IS IT WORTH THIS PRICE?

Libya’s Gaddafi survives air strikes, son killed
By Stabroek editor | 19 Comments
Local News | Saturday, April 30, 2011 Updated: 11:44 pm
TRIPOLI, (Reuters) – Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi survived a NATO air strike on a Tripoli house that killed his youngest son and three grandchildren, a government spokesman said today.
Libyan officials took journalists to the house, which had been hit by at least three missiles. The roof had completely caved in in some areas, leaving mangled rods of reinforcing steel hanging down among chunks of concrete.
“What we have now is the law of the jungle,” government spokesman Mussa Ibrahim told a news conference. “We think now it is clear to everyone that what is happening in Libya has nothing to do with the protection of civilians.”

Saif al-Arab
Gaddafi, who seized power in a 1969 coup, is fighting an uprising by rebels who have seized much of the eastern part of the country. British and French-led NATO forces are permitted under a United Nations resolution to mount air attacks on Gaddafi forces to protect civilians.
Inside one part of the villa hit late on Saturday, a beige corner sofa was virtually untouched, but debris had caved in on other striped upholstered chairs. The blasts had been heard across the city late on Saturday.
A table football machine stood outside in the garden in a wealthy residential area of Tripoli. Glass and debris covered the lawns and what appeared to be an unexploded missile lay in one corner.
There was no immediate NATO reaction, nor was any independent confirmation of the deaths possible. The appearance of an assassination attempt against Gaddafi could draw criticism.
It appeared to be the second NATO strike near to Gaddafi in 24 hours. A missile struck near the television station early on Saturday when the Libyan leader was making an address in which he said he would never step down and offered talks to rebels.
Benghazi rebels, who control a vast swathe of the east of the country, insist they cannot trust Gaddafi.

GADDAFI'S SON KILLED IN NATO AIR-STRIKES

Associated Press
Updated May 01, 2011 at 09:46am IST
Tripoli: A NATO missile struck a house in Tripoli where Muammar Gaddafi and his wife were staying on Saturday, killing his youngest son and three grandchildren but missing the Libyan leader, a government spokesman said.
The strike would be a significant blow to the morale of the regime, which is struggling to maintain its hold on the western half of the country despite weeks of NATO-led airstrikes. It came just hours after Gaddafi called for a mutual cease-fire and negotiations with NATO powers to end a six-week bombing campaign.
Saif al-Arab Gaddafi was the brother of the better known Saif al-Islam Gaddafi, who was widely promoted as a reformer before the uprising began on February 15. The younger Gaddafi had spent much of his time in Germany in recent years.
Muammar Gaddafi and his wife were in the Tripoli house of his 29-year-old son when it was hit by at least one bomb dropped from a NATO warplane, according to Libyan spokesman Moussa Ibrahim.
"The leader himself is in good health," Ibrahim said. "He was not harmed. The wife is also in good health."
On Tuesday, British Defense Minister Liam Fox and US Defense Secretary Robert Gates told reporters at the Pentagon that NATO planes were not targeting Gaddafi specifically but would continue to attack his command centers. White House spokesman Shin Inouye declined to comment on the developments in Libya, referring questions to NATO.
Ibrahim said Saif al-Arab had studied at a German university but had not yet completed his studies.
"The attack resulted in the martyrdom of brother Saif al-Arab Gaddafi and three of the leader's grandchildren," Ibrahim said.
Saif al-Arab "was playing and talking with his father and mother and his nieces and nephews and other visitors when he was attacked for no crimes committed," Ibrahim said.
Journalists taken to the walled complex of one-story buildings in a residential Tripoli neighborhood saw heavy bomb damage. The blast had torn down the ceiling of one building and left a huge pile of rubble and twisted metal on the ground.
Ibrahim said the airstrike was an attempt to "assassinate the leader of this country," which he said violated international law.
Heavy bursts of gunfire were heard in Tripoli after the attack.
Gaddafi had seven sons and one daughter. The Libyan leader also had an adopted daughter who was killed in a 1986 US airstrike on his Bab al-Aziziya residential compound. That strike - which was separate from the area struck on Saturday - came in retaliation for the bombing attack on a German disco in which two US servicemen were killed. The US at the time blamed Libya for the disco blast.
Saif's mother is Safiya Farkash, Gaddafi's second wife and a former nurse.

Gaddafi railed again foreign intervention earlier on Saturday, saying Libyans have the right to choose their own political system but not under the threat of NATO bombings.
"The door to peace is open," Gaddafi said. "You are the aggressors. We will negotiate with you. Come, France, Italy, UK, America, come to negotiate with us. Why are you attacking us?"
In Brussels, a NATO official said before Saturday's fatal strike that the alliance needed "to see not words but actions," and vowed the alliance would keep up the pressure until the UN Security Council mandate on Libya is fulfilled. NATO has promised to continue operations until all attacks and threats against civilians have ceased, all of Gaddafi's forces have returned to bases and full humanitarian access is granted.
The NATO official, who spoke on condition of anonymity according to policy, noted that Gaddafi's forces had shelled Misrata and tried to mine the city's port just hours before his speech.
"The regime has announced cease-fires several times before and continued attacking cities and civilians," the official said.
"All this has to stop, and it has to stop now," the official said.
Rebel leaders have said they will only lay down their arms and begin talks after Gaddafi and his sons step aside. Gaddafi has repeatedly refused to resign.
A rebel spokesman, Jalal al-Galal, called the cease-fire offer a publicity stunt.
"We don't believe that there is a solution that includes him or any member of his family. So it is well past any discussions. The only solution is for him to depart," he said.

MUSEVENI COULD REGRET MILITARY TRAINING TO LOCALS

Soon or later, Museveni may regret why his Government ever taught people the use of the AK 47. People are ready to challenge his administration, and the security personnel know that the people they are dealing with know how to handle the gun. In the circumstances, the President needs to move very carefully otherwise, the people are not the type who may not challenge him.
William Kituuka Kiwanuka




UGANDA RIOTS OVER KIZZA BESIGYE'S ARREST
BBC Story
Security forces try to quell the riots that broke out on the streets of Kampala
At least two people have died in riots in Uganda's capital over the treatment of opposition leader Kizza Besigye.
Security forces fired live ammunition, rubber bullets and tear gas to disperse protesters burning tyres.
Dr Besigye sought medical treatment after being tear-gassed in his car and bundled roughly into a truck when he was arrested on Thursday.
He later left Uganda for treatment in Kenya, and witnesses said he had to be supported as he boarded a plane.
It was Dr Besigye's fourth detention this month for his participation in a "walk-to-work" protest over high prices.
President Yoweri Museveni has said the walking campaign over the rise in the cost of living is illegal.

They arrested him like a chicken thief - we cannot allow such things to continue”

