The Promota Africa Magazine - issue 29 by Willy Mutenza

BUSINESS | LIFESTYLE | CULTURE | IMMIGRATION | BEAUTY

EMPOWERING DIASPORAS

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ISSUE NO NO. 29 | SPRING

UK£2.50|UGX5000|KSH200|TSH3000|RWF2500

Fashion:

2013 Spring Trends THE TOP 5 SOURCES OF

Body Toxins You Need to Know About

Folorunsho, World’s Richest African Woman

Could Africa produce a Rihanna?

Africa'sTop Richest Musicians

Ending Corruption in Uganda

Kenya’s richest man UHURU now Kenyan President Rwanda's

transformation is a reflection of its people

AFRICA’S VARYING FASHION 3rd Ugandan UK Convention

Date: Saturday, 14 Sept 2013

Contents

11 90 35

90 64

62 15

Cover Story: 32 Africa's Top 10 Richest Musicians 102 Living inside out – the only way to end corruption in Uganda 15 Kenya’s richest man Uhuru now Kenyan President 105 Rwanda's transformation is a reflection of its people 70 Africa’s Varying Fashion 88 The Top 5 Sources of Body Toxins 72 Folorunsho Alakija, World’s Richest Black Woman 64 Could Africa produce a Rihanna?

Community: 41 Nurse quits to become an entrepreneur 42 The Ugandan UK Convention achieving its goals 80 Street children: a time-bomb for Uganda and Kenya 82 My personal experience of street children in Uganda 83 The perspective of Ugandan Youth in the Diaspora on Ugandan Culture 96 Translating kitchen gardening experience in Ireland to help a rural community in Uganda

Regular 6 Publisher’s Letter 8 Editor's Letter 10 YourMail 12 Gossip, Updates and news from around the world

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Technology and Car review 38 Hot Gadgets 40 Samsung Galaxy Note 8.0 tablet officially unveiled 56 Mercedes A45 AMG Top Hot Hatch

56 McLaren P1 hybrid produces 903bhp 61 How to make money from developing Mobile apps 76 Ghana's President launches Hope City project 97 iROKOtv Launches Mobile App on Nokia Lumia

Fashion 18 Top Spring 2013 Makeup Collection 19 5 Steps to a more confident You 19 Makeup & Beauty Tips on How to Apply Liquid Foundation 30 Your Spring wardroBe sorted for Him 67 Iconicity, trend setter 74 Isossy Children launches Global Spirit Collection for Spring/Summer 2013 86 Hair style by Lisette Mibo

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Contents 86 32

34 97

66 57

Feature, Opinion and Politics 11 Pope Francis, a Jesuit! 14 Yvette Prieto, Michael Jordan's fiancée: Who is she? 16 New African leadership demands blending of Young and Old 17 Kenya: Youthful TNA Team to Reap From Uhuru's Win 17 Swaziland: Swazi Youth to Rally Against Election 18 New Makeup Looks in FIVE Minutes 20 Spring Trend for Her 55 Aid Cash will go to UK firms investing abroad – not corrupt regimes 63 Uganda tops Africa in alcohol consumption 78 What does loyalty in friendship really mean? 79 Zimbabwe should end early marriages by enforcing existing laws 79 Female MPs defend Ugandan Marriage and Divorce Bill 89 Relationship Dilemmas: TIPS 94 An “African-American” Speaks on Africa 95 Nigeria: Extravagant Gov. Akpabio Defends Controversial Wedding Gifts

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83 50

to Tuface, Wife

95 Outrage Over Presidential Pardon in Nigeria

Health 90 Mariandina Nutritional Supplements 92 surprising headache triggers 93 Is cod liver oil safe to take? 93 Five signs you’re low in vital vitamins & minerals

Sport 58 Africa Cup Of Nations: Time for a radical change? Africa: Presidents Hayatou and Blatter First Inductees Into the African Hall of Fame

Interviews 24 Barbara NjauA media star on the rise

28 “Skills and Knowledge transfer from the Diaspora is the missing link to propel Africa to the next level 48 Magulu: Uganda is Next Frontier of Investment 50 Mwebya: a glimpse in the life of a Ugandan serving in the British Army

84 62 Uganda: Department of Health signs an alliance with University of Manchester 86 Hair style by Lisette Mibo

Business and Finance 37 What is the best way to advertise on Facebook 60 How Idris Ayodeji Bello, a Nigerian Afropreneur plans to use Afropreneurs to shape Africa's future 77 Nigerian Banker Reaches Zenith With $1 Billion Fortune 98 Start Your Own Magazine 104 Africa’s Agriculture and Agribusiness Markets Set to Top US$ One Trillion in 2030 106 Companies investing in African agribusiness, and what we can learn from them

Career Development 52 Frequently asked questions about joining The British Army 53 Tips on how to kickstart your graduate career 111 In Zimbabwe, learning Chinese is a lucrative investment

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Chairman and Chief Executive Officer

Publisher’s Letter

“

Whoever is careless with the truth in small matters cannot be trusted with important matters” Albert Einstein

10 years ago, Africans making a move to relocate back to Africa was practically unheard of, unless they had been deported by the host country. During my time as an ethnic marketing consultant to companies interested in engaging with the African community in the Diaspora, I would normally be asked why there was a decline in using a certain service or product. Analysing surveys, we concluded that actually, Africans were going back in large numbers and that the influencing factors are relative to so many other conditions. “With the economic crisis here in Western countries, there has been widespread loss of jobs [and] careers,” says Frank Anderson, a Ghanaian who lives in Britain. Ghanaians “… are beginning to see the need to look back home.” However, many of these going back soon return to their ‘host country’ after a few years, thus proving that those who stay did some good research before making the move, and are also armed with resilience. Africa offers vast opportunities to Diasporans but there are a lot of pitfalls too. Integrity and honesty seems to be lacking among some family and friends in Africa, and others who will do anything to defraud anyone who is seeking their advice or business support. Diasporans all over the world have set up platforms, conventions and forums to help fill a void for Diasporans living in Europe, so they can communicate with one another

Willy Mutenza Publisher email: info@thepromota.co.uk

+44 7950 285 493

6 | THE PROMOTA

Mr. Willy Mutenza

Managing Director:

and assist those entrepreneurs looking to return to Africa to start a business or settle. Together with a group of well-wishers, I set up a Ugandan Convention, an annual event that has exceeded our expectations and is becoming a platform for those willing to relocate. Africa’s economic performance over the past years has made Africa a financially attractive continent, where an increasing number of Africans want to return to invest, and it is therefore imperative for Africans to utilise these platforms, seeking advice before making the final move. The questions Africans in the Diaspora need to ask themselves are: is the exodus sustainable?, can we stay and persevere with the corruption, lack of infrastructure, dishonest people and that ever-present uncertainty that Africa can offer without coming back to the West? I believe the answer is clear; if Indians, Chinese and Westerners are looking at Africa and moving in, in large numbers, why not Africans? There is definitely an increase in people of African heritage wanting to ‘return home’. Having made the move, I can’t emphasise strongly enough the need for people to plan and prepare effectively. If you plan to invest your money, first of all, invest some time and effort into proper research. Asking friends and family won’t give you the whole picture ,so it is important to really invest in your future so you don’t waste time and money! Every time I travel to Uganda, I meet colleagues from London complaining of one thing or another; my iPad has been snatched, renewing my passport takes months, I did a u-turn and the police detained me, and released me only after I paid a bribe, someone is building on my land, on and on… the list is endless. The simple advice to fellow Diasporans is this: take your time and learn how things are done instead of trying to impose the West’s way of doing things; this simply won’t work. Don’t romanticise ‘home’; instead, study it as you would any other major move you plan to make. Ask yourself this: “If I was planning to move to China, what checks and research would I do?” Moving back to a ‘home’ you left a long time ago should be no different. It really is simple: fail to plan and you are planning to fail! P

Mrs. Miria Kayitesi

Editor/Sub Editor/Sports Editor:

Ade Daramy Publisher:

Mr. Willy Mutenza Features Editor:

Isabelle Gravenstein Fashion Editor:

Christelle Kedi

Commercial Director:

Sophia Mwanauta Uganda Operations Manager:

William Makumbi Fashion Editor:

Crystal Deroche

Sub-Fashion Editor/ Cordinator:

Moryn Amooti Contributing Writers:

Isabelle Gravenstein, Ade Daramy, Christelle Kedi, Moryn Amooti, Michael Beck, Stephen Tamale Ssali, Grail Kupakuwana, Judith kyanda Tracy Kirabo, Kel Ramajong Bernard Magulu, Lisette Mibo Barbara Njau, Martin Ganda James Mwesigwa The Promota is published:

Under licence from Promota Group Enquiries Tel: +(44) 207 237 7317 Mob: +(44) 7950 285 493 e-mail: info@thepromota.co.uk website: www.thepromota.co.uk Copyright 2012 Reserved by The Promota. Reproduction in whole or in part without prior permission is strictly prohibited. Transparencies and unsolicited manuscripts: are submitted at owner’s risk and, while every care is taken, neither The Promota nor its agents accept liability for loss or damage. Our contributors offer a diversity of opinions; their views are their own and not necessarily shared by The Promota.

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AFRICA: MAKE WAY FOR THE YOUNG FOLKS! The title of this issue’s editor’s letter comes from a chirpy little song I recall from my youth by The Jackson Five (or The Jackson 5ive as their logo had it). What made me hark back to those days was that in putting together this issue, myself and my friend and publisher, Willy Mutenza decided that we would put the accent on youth. Mr. Mutenza and I always chat and exchange ideas. And, not just about how to improve the magazine in keeping with the ‘Promota ethos’, namely showing the positive side of African dreams and aspirations. There are many falling over themselves to tell the negative side of Africa; there are whole ‘industries’ that rely on pushing the negative. We’ll leave them to it and do our thing. There were many things that led us to this decision about celebrating the young, including the explosion of young African talent simply crying out for exposure and support. One of the things that Willy and I shared via e-mail, was a blog (Morderne Meid) by a young lady based in London, highlighting 10 inventions by young Africans (http://modernemeidwrites. b l o g s p o t . c o . u k / 2 0 1 2 / 11 / t e n inventions-by-young-africans.html) It was a great coincidence that we came across this just as we were putting this issue to bed as it seemed to chime exactly with our chosen theme. It was interesting to note that one of the comments on the blog

8 | THE PROMOTA

pointed out that we always complain that others never highlight what is good about Africa when we have many websites that are supposed to do that. You won’t find us at Promota among those doing the complaining.

As you glide through the pages of the magazine, you will notice that we are broadening the range of topics/issues and countries that we feature, to highlight the diversity that exists within the wider African Diaspora. The magazine’s name is, after all, ‘Promota Africa’ and, in taking a cue from Peter Tosh’s lyric “No matter where you come from, as long as you’re a Black man, you’re an African”, you will see articles within these pages reflecting that vision. For myself, there is one particular bugbear that has probably been with me for most of my life both growing up in Africa and since I came to live outside. It is also one of the things at the heart of what we celebrate in this issue: giving youth a chance to shine. The reverence for and deference to the old, which is one of many good things in Africa has, in my view become abused by those same ‘edlers’ that we revere and defer to. We have leaders who seem to believe that if they ever hand over the reins of power, their countries will collapse. What other reason can there be for presidents who have served 30-plus years, reached their late 80s going once again to their electorate asking for another six years in office? There are men (mostly) still at the helm

of their countries who were already politicians when I was a shorttrousered schoolboy in the 1960s. This clinging to power by politicians is symptomatic of a general refusal to either train up or make way for the youth across all areas of society that goes beyond the realm of politics alone. For most politicians, the only time they remember ‘the youth’ is when they are filling up empty spaces in their latest manifesto or when they need energetic young ones to assist them in campaigning. Once the elections are over, courting the youth can wait till the next election. So, old folks, look into your consciences and remember a time when you were young. Modern technology now means the young aren’t waiting for you to give them opportunities; they are making opportunities for themselves. And, finally a big thank you for all the positive comments about the improved look and feel of the magazine. Keep ‘em coming and enjoy! P

Ade Daramy, Editor, The Promota

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The Editor’s pick

UGANDA: CORRUPTION IN PASSPORTS OFFICE

decided to share my appaling experience at Uganda’s passport office with the Promota’s readers. A while ago, my passport got accidentally washed and I had to apply for a new one. However, prior to heading to the office, I met a friend who had just renewed his own and gave me his personal account. What I heard from the colleague was not appealing at all. The man had applied for the passport a month before and had not received it yet, although he was informed that he should receive it within three weeks. The reason for all this delay, according to him, was because he did not ‘part with any coins’. He did not mind the delay because he was not travelling anyway and also because he detests giving out money before he is being helped. On Monday 25th February, I went with him to the Passport Office and what I went through there was indeed an ordeal. From the application form to when one has to be interviewed, the processes of receiving a passport appears complicated. It is also clear that corruption is at its peak. Nevertheless, I tried to go through the confused process and from the cashiers’ office to entering the interview room, it is indeed a nightmare. Most of the officers there are rude. Every one of them tries to see that they prevail over customers to get something out them. The most annoying one was a lady in the cashiers’ office. She bluntly asked me for money in order to help get the passport in the shortest time possible. Of course,

10 | THE PROMOTA

my circumstances meant that I was supposed to part with some money if I was to get support and receive my passport in time. The immediate fee was 300,000/=. What pained me most was that there was a woman who seemed to have travelled from the village and did not seem to have money but, being coerced by this cashier woman, she ended up parting with the 300,000/=.

Facebook Comment: What is it that is stopping us in the Diaspora going back to Africa? Give me your opinion?  

 Every officer in these premises, in the cashiers’ or interview room, acts rudely, trying to get customers who can part with some cash. This is not an allegation but something which your investigating officers can, and should try to find out. In the interview room, even those guys in uniform seem to be involved in the racket as they also act rudely, but cool down when cash is mentioned! It does seem to appear that due to the meagre pay that public officers receive, they expect to receive something extra, just so they can survive. If there was any way of legalising the whole process, it would help customers to know and part with the money in good faith without being treated inhumanly and rudely. The process of renewing my passport is ongoing I am not requesting for your input here but I am pointing out my observations made at the Passport Office. You might have tried to do something about this problem in the past, and if you haven’t, I would please expect something to be done now. God bless Uganda

Dr. Emmy Wasirwa, MD WANA Energy P



 

Don Yah Fear, fear that things will NOT go right. Mubiru Vianey I outlived that fear and now am back to Uganda for good!! It depends on one’s determination and patriotism. Indians, Chinese, Japanese and even some Americans are struggling to come here, some have come and have made a good fortune in Africa. They see Africa as their diaspora, so why cant we utilise those opportunities and also beneﬁt from Africa!! Musaazi Namiti I think some people just want to make and save money and invest back home. They're not going to live overseas forever. Others are just not happy with the state of affairs in their home countries: nepotism, corruption, incompetence, poor service delivery by governments. Moses Nsereko The system is unpredictable, people have changed so much that you do not know who to trust. We all want to go back but everytime you go on holiday, you come back a miserable person and you wonder whether you can call it home again. Atwooki Basajjabaka Lutaaya Corruption in those in power and moral decadence in the society. Helen Tugume Trust, honesty, integrity and credibility still a problem! I dont know who to trust in Africa.

What’s the secret to making a long-distance relationship work? Any suggestions welcome! Gina Lourens They don’t work!! Sorry! Adhima Kelele Trust, ﬁrst and foremost in yourself then honestly in the other person, but to a certain degree I agree with the above comment... In today’s society we never learn the importence of being a good and honest human being so we have lots of trust issues and our values are messed up, we don’t honor our relationships cause we are always thinking there’s another person out there better than the person who we are currently with, instead of focusing on strengthening your relationship. How long should I wait to date again after a breakup? Comment please! Adhima Kelele I don’t think there’s a set rule, just be honest with yourself and you will know when you are ready P

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hen Cardinal Jorge Mario Bergoglio became Pope Francis, he became an instant celebrity - and one that people have many questions about.

The 266th pope is the first Jesuit to lead the Roman Catholic Church, the first Latin American, and the first to succeed a living pope in 600 years. He is also the first to take the papal name of Francis. In terms of his theology, though, the 76-year-old Argentine is a traditional and conservative selection. How so? Here are five things to know about Pope Francis, who until yesterday was known as the Archbishop of Buenos Aires, Jorge Mario Bergoglio. 1. He's the first Latin-American and Jesuit Pope but what is a Jesuit? The Jesuits were founded by St. Ignatius of Loyola in 1534 as an order of priests and brothers who took a vow of poverty, chastity and obedience. Pope Paul III approved the order, but there has never been a Jesuit pope until now - or one from Latin America, despite its hugely Catholic populace. 2. Pope Francis' name is derived from who? St. Francis of Assisi. While his predecessor was the 16th pope to use the name Benedict, he is the first Pope Francis. St. Francis of Assisi is a legendary figure in Christian history, who, like Jorge Mario Bergoglio in the 20th and 21st Centuries, was an advocate for the poor. 3. What's his background? That of a humble man who lived simply. In Buenos Aires, Cardinal Bergoglio lived in a simple apartment downtown, not a palatial church property. Seen as a figure of true empathy for the people and the downtrodden, he took the bus with other commuters to "work" and cooked his own meals at home. That humility was seen Wednesday when, during the pontiff's first speech, he asked for the people's blessing from the balcony of St. Peter's Basilica. 4. What kind of Pope will he be? A theologically and socially conservative one, most likely, despite the unprecedented nature of his papacy

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e p o P

, s i c Fran

! T I ESU

J A

in many respects. He opposes abortion, the ordination of women, gay marriage and gay adoptions. He is thought to be more open-minded about contraception, however. 5. Can he turn it around? Obviously, only time will tell, but Francis takes over a Roman Catholic Church wracked by sex-abuse scandals and claims of corruption. In Francis, adherents see a leader who they hope will restore moral clarity, structure and accountability to the Church, at a time when it's needed most. P THE PROMOTA

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Latest interviews, updates and news from around the world

DID ‘U’ KNOW Kim Kardashian to diss family reality show st e We Kany dashian Kar Calls ty Shows Reali aning’ e ‘Dem Kany e Boldl West — y Pus Kim O hing u Reali t Of ty TV

Remember a few weeks ago? When Kim Kardashian hinted that her life journey might take her in a direction that does NOT include her family’s reality show? Well, Kris Jenner did not find her daughter’s remarks to be funny. At all. “After hearing that Kim dissed the family empire in a magazine interview, Kris flipped out and called a summit at her office.

Demi Moore Divorce Papers: Firing Back at Ashton Kutcher

re Demi Moore and Ashton Kutcher headed for a Kim Kardashian and Kris Humphriesesque court battle?

Sources reported that Moore has finally filed her own set of divorce papers - and they take issue with her soon-to-be ex, considering how much money Kutcher makes and how he doesn't "believe he owes her that much." Kutcher filed his documents in December and Moore was apparently hoping the pair could keep things quiet and civil.

Great Scott! Hillary is expecting a baby girl with her drummer husband Hillary Scott will soon be surrounded by all things pink! The Lady Antebellum singer is pregnant with a baby girl, her rep conﬁrms to Us Weekly. Hillary, 26, and her husband Chris Tyrrell ﬁrst revealed they’d be parents back in December. “Chris & I are excited to announce that our Christmas gift has arrived a little early this year! We are having a BABY!” Hillary wrote on Twitter. “We feel so blessed!!!”

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RIHANNA RIVER ISLAND FASHION LINE LAUNCHED IN LONDON! Rihanna celebrated the ofﬁcial launch of her River Island fashion line in London Monday, making a special in-store appearance on Oxford Street. If you like what you see in Rihanna photos and want to emulate that skin-baring style, you can deﬁnitely channel your inner rude girl with River Island.

Rape now attracts life imprisonment in Nigeria

The House of Representatives yesterday Tuesday March 5th approved life imprisonment for any person convicted of rape. They also approved a minimum of 20 years without an option of fine for persons convicted of gang raping someone. The bill also approved 25 years imprisonment for any person who attempted to use chemical, biological or any harmful liquid on another person. (e.g pouring acid on anyone). The bill also approved 4 years in jail or a fine not more than N200,000 or both for any person convicted of performing female circumcision and general mutilation or engaging someone to carry it out.

Africa's Richest Man, Aliko Dangote, Acquires Yacht Yacht Yacht Africa’s richest man, Aliko Dangote, has just taken delivery of a new luxury yacht. At the moment, very little is known about the yacht – who built it, how much it cost or even just how big it is. However, judging by pictures available on several Nigerian websites, the yacht looks signiﬁcantly smaller than those owned by Dangote’s billionaire peers Roman Abramovich, Paul Allen or Andrey Melnichenko, making the Nigerian billionaire’s latest acquisition seem almost like a baby’s toy.

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CELEBRITY NEWS

JOHN PAINTSIL denies stabbing his wife

Nicki Minaj Simmers her Look Down and Launches New Clothing Line

LAMAR ODOM falls asleep during child custody hearing

Police in Ghana say they are still piecing investigations together and may prosecute footballer John Paintsil even after his wife Richlove Paintsil declined to ﬁle formal charges against him for assault.

Nicki Minaj ﬁnally launched her rumored clothing ling. The new lifestyle brand, “The Nicki Minaj Collection” will be carried by Kmart and ShopYourWay, a new interactive website.

Zimbabwean 8-YearOld Boy Marries 61-Year-Old Woman The bride was 61 years old and the groom was an eight-year-old boy! Both families were present at the wedding of Sanele Masilela (8) and Helen Shabangu (61) and the bride’s husband and her ﬁve children were also at the wedding in Zimbabwe. She said: “The boy was named after his late grandfather who never had a white wedding, so the ancestors told the boy to get married and he chose Helen to be his bride. The family took his desire to get married very seriously. They paid for the bride in March last year and spent a lot on the wedding because they believed it was what the ancestors wanted.”

Taylor Swift Vs. Justin Bieber: Who Makes More?

Jermaine Jackson has changed his surname to Jacksun – but denies it has anything to with a recent rift in his family. He said he sought the name change for “artistic reasons”, not because of a dispute over the care of Michael Jackson’s children and family matriarch Katherine Jackson.

DIDIER DROGBA TO STAR IN TV SERIES Former Chelsea and Ivory Coast forward Didier Drogba will be the first to feature in a 5-part documentary titled Football Rebels. Football Rebels is presented and narrated by former ManU star Eric Cantona, which focuses on five football heroes whose social consciences led them to use their fame and influence to challenge unjust regimes, join opposition movements and lead the fight for democracy and human rights in their countries.

A new story reveals a whole slew of celebrity salaries, including those of the T-Swizzle and the Biebs. So, who brought in more dough in 2012? Drumroll please… But the real question — all we really care about — is who made more money in 2012. The answer? Taylor — just by a hair! See if you can swallow this — last year Tay made $57 million. That’s a whole lot of stacks! To put Taylor’s huge year into context, her 2012 salary was more than Channing Tatum, Anne Hathaway, and Soﬁa Vergara COMBINED! According to Parade, Taylor’s income is ranked third

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Lamar Odom is in court, battling Liza Morales over important issues such as child support, visitation right and whether the ex-couple’s children can appear on their reality TV shows. But the Clippers power forward doesn’t appear too stressed out by the potential outcome. Considering he fell asleep on a bench in the courthouse hallway! Sources tell us that authorities had to actually nudge Odom awake because he was so zonked out. Why was Lamar so sleepy? Perhaps because his team played in Oklahoma City on Sunday. But it may also be because Kim Kardashian was talking to him. Her personality has that effect on people.

amongst women in the entertainment business, behind only Oprah and Britney Spears. Tay Tay’s cool $57 million just barely edges out Justin’s 2012 total. Well, if you consider $2 million a small amount — Justin made $55 million last year. Between touring, album sales, endorsements, and several other things, these two piled up the cash in 2012 and made it look easy! They may get made fun of from time to time, but Taylor and Justin could obviously crush us with their wallets if they wanted to. THE PROMOTA

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CELEBRITY NEWS

Yvette Prieto, Michael Jordan's fiancée: Who is she?

s a Cuban-American model. Prieto was born in Cuba. Most press accounts call her a model, but it's hard to ﬁnd pictures of her modeling anywhere else

nce dated Julio Iglesias Jr. If you can’t keep your Iglesias brothers straight, this is not the one who is dating Anna Kournikova. He’s the one who’s most famous for -- checks Wikipedia, doesn’t recognize any of his songs -- being the namesake of Julio Iglesias, I guess.

I than on MJ's arm. She's done it for some designers, but I get the sense she's a model like your favorite Starbucks barista is a singer.

he and Jordan met in 2008, moved in together in 2009, got engaged in 2011 and are scheduled to be married April 27. No pith, that's a sensible relationship timeline.

he is 34 years old. That means she had just turned 4 when Jordan’s jump shot helped win Dean Smith his ﬁrst title at North Carolina.

glesias once called her “simple.” The full quote reads nicer: “She’s a fantastic girl and I like her. Aside from her beauty, which is obvious, she is loving, simple and very good person.”

ake this with a grain of salt, but The Urban Daily says they met while “freak dancing at a not-so-sexy club in Miami.” Was it Sam’s Club? Those free samples are said to have aphrodisiacal qualities.

ordan’s second marriage. MJ was married to his ﬁrst wife, Juanita, for 17 years. Forbes reported their divorce settlement was possibly more than $150 million, which, at the time, would have made it the most expensive divorce in entertainment history.

Kanu defrauded N1.4bn

x-Nigeria star Nwankwo Kanu has lost N1.4 billion (about $104m) and a top executive of his hotel has been arrested and charged over the loss. The managing director of Hardley Suites Hotel in Lagos, Ayoola Gam Ikon, 49, has been arrested and charged for the alleged fraud. He was also alleged to have forged a special resolution purportedly made by the board of directors of Hardley Suites Limited to obtain loans of N187 million, N50 million and N493 million from Skye Bank Plc without authorization.

14 | THE PROMOTA

EX GENERATIONS STAR ACCUSED OF STEALING FROM CHURCH SOUTH AFRICA – Former Generations actor Mike Mvelase is being accused by his church of stealing money. Chief Phakama Shembe, leader of the Gauteng faction of the Shembe Church, is up in arms against the former soap actor.

CONVICTED WOMAN MIGHT BE SENT BACK TO RWANDA A woman convicted of lying about her role in the 1994 Rwanda genocide to obtain U.S. citizenship could be sent back to the country she fled in fear of her life 19 years ago. A federal judge stripped Beatrice Munyenyezi of her U.S. citizenship after a jury convicted her on Thursday of two counts of masking her role in the genocide to gain refugee status and ultimately citizenship. Munyenyezi, 43, is back behind bars, where she spent 22 months between her indictment in 2010 and the jury deadlocking in her ﬁrst trial last year. She was released to home conﬁnement in Manchester the month after that mistrial.

Religious satellite TV show Miracle Hour ‘risking lives’ TV shows made in London that encourage viewers to believe they are cured of lifethreatening illnesses by prayer have been condemned by charities. In an episode broadcast on channel 591 on the Sky platform, a diabetic caller named Bode, from Leyton in east London, telephoned the programme. Bishop Simon told him to lay his hand on his leg and said: “I cause diabetes to die in your body. I lose you and declare you set free from the power of diabetes. “Thank you heavenly father for this miracle right now over your life in Jesus’s name.” Bode was then asked to repeat the words “it is well with me”. Mr Kaikumba said: “The clip is worrying. Bishop Simon claims to have removed the illness from the caller, insinuating he has been cured. The pastor should have recommended the caller sought medical help.”

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KENYA POLITICS (ICC) has indicted him for his role in the violence in the aftermath of the presidential elections of 2007. Prime Minister Raila Odinga accused the government at the time of rigging the vote, prompting widespread violence in which over 1,200 were killed and several thousands displaced. Kenyatta denies any wrongdoing.

