcome you to our maiden issue.

Enjoy your reading.

Editor

Julius G. Musoke

November- December 2014 The Witness News

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Pomp, flair, and fun on show at 2014

By Our Reporter When Jennifer Musisi, the executive director of Kampala Capital City Authority (KCCA) unveiled plans on July 31 for this year’s city carnival, she promised three things: flair, fun and festivity. And without doubt she delivered on Sunday October 5. No wonder the carnival is fast becoming the biggest street party and outdoor gathering in East Africa. The day-long event this year saw several stages built at various points in the city with many popular entertainers gracing the colourful event.

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his year’s carnival—now in its third year—was celebrated under the theme, “For the Love of Kampala.”

The festival started in 2012 as a platform to rally Kampala city residents together and celebrate the city’s achievements.

KCCA management says the festival is aimed at preserving history and tradition and strives to stimulate the local economy, entertain and involve the community and visitors in a fun-filled environment.

In a show of trust in the event, the carnival attracted sponsorship from over a dozen corporate companies. As a result, the event provided more stages for entertainment to cater for the various groups of people.

Musisi said the ever increasing trust KCCA has cultivated with the residents has attracted more private investors to inject more money into the festival, making it the most amazing carnival ever organized by the authority. The event is intended to celebrate the changing face of Kampala.

The stretch between Kampala Road and Jinja Road was a flurry of activity as more revelers, food and drink vendors concentrated in the space.

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There were over 50 activities including business, fashion, art and culture, entertainment, technology, industry, contemporary pop music and other creative displays.

Uganda being a very religious society, the organizers took care of the revellers’ religious sensibilities.

KCCA demarcated the ground around Parliament Avenue for Muslims while Christians were hosted at the Sheraton Gardens.

In another show of good organization, the children’s activities were also held at the Constitutional Square Gardens.

Besides the organizers showing astuteness, credit should also go to the security personnel who did a good job ensuring people’s safety at the event.

The Kampala City Festival organized a few days to independence is supposed to offer a platform for Kampalans to celebrate a lot about Kampala, including those little things which distinctly define Kampala from other cities.

The festival has been revolving over the years from a small city event in 2011 to a much bigger regional activity. This year’s festival drew a lot of regional as well as international participation.

The Witness News November- December 2014

Kampala City Carnival

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Uganda @ 52 Years of Independence

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On October 9, Uganda celebrated her 52nd independence anniversary. Speaking at Kololo Ceremonial Grounds in Kampala, President Yoweri Museveni noted that for the first time in 114 years, the whole of Uganda was now peaceful. Below is a slightly edited version of his speech:

t is with great pleasure and honour that I welcome Your Excellencies and all the distinguished guests to this occasion as we mark 52 years of Uganda’s independence.

I greet you and congratulate you on the 52nd anniversary of Uganda’s Independence.

As we celebrate this day, the whole of Uganda is peaceful and has been so since we ended the removal of the 40,000 rifles from the cattle-rustlers in

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Karamoja some six (6) years ago.

Earlier on, in 2005, we had defeated the terrorists of Kony. This is therefore, the first time in 114 years that the whole of Uganda has been peaceful.

Even, during the time of the British, cattle-rustling in Karamoja, using guns from Turkana and from Ethiopia was going on. On account of the strength of the UPDF and the growing strength of the Police Force, this peace will not be disturbed. Use this peace to create wealth

The Witness News November- December 2014

for your families as we have guided you before. On the side of the economy, it will grow by 6.1% this financial year. Having started from a very low base of US$1.5 billion as the size of GDP in 1986, our GDP will be US$25.3 billion by the end of this financial year. This economy has been growing (in spite of the bottlenecks of electricity, high transport costs, insecurity in the past), at the

The Chinese are helping us to solve the issue of electricity for some of the hydro-power stations on the Nile and its tributaries and are feverishly working on the building of the Standard Gauge Railway

rate of 7.3% per annum for the last 28 years.

Now that we have the capacity to address the issue of tarmacking the major roads with our own money (such as the just completed Kampala-Masaka road and many others), some of the electricity dams (big and small) and we continue to benefit from solidarity from friends (such as ADB, World Bank, EU, Japan, etc) on some of the other roads, our economy will grow much faster.

The Chinese are helping us to solve the issue of electricity for some of the hydro-power stations on the Nile and its tributaries and are feverishly working on the building of the Standard Gauge Railway.

The Uganda economy will, therefore, for the first time, get a low-cost base from which to operate. The sky will be the limit.

As you know, Uganda discovered petroleum and gas in 2006. It is now eight

November- December 2014 The Witness News

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years since that time. We have, finally, agreed with the oil companies on these issues of the refinery, the pipeline and power generation. With more investigations, it is now established that the oil reserves in the 40% of the potential area are 6.5 billion barrels and 499 billion cubic feet of gas.

This is good because this gas can help us to remove oxygen from iron-ore (obutare) so that we develop our steel industry given our considerable ironore reserves of over 200 million tonnes already identified so that we stop the importation of steel from very far.

By 2017 our oil will be flowing into the refinery and the pipeline.

Apart from the oil and gas, after the recent survey, we have identified alot of minerals as follows: iron-ore, marble/ limestone, gold, uranium, vermiculite, nickel, platinum, chromium, kimberlites (diamond), bentonite, aluminium clays, phosphates, copper, cobalt, wolfram, tin, coltan, rock salt and brine. Uganda has, therefore, a large base of natural resources that will help us in our development.

As the government is solving the infrastructure problems, the rural families

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should take advantage of the deployment of UPDF officers to distribute the planting and breeding materials to get themselves out of subsistence farming and join commercial farming.

I have repeatedly pointed out to you the unacceptability of having only one (1) homestead in a whole parish like Ndangaaro in Rubirizi district of 2,500 homesteads as I found out when I visited that area many years ago or seven (7) families in the parish of Rwengaaju out of 1,500 homesteads being the only ones engaged in commercial farming.

I am happy to report that in Ndangaaro parish today, 112 homesteads are engaged in commercial farming out of 2,560 homesteads while in Rwengaaju, 130 homesteads are engaged in commercial farming out of 1,946 homesteads.

This, however, is not enough. Why should the other thousands of homesteads be spectators (abaloleezi) of commercial farming while only the minority are the only ones engaged in that poverty eradicating activity?

With the involvement of UPDF, I am sure that many more families will get access to planting and breeding materials.

The Witness News November- December 2014

We have reactivated Uganda Development Corporation (UDC) to, where unavoidable, to step in and do the processing if the private sector do not show up

Their role in the former NRA/Fronasa operational areas in the last two seasons has already seen them distribute 11 million seedlings of coffee, 2 million seedlings of tea and 464,135 seedlings of fruits.

This involvement of more families into commercial farming will boost the volumes of production in the country to unprecedented new levels. Already, the involvement of UPDF officers in the former war zones has pushed the volume of maize from 1,163 million tonnes

per annum to 4,100 million tonnes per annum of maize.

Those increased levels of production must be matched with increased levels of processing and value addition.

Therefore, the Uganda Investment Authority (UIA), the Ministry of Trade and Industries and the Ministry of Agriculture must work in overdrive speed to solve the problem of value addition and processing for the increased production as well as the problem of storing.

We have reactivated Uganda Development Corporation (UDC) to, where unavoidable, to step in and do the processing if the private sector do not show up.

On regional and global matters, you all saw that UPDF, working with the Somali army, liberated a number of Somali towns southwards from Mogadishu, including the Port of Barawe. It is said, that this is the last Port that the terrorist group, Al-Shabaab, controlled.

Globally, there is alot of suffering in North Africa and the Middle East caused, mainly, by mistakes by certain global players, initially.

These global players are always in cahoots with incapable puppets. It is that permutation that is, mainly, responsible for these tragedies of human haemorrhage, destruction of social and economic capital and loss of development time in those unfortunate lands.

Serious dialogue is necessary in the world to see how these tragedies can be rolled back and new ones avoided.

Within the under-developed countries themselves, who are the victims of these global mistake makers, the main authors of the tragedies are the ideologically disoriented groups that, instead of working for the legitimate interests of the people, promote sectarianism of religion or tribe; or promote male chauvinism.

In so doing, they tear up society and cause tremendous damage. Our brothers in Somalia need to evolve the ideology of patriotism and Pan-Africanism so that they re-orient their country into a sustainably positive and progressive direction.

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With the building of the Somali army, supported by AMISOM, it is possible to pacify Somalia.

The pushers of the hegmonistic agenda have been misusing the ICC, an institution we initially supported. In the matter of President Uhuru Kenyatta, the African Union (AU) Assembly of Heads of State resolved that no African sitting President should be summoned by that court.

This resolution was taken to the Security Council where there is no permanent member from Africa. There are only seasonal members.

That group did not see much merit in the collective wisdom of the African leaders; and the court summoned President Kenyatta on the eve of our Summit here. Was the aim of ICC to disrupt our Summit? Too bad for them!

Our Summit went on (October 8). The problems that occurred in Kenya in 2007 and that happen in other African countries are, first and foremost, ideological. ICC to handle them as just legal matters is the height level of shallowness.

My view is that, at the next summit, African countries should review their membership of the ICC treaty. The ICC is turning out not be the value addition product that we had expected it to be. It is instead, a biased instrument of post-colonial hegemony.

As far as Uganda is concerned, the greater mutual interest with the western countries is trade and tourism. The total global trade is valued at US$ 101 trillion per year. The USA accounts for US$16 trillion of this.

The EU accounts for US$17.4 trillion of this. The two of them, therefore, account for about US$34 trillion of this. The other US$66 trillion is accounted for by the other countries with China taking US$16 trillion and Africa taking US$2.5 trillion but growing very fast. The USA, EU and Africa need, therefore, to harmonize our long term vision based on mutual benefit and equality. Our recent meeting in the USA was a good beginning. It is irresponsible for anybody to mishandle this potentially lucrative relationship.

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Finally, a point on public health involving another incident of Marburg here in Uganda, recently, as well as the Ebola which is ravaging West Africa.

These are zoonotic diseases; this means that they are diseases that can go from the human being to the animals and vice-versa. They are very aggressive and lethal. Yet, they are easy to stop because, fortunately, they do not go through the air like flu. They infect by contact.

Therefore, in order not take any chances, I request you to suspend the habit of shaking hands in addition to the measures the Ministry of Health is taking in respect of handling those who are sick or who are suspected to have had contact with the sick or with those who died.

I must also request those communities, especially in the forest zones, who have the custom of eating monkeys and other primates to stop that custom.

Those creatures are relatives of humans. Moreover, they are the ones that harbour those dangerous viruses Marburg, Ebola, etc. Avoid them please. Eat the livestock we look after ourselves: cattle, goats, chicken, pigs, etc. as well as plant proteins. The bats also seem to harbour these viruses. The Ministry of Veterinary should work out

The Witness News November- December 2014

plans to eradicate these dangerous sources of this problem.

The fact that 60% of the infected people survive, means that we can develop a vaccine. When you get sick, please report to the medical authorities immediately.

Infected people have a high chance of surviving if they get medical support of especially rehydration early. Therefore, prompt reporting is crucial. As far as the medical staff is concerned, they should always use gloves.

There is also another factor in connection with these repeated outbreaks of Ebola and Marburg. These viruses have not just emerged.

They have always been there, in the forests. It is the reckless invasion of the forests by those who break the law of conservation that are provoking these viruses. Therefore, conservation is part of Public Health. Leave the forests alone for tourism and conservation.

Thank you so much and I wish you success in the next year of Independence.

Yoweri K. Museveni PRESIDENT

November- December 2014 The Witness News

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HEalth Sector

Resurrecting Uganda’s

Health system Government makes progress in reviving health sector

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The Witness News November- December 2014

HEalth Sector

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By Faridah Nasejje

hen President Museveni ascended to power in January, 1986, he found a dilapidated health system following two decades of neglect.

The political turmoil of the 1970s and 1980s which forced many Ugandans, including health workers flee to foreign lands did not help matters.

Uganda’s health state became so dire.

In 1986, the new government struggled to provide health care, pay health workers their salaries and refurbish health facilities around the country.

Doctors operating a spinal code patient at Mulago Hospital

Health workers had to develop ‘survival strategies’ to cope with scarce resources, including adopting external profit-making practices and use of public resources in their private practices.

Realizing this, in 1993 the government started implementing the World Bank/International Monetary Fund programmes of decentralization.

User fees were introduced in health facilities, personnel were retrenched and programmes that did not initially do well were scrapped.

Local authorities were also handed the responsibility for health-care activities outside of public hospitals. This included responsibility and authority to set fees for services provide which could

feed into district or facility funds.

But contrary to hopes that introducing fees would formalize payments, the inability by the health facilities to charge fees commensurate with services provided to patients, together with continued low salaries, resulted in increased leakage of drugs, mismanagement of funds, informal requests for payment from patients, and reduced quality and accessibility of care. Health workers were continuing to rely on their ‘survival strategies’ implemented in earlier years.

The shift in power to charge fees was mirrored by a shift in power to recruit staff and allocate resources at the local level, which was intended to empower responsiveness to local needs. In practice, however, the ability of local politicians to define local needs created friction within districts.

“Health workers needed to reinforce their relationships with leaders who interpreted decentralized policies as preferences for locally born staff. Selection criteria for training opportunities were not based on training needs, with in-charges attending more seminars and reaping the benefit of allowances than providing health care”, says Dr. Oddia Nuru, a medic who has been practicing since 1978.

With the health sector strategic plan prepared at the turn of the millennium identifying the health sector as playing a key role in poverty eradication and socioeconomic development in the country, the president abolished user fees in 2001 which had a positive impact. For instance, the quality of care did not wane yet more poor people sought care at public health facilities.

Ugandans have also witnessed qualitative and quantitative improvement in health service delivery especially with liberalization where by private investors have penetrated the health sector providing services to those who can afford

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HEalth Sector

Some of the modern medical equipments used in Ugandan Hospitals

to pay.

In addition to the public and private providers, there are a number of Chinese herbal products and traditional medicine that have been authorized to complement the health system. Overall, although challenges persist in the sector, there is general improvement in service delivery.

Consequently Uganda’s life expectancy has increased to 59 years in 2012 from 48 years in 1999 and 2000.

World Bank indicators show that births attended by skilled health workers have increased from 38% in the 1990s to 57% in 2012 whereas mortality for children under five years of age too have go down to 178 per 1000 live births in 1990 to 69 currently.

