SMACK OB MBOGOLI FRED HAS PASSED ON

Mbogoli Fred Semasazi an Old Boy of St. Mary's College Kisubi passed on 30th July 2012 at Nsambya Hospital. He has been buried at Ziru - Ssisa at the family burial grounds in close vicinity to Wamala Trading centre a few miles from Kawuku. He had a Higher Diploma of Kyambogo and has been practicing in the field that is, drawing plans for clients. May his soul rest in eternal peace. William Kituuka Kiwanuka

THE DEATH RATE ON OUR ROADS CALLED FOR SERIOUS ADDRESS

Idd Amin while President stopped heavy trucks from traveling at night. To-day, many deals are done at night. Talk of those who ferry what is illegal, like timber, charcoal, name it; yet Traffic Police is not that active at night. It may not be possible to stop heavy trucks moving at night, but the fact is, there is a serious problems. Many drivers complain about the long distance drivers, who more often than not even sleep while on steering. On the Entebbe Highway, where the wife of Nyombi Tembo met her untimely death, it is very common on daily basis to see trucks carrying sand meant for two trips just once. So, when one goes to collect the sand, he brings a badly loaded truck, off loads some and continues with the balance to the site where he is supposed to deliver! Mean while, the traffic personnel see this every day but have not done a thing to see it stop, but in case of an accident, they are fast to act! Uganda needs much more. Either many road users (drivers) don't measure up, or there is another problem. it disturbs the rate at which many drivers keep using mobile phones while driving. William Kituuka Kiwanuka

AS A NEW VICE-CHANCELLOR IS LOOKED FOR, MAKERERE NEEDS FINCIAL MANAGEMENT REMOVED FROM ACADEMIC MANAGERS

The problem Makerere University has since the introduction of the Private Students sponsorship scheme is having the University dons at the same time manage the monies. It will be a great mind that will get the two functions separated. Makerere University and other public universities have graduated to the level of having the two functions operated separately. In fact Makerere University is a good model for operating like a bank where financial managers would handle all the financial matters as is done in a bank and the academic staff concentrate on teaching. The day such a move will be implemented will be great at Makerere University. In fact, given the positive roles Madam Jennifer Musisi has played at KCCA, she is capable of Managing the financial aspect given the opportunity. William Kituuka Kiwanuka