Worth $500 Million, Kenya’s richest man

UHURU KENYATTA

now Kenyan President

huru has seen it all, money, power, business and scandal, now the man has triumphed to rule one of East Africa’s fastest growing economies. Uhuru Kenyatta, one of Kenya’s richest men and the son of Kenya’s first president, Jomo Kenyatta, has won the presidential election despite facing charges by the International Criminal Court of instigating and financing post-electoral violence in 2007. Kenyatta makes history by becoming the East African nation’s youngest president (he’s 51) and the first son of a president to take power in a competitive election in East and Central Africa. Kenyatta won 50.07% of the total votes cast, in comparison to his closest rival, incumbent Prime Minister Raila Odinga, who polled 43% of the vote. Under Kenyan law, the winning candidate is required to

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win at least 50% of the total vote in order to avoid a second round runoff. Shortly after Isaack Hassan, the chairman of Kenya’s Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission, made the announcement, an elated Kenyatta publicly thanked the country for electing him as the country’s new leader and promised to work for the benefit of everyone. “We celebrate the triumph of democracy; the triumph of peace; the triumph of nationhood,” Kenyatta said. “Despite the misgivings of many in the world, we demonstrated a level of political maturity that surpassed expectations.” But while the wealthy Kenyatta enjoys a strong and favorable following, particularly among Kenya’s young population, his victory is likely to upset international powers, because the International Criminal Court

Kenyatta has a bachelor’s degree in political science from Amherst College, in Massachusetts, U.S.A. On returning to the country after his studies, he founded a horticulture business which he subsequently sold in order to focus on managing his family’s extensive business holdings. They include a commercial bank, luxury hotels and vast holdings of land. Along with members of his family, Kenyatta owns at least 500,000 acres of prime land across Kenya. While it is documented that the land was legally acquired by his father in the 60s and 70s under a World Bank-supported settlement transfer funds scheme that allowed government officials to acquire land from the British colonialists at giveaway prices, Uhuru’s critics still maintain that the older Kenyatta unscrupulously grabbed land at the expense of ordinary Kenyans. The Kenyatta family land holdings alone are worth over $500 million and the family is renowned as one of the wealthiest in Kenya. Kenyatta started his successful career in public service in 1999 when the Kenyan president at the time, Daniel Arap Moi, appointed him chairman of the Kenya Tourism Board. In 2001, he was elected to the Kenyan parliament and was made minister for Local Government. In 2008 he was appointed Deputy Prime Minister under the coalition government and assumed position of Minister of Finance in 2009. Now, he is 4th President of the Republic of Kenya. P

THE PROMOTA

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AFRICA & YOUTH

New African leadership demands blending of Young and Old

In order to compete in the global market, Africa must tap into its supply of intelligent, eager young people for future leaders, both in the government and the private sector. Being the most youthful continent, with 65% of Africans under 35 years of age, and over 35% between the ages of 15 and 35, now is the time to groom African youth for key government leadership positions. We need more young Africans in boardrooms, key government roles, and in the religious and civil sectors of society, as there are currently few young people in these positions of power and influence. We must strive to blend new ideas with the old. This can best be accomplished by combining the wisdom of our older leaders with the fresh thinking and energy of our young people. Younger leaders will have global perspective and older leaders will provide the experience. We must incorporate the meritocratic youth into Africa’s leadership structures in order to provide renewal and growth. The blending of promising youth leaders into African leadership structures will not

16 | THE PROMOTA

only rejuvenate African institutions, organizations and leadership offices, but will also offer new horizons and solutions to problems, resulting in more efficient and globally competitive institutions. This will propel Africa to new heights of prosperity. Current African leaders have been very successful at winning political independence from colonial powers. Now, for Africa to continue to grow and be globally competitive, it is critical to blend the leadership structures in government, so that the elders can serve as advisors, tempering the zeal of the young leaders with time-tested wisdom. It is important to pass the leadership baton from the elder statesmen, many of whom are out of touch with the current situations within their countries, to promising meritocratic youth leaders, who can learn from the experiences and mistakes of the elders. Additionally, the youth are often aware of issues that older leaders may not recognize or see as important or influential. The ideas of the youth and the mentorship and guidance of the elder leaders create a fertile environment

for success for enterprising youth. For instance, in Zimbabwe, the late Vice President, Joshua Nkomo, personally assisted Strive Masiyiwa, an entrepreneur, after the government had rejected his application for a cellphone service operating license. Nkomo, the wiser elder statesman, had the courage and ability to indulge the foresight of the youthful Masiyiwa. He helped Masiyiwa obtain the license. Econet Wireless is now a global success, creating jobs across the world and providing mobile telephone and financial services. Today, to build progressive African societies that are globally competitive, it is pivotal to blend what the youths want and need with wisdom from these elder statesmen. The youth have a critical role to play in both the private and public sectors. Access to technology, modern education, and healthcare are critical to the global market. And, blending cognitive diversity of ideas from the youth and the elders can bring long-term solutions to some of the problems crippling Africa. Integrating and increasing the number of meritocratic youth within Africa’s critical decision-making bodies will result in a new paradigm for Africa’s leadership. Imagine the diversity of ideas from a government office that has a leadership comprising one young woman who grew up and was educated in Africa, a boy with a global perspective who grew up in Africa but was educated and worked around the globe, and an older leader to provide wisdom and guidance. Yes, we all vouch for homegrown ideas to solve our own problems.

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AFRICA NEWS However, we don’t always need to reinvent the wheel. Sometimes the solutions are simpler. Learning from those that have done it, internalizing the key lessons or solutions, then customizing and applying those to our own problems is the best way to enact change. It is important to base the selection of youth in these leadership positions on meritocracy. Only those youth that show great leadership potential, those that have mastered the art of influencing others and have shown excellence in their respective disciplines should be groomed into the leadership structures that will take Africa to the next level.

of the elder leaders will create a strong mentor partnership, so that young people mature into effective, results-driven African leaders. It is important to note that a lot of these ideas would resonate in an environment of tolerance, trust and inclusiveness, where we all share one vision for Africa: that of prosperity, a vision that is beyond today but that sets a foundation on which the continent can build for future generations to come. by Martin Ganda is an MBA student at Duke University Fuqua School of Business. He is interested in economic development of Africa. He can be contacted on twitter @ martinganda P

YOUTH

to Rally Against Election

“

Swaziland Youth Congress (SWAYOCO) calls upon all youth to a national rally at Msunduza, Mbabane on the 6th of April 2013 to launch an anti-Tinkhundla elections campaign - a call for multi-party democracy,” SWAYOCO said in a press release. “This will be a day of action that will ... send a clear message to the Tinkundla regime and the whole world that the youth are giving a red card to the undemocratic elections.” According to the press release, the upcoming Tinkhundla elections in Swaziland are “undemocratic” and “meaningless” for a number of reasons, particularly because absolute monarch King Mswati III personally appoints part - and has to approve the rest - of the parliament, appoints most of the senate, and the whole cabinet, including the Prime Minister, and because political parties are banned.

Many African youth have gained global exposure in their studies and businesses abroad and can add value and new ideas that can improve Africa. Including these youth is the first step in creating the new Africa of which we are dreaming. Blending these youthful ideas with the ideas

Kenya: YOUTHFUL TNA TEAM TO

REAP FROM UHURU'S WIN

resident-elect Uhuru Kenyatta’s party The National Alliance (TNA) is rewarding the team behind the party’s recent victory in the just concluded General Elections with nominations to various positions.

Waikenda contends that the country’s leadership needs fresh faces and new blood unlike other parties that appear to nominate the older generation who had lost in the General Election.

In a move seen to uphold the party’s promise of giving youthful members leadership opportunities, TNA’s campaign team led by party chairman Johnson Sakaja has been listed for nomination to Parliament and the Senate.

“We have time and again talked about transforming the country’s leadership yet some of the parties have elected their former leaders who lost in the General Election. It is time we gave the young people an opportunity,” he said. P

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Swaziland: SWAZI

For those who are unfamiliar with Swaziland’s traditionalistic Tinkhundla system, it is a system where candidates are elected through a public gathering at the village level under a local chief. All legislation can be vetoed by the king, which means that Swaziland’s elections reinforce “organised certainty, since they reproduce the prevailing political status quo in Swaziland ... elections have increasingly become arenas for competition over patronage and not policy,” according to a report by African policy research institute, the Institute for Security Studies. SWAYOCO more bluntly refers to Tinkhundla in the press statement as “a system of royal enforced exploitation that institutionalizes looting national resources, corrupting the whole social ﬁber of our society ... arresting, harassing, torturing and even murdering all those who are calling for a genuine people’s government.” P THE PROMOTA

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Top SPRING 2013

VITALUMIÈRE ÉCLAT

MAKEUP COLLECTION

NEW MAKEUP LOOKS IN FIVE MINUTES

RADIANCE COMFORT COMPACT MAKEUP £46

Sultry Neurals

ASTE CONTR JOUES H

"Soft brown shadows are universally ﬂattering and look modern when worn as a monochromatic smoky eye," says makeup artist Nick Barose.

e. radianc R BLUS POWDE of colour and h c l to very The tou ry natura from ve touch of colour, ts c e ff e simple akeup Offers m ated. Used as a healthy glow. a c sophisti ur complexion yo it gives

HOW-TO: race your lash lines with a black pencil like Clarins. "Don't worry if the liner isn't perfectly straight, since you'll be smudging it anyway."

ÉCLAT E ÈR LUMLI IGHTER

ROUGE COCO HYDRATING CREME LIP COLOUR £24

VITALUMIÈRE SATIN SMOOTHING FLUID MAKEUP £35

HIGH EN P FACE £38

pply shadow (we like browns A from Dior) across lids and under lower lashes, connecting it at the outer corners, says makeup artist Pati Dubroff. Blend well and use one coat of Givenchy's mascara. quick dusting of contouring A powder creates the illusion of structured cheekbones. Try Mirabella's along with this trick: Suck in your cheeks and brush the powder down the hollow area, advises Barose.

Duo Eyeshadow £24.00 NARS413 BLKR The Multiple £30.00 3 Couleurs Smoky Chérie Bow | £35

Givenchy mascara £23

omplete the look with a swipe C of Chanel's nude lipstick for balance.

In celebration of Fashion's Night Out, NARS debuts two new additions to the 413 BLKR collection in the powerfully provocative spirit of Guy Bourdin.

THE BEST SPRING NAIL TRENDS TO TRY NOW Dual Colors. Paint your nails one solid color and then apply a second color in horizontal or V-shape.

oza NEW R rey g k in p A £18

The new Essie Spring 2013 Resort Collection is unbelievably adorable, with four gorgeous Essie Nail Lacquers

Matte polish. You can ﬁnd these shades in any store. Pick the shade you like and apply to your nails. No top coat needed but to prevent chipping you can apply top coat.

Sparkle ombre. This spring from clothes, to accessories, ombre is the most trendy. Easy to achieve by just painting your nails one solid color, and then adding sparkly polish either at the top of your nails or bottom, giving a very chic illusion.

18 | THE PROMOTA

Two Tone Manicure

The modern French manicured nail is all the rage. Find one solid color to paint your nails, then add a different shade of polish to paint on the tips.

Thakoon for NARS Nail Polish £14.00

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Giorgio Armani Luminous silk foundation £42

Makeup & Beauty Tips on How to Apply Liquid Foundation M

Studio Fix Powder Plus Foundation A foundation in one that combines good coverage with ease of application. £21

DOUBLE WEAR By Estee Lauder Price: £27

MAC & Rihanna collaboration – Riri hearts MAC

Sophia’s Tips

e Mary Kay® Intens Moisturizing Cream

oisture your skin well; the better the real base, the better everything applies on top of that. Give your moisturizer some time to absorb and sink in before applying anything on top of it. like spritzing either my face or my foundation brush with a bit of water, which helps to sheer out the liquid foundation and give it added slip. I find that we don’t need nearly as much foundation as we think, so it helps make any foundation sheerer and then enables me to go back over areas that need more coverage with without putting too much on everywhere. like to give my foundation a few minutes to set before applying a finishing or setting powder on top, because this helps to keep the powder from sticking too much in any area (in the event that an area is slightly wet still) and minimizes any powderiness from application of setting/finishing powders later on.

Mineralize Foundation/Loose Silky, mineral-rich Mineralize Foundation/Loose provides a mediumbuildable natural to natural-satin ﬁnish. Brushes on for a smooth, radiant look. £24.00

e are so excited about this new MAC collaboration with Rihanna. The ﬁrst range we’ll see is MAC RiRi Woo, inspired by Ruby Woo. It will be sold online and at Rihanna concerts. COVERGIRL Clump Crusher by LashBlast Mascara £5.99

5 Steps to a more confident You Having confidence is a state of mind. It is that happy girl who has the ability to strike up a conversation with anyone,the girl that tackles life issues with a smile and the one that radiates happiness when she enters a room.

Follow these ﬁve steps to becoming a more conﬁdent you.

. The most important tip, is to just be yourself. Appreciate and love who you are and don’t let other people deﬁne who you must be. If you love being fab,dressing up and looking good,then do it! If you are more relaxed and enjoy the plainer things in life,then embrace the way you are.

. Using positive afﬁrmations throughout the day is a great way to boost yourself. Find a couple and just repeat them to yourself when you are feeling a little low. Remember “you were born with wings,so why prefer to crawl through life?” – Rumi

action and risks will hold your back, and you will never really know what you are truly capable of.

. Learn something new! Acquiring a new skill or hobby will be great for your self conﬁdence. Even if it turns out to be a disaster, you still experienced something new and can learn from it. And what doesn’t kill you,makes you stronger! So get out there and try again.

. And lastly,stand up straight,make eye contact with people and believe in yourself! Conﬁdence is key, if you don’t believe in yourself then nobody will!

. Start taking risks! Having a fear of the unknown and not being able to take

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THE PROMOTA

| 19

SPRING TREND

For Her

Guccit-idetailed

Peter Pilotto

Horseb ather patent-le loafers £355

Isaac jacquard and neoprene skirt £591

By Malene Birger B N Nallie floral-print silk-twill pants p £335 £

Charlotte Olympia Serena crepe de chine platform sandals www.net-a-porter.com £595

vlisco Bright orange bucket bag www.vlisco.com £425.62

Meadham Kirchhoff The he Witch hand-painted shrunken leather biker ik jacket j k £3,135

Dolce & Gabbana Printed satin-twill belt £320

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Lanvin Printed silk-satin scarf www.shopstyle.co.uk £255

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Spring 2013 Shoes Ann Harvey Sea sirens hat www.houseoffraser.co.uk Now £ 59.00

Christian Louboutin Guerilla 120 studded suede ankle boots £1,235

What's Your Shoe IQ? True or False: Wearing high heels can be good for your sex life. email: info@thepromota.co.uk Christian Louboutin Mago Cap-Toe Two Tone Pumps Blue www.2louboutinuk.com £102

Isabel Marant Bone and leather tasseled earrings £175 Maison Martin Margiela giela g Gold and silver double e ring

£190

Isharya

Given that shoes can inform a whole lot regarding your style, provide you with the most effective pair to leave an in-depth impact about the individuals close to you. The actual Burberry Prorsum accessories spring/summer the year 2013 collection provides a few wowworthy models presently there for you for both everyday wear and then for classy, special occasions. www.uk.burberry.com

Nile Nymph 18-karat gold-plated ring £75

Opium by Yves Saint Laurent 50ml EDT Spray (For Her) £48

BOSS Women's watch with leather strap hugoboss.com £225

Sergio Rossi SS 2013 collection

Clash £ 890.00

Burberry Prorsum Metallic textured-leather shoulder bag £550

Michael Kors Gia ostrich-effect leather shopper £655

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Vanity Black and white sandal with gold mesh chain details. www.sergiorossi.com £ 770.00

THE PROMOTA

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SPRING TREND HSGH SGHS

For Her

Just Cavalli

Neon Yellow Deco Collar Effect Necklace £20

Leopard Silk Poncho £413.00

Jonathan Saunders Green Helen Jacquard Short Sleeve Shift Dress £515.00

Jonathan Saunders Odette Wool Crepe Shift Dress www.my-wardrobe.com

£620.00

Coral And Hematite Set Bead Drop Earring www.debenhams.com £8.00

DIOR MOHOTANI Purple 'Dior Mohotani' glasses £210.00

TEZZ Skater dress

ASOS

www.tedbaker.com These extra wide butterﬂy-shape sunglasses are inspired by the 1950s.

£129

HIGHGATE Heeled Sandals £55.00

Monica Vinader Make a statement with Monica Vinader’s striking cuff.

£250 Issa Cut in Issa’s signature silk-jersey, this striking dress boasts a slinky, ﬂuid ﬁt. Featuring a plunging neckline and wrap-effect waist, it will maximise your feminine curves.

VERDAD Orchid printed trousers www.tedbaker.com

Erickson Beamon Swarovski crystal necklace £205

£109

www.harrods.com £525

We Are Handsome Jungle Sleeveless Body Con Dress

£220.00 Glitter t Bug Dress French c Connection linenmix ddress balances clean lines with high shine. h Emphasise the crystals with a simple boxy bag to courts. and tonal

Spring Bloom Flared Dress www.frenchconnection.com

£87.00

£150.00 5 www.frenchconnection.com f

22 | THE PROMOTA

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FASHION

MATTHEW WILLIAMSON Blossom Print Long Sleeve Dress £650.00

JUST CAVALLI

PATRIZIA PEPE

Satin Leopard Print Sleeveless Dress £365.00

Knitted V Neck Bodycon Dress

£190.00

Preen Bloom Floral Paintdrip Printed Cotton Dress £767.00

Knit Rib Scoop A Line Dress £545.00

Première Ankle boots / SpringSummer collection £535

Kidder Peacock Feather Clutch Bag £20

Kenneth Jay Lane Rhodium-plated cubic zirconia drop earrings £117

ISSA

Sindy Green Bow Back Heel www.missselfridge.com

£42

www.very.co.uk

Just Cavalli Printed Stretch Satin Dress www.my-wardrobe.com

£399.00

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GUCCI Sable Jersey Asymmetric Angel Dress £645.00

McQ ALEXANDER MCQUEEN Wing Print Bodycon Dress £255.00

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DIASPORA LEADERS

Interview

Barbara Njau

A media star on the rise The Promota magazine was privileged to interview Barbara Njau, originally from Kenya talking about her career, fighting poverty in Africa and more... Barbara Njau, you are Senior Reporter and Markets Editor of ‘Foreign Direct Investment’ (fDi) Magazine. What does your job entail? fDi magazine is part of The Financial Times Ltd. It is a specialist title. I report on cross border greenfield investment trends and global foreign direct investment flows into markets in Africa, Asia and the Middle East. I interview political and business leaders about economic and investment issues in these markets, and I write features and in-depth special reports for fDi magazine and its online portal, www.fDiIntelligence.com.

24 | THE PROMOTA

I also represent the Magazine at international economic summits, industry events and countryspecific conferences, acting as a panellist, moderator and speaker.

What are some of the places you’ve visited in the line of your work? I have gone to Morocco, China, and the United Arab Emirates to write special reports for fDi. Two notable events I really enjoyed attending was the African Development Bank’s summit last year in Arusha, Tanzania, and the International Monetary Fund’s summit held in Tokyo, Japan. I have also travelled to speak at several conferences including

Tunisia’s first investment forum after the ‘Arab Spring’, the ‘Tunisia Investment Forum’; Dubai’s ‘Annual Investment Meetings’; Kenya’s ‘African Caribbean Pacific Special Economic Zones’ summit and Malaysia’s ‘Special Economic Zone’ summit. I represent the magazine at all these conferences and I draw from our greenfield investment database called ‘fDi Markets’ to discuss foreign direct investment trends in locations. I also project some sector-specific outlooks, based on our specialist database. Do you have a favourite town, city or country that you visited or worked in? Each region has been extremely unique and I definitely do not have any favourites. However

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what I can say is I have had a few memorable occasions! For example I went to Franceville, which is a little city outside of Gabon’s capital (Libreville) to interview the President of Gabon. I also went to Chengdu in West China, known as ‘panda capital’. My hosts were kind enough to let me hold and cuddle a baby panda, which was enormous. I am also a great lover of food, so I found the cuisine in Malaysia, when I was staying in Kuala Lumpur, very memorable! You are a thorough professional, nevertheless, your work could sound like “it’s a tough job but someone’s got to do it”. How do you manage the balance? The job is not super easy, however I do not want to overstate the difficulty or try and put myself across as a superwoman! I honestly believe if you are well organised, and sometimes if you sacrifice some sleep, when the workload gets particularly heavy, you can have a good work and life balance. I am not a workaholic and I think If I worked all the time I would burn out. As I have gotten older, I have started doing a few things that have helped me increase my efficiency at work during the day, for example turning off my phone, staying off facebook, and so on. I also never take my work home with me, unless it is an exceptional emergency. When I leave the office that means it’s ‘me’ time and that’s when I turn my phone off, make time for friends and family. My weekends are always rest time for me!

How did it start for you, this drive to get to where you are today? Where the signs there from an early age?

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I would like to say that I have always been driven but that has not been the case. When I really started striving to achieve more is when I begun university studying a Law degree, because I thought it was a ‘safe option’. I hated the course, and it was the first time in my life that I was consistently getting fails in my grades. I ended up dropping out of the course after about four months. I was quite miserable as a lot of people told me I would not go ‘very far’ in life without a Law degree. I have always found current affairs interesting so I decided to give Politics a chance as a degree. When I started the degree in Politics, I remember meeting a tutor and telling them I wanted to become a diplomat. The tutor turned around and told me I should lower my expectations and aim for a less prestigious role because I did not appear to have the aptitude for very competitive jobs. I think all the negativity I received at this stage of my life woke me up and I decided to prove a lot of people wrong. I guess the rest is history. Was there ever a time when you doubted the path you had chosen or are you one of those people who doesn’t entertain the word ‘doubt’? I had doubts all the time! Not having a sense of direction in terms of ‘what next’ did create a lot of doubts in me, and I think part of my drive to always seek out new opportunities came from a fear that I would fail. Do you feel you’ve ‘arrived’, reached the top of your profession? Or are there many more mountains to climb? Absolutely not! Nelson Mandela

once said “After climbing a great hill, one only finds that there are many more hills to climb.” I completely believe that and there are even bigger mountains to climb. My journey is only beginning! Many young folks look at you as a role model. Is that a mantle you feel comfortable wearing? I honestly do not see myself as a role model. I am always happy to provide advice when asked but I am nowhere near perfect. I find it flattering when I am approach by people my age or younger, but I would definitely also say that I am a work in progress. Speaking of ‘fighting poverty with business’, what are some of the practical ways this can happen? I will speak from the perspective of sub-Saharan Africa. Firstly, I believe foreign profit-making firms have a huge role to play in fighting poverty with business. When foreign investors come to a region, they create local jobs for people who are otherwise unemployed. They bring their technical know-how and their experience of working in other more developed markets, and they transfer these skills to the local workers. Africa suffers from underinvestment and low human capital and foreign firms play an important role in developing this. Secondly, their entry expands the growth of some sectors, for example this manufacturing firm will develop the host’s manufacturing capacity, through building their offices, establishing the technology that will enable more products to be locally manufactured. THE PROMOTA

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INTERVIEW: BARBARA NJAU local and foreign investors. We saw this with Zambia’s government which issued its $750 million dollardenominated bond that was heavily over-subscribed. This is one of the ways governments can access the needed cash to engage in development projects, while on the flip side, foreign companies can make a profit which is not to the detriment of the local economy.

Thirdly, both local and foreign firms should work in a closer relationship with the government to engage in public and private partnerships (PPPs) that both enhance the economic capacity of the African state. The problem with a lot of African countries is that their formal private sectors still remain relatively small, due to decades of underinvestment into important things like infrastructure and education. This means that with every little bit of growth, capacity limits are reached. Governments should issue more PPP contracts into things like road construction, railways, and so on, where the private sector can invest in part ownership and thus increase the capital available to complete the project. I feel the onus is on the government to make the opening. Governments can increase FDI into their regions and access more capital by issuing more debt to

26 | THE PROMOTA

Finally, education systems really need some reforming. Tthis is a huge business opportunity for private profit-making educational institutions. A lot of private employers complain there is a pipeline problem where the supply of graduates does not necessarily meet their demands. Not enough are taught to focus on private sector work. Aid workers and senior governmental posts (both in the public sector) are overglamourised and this can be reversed through private investors who specialise in education, setting up more private schools and universities that focus on say, aeronautical engineering, ICT, and other specialist roles. We see many commentators talking about ‘the rise of Africa’. Are there practical signs that this is happening? I agree – look at the statistics over the last decade. The fastest growing country between 2001 to 2010 was Angola, which topped China’s growth. Nigeria, Ethiopia, Chad, Mozambique and Rwanda were among the top ten fastest growing economies, over the same period. Between now and 2015, Ethiopia, Mozambique, Tanzania, Congo,

Ghana, Zambia and Nigeria are among the top ten fastest growers globally. And we also have Kenya, which is now building what is going to be East Africa’s first “Silicon Savanah”. In Machakos, they are building a ‘Technology City’, which will be worth $10 billion, to be completed over ten years. This will transform both Kenya, as well as sub-Saharan Africa as one of the world’s business hubs. Even in more remote regions like the DRC, the population of Lubumbashi, which is located in Katanga, close to Zambia, stands at around 1.5 million people and they are becoming wealthier. The Russian firm, Renaissance Capital, is constructing luxury apartments in the city, as its population size is expected to rapidly grow in the coming years. These people are not the ones you see on TV, who are impoverished and running away from militia. They are hard working, middle class consumers, increasingly able to afford more. I expect this growth story in Africa to continue and I am really optimistic. Do you have any heroes/ heroines/role models in or outside of your family, in life or in business? I really admire the Nigerian Finance Minister Ngozi OkonjoIweala and if I can achieve a fraction of what she has done in life, that would be amazing! Have you ever wanted to do something else, be someone else in a completely different filed to the one you’re in? Not really – to be honest the moment I want to be ‘something else’ is the moment I sit and reassess what I want from that

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INTERVIEW: BARBARA NJAU ‘other’ life. Once I pinpoint what it is that I am missing, I decide to work towards getting it. Any tips for any Promota readers thinking “I’d love to do what she does”? If they are thinking that, I would say go for it. My advice is if journalism is what you want to do, begin by interning as much as you can at newspapers. If you cannot get into the big mainstream papers, go for the smaller ones or for startup student papers or independent journals. You could also start your own paper, or intern elsewhere. It is less about where you intern, and more about the experience and the skills you acquire, and how you can illustrate that you are hard working, driven and entrepreneurial, in your own way. For example, I interned in two non-governmental organisations as a researcher in Senegal and Cameroon. This helped me get my big break, when I got onto an internship as an Editorial

Researcher for another Financial Times publication called ‘This is Africa’. It was while I was there that I searched for opportunities and landed my role with fDi Magazine Do you have any favourite African country? And do you care to tell us about your family roots? I have no favourite country, I have rather memorable experiences. Each country I have been to in Africa has had a real special factor about it. The only country I hope to go back and live in at some point later on in my life is Senegal. I lived in Dakar while I was interning in an NGO called ‘Africa Governance Monitoring and Advocacy Project’. The weather is beautiful, the people are extremely friendly and their history is very rich. They have an island called “Goree Island” which is a UNESCO-protected heritage site It was used by Portuguese and French slavers during the ‘first scramble’ for Africa, to hold

captured slaves before they were shipped off to Europe or the Americas. It is very haunting but very beautiful. As for my heritage – I am Kenyan. I was born and raised for the early part of my life in Nairobi, Kenya, before we moved to the UK. Thank you for taking time out of your busy schedule to talk to us here at Promota. Any message you’d like to send to our readers or ‘words of wisdom’? Never limit your dreams or think them too ludicrous. When you want something, go for it and dedicate your energy to it. However, while you strive for the top, also never forget to remain happy. Don’t get caught up in the process and let unexpected setbacks change you or darken your outlook. Keep dreaming, work hard, and most of all stay positive and optimistic! P

BUILDING BRICS: The New Scramble For Africa | [Kindle Edition] | £.1.99 | Buy from: www.amazon.co.uk | Authored by Barbara Njau In the last decade, Africa has undergone something of a renaissance, and this is has largely been down to its new partners from the ‘global south’. The BRIC economies –Brazil, Russia, India and China – have made inroads into the continent, and in the last decade Africa has risen from being an economic backwater to one of the world’s fastest growing regions, and a viable player on the world stage. Africa’s new partners have dramatically altered its investment landscape and this is giving rise to new

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business opportunities in the continent. This book draws from on-the-ground research, and examines how this scramble by some of the world’s largest corporates the likes of Sinopec, Embraer, Renaissance Group and Vendata Mining, all of which originate from the BRICs, are fuelling the growth of new markets and sectors across the continent. As Africa rises as the world’s next frontier for growth, this book shows how the BRICs are set to play an integral role in altering the continent’s economic trajectory.

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DIASPORA MAKING A DIFFERENCE

â&#x20AC;&#x153;SKILLS AND KNOWLEDGE TRANSFER from the Diaspora is the missing link to propel Africa to the next levelâ&#x20AC;? stresses James Mwesigwa. Did the Convention had any impact on your decision to relocate back home? Yes, I was appointed by the Convention chairman, Mr Mutenza, to mobilise and represent all Ugandan living in South London. The event was colourful and attracted high profile dignitaries from the Ugandan government and Europe. The presentations and discussions from the speakers were like a breath of hope for many of us who had unclear plans, as to when and how to relocate back home. It was just one week later that I decided to give it a try relocating to Uganda.

What is PASIMPIA? PASIMPIA engages academic and healthcare institutions in patient safety and quality improvement programmes. PASIMPIA offers affordable, sustainable and innovative quality and patient safety solutions through practical teaching and research. The patient safety solutions offered to institutions are those focused on processes and systems improvement, but founded on bedrock innovative thinking. Visit our website at [http://www.pasimpia. org] for more information. Why did you decide to go back to Uganda? The education and experience I had acquired from both academic and healthcare institutions in the United Kingdom was relevant to quality and patient safety improvement in the many Ugandan hospitals.

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What is your education and experience in healthcare? I hold a Post Graduate Diploma and an MSc (Quality and Safety in Health care) of Imperial College University London. Also, an MSc (Health Services Management) and a BSc (Hons) Health Studies of London South Bank University. Prior to migrating to the United Kingdom, I had qualified as a dentist in Uganda. In the last fifteen years, I have worked in Africa and the United Kingdom for voluntary and private sectors as a Project Manager with a keen interest in Healthcare Quality Improvement Programmes. I have also worked closely with WHOAfrican Partnership for Patient Safety and European ICT-Patient Safety Companies to extend their services to Uganda and the African region. I am currently based in Uganda to promote Quality and Patient Safety Improvement in our academic and healthcare institutions.