According to Dr. Nsungwa Sabiiti, the Commissioner Child Health in the Ministry of Health, the government has endeavoured to avert pregnancy and birth related death problems whereby 66% of all health services are public through community outreach health centers, regional referrals and the national referral. “The government has focused and encouraged prevention of diseases, promotion of health and where we cannot prevent, treatment of disease,� she said.

By creating a good environment for

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Dr. Vinand Nantulya, the Chairman, Uganda AIDS Commission private investors, Uganda has seen a number of private providers setting in with innovations in health sector.

Soon there will be no need for one to travel abroad for treatment because most of the sophiscated procedures will be done here either at Mulago or other private hospitals like Nakasero, Case and Kampala International and others that are up to international standards.

These facilities have recently benefitted from massive investment in better facilities such as Computerized Axial Tomography (CT) scans and Magnet-

The Witness News November- December 2014

ic Resonance Imaging (MRI) imaging important for providing a thicker picture of the body tissues making diagnosis easy. At Mulago, Ward-6 is under refurbishment by a team from South Africa in preparation kidney transplant procedures which the hospital hopes to carry out soon. Ward-6 is to house the renal department composed of a laboratory, pharmacy, dialysis unit and two operational theatres.

Beyond Kampala, health facilities are being renovated country wide using the $130 million Uganda Health System Strengthening Project (UHSSP) loan from the world bank aimed at assisting the country achieve the Uganda National Minimum Health care package that is Maternal health, family planning and new born care. Uganda boasts of 56 public hospitals, 13 regional referrals, 2 national referrals, 43 general hospitals, 42 private non-profit and 4 profit private hospitals.

Having served his country for decades, Dr. Odidia knows where Uganda has come from. He says the government has tried to improve the livelihoods of Ugandans especially those in rural districts. These people can now make use of the more accessible health centres before going to the national referral.

The doctor says before, accessing

HEalth Sector

A nurse examins an expectant mother.

treatment at Mulago was extremely hard for at times doctors could be available but accessing a panadol could take weeks if not months.

The solution to medicine stock outs at government hospitals was the formation of National Medical Stores (NMS) 20 years ago that was mandated to store and distribute essential medicines and medical supplies. Medicine is now readily available to all at public health facilities free of charge.

NMS is hailed for increasing coverage of immunization in the whole country from 52% a few years ago to 98% as of last financial year reports. Currently the stores serve 14 referral hospitals, 47 general hospitals, 170 health center IVs, 900 health center IIIs and 1500 health center IIs. In its 2011 manifesto, NRM promised to recruit more health workers to fill all the approved posts within the health sector, and progressively improve the remuneration of the health workers and providing them housing accommodation. So far, over 11,211 health staff have been recruited. Nationally, health sector staffing strength is at 56% of the approved positions, four percentage points below the target and medical officers’ remuneration has been enhanced to Shs2.5 million per month inclusive of consolidated allowances.

Number of new infections

reported for 2013 dropped to

137,000

compared to

170,000

recorded in 2011

(19.4% drop)

In addition to numerous health facilities, the government has continuously focused on improving the sector by giving it priority through budgets and government speeches. The health budget has been increasing from 852.2b in financial year 2012/2013, 930.5b in 2013/14 and 1,197.8b for the current financial year.

“The government has been increasing the budget though it’s still a bit small.

This together with international funding has helped us better lives for instance

child mortality has reduced though some few rural settings are still facing the problem”, says Dr. Nsungwa.

Strides in curbing HIV With President Museveni being actively involved in campaigns against HIV/AIDS, death due to AIDS and related conditions have started falling. The number of Ugandans who died of AIDS and related conditions fell from 66,000 in 2011 to 56,000 in 2013. Among the efforts to curb the pandemic was developing and implementing a new HIV/ AIDS Strategic Plan (2011-2015) and an aggressive HIV Prevention Strategy (2011-2015).

These efforts according to Dr. Vinand Nantulya, the Chairman, Uganda AIDS Commission have begun to yield positive results as the number of new infections reported for 2013 dropped to 137,000 compared to 170,000 recorded in 2011 (19.4% drop). The number of new babies born with HIV dropped to less than 8,000 in 2013 compared to 26,000 in 2011(69% drop). For those already infected, the government has made commendable progress in terms of rolling out Anti-Retroviral Therapy (ART), expanding coverage to 54% by 2009.

November- December 2014 The Witness News

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Agriculture

Agriculture

sector remains Uganda’s safest bet of spreading

wealth

By Alfa Male Uganda is arguably the regional food basket feeding South Sudan, the eastern Democratic Republic of Congo, parts of northern Tanzania and western Kenya. The private sector which is involved in agriculture if given some bit of pushing by government could turn the sector around and live by what President Yoweri Museveni has always maintained: “the wealth of Uganda is in agriculture and nothing else.”

A farmer in his apple garden in Bushenyi

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The Witness News November- December 2014

Agriculture

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Agriculture

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griculture is a fundamental instrument for sustainable development and poverty reduction, and any growth in the sector can be a powerful means for reducing inequalities.

The 2008 World Development Report found that growth originating in the agricultural sector is 2-4 times as effective as growth originating from the non-agricultural sectors in increasing incomes of the bottom third of the income distribution.

The agricultural sector growth has been the main instrument of rural poverty reduction in most developing countries in the recent past, and this is not a surprise that growth in the sector also has a much more direct impact on hunger than general economic growth does.

It is estimated that 75 -80% of Uganda`s population is dependent on agriculture for livelihood despite the sector being dominated by smallholder farmers from when the economy was liberalized.

Although way back before the NRM government came to power Uganda was known for being a producer of coffee, tea, tobacco and cotton, the list has since grown to include fruits, bananas, pepper, flowers and other horticultural products.

The animal husbandry sub-sector which also falls under agriculture has not been left behind but has as well developed with the introduction of more exotic breeds like the South African Boer goats for meat and milk production.

This sub-sector is also

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on the upside with farmers adopting new farming methods that include zero grazing.

The fisheries sector has not been left behind.

Poultry which was once done on a homestead and free range basis of rearing the indigenous fowl has since become a full time commercial activity and has developed to a commercial level.

Today Uganda is known for its chicken production with many broiler and layer farms coming up by their hundreds.

Much of the eggs and chicken that are produced in Uganda today are destined to neighboring countries because the small holder farmers have saturated the local market with poultry products.

The Witness News November- December 2014

Apart from Uganda adding fish to its list of exports, the fish industry has also developed as well and production is no longer dependent on lake fishing alone. Fish farming or aquaculture (done in ponds and cage farming on the lake shores) is thriving.

Another field in the agricultural sector that has greatly developed is bee keeping (apiary). Many years back, bee keeping was not a business worth writing about but, today it is the agriculture sector’s other big and growing sub-sectors.

The new farming methods and the growing market have not only led to the development of the agricultural sector but have turned around many people’s lives who have

taken to agriculture as a fulltime job.

It is mainly because of improved farming practices that agriculture has markedly improved and as a result, poverty in rural areas has declined from 60% to 34% between 1992 and 2005/06, and then further to 23% in 2009/10 to date.

This has been made possible with improved infrastructure enabling the farmer to easily access the market.

Agricultural growth in Uganda has been hinged on many farming families diversifying into the unchartered waters and taking to growing of horticultural products which are quick yielding and easily marketable.

Cabbages, tomatoes,

Agriculture

water melon, lettuces, cucumber , carrots, green pepper, pineapples, and pawpaw to mention but a few are some of the quick yielding and easy to market products that are increasingly being grown.

However not all is a garden of roses for the sector. There are quite a number of challenges that still plague the sector and if these challenges are addressed in the next couple of years, Uganda’s agricultural sector could further develop.

Challenges Despite clear potential existing for agricultural growth, the ability of Ugandan farmers to replicate successes of the rest of the

world remains constrained by a number of factors that include weather, seasonality, output perishability, diseases, price volatility, access to credit and inadequate agricultural research.

Agricultural research and advisory services are critical means to raise agricultural productivity and promote commercialization across the sector. This has not only been acknowledged around the world but also in Uganda as exemplified by the billions of shillings sunk in the advisory services over the last one decade.

Research is not only critical to raise agricultural productivity but also helps in reducing various risks faced by smallholder farmers ranging from weather and climate events to pests and diseases.

Past investments in research and advisory services in Uganda have yielded significant benefits.

In a nutshell, the success of research and advisory services in raising agricultural productivity and reducing smallholder risks (and thus increasing commercialization) over the next decade will depend on the success in empowering farmers; collaboration between research institutes and advisory services, in particular at the local level.

It will also be prudent to lay greater focus on quality advisory services rather than inputs; defining the arrangements for delivery of veterinary services outside of NAADS; and the high-quality regulations for inputs market.

These challenges if not addressed adequately could slow the development of the sector.

Solutions

The government needs to act fast and invest in early warning weather systems.

It will also need to come up with deliberate mechanisms of establishing agricultural financial schemes to enable farmers borrow to cheaply to buy agricultural inputs like pesticides, seed, modern farming equipment and setting up of storage facilities to reduce on output perishability and control price volatility.

Future of agriculture in Uganda The positive outlook is grounded in six principle factors namely; Accelerating growth and the rapid urbanization in the country The end of the secular price decline for agricultural

commodities that will make agriculture more profitable in the future; Availability of improved technological opportunities that arise from the bio-technology revolution; Increasing budget allocations to agriculture in Uganda under the second National Development Plan (NDP); The rising budget allocations to supporting infrastructure and human development in Uganda and Increasing efforts to reintegrate northern Uganda that can generate large agricultural surpluses.

Already with an improved road infrastructure that has tremendously reduced the turnaround time and northern Uganda returning to normalcy after a 25 yeararmed rebellion, agricultural production in Uganda has greatly improved and today inflation is no longer much of a headache to the country’s planners owing to good harvests throughout the year.

According to the Uganda Bureau of Statistics (UBOS), annual headline inflation for the year ending August 2014 declined to 2.8% compared to the 4.3% that was recorded for the year ended July 2014.

The decline is largely attributed to a reduction in annual food crop inflation that decreased to 1.5% for the year ending August 2014 from the 12.9% for the year ended July 2014.

Food supply today is in abundance and most harvests have been bumper in nature meaning there is enough food supply and with the good roads the cost of transport is gradually coming down.

November- December 2014 The Witness News

19

Roads Sector

Improving Uganda’s

Road network

still a priority for government

By Alfa Male Uganda’s road transport is estimated to carry up to 95 % of the goods in the country, and over 99 % of passengers. The above two loads have been steadily growing at around 8 % per annum up to 2013, and are expected to grow at about 7 % in the near future. In most countries around the world, road transport has become the dominant transport mode in Uganda due to its flexibility in providing widespread door to door transport, and easy access to inter change terminals with all other modes.

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The Witness News November- December 2014

Roads Sector

B

y 2000 Uganda`s road network had a length of approximately 78,100 km according to the 2008 figures and this comprised 10,800 km of national roads, 27,500 km of district roads, 4,800 km of urban roads, and some 35,000 km of community roads.

Included in the roads are seven short-distance lake and river crossings around the country, acting as road bridges of which six are today operated by the Uganda National Roads Authority(UNRA).

Total vehicular traffic at these six crossings in 2002 was recorded at

27,600 vehicles, 58,100 bicycles and motor cycles, and 524,000 passengers.

These have all doubled in numbers putting a strain on the infrastructure which has since been improved upon to handle more traffic.

To have a perfect road network, a 15-year investment programme was proposed, to run from 2008 to 2023, including road and safety improvements.

New roads would be of three types, namely dual carriageway with railway viaduct, dual carriageway and single carriageway. At national level, the Ministry of Works and Transport (MOWT) is mandated with policy formulation, planning, performance monitoring and database

management.

A Transport Master Plan Unit (TMPU) was established within MOWT to monitor implementation of the national and the Greater Kampala Master (GKMP) master plans, and initiate future master plans, under overall supervision of an inter-ministerial committee i.e. a National Transport Master Plan Management Committee (NTMPMC).

Public Private Partnership`s (PPP`s)

Around 2002, the central government prepared a National Transport Master Plan and a master plan for the greater Kampala metropolitan area and under

November- December 2014 The Witness News

21

Roads Sector the master plan a number of mega projects were conceived. The key major projects that were conceived are the arterial and concentric roads that are required to ease movement and mobility in Kampala to help decongest the city.

Of course these investments require large sums of money and governments` expenditure is constrained to a greater extent by what is called the medium term expenditure framework which contains ceilings for expenditure for every sector.

If the resources required to implement a particular programme exceed the available financing, definitely the government has to look at alternative means of raising capital and public-private partnerships (PPPs) are one of the ways. So that’s why the notion of PPPs was conceived and UNRA has been in the process of preparing because you need to go through a process preparing those projects in order to be able to roll them out.

PPP merits There are very many advantages; one, you are able to accelerate the programme, instead of having to wait for government to raise money or have that resource available, now you can rely off budget financing. If the private sector is bringing in money it helps government focus on other priorities.

It also helps the users to enjoy the benefits of that facility earlier otherwise should the government continue to be constrained by its medium term expenditure framework this road could possibly come 10-15 years later. You don’t want to wait that long to, for instance, see the Kampala-Entebbe Expressway.

Under the Vanilla PPP arrangement, the private sector is able to come in and take the risk by investing and ultimately deriving income from the other users. It is a performance based arrangement; if the contractor fails to deliver quality service then users will avoid the road and he will lose money.

Financing the road sector

Over the years, the Ministry of Finance

22

A section of the Kabale-Kisoro Road.

Planning and Economic Development has mainly concentrated on mobilizing sector funding and strengthening of fiscal oversight. It has also overseen the Road Fund Management Board while the Uganda Road Fund (URF) has been financing the periodic and routine maintenance of public roads.

Principal actors in the road sector transformation include UNRA, which is responsible for managing, maintaining

The Witness News November- December 2014

and developing the national road network.

There is also the Uganda Road Fund which is responsible for financing routine and periodic maintenance of roads.

The Ministry of Local Government (MOLG) co-ordinates the financing and delivery of road services for district, urban and community roads.

Under the National Transport Master Plan (NTMP), the length of paved

Roads Sector national roads was expected to increase to 4,100 km by 2013 and to 7,100 km by 2023. The 2023 figure would represent about 35 % of a projected national network of 20,000 km. In the longer term, say by 2050, the government has put a target of having a fully paved national road network.

Future of the road sector

The future of the roads sector looks good because today the road sector has taken a new dimension. It has become a regional issue.

At the regional level, the EAC aims to set up common standards, for instance, in axle load regulations, validity of vehicle insurance documents, air traffic control and airport security.