End Quote Brown Ndese protester
Ugandan Information Minister Kabakumba Matsiko told the BBC the situation was now "under control" and the unrest would not be allowed to carry on.
"I would like to reassure the world that the government is in charge, and we are going to improve the security situation. We're not going to encourage worthless demonstrations which don't have clear and genuine objectives to continue," Mr Matsiko said.
Pepper spray
After his arrest on Thursday Dr Besigye was charged with inciting violence but was released on medical grounds until 2 May.
The BBC's Joshua Mmali in the capital, Kampala, says Dr Besigye was taken to hospital from the court because he had been temporarily blinded.
On Friday evening, he was allowed by the authorities to fly to Kenya.
Our reporter says footage of the arrest was broadcast on Ugandan television and the video-sharing website YouTube.
It showed plain-clothed policemen beating up Dr Besigye's supporters, smashing the window of his car and dousing the inside with pepper spray and tear gas before manhandling him into a vehicle and driving off.
Rumours spread
According to Uganda's Red Cross, two people died in the trouble and 120 others were taken to hospital with injuries.
Internal Affairs Minister Kirunda Kivejinja said 360 people had been arrested and those injured had mainly been hurt by "stones, sticks and bottles".
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Police fought with Kizza Besigye and his supporters during his arrest on Thursday
The police force was "within its constitutional mandate to restore law and order" by removing road blocks and "disengaging crowds", he told journalists in the capital.
Our correspondent says transport was paralysed and shops closed because of the widespread rioting and chaotic scenes.
Earlier on Friday morning, gunshots could be heard from different parts of the city and live ammunition was shot into the air in some areas.
The trouble started in Kisseka market, sparked by the anger over the manner of Dr Besigye's arrest and rumours that the FDC leader might have died.
The speculation about his death spread via Twitter and in Ugandan chatrooms.
"They arrested him like a chicken thief. We cannot allow such things to continue. Museveni must go," Brown Ndese, one of the protesters, told the Associated Press news agency.
The security forces were out in strength as the trouble spread across the city, our reporter says.
In some areas, the military beat up people who had resorted to walking to work because there was no transport, and forced them to clear the roads of debris from the burnt barricades, he says.
Rioters fuel a burning barricade during riots in Kampala, Uganda, on 29 April 2011 Dr Besigye has considerable support in the capital where many people were enraged by his treatment
The BBC's Ignatius Bahizi in the suburb of Kasubi said earlier on Friday morning that people were fleeing the area and vehicles were heading out of town to save them from damage.
He said when he tried to take a photo of the protesters burning tyres they turned on him and tried to attack him.
April's walk-to-work campaign, organised by several opposition parties over rising fuel and food prices, has been marked by clashes between protesters and the police and the arrest of opposition politicians.
Dr Besigye, who was shot in the hand during a similar recent protest, lost to President Museveni in a February election he says was rigged.
Before the polls, Dr Besigye had called for Egypt-style uprisings in the event of fraud.

HOW WOULD UGANDA BE WITHOUT THE ROLE OF NGO’s?

A CASE OF WORLD VISION UGANDA
SOURCE: WORLD VISION UGANDA 2009 ANNUAL REPORT
With a budget of US$ 67,345,041 for one year; 2009, World Vision Uganda made a substantial contribution to the welfare of the children of Uganda as depicted in the statistics below.
World Vision is becoming an increasingly strategy led – organization as it moves away from service delivery to partnering with communities, government, Faith Based Organizations (FBOs), and Community Based Organizations (CBOs) to enable to enable children to achieve well – being.

EDUCATION AND VOCATIONAL TRAINING
Uganda’s introduction of Universal Primary Education (UPE) resulted in a huge increase in enrolment. Although gross and net enrolment ratios are high, over 70% of the children who enter primary school do not complete primary Seven (P7). Of those who complete P7, only 40% continue to post-primary institutions. This means that out of 100 children who enter Primary One, less than 30 complete Primary Seven and only 12 children join secondary school. This partly explains why Uganda’s literacy rate is 69% (According to the Human Development Report 2009).
One of the Strategic Objectives of World Vision Uganda’s Strategy (2007 – 2009) was increased access to quality primary, secondary and vocational education and support for functional adult education in the supported communities.
In 2009, World Vision had education programmes that were aimed at improving access to and the quality of education, particularly primary education for both boys and girls.
World Vision Uganda’s programming in education promotes the organization’s four child well-being outcomes, especially the outcome on Education for Life for all children. This means that World Vision strives to see that:
1)Children access and complete quality primary education;
2)Children read, write, and compute;
3)Children make good judgments, protect themselves, manage emotions and communicate ideas;
4)Adolescents are ready for economic activities.
The other child well-being outcomes which are that children enjoy good health; love God and their neighbours; are cared for, protected and participating – are integrated into education programmes.

PRIMARY EDUCATION
World Vision Uganda is contributing towards the improvement of the quality of primary education in Uganda by:
1.Promoting education policy influencing
2.Contributing to securing of adequate basic education resources and ensuring effective utilization
3.Strengthening education governance and management systems and structures.
In the financial year October 2008 – September 2009, the organization made tremendous progress in improving children’s access to education. More schools were built, especially in the Eastern and Western regions, significantly reducing the distances that children have to walk to school.
Building teachers’ houses at schools means that the teachers will be readily available to conduct lessons. This is unlike when they have to walk long distances from wherever they are staying to come for lessons.








NGOs WORKING TO REDUCE POVERTY
Tuesday, 01 September 2009 18:30 By The Independent Team
Richard Ssewakiryanga is the executive director Uganda National NGO Forum which brings together NGOs in Uganda to provide a sharing and reflection platform for NGOs to influence governance and development process and enhance their operating environment. The Independent’s Mubatsi Asinja Habati interviewed him about their activities.

[Richard Ssewakiryanga] In the will next few months The Independent run a series of works about National NGO Forum. When was the National NGO Forum formed?
The decision set up the National NGO Forum was made in 1997 but the organisation was legally registered in 2001 with the NGO Registration Board in the Ministry of Internal Affairs. It took time to register the National NGO Forum in its earlier years because at the time there were intense discussions on whether an NGO forum of legally registered NGOs really needed to register again.
There was also an element of resistance by some sections of the NGO community and others in government against registering the organisation. Eventually several circumstances dictated that it got registered in April 2001.

What was your agenda?
The core agenda at the time of formation was for the National NGO Forum to provide an avenue through which NGOs could engage collectively in policy advocacy on areas and on issues which NGOs felt a united front would lead to greater chances of success. The mid 90s was also a time when the number of NGOs grew exponentially and government was desirous of an agency through which NGOs could collectively engage in policy processes. Therefore, there were circumstances both on the supply and demand side that led to the formation of the organisation. After 10 years in 2007/08 the National NGO Forum went through a rigorous reflection process to chart out its agenda for the future. This process led to the launch of a robust strategic plan in September 2008 which lays out and strengthens the identity of the National NGO Forum as an independent and inclusive national platform for NGOs in Uganda. We exist to provide a sharing and reflection platform for NGOs to influence governance and development processes in Uganda, and enhance NGO operating environment. The specific programmes we implement are contained in our Strategic Plan available on our website.

Let's focus more now on the NGO sector more broadly. How many NGOs exist in Uganda?
The NGO sector in Uganda is a growing one. Its most exponential growth was witnessed after 1986 when evidently a relatively more conducive environment for NGO formation and operation was put in place. From a paltry estimate of less than 200 NGOs in 1986 to 3,500 in 2000, 4,700 in 2003, 5,500 by end of 2005 and the number presently is estimated to be in the region of 8,000. This numerical presentation of the NGO sector growth has to be read with caution though, as it is drawn largely from the official NGO Registry of NGOs at the NGO Board. A study by the Office of the Prime Minister in 2003 suggested the sector could in fact be a lot smaller as only between 15-30% of NGOs that register go operational. Secondly there are chances that some NGOs operate without registering with the NGO Board. It has to be noted that the perceived growth in the NGO sector is not an isolated development as evidently there has been growth in several other sectors in the last two decades. The number of media houses and outlets has increased many-fold, the number of educational institutions whether primary, secondary or university have more than tripled. Even the population of Uganda has increased considerably. As with all the above trends, the key challenge has always been quality.

What would you say is the central ideology of NGOs?
First, you need to appreciate that NGOs exist as diverse organisational forms. Diversity is not only a central characteristic of the sector, but also one of its key strengths. Secondly, it is crucial to note that NGOs exist and operate in a context. Their agenda is shaped by forces in a strong global, regional, national and local environment. Today, NGOs face strong global influences resulting from a dominant neo-liberal ideology driving the global economy. These influences have conditioned many developing countries and NGOs to be reactive rather than proactive in shaping their economic and political choices. Extreme power imbalances that shape the global economy are reflected at country level: poverty and deprivation co-exist with wealth, powerlessness exists with the transformative potential of citizens, and severe socioeconomic and political injustices reign yet more equitable distribution of resources is possible. The notion of private sector-led growth has weakened the capacity of the state to respond to unbalanced development, leading to widespread social disruptions which threaten the soul of many nations. It is in this context that hope is often found in NGOs: actors that not only provide essential services to the more disadvantaged sections of society, but also offer space where socioeconomic and political pressure can be nurtured to challenge injustice.