What have been the major challenges you encountered settling in Uganda? At the time when I went back to Uganda, there was no organised arrangement for those returning home. I had to develop my own networks by moving from one ministry to another and from one office to another. Actually, there was no clear policy in the foreign affairs ministry, for example, on how technical experts or professionals would be welcomed back home and guided in their early days of settlement. Recently, the Diaspora office has been set up in Uganda to serve as an advice centre for those who wish to return home or do business in Uganda, and hopefully a policy will be developed as well. As a Diaspora investor, do you think the government should give incentives to encourage even more Ugandans in the Diaspora to invest back home? What in your opinion, should these incentives be? The government needs to identify the professional gaps for both the public and private sectors in Uganda, and then liaise with the Diaspora office in Kampala to search for technical

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experts amongst Ugandans living in the Diaspora. The government needs to “waive off” the visa charges for the settlement period of at least a year to attract both business and professional investors from the Diaspora. Rwanda has waived visa charges for British and American citizens because they have realised the long term benefits. Ugandans returning from the Diaspora need a visa free period longer than 1 year, in order to be able to test out their investments in Uganda, and at the same time process their dual nationality. As a Ugandan from the Diaspora, do you face any kind of favouritism or biasness in the business sector due to the way you do things? Positive attitude, perseverance, patience, competency, experience, specialisation and accomplishing tasks within the agreed time tends to be the contributing factors which puts me a step ahead from others. What is your input on skills transfer from Ugandans in the Diaspora? Activity -1- Consultancy Development of Quality and Safety module for healthcare professionals (Uganda Catholic Medical Bureau, Kampala, Uganda Hospitals) and development of Quality and Safety Training Guide for healthcare professionals (UCMB Hospitals). I would to like to express my sincere appreciation to both Dr Sam Orach,

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CEO and Ms Monicah Luwedde, Quality and Safety Manager, UCMB hospitals for being pioneers in taking the broader organisational approach to Quality and Patient Safety Improvement in Uganda. Activity-2- Lecturing Quality and Safety and Research Supervision (Uganda Martyrs University) My appreciation goes also to Dr John Mugisha, Dean to the Faculty of Health Sciences and all the staff at Uganda Martyrs University for supporting the module of Quality and Patient Safety incorporated in the Health Services Management curricula. I also want to thank the 2011 Masters students who participated in the field analysis study, “The extent of medical error reporting in four selected hospitals”. Activity-3- Lecturing Quality and Safety Module and Integration of Quality and safety in Curricula Integration of Quality and Safety Modules in all International Health Sciences University curricula. Special thanks go to Florence Mirembe, the librarian of IHSU, for her positive attitude, the cooperation of school Deans and lectures, which was demonstrated throughout the execution of this activity. Activity-4 -Development of Centre for Quality and Safety Improvement in Africa at IHSU We are currently in the process of

INTERVIEW: MWESIGWA developing a Centre for Quality and Patient Safety Improvement in Africa at International Health Sciences University. Again, thanks go to Dr Ian Clarke, Proprietor of International Hospital Kampala, and Dr Nick Wooding, the Vice Chancellor of International Health Services University, for hosting the Centre and for embracing the partnership with PASIMPIA Activity -5- Development of ELearning and Short Courses for Quality and Safety Improvement E-Learning modules for Quality and Patient Safety in Healthcare have been developed for the distance learners. Ms Dorothy Mukasa and Ms Ritah Nantongo, administrators of E-Learning, thank you so much for your perseverance. We have developed short courses on quality and patient safety improvement at International Health Sciences University. Health care workers can attend these short courses in the evening after work or on weekends without disruption to their day to day work. I would like to welcome Ms Olivia Nanteza on board as our administrator for Quality and short courses. Activity -6- European and American Quality and Patient Safety Improvement Partners An office has been registered in Amsterdam, Netherlands. Our European, Amsterdam based directors, Peter Kasibante and Robert Kisitu have been very instrumental in developing partnerships between PASIMPIA and Dutch Patient Safety Improvement Companies. Any words of wisdom or tip to those who want to relocate? Ugandans in the Diaspora, your technical expertise is desperately needed to rebuild your country, our motherland Uganda. Whatever skills or profession you have acquired abroad will make Uganda a better country. P

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YOUR SPRING WARDROBE SORTED

For Him

Calvin Klein CK One Shock Street Edition £ 23.00

o you find it hard to keep up with the latest in men’s fashion? Yeah, me too. That’s one reason why research is key. I’ve looked into some of the biggest trends to hit men’s fashion this coming Spring and here’s what you have to look forward to. Here are some of my personal favorite trends to watch out for.

Burberry Reversible Textured Leather Belt £225

Mid blue polarised sunglasses www.debenhams.com £60

DINAR Poplin striped shirt www.tedbaker.com £65

Black leather zip Bootie antique gold and dark palladium interlocking g detail Gucci: £600

g-timelss. Gucci extra large version. stainless steel case with tachymeter scale on the bezel £1225

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Giorgio Armani Lace-up shoe £650

Gucci

Guilty gift set £37

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Calvin Klein horsebit mini flora infinity canvas with maple brown leather trim £390

Inked waves underwear trunk Now £ 14.40

Canali Flower-Patterned Woven-Silk Tie www.mrporter.com £90

blue tones stripes fabric with brown leather trim and black edges £1420

Canali Slim-Fit Cotton and Linen-Blend Blazer www.mrporter.com £560

CAYOR UUnique Leather Patchwork Hard Shell Beige/ Black - iPhone 4/4S www. uuniqueshop. com £19

Cross grain phone case www.tedbaker.com £19

LZ suit PAUch eck

m Wool baker.co www.ted £380

Nike Toki vintage £ 67.00

Sky blue

Guccissima belt

Babette Wasserman

with double G buckle £225

Navy Half Moon Tie and Cufflink Set www.henrytibbs.com £99.95

ASOS 5 Panel Cap in

Leopard Print www.asos.com £14.00

BOSS Skin Deo Stick 75 ml £10.14

HUGO Lace-up

suede boot ‘Destio’ £199 Tateossian Multicolour Silver Mondrianesque

Cufflinks www.henrytibbs.com £320.00

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AFRICA ENTERTAINMENT

A 10.

frica's Top 10 Richest Musicians

CHAMELEONE

Joseph Mayanja (born 1979) known by his stage name Jose Chameleon, or just Chameleone, is a reggae musician from Uganda. He mainly sings in Luganda, English and Swahili. Jose Chameleone has become a pop idol in Africa with several of his songs popular on radio, in bars and clubs all over the continent. Several of his songs have turned into popular phrases such as Basiima Ogenze, Shida Za Dunia, Nekolera Maali among others. He is generally credited with the rejuvenation of popular local music in Uganda at the turn of the 21st century. The Valu Valu singer is the biggest money maker in Eastern Africa and has a ﬂeet of fuel guzzlers as “testimony” to this which include; Cadillac escalade, Mercedes Benz ml 200 super custom convertible and a Premio. He also owns a big mansion in Seguka hills in the outskirts of Kampala where the elite of Uganda reside.

n under BANKY W 27, 1981), know If you (born March

t. ellington ian R&B artis Olubankole W W, is a Niger longs to ky be an B he e r m Capable fo the stage na r. 3 M m hi ll n also ca musicia does like you can r ian born R&B fo er ig or N ad is ss Th ba ork. brand am a en #TeamHardW be s fo ha the face r r week. He rrently he is cu to 4 shows pe d an set ia er ig n. He is also ile in N Estisalat mob t African natio in es W ed e st th ho in be ucts Search to Samsung prod ted Channel O Vj ar r st fo s es ha dg W ju e ky to be one of th rous heart Ban Foundation to . With his gene pable Ca r M as Lagos, Nigeria n ow ganization kn or families. a charitable or ildren from po ch of n io at aid in the educ

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AFRICA ENTERTAINMENT

HUGH MASEKELA

Hugh Ramopolo Masekela (born April 4, 1939) is a South African trumpeter, ﬂugelhornist, cornetist, composer, and singer. He is the father of American television host Sal Masekela and for a long time now, one of the most respected jazz artists from Africa. In 1968, Masekela got a Grammy Award nomination under the category “Best Contemporary Pop Performance – Instrumental”. His other honors include; Order of Ikhamanga: 2010 South African National Orders Ceremony, 27 April 2010, Ghana Music Awards: 2007 African Music Legend award, 2005 Channel O Music Video Awards: Lifetime Achievement Award, 2002 BBC Radio Jazz Awards: International Award of the Year, ominated for Broadway’s 1988 Tony Award as Best Score (Musical), with music and lyrics collaborator Mbongeni Ngema, for “Saraﬁna!”. Masekela owns a professional studio in Botswana, and makes good money on invitations to major festivals across the world and the sales of his albums.

2 FACE IDIBIA

Innocent Ujah Idibia (born in Jos, Plateau State, Nigeria), or better known by his stage name 2Face Idibia, is a Nigerian singersongwriter, actor and record producer. He was a member of the defunct R&B/hip hop group Plantashun Boyz. 2 face has 5 albums out and has won 40 awards to date, and received only 6 other nominations where he did not win. The ‘African Queen’ crooner has a vast investment in real estate across Nigeria, makes$50k to $80k per show and owns a night club in Nigeria.

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HSGH SGHS AFRICA ENTERTAINMENT

FALLY IPUPA

Fally Ipupa is a singer-songwriter from the Democratic Republic of the Congo. He was part of Kofﬁ Olomidé’s band, Quartier Latin International, from 1999 to 2006 before starting a solo career. His ﬁrst solo album was Droit Chemin released in 2006, and his second album Arsenal de Belles Melodies (A2BM) was released in 2009. In 2007, Ipupa won the Kora Awards for Best Artist or Group from Central Africa. In 2010, he won the MTV Africa Music Awards 2010 for Best Video (for Sexy Dance) and Best Francophone Artist. This former back up singer is credited with modernizing Lingala music. He is a poster boy for a variety of clothing brands in Paris, where he performs at sold out shows, making millions of dollars.

SALIF KEITA

Salif Keïta (born August 25, 1949) is a singer-songwriter from Mali. He is unique not only because of his reputation as the “Golden Voice of Africa” but because he has albinism and is a direct descendant of the founder of the Mali Empire, Sundiata Keita. This royal heritage meant that under the Malian caste system, he should never have become a singer, which was deemed to be a griot’s role. He is known for his distinctive voice and abroad they simply call him the African jewel. Salif is a very humble dude despite his riches. This musician from Mali has his own island and some real eastate in France.

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KOFFI OLOMIDE

Antoine Christophe Agbepa Mumba, also known as Kofﬁ Olomide (Friday, July 13, 1956), is a DR Congolese soukous singer, guitarist, dancer, producer, and composer. He is also known by a multitude of other names and aliases.

This veteran Congolese musician has released several albums which have done well in the international market and the maestro reportedly charges about 100,000 euros per show. Olomide’s album Haut de Gamme: Koweït, Rive Gauche is listed in 1001 Albums You Must Hear Before You Die. In March 2003 Olomide released “Affaire D’Etat”, a double CD album featuring 18 tracks. Kofﬁ, who mostly refers to himself as Mopao, has a release known as La Chicotte a Papa, having recently excelled in hits like Cle Boa, Lovemycine, Diabolos, Grand Pretre Mere and Soupou, Festival (a duet with another legend, Youssou Ndor) among others. Today, Mopao is the undisputed king of romantic rhumba. Not only that, he is widely accepted as one of Africa’s biggest and most successful musicians.

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AFRICA ENTERTAINMENT

D’BANJ

Dapo Daniel Oyebanjo (popularly known as D’banj, born June 9, 1980), is a Nigerian singer-songwriter and harmonica player. He has won several music awards including the awards for Best African Act at the MTV Europe Music Awards 2007, Artist of the Year at the MTV Africa Music Awards 2009. and BET Awards of 2011 for Best International Act; Africa. He adopted the stage name D’banj, a combination of his first name Dapo and his surname Oyebanjo. D’banj is currently best known internationally for his 2012 summer hit “Oliver Twist”, an uptempo dance fusion of Afro-Beats and electronic dance music that topped the African charts 2011 and was a top 10 hit in the UK singles chart in 2012 reaching #2 on the UK R&B chart. The koko master is his other moniker. D banj is the first African signed to Kanye West’s label Good Music. It is reported that the flamboyant musician from Nigeria raised a whopping $5 million as a campaigner for President Goodluck Jonathan. He has a series of high end clubs in Nigeria known as Koko Lounge and his own line of mineral water Koko Water. D banj also made $1 million dollars when he was paid by a T.V station to star in his own reality show called The Koko Mansion. He has a crib in Atlanta worth $1.5 million and reportedly currently charges about $100,000 per show.

P-SQUARE

P-Square are a Nigerian R&B duo composed of identical twin brothers Peter and Paul Okoye. They produce and release their albums through Square Records. In December 2011, they were also signed to Akon’s Konvict Muzik label. In May 2012, they also signed a record distribution deal with Universal Music South Africa. The duo currently make about $250,000 per show and the fellas have been booked up for gis taking up much of 2013. Their crib, titled Squareville located at Ikeja is worth $3 million. They also have a three-year deal with leading Nigerian telecommunication company Globalcom as brand ambassadors where they are paid a million dollars a year.

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frica's Top 10 Richest Musicians

1.N’DOUR YOUSSOU Y

oussou N’Dour ( born 1 October 1959) is a Senegalese singer, percussionist, songwriter, composer, occasional actor, businessman and a politician. In 2004, Rolling Stone described him as, “perhaps the most famous singer alive” in Senegal and much of Africa. Since April 2012, he has been Senegal’s Minister of Tourism and Culture. N’Dour helped to develop a style of popular Senegalese music known in the Serer language as Mbalax, which derives from the conservative Serer music tradition of “Njuup”. He is the subject of the award-winning films Return to Goree directed by Pierre-Yves Borgeaud and Youssou N’Dour: I Bring What I Love directed by Elizabeth Chai Vasarhelyi, which were released around the world. He is the richest musician in Africa; owns the biggest media house in Senegal which has radio stations and TV stations he also has some big time investments in real estate. This legendary African musician with his one of kind voice also at one time served as Senegalese cultural ambassador. P

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SOCIAL MEDIA

WHAT IS THE BEST WAY TO ADVERTISE ON FACEBOOK

bang for your buck? Well that’s a tricky question because it depends what you want to accomplish.

Currently, Facebook provides three different advertising options:

If you want more interaction on your posts and in turn, more “Likes” to your Page, then Promoted Posts are your best bet. This is especially true for businesses using Promoted Posts because the posts show up in the news feed of people who have not liked your page in addition to those that have. This provides an excellent opportunity to expose your brand, products or services to a new group of folks that are unaware that you exist.

f you’ve been on Facebook lately, you’ve no doubt come across some form of advertising. You may be less familiar, however, with the different types of Facebook ads/advertising options. And, if you’re just starting to think about promoting your business on the largest social platform on the planet, you’ve come to the right place. We’re going to give you a short overview of each of the Facebook ad options to match the right ad to your desired results. So let’s get to it!

1. Traditional Facebook Ads

Most of us have seen them on the righthand side of our news feed and our proﬁle pages. These are the little pieces of magic that have taken Facebook to the dominant level of social media advertising.

a post you wrote. They’ll pay for the promoted post and you’ll get notiﬁed if they do so. For Pages, you can go outside the conﬁnes of just people who like your page, and promote posts to the general masses of Facebook.

If you have a “special” that you want to promote, either online or in your storefront, then Offers are for you. Offers can get people to go to your website or visit your store. And even if your offer isn’t the perfect ﬁt for a particular shopper, it provides an opportunity to expose your additional inventory to a potential new customer.

The cost is based on the total potential audience your Page can target, and will vary from Page to Page. Here’s an example of the cost for the VerticalResponse Facebook Page:

3. Offers

2. Promoted Posts

Available for both Proﬁles and Pages, Promoted Posts allow you to pay to push your most important posts higher in the news feed. This provides a better chance that your audience will see them. For Proﬁles, you can promote your posts to your friends at a cost of $7. Additionally, other connected friends can promote

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Facebook Offers allow your business to provide discounts to customers when you post an offer on their Facebook Page. To claim an offer, recipients just click the “Get Offer” button when they see it on Facebook. Facebook then sends an email with redemption details for the offer. Redemption of offers can be in-store only, online only or a combination of the two. Now that we’ve reviewed the three types of Facebook ads, which provides the most

Finally, we come to Traditional Facebook Ads. These traditional Facebook ads once moved the needle in regards to more Likes and/or trafﬁc to websites. But our involvement with them over the last year has seen a huge decrease in value. If you’re still inclined to give them a try, start with the CPC (Cost Per Click) option instead of the CPM (Cost Per Thousand) option. The ads are still being served up to millions of people on Facebook, but many users have become desensitized to them. So you don’t want to be paying for something that’s not beneﬁting you. You only want to pay when they click your ad. I hope this has provided you some food for thought about which Facebook ads will best for your needs. Which type of ad will you try? Already using Facebook ads? What’s been successful for you so far? originallry written by by Derek Overbey P

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HOTTEST GADGETS 2013

Boys stuff

X-Rocker

Sony XperiaZ

Vision 2.1 Wireless Gaming Chair £149.95 The X Rocker Vision Gaming Chair provides its user with the full blast of audio, video and gaming surround sound. A truly exhilarating experience. If your looking for a cinema chair, a computer gaming chair, music chair or the like then this versatile gaming chair ﬁts the bill!

Sony has made sure all the features you’d expect in a high-end smartphone are there. NFC and 4G LTE are present and accounted for, and backed acked ac cked up by 1.5GHz 1.5GH 1. 5GHzz qua uad-c ua d-core ore CP CPU, U, a brilliant brillia bril liant nt quad-core 3MP 33M P camera camera came ra and an 13MP ex xcept xc eption ional al 5-inch 5-inch screen scree sc reenn exceptional wi ithh a pixel it pixel density densi de nsity ty of with 443ppi 44 43ppi 43 ppi (compared (comp (c ompare aredd to to the he iP iPhone iPhon honee 5's 5's 324 324ppi). 324ppi ppi).). Th here' he re'ss no no twottwo-ways wo-way wayss There's about ab bout bo ut it - Sony S Sony's ony's 's lat latest est ﬂa gship gsh ip is a mons m onster ter ﬂaagship monster sm martp ma rtphon hone. e. smartphone.

buy from: www.boysstuff.co.uk

Pr rice: ri ce: £5 £500 00 Price:

Asus FonePad The FonePad is a 7-inch Android tablet, that presumably will have Google less than impressed about Asus' decision to release a competitor to the Asus-made Google Nexus 7. It comes with 16GB of internal storage, a 1280 x 800 display and 3G so you can make Dom Jolly-style phone calls on it. Price: $249 (£165)

Dell XPS 15 using raw power with good looks, the Dell XPS 15 is Windows’ answer to the Macbook Pro and one of the best laptops we’ve seen this year price: £1,299

Ultrasone Zebrano Edition 10 Headphones The sound of sheer luxury £1790

Asus WL-330NUL USB

P Snap iPhone 5 Case Happy snaps. www.ﬁrebox.com £24.99

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roclaimed “the world’s smallest router” and clocking in at roughly the size of a packet of Extra chewing gum, this pocket rocket connects to your laptop via USB and to the web via ethernet and also has N Wi-Fi up to 150Mbps. A wireless access point for all laptops and portable devices in the local area when the crappy B&B your work checked you into for the away-day has ethernet but not Wi-Fi.

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GADGETS 2013 k!

Apple iPhone 6 release date

s Pic

or’ Edit

Smart Baby Monitor Excuse me, my baby’s calling... • Watch over baby in exceptional conditions on your iPhone, iPad or Android with the Withings Smart Baby Monitor • High-resolution video, motion free and intuitive Pan Tilt Zoom and automatic night vision • Ability to talk to baby, play lullabies, or turn on the multicolor night light • Monitor noises, motion, temperature and humidity in baby's room • Enjoy an unlimited range--watch over baby at home, on the road, or from work www.amazon.co.uk | Price: £240

ne of many analysts claiming to be in the know claims it won’t be ready until 2014. Jefferies analyst Peter Mise said “Apple's iPhone uses a technology called 'in-cell,' which essentially meshes the touch screen with the glass screen into one thin display. Its partners can't get good enough yields making those displays bigger to launch the iPhone 6 this year," the report said. "He thinks the next iPhone will run on a 20 nm processor, allowing it to add more cores, possibly four or eight. To take advantage of the new processing speed, iOS will have to be upgraded. The new iOS architecture might not be ready until 2014."

PlayStation 4 details revealed

Belkin n m Thunderstorm The iPad-friendly portable speaker dock promises to deliver cinematic quality audio for watching ﬁlms and gaming on your Apple tablet using front-facing speakers that deliver the rich, powerful digital sound. The Lightning compatible setupp that ﬁts around the se slate features integrated air channels help ‘bass frequencies come alive’ and with the Thunderstorm app lets you tinker with and customize audio settings. Price: £179.99

ony’s PlayStation 4 next gen console will be more powerful than the new Xbox and feature a redesigned controller, reveals our Magazine It is stated that the PS4 will be more powerful than Microsoft’s next-gen console, will ship with a redesigned controller and - most tantalizingly of all - will be released by the end of the year in Japan and the US. Apparently, gamers in Europe and the UK will have to wait until early 2014 to get their hands on a PS4.

Tylt Vu

Samsung Galaxy S4

AMAZING INNOVATION: READ ON Smartphone charges wirelessly. Drop a handset into its 45-degree cradle and microscopic nanobots pass from the 5W charger directly into your battery and restore it to health.

release date, news and rumours Oculus Rift Virtual Reality (VR) gaming has been every gamer’s fantasy since the ﬁlm The Lawnmower Man came out in 1992. It’s been trialled by some of the gaming industry’s leading ﬁgures, like John Carmack the creator of Doom and Quake, and has received their seal of approval. Estimated: $300 (£185)

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Samsung’s stock just keeps rising, so the fervour associated with the new Galaxy S4 is already outstripping that of the Galaxy S2 and Galaxy S3, both of which nabbed ‘phone of the year’ titles in recent times.

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TOP GADGETS

Samsung Galaxy Note 8.0 tablet officially unveiled

Samsung has officially unveiled the Galaxy Note 8.0, an Android-powered iPad mini rival with a stylus. The Samsung Galaxy Note 8.0 fills-in the middle ground between the Galaxy Note 2 and the 10.1-inch Galaxy Note 10.1, while retaining the key feature of the series – the S-Pen.

Using 1,280 x 800 pixel resolution, the Samsung Galaxy Note 8.0 doesn’t have particularly high pixel density – most easily compared to the pixel-poor iPad mini. It uses standard TFT LCD tech too, so is a little less snazzy than the Super AMOLED display of last year’s Galaxy Note 7.7.

This small tablet, or humungous smartphone, is likely to be Samsung’s key unveiling of MWC 2013, which starts officially on Monday 25 February.

Sure to attract a few jibes, the Galaxy Note 8.0 also has phone call capabilities – although most would agree this 8-inch device is well into tablet – rather than smartphone - territory.

Galaxy Note 8.0 Specs

The tablet offers two cameras. There’s a 5-megapixel sensor on the rear, which lacks a flash, and a 1.3MP front camera. Again, low to middleweight specs show this is meant to be an accessible rather than cutting-edge tablet.

Samsung has not yet announced a price for the 8-inch Android tablet, but its specs suggest the Galaxy Note 8.0 will be a reasonably affordable device. The most clearly budget-conscious part is the screen.

Canon EOS 650D The Canon EOS 650D has taken beginner-enthusiast D-SLRs to the next level. Although it ‘only’ has an 18-megapixel sensor, image quality is great, and high ISO performance is strong. Thanks to the Digic 5 processor, it will also blast off 5fps to help you keep up with fastmoving subjects. Plus there’s the lovely adjustable touchscreen tech to enhance the user experience.

Canon EOS 650D price: £699 RRP (body only), £799 with Canon EF-S 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6 IS II kit lens 40 | THE PROMOTA

Lifeproof Nuud for iPad Water-tight protection for your iPad £129.99

Pretty much everything has a touchscreen these days. The touchy-feely experience sure beats boring old buttons, but it does make protecting your devices tricky. This is where the very Scandinavian sounding Lifeproof Nüüd Case for iPad comes in, like some kind of scantily clad Nordic god.

ZAGGfolio for iPad 3 The curious case of Bluetooth Buttons £97.99

Harp on all you like about the iPad 3’s amazing virtual keyboard but it’s nowhere near as user friendly as a physical keyboard. Crafted in tough carbon fibre, with a durable microfibre lining, this sleek case has an on-board Bluetooth QWERTY keyboard – so you can type away laptopstyley whenever you fancy. There are even shortcut keys specifically for the iPad 3. www.firebox.com

Asus PadFone Infinity The Asus PadFone Inﬁnity offers some great design inﬂections and some fab specs. But, just like its predecessors, it’ll be squeezed into a tiny niche. Not only is the premise a little awkward, but the price is downright scary. Buy a top-end tablet and a top-end phone and you may well calculate you’ve spent the same amount, but shouldn’t it cost a little less when there are no real brains in the tablet? £999 www.thepromota.co.uk

Nurse quits to become an entrepreneur and Charity worker in Africa and Caribbean

herika Miller is a 26 year old female who has decided to give up her career as an Intensive care nurse for one year to focus on entrepreneurship, charity work and building her brand. She holds a ﬁrst class Bachelor of Science degree and was destined to study medicine. Having sat the GAMSAT which is a graduate entry to medicine exam she realised that working in the NHS was something that she will have to put on hold whilst she is young and focus on building a health brand. A former beauty pageant contestant, she decided to give up her crown and recent title as 2nd runner up Miss Jamaica UK 2012-2013. Her decision to enter the competition was to represent herself as part of a generation of young professionals. She is the ﬁrst ever contestant to have ever given up her title. She also took that opportunity to platform her idea of creating an eight bedded clinic in her homeland of

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Jamaica that manages and cares for HIV affected people within that area. To realise her goal of care delivery outside the NHS she formed the Nurika Health Brand; a brand that sees her team up with three medical doctors with an interest in infectious diseases, chronic and acute care. She also wishes to support other charitable organisations and has previously raised money for “dreams come true” a charity that gives dying children a last wish. Proving that having a healthcare profession doesn’t exclude a glamorous lifestyle, she is involved in brand management and is currently a brand ambassador and modelfor OMG-de-signs, IAM Afro-beauty and Locum.She hopes to expand her knowledge on branding to develop her own range of skincare someday; something she hopes compliments her identity as a former beauty queen and nurse. P

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UGANDA DIASPORA

The Ugandan UK Convention

ACHIEVING ITS GOALS UGANDA GOVERNMENT RESPONDS POSITIVELY TO UK UGANDA CONVENTION RESOLUTIONS

Following the 2nd Uganda UK Convention in 2012, many important issues were raised and accordingly, planned resolutions were made to address them. The Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Uganda responded to some of the points raised and addressed them below. But first is a reminder of the Convention’s goals.

he 2nd convention discussed a series of topics and issues, and various presentations were tabled on the day. A few points of concern were raised and we decided to focus on them and to lobby the government for better policies to enable Ugandans in the Diaspora to feel that they are Ugandans and secure to contribute to the social development of Uganda. The experience encountered at the airport will always impact on the general overview of a country and it is a fact that Ugandans from the Diaspora are picked on by immigration, security and staff at Entebbe Airport. Thus, at the Convention, it was requested that a fast track desk be established at Entebbe Airport for Ugandans from the Diaspora, who often encounter a lot of hostilities from immigration officers. Rt. Hon. Kadaga pledged to inform the government that it has so far not done the necessary to enable those in the Diaspora to “land softly” when they return home. Among the sectors focused at the Convention was the agriculture sector. The Hon. Tress Bucyanayandi, Minister of Agriculture, Animal Industry and Fisheries was asked after his resourceful

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presentation, to serialise opportunities in the agriculture sector and update them regularly on their website, and also list skills and career gaps in the sector to enable skills and knowledge transfer from the Diaspora. Among the delegates was the CEO of NAADS, Dr. Mugasi who was questioned on various partnership opportunities in NAADS not to mention the career gap existing to exploit the Diaspora skills. Annually the President convenes a Presidential Investors Round Table (PIRT) which has scored great success, mainly in the ICT, Regulatory and Business Environment, Mining and Petroleum and Transport sectors. Trade and Business representative: Nominate a Diaspora representative at the Presidential Investors Round Table (PIRT). Delegates at the Convention requested the nomination of a Diaspora representative at the Presidential Investors Round Table (PIRT). Ugandans in the Diaspora feel that they are not represented on this influential forum and are still lobbying the government to secede and support a representation from the Diaspora. The Convention made some headway when the Speaker promised to create a

small desk in the foreign affairs committee to deal specifically with the Diaspora in parliament, to represent and advocate for policies affecting Diasporans. Policies have been passed and debated in the parliament by legislators who do not understand Diasporans’ needs. A committee to represent Diasporans’ issues must include parliament members who have lived in the Diaspora. Fundamentally, the vision of the Uganda UK Convention is to harness the tremendous skills, expertise and knowledge base of the Ugandan Diaspora with a view to promote socio-economic and infrastructural development back in Uganda. The Uganda Convention provides a platform for exchanges of views and networking to Diasporans on matters of common interest and concern to them. The delegates requested the regularly publishing of development and opportunities available in Uganda, particularly for Diaspora SMEs, as a way of promoting incentives for Diasporans to invest back home. Ugandans in the Diaspora still lack a credible and resourceful point of contact to get information on their various queries in Uganda. The Diaspora Desk is illequipped and less enthusiastic to help. It is a positive step that the government is discussing Diasporans’ involvement in the development of Uganda. Uganda Investment Authority has in fact a compendium of business ideas which Ugandans in the Diaspora can exploit, as these are researched and proven case studies. We are still lobbying the government to establish a Diaspora investor category at the Investment Authority to enable us to exploit some incentives like other foreign investors. In the letter from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Kiggundu Juliet Namirimu wrote “on the issue of reducing the threshold of capital needed to qualify as full investors, as well as incentives given, it should be noted

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UGANDA UK CONVENTION that the requirements needed and incentives given to local investors are the same for all Ugandans, both local and in the Diaspora. This is different from the investment requirements and incentives given to foreign investors.” Nevertheless we are still pressing for this recognition beyond local investors. It has been argued that the fastest trend through which a nation can achieve sustainable economic growth and development is neither by the level of its endowed material resources, nor that of its vast human resources, but technological innovation, enterprise development and industrial capacity. For instance, despite its poor natural resources, and the hurdles it faced from 1920s chronic inflation, Germany has effectively exploited the manufacturing sector and rose up to become the largest economy in Europe and the fourth largest in the world. It is on this premise that the government should incentivise and encourage skills transfer from the Diaspora. Ugandans in the Diaspora have acquired various skills in various industrial sectors and the Convention is working with Mr. Sebaggala M. Kigozi, Executive Director – Uganda Manufacturing Association (UMA) to identify those industries that are looking for skills that are lacking in Uganda. The Convention is also lobbying him to list feasible investments in micro manufacturing projects to enable Diasporans with minimal capital to exploit them. One of the contentious issues that raised bitter debates was the Dual Citizenship. Ugandans unanimously agreed to lobby to waive the dual citizenship fee and asked Rt. Hon. Rebecca Kadaga to lobby the parliament to achieve it. Ugandans in the Diaspora feel it is not acceptable that they have to buy their right to be Ugandan, or to naturalise as Ugandan, since it is their birth right any way. Under the current 1995 constitution, it confirms that a person is Ugandan if he/she is born in Uganda to one of the parents or grandparents who is/was a member of any of the indigenous communities existing and residing within the borders of Uganda as at the first day of February, 1926, and set out in the Third Schedule to this Constitution; and every person born