It also undertakes regional planning activities for instance through development of the East African main arterial road network, and through commissioning of the East Africa Railways Master Plan.

COMESA also performs regional transport planning over a wider area of Eastern and Southern Africa. Higher still, the African Union (AU) commissioned a large-scale Study on a Programme for Infrastructure Development in Africa (PIDA), conceptually based on trans-African transport corridors.

If the current ‘Africa-Rising’ refrain is anything to go by, expect a far better road network not only in Uganda but across the wider East African region in the near future.

A section of the Northern bypass Road.

A section of the Kabale-Kisoro Road.

Kabaka njagala Road.

November- December 2014 The Witness News

23

ECONOMY Bank of Uganda Building

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The Witness News November- December 2014

ECONOMY

Uganda’s economy on the rebound Opportunities abound as the economy gets back on a positive growth trend curve

I

By Our Reporter t is an indication that institutions have confidence in the Ugandan economy.”

This is how one of Uganda’s leading business men, Patrick Bitature, who also serves as the Chairman of Uganda Investment Authority (UIA) spoke about Uganda’s economy at a recent business event in Kampala.

Bitature was on Sept. 27 speaking at the signing of the memorandum of understanding between indigenous Crane Bank and the European Investment Bank in which the latter was providing EUR27 million to the bank to lend to critical sectors of the economy including manufacturing, services, agriculture and agri-business and construction among others.

When asked to comment on what this funding by EIB means to the business community, Bitature said; “It means more money is coming in the economy at affordable interest rates.” Crane Bank’s Acting Managing Director, P. K

BoU governor Emmanuel Tumusiime Mutebile

Gupta said long term lending to critical sectors of the economy will support the private sector who are expected to cre-

ate more jobs, pay taxes to government and ultimately contribute to positive economic growth.

Bitature’s views are not different from those held by top government officials.

Speaking at the recent Bank of Uganda’s regular press conference in Kampala, the Executive Director for Research at Bank of Uganda, Adam Mugume was optimistic that the economy is improving following Bank of Uganda’s implementation of a tight, accommodative monetary policy which has resulted into positive macro-economic stability in recent months.

Other factors remaining constant, this stance, according to BoU, is expected to boost economic activity in all sectors of the economy [agriculture, construction, manufacturing, services, and general trade among others] and increase exports which is healthy for the economy.

The Uganda bureau of statistics (UBOS) on Sept. 30 announced that the country’s year-on-year headline inflation further declined to 1.4% for the year

November- December 2014 The Witness News

25

ECONOMY ended September, 2014 from 2.8% for the year ended August same year, driven down by low food prices.

The annual food crop inflation dropped to minus 1.9% for the year ending September 2014 compared to the 1.5% rise that was recorded in August 2014.

Similarly, the annual core inflation [which is the target for BoU’s monetary policy] declined to 2.0% for the year ending September 2014 compared to the 3.1% for the year ended August 2014.

The Annual EFU inflation registered a 2.5% increase for the year ending September 2014, the same increase registered in August 2014.

The target for BoU in the medium term is to see core inflation remaining in the range of 5%. It is still within the limit.

Economic experts like Lawrence Bategeka, a former research fellow at Makerere University’s Economic Policy Research Centre (EPRC) have applauded the central bank for implementing an accommodative monetary policy but have continued to call for a balance between monetary policy actions and fiscal policies.

Calculated government spending in critical sectors like infrastructure and energy projects would automatically, other factors constant, support private sector businesses, which are the drivers of Uganda’s economy.

On the other hand, fiscal indiscipline [for instance giving out tonnes of cash during campaigns] would compromise BoU’s efforts geared towards fighting inflation. It is something that BoU has to resist as the polls set in, experts say.

The 1.4% headline inflation is the lowest recorded mark in recent months following a 30.4%spike, the highest since 1993, that was recorded at the end of 2011 on account of high prices for almost all categories of the consumer price index [CPI].

The Bank hiked the CBR at the end of 2011 to 23% from around 11% in July same year until early 2012 when the rate started reducing on account of declining inflation. Of course each monetary policy has both negative and positive implications; GDP growth was affected when the CBR was raised.

For instance, in 2011/12 because of

26

Industries Like these have contributed to the rebound of Uganda’s economy. the high commercial bank interest rates [triggered by a hike in CBR] caused a sharp decline in private sector credit [which was critical in fighting stubborn inflation] which show GDP growth decline to 3.2% compared to approx.6% a year before.

The Witness News November- December 2014

In FY2013/2014, GDP rebounded and grew at 5.7% instead of the projected 6%. BoU says GDP is projected to be in the range of 5.5% – 6.5% in FY 2014/15.

Average commercial bank lending rates had gone up to around 28% at the end of 2011 until recently when BoU said

ECONOMY

they had dropped to around 21-22%.

This has buoyed a recovery in the private sector credit, which has previously been affected. In its latest report, BoU indicates that the average annual growth in private sector credit in the quarter to June, 2014 was 12.7% up

from 7.8% in the quarter to March, 2014, mainly driven by increase in households and personal loans, and loans to agriculture, building and construction sectors.

The negative growth rates to “mining and quarrying” and “transport and communications” sectors have also improved, the report reads in part.

The non-performing loans and other assets- NPLs also declined to 5.8%of total loans in June 2014 from 6.2% in March, 2014), indicating an improvement in asset quality. This is a trend that everyone wants to see going forward.

In August this year, BoU governor Emmanuel Tumusiime Mutebile stayed the CBR at 11%-where it has been for many months-arguing it [the bank] had won the inflation battle.

Mutebile said inflation had remained subdued, with core [inflation] averaging 3.5% since January 2014. He said outlook suggests that core inflation will fluctuate around BoU’s medium term target of 5% over the next two years.

Real growth in FY 2013/14 was lower than projected [5.7% instead of 6%], but is projected to recover over the short-to-medium term, mainly supported by the recovery in private sector credit growth and public investment on infrastructure, the Governor said.

The lower than projected growth was a result of a slow-down in performance by the manufacturing, construction, telecommunication and financial services sub-sectors. Also, the ongoing unrest in the region reduced the country’s export and remittance proceeds among other factors.

Nonetheless, Mutebile said there are risks around the projected inflation and output path. He said, weighing the various domestic and external risks to inflation and growth, BoU judges that the risks to the inflation outlook remain largely balanced.

Maintaining the cautious monetary policy stance is therefore critical to the resilience of the economy against current uncertainties and supporting growth, he added.

Going forward, Mutebile promised that his team will continue to assess the global and domestic economic and financial developments and their

implications on the overall outlook for inflation and growth of the Ugandan economy, and take appropriate actions to maintain future average annual core inflation around the medium target of 5%.

Finance Minister, Maria Kiwanuka said, government’s medium term objective is to restore real GDP growth to 7% per annum. Kiwanuka said this target [7%] is the minimum level of growth that can achieve socio-economic transformation.

Kiwanuka said the 7% target will require continued implementation of sound macro- economic policies, implementation of financial sector reforms and the acceleration of the intervention required in removing bottlenecks to private sector development and competitiveness.

Stephen Kaboyo, a financial service analyst said the decline in headline inflation [1.4% as of August, 2014], means that it [inflation] is running at its lowest level in many months, largely attributed to food prices against a backdrop of slow growth.

“Low growth fundamentally causes inflation to fall as does a strong currency,” Kaboyo said, adding the mix of factors at work in inflation data is likely to feed into more discussion about further policy easing.

Exchange rate factor It is common knowledge that a favorable exchange rate lowers the cost of imports, which ideally boosts demand and the reverse is true. Since May, the local unit had lost ground somewhat but BoU intervened to control the situation.

For the entire year [2014], the Uganda Shilling was down 4.8% against the greenback as of Sept. 30.

In its reports, BoU says the shilling depreciated by about 4% in the three months to July 2014 but appreciated by 0.7% in the first two weeks of August 2014.

It said the depreciation was largely related to the usual ‘noise’ in the market, the expectations about future monetary policy, adjustments in market expectations regarding the economic outlook and elevated corporate demand from telecom sector for dividend payment.

In order to stem exchange rate vola-

November- December 2014 The Witness News

27

ECONOMY

Inside Parambot Breweries factory. tility, BoU intervened in the inter-bank foreign exchange market [IFEM] on the sale side with US$40 million and suspended purchases for reserve build-up purchases on days with high volatility.

Since the beginning of FY 2014/15, BoU purchases from the IFEM as at Aug. 05, amounted to US$14.5 million, it says in its reports.

The current exchange rate of 2595/ 2620/30 per US dollar as at the end of August, is still slightly below the long-run steady state rate of Shs2,700-2800/ US$.

Uganda is expected to reap big in terms of foreign exchange earnings once its exports to the lucrative outside markets like EU, COMESA, EAC and the neighboring countries grow to higher levels.

Balance of trade Statistics from BoU indicate that Uganda’s trade balance continues to deteriorate on account of stagnant

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Trend of macroeconomic indicators since 2012/13 Indicator

FY2012/13

2013/14

2014/15 (estimates)

GDP Growth (%)

5.8

5.7

6.1

Headline inflation (%)

5.6

5.4

6.9

Budget as % of GDP

18.9

19.7

19.6

Domestic Revenue as % of GDP

13.2

13.4

13.9

Source: MoFPED exports and high import requirements. The trade deficit fell by 11.4% from US$2,123.0 million in 2012/13.

In 2013/14 the trade deficit rose to US$2,365.5 million from US$ 2,123 million in 2012/13.

Private consumption of imports decreased by US$6.9 million to US$352.5 million whereas export earnings as a share of GDP declined to 11.4% from 13.6% in FY2012/13 and 15.4% in FY 2010/11.

Import expenditure as a percentage of GDP declined to 21.5% from 23.5% in FY2012/13, but could have actually been

The Witness News November- December 2014

higher had the implementation of the Karuma project not been deferred, the bank said in one of its reports.

Government believes its budgeting priorities targeting key sectors of the economy like energy and mineral development, works and transport, security, education and health sectors will maintain the momentum for growth and social economic transformation in the long term.

WOMEN

Why more Ugandan women are becoming successful entrepreneurs

By Jo Ikea Today, there are as many women as men contributing to economic development of Uganda compared to 20 years ago. Much as they contribute differently, women are catching up with their male counterparts in several sectors including business. Such women include Jackie and Judy Rugasira.

J

ackie, wife of Andrew Rugasira, the founding managing director of Good African Coffee, opened her furniture shop eight months ago while Judy is her sister-in-law. Judy is Uganda Country Resident Chief executive officer of Knight Frank that manages a number of real estate ventures in Kampala, including the recently opened Acacia Mall on Acacia Avenue in Kololo.

“The men have let women start or run their own businesses, unlike over 20 years ago,” Jackie says.

Her franchise, ‘House of Day’ is at both Forest Mall near Shoprite Lugogo By-Pass and Acacia Mall.

While Jackie is starting, women like Jennifer Mwijukye have been here for long. Mwijukye owns VK Auto, the only Bajaj motorcycle distributor in Rwanda and also runs the only firm in the logistics industry that Uganda Revenue Authority (URA) has awarded Authorized Economic Operator Status.

She has also recently won a tender to run the largest car freight station at Mombasa in which 35000 cars are required. Mwijukye’s business has an annual turnover of Shs 158 million.

It is no surprise that she received the 2013 Theresa Mbire Woman Entrepreneur of the Year Award organized by the Uganda Women Entrepreneurs Association Ltd (UWEAL).

Mbire is among the role models for business people in Uganda. She is revered as Uganda’s first florists who ran the business for close to 15 years without any competition.

Her husband lent her money that she used as seed capital to buy flower seedlings and before long; she was successful and thinking of dress

Jackie Rugasira.

November- December 2014 The Witness News

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WOMEN

1

2

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making—a venture which also turned out successful.

As the founder of UWEAL, she has seen many women start up their own and still offers support to the association. She has always said looking for opportunities or creating them was her main drive in business. Prayer, self confidence, hard work, risk taking and integrity make up for what she calls her formula for success, as quoted severally in the media.

Growing up in a poor family sharpened Mbire into a woman who has made money and raised children doing the same.

Even the associations and offices she has held over the years aim at lifting many people, especially women out of poverty.

UWEAL envisages a wealthy woman responsibly contributing to national eco-

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nomic development and Mbire is among them.

UWEAL’s activities include capacity building, networking with local, national and international business associations and women entrepreneurs; mentoring, advocacy in ensuring a conducive business environment for women to thrive in.

Established in October 1987 to promote women entrepreneurs in Uganda, UWEAL has since grown in membership with 1,000 members.

UWEAL Vice chairperson Santa Joyce Laker says 75% of Uganda’s labour force is made up of women though few work in the formal sector. There is also a gradual increase in the number of business women in the country including villages.

Hailing from northern Uganda affected by civil conflict for over 20 years, Laker says this has not however stopped

The Witness News November- December 2014

1

2 3

(L-R) Jennifer Mwijukye presented a certificate of recognition by Minister of Trade, Industry and Cooperatives Amelia Kyambadde at the 2012 MOWE

Jennifer Mwijuke, MD Unifreight UWEAL board directors cut cake with First Lady Janet Museveni and Former president of Malawi Joyce Banda and Theresa Mbire (Middle) to celebrate UWEAL’s 25th anniversary in 2012 Month of Women Entrepreneurs(MOWE) .

women from venturing into business, agriculture and other income generating activities. She started her own business ten years ago, relying on women groups

WOMEN ness Advisory and Consultancy Services department in Enterprise Uganda says women are pushing further and even breaking ground in male dominated businesses. Mwijukye is the epitome of this emerging breed of women.

Others also include Maganjo Grain Millers’s Mary Tamale, Taibah International Schools’ Mariam Luyombo and Maria Odida of Bee Natural Laker says women are majorly and; Victoria Seeds’ challenged by corruption, Josephine Okot. family and societal presMany women Enterprise sure and being treated who deal in cross Uganda has colas “soft targets” border trade complain laborated with by employers and that some immigration different orgaauthorities. and tax officers ask nizations with “Many women for sex and money and special focus who deal in cross if they refuse they are of empowering border trade comwomen entreplain that some tossed around yet they preneurs which immigration and tax have money and want include UWEAL, officers ask for sex to do business Uganda Investment and money and if they Authority (UIA), Womrefuse they are tossed en Entrepreneurs Network around yet they have money (WEN), DFCU Bank’s Women in and want to do business,” Laker said.

Business programme and many others.