BARYA SHOULD LEAVE OFFICE BEFORE CONTESTING

When the search for Vice - Chancellor took off in 2009, Prof. Luboobi was an interested party, however, he had to leave off before contesting. It is not clear why Baryamureba does not leave office as the search goes on. It is said that Barya is a wealthy man, he has the money according to some University sources. There is fear that while in office, he stands big chance of influencing the search process. In the name of fairness, Barya should leave office and contest with others on the same ground. William Kituuka Kiwanuka ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- MAKERERE UNIVERSITY SEARCHES FOR NEW VICE-CHANCELLOR Published: May 01, 2009 By Francis Kagolo and Fortunate Ahimbisibwe MAKERERE University has started searching for a new vice-chancellor to replace Prof. Livingstone Luboobi, whose term of office ends on May 31. The University Council has appointed a five-member committee, headed by Christine Kiganda, to search for a replacement. Stephen Maloba, the head of the university’s appointment board and a former commissioner in the education ministry, is a member to the committee. The committee is also to search for two deputy vice-chancellors to replace those whose contracts end in September. The search process, which is to last for about two months, will be conducted following the guidelines on appointment of the university management approved recently. The guidelines allow non-staff members to compete for the three top jobs and the vice-chancellor should not be over 60 years of age. The committee will select candidates and forward them to the Senate to nominate three of them for recommendation to the council. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- WHAT IS BARYA'S NEW PLOT FOR MAKERERE? published; July 24, 2012 By Vision Reporter Prof. Venansius Baryamureeba says that if he is given another mandate to run the university for more years, he will continuously revamp the institution to make it one of the most prized ones on the continent. In his plans, based on the presentation he made, Prof. Barya wants to improve the institutions’ financial management, have inclusive decision making, adopt Open financial governance, start mandatory quarterly appraisals at College level, and mainstream gender issues. He explained that the university’s “operating revenues have been increasing at an annual rate of 4.8% since 2008. This is compared to operating expenses increasing at an annual rate of 6.3% in the same period.” This means that the university’s operating expenses have consistently exceeded operating revenues from 2008 to 2010, which means the university was living beyond its own means, an issue he wants overturned. Consequently, the university has registered deficits from 2008 to 2010, totaling to sh26.7bn. However, operating revenues have only exceeded operating expenses in 2011, giving a surplus of sh7.8bn. He said that the university also needs an independent need assessment exercise performed, “to confirm that it is not carrying “excess” staff.” The university “must seek to take advantage of outsourcing in order to reduce its staff numbers and related costs. There is also need to re-engineer its processes and take advantage of technological replacement models, so as to precipitate an efficient and effective human capital compliment.” Aggressive general cost control and a cost-sharing culture, Prof. Barya says, has to be inculcated into Makerere’s day-to-day operations in all units, “supported by a cost management information system.” He added that, “We also plan to enhance the current institutional leadership structures, establish a balanced score card and ensure successful utilisation of donor grants. There is also need for infrastructural maintenance and this will become mandatory every year in the budget.” Prof. Barya also said that the university plans to establish ICT facilities’ hire purchase program, a staffs’ Health Insurance scheme, and to also support efforts to improve the living wage. He also wants to review mandatory retirement age for senior academic staff and revamp the students’ sanitary facilities. Makerere used to be the best sporting institution, with massive teams fronted in various sports, a culture which is gradually dying out. But, Prof. Barya says that he wants to revamp the student sporting facilities, social amenities, on top of revising the halls of residences’ solidarities as platform for social engagement. Makerere, as it is gradually getting overcrowded, he says there are plans to refurbish, upgrade and setup new teaching and learning infrastructure by 2014, increase teaching budget and instructional materials and do periodical review of academic programmes. This is in addition to lobbying the Government for more funds, on top of developing the university land. There are also plans to bring private tuition at per with government funding, and diversification of the revenue source base. For the time he has been in office, he cited a number of achievements which included quicker service delivery, improved university visibility, research development and massive funding for the university. According to the online research assessment tools, Makerere University is ranked 8th in Africa and 6th in Sub-Saharan Africa. In the latest University Ranking by Academic Performance, Makerere University is 802nd in the world and 8th in Africa. Students are receiving transcripts before graduation and Certificates on graduation days, there is automated student services like registration and fees payment, and an improved lead time for academic staff promotions.

MOBILE TELEPHONE COMPANIES SHOULD ENSURE BETTER ACCESS FOR MONEY

It gets disturbing when one expects to get some money from his/her phone and cannot, because of a system problem. The Mobile telephone companies are in stiff competition, so they are bound to come up with new innovations now and then, however, the problem is that efficiency is sacrificed. You get to an agent hoping to draw money, only to be told that it is not possible, because of either a system fault or other reason. This happens even when the mobile network is available. The appeal made to mobile telephone companies is to keep clients informed whenever it is impossible for the customers to access the service. And all possible should be done to keep the service functional otherwise it is very disappointing when one has it as the last resort for money and unfortunately fails to draw the money. William Kituuka Kiwanuka