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back to fill skill gaps in various private and government sectors. One of those Ugandans who was influenced by the Convention is James Mwesigwa, whose interview we include in this issue. James Mwesigwa successfully set up a company in health and safety and is now enjoying a demand for his skills in this sector. The government recently contracted Fred Amonya to build capacity building in infrastructure development in the railway sector in Uganda, which is another one of the many cases of successful relocation.

in or outside Uganda, one of whose parents or grandparents was at the time of birth a citizen of Uganda. Therefore, having a British Passport does not take away the right to be Ugandan. In the referenced letter from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Ugandans in the Diaspora are required to take on dualcitizenship to be able to enjoy the same benefits as Ugandans living in Uganda. Among these benefits are right to vote, land and property rights, owning land under the Mailo land and freehold arrangement which applies also to their spouse under the 1995 Constitution. Ugandans who do not apply for dual citizenship can only obtain land under leases arrangements for 49 or 99 years. Due to many Diasporans falling prey to land conmen, Dr. Sarah Nkonge who represented a team from the President’s office on land issues, was requested to facilitate the establishment of a Diaspora land desk to deal with issues arising from land disputes and challenges, which many from the Diaspora are facing, leading many to have lost their land to unscrupulous people. This crucial step will promote more investment from the Diaspora in infrastructure and asset investments. One of the Convention’s objectives is to mobilize the Ugandan Diaspora to transfer knowledge, skills and technologies to Uganda to promote socio-economic and infrastructural development. Brain drain and the Diaspora’s human capital are of concern, not only in quantitative but also qualitative terms. Since the Convention, we have witnessed Ugandans relocating

The government should set up an incentive for all government organizations to give priority of job vacancies to Diasporans. This is the way to encourage knowledge and skill transfer back home to mitigate the brain drain, which leaves gaps in the higher segments of the local labour market, causing shortages in sectors most important to the country’s socioeconomic advancement. It was asked to make available a comprehensive list of opportunities, such as the program that Diaspora department in partnership with World Bank is spearheading, to professionalise some sectors such as roads and railways, with a need to recruit from the Diaspora. As we are very busy discussing issues that affect Diasporans, we forget to look at the future of the Diasporans’ community sustainability. Ugandan youths in the Diaspora need to be given a platform and be included at all levels of policy enactment and discussions. The Convention is keen to mentor Ugandan youths in the Diaspora to instil in them a sense of nationalism, as it is imperative to promote youth exchange programs to raise awareness of issues facing the Ugandan youth, and how the UK youth can assist their Ugandan counterparts, and learn from one another, especially on good values derived from both cultures. The Ugandan government is asked to support initiatives that acculturate nationalistic attitudes into the Ugandan Diaspora’s youths, so that they feel attached to Uganda. This will encourage the next generation to view Uganda as a mother country, rather than “a country somewhere over there, that Mum and Dad keep on talking about”, as Hon Maria Kiwanuka so aptly quoted. P THE PROMOTA

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HIGHLIGHTS OF UGANDA 2ND CONVENTION

he Permanent Secretary from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Uganda wrote that the government is keen to harness the potential of Diasporans and has addressed some of the issues raised at the Convention. • With regard to business and investment opportunities for Diasporans, Uganda Investment Authority has developed a compendium of business opportunities. UIA developed comprehensive information on key investment opportunities for Ugandan Diaspora, in line with the National Development Plan where the issues of agriculture, investment inventory and Uganda Manufacturing Association have been tackled. The Government has tried to improve on the Transport and Communication Network, in addition to removing tax levied on agricultural products in a bid to promote agro-processing industry in Uganda. • Diaspora Investors: on the issue of reducing the threshold of capital needed to qualify as full investors, as well as incentives given, it should be noted that the requirements needed and incentives given to local investors are the same for all Ugandans, both local and in the Diaspora. This is different from the investment requirements and incentives given to foreign investors. • On the issue of change of land and property rights clause, it should be noted that Ugandans in the Diaspora have a right to own land after acquiring dual citizenship like any other Ugandan. Even a spouse of a Ugandan citizen is granted this opportunity by the 1995 Constitution of Uganda (refer to Article on land for spouses). • Diaspora Bond: a feasibility study on the establishment of the International Diaspora Bond has been completed and Bank of Uganda is proceeding to another level. The Consultants who were engaged on the Diaspora Bond were recruited by UNDP and one of them was a Ugandan from the Diaspora who clearly understands the needs of the Diaspora. • Diaspora skills transfer back to Uganda: Government’s mandate is to cater for the welfare of all Ugandans; therefore, it provides equal opportunities for all. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs has been engaged with World Bank on the Project, ‘Capacity needs assessment for Infrastructure Development,’ and an opportunity has been given to Mr. Fred Amonya, a Ugandan Consultant based in UK to transfer his skills in infrastructure development in the Railways sector to Uganda. P

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HSGH SGHS

UGANDA UK DIASPORA

TRADE & INVESTMENT

EXPO 2013

RD The Regeneration of our nation

SATURDAY, 14 SEPT 2013

Ven u e : TR O X Y AR EN A, 490 Commercial Rd, London E1 0HX

‘DIASPO ORANS, OR S Driving Grow ow wth in Uganda’ da Don’t Miss:  

One day - One Event

  

A day full of buzzing trade and show activity A day of resourceful presentation by industry experts Discover the latest investment opportunities in Uganda Unrivalled networking opportunities Meet over 1000 Ugandans on the day

Enquiries: Mob: +44779 647 089 | info@ugandanconventionuk.org

Contact in Uganda: Mr. Bernard Magulu: +256 754 410 559

w wwww.thepromota.co.uk w.ugandanconventionuk.org

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HSGH SGHSOF UGANDA 2ND CONVENTION HIGHLIGHTS

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UGANDA UK CONVENTION

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iNTERVIEW

Magulu: Uganda is Next Frontier of Investment Uganda is a land of opportunity. What is required now is the ability to leverage and explore skills and talents. For aspiring and progressive Africans, the West can longer provide opportunities to realise one’s dreams.

e were privileged to meet Mr Bernard Magulu, one of the brains behind MM2 Capital, a ﬁnance company focusing on creating an environment to bridge investors and business entrepreneurs in Uganda, East African region and beyond. MM2 also provides strategic local oversight and aftercare support to multi-international investors, and as well as facilitation of investment licence, work permit and VISA access with the support of Government agencies. Can you give us some information about your work background? I am Technical Director Africa for MM2 Capital, with over 15 years’ banking experience in finance, business planning, liquidation management, and strategy execution. I am also a chartered accountant, risk management expert, forensic accountant and corporate regeneration practitioner. You relocated from the Diaspora to Uganda. Why did you decide to go into banking? To contribute to national development.

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Explain your initial involvement in Uganda’s private equity markets and what motivated you to create of MM2 Capital. We conceived an idea of investing locally, and reaping globally. To my mind, investing in East Africa means that one needs to choose a financial partner with African Roots. This was the raison d’etre for establishing MM2 Capital. Indeed, everyone is welcome to the MM2 Capital Investment Bureau, a forward thinking company combining the efficiency of its internet platform with more traditional methods. Our job is connecting entrepreneurs and business angel investors by creating opportunities and facilitating possibilities for investment. As the convergence focal point for investors and business entrepreneurs, MM2 Capital, has been developed as a pan-African capital investment equity company investing in entrepreneurs, and building successful businesses to deliver sustainable

financial and social returns. We deliver value because we are passionate about entrepreneurs and entrepreneurship. They are the key drivers of job creation and long-term economic development which is the focus of the Government of Uganda and others in Africa and beyond. I understand you are dealing in various high profile cases, including signing a deal to manage investment leads from the Ugandan Convention. Tell us about any current project you are working on? MM2 Capital dialogued with both Telecommunications Consultants India Limited (TCIL), and the Ugandan Government Stakeholders, with an exploratory approach on how TCIL could contribute to e-governance and IT infrastructure project development in Uganda. TCIL has pioneered implementation of a Mega IT Pan African e- network project, fully owned and funded by the Government of India Enterprise, under the Ministry of Communications and Information Technology. MM2 Capital undertook The Nagrecha Brothers and Ashwin Chandrani Narandas who are investing over $5m for the setup of a modern plant for the development of commodity

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INVESTMENT & FUNDING policies, and also because of the implementation of structural development programs. Agriculture continues to dominate the business with coffee bringing at least 80% of its export earnings. Manufacturing sector is also gaining momentum.

value chains for maize, bean, rice and other cereals. NAGCHAND Uganda Limited is the company that ensures execution of this vision. Investment Licence and registration of the company have been finalised and ground work for the launch of this milestone is in the offing. Uganda is one of the favourite destinations for foreign direct investment. What unique factor makes Uganda a favourable emerging market? “The Pearl of Africa,” the economy of Uganda is shining and booming once again. With an economic growth of 7% every year, it is one of the greatest business markets to venture in. The inflow of investment in East Africa is a result of extensive multilateral efforts by the regional governments to streamline business procedures, create conducive legal frameworks, reduce bureaucracy and improve service delivery in order to promote both domestic and foreign investment. Thus, MM2 Capital is working with international partners to further promote this effort in the West. Over the past five years or so, major discoveries of oil and other resources have put Uganda on the global map. What does the future hold, in your view?

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The country’s economy has great potential due to major resources like mineral deposits, fertile land and regular rainfall. A number of natural resources, manmade attractions and lots of friendly people make Uganda the greenest and most scenic of all the African countries. With all this, is it any wonder that Uganda’s future is so bright?

“

Kenyan technology companies are investing more in Uganda than in any other country in the region, a new report shows. According to a survey released by the government-funded Julisha ICT Board and the ministry of Information and Communications, 23.9 per cent of local ICT companies have a presence in Uganda, while only 19.7 per cent and 14.1 per cent have invested in Ethiopia and Tanzania respectively. The report covering the period between January and December 2011 says preference for Uganda in the region is informed by the stable investment environment in the country. “While Uganda is a smaller market than both Ethiopia and Tanzania, more local players have invested there than in the other two countries. This is mainly due to the more relaxed investment environment in Uganda,” the research note prepared by the International Data Corporation says.

In the whole of the African continent, Uganda’s economy is the fastest rising due to its political stability and economic

“With Uganda’s current housing deficit standing at 500,000 units Kampala region alone has a deficit of 100,000 units” finance minister Maria Kiwanuka has said. This shows the potential of opportunities in the real estate sector. Uganda is growing, and modernizing. It is no longer the hopeless country portrayed in the early 1970’s Amin era. It is now a country in progress, in constant evolution, with an ongoing commitment to offering its people better living conditions. There are also a number of investment prospects in textile and cotton industries. A growing number of cotton is being exported and ginneries are being established. Food and beverage sectors provide opportunities too. There are local agricultural raw materials to manufacture agro processed products with high export potential. The technical and vocational sector in education proves to be a good business also. Given Uganda’s climate and political stability, there is huge growth in banking, insurance services, mortgage and financing. Investments will be protected in Uganda because the country is a member of the Multilateral Guarantee Agency which protects foreign investors’ money. In addition, Uganda also has mutual investment agreements with other countries. P THE PROMOTA

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COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT INTERVIEW

ulticulturalism. Assimilation. Diversity. These issues are often discussed in current political debates and are highly relevant to life in modern Britain. Over the past 65 years, waves of political and economic immigrants have enriched the cultural composition of the United Kingdom, London in particular. In 2011, David Cameron famously stated “multiculturalism has failed”. Whether or not one agrees with this claim, it originates in the observation of the marginalisation of ethnic minorities from mainstream British society. How can one gauge the extent of such a social divide? Political scientists have found that better social integration facilitates political involvement. Voting, for instance, is not merely representative of an individual’s preferences, but also their social context, and their sense of belonging to the wider community.

Brigadier Gowa, Private Francis Kamya and Solomon Mwebya

Solomon Mwebya:

a glimpse in the life of a Ugandan serving in the British Army Where do you come from in Uganda? I come from a small village called Kawulu in Buikwe District. But I spent most of my life as a young boy on a small island called Busagazi, in Lake Victoria. In Kampala, I lived in Makindye. When did you relocate to the UK? Officially in 2007, after I spent a lot of time working with The Pearl of Africa drama troupe by Molly and Paul travelling in many countries helping charities to raise funds for destitute and helpless children. What is life like as a Ugandan in the British Army? In the beginning, life in the British Army was challenging, as everything was new. Different culture, different language and different people from all over the world. But I found it easy to get along with my colleagues because of my personality and because Ugandans are naturally humble. I was also keen to learn everything that came my way. Life as a Ugandan in the British Army is an adventure worth ‘giving a go’.

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Why did you decide to join the British Army? I decided to join the British Army because I wanted to be the best. All the advertisements have a quote saying ‘British Army, be the Best’. I saw an opportunity to try something different, like traveling the world, working with the world’s most elite units and get educated, but also to get experience, confidence, and meet new people from all walks of life. You started an association that brings together Ugandans in the British Army. Tell us about it and its objectives. MEET THE SOLDIERS is an association that brings together all Ugandans still in service and those who have served in the British Army, to get them to know each other and share their experience in the service. In 2009, I represented the Commonwealth soldiers on the Queen’s birthday, which was one of my best moments in the British Army. This event led me to think that I had something to share with my fellow Ugandans and encourage them to work hard.

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A group of you attended the UK Convention last year, what was your experience? I mobilised a group of Ugandans serving in the British Army and It was a great feeling to be hosted as Ugandans in the British Army. The warm welcome made us feel great and happy to know that we can be of great help to our community.

Our aim is to help other fellow soldiers, and also those who have left the Army, whatever situation they might find themselves in now. We also want to encourage our fellow Ugandans out there to join the Army and get experience, get educated and create for themselves opportunities for the future. We want to act as an example to the community and pass on the discipline to the youth to show them that we are not only useful in the army, but also in the community when we will leave the army. We are aiming at getting together with other Ugandans serving in the army in different countries, not only Great Britain.

As Soldiers we were grateful to hear from different dignitaries from the government including the First Lady’s report about Karamoja and we were inspired to think how we can give a hand of support to the first Lady to help the destitute people of Karamoja. As Ugandan soldiers in the British we would also like to thank Mr. Mutenza for promoting togetherness among Ugandans regardless their political, religion or tribal affiliations. Uganda Convention provide a platform for exchanges of views and networking to Ugandan Diasporas on matters of common interest and concern to them. Also help the Government of Uganda to better understand and appreciate the expectations of Ugandan Diasporas community from the land of their ancestors and more importantly, acknowledge the important role played by them in Uganda’s efforts to acquire its rightful place in the comity of nations.

Solomon with Uganda’s former High Commissioner HE Joan Rwabyomere

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What advise do you give fellow Ugandans who want to join the Army? I want to let the fellow Ugandans out there that they can join the Army any time, it’s also very important to join the right Corps. Some of our fellow Ugandans are educated and intelligent but they don’t know which Corps to join. I want to let them know am here to help. They can contact me any time by email: mwebyasay@yahoo. com. I also want to advise those Ugandans who join the British Army with hidden Agendas that they will be suspended forthwith as the British Army has a strict code of conduct which obliges all its members to follow. What have you learnt? The list is endless as are most of the topics. But to mention a few, I have been Sky Diving and last year I was privileged to work as a guard on the 2012 Olympic Games. To conclude, I want to thank Promota Magazine for giving me an opportunity to share some of my experience in the army. I also want to encourage the youth that they still have time, and they should use it wisely while they are still young and strong. P

Simon Mwebya and Francis Kamya

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CAREER OPPORTUNITY

FREQUENTLY ASKED

questions about joining

The British ARMY What sort of opportunities are available in the Army? There are Regular Army - full time and Territorial Army (TA) part time opportunities. Similarly you could join as a soldier or an Officer. One thing is for certain, there are promotion and career advancement opportunities for everyone.

free of charge.

Jobs in the Army are split into 7 career employment groups:

As a member of the TA, you are entitled to the same base pay as your Regular counterparts, according to rank. Pay starts at about £34 a day. You are also entitled to reimbursement of travel expenses to / from the TA centre. In addition a tax free annual bounty is payable of up to £1,600.

• • • • • • •

Engineering Combat Logistics and support Intelligence, IT and Communications HR and Finance Medical Music and ceremonial

What are the rates of pay and allowances if I were to join as a soldier? On a monthly basis you will receive about £750, paid after tax, National Insurance, accommodation and food charges. This equates to a salary of about £13,300. This rises on promotion to for instance about £46,700 for a Warrant Officer Class 1. All regular soldiers receive a non-contributory pension, and there are other allowances payable for both single and married soldiers. There's a generous leave allowance of up to 30 day per annum - in addition to weekends and bank holidays. There are regular health and fitness checks for all those serving - with medical and dental care being provided

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Regular Officers enter training at about £15,000 (non graduates) or about £24,600 (graduates). This rises to, for instance over £100,000 for the rank of Brigadier.

What are the age ranges to join the Regular Army and the Territorial Army? Regular Army

Territorial Army

Soldier

16 - 33

17 - 43

Officer

17years 9months - 28

17 - 33

• Parental consent is required for anyone wishing to join > the age of 18. • There are higher age limits for those joining as professionally qualified or specialist entrants. • Ex-Regular Army Soldiers may enlist into the TA up to the age of 52.

How long do I have to join for? Those joining under the age of 18, the contract last until the day before your 22 nd Birthday. For those over 18 the contract term is 4 years and 3 months. If you'd like to serve longer, then you can do up to a maximum of 22 years.

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BRITISH ARMY What educational qualifications are required to join the Regular Army and the Territorial Army? Regular Army

Territorial Army

Soldier

No specific requirements - apart from for technical trades

Officer

A minimum of 35 ALIS points for the best subjects at GCSE or equivalent

What specific medical and physical requirements are relevant to joining the Regular Army and the Territorial Army? All potential recruits (soldier and Officer) will be required to pass an Army medical; and a GP questionnaire will be required to be provided.

Should I join the Regular Army or the Territorial Army? The Regular Army and Territorial Army work together today on operations at home and abroad. Training, equipment and equivalent rates of pay are the same. The TA is made up of civilians who fulfil a minimum requirement of training and serve during evening and weekends. It is perfectly possible to serve in the TA and hold down a civilian job / career / family / sports interests etc. What sort of grants are available? For those thing about going to University there are Army Undergraduate Bursaries available. This form of financial sponsorship are available to some 250 undergraduates annually. There is an annual payment of £1,000 paid whilst you are at University, followed by a lump sum of £3,000 on Commissioning from the Royal Military Academy Sandhurst. For this you will need to serve a minimum

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of three years as an Officer in the British Army. What is selection like? There are a number of tests that you'll need to sit: • BARB - this is the British Army Recruit Battery Test. This is designed to help you to choose which career employment group is best for you. The sections are: reasoning, letter checking, number distance, odd one out and symbol rotation. • Maths / numeracy test. This tests your ability with numbers and there is a minimum pass mark. • English / literacy test. Designed to find out the level of your reading and writing. Again, there is a minimum pass mark. Additionally you'll need to complete a 1.5 mile run, press up, heaves and a jerry can carry. What's the training like? Training really depends on which career employment group you choose. For the infantry they will go to the Infantry Training Centre at Catterick to complete the Combat Infantryman's Course (24 weeks). You don't have to be mega fit to start with, but you should have exercised regularly - and don't forget the upper body strength. What sports opportunities are there? There are so many sporting opportunities for those joining the Army - either team sports, or individual ones. There are also adventure training opportunities, including mountaineering, climbing, orienteering and so on. P

To find out more about joining the British Army, visit

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0 1

CAREER DEVELOPMENT

Tips on how to kickstart your graduate career (financial analysis) or solving problems (management consultancy)? School, university and part-time work provide ideal situations where you can find out more about what you enjoy doing, and what you don’t. Armed with this information, you will be in a better position to know what career you would like to pursue.

. Understand the importance of internships and work experience

With graduate unemployment still high, it’s important to get ahead of the game when it comes to the job market. Here’s some advice on how you can prepare for your future at university.

. Aim high

The graduate unemployment statistics may be worrying, and with 19% increase in job applications, competition is stiff. The demand for the best and brightest talent is, however, getting stronger and there will be a predicted 6% increase in graduate salaries at leading employers this year with 6% more vacancies out there.

. Know your limitations

Also consider the restrictions of the job market. Some feel they should step into an office on their first day and feel instantly that this is the perfect job which ticks all the boxes. Unfortunately, that is quite rare.

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There will always be some tough trade-offs and choices to be made; it will be your responsibility to react accordingly. It can be hard to know if something is right or not. Decide what your priorities are – to earn as much money as possible, get relevant experience to get you to your next job, or simply to enjoy your work as much as possible. Once you know what you want out of a job, you’ll know if it’s ticking the boxes. If you are finding something highly unsatisfying for over a month, however, it’s probably not the job for you, and it may be time to move on.

. Get to know yourself

Create a personality profile and be brutally honest with yourself. When you first begin applying for roles, you shouldn’t be applying for a role because it is expected of you, you should be doing so because that role excites you. Do you like meeting new people (maybe sales), crunching data

With 36% of graduate roles being filled by people who have previously worked in that organisation – with figures as high as 75% in the banking sector – the importance of spring weeks, insight days and vacation schemes cannot be stressed enough. Remember, all internships, at all times, are job interviews.

. All experience is good experience

.Recognise the type of job you want

How do you know for sure that banking is for if you if you have never tried it? How do you know that start-ups won’t provide the best environment for career development when you only focus on corporate juggernauts? Understanding the value of experience, no matter how small, will stand you in good stead. Plus, it shows future recruiters you’re thinking about your career (remember to put these experiences on your CV).

A lot of graduates get hung-up on the sector (eg finance) rather than the role (eg account manager), not realising that most organisations need a similar teams of people –

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people to win business, conduct research, write software etc. Another common misconception is that you will be pigeonholed by your degree. As long as you can demonstrate transferable skills, future employers are more likely to take notice.

. Network, network, network

Remember the six of degrees of separation idea? Use this to your advantage. Career networking has taken off over the last couple of years: recruiters will be running events on campus; most sectors will have professional bodies that run networking events, such as these by the Chartered Institute of Marketing, and there is Bright Festival on 17 September. Be broad with your networking to begin with – it’s all about keeping your options open and you never what useful contact you might meet.

. Recognise the skills you gain from experience

A summer spent waitressing at corporate events may not be enjoyable, but it will provide you with any number of competencies – organisation, leadership and the ability to keep a cool-head in a potentially stressful environment. The more you develop these skills the less of a risk you are to recruiter – they know you can do what you’ll be doing in your new job, rather than you just saying you can.

. Ask for help from your parents, but don’t let them do it for you

It’s great if you’ve got very supportive parents – use them to help your self-awareness and give you insights. But you need to drive things and make things happen for yourself – it’s your career and you’re the one that will have to sit through a job interview/ assessment centre. There is nothing more likely to turn a recruiter off than being called by a parent inquiring with their child’s application (it happens).

. Be as prepared as you can for the unexpected

Attend mock interviews (often provided by your university career service), think about interview techniques like STAR, practice online assessment tests and get your CV presentation sorted (remember, no more than one page). Draft a list of answers to possible questions with key examples that demonstrate all your transferable skills. Also, make a list of questions to ask employers – don’t go with just one as they might answer that during the interview. It’s likely you’ll experience some setbacks and disappointments on the way but remaining positive and striving to improve every step of the way will only make you stronger.

Submitted by Thomas Kyeyune P

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At last! Tories see sense on aid: Cash will go to UK firms investing abroad – not corrupt regimes

International Development Secretary Justine Greenin

oreign aid is to be diverted through British companies to prevent it falling into the hands of corrupt and wasteful regimes.

Firms will use the money to win infrastructure contracts and boost struggling economies in Africa, Latin America and Asia. The radical move, to be announced by International Development Secretary Justine Greening, is being seen as a victory for common sense in the bitter controversy over the £11billion international development budget, which has been ringfenced while other departments face cuts. It follows years of criticism that the nation’s ballooning aid budget is being squandered by Third World governments on ineffective projects, or lining the pockets of corrupt officials like in Uganda recently. Prime Minister David Cameron was said to be ‘hugely enthusiastic’ about the shift of emphasis from simply fighting poverty with handouts to economic development. In future, a significant portion of the aid budget – adding up to billions over the years – will be used to secure contracts for British firms to build roads, railways and key buildings such as schools and hospitals. Miss Greening will stress: ‘I want to see British business joining the development push with [the Department for International Development]. We all have a huge opportunity to help build up responsible trade with the emerging economies of developing countries. P THE PROMOTA

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CAR REVIEW

Mercedes

A45 AMG Top Hot Hatch M

ercedes is trying its hand and building a hot hatch. And when we say hot, we mean hot as it has the most powerful four-cylinder production engine in the world hiding under that bulging bonnet.

What is it? Essentially, it’s Mercedes’ riposte to the super-hatches from BMW and Audi. It’s the hottest version of the new A-Class hatch – an altogether different proposition to its rather dumpy forebear. The new A-Class is a style-led premium hatch in the mould of the BMW 1 Series and Audi A3. Mercedes’ A45 AMG comes with all sorts of performance accoutrements to make it stand out from the standard hatch.

What’s it like? Well, it’s incredibly powerful. It’s got 355bhp, which makes it even more powerful than the base Porsche 911 and considerably more potent than its other Germanic rivals from Audi and BMW. This, coupled with four-wheel drive should mean that Mercedes’ claimed 4.6 second 0-62mph time is entirely achievable. Other than the engine, there are plenty of other hints as to this car’s potential – with ﬂared wheelarches, sideskirts, chrome tailpipes and red brake callipers not so much hinting as shouting this car’s sporting pretensions.

What’s it up against? Mercedes’ perennial rivals, Audi and BMW already have hot hatches of their own in the shape of the BMW M135i and the Audi RS3, while the forthcoming Ford Focus RS will provide similar levels of performance for considerably less cash.

When can I buy it? The A45 AMG will arrive in the UK in July this year, with pricing yet to be announced.

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CAR REVIEW

McLaren P1 hybrid produces 903bhp

cLaren has revealed details of the hybrid powertrain of its new P1 supercar, which will produce 903bhp and yet emit less than 200g/km of CO2. The P1 achieves this by combining a 3.8-litre, twin-turbocharged V8 petrol engine with an electric motor, the former producing 727bhp at 7,500rpm, and the latter adding 176bhp and mounted directly on to the engine. The V8 itself is a "substantially revised" version of the unit installed in the 12C coupe and Spider, with a unique casting to accommodate the electric motor. In addition to its headline horsepower ďŹ gure, the V8 develops 531lb ft of torque. The electric motor has been developed by McLaren speciďŹ cally for the P1. It produces 192lb ft of torque from a standstill, and combines with the petrol motor to give peak pulling power of 664lb ft at 4,000rpm. This is all channelled to the rear wheels via a sevenspeed dual-clutch gearbox, with the electric motor said to provide the sharp throttle response normally associated with a naturally aspirated engine. There's no word yet on what this means for performance, but expect 0-60mph in about 3.0sec and a top speed well in excess of 200mph.

ther highlights of the P1 include a Formula One-style Drag Reduction System (DRS) which, upon the driver pressing a button mounted on the steering wheel, alters the angle of the rear wing to boost straight-line speed, plus an Instant Power Assist System (IPAS). The latter is also button-operated and activates the electric motor to give a 176bhp power boost.

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The motor itself is powered by a 96kg battery, which is mounted on to the car's underbody. This can be charged via the engine or by a plug-in charger, which will take it from empty to full in two hours. The P1 also has an electric only range of about six miles, with zero tailpipe emissions. P

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SPORTS

Africa Cup Of Nations: Time for a radical change?

he 2013 edition of the Africa Cup Of Nations (AFCON), held in South Africa ended with Nigeria crowned champions after a deserved, 1 - 0 victory over Burkina Faso. The one-nil scoreline and the pulsating, singing, slogan-chanting crowd at the final game served to mask a multitude of sporting sins and the major failing of this and recent editions of this once-glorious tournament. The final aside, where were the crowds? Were they home watching on TV or could they not be bothered to go? Or, was it the more likely case that they simply could not afford to? Basketball’s NBA, that bastion of the professional game in the USA, now has a regular season game in Europe. This came about after years of friendly, pre-season matches featuring teams from America warming up for the ‘real thing’ by taking on each other in front of their vast Europe-based fan base. The other great ‘American’ league, the

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National Football League now also has at least one regular season match taking place in Europe. Isn’t it time Africa’s most popular sport started thinking along these lines? Already, we have a situation where many African teams play their friendly, pre-tournament matches in Europe. Often, to bigger crowds than we have seen at recent AFCON tournaments. The argument for shifting, not just the odd match but the whole tournament to Europe (or even America) is pretty persuasive. Don’t laugh about the latter notion; the first time ever football’s World Cup made a profit was when it was held in the USA in 1994. Up to that point, the tournaments had enthralled the world but almost bankrupted host countries and left many with ‘white elephant’ football stadiums. The Americans showed the ‘world game’ how to market itself better and make endorsement deals with all types

of multinational companies. It is no coincidence that following that tournament, many of Europe’s great football clubs hired and continue to hire Americans as their marketing managers. The Economic case The same thing that has depleted Africa of many of its best and brightest, may very well be the thing that saves the game. Many Africans fled their continent for economic reasons. Having settled outside the continent, many not only live better lives economically but, as statistics tell us, keep many an African country on the go by sending remittances home. The nostalgia for home is evident when teams from Africa face each other in friendlies in Europe playing to much bigger crowds than we see in most of the games played in recent AFCON tournaments.