She adds that even with contracts, women are losing out. They do not have as much access to capital as the men since most commercial banks still require land as collateral.

But despite such challenges, Rose Mary Mutyabule, the head of the Busishe has trained as suppliers. She now employs eight women.

She deals in art and craft products such as bags and clothes. She is also a farmer reaping big from the tranquility that has returned to her region.

Challenges remain for business women

Factors for success Mutyabule says women work by association and thereby have fewer ego issues in consulting others and also sharing business ideas with peers.

In addition because women are communicators, patient, nurturers, gossipers, hard workers, organisers, accumulators and savers, she says these qualities help them start, keep and grow their businesses.

“Women do not fear failure, they are moldable and easy to organize in groups,” she adds, “it is argued that a rural woman is poor but you will be amazed by what she can do in a group.”

Women are more likely to endure losses in a business with the hope of correcting what was not done right which Mutyabule says makes them

good listeners and information seeking individuals. These may seem basic, but most women who talked to this reporter attest to Mutyabule’s assertion.

In addition, money empowers and empowered women are also known to employ hundreds of others to ensure they also benefit.

Some of these include Julian Adyeri Omalla, proprietor of Delight Supplies Ltd whose business in 2012 was reported to generate over Shs 10 billion (about US $ 4million) with 400 employees.

Okot , Victoria Seeds managing director, established the seed company in 2004, but by 2006, she was recognised by Business Africa Magazine as a leading woman entrepreneur and

among the 100 distinguished individuals chosen as Uganda’s Torchbearer for the Millennium Development Goal three(gender and empowerment of women).

In 2007, the YARA Board also recognised her as an “outstanding example of a new generation of African entrepreneurs who are willing to take risks, take the lead and break new ground within African agriculture and food security.”

In the past two decades, more women have followed and may follow in the footsteps of Okoth, Mbire, Rugasira and many others who strive to fend for themselves, their families and communities.

November- December 2014 The Witness News

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Achievements of NRM since 1986

Achievements of NRM since 1986

Democracy and good governance

Since 1986, the NRM Government has progressively worked towards establishing democratic governance as part of the fundamental change it promised on assumption of power. As a result of this, Ugandans are at liberty to make decisions that affect them including electing their leaders at all levels from the village, sub-county, districts, municipals and national levels. This is exemplified in the fact that since 1996, regular elections have been constitutionally held – first under the movement system and later under multi-party system (since 2006) – where citizens freely participate in choosing their leaders under the political parties of their choice.

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President Yoweri Museveni addresses the people during one of the campaigns.

The Witness News November- December 2014

Achievements of NRM since 1986

T

his democracy dates far back to the time of the NRM armed struggle when Resistance Committees (RCs) were established in liberated areas. Little wonder that the NRM has won the majority of the elections to-date as Ugandans appreciate its critical role in establishing a democratic dispensation in the country. In all these elections special interest groups i.e. women, people with disability, elderly and youth have been represented at all levels of leadership.

Ugandans will recall that the original resistance council elections voting method was by lining up openly behind the preferred candidates and nomination of candidates was based on individual merit as opposed to political party affiliation. Today voting is by secret ballot, one ballot box and tallying of votes and announcing of the results is carried out at the polling station in the open where all candidates are represented by their agents.

This was mostly borne out of the controversies that arose from the 1980 elections and which is one of the reasons that sparked the protracted peoples struggle in Luwero Triangle.

The central government has always been represented at the district by District Commissioners, Special District Administrators and currently Resident District Commissioners appointed by the president.

The 1995 Constitution In 1988, the National Resistance Council (NRC) which served as the Parliament enacted Statute No.5 that established the Uganda Constitutional Commission (UCC) to collect views from the population and institutions, and come up with a draft constitution for Uganda.

In 1994, a Constituent Assembly was elected which was a representative of all constituencies and all interest groups such as women, people with disability, entrepreneurs, religious groups and the national army. The delegates discussed the draft constitution at length and came up with a

October -November 2014 The Witness news

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Achievements of NRM since 1986 Constitution which was promulgated in 1995.

Under this Constitution, Uganda’s political, social and economic questions were addressed. The constitution, therefore, guarantees the political future of the country. Under the current constitution there is room for amendment of any article of the constitution when the country deems it fit.

Under the same constitution, the concept of separation of powers is clearly established between the arms of government i.e. executive, judiciary and legislature, and their roles clearly defined.

Under the same constitution, agencies responsible for maintenance of law and order were strengthened because this is critical to the realization of national aspirations.

Political space was also opened and today there are 37 political parties so far with freedom for the population to choose a political party of their choice.

As compared to two political parties in the 1960s [UPC and DP] and five political parties in 1986 [UPC, DP, CP, and NLP], this is a significant movement towards greater political participation.

Thus Uganda now has a vibrant Parliament composed of the ruling party NRM and opposition parties CP, JEMA, DP UPC and FDC. Some MPs were elected as independents.

Human rights and justice

Human rights are at the core of good governance. Cognizant of this, the NRM government established the first ever statutory human rights body in the country, the Uganda Human Rights Commission (UHRC), to ensure incidences of human rights abuse are impartially investigated and addressed.

The government, therefore, has continued to pursue programmes that promote human rights and freedoms as enshrined in the Con-

34

1 stitution of Uganda. Under the NRM government, the freedoms of association, assembly and expression have been vigorously promoted and upheld. The Ugandan media is free, vibrant and ever growing.

The UHRC has played its leadership role, contributing in ensuring that the strict observance of human rights remains a fundamental national objective.

The NRM government successfully pushed for a constitutional amendment, permitting dual citizenship.

This has taken care of the interests of the thousands of Ugandans who live and work in the Diaspora, have attained citizenship of their country of residence and wish to maintain their Ugandan citizenship.

The Witness news October -November 2014

1 2 3

Former NSSF boss David Jamwa (L) with his lawyer David Mpanga leave anti corruption court at Kololo on July 7. Jamwa is facing charges of miss using Nssf funds while in office.

Youth undergo entrepreneural skills training.

Community sensitaisation

The NRM government has also worked to uphold the independence and vibrancy of the judiciary. As pointed out above for instance, the

Achievements of NRM since 1986

2

courts have nullified many parliamentary elections leading to by-elections.

This is a significant achievement considering that at some point in the past, rulings on electoral petitions were made long after the political term of the defendant had expired, making such rulings of no consequence.

Where the Supreme Court found weaknesses in the electoral laws as a result of election petitions, we recently amended the electoral laws to incorporate the recommendations of the Supreme Court.

The NRM government has enhanced access to judicial services throughout the country by increasing the number of judges.

NRM promotes justice for all irre-

3 spective of one’s status, sex or creed.

In order to administer justice more effectively at the local level, the NRM government passed the Local Council Court Act 2006. Under the Act, there are Local Council Courts at LCI, LCII and LCIII (sub-county level).

The Local Council Courts have powers to settle disputes in relation to the Children’s Act, matters governed by

customary law i.e. disputes relating to marriage, customary heir, separation, divorce, etc. Furthermore, the Local Council Courts have jurisdiction over land held under customary law.

The importance of these courts lies in the fact that they can easily be accessed by the population. However, these courts have not been active because the opposition went to court

October -November 2014 The Witness news

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Achievements of NRM since 1986

Gen. Yoweri Museveni talks to UPDF soldiers at a peacekeeping mission in South Sudan

and stopped elections of new Local Council leaders at village and parish level. After the general elections, new Local Council leaders will be in place and the Local Council Courts will be revived.

Peace, Security and Stability

The greatest achievement of the

36

NRM since 1986 that all Ugandans need to appreciate is peace, security and stability because without these, there cannot be any meaningful development in the country.

The population needs a peaceful environment to be able to participate in productive activities that lead to the overall development of the country.

The NRM government headed by

The Witness news October -November 2014

President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni has made peace, security and stability a priority and the result has been steady economic development which everybody is able to see. This was achieved through;

The Uganda Peoples Defence Forces i. Establishing a disciplined pro-

Achievements of NRM since 1986

fessional national army (UPDF). This contrasts with the previous anti-people armies that terrorized citizens and looted their property. ii. Inclusion of former fighting groups by peaceful means such as Uganda National Rescue Front (UNRF) and West Nile Bank Front (WNBF I & II) iii. Defeating armed rebellions and ending civil wars and other negative forces such as Force Obote Back (FOBA), NALU Movement in Kasese, Maj. Herbert Itongwa’s Movement in Central Uganda, Allied Democratic Forces (ADF), Holy Spirit Movement and Lord’s Resistance Army (LRA), Uganda People’s Army (UPA). iv. Disarming Karimojong cattle rustlers who had become menace in neighboring districts of Teso, Sebei, Bugisu and across the border to Kenya. v. The UPDF has participated in regional peace initiatives as seen in DR

Congo, South Sudan, Burundi, Central African Republic, Liberia and currently Somalia.

Uganda Police Force The NRM government has also professionalized the police through; i. Establishment of more professional departments from four to eleven ii. Carrying out community policing iii. Acquisition of new professional equipment iv. Regular recruitment and training v. Establishment of police posts at sub-county throughout the country vi. Improved education levels of the police force

Uganda Prison Services

The NRM government has also been professionalized and new detention facilities are being constructed

Rehabilitation of war and conflict-ravaged areas i. Government has put in place devel-

opment programmes to rehabilitate the areas that were ravaged by war and conflict. These areas are; eastern Uganda, northern Uganda, Luwero Triangle that includes Mt. Rwenzori area. The programmes include; Northern Uganda Social Action Fund (NUSAF I&II), Peace Recovery and Development Plan (PRDP I &II), Karamoja Integrated Disarmament and Development Plan (KIDDP) and Luwero-Rwenzori Development Plan. ii. Support of Non-Governmental Organizations, religious groups and development partner efforts. i. Under the above programmes, a lot has been achieved like; construction of schools, health facilities, police stations, rehabilitation centres for the

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Achievements of NRM since 1986

children and adults affected by wars, water infrastructure (boreholes and valley dams), housing for traditional chiefs and other communities, distribution of iron sheets, food supply and agricultural support, road infrastructure and skills development for former abductees and returnees.

Decentralization The NRM government believes in the principle ‘All power belongs to the people’ as stipulated in the constitution. Therefore through decentralization, development functions were devolved from the central government to district, municipality and sub-county local governments.

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The local communities now have full powers to elect and form governments, participate in decision making concerning the development of their communities and also legislate on issues that immediately affect them.

The policy of decentralization has improved on accountability and better service delivery. For example, local governments recruit their own personnel through their district service commissions, administer their land matters through district land boards, make and monitor the performance of their budgets through their local public accounts committees and administer health centres and schools.

Under decentralization new dis-

The Witness news October -November 2014

tricts and administrative units have been created though popular demand.

There are now 112 districts compared to 38 districts in 1986. This has brought services closer to the people.

Empowering Special Interest Groups

Unlike previous governments, the NRM government empowered special interest groups; women, youth, people with disability, the elderly, workers and children. The Ministry of Gender and Social Development was created to promote the development and welfare of the above groups.

These groups are also represented at different levels of governance.

Achievements of NRM since 1986

Each district has a woman Member of Parliament (112).

Uganda has had a woman Vice President, a Speaker of Parliament, Women Cabinet Ministers and at top executive levels in civil service and parastatals.

Protective laws have been enacted to promote the rights of the special interest groups. For example the inheritance law and land transaction law protects women who had been disempowered by the patriarchal system.

Through affirmative action the interest groups like girls and people with disabilities have preferential consideration at higher institutions of learning. The girls are given an automatic 1.5 points over and above what they may have scored in the national exams.

Special health programmes have been initiated in favour of women and children’s health. For example immunization of children, vaccination of women against cervical cancer, provision of Mama Kits during delivery, and prevention of mother to child transmission of HIV. All HIV infected pregnant mothers have free access to ARVs in public hospitals.

The NRM has initiated legislations against negative cultural practices that affect the health of women such as the law against Female Genital Mutilation.

In 2002, the NRM established Youth Venture Capital Fund worth Shs 25 billion and by end of 2012, Shs 8 billion had been dispersed

and accessed by at least 3,000 youths. This policy will continue every financial year.

A fund has also been established to cater for the needy elderly people through the Ministry of Gender and Social Development.

The fight against corruption

The NRM is determined to fight corruption at all levels of society and thus adopted a policy of ‘zero tolerance to corruption’.

And a number of steps have been taken to achieve this; The establishment of the office of the Inspector General of Government (IGG) headed by a High Court Judge and manned by high integrity personnel. The IGG has powers to investigate, prosecute

The NRM has initiated legislations against negative cultural practices that affect the health of women such as the law against Female Genital Mutilation

and cause conviction in the mainstream courts and in the Anti-Corruption Court. Since the office was established, a number of corruption cases have been handled across sectors and institutions of government. The IGG is easily accessible to the public, having established offices in all regions throughout the country.

The Office of the Directorate of Public Prosecution (DPP) has been strengthened; the Auditor General has also been strengthened with autonomous powers and has regularly produced accountability reports to Parliament and government for further administration.

The investigation arm of the police has also been strengthened by setting up a Criminal Intelligence and

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Achievements of NRM since 1986 Investigations Department (CIID) to expedite criminal investigations within the country. Investigative arm of the police has been given special training to handle modern and sophisticated crimes such as cyber-crimes.

The parliament through its Public Accounts Committee (PAC) has also been at the forefront of fighting corruption.

The Anti-Corruption Court was also set up to specifically handle cases of corruption and has already made tremendous progress in this fight convicting the high and low.

The Whistle Blowers Protection Act was enacted in 2011 whereby the population has a right to detect and report incidences of corruption to relevant authorities. The whistle blower is rewarded for successful cases.

Introduction of Patriotism programmes by the president especially among the youth and adults to contribute to this fight in the long run. It is anticipated that in the long run it will contribute to the fight against corruption.

The economy Since 1986, Uganda’s economy has undergone structural transformation from being a predominantly agricultural economy to that based on services and industry.

Between 1971 and 1986 the economy of Uganda was seriously damaged and per-capita levels had fallen by 42%.

The formal sectors virtually collapsed along with the government’s tax base.

By 1986, tax revenue had fallen to a mere Shs 5 billion and the government could no longer afford to run most of the basic social services and maintain physical infrastructure.

Economic Performance

Since 1986 Uganda’s economic performance has been exceptional and impressive. The following successes have been registered; The tax revenue increased from the Shs 5 billion (USD 2.3 million) in 1986 to Shs 37.5 trillion (USD 17 billion) by 2010.