There have been allegations that many NGOs are briefcase entities and that some work to serve personal interests of their founders. What is your response to such views?

A politico-economy analysis of NGO formation would reveal that NGOs get formed for various reasons, some of which are indeed selfish. There have been many labels on NGOs, from them being briefcase or even 'kavera' entities to being flash disk NGOs. In a society, where life is increasingly becoming very difficult, in part because of the failure of the state or even the much touted private sector to provide adequate opportunity for citizens, such phenomena are not surprising. As the National NGO Forum, while we acknowledge the existence of such entities, we are inspired more by the positive things about NGOs. There are empirical studies, such as one commissioned by the Office of the Prime Minister in 2003 which established that a great number of NGOs were formed and driven by altruistic reasons. They thus work day and night to see a better future for humanity.

Many Ugandans wallow in poverty. Some studies put the poverty levels in Uganda at 35%. What are NGOs doing to address the poverty situation in the country?

First it is important to understand that poverty is a condition perpetuated by several factors; ill health, illiteracy, disempowerment, conflict, bad leadership and governance, depletion of natural resources and the environment, inequitable development opportunity, marginalisation, unemployment, etc. It is therefore essential to understand the contribution NGOs make to poverty reduction that we locate this contribution in the context of their work addressing the underlying causes of poverty.

Whether addressing a natural or structural vulnerability; whether doing it from a basic needs(direct service delivery) or rights-based (policy and advocacy) approach, there is widespread consensus that NGOs have made and continue to make a significant contribution in getting rid of pervasive poverty and socio-economic and political injustices, bringing about more widely spread national health and wealth. NGOs have been the catalysts for recent successful global campaigns on debt relief and access to essential medicines. It has been acknowledged that the achievement of Millennium Development Goals will require meaningful involvement of NGOs (because) of their unique knowledge of local realities.

NGOs niche has been the provision of a wide range of services where the state and the market have been overwhelmed, failed or simply ignored the problem partly because often they are party to the problem: relief and rehabilitation in humanitarian emergencies; anti-corruption work; conflict resolution and employment creation. In Uganda, NGOs have traditionally been heavily involved in education, health and agriculture. For example in Uganda, it is estimated that NGOs and Faith Based Organisations have been contributing around 40% of services to a sector like health. More recently their contribution is significant in environment, microfinance and HIV/AIDS. The Civil Society Index puts their impact at as high as 2.3 out of 3. Powerful local NGOs have become a well recognised element of local development, where they speak with authority on issues affecting the poor and marginalised and are able to influence the highest level of national and international policy making.

But what has been the real impact and contribution of NGOs and civil society organisations to development, especially at grassroots level?

A number of attempts to document the contribution of NGOs to development have been made most notably in a research in 1999 as part of the John Hopkins Comparative Non Profit Sector Project. Then, it was estimated that civil society in Uganda in 1998 alone accounted for about $89 million in expenditures, an amount equivalent to 1.4% of the country's GDP that year. It found out that the sector employed over 230,000 workers representing 2.3% of the country's economically active population and 10.9% of its non-agricultural employment. Civil Society was estimated to be one-and-a-half times that of the public sector workforce and over half as large as that in the fields of manufacturing combined. The sector is therefore quite critical for Uganda's development aspirations. In 2010, the National NGO Forum will undertake a comprehensive study on the value, current size, scope and contribution of the NGO sector to Uganda's development. This study will give the much needed information to compliment previous researches.

On the issue of NGO impact at grassroots, it would be right to state that most NGOs are found and are active at grassroots levels- whether working in research, policy or service delivery. Some of the most powerful NGOs have had considerable impact at grassroots level. The work of GUSCO in Northern Uganda has been crucial to formerly abducted children, Kabarole Research and Resource Centres work is empowering people in the Rwenzori Region,while the work of URDT is changing the lives of many people in Kagadi in Kibaale district.

Given your admission earlier that there could be some quack NGOs in Uganda, do you have any quality assurance mechanism in place to overcome the pseudo NGO phenomenon?

Again, we adopt a more progressive view to overcoming this reality. In 2006, the National NGO Forum, DENIVA and other NGOs came together and started a process to develop a Quality Assurance Mechanism. This process, which was widely consultative, including in the media culminated in the adoption in 2007 of an NGO Quality Assurance Certification Mechanism, popularly known as the QuAM. The QuAM is an NGO developed and managed voluntary code of conduct whose aim is to help NGOs grow in good internal governance. The QuAM has 59 indicators of good and ethical behaviour and practice for NGOs and the idea is to promote the QuAM so that NGOs adopt it voluntarily, knowing that their adoption of the principles contained in the QuAM will help them improve on their work and make them truly publicly accountable organisations.

The QuAM has been well received and several NGOs are going through the process, being handled by an independent QuAM Council. I am pleased to inform you that the National NGO Forum was the first NGO in Uganda to successfully go through the QuAM process. While we did qualify for the QuAM Certificate of good practice, a number of gaps were found to exist in relation to the 59 principles and so we are now focusing on an action plan to help us improve our governance and impact.

There has been debate on the future role and relevance of NGOs as direct citizen spaces such as 'bimeza' become popular. Secondly there is the unending question of who NGOs and civil society represent especially when we have institutions such as Parliament. How would you respond to these views?
Firstly, the view that NGOs are in competition for space with citizens is not correct. In fact, many NGOs exist to provide the space for citizens to engage directly in shaping their own destiny. However, when citizens take their own initiative, this must be appreciated and respected. NGOs or civil society more generally, is a natural phenomenon. Just like in human life where everybody belongs to an associational life - within a family, village, etc, NGOs are a reflection of associational and human life. Therefore there will never be a day when NGOs are not relevant.
Secondly, we need to understand the representative and participatory arenas in the discourse on democracy and citizenship. Parliaments play an important role in the representative democracy discourse because they are directly elected by citizens, while NGOs and other civil society groups have an important role in the participatory arena. These democracy spaces are both important and compliment each other. There is therefore no need to view them as negatively competitive. We exist to make the state more effective and government more responsive.

Any comments?
As the National NGO Forum, we strongly believe that many Ugandans need to understand better the value and contribution of NGOs to changing people’s lives and providing opportunity for many marginalised citizens. Many a time, NGOs are portrayed negatively in part because society and the media are more attracted to the negative things in life. This series on ‘NGOs and Development’ initiated by The Independent Magazine will hopefully help counterbalance the negative image and understanding of NGOs in Uganda. I would like to encourage a lot more NGOs to take advantage of the series and highlight the good work they are doing for the cause of humanity.