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SPORTS NEWS The better wages they earn mean they can fill stadia to ‘watch their home teams playing away from home’. For most, the cost of tickets to a tournament would hardly break the bank. Contrast this with the cavernous, soulless atmosphere at many matches over the last few years once the home team has been eliminated. The most recent AFCON tournament was no exception; the only games that came close to playing host to a full stadium were those where the host nation featured. Once they had been knocked out of the competition, they took their crowd with them. Time to ‘think outside the continent’? Given the poor attendances at recent tournaments, is it not time to ‘think the unthinkable’ and play the next tournament outside the continent of Africa? Or, at least, a game or two outside Africa? The comparatively wealthy African Diaspora can afford to go to matches. At least two European countries would suggest themselves as obvious candidates to host the tournament: France and England. Between them, these two countries not only play host to significantly large and relatively well-off African Diaspora communities, they also have leagues that feature large numbers of players from Africa or of African descent. For many of these players, it may also solve a few problems they have with their club sides. It has become almost de rigeur to hear tales of players either squabbling with their club coaches over going to the tournament, failing to come back on time when the tournament has finished or both! Imagine a match featuring Ghana vs Nigeria played at Arsenal’s Emirates Stadium or Mali playing Ivory Coast at Paris Saint-Germain’s Parc De Princes. I’d bet good money you’d pull a larger crowd than these same matches taking place in South Africa! So, put your prejudice and shock aside and ask yourself: how much longer can the tournament survive playing to near-empty stadia? These empty stadia can hardly fill the sponsors with glee. Africa’s ruling football body, CAF needs to make this bold decision now or they will only be remembered as the ones who shepherded the continent’s favourite tournament to its grave.

Africa: Presidents Hayatou and Blatter First

Inductees Into the African Hall of Fame

Commenting on the concept, CAF General Secretary Hicham El-Amrani said "There is no other way to celebrate the success of African stars and this initiative was just too good to allow to pass".

The African Football Hall of Fame was launched on 10 March 2013 at the 35th Ordinary General Assembly of the Confederation of African Football, in Marrakech, Morocco and CAF President Issa Hayatou become the first inductee with FIFA President Sepp Blatter the other inductee. The Hall of Fame, designed by CAF, is aimed at recognising and keeping a place in history, the exploits of the people who have, and still are working towards portraying football on the continent in a positive way. The Launch was carried out by the President of CAF, in the presence of the entire delegates of the General Assembly, and also with dignitaries present, like the FIFA President Sepp Blatter and Michel Platini, UEFA President among others.

The CAF General Secretary explained that the Executive Committee approved the setting up of the Hall of Fame with a view to making sure that the "names and exploits of players, officials and administrators who have made Africa proud over the years, will remain in history". Mr El-Amrani also explained that the process of nomination into the Hall of Fame will be two-fold, with a Hall of Fame Committee to be set up by CAF to look at the nomination and selection process, which in turn, will be ratified by the CAF Executive Committee.The Director of the Hall of Fame is Ayotunde Adelakun, and he will be overseeing the day-to-day running of the project and its activities.

Editor’s note: I thought it typical of the rulers of African football that the first inductees in a Hall of Fame turn out to be administrators and not footballers!!! P

Ade Daramy, Editor P

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BUSINESS & INNOVATION

How Idris Ayodeji Bello, a Nigerian Afropreneur plans to use Afropreneurs to shape Africa's future

own responsibility is to connect the talent to the opportunity," says Bello. "We took the "i" out of innovation and replaced it with the "we" and came up with the Wennovation Hub -- the problems of Africa are huge, they cannot be solved by one person alone, so it requires people coming together." Access is key Growing up in a family of academics, he says he was surrounded by books. "We had a mantra in our house," remembers Bello. "My dad would always say 'never get caught without a book,' so whether you had lunch or you were sleeping, you always had to have your book."

What exactly is an ‘Afropreneur’? Afropreneur? You say it’s not a word you’ve heard before. Well, if a young Nigerian businessman has his way, that is about to change. His name is Idris Ayodeji Bello and he is the one who came up with the word. He says he coined the word to describe what he sees as the bright, independent and tech-savvy entrepreneurs using creative thinking and the power of innovation to take over Africa's economic destiny. According to Bello, "Over time Africa has relied on government and big multinationals for solutions -- but they're not coming". Solutions he means. For him, the answer lies with “…a new wave of young men and women who have access to all the global networks, who've studied either within the continent or outside and have this passion for change -- these are the people Africa's change is going to come from, these are the

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people I call 'Afropreneurs.'" And, true to his word, the 33year old is not waiting for anyone, governments or otherwise to set the example. He’s doing that himself. He is already involved in several tech initiatives aimed at encouraging entrepreneurship and empowering communities across Africa Connecting solutions to problems In a case of “putting your ideas where your mouth is”, early last year, Bello co-founded the Lagos-based WennovationHub (http://www. wennovationhub.com/) in Nigeria, a technology space to facilitate ambitious entrepreneurs coming together to develop their trailblazing ideas into successful businesses. This is one of the many innovation centres (https://africahubs.crowdmap.com/) that have recently mushroomed across Africa. And, it has so far incubated the efforts of more than 100 entrepreneurs, providing them with space, support and consulting. Bello explains the ethos: "Part of our

He studied computer science in Nigeria before moving to the United States and the UK to further his academic knowledge in entrepreneurship and global health. Along the way, his entrepreneurial spirit kicked in -- he worked for multinationals such as Procter & Gamble and Chevron and also got involved in a number of start-ups. When you give entrepreneurs access to the mentors, finance and knowledge, they need, they will create the solution, he believes. Africa was always was and always will be central to Bello's work. Passionate about his continent, he quickly ventured into what he describes as "the business of technology in health and education." 'An app a day keeps the doctor away' As a result of that passion, Bello co-founded AfyaZima, (http://www. afyazima.com) a health technology and management start-up that leverages the rise of mobile phones and other low-cost technologies across Africa to provide access to vital health information. The

start-up

won

the

2012

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Dell Technology Award -- in collaboration with the Oxford Engineering World Health Group -- for Blood Pressure MCuff, (http:// www.dellchallenge.org/ projects/afyazima-bloodpressure-mcuff) a low-cost device that enables blood pressure monitoring and data transmission via mobile phones: the technology acting as a communication channel for doctors to remotely send treatment recommendations to their patients. It works like this: at the moment you put mobile phone on everybody's hands, instead of people going to the hospital, the hospital comes to you," Bello says. "Growing up, we learned “an apple a day keeps the doctor away, now it's more like an app a day keeps the doctor away." AfyaZima, from a Swahili word for complete health, is also working to create a cloudbased service that will receive the mobile phone data and store them as electronic health records. 'Bringing online education to an offline world' You might think that was ‘out there’ already. However, perhaps Bello's most daring project to date is YoKwazi: (http://yokwazi.net/) an ambitious initiative seeking to change Africa's education landscape by putting learning resources into the hands of students and teachers across the continent. It's about bringing online education to an offline world. Bello explains that broadband constraints force many young Africans to lose out in the major shift toward open education in parts of the developed world, where massive open online courses (http://web.mit.edu/newsoffice/ topic/massive-open-online-

courses-moocs.html) are offered for free. "That's where I step in," he says. "I come from the developing world but I have had access to this good education and so my goal is to bridge that gap -- to knock down that broadband barrier." The YoKwazi project, still at testing stage, aims to deploy OTGPlaya, an offline wireless cloud device, in key community areas to house and host online educational tools. The device, which was incubated at the Wennovation Hub, will do a one-time download, store the content and make it available for people nearby to access it through their wi-fi enabled devices. "It's about bringing online education to an offline world," says Bello. Legacy of 'Afropreneurs' Multi-talented and passionate, Bello says his mission as an "Afropreneur" is to enable access to information so that people can tap into their own creativity to solve their problems without having to rely on government. "A lot of times we're focused too much on trying to solve people's problems. But people are the ones who best know their own problems but often can lack the tools they need," he says. "When you give people access to health education, they will take better care of their health; when you give people access to education, you will see people even do greater things," adds Bello. "We enable people to access -- when they know, they will solve their problems. That is my proposition."

How to make money from developing

MOBILE APPS

I want to develop a (native) mobile application for iOS and Android. Where do I start? Answers

iOS and Android are completely different environments. You cannot develop a (single) native application that works on both platforms. Android programming is Java; iOS programming is Objective C— completely different languages. While many of the user interface concepts are common to both platforms, the implementations and supporting APIs are completely different. In general, you have several possibilities for writing apps for both platforms: • • •

target writing a web app use a framework like PhoneGap that provides cross-platform wrappers target one platform and think about porting to the other.

An internet search for “android development intro” and “ios development intro” turn up a huge amount of resources on getting started on each platform. I don’t know of anything that works in Visual Studio.

Start Developing Apps Today Ade Daramy, editor

A lot of the information in this piece is courtesy of an article By Teo Kermeliotis for CNN P

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https://developer.apple.com/ devcenter/ios/index.action Read article: http://www.entrepreneur.com/article/223177 THE PROMOTA

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HEALTH

Uganda: Department of Health signs an alliance with University of Manchester Two members of the Ugandan Department of Health met senior University medics and members of the Manchester Academic Health Sciences Centre (MAHSC) on a

fact-finding mission to the UK as part of the Alliance launch. A Ugandan-UK Healthcare Alliance, which will help improve health care for people living in the East

African country, were launched after being developed by a University of Manchester health professional.

Communications, Faculty Medical and Human Sciences, University of Manchester

Professor Ged Byrne

The Promota reached out to Professor Ged Byrne, Associate Dean of the Faculty of Medical and Human Sciences, who is the brains behind setting-up the alliance after gaining approval from Lord Nigel Crisp, a member of the House of Lords who specialises on international development and global health.

Thank you for accepting to be interviewed by the Promota magazine, Who is Prof. Byrne? I qualified (and still practice) as a surgeon. Throughout my postgraduate life however, I have maintained and enhanced interests in healthcare professional education and health systems modelling. I am currently Professor of Medical education, Founder Director of the Academy, University Hospital of South Manchester and Associate Dean for

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How will the recent Ugandan - UK Healthcare Alliance - benefit Uganda? And, why did you decide to get involved in this alliance? The Uganda UK Healthcare Alliance will hopefully serve several purposes including: • Supporting the Ugandan Government to develop a competent healthcare workforce, improve Ugandan health systems and help achieve Millennium Development Goals 4,5 and 6 • Provide opportunities for Learning, Development and research for Health Workers, Institutions and Higher Education Establishments in both the UK and Uganda • Promote coordination between governmental and non-Governmental organisations from both Uganda and the UK • Promote internationally-recognised standards of health care delivery and International development • Assure value for money that is spent in the Ugandan healthcare system by promoting efficacy, efficiency, economy • It was clear to myself and others who had worked in Uganda for a period of time, that duplication of effort and lack of coordination and organisation was resulting in significant inefficiency in delivering healthcare improvement. Using the example of the successful Zambia-UK Alliance and with the help of Lord Nigel Crisp we have been working towards launching the Alliance for some 12 months. What do you think are the main problems in Africa particularly Uganda, that hinders it achieving reach its Millennium Development Goals targets set by the United Nations? These include improving maternal health and reducing child mortality rates which stands at 435 per 100k births? This is such a complex issue. The harsh reality is that, despite billions of dollars of aid and the

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altruistic efforts of hundreds of thousands, impact in reducing mortality and morbidity from serious disease has changed little in many Sub-Saharan countries for many decades. Personally I believe that much better outcomes would be achieved if we bilaterally focus on the development of robust healthcare systems and processes where succession planning, capacity building, robust evaluation and exit strategies are the first considerations in delivering innovative programmes to improve healthcare. Perhaps more importantly, however, efforts must be bilaterally agreed between the UK and Uganda and any activities aimed at improving healthcare must map directly to the policies and strategies of the Ugandan Government. Are the Millennium Development

Goals the right matrix against which our healthcare needs should be measured? If not, what should they be? The MDGs have undoubtedly had their place in focusing efforts in recent years but like most aims which produce successful outcomes, they must change as the need arises. IT access and universal communication will be key to the development of new goals which are due to be established later in 2013 Are there many UK partnerships with healthcare Trusts or universities abroad? If so, what are those partnerships? There are numerous partnerships between UK healthcare organisations and hospitals, health systems and educational establishments abroad. Many of these are promoted and supported by the Tropical Health Education Trust (www.thet.org) . Several of these links collaborate already. How can Ugandans in the Uk working in the medical sector benefit or be of help to this alliance? How can Ugandans in the Diaspora who are healthcare professionals, contribute to the National healthcare program generally, not just to this alliance

specifically? Are there formal ways for them to contribute now or in the future? The role of Ugandan diaspora is absolutely essential to the success of the Alliance. The Alliance plans to make diaspora the key volunteering constituency for its activities. The Alliance requires a range of specific help from the diaspora including cultural competence development for nonUgandan volunteers, volunteering in Uganda itself and also acting as an administrative hub for the Alliance within the UK. In addition the diaspora organisations may be able to assist the Alliance in fundraising and defining key initiatives for the Alliance to undertake. A series of meetings is planned between the Alliance secretariat and diaspora groups in 2013. For further information contact: Alison Barbuti Media Relations Ofﬁcer Faculty of Medical and Human Sciences |The University of Manchester Tel. 0161 275 8383 | Mob: 07887 561 318 Email: alison.barbuti@manchester. ac.uk P

Uganda tops Africa in alcohol consumption Ugandans consume more alcohol than counterparts in any African country, demonstrating the citizens’ abiding love for liquor, according to a survey done by US broadcaster Cable News Network (CNN). Titled ‘World’s 10 best-drinking nations’, Uganda is ranked 8th globally ahead of Germany and Australia at positions 9 and 10, respectively. The worst drinkers in the world, according to the ranking, are British nationals who use bars to crack deals, initiate and end relationships, settle scores and overcome their “traditional reserve”.

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In Uganda’s case, the study says patrons generously drink “waragi, also known as war gin because it was once used to fortify troops. Though drinking too much inevitably leads to surrender.”

“Uganda leads its African neighbours for alcohol intake, largely thanks to a rampant trade in illegally made rotgut and a winning formula of booze made from bananas,” the broadcaster noted in its study published online. The ranking offered no benchmarks or figures, making it impossible to determine how scientific or not the research was. P THE PROMOTA

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Could Africa produce a

Rihanna?

hen the young lady from Barbados came on the scene with a pleasant but modest popReggae ditty called ‘Pon De Replay’, no one could have seen the stratospheric trajectory her career would take. Even with that initial hit, it wouldn’t be fair to say ‘burst onto the scene’ as it was a hit but not earth-shatteringly so. I defy anyone to say they could have envisaged the success the young lady is having now. As she celebrates her 25th birthday in 2013, the facts and figures about her career are staggering enough. But, since those early, unpromising days she has gone on to become more than ‘just a singer’ and, is these days more of an icon for a generation of aspiring young girls. She models, she advertises products, the listing of which would take up a whole page, she’s done a movie and, if you live in the western world, the chances are, she is in at least one newspaper every day.

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Her relationship with singer Chris Brown and the ‘drama’ therein, needs no retelling here. Surely, only a Martian visitor would not be familiar with the twists and turns of that very modern day romance. As recently as February 2013, she was telling the world not to judge ‘her man’ by one moment of madness in 2009 and that he was a nice guy, really. ‘That incident’ happened back in 2009 after a Grammy Awards ceremony. In an interview this year, she told her interviewer, "It's

different now, we don't have those types of arguments any more. We talk about [stuff]. We value each other." So, indulge us for a moment while we ‘park’ the many cars she has but can’t drive, the many houses around the world, the record sales (or should that be ‘record’ record sales?) and the sold-out concert tours, and let us ask the question: ‘Could Africa produce a Rihanna?

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"I decid for me t ed it was more i going too be happy, an mportant get in th let anybody'sd I wasn't ew op Rolling ay of that,” sh inion Stone m e agazine told .

Let us look at the evidence: her first record was not the sort that announced a vocal talent to give Aretha or Beyonce sleepless nights and yet, how has she reached such a position of pre-eminence in the Pop World? On stage, she is an accomplished and polished performer. And, offstage (no, not the ‘Chris Brown’ stuff), she has hardly put a foot wrong, with obviously a great team around her advising her to make the right endorsement choices. And, even getting voted ‘World’s Most Beautiful Woman’ by one international magazine. A lot has to do with luck and timing. In signing her to his record label, Jay-Z, who has been feted within the pages of Promota as an astute businessman, again displayed his business acumen. In searching for an ‘African Rihanna’ perhaps we may need to ‘think outside the box’ and not just think of a female star emerging from the continent to dominate the charts and newspaper column inches in the way Rihanna currently does. On

the African scene, among the younger breed of stars, there are some who have already displayed some of the careful career steps exhibited by Rihanna. In evidence, I give you the likes of Nigeria’s P Square and 2face Idibia, DR Congo’s Fally Ipupa and Cindy Le Coeur, to name a few. In the case of the male performers mentioned here, all have a string of massive hits, have great stage presence and have a certain ‘style and swagger’ on and off stage. And, like Rihanna’s first hit that led to the many, they have all recorded songs that have crossed musical genres and crossed over to many audiences. All they need now is a Jay-Z or someone of that ilk to take the plunge and sign them up. The world may yet see an African star hitting the heights similar to those so far scaled by Rihanna, hitting the charts, selling out concert halls (as many of them already do) and keeping the gossip columnists in jobs! World, what are you waiting for? by Ade Daramy Editor P

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• Rihanna can’t drive, but still owns two cars. Both presents from Jay Z, who’s the head of her record label. She also gets regular presents from him including a bottle of cognac with a card. • She’s still mates with Katy Perry, despite rumours they’d fallen out. “Katy Perry can date anyone she wants; I could never give relationship advice to anybody!” • She’s so obsessed with an Italian restaurant in LA, she eats there three times a week, moved house to be closer to it and always eats the same thing: spaghetti with tomato sauce and fried calamari. • She tells the Observer she’s afraid of ghosts. • She wants to learn Italian. • She eats spicy cheese puff crisps by her pool, and talks to herself “when I’m high”. THE PROMOTA

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FASHION

Photographer: Ronnie Musik Edits: Kel Ramajong Make-up: Kel Ramajong Venue: Studio Model: Gisela Wanjiru Greiner

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Iconicity I conicity is the creative baby of emerging designer Claire Kel Ramajong. Kel has taken a gap year before she joins University to focus on her love for fashion and creating her ﬁrst collection for SS2013 called Colour and Light. Colour and Light is inspired by Kel’s love for Marvel comic heroine female characters and female icons like Venus, Storm, Miriam Makeba, Beverley Johnson, Iman, Grace Jones, Naomi Campbell etc. They are conﬁdent, strong and powerful dynamic but still feminine, sultry and elegant.

The type of woman she designs for is one who is not afraid to be noticed. She stands out loud, proud and beautiful. The influences are visualised in the Colour and Light collection in the form of exaggerated collars, floor-length flowing dresses, dip hems and floor-

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sweeping trails, nipped waists and structured hood jackets all combining to create an enigmatic elegant collection. Her East African inﬂuences are also evident as she combines colourful African prints with luscious crepes and silks and sequins for a light, fresh and contemporary take on ethnic print inspired fashion.

The collection is a colourful explosion of ethnic prints with astute tailoring, compounded with contemporary cutting, all elegantly juxtaposed on the trends of London’s fashion theatre. The collection consists of ﬂoaty light tops, draping, wrap and cowl neck dresses, slim ﬁt African print trousers and pencil skirts, African print hoods and waist coats, silk satin miniskirts, exaggerated collars all combining to create an enigmatic, elegant collection. P

Photographer: Ronnie Musik Edits: Kel Ramajong Make-up: Kel Ramajong Venue: H10 Hotel Model: Stephanie Anatole

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FASHION

Photographer: Ronnie Musik Edits: Kel Ramajong Make-up: Kel Ramajong Venue: Studio Model: Gisela Wanjiru Greiner

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DESIGNER: ICONICITY Letting Fashion Love You https://www.facebook.com/Iconicity www.iconicityfashion.com http://iconicityfashion.tumblr.com/ etsy.com/shop/Iconicity Twitter: @iconicity1 +447833306476

Photographer: Ronnie Musik Edits: Kel Ramajong

Make-up: Kel Ramajong Venue: H10 Hotel Model: Stephanie Anatole

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AFRICA FASHION

Africa’s

Varying Fashion

“Promoting African fashion is key to Judith Banya...and she brings to it her knowledge of hi i ry.” istor African fashion h history.”

Clothing is one of the main expressions of African culture. Known for its distinctive design and colourful textile, its cultural significance is not normally taken on board. During the periods of the Trans Saharan trade, cloth was used as a form of currency. This was the main way in which African cloth spread globally. Africans exchanged their cloth for European goods from Indians. Europeans in turn exchanged Indian cloth for gold from Africans. With time, the quality and colours of African cloth were an indication of one’s wealth and social standing in society. The Ashanti in West Africa use cloth to differentiate people’s status. They have a fine Kente cloth which symbolizes leadership. The Banyankole chiefs from Western Uganda wore floor length clothes made from cattle hide. The ordinary folk wore a lesser portion of this piece of clothing over their shoulders. There are different types of African cloth available today, the oldest of

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which is the hand woven cloth. It was and still is time consuming to make, rendering it the most rare and valuable of African clothes in view of the fact that it’s woven from locally spun threads. Other fabrics include batiks, industrial prints and tie-dyes. Even though Africans have a lot of pride and faith in their ancestral clothes, they have now started using Asian and European clothes and thread to create their styles. This is probably due to market factors.

community setting, Africans realize that some of their traditional styles may not necessary be suitable for certain aspects of their daily lives. Styles have now evolved to suit all aspects of African and foreign ways of life to suit clients in the Diaspora. Most notable is the head dress from West Africa that is elegant yet not necessarily practical at all times. The gomesi from Uganda has been described as challenging to have on, in addition to keeping it in place.

The advent of Asian and European clothes in the manufacture of African styles has created cross cultural influences. African designers now create western style fashions using African cloth. These range from ties and coats; blouses; sarongs; skirts and lots more. One of the most notable and arguably the best influences of African styles is the combination of denim with African fabric like lubugo from Uganda and/ or batiks from West Africa.

African styles now have a wide range and have been suitably adapted for evening apparel, clothing for work, clothing for men and clothing for any other occasions like funerals, christenings, naming ceremonies and lots more. The challenges of donning the gomesi has been alleviated by the introduction of the commonly called half-gomesi that fits on like a dress, reducing concerns with getting it on. Any African fashion enthusiast does not have a reason to miss out on any aspect of their favorite clothing.

Africans have also used these foreign influences to enhance their existing styles while sticking to tradition. With the changing roles of

by Judith Banya-Kyanda P

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Mikolostore For hire and sale  Busuuti  Shuti  Kanzu  Umshanana  kikoyi

www.mikolostore.com www.thepromota.co.uk

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PERSONAL SUCCESS

World’s Richest Black Woman.

Folorunsho Alakija, Was a major Fashion Designer in Africa Africa’s Secret Millionairess – Move over, Oprah – there is a new richest black woman in the world. And she’s Nigerian. The business thrived, and Alakija quickly made a tidy fortune selling high-end Nigerian clothing to fashionable wives of military bigwigs and society women.

Oil Prospecting License In May 1993 Alakija applied for an allocation of an Oil Prospecting License (OPL). The license to explore for oil on a 617,000 acre block – (now referred to as OPL 216) was granted to Alakija’s company, Famfa Limited.

Meet Folorunsho Alakija, a Nigerian billionaire oil tycoon, Fashion designer and philanthropist who is worth at least $3.3 billion- contrary to a recent Forbes Magazine ranking which pegs her net worth at only $600 million. Alakija, 61, was born into a wealthy, polygamous Nigerian family. She started out her professional career in the mid 70s as a secretary at the now defunct International Merchant Bank of Nigeria, one of the country’s earliest investment banks. In the early 80s, Alakija quit her job and went on to study Fashion design in England, returning to Nigeria shortly afterwards to start Supreme Stitches, a premium Nigerian fashion label which catered exclusively to upscale clientele.

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Even though she had no expertise or experience in running an oil field, she decided not to sell off her license. In September 1996, she entered into a joint venture agreement with Star Deep Water Petroleum Limited (a wholly-owned subsidiary of Texaco) and appointed the company as a technical adviser for the exploration of the license, transferring 40 percent of her 100 percent stake to Star Deep.

Nigerian Government Forcefully Acquires Stake In The Block Star Deep Petroleum carried on with exploitation of the oil field. In 2000, the first appraisal well was confirmed to have recoverable reserves in excess of 1 billion barrels of oil equivalent. When this was discovered, the Nigerian government, led by Olusegun Obasanjo immediately ordered that a 40 percent interest in OPL 216 be allocated to the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) under the Back-inRight Regulation of 2003 which gives the Nigerian government participatory rights in any OPL or OML. You can read more about this back-in-right regulation in detail here.

This would leave Famfa Oil with a 20 percent stake. This was in 2000, and the government did not pay Famfa a dime for the stake. In 2003, Famfa applied for a conversion from an OPL to an OML, and in 2004 the request was granted. OPL 216 became OML 127. But the Nigerian government was not content with its 40 percent stake in Famfa. In 2005, the government led by General Olusegun Obasanjo forcefully acquired a further 10 percent stake in OML 127. Folorunsho Alakija immediately went to the courts to challenge the government’s forceful acquisition and in May 2012, the Supreme Court voided the government’s acquisition of a 50 percent stake in OML 127 and subsequently transferred the 50 percent stake back to Famfa Oil. The Nigerian government tried to appeal the Supreme’s court decision, but the case has been dismissed- a victory for Famfa Oil which sees the little-known oil company owning a 60 percent in OML 127, which is one of Nigeria’s most prolific oil blocks.

Philanthropy Folorunsho Alakija is the founder of the Rose of Sharon foundation, a Christianbased charity which gives out small grants to widows.

Personal Alakija is married to Modupe Alakija and they have four grown-up sons together. She also has a grandchild from her first son. Modupe Alakija, her husband is the Chairman of Famfa Oil. Her sons run the company. P

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KIDS FASHION

Isossy

Children

launches Global Spirit Collection for Spring/Summer 2013

Childrenswear brand Isossy Children continues to be the forerunner in global clothing for kids. With its smart, casual and lively range for girls and boys, Isossy launches its new collection for Spring/ Summer 2013.

For more info contact Ronke Lawal marketing@isossychildren.com @isossychildren www.isossychildren.com

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is traditionally he collection Isossy Classic, separated into sion, covering ca Oc Play and in ray of styles a fantastic ar . rs lou co ic rant and ethn wonderfully vib for the g rin te ca on elf Isossy prides its stomers, needs of its cu ever changing for spring ion ct lle co and the new le bit of has just a litt summer 2013 special. ly make it tru everything to by its nd sta to ed ur no The brand is ho ethos, g rin tu ac nd’ manuf ‘Made in Engla l African, na tio na er int e th combined with fabrics rn cultures. The are Asian and Weste es tri un these co and styling of ction. lle co s iou ac viv this evident within n pieces plenty of Twee The range sees at look th s.) yr -14 ys (8 for girls and bo off the ed pp ’ve just ste as though they all print e th as ch su les catwalk. Key sty are going girls and boys pant suits for the range. in th wi r ye pla to be a real r girls a comeback fo The 80s makes esses dr le sty eerleader with playful ch g. The ilin ta de at ple x bo and drop-waist unique esses also have coat cheerleader dr ist wa the mock details such as feature. Amanda was founded by Isossy Children n is a re ild Ch y . Isoss Rabor in 2010 global , ity colour, vivac celebration of children rs fe of It . ion fash influences and le and nts choice, sty and their pare the pieces of y an m y wh design, which is eps our on prints. "It ke are limited editi nt you wa e d fresh. W style unique an th the wi tly en qu fre bsite lours to visit the we co d an les our sty knowledge that w ranges ne s nt re pa g rin will change offe .P ", says Amanda for all occasions

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GHANA DEVELOPMENT

Ghana's President launches

Hope City project President Mahama said the private sector would spearhead the building of Hope City. “Government has led growth since independence with all the major investments... The time has come for the private sector to take over,” he said at the project’s launch. Thousands of people from all walks of life watched a ceremony on television networks in Accra signifying the historic take off of the $10billion ICT Hub and developmental enclave in Ghana. Over 300 privileged guests joined an array of high profile dignitaries including the Ghana’s President John Mahama to launch the project which will take between 3-5 years to complete. Dubbed Hope City, it will have Africa’s tallest building, at a height of 270m (885ft). It will be built on empty land and will employ about 50,000 people and house 25,000 people, the investor adds. RLG Communications’ CEO, Roland Agambire told the large audience “Europeans, Americans and Asians may soon have to come to Africa to have their ICT business facilitated. And when that happens Ghana and Africa would have become the future of ICT and related business”. 76 | THE PROMOTA

“We can see that already in several sectors, including ICT [information, communications and technology] and telecom.” He said “The Hope City Project is in line with government’s commitment to working with the private sector to facilitate growth and ensure the fiscal development of our country”.

He said there was the need to equip the youth with skills and knowledge in information technology as the future was in their hands to develop the country in the coming years. “We are also developing ICT to cover the playing of football which has for sometime attracted some criticisms in terms of accuracy in goals scoring,” he said. The head of local technology giant RLG Communications, Roland Agambire, said that his company was investing in Hope City with the aim of making Ghana globally competitive.