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The average growth rate of the economy has been 7.4% per annum since the early 1990s up to 2012 when it experienced a decline due to global economic recession, local prolonged drought and hike in food and fuel prices.

Inflation was reduced from 240% in 1986 to 5% (Bank of Uganda 2012/13). iv. Exports have grown from USD 411 million in 1986 to USD 3.5 billion by 2012 (Uganda Bureau of Statistics – UBOS 2012).

Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) and remittances from Ugandans working abroad too have been increasing although there was a decline in 2012 due to world recession.

The NRM government established the Uganda Investment Authority

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(UIA) to facilitate and coordinate both foreign and local investments. UIA is currently establishing industrial parks in various towns in Uganda for example Namanve Industrial Park, Mbarara, Jinja, Gulu and Arua.

Changed structure of the economy

Since 1986 the shares of national output by sector had changed with the following examples by 2011-12.

UBOS 2012 Sector shares to GDP

1986

2010-2011

Agriculture Industry

53.9%

22.8%

Services

36.1%

47.8%

Industry

9.6%

23.2%

Achievements of NRM since 1986 Liberalized economy The NRM liberalized the economy by removing controls and this has led to increased private sector participation.

Government privatized most of its inefficient parastatals and left trade to the private sector. For example Foods and Beverages, Coffee Marketing Board, Lint Marketing Board, Uganda Commercial Bank and Uganda Transport Company which enjoyed a monopoly in their respective sectors were disbanded and this has greatly improved service delivery.

The liberalized foreign exchange policy has stabilized exchange rates. There is no more black-market for foreign currency with its attendant speculations because there are licensed forex bureaux throughout the country.

Financial services

The NRM has promoted the independence of the Bank of Uganda in determining monetary and fiscal policy. As a result the financial sector has performed well. A banking network and financial services are now available throughout the country with the recent popular mobile-telephone money transfer adding to ease of transaction.

The NRM has supported the growth of rural savings and credit cooperative societies (SACCOs) and this has resulted into formation of community owned financial institutions providing saving and credit facilities to members in both rural and urban centers. SACCOs are in almost all the sub-counties in the country. The cooperative movement is being revived and supported. This is part of the overall programme of ‘Prosperity for All’ that the NRM government is championing.

A separate Ministry of Trade Industry and Cooperatives was set up in 2011 to guide trade development in the country.

The working environment especially in urban markets is being improved with government building modern markets.

Wandegeya, Jinja, Gulu and Mbarara are some of the places new markets have been built. Market vendor organized groups have also been supported to manage the markets.

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Achievements of NRM since 1986 Government has at times assisted market vendors to restore their businesses after accidental fires.

Warehousing has been strengthened and 11 regional silos are now under construction by government.

Industrialization, science and innovation

Uganda has a diverse base of raw materials and policies have been put in place to exploit them since 1986.

The industry policy emphasizes VALUE addition, promotes knowledge based industries and ICT to exploit scientific knowledge. In this direction NRM has revived the Industrial Research Institute and the National Council of Science and Technology.

Already the Industrial Research Institute has increased food processing technology, has released a poultry vaccine, started paper production from banana stems and fibres, in addition to soap production, milk processing and packing, silk processing, ground nut processing, honey processing, and promotion of alternative fuel sources. ii. The Presidential Industrial Initiatives have so far seen banana processing and export achieved with a factory at Bushenyi. The initiative has also seen the development of an electric motor vehicle [KIIRA-EV] at a Makerere University. iii. The foods and beverages industries have been established to cater for domestic demand and exports. These include soft drinks, wines, biscuits, bread, spirits, cooking oil, etc iv. There are many industries producing soap, pharmaceuticals, plastics, batteries and a vibrant consumer market serviced through world class supermarkets. v. The Steel Milling Industry has been revived since the mid-1990s. The notable ones are Roofings Steel Mills in Kampala and Steel Rolling Mills in Jinja, in addition to various steel recycling plants. vi. Various pharmaceutical industries, the biggest achievement being Quality Chemical Industries Ltd that is producing ARVs not just for internal use

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The Witness news October -November 2014

Achievements of NRM since 1986 but also for regional exports.

Government has supported the growth of the extractive industry, notably iron ore exploitation in western Uganda and cement industries in Tororo and Hima-Kasese. This has been a boon for the construction industry.

Tourism and wildlife

unemployment problem in the country through tour and travel companies, hotels, transport, airlines, tour guides, etc.

While the industry is mainly private sector led, the government created a special Ministry of Tourism to guide development in the sector, and also formed the Uganda Wildlife Authority (UWA) to manage tourism and conservation sites.

Uganda’s foreign missions have as one of their key performance indicators the promotion of tourism.

The NRM government identified tourism as one of the economic pillars whose development would lead to speedy economic growth of Uganda. By 1986, there were no tourism earnings to talk about due to the insecurity that had driven away tourists and permitted systematic poaching of animals.

The NRM goal on agriculture is to The NRM government having transform the agricultural sector from restored security embarked on a series subsistence to commercial and profit of reforms of the sector that have seen oriented production.

Uganda become one of the world’s favourite tourism destinations and tourism earnings climbing from almost nothing to contributing 25% of total foreign exchange earnings with the average growth rate of 21%.

Strengthening of agricultural This is seen in the rising number of research by creating the National Agrivisitors. For instance 200,000 tourists cultural Research Organization (NARO) visited the country in 2002 but in 2012, in 2001.

Uganda registered over one million tour Establishment of National Agriists. In 2012, revenue collected cultural Advisory Services from tourism had shot to (NAADS) to revive and USD 805m from USD improve agricultural NAADS has 662m in 2011. export, farmer Attractive infratraining and now been extended structure has been agricultural to village level through established in service delivthe country to ery. NAADS the formation of Village support tourism, covers all Farmers Development with world class sub-counForum. It aims to hotels both in the ties and capital city and in town councils support over 600,000 the national parks. throughout the farmers New and unique country. NAADS tourism products has now been annually. have been created as a extended to village departure from the traditional level through the formaBig Five game. These new products tion of Village Farmers Develthat have made Uganda an outstanding opment Forum. It aims to support over destination include mountain gorilla 600,000 farmers annually. tracking in Bwindi and Mgahinga Nation The rehabilitation of irrigation al Parks, white-water rafting on the River schemes e.g.Mubuku in Kasese, Doho in Nile and bird watching.

Butaleja, and Agago (2011) has improved The growth of the tourism industry food production. has contributed a lot to solving the The strengthening of coffee pro-

Agriculture

Since 1986, the following has been achieved:

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Achievements of NRM since 1986 duction and processing. Through agricultural research, more coffee varieties which are high yielding and drought and disease resistant have been introduced.

Clonal coffee is the best example of this.

The growing of coffee is being extended to non-traditional coffee growing areas in northern Uganda with good results.

As a result, coffee exports have grown to 3,150,000 bags by January 2012 worth USD 460 million. The NRM is encouraging export of processed coffee as opposed to raw and unprocessed coffee beans. Uganda Coffee Development Authority was formed to facilitate coffee production and marketing.

Government has promoted and supported cotton production and value addition by supporting farmers with seed, agro-chemicals and relevant extension services. By 2009 the production of cotton was at 70,000 bales.

The revival of cocoa production in Bundibugyo has seen export rise from

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0% in 1986 to 19,000 tonnes worth USD 50 million in 2012. vii. Tea production was revived and expansion is going on in Kigezi and West Nile. Government commissioned a new tea factory in Buhweju (2012) and is also supplying some tea farmers with seedlings. There is a lot of private participation with private investors and export is steadily increasing.

Currently, sugar production stands at 300,000 metric tonnes per annum from Kakira, Kinyara and Lugazi. The NRM target is 600,000 tonnes in next five years. Sugar factories and plantations have created jobs for many Ugandans and they are also generating electricity and supplying most of it onto the national grid.

There has been tremendous increase in livestock production. Milk production too hit 1.8 million litres by June 2012 and exports to USD 32 million (2012) compared to zero exports

The Witness news October -November 2014

in 1986. Uganda was a milk importer in 1986.

Beef production has increased and the exports to neighboring countries are growing. Government has planned to build a beef processing factory in the central region. xi. Fish trade and processing has grown with over 10 fish processing plants by 2000 exporting mainly to European markets. By 2008, Uganda was exporting over 24m tonnes of fish. However due to poor fishing methods and over fishing, this sector has been going down. To stem the tide, the government, through the Ministry of Agriculture, Animal Husbandry and Fisheries, has come up to enforce laws against poor fishing methods. It is also promoting and supporting intensive fish farming. xii. The fruit industry has been vigorously supported through NAADS with Britania Industries in Kampala pro-

Achievements of NRM since 1986 cessing and packaging all kinds of fruit products. Because of its commitment to grow this area of agriculture, government has secured funds to construct a fruit processing plant in Soroti and another factory is being planned for the central region.

Through the policy of diversification, the NRM government encouraged the production and export of non-traditional cash crops and these include flowers, beans, maize, sim-sim, groundnuts and oil palm which have opened new streams of wealth and employment.

Land The National Resistance Movement policy on land is to ensure security of tenure for land owners in accordance with the various tenure systems namely: mailo, freehold, leasehold and customary. The NRM government passed the Land Amendment Act, 2008 to

strengthen the security of tenure of lawful and bonafide occupants of land.

In the last five years, NRM has completed the construction of 13 regional land offices. It has decentralized plan registration to regional centres to minimize expensive transactions based in Kampala and Entebbe and this will minimize rampant land fraud. It computerized the land registry.

Currently, a presidential directive has been issued to stop continued peasant illegal evictions by unlawful land developers. This was to further strengthen the 2008 Land Amendment Act. The NRM government established the National Environmental Management Authority (NEMA) to ensure a healthy environment through protection and sustainable utilisation of natural resources.

To this end, the government in 2012 embarked on an exercise to survey

and mark wetlands and natural water banks to stem further misuse and pollution. The government also created the National Forestry Authority (NFA) to protect and maintain natural forest reserves through sustainable use.

Physical infrastructure

The NRM government prioritizes the development of infrastructure as a key vehicle to achieve social-economic transformation of the country.

Energy When the NRM assumed leadership in 1986, power production had fallen from 150MW in 1963, to 60MW. Since 1986, the NRM government has worked to reverse the situation of energy shortfall.

The NRM upgraded Owen Falls Dam (Nalubaale and Kiira dams) and by May

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Achievements of NRM since 1986 2005, power production had increased to 380MW. Since energy is the driving force for social-economic transformation, the NRM government is continuously working to increase the capacity of energy for both domestic and industrial use. Thus the government has been building up the power sector and currently the total capacity is 879MW excluding the small but useful gas generated units from Kakira, Kinyara and Lugazi sugar factories.

Surveys and studies continue on other small water bodies.

The proposed 600MW Karuma dam is progressing and the tendering process should be over by the end of this year (2013). Government intends to step up the energy generation capacity to 3,885MW by 2015.

Apart from Kiira Dam at Jinja, the NRM has constructed more hydro and mini power stations and these are; i. Mpanga 18MW ii. Buseruka 9MW iii. Ishasha 6MW iv. Bugoye Mini Hydro 13 MW v. Mubuku I (5MW) and Mubuku III (9MW) vi. Bujagali Hydro Power Project 250 MW Nyagak 3.5MW Transmission plan to transfer power from the dams to various corners of the country is on course. Through Uganda Rural Electrification Scheme, many new areas are on the grid. The plan is to achieve 2,750 km within the next five years from the 1,300km in 2011.

Notable among the achievements in the energy sector in 2011-2012 is the extension of electricity to West Nile and Karamoja. Meanwhile government subsidizes solar power which is widely utilized for domestic use. Bio-gas technology is also taking root. Final feasibility studies for Isimba Dam (180MW) were completed September, 2012 while detailed studies for Ayago Project (600MW) commenced in April 2012. With this in place, load shedding and industrial

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power shortfall will be solved.

Thermal power plants Their installed capacity increased from 68MW to 100MW in 2012, all generated using Heavy Fuel Oil (HFO).

Electromaxx HFO (50MW)

The capacity of this thermal plant located in Tororo district was expanded from 18MW to 50MW further increasing the country’s total installed capacity as well as ensuring security of supply.

Biomass power plants

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The government has so far earned revenue from the oil resource to a tune of USD 8,063,403 from signature bonuses, surface rental fees, data purchase fees, permit fees and payment for the feasibility studies.

Achievements of NRM since 1986

The NRM government pioneered the discovery of oil and gas in terms of its commercial potential in 2006. It should be recalled that knowledge of the existence of oil and gas in Uganda dates as far back as 1925. In 1986, the NRM government commenced specialized training of Ugandans in oil and gas related disciplines. These Ugandan oil experts are the ones who guided oil companies in the oil exploration.

The following are the discovered oil wells; The installed capacity in 2012 was 29.5MW all generated from bagasse from major sugar factories within the country.

Kakira Sugar Works Co-generation Plant Expansion of the co-generation plant to increase input to the grid from 12MW to 32MW commenced in 2012 and is on-going. Government established the Energy Fund under the Ministry of Energy and Mineral Development to undertake energy projects where external funding is not reliable.

Oil and gas

Exploration areas 1 and 1A (covering the districts of Masindi, Nwoya, Nebbi, Kiryandongo and Buliisa districts) have seven discoveries; Ngiri, Jobi, Rii, JobiEast, Mpyo, Gunya and Lyec.

EA 2 (covering the districts of Buliisa and Hoima) has six discoveries in Buliisa; Ngege, Kasamene, Kigogole, Wairindi, Ngara and Nsoga and four discoveries; Mputa, Nzizi, Ngassa and Waraga in Hoima district.

EA 3A has one discovery; Kingfisher in Hoima District.

During 2012, oil discoveries hit 3.5 billion barrels compared 2. Billion barrels in 2006 and zero in 1986. More exploration is continuing and there are more prospects especially in northern Uganda.

The land for the refinery has been identified and negotiations for its con-

struction are at an advanced stage, with refined oil expected in a couple of years.

The production is expected at 20,000 barrels per day in 2015. Meanwhile relevant oil bills are being finalized by government to facilitate management of the oil industry. The oil production will produce gas, generate power and support an industry based on oil by-products.

Meanwhile, mineral surveys are being completed for the whole country and so far the results are good. Gold mining has started in Karamoja (2012), Kilembe copper mines are being revived, and cobalt production is ongoing at Kilembe, to mention a few.

The government has so far earned revenue from the oil resource to a tune of USD 8,063,403 from signature bonuses, surface rental fees, data purchase fees, permit fees and payment for the feasibility studies.