HAVE NGOs CONTRIBUTED TO DEVELOPMENT?
9 August 2009
By Arthur Baguma
In 1995, a local Non-Governmental Organisation (NGO) closed business after operating for 10 years in Rakai district. It turned out that the cost of remuneration for expatriates who had run it until eight months earlier was almost half the organisation's annual budget.
They had lived in a fairly large complex and the programme director had rented a house in Kampala where he spent most of his time. When the expatriates left, local staff who replaced them expected the same level of pay and to live the same lifestyle. In eight months they ran down the NGO.
Arthur Larok, the director of programmes at Uganda National NGO Forum, says many NGOs in Africa follow a similar pattern, spending almost half of their budget on administration. This limits their impact.
Larok suggests that NGOs should spend 15% of their total budget on administration, but some use as much as 60%. This problem also extends to government projects funded by donors, he notes.
NGOs have played a large role in the social and economic lives of developing countries, including Uganda. While many provide valuable services, the sector has grown much faster than elected officials can monitor. This has created opportunities for scam artists who are eager to enrich themselves than to serve the public.
Also, some political officials voice frustrations that NGOs at times operate on a different set of rules and pursue different priorities than local leaders think appropriate. And lately, some NGOs have attracted complaints that they promote dependence instead of self-sufficiency in communities where they operate, with the result that some areas have failed to develop even after NGOs have been "helping" them for decades.
A team from The New Vision has been exploring these and related questions. What is the contribution of NGOs to national development and job creation? Is the mushrooming of NGOs in Africa a sign that states have failed to do their work, or is it a sign of development?
The only official statistics on the value of NGOs to national development are 10 years old. They paint a gloomy picture of the sector. A study conducted in 1998 indicates that only 20% of registered NGOs are usually active on the ground. No comprehensive study has been done since then to quantify the contribution of NGOs.
Statistics about the evolution of NGOs in Uganda also are sketchy. The 1960s and 1970s produced no documented data on NGOs. However, a sketchy picture started to emerge in 1986, when the National NGO Forum was established. At the time, the forum's statistics showed there were about 200 registered NGOs. Within 10 years, the number had skyrocketed to 3,000. By the end of 2007, the number of registered NGOs were 7,000 in Uganda.
Few of them are operational. A survey done in 2003 by the Office of the Prime Minister established that about only 20% of NGOs that get registered go into operation.
"There is a high infant mortality rate in the NGO sector. We have an NGO sector that is smaller on the ground than what is on paper. There is rapid growth in registration, but less in operations," Larok explains. Still, NGOs play a large role.
It is estimated that NGOs and faith-based organisations have been contributing around 40% of services. Those that are operational create public awareness of various issues, contribute to policy-making and monitoring and build capacity in a variety of sectors. They create employment and pay significant amounts in import duties, pay as you earn and value added tax, among other taxes, contributing to the growth of the economy.
A number of attempts have been made to document the contribution of NGOs to development. Civil society in Uganda in 1998 alone accounted for about $89m (about sh187b) in expenditures, an amount equivalent to 1.4% of GDP at the time.
The sector employed more than 230,000 workers, representing 2.3% of the country's economically active population and 10.9% of its non-agricultural employment. The civil society workforce was estimated to be one-and-a-half times as large as the public sector workforce and more than half as large as the workforce in all fields of manufacturing combined.
The lack of good data on NGOs soon may change. The NGO Forum, in conjunction with the Government, is about to conduct a national study covering as many districts and examining the work of NGOs in the last 10 years. This will be a comprehensive study on the value and contribution of NGOs to good governance and the socio-economic development of Uganda.

Regulation of NGOs
NGOs are regulated under the 1989 NGO statute, which was amended in 2006 to become the NGO Act. But the NGO Board, the Government arm responsible for regulation of NGOs, is incapacitated. "They don't have staff," says an NGO official. "When you get there, it is a tea girl who will welcome you."
He says in the 1990's an international NGO offered to overhaul the body and offer it computers, but the Government rejected the gesture. The NGO Forum is not represented on the board. The board consists of representatives from the education ministry, Office of Prime Minister, local governments and two representatives of the public, appointed by the minister and representatives from the Internal Security Organisation and external security Organisation.
NGOs themselves are not represented. "Our concern has always been why we are denied representation on the NGO board yet we are the major stakeholders," says the NGO Forum.

Why the Rapid growth of NGOs?
Scholars say the NGO sector tends to grow rapidly in countries that are recovering from war. James Kinobe, a PhD scholar at Makerere University, explains that when NRM came to power, it inherited a collapsed economy and a government with no structures. They did not have the capacity and resources to offer services at the time.
Consequently NGOs were given a green light to supplement government efforts. "NGOs played a key role in the recovery process of the country," Kinobe observes. The restoration of the rule of law and constitutionalism may also have contributed to the mushrooming of NGOs.
"Policy making was liberalised and made more participatory. This also constituted an enabling environment for NGOs to flourish and participate in policy making," Larok observes.

Early evolution of NGOs
The NRM's support for NGOs represents the culmination of a long history. In the early days of colonialism, the framework that various African communities used for self-governance and the provision of basic-needs was either destroyed or subordinated to colonial structures.
This was the case among various African communities until the colonial authorities authorised the construction of various facilities intended to supplement the efforts of the 'natives' in service provision. Throughout Africa, missionary organisations established institutions to provide services designed to meet basic needs services, especially healthcare and education.
The mission centres also became the only places other than urban and the European settled areas where clean drinking water could be found for the better part of the colonial period. The Protestant and Catholic missionary orders played a major role providing humanitarian assistance in the form of clothing, foodstuffs, and healthcare, especially for orphans and the destitute, who could not get assistance from the existing kinship networks.
In performing these services, missionary organisations would emerge as the most important non-governmental actors during the colonial period. "Prior to independence, in most African countries, the most prominent NGOs emanated from European settler society, missionary activity and grassroot society organisations, whose major concerns were welfare and religious activities," Kinobe says. The situation would, however, change after independence.

Post-independence period

In most African countries, a spate of new NGOs was formed around the time of independence. These organisations continued to grow in the post-colonial period. Since the 1980s, NGOs have mushroomed, doubling and tripling their numbers in many countries.
Social analysts cite the failure of government on the political and economic level as a major reason for the proliferation of NGOs. The growing stature of NGOs in development is related to the decline of the state as the dominant development actor in Africa.
There has been a shift since the 1970s in the attitudes of the donors and development policy-makers, away from the state-centered development models towards more participatory bottom-up approaches. As a result, the role of NGOs in the development of third world nations has grown rapidly. But the question is: Is the NGO sector sufficiently supervised to ensure that it is meeting the needs of Ugandans?

A CASE FOR GOOD TIMING

By Nirmal R. Thaker while a Manager with Trans Africa Bank
The article was given to me for publication in The Enterprise Magazine of the Faculty of Commerce, Makerere University when I was its Editor.

In the early 1960’s, C. Northcote Parkinson published a book that propelled him into instant fame. In it he disclosed his discovery of a new law in personal behaviour which has since acquired a degree of celebrity equal to that of Newton’s law of gravity or Einstein’s theory of relativity in Physics.
Parkinson’s Law states that work expands so as to fill the time available for its completion. The law operates in this way: let’s say you have to write a report on your department and have a week to get it ready. In that case, the writing of the report will stretch out to fill the entire day, even if you have all the information you need and are able to write it in a couple of hours.
The details of how Parkinson’s Law works will differ from task to task and from person to person, but the essential law is applicable to all. Thus, it happens that the busiest man always ends up having more time at his disposal than the idle man. In terms of hours and minutes the busy man’s time is rationed, but it is this rationing that makes him value it and fill up every second with essential tasks, discarding wasteful habits. He has little time for loitering and visiting, less time for gossiping and rumour and no time at all for starting late, quitting early and absenteeism. He is acutely aware that poor workmanship, poor communication and inattention to detail prove to be expensive to anyone who values his time.
Time management comes naturally to some people and has to be learnt consciously and carefully by others. In either case, for best results, the greatest time-saving takes training.
Too fast a pace destroys efficiency as surely as too slow a pace. Human beings are prone to errors and excessive speed multiplies them, requiring repetition of tasks performed haphazardly or hastily. A degree of planning, however, can combine pace with efficiency. Priorities should first be established. That will determine the sequence in which the tasks should be completed. Thus, a deadline can be fixed for each task.
Such scheduling is not always easy. The most effective way of approaching it is to examine your work routine at the end of the day, by maintaining a time chart. Cut out the non-essential activities, the repetitions, interruptions and intrusions on your time. A daily practice with this technique will turn you into an expert time-saver, leaving numerous gaps hitherto wasted, now gainfully utilized.
A part from organizing your work, organize yourself physically and psychologically. Ill health can cause fatigue and tell on your performance. A simple change of diet, an extra hour of sleep can do wonders for a stressed out executive.
You may find some tasks tiresome, routine and boring. Boredom, too tells on efficiency. Intersperse the boring jobs with the interesting ones; try to make every job interesting by looking at it from a different angle. Try to complete the routine jobs faster every time, timing them each day, attempting to break the previous day’s record. Make sure that the quality of work does not suffer and soon you will begin to enjoy it as you would a sporting event.
Louis B. Lundborg, former Chairman, Bank of America, writes in an article on Managing for Tomorrow, “The man who know to manage his own time will usually also know the importance of time to his organization in another sense – the thing we call timing or tempo. It is literally a principle of nature … that the more a man accomplishes in a day; the more he expands the capacity to do an even greater amount. Work seems to feed on itself … completion of tough job seems somehow to make the next one easier and so on. On the other hand, if you fuss around a task, procrastinate, worry and stew about it-try everything except doing it-it somehow dissipates your ability to get anything else done.”
The best way to ‘make time’ is to beat the deadlines. Be ahead of the game at all times. Complete jobs as early as possible … regardless of deadlines. By doing so, you keep the decks cleared for unanticipated assignments. The result is that you are never too busy.
Time spent on traveling to and fro can be used for thinking, reading, making notes. Between the hours, put the minutes to work. In three minutes a phone call can be made or a brief note dictated. In thirty seconds you can make a decision.
Effective executives, says Peter F. Drucker, “do first things first and second things not at all.” (Second and third priorities are delegated to subordinates) the criterion for determining first priority is its contribution to the organization. “The executive who has succeeded in a new job asked himself, “What can I contribute now? And he came up with a new dimension, something not even mentioned in his job description.”
In delegating work which he himself need not do, the executive saves time and contributes to effectiveness if he builds on the strength and competence of the subordinates. “It is the manager’s job to enable people to do what they can do,” says Drucker.
As an aid to time-saving, you could start benchmarking: how famous men and women have hoarded their precious time. Mahatma Gandhi used his train journeys in third class compartments to write letters and articles. Abraham Lincoln wrote his speeches, notes and all other ideas on Presidential matters as they occurred to him on small bits of paper and stuffed them in his top hat for later consultation. John F. Kennedy studied speed reading, a technique which enabled him to race through news papers, books and memos at a break-neck speed of 1,500 words a minute, which is about five times the average rate of a good reader.
Executives and workmen have been filmed on the job as a part of time and motion studies designed to promote efficiency. The solutions recommended have ranged from painting the working rooms with cool rather than warm colours, to playing instrumental piped music into them. Most of these measures are controversial. What is not controversial is that time-saving is an art worth mastering and to the extent you master it, you will be rewarded.