He added that “as you are all aware knowledge is driving the world; technology parks, cyber city, e-government and Silicon Valley are pushing the boundaries of the impossible. Wealth and economic growth are no longer dependent on how much gold, timber or oil you have”.

“What we are trying to do here is to develop the apps [applications] from scratch,” he said.

Mr Ali Faramwy, Senior Vice President of Microsoft Corporation, said information technology had improved on investments and innovations and the desire of rlg to expand its activities would in the long run create more jobs with massive innovations.

The IT hub would be made up of six towers, including a 75-storey, 270m-high tower, “the highest in Africa”, RLG Communications says on its website.

“This will enable us to have the biggest assembling plant in the world to assemble various products - over one million within a day,” he said.

It would include an IT university, a residential area, a hospital, as well as social and sporting amenities. P www.thepromota.co.uk

SUCCESS

Africa’s Hidden Billionaires: Nigerian Banker Reaches Zenith With $1 Billion Fortune his MBA from NorthEast Louisiana University in the United States in 1979, he joined International Merchant Bank as a financial analyst, subsequently rising to become a senior manager in 1987.

here’s a new dollar-billionaire on the block, and he’s Nigerian.

Jim Ovia, 58, made his fortune providing financial services to Nigeria’s richest middle class. He is the founder and largest individual shareholder of Zenith Bank, a $4.5 billion (Market Cap) financial services conglomerate after a successful stint in finance in the United States. Banking was always in Jim Ovia’s blood. Even before he completed his Bachelor’s degree in Business Administration from Southern University Louisiana as a teenager in 1977, he had already enjoyed a stint as a clerk in Barclays Bank, DCO (which now operates under the name, Union Bank). After obtaining

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In 1990, he co-founded Zenith Bank in Nigeria. Within two decades, Ovia transformed Zenith from a small commercial bank into a fully-fledged financial services conglomerate with operations in Investment, Private and retail banking, staff strength of close to 4,000 people and assets in excess of $8 billion. He was Chief Executive of the bank from 1990 to 2010 when he was compelled by the Central Bank of Nigeria to step down following a directive limiting the tenure of bank chiefs to 10 years. But Jim Ovia is still the largest individual shareholder of the publicly-listed bank. Through his own name, Ovia owns over 2.7 billion shares (which translate to an 8.75 percent stake in the bank). That stake is currently worth over $360 million. In 2007, while he was still serving as CEO of Zenith, Ovia founded Visafone - a Nigerian mobile and fixed telecommunications provider. Visafone has become a runaway success. The firm has amassed a subscriber base of about 4 million

and is worth at least $400 million according to data compiled by VENTURES AFRICA’s Intelligence unit and our Investment Banking analysts. Jim Ovia owns the company completely. Add these to Ovia’s ridiculously expansive real estate portfolio consisting of dozens of landmark commercial and residential properties in some of Nigeria’s swankiest neighbourhoods (such as The Civic Center in Victoria Island, Lagos) and Aquamarine, an exclusive boat club catering to Nigeria’s richest folks and Jim Ovia is conservatively worth $1.1 billion. A report by VENTURES AFRICA’s estimates, Jim Ovia is the fourth Nigerian to legitimately attain USD billionaire status after Aliko Dangote, Mike Adenuga and Folorunsho Alakija. The Nigerian billionaire shows no signs of slowing down. Last November, Ovia’s newly-formed Quantum Luxury Properties signed a multi-million dollar deal with Marriott- the New York-based global hotel group to develop a 150room five star hotel on the Ozumba Mbadiwe Waterfront in elitist Victoria-Island, Lagos. Construction of the property is expected to kick off later this year. Ovia is as philanthropic as he is wealthy. He donated $6.3 million to assist the Nigerian government in its relief efforts for the rehabilitation of victims of the various flood disasters across Nigeria last year. He also runs the Youth Empowerment & ICT Foundation, a non-governmental organization which encourages young Nigerians to embrace information & communication technology (ICT) as a tool for socio-economic change. P THE PROMOTA

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WHAT DOES LOYALTY in friendship really mean?

security, and respect from your employer. Being a loyal employer, who is willing to look after your employees, will give them incentive to be more dedicated and productive for you. Weigh the costs of being loyal. You should always structure the hierarchy of your loyalties according to your valuation of their importance. If being loyal to a group or club causes you social ostracism or creates negative influence in your family or other social circumstance, it may not be worthwhile to continue that loyalty.

e live in a world where selfishness seems to be the rule of the day, and personal gain the objective of most relationships and endeavors. One of the most honorable character traits a person can develop is the ability to be loyal, whether to family, friends, an employer, or clubs and organizations to which we may belong. Understand what being loyal means. You must be willing to allow your own interests to take second place to be truly loyal to another person or cause. Loyalty is simply the act of putting someone or something else ahead of one's self. Be willing to sacrifice. Being loyal in a patriot sense, as in loyal to one's country, has placed millions in harm's way in wars throughout history. The people who serve in the modern military are loyal to their nation, its flag, and the purpose they serve for. Being loyal to a friend or your own

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family can also require sacrifice. Take time to look at the needs of whomever will have your loyalty. To take steps of loyalty, you need to recognize that it is a deliberate effort, and to be truly loyal to someone, you have to be willing to invest yourself, your time and energy in them. Ask yourself if what or who you are offering your loyalty to is worthy of the investment. Is the person or organization who asks for your loyalty worthwhile? Depending on what philosophy or religion you may follow, you might find guidance there. In the Judeo-Christian religion, the order of loyalty may be summed up as "God, Family, and Country", putting loyalty to God first, then family, and finally, country. Consider the benefits of loyalty. This may be most obvious in the case of employment. Being a loyal employee often creates its own rewards, with increases in pay, job

Balance your loyalties with the day-to-day needs of your own life and your family. Being loyal to a volunteer group or social organization at the expense of taking time for your family may result in suffering loss in your personal relationships. Look for reward and appreciation in your efforts to be loyal. Being loyal to an unappreciative person or group is not very rewarding, and although this implies a selfish motivation for your loyalty, it is a practical thing to expect the person or group to which you give your loyalty to be loyal to you in return.

Tips Keep a realistic view of your loyalty, and the costs associated with it.

Warnings Be aware that it is not unusual to be rewarded for loyalty and dedication with demands for more and more of your time and energy. P

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SOCIETY

Zimbabwe should end

early marriages by enforcing existing laws "HIV and AIDS and interlinkages should foster policy discussions that seek to access legal framework in the harmonization of marriage laws in the wake of the pandemic and other challenges, the Executive Director of the Zimbabwe Women Lawyers Association {ZWLA} Emilia Muchawa has said. In an interview with The Promota, Muchawa said: "Customary law should not encourage early marriage of girls." She further said that Zimbabwe needed to enforce the existing law prohibiting early marriage of girls - a practice still rampant in the country. “We need to improve data on prevalence and the impact of early marriages targeting our awareness on changing attitudes and focusing on gate keepers amongst the religious and traditional leaders," Muchawa said. She added there was a need to promote girl education and the

need for their retention in school. Muchawa challenged cultural practices where religious and customary practices allowed Lobola as a legal requirement for a valid marriage. "There is need to strengthen knowledge among our communities of the challenges likely to be faced by women and girls as a result of the commercialization of Lobola . There is therefore need for advocacy and awareness to provide information to women on the implications of the different forms of marriages which are necessary in Zimbabwe. Gender knowledge disparity gaps continue to hamper women, economic empowerment and development initiatives." Muchawa pins her hopes to the upcoming constitution which she believes must adhere to women's calls and demands in line with regional instruments such as the

SADC protocol on Gender and international instruments such as the Convention on Elimination of Domestic Violence against Women {CEDAW} and the proposed Gender Equality Commission. She urges Zimbabwe to ratify International conventions and domesticate these into our constitution. In addition to the above, cultural challenges such as spouse inheritance still continues to marginalize women choices. by Grail Kupakuwana P

Female MPs defend Ugandan Marriage and Divorce Bill

emale MPs in Uganda have been defending clauses in the Marriage and Divorce Bill, relating to divorce and the sharing of marital property.

Diocese, Paul Ssemwogerere, also criticised the Bill. He called it anti-Christian and called on MPs to scrap sections that he felt promoted divorce and cohabitation.

adultery, sexual perversion, cruelty, and desertion of one’s spouse for at least two years, change of religion, incest, bestiality, sodomy, homosexuality or pornography.

During a recent press conference, MPs in the Uganda Women Parliamentary Association (UWOPA) backed a clause that allows divorce if a marriage has irretrievably broken down. The Bishop of Kasana-Luweero

“We are going to have a problem with ﬂeecing women”, he said. This concern was echoed by other male MPs.

With regard to shared property, only matrimonial property such as the matrimonial home, household items acquired before or during the marriage are to be equally shared on dissolution of the relationship. P

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The proposed law provides grounds for divorce in cases of

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COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT

Street children:

a time-bomb for Uganda and Kenya

s Uganda recently celebrated its 50th independence anniversary, it was not all splendour and glamour for children who have no place to call home. City streets are their safe havens, notwithstanding the harsh environment associated with street life and the crime associated with the environment. Current statistics indicate an increasing number of children in the streets and although African governments are trying to contain the matter, more and more children are living in the streets. Uganda currently records between 10,000 and 30,000 street children across the country. The question remains - Why do we still have street children in this day and age? In Uganda, commenting on the street boys in Kisenyi area, the area chair person, Juuko Mutebi, conﬁrms that the number of street children is alarming and has caused

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a security threat. He appealed to the government to deal with NGOs giving handouts to these children, enticing many to remain on the streets. In Kenya, the issue of street children is nothing new, particularly to city dwellers who rub shoulders with these less fortunate children on a daily basis. To an ordinary Kenyan living a normal life, a street child is a menace. Many shun them as they try to bed for money or food. These children are often unkempt, in tattered clothes and very dirty. They are sons, daughters, sisters and even mothers who have relatives across the country. Some have come from homes while others were born and bred in the streets. Their daily life is characterized by begging and snifﬁng glue. In downtown Nairobi, an area that has seen the proliferation of street

‘homes’ whose main inhabitants’ are children with no descent homes. Born and bred in the streets, some of these children have had to adjust to the harsh realities of living a not-sodescent lifestyle. Many want out, but a score of others would rather live on the streets for fear of a new life.

“

I really want to leave street life and go to school but where do I start,” wonders Kinuthia, a 17-year-old boy. “Once in a while, I have seen some of my peers being taken away by some organizations who later help them, but why am I left out?” Kinuthia, is a school dropout. Together with his two siblings, the trio left their poverty-infested home in Nairobi’s Kibera slums in search of a ‘better’ life in the streets. He comes from a single parenting home. He tells us that his mother was a commercial sex worker in Kibera and her hard earned cash was not enough to cater

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for all of them. Kinuthia engages in activities that gives him money, albeit little.

“

I load people’s luggage in carts and sometimes I push the carts to where the person instructs me.” When he is not loading luggage, he occasionally steals, an act he is not afraid of revealing. “I do pick-pocketing to unsuspecting pedestrians and motorists. I have to eat and feed my brother and sister, who live with me on the streets”.

Sniffing glue Living on the streets is no easy task and street children have long devised a mechanism to help them cope. Most of them sniff glue and jet fuels, substances that help them forget the hardships of street life. Fatuma Muthoni is 17 and six months pregnant. She clutches a dirty bottle full of glue and during our interview, shows us how she sniffs the substance. “I got addicted to glue when I realized I was pregnant,” she tells us, adding that most of her peers are addicted to it. "It makes you forget you're hungry and also makes us warm during cold seasons.” Oblivious of her status, Muthoni does not care about the unborn baby and the consequences that the glue might have on the baby’s health. “Here in the streets, we do not feed well. I sniff glue because it ﬁlls my empty stomach and also feeds my baby,” she admits out of sheer ignorance. Surprisingly, Muthoni has never been admitted to hospital for any ailments. With no health care, poor sanitation and no food, she puts her trust in God. “See, I am healthy and yet I haven’t eaten for days. But God is my protection. People walk past us, they

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ignore our plea and yet we continue to survive,” he notes. A bunch of boys snifﬁng glue at a nearby garage tell us that the substance gives them the courage to eat garbage. “If we were leading normal lives, we would not dare eat garbage but street life has taught us to be tough. Without glue, our lives in the streets would be meaningless.” Medics say the fumes are highly addictive and the effect is immediate. It also carries a high risk of brain damage, respiratory infections and other diseases that will of course never be treated on the streets.

Rape Rape cases among street children are on the rise. Most girls are raped by their male peers and they have to contend with the consequences of unwanted pregnancies and worse, sexually transmitted diseases or even HIV. These girls cannot seek proper medical care as they have no money or the means to approach health practitioners. What follows is a train of babies born on the streets and when they grow up, they nurture their own babies on the same streets. The plight of street children has seen the attention and sympathy of Monica Kanini, a middle aged woman who set up a home in one of Nairobi’s estate, to cater for street children. “I take care of about 200 children who were originally in the streets. I give them food, accommodation and some basic education,” she says. Monica Kanini relies on well wishers for funds to keep her home running. She admits that taking care of these children poses so many challenges. “Most of these children come from broken homes and hence have no discipline,” she says adding that some run away to go back to the streets where they belong. Most

Street kid sniffing glue refer to her as ‘mathee’, a slang word meaning mother. She is a glimmer of hope to many destitute children who would otherwise be leading hopeless lives on the streets. With her meagre budget, she urges the government and other donors to step in and lift the burden from her.

“

I implore on parents to take seriously their parenting responsibilities. The Children Act clearly stipulates penalties for failing to undertake this responsibility," he says. He also encourages parents to take advantage of the government Free Primary Education program that ensures children from poor homes have access to education.

Tired of street life Most of these children want a different life. Those interviewed by Africa News said they were tired of street life. “All we want is a different lifestyle. What we require is rehabilitation. Most of us would want to go to school like other children,” one states. Some have dreams to become doctors, teachers, pilots and architects. “We need people to embrace us and not shun us. We too come from homes; we too have parents but we are too poor to lead normal lives,” pleads Atieno, one of the street children. P THE PROMOTA

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HSGH SGHS

My personal experience of street children in Uganda

even years ago ago, my Ugandan family in Kampala took in their home 2 boys from Katwe, whom I was sponsoring at the time. I thought they would fare better in a more structured environment. Well, I have to admit that those 2 boys, at the time aged 8 and 11, tested my family to the limit, including myself when I was visiting. Children who are used to a very unstructured way of life, where they do as they please all day, without any adult guidance, find it very hard to adapt to an environment where discipline is required. I have huge admiration and respect for anyone trying to help these children, very deserving of being helped of course. From my own experience and observation, I know that unlimited patience is required from the carers. I also know from our own journey with my two boys, that constant coaching is very necessary, and also fostering the certainty in them that, no matter how many times they misbehave, they will not be dropped and returned to where they came from. What we found worked well too, was to put our trust in them,

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which fostered in them a sense of responsability. We also gave them a feeling that they had some control in their lives, by letting them make decisions for themselves, concerning some aspects of their lives. We even took the risk of allowing the younger boy to take a sabbatical from school as he was so tired of being picked on by other pupils and teachers. He sounded very dejected by school life and could not see the benefit of learning. But a few months after this break, he built a new appetite for learning and happily returned to school, without much prompting from the family. We must bear in mind that the relinquishing of freedom they experienced on the streets is a huge loss to them, and they very naturally need an adaptation period before being able to settle down.

I think not one single institution or governmental body should bear the sole responsibility of helping street children. Provision of capacity building activities and education must of course be part of the way forward in rehabilitating those children. But I know that what is equally important is for the ones who are now silently

children to look lo condemning street children, at them differently, and encourage them in every way possible to see themselves in a better light, to help them believe in themselves and their intrinsic worthiness and capacity to become productive human beings, either through vocational training or education, or simply by sharing with them encouraging and positive words, even through casual street encounters. In truth, it will take the effort of the whole nation to reclaim its wayward children. And the last, very crucial ingredient in meeting with success is infinite patience and ... unconditional love. My two boys, seven years on, are totally transformed. There are still episodes where more coaching is needed, but overall, they are now very decent and happy young people. Such similar success can be met with all street children if we look at them as â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;ourâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; children, and care about their welfare as such!

Isabelle Gravenstein Teacher & Writer of Metaphysics. Visit my blog http://www.notice2quit.wordpress.com/ Feature Editor of the Promota Africa magazine P

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HSGH SGHS

The perspective of Ugandan Youth in the Diaspora on Ugandan Culture As young people living in the Diaspora, we are sometimes seen as the forgotten generation because we live abroad. This leads onto the fact that our voices are rarely heard. In this article, we are going to discuss whether there is or isn’t a division between young people in the Diaspora and their Ugandan culture. The question I am asking you is, have you ever thought about stepping into our shoes and hearing what we have to say?

irst of all, we need to find out what some young people think about their culture. Some of the youth do not have the desire to engage with their roots and that is a huge problem. Also when the older generation try to talk to the younger people, sometimes they see their culture as being outdated. However, some of the young people who have had a chance to visit Uganda do not like what they have seen. They have decided they don’t want to go back at all or at least only once in a while. However, some parents have failed by not always being there physically for their children due to their work schedules. But if these parents are not there to teach them, it means their knowledge about their culture is limited. Some parents in the Diaspora do not have a passion for Uganda. It is shocking but some parents do not want to go back to Uganda or even want to engage in their culture. Moreover, some parents in the Diaspora do not even teach

their children their mother tongue. It is also a fact that these days you get young parents who don’t know much themselves about their cultures and norms. Can something be done about this? The answer is yes and one of the ways is for both generations to change their mind sets. The young people should be more willing to embrace their culture. This could also mean organising more trips back to Uganda, and for those who cannot afford it, trips to attend cultural groups in the Diaspora. Furthermore, we should also consider creating an annual Youth Conference in the Diaspora to teach them more about their culture. This could include inviting influential and knowledgeable people from Uganda.

might say they are doing their best to engage in their culture, by attending the Ugandan Convention in the U.K, U.S.A, going to youth committees in the Diaspora, workshops etc. One thing for sure is that this is not an overnight situation that we have to deal with. What we have to realise is that we are the next generation after our parents. Are we going to allow the heritage that our previous generations have bequeathed continue on as a legacy through us or are we going to terminate it abruptly? The choice should not only be left in our parent’s hands but also in us as young people and the wider society. Rome was not built in a day; let’s all put our efforts together to preserve our dignity and cultural values or else we will become extinct. P

by Tracy Kirabo

These are some of the ways that could help narrow the gap. Although some people might argue that there is no division. Some parents could suggest that they have already tried to bridge the gap. Whilst some youth

Volunteer Wanted Following the very successful second Ugandan UK Convention last year, we are looking for community dedicated Africans to give a hand at making this year’s Convention even a better success. We want pro-active people who can take various responsibilties including community outreach, marketing, administration, bloggers etc.

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THE PROMOTA

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FASHION

Dress: kiki Kamanu Stylistâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s own Photographer: Reze Bonna Make up artist: Nory Akwara Stylist: Adeola Adesewa

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Yellow blazer and leather shirts Orange Culture Beetle Brooch Stylist’s own Photographer: Reze Bonna Make up artist: Nory Akwara Stylist: Adeola Adesewa

FASHION

Leather jacket: kiki Kamanu Shorts: Orange culture Stylist’s own Photographer: Reze Bonna Make up artist: Nory Akwara Stylist: Adeola Adesewa

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THE PROMOTA

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FASHION

ter

Mibo

LISETTE

Hair Preparation: Lisette Mibo is an African origin model with her cut in a short style: therefore the hairstylist came up with the perfect idea of styling her with a virgin-indian natural lace-wig to give her that beautiful romantic valentine look.

SOURCE DIVINE VIP SALON PHOTOGRAPHER: VALENTINO V STYLIST: LISETTE MIBO MAKE UP ARTISTS: KAREN SALANDY MODELS: LISETTE MIBO

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We featured you a year ago in the Promota, what has been your success since then? Since the last time I got featured in The Promota magazine, I have continued to work hard and I am proud to share how my journey has been like. Since then, I have been discovered by different people and cultures. To keep it short, I have had the pleasure of travelling to Congo (Brazzaville) to model for the 'Congo Fashion Week' 2012. Talking about achievements, I am the proud winner of the 2012 BEFFTA 'Best Female Model of The Year' Award and yet that is not all... There is still so much more to discover about me and I hope you keep following me on social media in order to find out about my next ventures as they happen.

What is the best make-up tip for women to have your look? Well, it all depends on the occasion. For everyday look, I like to keep it very casual. Wearing a slight touch of foundation, throwing in some powder or primer, using the perfect eyeliner and finishing the touches with lip gloss (nude or pink coloured) and am ready to go! However, for special occasions such as attending a fashion event or a party, I usually go for the Hollywood glamour look of soft-smokey eyes with red lipstick (matt or glossed) and voila!

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We are seeing a lot of African fashion shows in London. have these helped you as African talented model to get work or get recognised by the mainstream? Yes, there are many African fashion shows that are attracting very positive press coverage around the world, and thanks to social media, all the positive impact is â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;going viralâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;. Let's take, for instance, fashion and lifestyle events that are happening throughout the year in London and I will name the one that has moved me the most, Africa Fashion Week London. I can say the organizers have given it their all. I have personally had the pleasure of taking part in the last two seasons (2011 and 2012) and this has been an eye-opening experience for me and other models. I definitely am moved by the professionalism and devotion of the organizers. The show has been successful and anyone who worked with them from the top to the bottom can testify. Need I say more? Well, I can only encourage those who support emerging talents and thank you very much to Uk BBC, China BBC etc. for spreading the word about the minority. As we say in Africa, "A single stick may smoke, but it will not burn." We all need each other to go far. P

THE PROMOTA

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HEALTH MATTERS

THE TOP 5 SOURCES OF

Body Toxins You Need to Know About

(And What You Can Do to Protect Your Health)

Each day, we are surrounded by poisonous substances, which affect our minds and bodies. These poisonous substances are called toxins and your health is affected ...much more than you may realize...depending upon how much exposure you have to toxins on a regular basis. We will cover the top sources of toxins and how you can reduce your exposure to improve your health. To reduce your exposure to food toxins: Choose whole foods instead of processed foods. In addition, choose organic fruits and vegetables. Organic produce is grown without harmful pesticides and even better, the soil is more mineral rich. Eating organic, whole foods is a great step you can take toward health and wellness.

So what are the major sources of toxins and what can YOU do to reduce your exposure and feel your best?

Top Five Sources of Toxins and What YOU Can Do to Stay Healthy Internal and External Toxins First of all, it’s important to recognize that toxins can be found externally (outside your body) or created internally (inside your body). Examples of external toxins are: pollution, second hand cigarette smoke and pesticides. Internal toxins, on the other hand, include: bad bacteria and yeast create dangerous toxins right inside your body. A low-grade, chronic viral infection and chronic stress, anxiety or negative thinking all add to the total body burden of toxins. Yes, even your thoughts are a source of toxicity! Here are the top 5 sources of toxins, along with

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recommendations to reduce your exposure:

. Food – Your food has more toxins than you may think. The biggest culprit for toxic exposure is processed foods, which are full of chemicals and additives that can create symptoms ranging from cravings and weight gain to poor digestive health and food allergies. But it’s not just packaged food to avoid. Conventional produce is also full of pesticides. In fact, over one billion pounds of pesticides are used on food in the US alone. These pesticides have been linked to symptoms ranging from muscle cramps and heart rate changes to irritability to emotional instability.

. Water – Do you know the source of your water? These days, knowing where your water comes from is of the utmost importance. Your body is between 70 – 90% water and the water you drink is critical to hydrating your body at the cellular level. Tap water is teeming with toxins. The Environmental Working Group found over 140 contaminants in tap water. In addition, over the past few years, studies have shown that pharmaceuticals, like prescription and over the counter drugs, are being found in tap water. Some of the most common drugs found in water are: antibiotics, anti-depressants, birth control pills, seizure medication, cancer treatments, pain killers, tranquilizers and cholesterol-lowering compounds. Many bottled waters have been shown to be just as bad as tap water in most cases, not to mention toxins that leach from the plastic bottles themselves. To reduce your exposure to water toxins: Read the article: The Best Water to Drink, and the Types that Should Be Avoided. If you have only tap water in your home, you might

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OPINION consider getting an whole house water filter or an Aquasana sink and shower filter, to reduce your exposure to the major toxins.

. Environment – Whether inside your home or outside your home, the environment is also a major source of toxins. Pollution from manufacturing, cars and second hand cigarette smoke can be challenging to avoid. However, you can avoid a lot of the toxins inside and around your home. Too many people use harsh household cleaners containing bleach, ammonia and other toxic chemicals that can cause health problems ranging from nausea to skin destruction, fluid in the lungs and wheezing. To reduce your exposure to environmental toxins: Some people choose to live in rural locations for the clean air and land. However, short of moving, you can do several things to avoid environmental toxins. You can choose the non-smoking section of restaurants and public places. At home, you can also switch your cleaning products to those with all-natural ingredients, like Seventh Generation brand cleaning, laundry and dishwashing supplies. You can also choose “green” or chemical free products, like fabrics for furniture, which often have flame retardant chemicals on them; or paint that does not have VOCs (volatile organic compounds).

. Beauty and personal care products – The products we use to look our best may actually be the biggest source of aging and other adverse symptoms. Beauty products like toothpaste, lotion, youth creams, soap, shampoo,

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conditioner, perfumes and makeup are full of toxic chemicals. Even beauty and personal care products from the health food store can be filled with ingredients that cause harmful symptoms. To reduce your exposure to toxins in beauty and personal care products: Read ingredient labels on your personal care products. Anything you put on your skin is absorbed into your body.

Relationship Dilemmas: TIPS Why does he always text back after I leave him a voice mail? Men’s goal is “fast,” so to them, it’s the most direct way to stay in touch with you. It’s been five years and he hasn’t proposed to me yet. Bad sign? Not always. Unless you spell out when you expect that ring, he’ll assume you’re okay with the status quo. I cheated, but I want to stay together. Do I confess? No. Figure out why you did it, then put your effort into ﬁxing that aspect of the relationship.

Some important ingredients to avoid in your beauty and personal care products are: sodium laurel sulfate, sodium laureth sulfate, triclosan (found in antibacterial products), Parabens (Methylparaben, Ethylparaben, p-Propylparaben, Isobutylparaben, n-Butylparaben and Benzylparaben), mineral oil, petroleum, Diethanolamine DEA, Cocamide DEA, Lauramide DEA, alpha and beta hydroxy acids, talc, lanolin and phthalates.

Should I play hard to get even if we’ve been dating for a few years? Sometimes. It maintains a sense of mystery that keeps him panting. But once he tests the cake he might change.

I’m a graduate; he didn’t go to school. Can our relationship still work? If you admire his intelligence and drive, then his degree level doesn’t matter.

. Stress and negative thinking – The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) estimates that up to 90% of all illness and disease is due to stress.[5] Stress can kill the good bacteria and yeast that live in your intestines and keep your immunity and digestive health strong. As the good bacteria and yeast die off, the bad bacteria and yeast are able to take over. Body Ecology teaches that this creates an imbalanced inner ecosystem, which can set the stage for illness and dis-ease. To reduce your exposure to toxins from stress and negative thinking: Because we believe in creating strong health and well-being both physically and emotionally, we dedicate several articles to creating your best emotional health. P

My mom doesn’t like him. Should I listen to her? If her opinion is backed up by your best friend, brother, and co-worker, then yes.

Do guys play hard to get? Not really. When a man acts uninterested, he usually is. I feel like the spark is gone. Should we break up? Sometimes you’re just in a rut. Go on adventurous dates, try new stuff in bed, and re-evaluate in a month. What’s the secret to making a longdistance relationship work? Communicating daily, even if it’s just a quick e-mail. He’s in his early 30s, and I’m in my mid-50s. Can it work? Yes, if you aren’t living different lifestyles and if you have similar goals. Is it healthy to never fight? Yes, if you still acknowledge and talk out disagreements and don’t behave as if they don’t exist. P

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HEALTH & NUTRITION

Mariandina Nutritional Supplements Revitalising the body to fight a range of diseases Mariandina is a natural nutritional food supplement formula for the maintenance of good health in people of all ages and walks of life. It can be used by anyone who wants to maintain good health by supplementing the nutritional deficiencies found in any diet.

Who is Stephen Tamale Ssali? tephen Ssali is the Son of Professor Charles Ssali, founder of the Mariandina Research Foundation. He is currently working as a Sales and Marketing Director within Mariandina Research Foundation and is responsible for Promotional, logistical support and Distribution of Mariandina Nutritional Health Products. Stephen worked alongside Dr. Ssali for eight years to inform people about Professor Ssali’s research and the range of nutritional health products. Currently Stephen, his sisters Christine Kas, Grace Kiwanuka and his Mother Mrs. Margaret Ssali continue their father’s Legacy.

Tell our readers more about Mariandina foundation? Who and when did it start? Professor Charles Ssali MBchb FRCS is the founder of the Mariandina

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research foundation which was set up in 1988 to focus on raising health awareness and providing nutritional solutions to health challenges that affect society. Professor Ssali in 1988 made a decision to undertake research that eventually led to the discovery of the Mariandina nutritional health supplements which now helps support the treatment of diseases ranging from diabetes, asthma, lupus, Heart disease, arthritis and AIDSrelated illness by nourishing the body and boosting the body’s immune system. The Mariandina range of food supplements was developed after 10 years of scientific research by Professor Ssali who was a fellow of the Royal College of Surgeons in Edinburgh. Professor Ssali was a medical doctor and researcher in both western and traditional medicine. What are the products that are manufactured by Mariandina and what are they made of?