In addition government has received the following taxes; USD 434 million as capital gains tax and USD 15m as stamp duty fees from Tullow.

In February Tullow paid USD 141m out of the USD 427m assessed following the sale of 66.6% of its interests to TOTAL and CNOOC. It is estimated that oil and gas industry will create over 100,000 jobs for Ugandans.

Water Transport

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Achievements of NRM since 1986 As stated in the 2011-16 NRM manifesto, the government plans to provide ferries on Kyoga, River Nile and improve services on Lake Victoria.

On 9th June 2012 the Obongi-Moyo ferry started working with a capacity of 150 people and 4 trucks taking only 15 minutes to cross the river.

A new ferry MV-Pearl was launched on 15th August 2012 by Kalangala Infrastructure Services in partnership with the government. MV-Pearl takes only 30 minutes between Bukakata and Luuka with a capacity of 200 passengers, 20 vehicles and 1,200 tonnes load. It crosses four times per day and is free of charge. Other rehabilitated vessels on Lake Victoria resumed services and there is great improvement in transport covering the islands. In mid-2012, Kayunga-Kamuli ferry was also commissioned with the route having been streamlined. A new ferry plying Namasale in Lango to Lwampanga in Nakasongola was launched early 2013.

Transport The railway planned programmes remained on course. Rehabilitation of Busembatya and Nalukolongo routes was expected to be over by end of 2012.

Aviation development is an NRM priority because Uganda is landlocked.

With the growing tourism, export of

Railway and Air

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The Witness news October -November 2014

perishable products and increased investments, the country needs a well-developed aviation network.

During the year, passenger transport from Entebbe Airport International increased to 221,996 by May 2012 from 166,831 of 2011. The number of airlines hit 22 by mid-2012 for regular flights. This growth was due to the improved business environment

Achievements of NRM since 1986

despite global economic indications.

The Civil Aviation Authority acquired expansion land at Entebbe Airport.

Information and Communication Technology (ICT) ICT is one of the key priorities of NRM to enhance development and transformation. Among the recent developments in this direction, the country concentrated on the following activities during the years.

Full establishment of the Ministry with its agencies.

Increase of telephone subscriber base. By September 2012 subscribers had reached 17 million compared to 11 million in 2011.

Increase ICT service coverage into all districts with rapid growth of internet Increase of ICT education in primary and secondary schools. Establish-

ment of professional networks such as in hospitals and universities continues to grow and to ease medical treatment.

E-Governmental infrastructure development connecting Ministries.

Extension of the National Fiber backbone to enhance services delivery.

Review of Laws and Policies to protect and develop the industry.

Expansion of radio and television signals to all parts of the country Progress in immigration from analogue to digital broad cast.

Full support to private investment and partnership in the industry.

Please note that by 1986, there was only one television station, one radio station, almost no telephone network.

Currently radio stations are over 100 and TV’s 6 with connectable reception to world networks.

Social

infrastructure

Human resource development

The NRM attaches great importance to the development of the human resource. This is due to the fact that human resource is the most valuable asset of any nation.

Education The NRM policy for education is education for all. In order to achieve this, NRM introduced Universal Primary Education- 1997 (UPE), Universal Secondary Education- 2007 (USE).

The enrolment at primary level jumped from 2.5m pupils in 1997 to 8m in 2012. With the introduction of USE in 2007, enrolment in secondary school increased from 412,367 to 1,194,000 in 2010. The USE programme extended to Senior Five and Senior Six. Government has taken over the role

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Achievements of NRM since 1986

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The Witness news October -November 2014

Achievements of NRM since 1986

List of Universities and Institutions of Higher Education of construction of classrooms in primary and secondary schools which formerly was done by the parents and foundations. Uganda had only 28,000 classrooms in primary at the time UPE was introduced; NRM has increased the number of classrooms to 85,000, an increase of about 200%.

The number of primary school teachers has increased from 65000 before UPE to the current 130,000 by 2011 who are on government payroll.

Free Business Technical Vocational Education and Training (BT Vet). Government also liberalized University Education which among things led to increase of universities to over 32 by 2012. In 2011/12 alone, five more private universities were registered and many more are applying. Uganda is now an international education hub.

Government Universities

9. Uganda Christian University (UCU) 10. Uganda Martyrs University

1. Makerere University Kampala (MUK) 2. Mbarara University of Science and Technology (MUST) 3. Gulu University (GU) 4. Busitema University (BSU)

Religious-Affiliated Universities

1. All Saints University (ASU) 2. Ankole Western University (AWU) 3. Bugema University (BU) 4. Busoga University (BGU) 5. Islamic University in Uganda (IUIU) 6. Kumi University (KUMU) 7. Living Stone International University (Link) 8. Ndejje Christian University (NDU)

(UMU) 11. Uganda Pentecostal University (UPU)

Private Secular Universities

1. Fairland University (FLU) 2. Kabale University (KABU) 3. Kampala University (KU) 4. Kampala International University

(KIU) 5. Mutesa I Royal University (MRU) 6. Mountains of the Moon University (MMU) 7. Nkumba University (NU) 8. St. Lawrence University (SLAU) 9. African Bible University (ABU) 10. International Health Sciences University (IHSU)

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Achievements of NRM since 1986 In 2012, 565,663 students registered for PLE exams; 268, 5221 for Senior Four and 111,495 for Senior Six, the highest ever. Business and technical education registered 13,919, while 80% of students in Teachers Training Schools accessed full sponsorship and overall intake was increased. Teacher recruitment hit 20,000 in 2012 and teachers’ houses construction resumed with rehabilitation of secondary schools. Rehabilitation and expansion of Technical Colleges also started. In 1986-7 primary school had only 5,030,356 students compared to over eight million in 2012. The level private schools and universities have grown tremendously with Government support.

There has been a phased increase of teachers’ salaries since 2012 with science teachers’ salaries increasing by 30%.

Aggressive programmes for technical education are now being implemented at all levels for skills development. A national skilling programme was launched in 2012.

Muni University in West Nile and Teso University were launched in 2012 while Gulu University opened a college in Lira.

Busitema University started a mining course which will enhance our mineral development potential. Kigumba Petroleum Institute was officially inaugurated and now has two intakes.

Overall, university enrollment has increased from around 3,000 in 1986 to over 200,000 in 2012.

The education budget was increased with more emphasis on school inspection, teacher recruitment and school infrastructure. Other important development were the 30% salary increase for hard to reach areas, increased intake in Teacher Training Schools and Tutorial Colleges including Mulago. The Teachers Service Commission financed the education service regulations formulation and the teachers Professional Code in 2012.

A task force for the establishment of the loan scheme for students and graduates at various levels was recently put in place.

During the year, wrangles within the Uganda Olympic Committee were

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resolved by the government and support to sports was maintained.

Good performance was exhibited in football, golf and motorsport and athletics with a climax in Olympics 2012 where Uganda won her first gold medal in 40 years.

The Golden “Boy” Stephen Kiprotich is a national pride, Lady Sportswomen of the year included Susan Muwonge in motorsport and Flavia Namakula in Golf.

Other national stars such as Dorcus Inzikuru and Moses Kipsiro also performed.

Health NRM made its policy of ensuring that people attain good standards of health to be productive. For this reason the following aspects were given priority; Maternal Mortality rate was reduced from 505/100,000 in 2001 to 350/100000 currently.

The Witness news October -November 2014

Infant mortality rate has reduced from 152/1000 live births in 2001 to 76/1000 currently.

Health Infrastructure Drug procurement distribution and control Human Resource Development HIV/Aids prevalence was reduced from 18% in 1992 to 6.4% in 2001 however this figure has regressed to 7.4% currently.

Immunization has been improved from 30% coverage in 1986 to 90% to-date.

Improving access to health facilities, 74% of the population living within a range of 5km can now access health facilities.

Rehabilitation of hospitals and other health facilities have been on course since the early 1990s. Such are hospitals like Masaka, Arua and Mulago that are

Achievements of NRM since 1986

In 2013, a new cervical cancer prevention strategy was launched to mitigate against cervical cancer among women.

Government continues to provide free treatment at the cancer institute.

underway. Accommodation for health workers at government health centres is also seriously being addressed. x. In 2012, the New Naguru Hospital was opened to decongest Mulago Hospital while plans are advanced for construction of a hospital in Kawempe and other city divisions. xi. In 2013, a new cervical cancer prevention strategy was launched to mitigate against cervical cancer among women. Government continues to provide free treatment at the cancer institute. xii. In 2013, a policy (B+) for free ARVs for all HIV infected pregnant women

was launched. This is to further prevent mother-to-child HIV transmission. xiii. In 2011, increased supervision of drug distributions and administration was enhanced by a special unit from State House (National Drug Monitoring Unit) xiv. National Medical Stores was created 1993 to manage the procurement and distribution of drugs to government health facilities throughout the country.

Management of this authority has been improved and drug shortages in health centres has greatly minimized. xv. Efforts to increase staff training recruitment and retention have been put

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Achievements of NRM since 1986 in place. Currently there is vigorous staff recruitment in all districts to address staff shortages from Health Centre IIIs to Health Centre IVs.

xvi. Salary increase is being imple-

mented with special consideration put in place for doctors at health Centers IVs to earn a minimum of Shs 2,500,000 per month.

xvii. The country has developed

capacity now in management of epidemic diseases as in the control of Ebola, Marburg disease and of recent Nodding Disease. xviii. Government has supported and encouraged developments and partnerships with private health providers. This has led to establishment of many private hospitals throughout the country. Examples include, Lacor Hospital, Nakasero Hospital in Kampala, International Hospital Kampala (IHK), AAR, IAA and Mayanja Memorial Hospital in Mbarara. xix. Support and partnership is also

given to mission hospitals and NGOs in various parts of the country. xx. All these NRM efforts since 1986 to improve health services of the population have contributed to the increase of the overall population from 12m people in 1986 to 34m people in 2012.

Water resources The NRM policy on water is to ensure access to clean safe water for domestic use and supply of water for production for both crops and livestock.

Rural water The NRM has improved access to water in the rural areas from 10% in 1986 to 65% by 2012. This has mainly been through gravity water flow schemes, boreholes, protected springs, shallow wells and domestic rain water harvesting techniques.

Water for production Since 1986, valley dams have been constructed in the cattle corridor

areas stretching from Nakasongola, through Ssembabule to Ankole and Rakai areas.

In 2012, five valley dams were also constructed in Karamoja region.

This has led to the increase of water capacity for production from 28bn litres in 1986 to approximately 44bn by 2012.

In 2011, NRM embarked on rehabilitation of the defunct irrigation schemes in the country and by mid2013 three of them were under operation.

These include, Mubuku Irrigation scheme in Kasese, Doho Irrigation Scheme in Butaleja, and Agago Irrigation Scheme in Lamwo.

Kibimba Rice Irrigation Scheme was privatized and is now in full operation. Government has also continued to encourage and support individual farmer irrigation efforts by for example providing small pumps and is now advocating for drip irrigation.

Urban water The water coverage in urban centres has increased from 18% in 1986, to 76% by the end of 2012. Total water connections have increased from 10,000 in 1986, to 252,456 in 2010 in urban centres and big towns.

The NRM government through the National on Water and Sewerage Corporation embarked on a phased reha-

54

The Witness news October -November 2014

Achievements of NRM since 1986 bilitation and expansion of the Gulu water supply and sewerage system to cater for the rapidly increasing population of Gulu Municipality.

This has increased water supply from 1.5m litres per day to 4m litres per day and reservoir capacity has been increased from 0.65m litres to 6m litres by 2012.

It has significantly improved supply reliability for the 188,490 population living in Gulu Municipality and its surroundings.

Water coverage in small towns increased from zero to 51%. Some of these small towns are Amuru, Kambuga, Mityana, Moroto, Apac plus

Wakiso and expansion of water system in Entebbe.

The NRM government has extended piped water to areas of Kisenyi I &II, Ndeba, Kawempe, Mengo and Kagugube bringing the cost of water of a 20 litre jerrican to Shs20 as opposed to the previous situation where a jerrican cost Shs100.

The expansion of the Greater Entebbe supply area has led to the increase of water supply from 6m litres to 20m litres per day. The interconnection between Kampala and Entebbe has led to the faster growth of the two hinterland urban centres between the two towns.

The NRM government has supported this sector and it is one of the fastest growing industries in the country.

• Through the National Housing Corporation, housing estates especially around Kampala have been constructed and these units are accessible to the population through a mortgage scheme through Housing Finance Bank. Other banks have also been encouraged to offer mortgages to individuals and commercial entities for construction of estates and houses to be availed to the population.

• Real Estate development has greatly developed and is spreading beyond the limits of Kampala to other parts of the

many more small towns.

The NRM government has through the National Water and Sewerage Corporation constructed a new modern water treatment plant at Ggaba III that has increased production capacity in Ggaba by 80m litres of water per day and extended the intakes in Ggaba and Jinja to mitigate the deteriorating raw water quality and improve water supply in the Kampala and Jinja service areas.

This development has led to the extension of water to Mukono,

The National Water and Sewerage Corporation embarked on a sewerage treatment plant at Lubiji swamp.

The flood control system in Kawempe also commenced in 2012 and both projects are expected to be finished by mid-2013 which will lead to a big relief of drainage problems mainly in Kawempe and Rubaga Divisions in Kampala.

country.

• In 2008, government availed Shs30bn to the Housing Finance Bank to strengthen this policy.

• Government has continued to build new government offices such as Ministry of Health, Agriculture, Foreign Affairs, NEMA offices and the Office of the President and the Prime Minister and currently a number of Resident District Commissioners’ offices.

• Support has also been extended to district local governments to construct their district headquarters.

Housing

October -November 2014 The Witness news

55

Achievements of NRM since 1986

Regional integration and international relations The NRM government foreign policy seeks to promote and protect Uganda’s interests from abroad. In this regard, the government gives priority to regional and international peace, and security, promotion of trade, tourism, investment and technology transfer.

As a result of a successful foreign policy, Uganda’s strong internation-

56

al standing is now globally recognized. The same record was maintained during the year.

World leaders and diplomats continued to visit Kampala for high level summits and conferences and consultations with President Yoweri Museveni.

Kampala actually is now a world hub for international conferences for example; the Common wealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM), judiciary, security and even military conferences and

The Witness news October -November 2014

Great lakes region Conferences and COMESA.

Promotion of regional and international peace and security Uganda continues to play a leading role in the region-led peace initiatives by UN Security-Council.