AS THE SHILLING KEEPS LOSING VALUE, AN INSIGHT INTO THE EXCHANGE RATE IN UGANDA OVER YEARS

Article by Professor Erisa Ochieng
The exchange rate is the price of a currency in terms of another currency. It is the single most important price. It links the general price levels in the national economy with prices in other countries. It affects all other prices and touches the interests of all people. This makes it the centre of much controversy, with major changes in them attracting a lot of attention. Any arrangement that allows large and frequent changes in the exchange rate produces a range of disruptive and undesirable side effects. This is why no government will leave the exchange rate fluctuate wildly without intervention.

The exchange rate of a fully convertible currency is determined like any other prices by supply and demand conditions in the market in which it id traded. More fundamentally, such supply and demand conditions are derived in the short run from the demand of imports and supply of exports of a given country. In the long run, however, the purchasing power parity theory implies that changes in the exchange rates depend primarily on the relative changes in the purchasing power of domestic and foreign money. But the underlying assumptions of the purchasing power parity and the law of one price were shattered by the experience in the world during the period of generalized floating (1971 – 1982).

Exchange rate variations are expected to change the relative prices of importables and exportables and thereby induce shifts in production and consumption mixes. These changes in turn are expected to restore or maintain equilibrium in the balance of payments. Devaluation for example when it works properly can act as:
i.An instrument of monetary adjustment
ii.A device to tax some sectors and subsidize others
iii.An instrument to induce long term shifts of resources from some sectors to others.

The expected salutary effects of exchange rate adjustments can only occur if they are fully or partially reflected in the prices of traded goods rather than being offset by mere proportional changes in domestic prices.
The Less Developed Countries (LDCs) are price takers on the international market, therefore, an exchange rate change will only induce price changes for both exports and imports in local currency, but will not affect their prices in the foreign currencies. Also, the currencies of these countries are not freely convertible and their financial markets are rudimentary and so capital flows to and from LDcs are probably less responsive to conventional yield considerations. In the final analysis therefore, most LDCs can only use the exchange rate instrument to influence the internal working of their own economies and not the international economy.

TYPES OF EXCHANGE RATE ARRANGEMENTS
1.Flexible (clean, managed or dirty) under which the exchange rate is determined largely by market forces.
2.Multiple – under which separate official exchange rates are established for specific transactions.
3.Pegged Exchange rate regime – under which the value of a currency is rigidly fixed vis –a –vis a single foreign currency or a basket of currencies or Special Drawing Rights (SDR).
4.Fixed (full bodied or Gold Exchange Standard) under which the value of a currency vis – a – vis other currencies is rigidly fixed at a pre-determined level.

KAJJANSI ENVIRONMENT A CAUSE OF CONCERN

MUHOOZI TAKES COMMAND AS ...

NUMBER INJURED IN KAMPALA SHOOTS TO 84!

Demonstrators arrive at Mulago hospital carrying a wounded colleague who was shot during demonstrations in Kampala on April 29. Many people have been wounded. Photo by Joseph Kiggundu.
By Monitor Team
Posted Friday, April 29 2011 at 13:12
The ambulances with sirens blaring are arriving to deliver the injured at Mulago National Referral Hospital at an interval of 3 minutes, our reporter Justus Lyatuu reports.
A police an officer was among the total 84 registered at the medical facility by 12:30pm, many having sustained gunshot wounds. Children and women are among the victims.
Our Reporter Lyatuu says a policeman is making entries of the casualties’ particulars in a record book but has no clue how many are dead. Unconfirmed reports indicate at least four people have died, although the figure could be higher.
Earlier reports said three men were shot dead on spot in downtown Kampala and one taken to Mulago Hospital in critical condition after suffering gunshot wounds.
His legs were shattered, says a witness. Four other people suffocated by teargas collapsed and have been rushed to hospital after.
“There are many injured people here but I don’t have the figure of how many are injured or dead. We are too busy now,” says Mulago Hospital Spokesman Dan Kimosho.
The shootings occurred in Katwe, Owino and the Old Taxi Park. Bloody chaos flared up in that congested market due to agitation over earlier arrest of some of the vendors there.
Mercy Nalugo and Sarah Tumwebaze report that Jinja Road has been blocked at Kireka outskirt and a police teargas vehicle vandalised by an angry mob in the area. Other accounts, she says, indicate the riots erupted at around 10am following reports Besigye had died after his family was refused to fly him abroad for treatment.
Angry mobs started burning tyres in the middle of the highway and were stopping every car at Kireka, and pelting drivers who sped past.
Security forces moved in firing teargas and live ammunition while some police men were seen exploding the irritant inside people’s houses, forcing them out on the streets where they were promptly arrested and beaten.
The demonstrations have also erupted at Makaerere University where students are engaged in attack-and-withdraw fight. It is said some police have moved to lob teargas canisters into students’ halls of residence.
The mayhem has spread to the eastern Mbale town where there is running street battle between demonstrators and security forces. Our Bureau Chief, David Mafabi, reports that opposition supporters say they are demonstrating over the alleged inhumane and degrading treatment of opposition leader, Kizza Besigye, by security forces during his violent arrest on Thursday.
Plain-clothed and uniformed officers smashed the windscreens of the Land Cruiser carrying Dr Besigye and sprayed liquid pepper into his eyes and body, blinding him.
The situation in Entebbe and on the route to the airport appears to be spiraling out of control. A police truck has reportedly been burned, but the Force’s Spokesperson Judith Nabakooba says she is yet to crosscheck the information.
The area between Kajjansi and Zzana is now under virtual security lockdown, according to our staffer David Tumusiime. Enraged youth are burning logs, car tyres and using boulders to block the road while fighting back security crackdown.
MUHOOZI TAKES COMMAND AS CHAOS SPREADS ACROSS KAMPALA
Muhoozi takes command as chaos spreads across Kampala

CROSS-SWORDS: An unidentified man taunts security forces during a demonstration near Kisekka Market in Kampala on Friday. PHOTO BY ISAAC KAASAMANI
Posted Friday, April 29 2011 at 10:55
Sporadic clashes between security forces and demonstrators that erupted early Friday morning spread across Kampala and its suburbs and gunshots are ringing from different neighbourhoods.