Mariandina is a natural nutritional health supplement that consists of vitamins, minerals, herbs and trace elements. Within the Mariandina range we have five products, Mariandina A, Mariandina B, Mariandina J, Mariandina Syrup and Mariandina Cream. Mariandina products are rich in super

anti-oxidants, which help remove impurities and toxins produced by the body called free radicals. The free radicals promote cell damage. Mariandina works by providing the cells with Vitamins, minerals, herbs and trace elements required for optimum cell function. Without these nutrients the cells would be destroyed by toxic substances that occur in the body. The Mariandina range of products assist the body to heal from asthma, diabetes, eczema, stress, lupus, heart disease, loss of libido, depression, arthritis, stroke, chronic fatigue syndrome, cancer, prostrate enlargement and many other diseases by creating optimum immune function. For information about the range of products visit our website: www.mariandina.com How safe is Mariandina? Mariandina is safe because it is made from natural ingredients with no side effects. Large doses are well tolerated especially if taken after meals. Mariandina works in harmony with the body by providing natural spare parts to replace lost nutrients and repair damaged cells and tissues. Mariandina can be taken alongside any other medication without interference. Mariandina will speed up the body’s recovery and boost the healing process. When do you determine an AIDS patient needs to start medication? The Mariandina Research foundation focuses on prevention and nutritional support for optimum wellbeing, an AIDS patient requires an immune

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INTERVIEW provided by Mariandina continued to spread to other communities who used Mariandina for general health.

system that is operating at an optimum level, hence we would recommend that the patient starts as soon as they are diagnosed. This provides the body with the necessary support and protects the body from being predisposed to opportunistic infections. Mariandina can help anyone with HIV with or without AIDS. Those with HIV have been prevented from developing AIDS for as long as 7 years. Those with AIDS have had their immunity reconstructed to normal levels. There are patients that have improved from CD4 as low as 100 and even less. People on treatment with Mariandina have been known to remain symptom free for years despite having CD4 counts from 0 - 400. Does the AIDS virus disappear from the body on this treatment? Science today has revealed to us that once any virus has entered the body it can be reduced to undetectable levels and in some cases become dormant, however, it cannot be completely eliminated from the body. Our treatment has been effective at reducing the virus to undetectable levels. We know that from immunology, it is possible to slow down the replication of HIV in the body by using antioxidants. There is a reduction of viral load when monitoring is done using PCR. Those who have the facility are advised to take Mariandina A, B & J in recommended doses. They should have an initial PCR done and repeated every 4 weeks. The values will indicate a reducing viral load. Even if one uses Mariandina A and B only, there will be a reduction of HIV RNA copies/ml. Mariandina J is specially designed to treat herpes simplex sores, herpes zoster and cases of viral Kaposi have shown good response. Do I need a medical prescription to get

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Ugandan government claimed that the medicine is just a mere food supplement, and the National Chemotherapeutics Institute at Wandegeya accepts Mariandina as a food nutrient but not a cure for HIV/ AIDS. What is your opinion on this?

LATE PROFESSOR CHARLES SSALI, founder of the Mariandina Research Foundation

Mariandina? There is no need for a medical prescription to get Mariandina. Mariandina is available through a network of distributors.

Your products are well received in the African Caribbean community, why is this? We are all aware of the saying, ‘a prophet is never accepted by his own people.’ After Professor Ssali had treated 18,000 full blown HIV/AIDS patients with Mariandina over a five year period with an 80% success rate; Professor Ssali’s was stopped from practicing medicine in Uganda and the use of Mariandina natural health products was prohibited. This happened at the same time an anti-retroviral AZT was being launched in Uganda. Professor Ssali decided to take his research findings and introduce them into the United Kingdom. He was able to launch a health awareness campaign, which was well received by the African Caribbean community. When they used Professor Ssali’s products they found them useful and were able to reproduce the success he had achieved in Uganda for various diseases, since Mariandina focused on healing and restoring immune function. As a result of this the value and health benefits

We are grateful to the Uganda Government who have allowed Professor Ssali’s product Mariandina to be used in Uganda. Mariandina is registered by the food and drugs board of Uganda as a food supplement. The main purpose of Mariandina is to nourish and revitalise the body. Mariandina supports the body’s immune system. Mariandina is not a cure for HIV/AIDS.

The Late Professor Ssali discovered a method for the treatment of laryngo tracheobronchitis. Do you still have a product for this disease? Laryngo tracheobronchitis is a condition that affects children between the age of 2 to 5 years, causing respiratory obstruction caused by inflammation in the throat, nose and lungs. Original treatment involved tracheotomy to allow for continued breathing. Professor Ssali’s research produced a new successful method of treatment without using tracheotomy. Professor Ssali used a surgical method which avoided permanent damage and scars to the child’s breathing passages. Upon Professor Ssali’s publication, the treatment regime was changed implementing his methods, which are still the standard around the world today. (“The Child in the African Environment Growth Development and Survival.” Editors: R. Owor, V. L. Ongom, B. G. Kirya)

How can I obtain Mariandina? To order Mariandina please contact True Essence of Nature on Tel: 07515 370 655 Email: lnalunga7@gmail.com www.trueessenceofnature.co.uk P THE PROMOTA

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HEALTH GUIDE

surprising

HEADACHE triggers

It's not just stress and nasty colds that cause headaches. Cleaning your home or sleeping in late can cause them too. We reveal 10 headache triggers and how to fix them. Typically, the pain throbs in the base of the skull and sometimes flashes into the face, especially the forehead. How to fix it: Avoid sitting or standing in one position for a long period. Sit up straight and support your lower back. Consider using a special headset if you spend a lot of time on the phone, as holding a handset between your shoulder and head can strain muscles and cause headaches. You could also see a physical therapist such as an osteopath or Alexander technique practitioner. They may be able to help you identify and correct any posture problems.

When to seek help It’s very rare that headaches are a sign of something serious. However, it’s best to see a doctor if: • • •

you feel unwell between your headaches your headaches aren’t relieved by pharmacy treatments your headaches are so painful that they’re limiting your ability to get on with life or are causing you to miss work

1. Relaxing after stress You put in 10-hour days from Monday to Friday and you feel fine, only to wake up after a lie-in on Saturday with a pounding headache. Why is that? It’s because as the tension of the week subsides, your levels of stress hormones drop, which causes a rapid release of neurotransmitters (the brain’s chemical messengers). These send out impulses to blood vessels to constrict and then dilate, which causes a headache. How to fix it: Avoid the temptation to sleep-in at weekends. More than eight hours' sleep at a time can bring on a headache. Introduce some

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relaxation time, such as a yoga class, into your working week rather than squeezing it all into the weekend. 2. Pent-up anger When you’re angry, muscles in the back of your neck and scalp tense up, causing a tight band-like sensation around your head. This is a sign of a tension headache. How to fix it: When you start feeling angry, breathe deeply and slowly. Breathe in through your nose and out through your mouth. This should relax your head and neck muscles. 3. Poor posture Poor posture causes tension in your upper back, neck and shoulders, which can lead to a headache.

4. Your perfume If you think housework is giving you a headache, you could be right. Household cleaners, along with perfumes and fragranced air fresheners, contain chemicals that can bring on headaches. How to fix it: If you’re susceptible to headaches brought on by certain smells, avoid heavy perfumes and strong-smelling soaps, shampoos and conditioners. Use fragrancefree air fresheners and household cleaners, and keep your doors and windows open as much as possible at home. If a colleague’s perfume is bothering you, put a fan on your desk at work.

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HEALTH 5. Bad weather If you’re prone to getting headaches, you could find that grey skies, high humidity, rising temperatures and storms can all bring on head pain. Pressure changes that cause weather changes are thought to trigger chemical and electrical changes in the brain. This irritates nerves, leading to a headache. How to fix it: There’s not much you can do to change the weather, but by looking at the forecast you can predict when you’re likely to have a headache and take a preventive painkiller a day or two in advance. 6. Grinding teeth Grinding your teeth at night (the medical name is bruxism) makes your jaw muscle contract causing a dull headache. How to fix it: Your dentist can fit you with a mouth guard to protect your teeth while you sleep. They cost around £50. Read more about teeth grinding. 7. Bright lights Bright lights and glare, especially if flickering, can induce migraines. This is because bright and flickering lights boost the levels of certain chemicals in the brain, which then activate the migraine centre. How to fix it: Sunglasses are great at reducing light intensity and you

Is cod liver oil safe to take?

Cod liver oil has been a popular dietary supplement for decades, not least because of its lack of adverse sideeffects. As GP Dr James Thompson says: “Research has suggested cod liver oil has positive effects on the joints and heart and could also be beneﬁcial for skin, hair and nail health.”

What makes cod liver oil good for us?

The reason this natural substance has so many health beneﬁts is because of its three key ingredients: vitamin A, vitamin D and omega-3 fatty acids.

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can wear them inside and outside. Polarised lenses help to reduce glare. At work, adjust your computer monitor or attach a glare screen. You may be able to turn off certain lights or move them. If you can't, change where you sit in the office. Fluorescent lighting tends to flicker, so if you’re able to, substitute it with some other form of lighting. 8. Your packed lunch Your turkey and cheese sandwich and small bar of dark chocolate might be a tasty lunch, but beware of the headache that could follow it. All these foods contain chemicals that can bring on a migraine. Other culprits include aged cheeses like stilton and brie, diet fizzy drinks and processed meats and fish. How to fix it: Keep a migraine trigger diary and once you suspect a certain food may be the cause of your headaches, eliminate it from your diet for a couple of months to see if you get fewer headaches. If you're concerned about avoiding any food-related trigger factor, see your GP or practice nurse or ask to be referred to a dietician for specialist advice. Remember to eat regularly, because skipping meals can bring on a headache.

9. Sex It's a standing joke that headaches are used as an excuse to avoid sex, but for many men and women coital headaches that come on at the height of passion are a real and distressing problem. Doctors think sex headaches are due to pressure building up in the head and neck muscles. The headaches can happen during foreplay or just before orgasm, and can last for a few minutes or an hour. How to fix it: They’re inconvenient, but these headaches are usually harmless and don't mean you have to avoid sex. Take a painkiller a few hours beforehand to block the headache. 10. Ice cream Do you get a sharp, stabbing pain in your forehead when you bite into an ice-cream cone? Then you’re susceptible to ice-cream headaches, caused by cold material moving across the roof of your mouth and the back of your throat. Ice lollies and slushy frozen drinks have the same effect. How to fix it: The good news is that ice-cream headaches don’t need treatment. In fact, they’re over in a flash, rarely lasting longer than a minute or two. P

Five signs you’re low in vital vitamins & minerals

he right mix of vitamins and minerals is essential for good health.

Our bodies rely on a range of essential nutrients to perform everyday functions, such as vitamin A for vision, B vitamins to support our metabolism and vitamin D for strong teeth and bones. However, we may not always get the optimum amount of vitamins and minerals our body needs from our diet. “There are some situations where you might need to supplement your diet,” says registered nutritionist, Robert

Hobson. “For example, we get vitamin D from the sun, but in winter it’s very difﬁcult to get enough sunlight exposure to generate the amount we need. A multivitamin supplement is an inexpensive way to safeguard your intake.”

If you’re suffering from one of the following symptoms, you could be low in an essential nutrient: • Achiness and headaches • Brittle nails • Tiredness and lethargy • Mouth ulcers • Anxiety and insomnia THE PROMOTA

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OPINION

An “African-American”

Speaks on Africa

“

The curse of Africa…” he began, “is that we were able to escape and come here and be successful. We the African Americans made it”. Cursed? Hmm, I thought. The AfricanAmericans, descendants of slaves are successful, and the Africans are cursed. The African-American brother in the popular Washington, DC restaurant continued, relentlessly criticizing “The Africans”, and how their entrepreneurial pursuits from 400 years ago, contributed to our being sold into slavery. “They are mad at us for having made it after what they did to us”. His cursing of Africa continued, with his opinion of shame to Africa that because of ethnic tensions between the Luo’s and the Kikuyu’s, “Barack Obama could not even be elected in his own ancestral land of Kenya”. My head spun, as I began to process how I would refute his arguments. African Americans made it? Based on what? And more importantly, why would we compare the African American situation to Africa, a continent rich in minerals and resources that the world depends on, yet poverty stricken overall as a result of economic exploitation from

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the world powers of the developing world. And by what means was the African American representing those who “made it”. Ask a young brother or sister in the ghettos of Washington, and they might have a different perception of the concept of “made it”, and the impact it may have on their future. As an African-American who has lived and worked in Gabon, and Senegal, and who has traveled to various parts of the African continent, I have never thought of Africa as a continent that is cursed. Conflicts? Yes. Corruption? Yes. Unexplained poverty (or shall we say “incomprehensive”)? Yes. But beneath all of these complex issues related to Africa’s development that are constantly brought to our attention through media exploitation, lies a continent of beauty and strength, and a people who are interested in contributing to its development, and advancement. To say that Africa is cursed, is too easy a concept to embrace. There has been a long standing often unspoken opinion of Africans by African Americans (for the purposes of this essay, I am referring to those of African descent whose forefathers were slaves and freemen in the US)

that Africans see themselves as better than “us”, and as a result, look down upon us. It is this position that has, in my view, prevented the creation of dialogue that has been needed to inform and educate both groups of each other’s culture as it relates to where there is cultural commonality, adaptation, and where they diverge. My belief has always been that an Africans’ negative view of African Americans has been based upon ignorance, and the fear that African American culture is only represented by what is portrayed by the media. To relegate Africa as a place that is cursed, and that cannot exert power over its own future, is to be ignorant of those Africans both within the continent, and outside Africa who are creating businesses, development programs, and investment opportunities to create a sustainable environment, and to initiate growth in the area of human development. An example of this can be found in Carol Pineau’s documentary film “Africa Open for Business (www. africaopenforbusiness.com)”, a visual journey, where the world is informed of people like Adenike Ogunlesi of Nigeria, founder of Ruff ‘N’ Tumble children’s clothing, Michael Kijjambu, owner of Uganda’s 1000 Cups Coffee House, and Pierre Sauvalle, of animation design studio Pictoon, based in Senegal. There are others featured, who are revolutionizing the telecom and banking industries and mobilizing resources to create business and development opportunities on their own soil. There are other examples of members of civil society in Africa who have

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taken action towards sustaining their own development through organizing, and creating their own opportunities. All one has to do is use the internet to research information about the mobilization of citizens, and their impact in their home country. It is important to note, when discussing a pre-conceived notion of a “curse” of Africa, that within the past 400 years, much has occurred in Africa that has deterred its economic, social, and political development that was not completely self-imposed. Walter Rodney, in his 1973 landmark publication “How Europe Underdeveloped Africa”, outlined the implications of the Trans-Atlantic slave trade on the human and economic development of Africa, based on the fact that its’ human population was decreased, citing its implications on both a pre-colonial, colonial, and postcolonial Africa. I believe that Mr. Rodney was on point with his analysis of African development when he espoused “The question as to who and what is responsible for African underdevelopment can be answered at two levels… the operation of the imperialist system bears major responsibility for African economic retardation by draining African wealth and by making it impossible to develop more rapidly”. Speaking specifically to the Africans role in the TransAtlantic slave trade beginning in the 16th century, Rodney notes that Africans initially aggressively resisted the Europeans attempt in forcing them to participate, namely Congo, Benin, Angola, and others. However, through coercion, isolation, and forced control of the smaller and politically divided African states, the Europeans were able to benefit from the trading of human cargo with the assistance of African leaders. The author

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goes further into analyzing the contribution of both European and African leaders who have participated in the exploitation of Africa’s resources within an international capitalist arena. It is not my intention to ignore the atrocities that some current and past dictators and governments have committed against their own people, and the wars and violence that have been initiated on African soil, often with the assistance of European, Asian, and American involvement. It is also not my intention to make Africa out to be a mythological haven where everything that is inherently “African” is good, or positive. My desire is to simply initiate an internal dialogue that allows one to examine Africa, its development, and its relationship to the rest of the African Diaspora in an objective fashion, while taking into consideration its global context historically, and within the present moment. In the end, it was revealed that all Mr. “the curse of Africa” wanted was an apology. He wanted an apology by Africans for their participation in the MAAFA or TransAtlantic Slave Trade, which has, on many levels, disconnected us culturally, socially, and spiritually from our ancestral homeland. Anger and rage came from not understanding Africa and its complex systems, and not being able to communicate effectively with those Africans living in the United States, due to misperceptions and stereotyping on the part of both cultures. It is my hope that we can one day come together and initiate dialogue that speaks to these misperceptions, so that collectively we can recognize our commonality, strengths, and resources, to assist in the building of communities representing the African. by Alfia Johnson P

Nigeria: Extravagant Gov. Akpabio Defends Controversial Wedding Gifts to Tuface, Wife

overnor Godswill Akpabio of Akwa Ibom State rose in stout defence of his controversial wedding gifts to hip pop musician, Tuface Idibia, saying the gesture was to reward the musician's wife for standing by her husband in the face of difﬁculties. The governor had come under heavy criticism after he announced a gift of two brand new Toyota Prado SUVs to Tuface and his wife. He also reportedly promised to bankroll an allexpense paid trip for 29 delegates from the state to attend the white wedding of the couple ﬁxed for Dubai, the United Arab Emirate. Besides, he also hosted a lavish state dinner in honour of the couples and promised to rehabilitate the Eket-Ibeno Road ahead of the child dedication of Tuface and Annie.

OUTRAGE OVER PRESIDENTIAL

PARDON IN NIGERIA Nigerians are reacting angrily to the state pardon granted to some corrupt public officers, including former governor Diepreye Alamieyeseigha, who was convicted for embezzling billions of Naira. President Goodluck Jonathan reached to his constitutional powers to grant prerogative of mercy in Abuja, spraying controversial gifts of state pardon to about a dozen high profile felons including his former boss Diepreye Alamieyeseigha, who served as governor in Bayelsa State between 2000 and 2005. With the presidential amnesty, the former convicts are free to return to their normal public lives, seek elective positions and take up appointments. They are also no longer to be referred to exconvicts. P THE PROMOTA

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COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT

Translating kitchen gardening experience in Ireland to help a rural community in Uganda

n Irish charity which works with communities in Uganda, the Children’s Educational Development Fund (CEDF), asked me to lead an organic farming project team to turn a half acre field beside a piggery in to a productive and instructive organic kitchen garden. A half dozen volunteers from Ireland joined with a half dozen Ugandan women to build and plant this organic garden which is also close to the local dispensary, community centre and a newly built secondary school which other CEDF volunteers from Ireland helped to paint at the same time. The success of this new garden will depend on the twice yearly addition of organic matter. Therefore a three bay composting system was constructed to transform the mixture of pig manure and waste vegetation in to soil conditioner and fertilizer. The rising cost and non-availability of chemical fertilizers means that organic growing principles are the most practical way of farming in rural southern Uganda. Indeed the horticultural experimentations of Fr. Henri de Laulanié S.J. in

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Madagascar in the 1960’s and Sumant Kumar, a smallholder farmer in northern India, presently, are proving that small scale organic growing or ‘System of Crop Intensification’ (SCI) as they call it, is more productive per hectare than large scale chemically based farming. In the higher temperatures of equatorial Africa, decomposition and growth rates are many times faster than in northern Europe. This means two crops from the soil where in Ireland we usually get one per annum. However, the fertility of the land falls faster too due to accelorated decomposition of organic matter in the soil. This necessitates adding organic matter more often than in Ireland to maintain this high level of productivity. The Department of Agriculture in Uganda was on hand to advise and appreciate this community development organic project. On the last day, the Minister for Agriculture, Animal Industry and Fisheries, Mr. Tress Bucyanayandi M.P., travelled to Lwanunda near

Masaka to officially open this new Organic Kitchen Garden as a training ground for the community and a source of healthy food and additional income. He got to see the early signs of growth in the fruit and vegetables just planted, which included mango and orange trees, tomatoes, aubergines, spinach, onions, parsley, cabbage, coriander, lavender, rosemary, comfrey and tithonia. We procured seeds of beans, basil, courgettes and other crops for sowing later at the times appropriate to their growing needs. The prospect of transforming a field in to a diverse organic garden, complete with a shaded seating area and ornamental aromatic garden, in one week seemed an impossibility at the start. However, the goal of creating a ‘piece of paradise’ in the ‘Pearl of Africa’, drove on the Ugandan and Irish volunteers alike. Indeed, the Governor of the Masaka region asked when he saw the work, if we had been here a month or a week? What a week! by Trevor Sargent P

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BUSINESS & INNOVATION

iROKOtv Launches

Mobile App on Nokia Lumia

iROKOtv was launched a year later in 2011. Since launching we have built an awesome library of over 5000 films. Is iRokoTV only dedicated for Nollywood movies and why? At the moment, we have mostly Nollywood movies on our site because that's where the company started; purchasing the online licences to Nollywood movies so we could legally stream the online, on-demand. Nollywood is the world's second largest movie industry (in terms of output) and before we came onto the scene, there was no legal online presence for Nollywood. Do you have plans to expand to other parts of Africa? We have recently opened a new office in South Africa, so naturally we're considering all options there and we also know that Africa is producing some incredible content, so we're looking at ways to make this even more popular.

to talk was happy ta magazine t for o m en ro m P p o e h el T ess Dev n si u B af o d dibeli N uk to Head s, Africa, A er tn ar P O Do you find bandwidth iROK challenges to smoothly run Agwu. iRokoTV? More people watch iROKOtv in London than they do in the whole of Nigeria - this is due to broadband penetration. So yes, bandwith is an issue in Africa, but we're always searching for solutions to problems! For What is the background of the example, when we built the new people behind iRokoTV? Are iROKOtv app with Nokia, they you all Nigerians? helped us to compress the files iROKO Partners' HQ is in Lagos, to help improve buffering. but we have offices in London, Lagos, South Africa and New What are the challenges you York, so we have a diverse staff encountered getting funding? from around the world. We didn't really encounter any challenges as we were When was iRokoTV partners approached by our Investors. launched? They heard about what we were iROKO Partners was launched in doing, liked the business model,. December 2010, so we have just particularly the way in which celebrated our second birthday, we meet the enormous global

Brief encounter with

Adi Nduka-Agwu

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demand for quality Nollywood. what is iROKO doing to reach out to the Diaspora? The Diaspora currently makes up the majority of our viewership – some of our largest markets are in the US, UK, Canada and France. We've reached out to it by streaming thousands of awesome Nollywood movies on www.irokotv.com for free. They can also join together to chat about our movies - we have a very active online community leaving comments on the movies and keeping up with all the news on Twitter - @iROKOtv - and on Facebook. Part of the reason that iROKO was founded was because the Diaspora weren’t able to access Nollywood films online and now iROKOtv’s awesome catalogue of high quality films is accessible to Africans worldwide. How is iROKOTV likely to benefit from the recent fibreoptic cable laid along the West African coast? Anything that helps improve people's access to broadband is great for us - we know that a lot of Nigerians are desperate to get their hands on free, high quality Nollywood movies but they don't have the means to do it yet. With improved broadband penetration, we predict there will be more people visiting www. irokotv.com How does one get to watch iROKOTV? Visit www.irokotv.com - online or on a mobile, search for your favourite films and click play. It's super easy, you don't even need to register! The new Nokia partnership also means that Lumia 8 users can have an app specially built for the phone as well as free access to iROKOtv+ for three months! P THE PROMOTA

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bUSINESS START-UP

Start Your Own Magazine

Nine out of 10 new magazines fail, according to Cheryl Woodward, publishing business consultant and author of Starting and Running a Successful Newsletter or Magazine. Steps Build Your Publication Brainstorm. Before you start building your publishing empire, you need to create something. If you have not done so already, sit down with a trusted friend and start bouncing ideas off each other, and see what emerges: o What will be the topic of your magazine? Focus on things you love and know well, whether that is sports, fashion, computers, or social networking. Creating a magazine based on your passions will end up being more engaging, relevant, and useful to your readers than a topic you have no relationship with. o Who is your target audience? This will help you focus on your possibilities. For example, if your topic is fashion, your demographic will have a huge impact on the style and substance of your magazine, as well as potential ad revenue. If your target market is teenage girls, for example, you’ll approach the writing, content, even the logo and color scheme much differently than you would if you were targeting men over 40,

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or gender-neutral 20-somethings. Define your content. It’s going take time, effort, and money to get people interested in reading your magazine. Make sure you can keep them once they’ve come by reaching people who have a continuing need. o For example, consider buying a home. There are three groups of people who could be reached with a magazine: the buyer, the seller, and the real estate agent. However, of those three groups, only one has the potential of being a repeat customer, and that’s the real estate agent. Unless you target investment buyers and sellers—which is really a completely different market—your best target audience for repeat business will the real estate agent. Reach out. To make any business venture a success, you need to be out there interacting with a broad range of people—people who will help make your magazine successful. o Influential people in your market are very important to know and engage. For example, if you’re creating a magazine for rock climbers, you will want

to meet the top climbers, content creators, and other stars in that firmament. It may be that they do nothing more than tell their friends, “Hey, there’s a rad new mag that’s coming out in a couple months,” or they may say, “Hey, there’s a rad new mag coming out in a couple months, and I’d love to do a spread on your trip to Smith Rocks.” Either way, you’re a winner. o People with experience starting and financing business ventures, and people in the printing industry. Talk to your banker, your attorney, printers, website creators, anybody who might have a wealth of knowledge and experience that touches your venture is good to know. Create a business plan. This will help you define what you are going to do, and plan for the future. You will have to develop hard numbers for revenue, understand the competition, and codify your needs so that you will always know what you’re doing—even when you don’t! o You will also need a business plan when you approach the people who will fund your

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STARTING A MAGAZINE venture. They’re much more likely to invest in your venture when they see you’ve invested time and effort yourself. Build a team. Once you’ve gone through the process of defining your magazine and what group of people it will server, you will want to put together a small team of people who can create that vision. You might be tempted to think, “I can do it all, myself.” Don’t fall into this trap. o It takes an lot of time to write all the articles. It takes more time to photograph or source and edit images. It takes still more time to do the page layout, ad sales, manage the printing process, sales, distribution, and customer support. Each of those disciplines require their own levels of expertise. Unless you plan on publishing one copy every 6 months, it would be wise to build a staff at this point. Staff wisely. Consider the following roles that you want to have covered: o Management. This is most likely your primary role, though you will undoubtedly be participating in the other roles as well. You’ll oversee everything, do the books, look for funding, find printers, and more. o Writing and editing. All those fine and witty words, the articles, even the page numbers and table of contents all need to be written and edited. Emphasis on editing. o Graphic designer. What does the magazine look like? Again, different markets need different design approaches, and people will respond accordingly. Consider the difference between, for example, Wired and The New Yorker. Wired made their mark with day-glo colors, cutting edge page layout, and bold use of white space. It appealed to the geekdom like nothing else at the time. Now consider The New Yorker, with

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it’s wry, pastel art, witty cartoons, and probing articles, all wrapped up in traditional fonts and page layout. o Publication manager. Somebody’s got to be out there sourcing printing houses, paper costs, doing spot checks, proofing, and being the point person for everything to do with the nuts and bolts of publishing. o Sales manager. All those ads have to come from somewhere, because that’s where a lot of the revenue is going to come from— especially at first, as you give away copies as fast as you can. Having somebody working that revenue stream every day will make a huge difference on your bottom line. o Marketing manager. Even if you build it, they’re not going to come unless they know about it. A marketing manager will spread the word, get your magazine placed on newsstands, bookstores, distribution houses, and more. Your marketing manager will also know what the competition is doing—what’s in their press kit, and what promotions they’re running, and how they’re being successful— and then do it better! Plan your first issue. Do mockups of the layout, use “lorem ipsum” text to fill in the empty spots, drop in pictures from the internet as placeholders—anything that lets you visualize and plan your first issue is good. o Armed with that, your writers and designers will know what to create, your marketing and sales people will know what to sell, and your publishing people will be able to start pricing things

out and getting bids. While they’re doing that, roughplan the next 6 publications. It’s easy to get started, but deadlines in the publishing industry come fast. If you’re really prepared, you will have the second magazine ready to finish as soon as the first one is out the door. Launch a website. As you’re about to launch your magazine, put up a website. It doesn’t have to be elaborate, at least not at first, but it will give people a place to see teasers to your publication and the content before they buy it. It’ll also be a place where you can have an active community forum for feedback and commentary—invaluable if you want to grow into a successful publication. Build your magazine. Now that you have your team in place, the design firmed up, and content creators ready to create, make your first issue. You’ll inevitably have kinks to work out, but the only way to know that is to do it. It’ll be a process you’ll never forget, but at the end of it, you’ll have a magazine! Epilogue Pay attention. Your first issue will be an incredible learning experience, and a heady moment, but that’s

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BUSINESS START-UP just the beginning. When people start reading it, and advertisers see it in print, you’ll undoubtedly get feedback. Pay attention to it. o Do they love the content, but hate the layout? Find out why they hate it. It might be a perfect layout for a different demographic, but not yours. Before you go changing things willy-nilly, analyze the pros and cons. o Is it priced right? People often complain about the price of things that they buy, but the key here is “did they buy?” If you get a lot of feedback saying, “It looked nice, but it was too much, I didn’t buy it,” you might have to readjust your numbers. That could be just adjusting your expectations, or it might mean selling more ads instead of charging more per issue. o Also keep track of what you’re doing right. Promotions that work—keep them. Columns that got rave reviews—do more in that style. That little chatty throwaway section of witty comments about the field? They loved that? Feature it! The key is to pay attention and respond, both to what went wrong, and what went right. Keep fine tuning. Always keep track of the numbers, of what’s working, and what isn’t. Your market will change, the times will change, and whatever your topic is, will be subject to good times and bad times. Stay ahead of the game by knowing your chosen industry intimately, and you’ll do great. Good luck! Tips  Be prepared, and be proactive. Planning ahead for possible difficulties will help you should any of those come to pass. Instead of being reactionary, you’ll be able to meet them with a plan.  Don’t listen to all the naysayers. If

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RO U O Y RT

AZI G A M N

sTA

you really think you have a great idea and what it takes, stick to your convictions.  Understand a few key facts about launching a magazine. Of every hundred magazines that are launched, just one magazine actually survives a two year period: o Every single day, hundreds of people start a new magazine across the world. Read the statistics, and you’ll be shocked to see the number of new magazine titles that are out on stands every single month. o On an average across the world, of every 100 magazines that are launched by a new publishing house, less than 30 magazine titles survive the first six months, and less than 10 magazine titles get past a year. o Only 2 magazines get past a

year and a half, and finally just one magazine survives the two year figure.  Understand that “survive” doesn’t mean the magazine makes enough money to buy swanky cars and mansions for yourself. It literally means “survive”. Making hundreds of thousands of dollars is another topic entirely. But on a positive note, a few of these newly launched magazines do make a lot of money, so you still have a fighting chance.  Be realistic, but no need to be pessimistic. After all, starting a magazine is a simple mix of business strategies and creativity. Get it right, and heck, you’ve got the money. Get it wrong, and you’ll have a wealth of experience. For more information contact: Willy Mutenza on 0207 237 7317 Email: info@thepromota.co.uk P

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OPINION

Living inside out – the only way to end corruption in Uganda

by Isabelle Gravenstein

This is my call to all those in positions of power and leadership. Heal thyself first, then show the way to others!

ecently, Uganda has been plagued yet again, with negative publicity about the level of corruption taking place in the highest political arenas, and other governmental offices. Much has been written about corruption, attempting to understand and tackle the causes of this very damaging phenomenon. But all the reasons put forward have not in my opinion, uncovered the real and only source of corruption.