The performance of Uganda in peace restoration in Somalia is classic. The dealing with negative forces of LRA in DR Congo, South

Achievements of NRM since 1986

Sudan and Central African Republic is a manifestation of Uganda’s resolve.

Uganda has been chairing the new efforts for peace restoration in Eastern DR Congo disrupted by the M23 renegades.

Uganda continues to participate actively in international peace missions especially United Nations Mandates and full participation in African Union efforts.

For commercial diplomacy, Uganda has continued attracting foreign

investment in Industry, infrastructure and agricultural value addition.

Uganda was also voted the top 2012 World Tourism destination. It has become a regional export market and a regional food basket.

Promotion of regional and international peace in Africa Uganda has continued to provide clear support and leadership for regional integration in Africa as a

whole and East Africa Region in particular.

Tremendous developments have now seen Rwanda and Burundi join East Africa Community and South Sudan will soon join.

The East African Legislative Assembly has the very first lady speaker in Hon. Margaret Ziwa from Uganda. Integration steps as seen in trade terms (customs union) are positive and this momentum will be maintained.

October -November 2014 The Witness news

57

ANALYSIS

UPE’s other side

By Our Reporter In 1997, the government launched a 20-year Poverty Eradication Action Plan (PEAP) and Poverty Action Fund (PAF) with Universal Primary Education (UPE) taking centre stage in regard to devising strategies of eliminating poverty.

According to the UPE policy, four children per family were entitled to free education in government and government-aided schools.

However, the government shortly announced free primary education to all school going children in the country and Ugandans responded positively by enrolling their children. According to statistics from the Ministry of Education and Sports, gross enrolment in primary school increased by 73% in one year from 3,068, 625 pupils in 1996, to 5,303,564 in 1997. By 2003, gross enrollment in primary schools across Uganda had risen to 7,633, 314, an increase of 149%.

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urrent statistics from the education ministry show that enrollment is estimated at over eight million pupils. In actual numbers, there was a rise of 4.5 million children between the introduction of UPE in 1997 and 2003 in comparison to 39% (0.9 million children) between 1986 and 1996.

Uganda’s adoption of UPE was implemented three years ahead of the United Nations adoption of the eight Millennium Development Goals (MDG) at the turn of the millennium where two of the goals, MDG2— which aimed at making sure that all children completed a full course of primary education and MDG3— which aimed at eliminating gender disparity were adopted.

When the government embraced the UPE programme— the first of its kind in Sub-Saharan Africa— the programme required a significant increase in public expenditure devoted to primary education.

The total education expenditure increased from 2.1% of GDP in 1995 to 4.8% of GDP in 2000, while the share of

The Witness News November- December 2014

the education sector in the national budget increased from 13.7% in 1990 to 24.7% in 1998. Over the last two financial years [2013/14 and 2014/15), the budget for the education sector has hovered around 11% of GDP. With the rapid shift in both funding, the country’s Education Sector Investment Plan stressed that at least 65% of the education budget must fund primary education.

This shift in policy enabled the government to construct more classrooms, trained and deployed more teachers, and bought more textbooks.

Yet over the last 17 years, the introduction of UPE has been associated with a sudden drop in education quality indicators, such as the pupil-teacher ratio, the pupil-classroom ratio, and pupil-textbook ratio.

Challenges such as overcrowding, inadequate teaching materials, absenteeism by both teachers and pupils and chronic delays in government disbursements of financial resources to schools participating in the programme still plague the UPE programme.

ANALYSIS A 2012 report by Uwezo, an East African initiative that aims at improving competencies in literacy and numeracy amongst pupils across the region noted that pupils in Uganda still face a big challenge when reading and carrying out numeracy tasks.

Another report released this year by Uwezo entitled, “Are Our Children Learning; Literacy and Numeracy across East Africa 2013,’ notes that only 16% of Ugandan pupils in P3 can pass a test of P2 test.

But even with the above ‘gloom,’ there is a positive story to tell about UPE. James Tweheyo, the general secretary of the Uganda National Teachers Union (UNATU) says the majority of Ugandan children now have access to education.

“UPE has given an opportunity to children who would otherwise not have been able to access this education,” Tweheyo says. He disagrees with some Ugandans who say there is no learning in school, insisting there is reasonable learning in schools.

Christine Acayo, the Woman representative for Nebbi District, a member of the sessional committee on education and sports in the current Parliament and also a former teacher adds that if there is anything UPE has managed to achieve in Uganda, it is to democratize education across Uganda. “We know that every child has a right to education, whether they come from a rich or poor background; whether they are able-bodied or disabled, but until UPE came, this was not possible,” she says.

Indeed there has been a marked increase and improvement of primary schools over the years. By 2003, there were slightly over 10,000 government-owned primary schools. Currently there are over 15,000 primary schools in Uganda, including private, government and community schools.

The pupil-teacher ratio, which gives an indication of contact between pupils and teachers in classrooms, improved slightly from about 65:1 in 2000 to 54:1 in 2003 in government primary schools while the pupil-classroom ratio, which indicates the degree of congestion in a classroom, also improved slightly, from about 110 pupils per classroom in 2000 to 94 pupils per classroom in 2003. Tony Mukasa-Lusambu, the Assistant Commissioner Primary Education at the education ministry says with

the introduction of UPE, school enrollment markedly went up.

Over the same period, millions of Ugandans have been able to finish primary education. Indeed, candidates sitting for their Primary Leaving Examinations this year will be the 12th cohort of UPE graduates.

“Education today has become widespread. Before UPE, education was a preserve for a few, today, it is education for all,” Mukasa-Lusambu notes.

“We are proud to say we have over 87% attendance in schools. Even the 13% are not completely out of school; these are

James Tweheyo, the general secretary of the Uganda National Teachers Union (UNATU) on and off. You can hardly find a five year old at home,” he says. Mukasa-Lusambu says because of UPE, looking for a house girl today can be a very difficult task simply because most girls are in school.

One other subtle positive result that UPE has been able to benefit Ugandans is in the area of primary health, Mukasa-Lusambu says.

It may not be easily noticeable but he attributes the rapid decline of conditions like Marasmus and Kwashiorkor to improvement of basic education—education which tackles community health challenges such as hygiene and nutrition.

Health indicators like infant and child mortality have improved in recent years and all these are results of UPE which has acted as a supporting agent.

Daniel Nkaada, the Commissioner

Pre-Primary and Primary Education also adds that there is no doubt that UPE has struggled with quality over the years but pupils’ education has become a public debate throughout the country.

“Education has caught people’s attention.” “Education 17 years ago was a preserve for the few who could afford it, now it is for everyone. Even if the learning achievements are low but they are there.

You can now find areas where you can improve,” the commissioner notes.

Nkaada says Ugandans should appreciate the fact that moving pupil numbers from two million to over eight million in schools is a big milestone.

He says despite what reports on education quality say, literacy levels have improved tremendously.

“Not all schools are doing well but we are driving towards the MDG targets. We are not yet there but we are moving there,” he says The commissioner adds that many more schools across Uganda have been constructed by the government.

“Some may be dilapidated but we are moving. If it were not for some of the schools which were poorly constructed at first, we would be far.” But also the UPE programme has been able to create hundreds of thousands of jobs over the years for teachers, especially if you compare the current number of teachers today and the numbers of 17 years ago.

Mukasa-Lusambu says more teachers, a big number of whom would be without work are employed today than before in UPE schools.

Tweheyo agrees.

He says more teachers have been able to access employment ever since the programme was launched. The government has been able to recruit up to 120,000 and all these are involved in teaching pupils in UPE schools.

The number of primary school teachers doubled from 81,564 in 1996 to 145,587 in 2003 representing a 78% increase. In contrast the decade preceding the introduction of UPE, the number of teachers increased by only 8,594 or 12%. Hon. Acayo adds that even though teachers still complain about low pay, in comparison to 30 years ago, teachers’ remuneration is high.

November- December 2014 The Witness News

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ANALYSIS

By Our Special Correspondent

Statistics House and Planning House— two complexes which respectively host the Uganda Bureau of Statistics (UBOS)—the agency in charge of statistics and the National Planning Authority (NPA)—the other body tasked with planning for the country have probably been the busiest government bureaus in recent months. By October, Statistics House, on Plot 9 Colville Street was still festooned with census promotional materials as the district technical officers from around the country filed their summary sheets of data of the population and housing census exercise held in late August.

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t the nearby Planning House, on Plot 15, Clement Hill Road, the planners too were frantically putting final touches onto the second National Development Plan (NDPII)—a government blue-print which is supposed to help Uganda achieve Vision 2040, the government’s ambitious plan to transform the country from a peasant to a modern and prosperous society.

Sarah Nahalamba, a senior population planner at the NPA said the census had come at the right time.

In the last 12 years, Nahalamba and her colleagues at NPA have had to rely on ‘stale’ estimates to plan for the country.

This probably explains the anxiety with which the planners were waiting for the freshest population statistics which were expected to be released towards the end of October.

Although the census was supposed to be done two years ago in respect of the 10-year inter-censal time lag, it was postponed twice by the government

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The politics of population statistics Local governments and Planners anxiously wait for census results

The Witness News November- December 2014

ANALYSIS

owing to lack of funds.

The decision left the NPA with one alternative—using both the 2002 census figures and household and health surveys for planning.

Many Ugandans questioned how the government planners would get the planning right without knowing how many people they were actually planning for. That changed on August 28 when the census exercise kicked off, taking the next 10 days.

The 2014 national population and housing census ended on Sept. 07 and despite challenges of indifference and resistance from a few Ugandans, and torrential rains hitting most parts of the country throughout the enumeration

period, Ben Paul Mungyereza, Ubos’ executive director declared the exercise a success.

Despite some Ugandans especially on social media saying they had not been counted, Ubos officials say up to 97% of the people were counted.

Andrew Mukulu, the Deputy National Census Coordinator at Ubos says he does not read much into the uproar of people not being counted. He says Ubos gave people enough time to be counted.

For instance, although the exercise officially ended on Sept.7, the statistics body gave another chance for selected areas of Kampala, Wakiso, Mukono and Hoima where a sizeable number of people were reportedly not counted. Ubos

designated Sept 8-12 for the mop-up exercise.

He says Ubos has not yet ascertained how many people missed being counted but they will do a post-enumeration survey which will be able to show the extent of omission of some people.

Mukulu insists that around the world, population census exercises do not necessarily get everyone.

This is why, he says, international standard practice requires that after doing the post enumeration survey, when it is discovered that the level of under reporting was significant, there is some flexibility allowed for the statistics to be adjusted and then communicated to the international community.

According to Ubos, in 2002, up to 95.6% of the households were counted.

This time Ubos estimates that 97% of households were counted.

Nahalamba says if at least 95% of the population is covered, then planning cannot be affected.

The national census is a big exercise which is supposed to tell you about the country’s population status, challenges and future prospects upon which planners base their planning, she says.

Among the variables the 2014 national census sought to find out include people’s education background, ethnicity, religion, occupation, household income, type of domicile, water source and toilet facility used, type of fuel used, access to radio, television and communication gadget used.

Around the world, censuses are primary sources of basic benchmark statistics on the population and housing characteristics of the nation.

They provide information on population size, age and sex composition, geographical distribution and housing characteristics and facilities that have a bearing on the social aspects of the housing.

Population figures are also used to ensure equity in the distribution of government services and funds to various local or regional governments for basic services.

When the government has up todate census data, it uses it for policy-making, planning and administration and the

November- December 2014 The Witness News

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ANALYSIS characteristics of the population drive the decision making that facilitates the development of social economic policies that will enhance the welfare of the population.

Nahalamba says that for instance if the census figures show that you have a young population then the government should plan with special focus on these young people.

The government is also expected to use the census data to analyse and review the changing patterns of rural/ urban migration and concentration of the development of urbanized areas, geographical distribution of the population according to such variables as occupation and education as well as the socio-economic characteristics of the population and labour force.

Findings of the census are also critical in the decision-making processes of the private sector since population size and characteristics influence the location of businesses and services that satisfy the needs of the target population.

In representative democracies like Uganda, censuses are also important in such a way that they ensure that each community gets the right number of representatives in the government since representation is based on population.

The census also helps with equitable distribution of public funds for services like education, health care, law enforcement and roads.

Mukulu however said a full analysis of Uganda’s socio-economic characteristics will not be complete for at least another year.

However, as Ugandans wait for the freshest population figures, the results could spring a few surprises in comparison with those released 12 years ago.

What the 2002 Census revealed

The 2002 census covered a total of five million households with the total population being 24.2 million people.

Nearly all persons enumerated were Ugandans which was slightly higher compared to the previous censuses.

1% of Uganda’s population was not in households. The people were in

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Uganda’s Population since 1911 Year

1911

1921

1931

1948

1959

1969

1980

1991

2002

Population size (millions)

2.5

2.9

3.5

5

6.5

9.5

12.6

16.7

24.2

Source: UBOS

Paul Mungyereza Executive Director Uganda Bureau of Statistics (UBOS)

Dr. Wilberforce Kisamba Mugerwa, Chairman of the National Planning Authority (NPA) other institutions like education institutions, refugee camps, hostels, and barracks, while the rest were homeless or in hotels. Nearly one third of the non-household population was in educational institutions.

The average annual population growth rate often quoted of 3.2% is for the period 1991-2002 was higher than the growth rate of 2.5% for the earlier inter-censal period 1980-1991.

The proportion of women in the

The Witness News November- December 2014

non-Ugandan population increased from 39% in 1969 to 50% in 2002.

Almost 23% of the five million households were headed by females.

The single person households constituted 13% of all households while households with 10 or more persons constituted 6% of the total number of households.

The level of urbanization remained low, with only 12.3% of the population residing in the urban areas.

The average household size in Uganda was 4.7 persons, figures which were close to that from the previous censuses of 4.8 in 1991 and 4.7 in 1969.

Out of the 56 legally recognized ethnic groups, nine had a population of over one million persons, and they collectively constituted 70% of the indigenous population.

The Baganda who have been the largest tribe since 1948 remained the single largest tribe and they took up to 18% of the population.

But the Iteso who were the second largest tribe up to 1959 were the fifth largest tribe in 2002.

On the other hand, the Banyankole who were the fourth largest tribe in 1948 became second while the Basoga maintained the third position.

At the bottom were the Vonoma people who officially were declared the smallest ethnic group with a total population of 119 people.

Christianity was the most dominant faith with Catholics being the largest religious group in the country (42%) followed by the Anglicans (37%) and Muslims at 12%.