People coming into the city centre for work and or business are fleeing back home as police and military take over streets with armoured vehicles.
First Son Lt. Col. Kainerugaba Muhoozi, the commander of the Special Forces Group, takes command of operations at Kisekka Market in downtown Kampala, one of the bloody scenes.
Plain-clothed as well as uniformed security forces flush out journalists --- and some allege they were assaulted.
One person has reportedly been shot dead through the stomach in Kisekka Market in downtown Kampala and three others injured in Katwe suburb and Old Taxi Park.
The Bwaise, Bweyogerere, Kireka and Ntinda outskirts and sections of Entebbe and Masaka Roads are the most dangerous hotspots.
“I walked about 300 metres from my house but there was a lot of gun fire outside. So I and many others had to come back to our houses,” Don Wanyama, this newspaper’s chief sub editor says of the chaos in Kireka.
He says the road there connecting to Jinja is now cut off and this includes the Kinawataka short-cut. Our journalists on the ground say security forces have blocked them from covering the unfolding bloody scenes.
Passengers are being stoned in taxis as the situation degenerates. Our staff David Tumusiime says he was in a taxi and got hit with a stone hurled by a protestor.

Demonstrators are blocking roads, lighting bonfire and pelting security operatives with stones.

Many traders have hurriedly closed shops and dashed back home, panicking.
“I came to town to do personal business but reaching the City Square, all people are running randomly. I also took off. There is a lot of teargas. It is worse at Kisekka Market,” says Peter Asiimwe.

“I don’t know what is happening and I hate this mess.”

BESIGYE ARRESTED WHILE NOT ON FOOT!

bESIGYE AT NAKASONGOLA ON WEDNESDAY
By Monitor Reporters
Posted Thursday, April 28 2011 at 11:09

Opposition leader Dr Kizza Besigye has been violently arrested again. This is the fourth time he is being detained in relation to the walk-to-work campaign against high fuel prices.

Soldiers, police and military intelligence personnel used sledge hammers, batons, gun butts and all sorts of implements to vandalise the opposition leader’s car. He was dragged out of his badly damaged vehicle at approximately 10.46 a.m. and slammed into a waiting police transport which sped off to an unknown destination. It is not clear why Dr Besigye who was not walking was accosted by the armed men. Security personnel are fighting running battles with civilians in the Mulago-Wandegeya area. Scores have been injured.

Dr Besigye appears to have sustained injuries in the melee which also left one of his aides bleeding profusely from a head wound. International media and observers from foreign missions on the scene were seen capturing the events as they unfolded.

UGANDA OPPOSITION NEEDS A UNITED FRONT AND LEADERSHIP

The issue now is not President Museveni talking to the opposition, it should be that time is now for him to change the mentality of I know it all and accept to take advice as well as listen to the views of the opposition. Museveni is sitting on a time bomb which he should have relized by now. The campaign time showed how desperate he was to get to power. Those of us who understand what is at stake in Uganda still wonder what miracle the NRM or Museveni used to get his over 60% which through any reasoning was not possible, but miraculously happened. Museveni is exploiting the poverty created by his Government to hold many poor people hostage, but he should realize that while he seems to see himself having all the power in his hands, like those before him, the mistakes made by his administration are so many that time is ripe to reconcile and forget about the mighty he assumes he is.
Meanwhile, the opposition by this time should have realized the strength of Museveni and his administration. There is need to get a solution to the divisions so that a united front is got to help not to fight the ills of Museveni administration, but to be used to deliver better services to the people. When the people see sense prevail among the opposition, they will see sense and possibly vote wisely next time. The people of Uganda MUST understand the pillars of Good Governance, and not be taken by Museveni's promises. His time long expired and that is why the country has to evolve new leadership which is in line with democratic principles, not Museveni dictatorship. For, his role in the manipulation of the Uganda Constitution which led to the removal of term limits qualifies him a dictator.
William Kituuka Kiwanuka
PRESIDENT TO TALK TO OPPOSITION

President Museveni takes a call during the interview at State House, Entebbe

By Cyprian Musoke and Barbara Among
PRESIDENT Yoweri Museveni has said he is ready to meet with the opposition to discuss issues of concern to them under the auspices of the Inter-party Forum for Dialogue.
In an exclusive interview with Sunday Vision at State House Entebbe on Friday, the President regretted that the opposition had failed to use the forum and have issues they are raising resolved amicably other than resorting to demonstration.
“We have the inter-party forum which has been there all the time, but most of these people have not used it. They have dialogue with anybody else, but not the inter-party forum. We are ready to have dialogue with anybody on anything,” he said.
He, however, added that since there was an election in which the National Resistance Movement won, it (NRM) had the responsibility of accounting to the electorate for any of the decisions it takes.
“Even if we have dialogue, the final responsibility of running the country lies with the NRM. We shall not under any circumstances give up our manifesto. We cannot say for example, that we are going to leave the construction of roads and dams to facilitate people driving cars because in five years’ time, we shall have to account to our population who elected us,” he said.
The opposition has for the last two weeks staged ‘walk-to-work’ demonstrations against high fuel prices and other commodity prices, which the President explained are due to international and regional factors, but are subsiding with time.
“They (opposition) have made their point; they should leave it to us to consider. If we don’t agree, we shall account in five years for them (opposition) to say that we (NRM) made a mistake, and should be voted out”. So why riot? Is rioting elections? There is no other route for them to attain power other than elections unless the Parliament impeaches me,” he said.
Museveni encouraged the opposition to go to radio stations and make their point like him since the radios are free, or go for rallies agreed on with Police. “Why do they get youths to go on taking people’s property?” he asked.

IF NRM GOVERNMENT HAD INTENTIONS TO INCREASE TAXES, WE ARE IN TROUBLE

The NRM Government must stop making childish mistakes. Surely, when prices for virtually everything in the economy have increased, it is absurd that there was a dream to increase taxes! There is no experimentation as regards matters of running the economy. Those in charge must be sure of what they are to implement before issuing circulars. The trouble with NRM Government is that it has nearly all the time targeted high taxes, but surely, what can help Uganda given the ill advised monetary policy which led the NRM Government inject alot of unproductive money in the economy is to start by cutting the taxes across the board, then also look at measures of reducing unproductive money from circulation.
KAMPALA TRADERS THREATEN TO CLOSE SHOPS
Source: http://redpepper.co.ug/welcome/?p=6397

After unsuccessfully using teargas to block politicians from the walk to work protest now in its second week, Government might need spiritual intervention to deter traders in Kampala from joining the protest over rising commodity prices.
Today, the traders under their umbrella organization, Kampala City Traders Association (KACITA) resolved to close shops starting Wednesday, if government does not withdraw a circular in which values of different imported items were increased.
Uganda Revenue Authority on Tuesday started implementing a new valuation regime without consulting the traders.
According to the circular the tax value for a new T-shirt has been increased from 0.6dollars per piece to two dollars per piece, while trousers were increased from 1.2dollars to 2dollars per piece, Shirts were increased from 0.75dollars to 2dollars a piece.
The new valuation for handbags has increased from 1.2dollars per piece to 3dollars a piece while vests were increased from 1.2dollars per piece to 12dollars a piece.
During the meeting held at Diamond Hotel next to the Old Taxi Park, traders called for an immediate strike, but later agreed by consensus to begin the strike on Wednesday. The Traders, some of who have their goods stuck in Jinja for failure to pay taxes, accused government of pride.
Deborah Mirembe, a dealer in children’s clothes, said she was originally paying 2.4dollars per dozen of children’s clothes but it has been increased from 0.8dollars per piece. According to Mirembe she was formerly paying 14.2million shilling for a 40ft container now has to pay 55million shillings.
Nina Lunkuse, complained that her two containers were still held up in Jinja because instead of paying 30million she was now required to pay 150million shillings.
The traders later resolved to go on strike if government does not respond to their grievances by Tuesday next week. Kayondo urged traders who were concerned by the demurrage to remain stomach it but get a relief in future.
Paul Kyeyune, the Deputy spokesperson URA, says values were reviewed routinely depending on invoices and commodity prices in the market. However, Kyeyune added that these values were a privilege of Uganda Revenue Authority staff not traders.
Kyeyune urged traders who are dissatisfied with the new valuations to raise their complaints to with either the Commissioner General URA or Commissioner Customs instead of striking.
In 1996 traders under Uganda Importers and Exporters Association (UGIETA) held a weeklong strike following to the introduction of the Value Added Tax (VAT).URN.