I quote one writer, in a Ugandan paper, who said “For ordinary citizens, the debate on corruption – as expected – has been driven by the desire to punish the named and shamed. It has shed little light on the crux of the matter, that is, that these scandals demonstrate the collapse of the government’s financial management system”. There are

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three points I want to expand on, from this short piece. Firstly, a name and shame stance does little to help people reform. It only tackles the end product of a corrupted mind, who might lay low for a while, after being named (and possibly shamed, but if arrogance prevails, it will not even induce shame!); secondly, punishment does not necessarily help people reform from the insideout either, i.e. knowing right from wrong, and in addition may lead people to vouch to themselves, that ‘next time’, they won’t get caught! The third point is about ‘corruption demonstrating the collapse of financial management system’. This collapse of management is not the reason why there is corruption. It is the collapse of innate integrity in the minds of the people who manage the finances that is the root of corruption, and nothing else! The real reason, or cause of anything happening in our individuals lives, and in the physical world at large is the minds of human beings. Behaviour follows an impulse of the mind, in other words our thoughts. And if anything at all does not function in a perfect way, our minds are the cause of it, and not governments (consisting of people – understand minds), laws (devised by and supposedly respected by people), the economy (kept alive by people) or other people (also ruled by their minds). I have to admit, that however much I love Uganda and its people, I dislike immensely to see how corrupt most minds can be in this beautiful country. I may have been a more obvious victim of corruption, being a mzungu, and appearing

innocent to the Ugandan ways! But Mr Mutenza from the Promota ( Ugandan through and through) recounted his own story of being recently a victim of corruption, which led to him having to pay thousands of dollars to various people in order to recover his land which a soldier has forcefully taken, and correct a wrong which he had been a victim of in the first place. And he experienced this corruption at several very high judicial levels. Mr Mutenza told me how he would have preferred by far to invest this money in projects that would have helped the poorest in Uganda. He was not happy that this ill gotten money was lining the pockets of already well-off officials. But had he not paid the money, he would have been unable to proceed with his own affairs. And even though some friends of his in high official positions tried to help him, the corrupted minds claiming the bribes refused outright to abandon their ploy of a quick, unlawful gain! When people in the West witness such behaviour, they stop and rethink about their willingness to part with their money, money which they would like to see invested for the entire growth and wellbeing of the country, not just to make a few fat cats, fatter!! We sadly had such a case, where a wealthy business man in the UK, witnessing such corruption, cut off all ties with Uganda, loathed to have his money mismanaged and abused. This was an immense loss for the poor people and the children he wanted to help. Many lives lost out long term because of the short-sighted, corrupted minds he initially dealt with.

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The end of corruption can very easily take place, if reformation happens at the source of the problem, namely people’s minds. In another article, the writer admitted that ‘civil society organizations have launched a plan that will sensitise the public about the dangers of corruption through newsletters, radios and outreach programmes’. This, in my opinion, is a wonderful step in the right direction, but, these organisations must deliver the right message to help people reform from the insideout! To encourage people to respect the laws, to make them see the damage corruption creates is part of this vital message, of course. But it is deep in the human mind and psyche that the message needs to be driven to, absorbed, thought about, understood and then integrated into people’s every day behaviour. And a corruption-free mind needs to be fostered from very early on in life, starting in the family unit. A young child learns from his environment, copies what he sees, believes that what he sees done by others is the way life is lived. If the family unit, then the educational system are themselves not corruptionfree, this child stands little chance of differentiating between what is right and acceptable and what is wrong and damaging to himself and others. So to eradicate corruption, we must firstly uproot all propensities to lie, deceive, cheat and highjack, as well as banish other lowly habits out of the family unit. It is nearly impossible to uproot the nefarious weeds of corruption out of a mind that has accepted it as the norm, and has been using it in his/ her life for years, not even stopping once to wonder if it is the right way to function in life, because nearly everyone else does the same. Whilst uprooting the weeds at family levels, and also promoting a corruption-free mind via the educational channels (let this

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Left, Hon. Kutesa, Minister of Foreign Affairs, Late Hon. Kategaya and His Excellency.

‘weeding’ be an integral part of the curriculum!), the whole nation needs also powerful role models, and these are the ones who are currently showing very poor records of integrity and honesty, namely, leaders in governments and officials in high and low positions, in many different organisations across society. If the people decrying the high levels of corruption in any way fail themselves to ‘walk the talk’ of putting an end to corruption, they might as well keep on plotting on how to make the next millions disappear into secret bank accounts, because their voice will not carry the weight and conviction of honesty and integrity, and people can see through such flimsy and empty behaviours. A corrupted mind is a mind that feels separate from other minds, i.e. other people. It is a mind that does not know that all lives are intrinsically linked, and that if we steal from another, we really steal from ourselves! If we cheat another, we short-change ourselves, and dig our own ruts of endless miseries. We all fall under the universal law of ‘cause and effect’. Therefore, what we plant in the world, namely the effects of our behaviour (good or bad), will result in a guaranteed crop of the same qualities, but with added interest. If we plant seeds of corruption, the crops of everyone’s efforts will be blighted, not only for

the ones indulging in corruption. The corrupted mind will get the biggest return on his planting though, and many wonder why they may suddenly face the loss of their high positions, why their health has taken a turn for the worse, why their crops have failed, and their cows are losing weight or have run away! People must reform their minds first, and know, without a shadow of a doubt that corruption is an unacceptable behaviour for any human being to indulge in, full stop. People must embrace this truth with a passion and foster an immense dislike for it, knowing that corruption hurts everyone, especially the perpetrators. And the ones who embrace this truth must teach it to others and help them understand that there is a much better and nobler way to conduct themselves. I would like to see an anti-corruption program put in place by the ones in the highest political and judicial positions, and I would like to see these people themselves regularly talk about the needs for all of us to reform our minds. A reformed mind will automatically shun corruption. Naming, shaming and punishment would not not even be mentioned as ways to tackle the problem, as there would be no one to name, shame and punish! isa_gravenstein@yahoo.co.uk Feature Editor of the Promota magazine

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AGRI BUSINESS

AFRICA’S AGRICULTURE AND AGRIBUSINESS MARKETS

SET TO TOP US$ ONE TRILLION IN 2030 Makhtar Diop, World Bank Vice President for Africa Region. “We cannot overstate the importance of agriculture to Africa’s determination to maintain and boost its high growth rates, create more jobs, significantly reduce poverty, and grow enough cheap, nutritious food to feed its families, export its surplus crops, while safeguarding the continent’s environment.” New Findings Good prospects: Africa’s food and beverage markets are projected to reach $1 trillion by 2030. By way of comparison, the current size of the market is $313 billion, offering the prospect of a threefold increase, bringing more jobs, greater prosperity, less hunger, and significantly more opportunity enabling African farmers to compete globally.

new World Bank report “Growing Africa: Unlocking the Potential of Agribusiness,” says that Africa’s farmers and agribusinesses could create a trillion-dollar food market by 2030 if they can expand their access to more capital, electricity, better technology and irrigated land to grow high-value nutritious foods. The report calls on governments to work side-by-side with agribusinesses, to link farmers with consumers in an increasingly urbanized Africa. “The time has come for making African agriculture and agribusiness a catalyst for ending poverty,” says

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Performance boost needed: Africa’s agriculture and agribusinesses are underperforming. Many developing countries such as Brazil, Indonesia, and Thailand now export more food products than all of Sub-Saharan Africa combined. Even as export shares are falling, import of food products is rising. The report argues that these adverse trends can be reversed through good policies, sustained public-private investment, and strong publicprivate partnerships backed by open, transparent procedures and processes along the entire value chain. Untapped land and water: Africa has more than half of the world’s fertile yet unused land. Africa uses only two percent of its renewable water resources compared to the global average of five percent. Post-harvest

losses run 15 to 20 percent for cereals and are higher for perishable products due to poor storage and other farm infrastructure. While pointing to the need for significant investment in infrastructure the report carries an unequivocal warning: in the rush to allocate land for agribusiness, care needs to be taken so that acquisitions do not threaten people’s livelihoods and land purchases or leases are conducted according to ethical and socially responsible standards, including recognizing local users’ rights, holding consultations with local communities, and paying fair market-rate compensation for land acquired. Adding Value The report took an in-depth look at entire value chains – the process for taking products from farms to markets – for five commodities, rice, maize, cocoa, dairy and green beans. Africa is the world’s leading importer and consumer of rice, paying US$3.5 billion for import bills. By increasing rice production, Senegal can help meet local demand but more capital is needed together with greater investment in irrigation and easing restrictions on access to land. Ghana, another top importer, produces more varieties of rice but at significantly higher cost. “Improving Africa’s agriculture and agribusiness sectors means higher incomes and more jobs. It also allows Africa to compete globally. Today, Brazil, Indonesia and Thailand each export more food products than all of sub-Saharan Africa combined. This must change,” says Jamal Saghir, World Bank Director for Sustainable Development in the Africa Region.

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Success Story Although much of Eastern and Southern Africa is well suited to dairy production, only Kenya has established a competitive dairy industry. Kenya’s industry is based partly on a formal sector for processed milk and other dairy products, but its dynamic informal sector (based mostly on raw milk) is even more important, supplying over 80 percent of the market. Kenya’s success largely comes from the entrepreneurship of smallholders’ who choose high milk-yielding cross-bred cattle, improved feeds and paid better attention to animal health. Also, Kenya success points to the importance of improving linkages to the formal sector through cooperative milk collection and milk cooling centers. Even though challenges remain government policy, especially flexibility in setting quality and safety standards for the informal chain were vital. Looking Ahead The report says agriculture and agribusiness should be at the top of the development and business agenda in Sub-Saharan Africa. Strong leadership and commitment from both public and private sectors is needed. For success, engaging with strategic “good practice” investors is critical, as is the need for strengthening of safeguards, land administration systems, and screening investments for sustainable growth. Concluding on an upbeat note, the report says Africa can draw on many local successes to guide governments and investors toward positive economic, social and environmental outcomes. “African farmers and businesses must be empowered through good policies, increased public and private investments and strong public-private partnerships,” says Gaiv Tata, World Bank Director for Financial and Private Sector Development in Africa. “A strong agribusiness sector is vital for Africa's economic future.” P

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Rwanda's transformation is a reflection of its people see anybody who can give lessons to Rwandans. When we will have problems, we will look each other in the eye and we will agree how to move forward.” On Rwanda’s vision for the future, President Kagame told the students:

resident Kagame shared Rwanda’s ongoing journey to socio-economic change with students at the Harvard Business School who have spent the semester studying a case entitled “Rwanda: National Economic Transformation.” Taught by Professor Michael Porter, a leading expert on competitive strategy and competitiveness and economic development of nations, the course chronicles Rwanda’s economy from the 13th Century through the colonial times and independence to the current economic situation. President Kagame spoke on Rwanda’s transformation as a reflection of people who are shaping their future and believing in their ability to govern themselves: “We have stopped surviving, we are living. When you are living, there are demands. We want dignity. People of Rwanda know what they want, how they want it. They don’t need anybody to hold their hands and say I must deliver you there. At some point you must say it is my hand and I must move on my own. How to govern ourselves, I don’t

“Nothing has ever come to us on a silver platter. We have struggled for everything. Eighteen years ago, dogs were eating corpses of hundreds of thousands of people on the street. That is where we have come from. Today, the problems remaining are good problems. We can now worry about transition, we are no longer worried about survival, about life and death, we have left that behind. We are building institutions, building infrastructure and investing in our people. It’s all about the ambition you have.” President Kagame also shared the progress Rwanda has experienced in the past few years: “People in Rwanda cannot afford to waste any opportunity. Every day we are looking to see what is it that will make a difference for us. The story of social economic transformation in Rwanda is real. We lifted 1 million people out of poverty in past five years.” President Kagame will continue his US working visit with an address to over 500 students at the University of Hartford Maurice Greenberg Center for Judaic Studies where the university is launching its Genocide and Holocaust Education Initiative. The address will be titled “Vision 2020” and will focus on Rwanda’s national plan of social transformation. P THE PROMOTA

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AGRIBUSINESS

Companies investing in African agribusiness,

and what we can learn from them

Africa’s agriculture and food industries are attracting increasing interest from investors. This trend is largely fuelled by the fact that the continent has 60% of the world’s uncultivated arable land, with favourable weather conditions in many countries. There is also a belief that rising incomes will spur demand for food products in the years to come. To examine the opportunities and challenges on the continent, How we made it in Africa recently published a report that looks at six companies that have invested in the region’s agribusiness sector. does not change, what is changing is the packaging,” said the firm’s CEO Zin Bekkali. He added that by selling products in improved packaging, many food companies on the continent have been able to grow their revenues by between 20% and 30% annually.

Silk Invest – betting on food

Silk Invest is a United Kingdombased frontier market investment company. The firm manages the Silk African Food Fund, which is a private equity fund that invests in processed food, beverages and quickservice restaurant companies on the continent. Silk Invest sees opportunities in targeting the African consumer from a food and beverages perspective. The fund invests in scalable food companies with the potential to become national and regional leaders. A significant volume of the packaged food that Africa consumes is currently being imported, creating opportunities to produce these products locally. In a 2011 webcast,

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Waseem Khan, Silk Invest’s head of private equity, gave the example of Ethiopia, which he said is a large consumer of biscuits. More than 50% of the biscuits consumed in Ethiopia is currently imported. Khan noted that there is a small company based in the Middle East that quadrupled its earnings when it started exporting biscuits to Ethiopia. Silk Invest’s fund is currently focusing on Kenya, Ethiopia, Egypt,

It is often difficult and expensive for African companies to borrow money from banks, and therefore private equity offers an alternative for them to grow their businesses. Khan, however, said that it is important to show these companies that Silk Invest is not there to take over their companies, but to help them grow. “Our view is to be involved in active management with them, and to be there with them for the next three to four years, where they can make money, and we can make money,” he noted.

AGCO – taking advantage of the trend towards mechanisation

Morocco, Ghana and Nigeria. The fund has so far invested in a confectionary company in Egypt, a quick service restaurant brand in Nigeria, and a biscuit manufacturer in Ethiopia. Silk Invest believes there is currently a formalisation of food products happening in Africa – a move to branded and better packaged items. “It is about a formalisation of something that is already consumed. It is basically moving from fresh milk directly from the farmer, to fresh milk in a bottle. The price typically

Suppliers of agricultural equipment are also looking to Africa as a new growth market. AGCO, a New York Stock Exchange listed multinational company – that designs, manufactures and distributes agricultural machinery such as tractors and harvesters – last year announced that it will invest US$100

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He added that joint ventures have less chance of being nationalised, as the local company also has a significant stake in the business.

Thai Farm – adding value, while overcoming challenges million into Africa. AGCO is the world’s third largest agricultural equipment maker and a manufacturer of brands such as Challenger, Massey Ferguson and Fendt. AGCO’s push into the continent is mainly because it believes African agriculture is drawing growing interest from international investors, attracted by the shift to commercial farming. According to Nuradin Osman, AGCO’s director for Africa and the Middle East, there are three reasons why the company is optimistic about the continent’s agricultural sector. These are: •

Global factors such as rising populations, increasing income levels in emerging markets, and a growing scarcity of arable land and water.

•

The World Bank attributes 60% of the world’s uncultivated land to Africa, and also suggests that investment in agriculture has the potential to create millions of jobs on the continent.

•

About 10% of cropped land in Africa is prepared by tractor, and only 4% of land is irrigated.

development organisations, to provide financing solutions to these farmers. The company is also looking at leasing tractors to farmers. AGCO also sees value in partnering with local companies in Africa. “There are numerous other benefits for being part of a joint venture with a local partner in Africa. We benefit from the local partner’s knowledge about the country’s culture, language, political system, and business systems. Since a joint venture also entails a significant equity investment, both companies invest significantly in resources, talents, and commitment to the new firm. This provides both companies with advantages in terms of sharing development costs and risks,” said Osman in an interview.

Thai Farm is a cassava processing company in Nigeria. Cassava, a woody shrub with an edible root that looks like a large sweet potato, is one of the most widely grown crops in Nigeria, produced largely by subsistence farmers. Although cassava roots can be processed into a variety of products – including cassava flour, starch, ethanol and glucose syrup – the crop has not been a great commercial success. Thai Farm is processing cassava into baking flour, and it is also looking at moving a step up in the value chain by producing starch. There is currently a growing interest in high quality cassava flour. This is because the Nigerian government has issued a directive that requires bakers to add a certain percentage of cassava

In addition to large-scale commercial farms, AGCO is also targeting smallholder farmers. The vast majority of African farmers are smallholders, and most agricultural companies have some kind of strategy to also cater for their demands. However, most of these small-scale farmers cannot afford tractors and other equipment. To address this, AGCO is partnering with local and regional banks, as well as various

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AGRIBUSINESS flour into their mixes. This was done to reduce dependency on imported wheat flour, and to boost the local agricultural industry. Cassava flour is also much cheaper than wheat flour. Last year, Flour Mills of Nigeria, a Nigerian Stock Exchange listed company and one of the country’s largest wheat milling companies, bought a controlling stake in Thai Farm. Thai Farm’s South African-born founder, Louw Burger, said that despite the company’s success, it is facing a number of challenges. One of the company’s headaches is finding the right people to work at its plant. Cassava factories need to be situated close to the farms due to the crop’s short shelf life. After it has been taken out of the ground, cassava needs to ideally be processed within 48 hours before it goes bad. This means that once the crops come in, the factory often needs to operate 24 hours a day. “Finding people in these villages that actually have an education, that actually have a work ethic, that can apply themselves, that have a place to sleep during the day, so that when they are on night shift they have rested during the day – these are all major challenges,” Burger explained.

Transport is also a challenge. Burger said that transport is generally very expensive in Nigeria, and typically run by small companies that are often not that reliable. In addition he has to deal with bad roads and harassment by officials. Burger said that he carries 48 different documents in his vehicle, and even then he gets stopped by somebody trying to squeeze money from him by selling him another permit.

Zeder – not naïve about the risks Zeder is the agribusiness arm of South Africa-based investment company PSG Group. Zeder has stakes in a variety of South African agricultural food businesses. Last year, however, it made its first investment into the

rest of the continent when it bought a controlling stake in a company called Chayton, which owns a commercial farming business in Zambia. Crops cultivated include soya beans and wheat. One of the reasons why Zeder felt comfortable with Zambia as an investment destination is because of the government’s strong focus on agriculture, as a way to diversify the economy from mining. Chayton’s land is part of a designated farming block that was bought by the government from local chiefs. To encourage investment in the region, the Zambian authorities supplied infrastructure such as roads and electricity. The land can be acquired on a 99 year lease. There are currently around 90 farmers in the area from countries across the world such as Zimbabwe, South Africa, the US, Australia and Russia. Chayton’s farm in Zambia caters primarily for local demand, and the business hasn’t built its model on exports. However, Chayton has the opportunity to export as Zambia is bordered by eight countries, all of whom are net food importers. Despite the generally favourable conditions, Zeder did take some measures to protect itself from political risk. “Although this investment looks very good on paper, we are not naïve to think that there aren’t any risks,” said Willem Meyer, an analyst at Zeder who

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was instrumental in the Chayton acquisition. Chayton is covered by political risk insurance from the World Bank’s Multilateral Investment Guarantee Agency (MIGA). In case of any trouble, the company is covered for all the capital that it invests in Zambia. In addition, the business has also signed an Investor Promotion and Protection Agreement with the Zambian government. Among various things outlined in the document, it allows Chayton to continue to export commodities in the event of a closure of the country’s borders. During 2012, the Zambian government did introduce two measures that could negatively impact companies operating in the country. Firstly, it drastically increased the minimum wage. Secondly, it also prohibited companies from invoicing in US dollars. Even though Chayton currently has good managers, one of the company’s biggest challenges of expanding the business will be finding the right management. If we want to build a big business, we need the right management and we need to make it attractive for them to go and work in Zambia. It will cost us two more in terms of salaries to convince the good guys to relocate, but it makes sense when one looks at the possible returns,” Meyer expressed.

KFC – an opportunity for farmers

but because KFC couldn’t source lettuce in the qualities and quantities it required.

Although fast-food restaurant chain KFC is not strictly an agribusiness firm, it does get all its products from farming, and its expansion into the rest of the continent is opening up various opportunities for farmers. KFC has been operating in South Africa and some of its neighbouring countries from as early as the 1970s. However, it was only at the end of 2009 that it expanded its footprint further north into sub-Saharan Africa with the opening of the first KFC outlet in Nigeria. By the end of 2012 KFC had stores operating in Angola, Nigeria, Namibia, Botswana, Mozambique, Lesotho, Malawi, Swaziland, Ghana, Kenya and Zambia. KFC has plans to extend its reach to Zimbabwe, Tanzania and Uganda in 2013, with much longer-term growth plans to establish itself in the Democratic Republic of Congo, Ethiopia and Senegal. Keith Warren, KFC’s managing director for Africa at the time, noted that in some African countries KFC burgers did not have lettuce on them. This was not to cater for local tastes,

Warren said that in many cases growth is being held back by inadequate farming capacity to supply the company with chickens and vegetables. Warren used the example of Nigeria. “The only limiting factor we’ve got in Nigeria right now is actually chicken supply, and finding suppliers who are able to meet our global quality standards in sufficient quantity. The commercial chicken industry is horribly underdeveloped.” When KFC entered the Nigerian market, the company had difficulty in persuading farmers to become its suppliers. “When we first went into Nigeria, it took a lot of convincing to get one of the chicken farmers to partner, because of the amount of investment [he] needed to make to achieve our quality standards. The other chicken producers weren’t particularly interested. But once they saw the success we were achieving with that one farmer, they then went and said, ‘We better get on board’,” Warren explained. Demand for quality fresh produce not only comes from the growing number of fast food restaurants in Africa, but also from supermarket chains expanding into the continent. South Africa-based retailer Shoprite has arguably been one of the most successful in this area, while its rival Pick’n’Pay has also been growing its footprint. South African supermarkets are, however, not the only ones with plans to expand their operations. Kenyan retailers such as Nakumatt and Uchumi have also entered countries outside their home market.

Karuturi – it takes time Karuturi is an Indian agribusiness company that first started operations in Ethiopia in 2005 with a 10 hectare flower farm. Today it is a major

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producer of cut roses in the country. Karuturi has also started with the growing of cereals, rice and sugar from its 100,000 hectare farm in Gambella province, in western Ethiopia. Some commentators have described the deal as a land grab. While many still associate Ethiopia with famine and poverty, it has been one of the world’s fastest growing economies in recent years. With a population of over 84 million, it is Africa’s second most populous country. The land that Karuturi is farming on has never been cultivated. “We are talking of virgin lands, which have never been ploughed for hundreds of years. We are trying to do that for the first time,” said Birinder Singh, executive director of Karuturi Agro Products, at a conference in Ethiopia last year. Another challenge faced by Karuturi is the scarcity of workers in the

thinly-populated area of Gambella. Singh noted that when Karuturi’s farm is fully developed it will require around 25,000 people to work in the fields. Urbanisation is also not helping the situation. “Able-bodied men who can work on the fields are leaving the villages and going to the urban areas. What is left behind is children and women,” said Singh. People live in straw houses and if you are able to create infrastructure and provide them proper housing, people are ready to come and stay over there.” Some of the difficulties faced by the company are also more unusual. Next to Karuturi’s farm is a major national park with around 800,000 antelopes. To protect its crops from the animals, Karuturi has now requested the government to give it permission to put solar powered electric fences around its farm. Singh said that the Ethiopian government has assisted Karuturi with some of the problems it was facing. For example, Karuturi was struggling to find quality seeds and agro-chemicals in the local market,

but the government has allowed it to directly import these inputs. Four mobile network towers have also been installed on Karuturi’s farm. “Communication has become easy, internet has become easy.” He underlined the importance of making the challenges experienced by commercial farmers known to the government. “For the country this type of commercial farming is new. As we are new to the country, the country is new to this concept of commercial farming. There are enough interactive sessions where you can put forward your points. If the decision makers are convinced that there needs to be a policy change, it happens.” Despite the challenges, Karuturi remains optimistic about their ventures in Ethiopia. Said Singh: “There are challenges, there are concerns, but still Ethiopia is a wonderful country to cut into agriculture. It offers an excellent recipe for agriculture – excellent lands, water, fertility of the lands, cheap labour ... stable government, and a corruption free regime.” “Agriculture is a journey, and we have only made a beginning. The results cannot come overnight,” he added. by Jaco Maritz Submitted by John Matsiko www.howwemadeitinafrica.com

Tanzania: EU SUPPORTS E.AFRICAN FARMERS THE European Commission has granted 1.4 million Euro to support small scale farmers in East Africa. The funds will help involvement in policy dialogue and monitoring for improved food security in the region.

commodity trade within the East African Community (EAC) He said the support that runs for three and half years, would be jointly managed by the Eastern and Southern Africa Small Scale Farmers Forum (ESAFF);

Speaking at the launch in Dar es Salaam the Deputy Permanent Secretary in Ministry of East African Cooperation, Mr Uledi Mussa, said the funds would strengthen the capacity of small scale farmers and foster agriculture

A network of small scale farmer Groups in Tanzania (MVIWATA) and GRET Professional Association of France. He said the implementation will involve the participation of the other ESAFF members in Kenya, Uganda, Rwanda

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and Burundi. It aims at strengthen the capacities of ESAFF and its members in the ﬁve countries of the East African Community (EAC). He said it would contribute to the formulation and monitoring of the policies with impact on food security at local, national and regional levels and foster agricultural commodities' trade within the region, building on MVIWATA - managed district - based bulk markets as pilot experience.

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CHINA & AFRICA

In ZIMBABWE, learning CHINESE is a lucrative investment people refer to Confucius as “a greater teacher.” Zimbabwe has integrated the Confucius Institute into the University of Zimbabwe’s academic structures in 2007. The programme has largely been successful, and the university is poised to export surplus teachers of Chinese to other countries as well.

Learning Chinese as a second or third language has been a global trend in the last few years. In Africa, the rapid increase of Chinese investments and trade (China is currently the continent’s biggest trading partner) has spurred the trend. Zimbabwe’s government has been very deliberate in enhancing its bilateral relationship with China. It launched the Look East Policy in 2003 to give priority to investors from China, Japan, Singapore and other countries from that region. As a result, trade between China and Zimbabwe has been growing exponentially – China is now the biggest buyer of Zimbabwe’s tobacco. To spread the Chinese language and culture, the government of China is utilising a concept called Confucianism. Confucius was a great Chinese philosopher and educator born in 551 BC. Chinese

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Professor Pedzisai Mashiri, the inaugural director of the Confucius Institute at the University of Zimbabwe, says that one of the institute’s goals is to promote the Chinese language and culture in Zimbabwe. Chinese is not yet integrated into the national curriculum for primary and secondary schools, so schools that host Confucius classes offer the Chinese language as an extracurricular activity. Clarence Makoni, the founder of the Cendel Language Bridge, a private company that provides translations, interpretation and foreign language instruction, says that there are huge benefits in learning foreign languages. Chinese, he says, is by far the most sought after. “ The Chinese will to be the most significant employer in a few years to come… All the people we train are snapped up by companies as soon as they finish their courses, and they are paid very handsomely.” A Chinese-speaking interpreter can rake in a monthly salary of Z$5,000, while a bilingual secretary with the

same capabilities can claim up to Z$3,000 – earnings deemed at the top range in Zimbabwe. Laston Mukaro, a language consultant and lecturer at the University of Zimbabwe’s linguistics department, says that although his job grading has not yet changed, he is now earning much more after learning Chinese. He also earns a lot of money from exchange programmes between China and Zimbabwe. Other benefits include his current work on a handbook for translating between Chinese and Shona, one of Zimbabwe’s main indigenous languages. Professor Mashiri says there are plans to open at least five more Chinese teaching points in other parts of the country, and to construct a Confucius Institute building at the University of Zimbabwe. The Chinese Embassy in Zimbabwe has also promised to build a cultural centre to strengthen cultural cooperation between the two countries. The world is now a global village, requiring people to understand each other’s culture and languages, says Levi Nyagura, the University of Zimbabwe’s vice-chancellor. “We want to see Zimbabwean students get jobs in China. We will continue to work hard to institutionalise the Chinese language, as we have done with the other major world languages.” This article was first published in Africa Renewal P THE PROMOTA

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