The 2002 census further showed that in Uganda, marriage is almost universal by age 35, and it begins much earlier among females than their male counterparts. Marital instability was more visible among females than males.

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For reservations Plot 159 Fort Portal—Kasese Road | P.O.Box 1200 Mbarara, Uganda Call: 0485422112, 0773291464, 0772516403 November- December 2014 The Witness News Email: info@lakeviewresorthotel.co.ug

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ANALYSIS

Standard gauge railway to unlock East Africa’s economic potential

By Our Reporter During the 7th Summit of the Heads of State of the Northern Corridor Integration Projects held in Kampala in early October, Presidents Paul Kagame of Rwanda and Salva Kiir [South Sudan] joined their host Yoweri Museveni to launch the construction of the Malaba-Kampala Standard Gauge railway line. Once complete, the planned interstate rail network for Kenya, Uganda, Tanzania, Rwanda, Burundi, DR Congo and South Sudan will finally open up East Africa’s inaccessible hinterland to great potential for free movement of goods and services.

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The Witness News November- December 2014

ANALYSIS

R

egional experts and observers say the new railway is expected to reduce the number of days it takes to transport goods from the Indian Ocean port of Mombasa to Kampala to only two days from the current eight days.

Trains carrying heavy weights will be travelling at 120km/h, fostering speedy imports and exports. Currently, traders say 30% of the cost of goods is incurred on transport alone.

Jules Ndenga from Rwanda’s Ministry of Infrastructure said time accuracy in business will also improve.

“If a businessman in Kigali orders a product from Beijing, they can know exactly when it is arriving,” he said.

The railway line is expected to be extended to Rwanda and studies on the Kampa-

la-Kigali segment are underway and should be ready by mid-2015.

The 2,000km standard gauge railway is expected to be ready by December, 2018. It will be built in three phases—Mombasa to Nairobi, Nairobi to Malaba and Malaba to Kampala.

The Chinese Construction company, China Harbour Engineering has been contracted to build the line estimated to cost US $13.5b with more than 90% of financing from China’s Exim Bank. This is probably East Africa’s biggest project.

The official agreement for plans to build the new railway line was signed in May, 2014 in Nairobi and construction of the first phase was launched in November, 2013.

During the launch, President Uhuru Kenyatta said the line would cut the cost of sending a tonne of freight for

Freight trains have long helped to maintain the resourceintensive global economy by moving raw materials from countries’ interiors to export terminals.

every kilometre from 20 US cents to eight.

East Africa’s standard gauge railway comes at a time when interest in railway transport around the globe is said to be growing again.

According to the International Union of Railways, passenger and freight trains globally traveled 12.7 billion kilometers in 2013, up from 9.7 billion in 2001.

In 2013, people traveled an estimated 2,865 billion passenger-kilometers by intercity rail.

Freight rail movements amounted to some 9,789 billion tonne-kilometres worldwide. The world’s rail vehicle stock ran to almost 3 million locomotives, railcars, and coaches.

Rail transport offers an energy-efficient way to move people and goods.

Although different transportation modes are difficult to compare, available estimates indicate that rail transport generally requires less fuel than movement by road vehicles.

Freight trains have long helped to maintain the resource-intensive global economy by moving raw materials from countries’ interiors to export terminals.

Improved energy efficiencies and other smart choices can help to maximize positive impacts as rail systems grow. Electrification of rail lines, for example, offers a number of advantages, including higher energy efficiency.

East Africa’s standard gauge railway is aimed at replacing a narrow-gauge track built more than 100 years ago by the British colonialists.

November- December 2014 The Witness News

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ANALYSIS

Uganda’s oil reserves swell to 6.5 billion barrels Will 2017 become the magical year when Uganda’s oil finally flows?

O

By Our Reporter

n Aug.28, the government revised upwards the country’s petroleum resources by over 85% to about 6.5 billion barrels. This was an upgrade of the 3.5 billion barrels of oil in place which the government published about a year ago.

In addition, about 500 billion cubic feet of non-associated gas (independent gas) is also now estimated to have been discovered in Uganda to date.

The gas volumes are said to be equivalent to about 90 million barrels of oil.

While announcing the good news during an oil conference in Kampala, Ernest Rubondo, the Commissioner for Petroleum Exploration and Produc-

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tion Department (PEPD) said the increase in Uganda’s petroleum resources is as a result of the improvement in the techniques used to evaluate the data and information acquired from the ongoing appraisal of oilfields in the Albertine Graben.

Explaining the sudden jump in the country’s petroleum fortunes over the last one year, Rubondo said in the past, calculating recoverable quantities has not been as accurate, since it has always been based on analogues from elsewhere in the world.

However, Uganda is now relying on its own data.

The improvement in Uganda’s oil reserves will only boost the government’s position to simultaneously refine and export the country’s petroleum by 2017.

The oil companies licensed in the country are at the moment

The Witness News November- December 2014

ANALYSIS working to expedite this process.

One year ago, the government issued its first production licence to the Chinese firm, CNOOC, following a satisfactory review of the firm’s field development plan.

That licence was issued for the Kingfisher discovery— one of the very first discoveries announced almost eight years ago in the mid-western district of Hoima.

The government is also in the final stages of reaching an agreement on the most suitable lead investor for its proposed 60,000 barrels-ofoil refinery and related downstream infrastructure it is

technical, financial and commercial plans to develop, finance, build and operate the project in partnership with the government, among other requirements. The project is to be built under a public private partnership arrangement with the government holding up to 40% equity.

It involves development of a refinery with a capacity of 60,000 barrels per day; development of crude oil and product storage facilities on site, as well as constructing a 205-kilometre product pipeline to a terminal near Kampala with the first phase of the refinery expected to be in place by 2017/2018.

planning to set up in Hoima.

In June, two of the four bidders that submitted proposals to the government for the role of lead investor for the 60,000 barrels-perday oil refinery and related downstream infrastructure were given the green-light to progress to the next stage of the tender process.

Two consortia— SK Group of South Korea and Russia’s RT Global Resources—are currently undergoing scrutiny by the government with assistance from its transaction advisor—Taylor Dejongh.

The request for proposal required the consortia to submit a bid bond, and detailed

The government is also in the final stages of compensating and resettling over 7000 families from Kabaale in Buseruka Sub County (Hoima)—where a 29 sq km piece of land has been procured to set up an oil refinery.

In an interview done early this year with Reuters, Irene Muloni, the Minister of Energy and Mineral Development said the government is looking at 2017 to be “the magical year when things will really happen.” The government wants the crude oil extracted to be shared between a thermal power generation plant, a refinery and an export pipeline.

November- December 2014 The Witness News

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ANALYSIS

Tourists to experience Uganda’s rich

cultural heritage

By Julius Musoke Millions of tourists who have travelled to Uganda over the last three decades have mainly come here to enjoy the country’s nature, mainly game, flora and the beautiful scenery.

These attractions such as the unique animals [Mountain Gorillas], birds as well as the unique geographical features like the Source of the Nile, crater lakes, rivers and forests have earned Uganda hundreds of millions of dollars over the recent years.

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ast year alone, tourism for the first time became Uganda’s biggest export earner after it fetched $1.4bn, up from $1.1bn the previous year, noted a Bank of Uganda’s monetary policy statement released in August this year.

No doubt, Uganda’s tourism potential is finally coming of age.

However, the Uganda Tourism Board (UTB) wants to add more attractions to the country’s repertoire.

Cultural tourism has been iden-

The Witness News November- December 2014

tified as one area that has the potential to rake in more tourist dollars for the country.

UTB officials say the country’s unique culture will soon be well packaged and promoted to both local and international visitors.

Uganda’s Constitution of 1995 officially recognizes 56 tribes and many of these ethnic groups are famed for their enduring hospitality.

UTB says it is high time the country’s melting pot of cultures is showcased, especially to the outside world.

To achieve this, planners in

ANALYSIS

the sector are now in the final stages of demarcating the country into 10 clusters including; Kigezi, Buganda, West Nile, Toro, Busoga, Acholi, Teso, Bunyoro, Karamoja and Bugisu sub-regions.

The aim is to promote cluster tourism or to regionalize tourism says Edwin Muzahura, the Marketing Manager of UTB. The idea is to showcase, for instance, how the Bagisu of eastern Uganda live their life through art, dance, crafts, and food as well as the natural attractions that are unique to their region.

There are plans to set up cultural centres like the one recently built by the Great Ankole Tourism Network in Ntungamo, the Solar Eclipse Monument at Igongo Hill (Biharwe) and the Museum near Mbarara.

UTB is in advanced stages to work with other regions, especially those which already have thriving cultural establishments to set up similar centres to showcase their cultures. Muzahura says Uganda has some of the oldest monarchs in the world with some as old as 700 years. Uganda also has

the only Baha’i Temple in Africa and the country also has people practicing a form of Judaism in the eastern district of Mbale known as ‘Abayudaya.’

These are all potential tourist attractions, he says.

UTB’s idea is to interest a tourist who is going to visit the Bugisu region to, for example, be able to see the circumcision ceremony [if it is an even year], proceed to Bududa District for the bull fighting sport, hike the Wanale Hills, and be able to experience their food.

“This is our strategic focus,” Muzahura says, adding that the agency intends to aggressively market these regional attractions with the ultimate aim geared towards increasing the length of stay of the average visitor to Uganda.

UTB is emulating the North African countries that have for many decades focused on selling their cultural heritage like the pyramids in Egypt and the Souks in Morocco as well as neighbouring Kenya which has earned millions of dollars from marketing the unique culture of the Masaai people.

“We shall use the benchmarks of those countries to focus on how best we can bring cultural tourism to life; take stock of it, write about it and train guides who can memorize it and tell the story as it is,” he said.

He says Uganda is even better because so much has happened in Uganda over the last 700 years that is now part of the people’s culture.

“We feel it is time we crafted our own culture and be able to sell our story to the external world.”

Although Uganda has been able to earn billions of shillings from wildlife, there is realization now that an opportunity exists to earn money from the diverse cultures of the people who call Uganda home.

Muzahura says UTB has realized that 20-40 years from now, not so many tourists will want to come here to see Mountain Gorillas but will probably want to come to Uganda to see other attractions; man-made, natural or historical and so there is need to prepare these other attractions now.

November- December 2014 The Witness News

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ANALYSIS

Allen Kagina retires from URA on a high

Allen Kagina

O

n Oct. 30, Allen Kagina, the outgoing head of the Uganda Revenue Authority (URA) handed over to her successor, Doris Akol, following 22 years of service. Kagina served 10 of the 22 years as the Commissioner General of URA. “I hand over complete work, nothing is missing and nothing has been undone,” Kagina said during the handover ceremony. In her time at the top of the tax body, Kagina oversaw the collection of taxes that funded 80% of the budget from about 50% when she took over. Kagina is credited for giving URA a gentle demeanor and overseeing massive restructuring of the tax body following the 2004 Julia Ssebutinde commission

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of inquiry. She quickly changed URA’s image from that of a corrupt institution to a more open and direct institution. During her 10 year tenure, tax collections are reported to have grown by 317.5% (Shs 8.03 trillion) in the 2013/14 financial year from Shs 1.92 trillion in 2004/5. Akol herself has served in various positions at URA over the last 19 years. Her appointment comes after a two-year search for Kagina’s replacement. Allen Kagina described Akol, 44, as a person who pays attention to detail and efficient in whatever she does. Akol assumes the top job at a time when the government is grappling with finding new means of how to widen Uganda’s tax base in light of decreasing donor funds and pressure to finance the national budget.

The Witness News November- December 2014

The all-new DStv Explora T he Explora is the latest PVR decoder on the market that MultiChoice introduced, often described as a decoder on steroids.

It is without a doubt more superior to other decoders on the market – redefining the high definition world and completely evolving the viewing experience for customers.

It has an aesthetic appeal, in a bold black look with very easy, interactive functionality aimed at meeting the current demands of the consumers which entails advanced technology, quality programming and easy storage of programming that customers may have missed out on.

The Explora is the trend for decoders to follow. Software updates will open it to a host of new capabilities such as accessing content from an internal hard drive which provides a massive video library plus DStv Catch up online available at www.dstv.com/ catchup through the Internet.

What separates the Explora from the previous generation HD PVR is paramount. It comes with an upgraded processor (from 1GHz to 3GHz), 1GB of RAM up from 512MB and a 2TB drive which is four times the storage capacity of the HD PVR. The expanded storage ensures you will have maximum storage space for your recorded favorite programs.

Built with the future in mind the Explora’s main purpose is to offer the kind of interactive and on-demand services common in developed markets in areas where fixed-line broadband is poorly developed.

Turning on the Explora, you are greeted with a new user interface a totally new custom made operating system which allows for amazing search functionality, seamless and fast channel surfing, improved display plus host of other capabilities unseen before in decoder performance realms. It has an icon-based arrangement which presents content by DVD jackets.

This new arrangement gives you a visual preview of the programmes as opposed to the old text-based arrangement.

It is no wonder the new interface is silky smooth, responding to every button press or scroll. This is courtesy of a combination of the faster processor, memory and new software. The Explora is powered by

Linux, powerful open-source software.

The Explora offers a host of new services planned in the near future, including DStv’s video-on-demand service named ‘Box Office’ which allows you to rent a movie as and when you want. There is no need to wait until the movie is aired.

DStv’s ‘Catch Up’ service lets you to watch shows you might have missed during the week.

The look of the Explora

The picture quality is top notch, high definition programs look life-like and its sound quality

is extraordinary! You never have to strain to listen to dialogue from movies or TV series; even standard definition channels look really good; almost at par with DVD quality. Literally everything comes to life.

The Explora’s spanking new interface coupled with the upgraded hardware make for a smooth and engaging user experience.

The ideal client for Explora

If you are part of the working class who are always engaged with minimal time to watch all your favorite TV programs, this is the decoder for you. The Explora comes in handy, allowing you to catch up on your favorite shows that aired while you were at work or away on a trip.

Additional functionality

The Explora allows you to pause live TV for up to two hours. You can also record up to 220 hours of personal content. With a premium subscription, you also have access to high definition channels.

Price and availability

The Explora can be purchased straight from MultiChoice at their Buganda Road office or from their agents countrywide for Shs.965,000 For more information, please contact MultiChoice Uganda on 0312245216.

Technical specifications Processor: 3GHz RAM: 1GB

Hard drive: 2TB Operating system: Linux Input/Output ports: Composite video, analog audio, HDMI video, coaxial and digital audio, Ethernet/ LAN, USB, antenna Video support: Standard definition, high definition Audio support: Stereo, Dolby digital 5.1 surround