SMACK OB EMMANUEL KAYIWA BAKKO HAS PASSED ON

St. Mary's College Kisubi has yet lost one potential Old Boy by the name of Emmanuel Kayiwa Bakko. Kayiwa passed away on Wednesday, 20 April 2011. Burial will be on Wednesday, 27 April 2011 at 4.oopm at Muduma (Kyondo).
More information can be got from Ssebayizzi tel:+256774002660.

"May the Almighty God Bless his soul in eternal peace"

THE NRM LEADERSHIP EXPIRED LONG AGO BUT GOD HAS KEPT THEM IN OFFICE!

The firing of a Police Officer who did escort Otuunu is simply another blunder as expected of an expired Government. This Officer would instead be promoted. He promoted peace. Was there any body bothered, people were not disturbed on work and life went on normal. We in Uganda are unfortunate, that what is expected of civilized leadership is not what we get. The people of Uganda must have sinned so much to warrant the punishment we are getting from God of the continued leadership of the country by the misguided NRM leadership. Not long ago, an innocent child lost her dear life to trigger happy police personnel and thereafter, the IDP comes to tell the police not to use live bullets, but when the death has already occurred. We are aware of a child awaiting surgery after a bullet got logged into the skull. When can we have common sense prevail? The Police always give an excuse that those to demonstrate don't go to seek permission, now, what went wrong when Otuunu was escorted; that is the sensible thing to do more so when the government of the day is to blame for people's ills.
William Kituuka Kiwanuka

POLICE BOSS FIRED FOR ESCORTING OTUNNU
Andrew Bagala and Tabu Butagira
25 April 2011
The police leadership was last night under test after it emerged they suspended a senior officer for escorting UPC party leader Olara Otunnu during last Thursday's 'Walk-to-Walk' campaign.
Sources said Maj. Gen. Kale Kayihura, the inspector general of police, ordered Jinja Road Police operations commander, Alphonse Mutabazi's interdiction, accusing him of guarding the politician instead of halting his trek.
It is understood Mr Mutabazi has been indicted for disobeying lawful orders contrary to Section 18(1) of the police disciplinary Code of Conduct.
In his suspension letter, the IGP, who last Thursday reportedly placed a personal telephone call to commend Mr Mutabazi for avoiding potential chaos, said his junior officer was culpable for "escorting Mr Otunnu to work".
Elsewhere on that day, trigger-happy security forces allegedly shot dead a two-year-old baby in Masaka; clobbered as well as tear-gassed peaceful demonstrators and violently arrested FDC president Kizza Besigye who was charged and remanded to Nakasongola Prison.
Whereas other officers chose confrontation, Mr Mutabazi walked beside Mr Otunnu from Nakawa Market, a Kampala suburb, to UPC party headquarters at Uganda House in the city centre, placating opposition supporters used to police brutality.
Mr Otunnu, a former UN diplomat, after the march exalted the officer for his professionalism and readers have, in newspaper articles, praised his conduct, urging for his promotion.
It is understood the positive rating instead fuelled Mr Mutabazi predicaments, compelling his supervisors to dump him
"Police's work is not to escort walk-to-work protestors," Gen. Kayihura reportedly said in a U-turn, echoing a similar terse statement by President Museveni.
The suspension presents a headache for ground commanders whom Gen. Kayihura is quick to humiliate by punishing in public if they go wrong, a manoeuvre observers say is face-saving by a man accused of militarising the institution.
For instance, Gen. Kayihura dashed to Masaka on Saturday to visit a family grieving the brutal death of toddler Juliana Nalwanga who was shot in the head, offering Shs1 million and parading the suspected killer.
He subsequently moved RPC Fred Ssekiwere to an unspecified deployment at the Directorate of Operations in Kampala, replacing him with Mbarara DPC Simon Wafana.
Police Spokesperson Judith Nabakooba says also transferred is Kampala Metropolitan East regional commander Amos Gumisiriza, who now becomes Kyambogo University Chief Security Officer.
Ssembabule DPC Stephen Tanui takes over from him. Ssembabule police station chief, Abdallah Kitimbo, has been promoted as the DPC and so is his Mbarara counterpart Nicholas Ngozi.

2 - 3 YEAR OLD CHILD KILLED IN MASAKA CLASHES.
Written by Administrator
Thursday, 21 April 2011 16:51
A three - year -old girl was shot and killed in deadly clashes between protesters and security personel in Masaka
Six other people have been injured and are admitted at Masaka referral hospital.
David Nuwamanya, the Masaka Hospital Principle administrator, says the girl identified as Abby Narwanga, died shortly after she was admitted at Masaka hospital. She was shot in the head and died just as the doctors were trying to dress the wound.
Doctors say the Girl died of excessive bleeding. According to Nuwamanya, six other people who were allegedly shot during the protests in Nyendo.
Angel, a mother of the deceased baby was in total shock. she however managed an interview with the TUganda Radio Network reporter there.
Angel explains that she was preparing breakfast at her home, located in Kitaka Zone in Nyendo-Ssenyange division when soldiers opened fire at protesters near her home. Her baby was shot by a stray bullet.
But Aloysius Walusimbi, the father of the killed child says he witnessed soldiers open fire and kill his child. Walusimbi alleges that the bullet blew off her child’s head and opened the brains.
Walusimbi says they had locked themselves inside their house following the protesters when they soldiers shot rapidly at their house to scare away protesters.
Noah Sserunjogi, the Southern Region police Spokesperson, also says several policemen were injured in the protests but denies earlier allegations that some two cops have been killed.
Currently, Nyendo Township remains tense with UPDF soldiers patrolling the area.
Fr. Charles Ssebalamu, Bishop John Baptist Kaggwa’s private Secretary, says soldiers fired near Bishop’s residence during protests and disrupted prayers and business at Kitovu Cathedral.
Ssebalamu says the action by soldiers to shot at protesters who were hiding in the church and at Bishop Kaggwa’s residence has caused tension among religious leaders.
Last evening, Masaka Diocesan Bishop John Baptist Kaggwa, condemned the shooting and injuring of peaceful protesters.
In his Easter message, Bishop Kaggwa asked government to talk peace with protesters, because they have genuine grounds for their cause.
Bishop Kaggwa also asked protesters to join him during the Good Friday’s Way of the Cross to express their solidarity for all those injured and killed during protests.
Currently, soldiers have forcefully opened the roads blocked earlier on by protesters.

WALK TO WORK CAMPAIGN DAY 4: Live updates
Posted by Daily Monitor Reporter
on Thursday, April 21 2011 at 13:15
14:50 EAT: Police have confirmed the death of a two-year-old girl hit by a stray bullet after walk to work demonstrators and security forces clashed this morning in Nyendo, Masaka district. “The child was hit by a stray bullet and died at hospital,” said Noah Sserunjogi, Southern Region police spokesperson. Sserunjogi said the child, who he identified as Julian Nalwanga, was shot after police tried to dispel the angry demonstrators by shooting warning bullets into the air. "We also tried to use a bit of tear gas, but it was in vain," he said.
According to Sserunjogi, the two police officers who were set upon by the crowd are recovering at Masaka hospital. They are currently recieving treatment.
14: 20 EAT: FDC Party president Dr. Kizza Besigye has been transferred to Nakasongola civil prison after being charged with unlawful assembly. Dr. Besigye will next appear in court to answer to this charge on Wednesday April 27. DP President Norbert Mao was transferred earlier to the same prison this morning. Mao's court date is for May 2nd.
13:16 EAT: At least seven people have sustained serious gunshot wounds this morning in Masaka where police opened fired with live rounds to disperse protestors during the walk-to-work camapign. Several others suffered injuries in the clamp-down which also left a 4-year-old dead. The child died after being shot in the head and ribs. Reports also say two policemen were badly beaten and, according to eye witness accounts, may have died from the injuries sustained although police sources are denying that they have lost any personnel. The police say the officers were taken to hospital but could not tell journalists which hospital.
12:10 EAT: Columns of soldiers have filed into Masaka town centre as an uneasy calm returns. The Nyendo area of Masaka where two police officers were attacked and badly beaten – possibly leading to their death – is also returning to an uneasy calm. The morning’s running battles between the police and protestors participating in the walk to work campaign claimed the life of a four-year-old child who was shot in the head and ribs after police opened fire with live rounds into a crowd of civilians. Two adults were injured in this same shooting incident. Other reports say civilians mobbed two police officers and badly beat them up leading to their suspected death, although the area police spokesman, Noah Serunjonjji, disputes the suggestion that his colleagues have been killed.
11:45 EAT: Kampala City centre is reported to under fire as police battle opposition supporters who are protesting the arrest of their leaders, Nobert Mao and Kizza Besigye. Former DP parliamentary candidate Eddie Yawe has been intercepted at Post Office. He had a crowd of supporters moving along Kampala Road reportedly headed to Luzira Maximum Prisons to demand the immediate release of Mao and his co-accused. People are clearing out of town as the protestors carrying placards complaining about the rising food prices engage the police. Teargas is being fired.
11:30 EAT: Dr Besigye has just been produced in a fully packed Nabweru Court. Journalists, members of his Forum for Democratic Change party and security operatives all crowd into the courtroom. Daily Monitor’s John Njoroge says the situation outside the court premises is tense as a growing crowd faces-off with police, army and other security individuals.
10:35 EAT: UPC Party leader Ambassador Olara Otunnu successfully walks to work escorted by Police. Otunnu was met by a police force led by Afande Alphonsi Mutabazi from Jinja road police station just outside Nakawa Main Market at around 9:10am. After a brief argument, Otunnu was allowed to walk to Uganda House where the UPC party headquarters are located. Mutabazi was subsequently congratulated by his boss IGP General Kale Kayihura.
10:25 EAT: Heavy military and police deployment outside Nabweru Court in Bwaise, a Kampala suburb, where Dr Besigye is most likely going to appear. Journalists have been barred from getting anywhere near the court building. A crowd is gathering alongside the roadside as the army patrols in two armoured vehicles and a light infantry vehicle. Daily Monitor journalists on the scene indicate that the court authorities may be waiting for the file from the DPP’s office before they proceed. It is not clear what crime he is going to be charged with.
9:30 EAT: IPC spokesperson and Kyadondo North MP-elect Ibrahim Ssemuju Nganda has been arrested at Kireka as during his walk to work protest
8:50 EAT: The Uganda prisons spokesperson Mr Frank Beine has told Daily Monitor that Democratic Party leader Mr Nobert Mao and his co accused were taken overnight and some on Thursday morning to Nakasongola prison because of the threats of some of their supporters to walk and camp at Luzira prison in protest. “For the security of other prisoners and himself, we took him far from here but we shall produce him later when the time to return court is due,” Mr Beine said.
7:30 EAT: A Daily Monitor journalist reports that Police have arrested FDC leader Dr Kizza Besigye for the third time this month and fired tear gas to disperse hundreds of Besigye’s supporters marching beside him after he disembarked from his car near Kalerwe Market to continue the walk-to-work demonstration. Dr. Besigye was charged earlier this week with inciting violence in protests over price rises and released on bail.

25 YEARS IN POWER AND GOVERNMENT CAN STILL STOP INCREASE BACKED BY PRICE HIKES!

It is true that some schools make good money from fees, however, it is also true that when prices of virtually everything are hiked more so due to ill advised policies of the NRM Government where they saw the pumping of money into the economy as the viable way to win the hot elections. The order simply does not make sense. Even in the case of a person who has to make a living alone, it is becoming very difficult to make ends meet. Virtually everything has had a price increase. The question to ask is whether these head teachers or schools shop from a different market. If not, then the Government directive is simply ridiculous more so after so many years in power. What makes sense is to look to fiscal and monetary measures to deal with the solution. The Museveni Government has failed to see sense in stopping consumption related expenditure. The country will limp on until some other person will bail it from the unfortunate circumstances it is in.
The NRM Government would instead look at what is wrong in schools, for instance is the Ministry aware that there are some schools where a child with allegedly good points is not admitted simply because those schools are known to cheat in exams? What has UNEB done about teachers who cheat when asking for Examination fees and they end up taking parents for a ride? Why can't UNEB open Collection accounts countrywide so that the children/parents pay the official charges and at the same time eliminate the head teachers who cheat children money such that at examination time these children are not registered.
What has the Ministry of Education done about head teachers who deliberately don't allow their children to fill forms for Higher school so that when exam results are back these children have one option but to go back to the schools where they were for O'level. It is also true that some head teachers actually give students forms, which forms unfortunately are not submitted such that the children still find problems even when they got good passes.
Let the NRM Government manage Uganda professionally.
William Kituuka Kiwanuka
GOVERNMENT ORDERS SCHOOLS NOT TO INCREASE FEES!

Students contemplate their next move after they broke off for first term holiday on Thursday. Some schools had increased fees for next term but govt has told them not to. PHOTO BY JOSEPH KIGGUNDU
By Anna Nafula
Posted Sunday, April 24 2011 at 00:00
The government has ordered schools that had increased fees for next term to first seek approval from the Ministry of Education. According to a mini-survey by Saturday Monitor yesterday, a number of school heads had sent out circulars to parents at the close of first term on Thursday indicating an increment in school fees for the second term.
Yesterday, the Information Minister, Ms Kabakumba Matsiko, said: “This increment has not been made with the approval of the Minister responsible for Education and Sports as provided for by law.”
Head teachers Saturday Monitor talked to cited the rise in food prices, higher utiltity bills and other supplies as the reason for the fees increment.
Most schools had increased their fees by at least Shs50,000.
Ms Kabakumba said the Education Act (2008) gives the Education ministry powers to approve schools fees and prohibit levying any charges for purposes of education in any primary or post-primary institution implementing Universal Primary Education or UPPET/Universal Secondary Education programmes.
The order applies to all government and private schools.
She added that contravention of this and other related provisions is equivalent to committing an offence and being liable on conviction to paying a fine not exceeding fifty currency points or imprisonment not exceeding 12 months or both.
“Even for the private schools, whose management committees or Boards of Governors are established in accordance with Second and Third schedules of this Act, fees payable by students is prescribed and approved by the minister,” she said.
“In the case of UPE and USE participating schools, including those private schools that have admitted USE beneficiary students under the Public Private Partnership (PPP) arrangement, which should all be Day Schools, increment of fees does not even arise since there are no costs associated with accommodation or feeding of students.”
She explained that government was particularly paying a little higher for students enrolled under the PPP arrangement to take care of the additional costs incurred by these schools.
The government pays each school Shs41,000 per child per term in schools implementing programmes while Shs47,000 is given for each child attending a USE partner private school.
In 1994, a government-instituted committee realised that school fees were increasing due to the high cost of education that put so many children out of school and recommended a new fees structure that would impose a ceiling on school dues.