DEATH

The wreckage in which Prisca Mashengyero Tembo, wife to State Minister for ICT, Nyombi Tembo died. When death strikes, many of us look around for reasons why such a death may have occurred more so to our dear loved one. Saturday night was a real tragedy when the wife of Nyombi Tembo died in a terrible accident. May the Almighty God well come her into eternity. However, when one looks at the wreckage of both the vehicles, one wonders whether Prisca really deserved such a death! As a political animal, I wish to appeal to the NRM Government to pay attention to the issues many times raised. May be, when a number of these are well handled, much of the untimely deaths may cease to be. William Kituuka Kiwanuka ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------- There is some truth to the old saying, “There are only two things you can count on in life: death and taxes.” Everyone experiences death. Death and dying are an inevitable part of human life. Some people know ahead of time when their death will occur. Terminal illnesses, when diagnosed ahead of time, allow a person to set his or her affairs in order, make relationships right, and say goodbye to loved ones. In these cases, every person involved has a chance to gradually adjust and make peace with death, as much as possible. However, not everyone has this chance. Many deaths occur suddenly. Death can, and often does, strike without warning. No one is promised tomorrow. The only thing we can count on is today. Many people around the world turn to religion to answer questions about death and the afterlife, especially when someone is facing his or her own mortality. Strangely, even a brief glance at many of the world’s religions reveals that many theologies glamorize death, promising rewards in the afterlife, including increased understanding of God and the universe and even, in some cases, supernatural powers that were unavailable during the mortal life. Death often seems more attractive than being alive. But the reality of death is that it should be avoided at all costs. Death is the worst thing to ever happen in all of existence. Life is a precious gift we are unable to recreate once it’s gone. The truth about death lays plain the harshness of the grave … but also the true beauty of the life we already have. We invite you to learn more about this topic, and hope you better appreciate your life as a result.

UGANDA BADLY NEEDS PROSECUTION CASE MANAGEMENT INFORMATION SYSTEM

As the case load increases, Uganda has inadequate capacity for secure storage and fast retrieval of case file information. To address this problem, a robust and reliable Data Center and Prosecution Case Management Information System is needed. At the same time, well stocked mini- libraries/documentation centers and secure mini-registries need to be established at the proximity of the various field offices for easy access to reference materials.

SATURDAY, 11 AUGUST 2012 WILL BE FUNERAL RITES FOR DR. GEORGE MAYANJA AT NAGURU

Exactly 4 months and 11 days after his death, it will be Funeral Rites of Dr. George William Mayanja. The function will start on Friday 10th August at the Naguru residence and the heir will be installed on Saturday, 11th August 2012. Thanks to God for the endurance of the children and all relatives of the Doctor through the trying time following his demise. 1 Kings 2: 1 – 4 & 10 – 12 “Katonda alibaweera abakola obulungi, ka tunywere tufube, Laba Yerusalemu ekibuga ekikulu, lye ggulu ye mpeera, y’eka ewaffe.” “God Rest Dr. George William Mayanja’s soul in eternal peace.” William Kituuka

IT'S SO SAD THE DEATH OF GHANA'S PRESIDENT, BUT THEY ARE MILES A HEAD OF UGANDA

What ever Museveni does, as long as Ugandans cannot see a calm transition for power, it is a wasted effort. William Kituuka Kiwanuka ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ After death of Ghana's president, a calm transition After the death of President John Evans Atta Mills, Ghana peacefully transferred power to its vice president – a reminder that not all political transitions in West Africa are violent. By Clair MacDougall, Correspondent / July 25, 2012

Ghana Vice President John Mahama (c.) sits on a chair after being sworn in as new President of Ghana in parliament after the passing of the late Ghana President John Atta Mills in Accra, Ghana, Tuesday, July 24. Christian Thompson/AP --------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Monrovia, Liberia Ghana’s vice president John Dramani Mahama was sworn in as president last night after the sudden death of former leader John Evans Atta Mills yesterday afternoon. Mr. Atta Mills's death came just months before Ghana's presidential and parliamentary elections, and it could set off a close contest between the ruling National Democratic Congress (NDC) and its main rival, the New Patriotic Party. But in West Africa – a region where coup d'états have been a common method for transferring power – a tightly contested political race is considered a distinct advantage. “Most Ghanaians know that nothing will happen and the democratic process will continue to go on,” says Dr. Kwadwo Adjei Tutu of the Institute of Economic Affairs, a political think tank based in Accra. “But there could be a significant power play there" between those who supported Mills and those who supported the wife of NDC party founder and former President Jerry Rawlings, whose relationship had grown tense over the past year.. "Mahama knows the political terrain and the scene. We will see how the power play goes on for him within his own party.” RECOMMENDED: Think you know Africa? Take our geography quiz Ghana, the first nation on the continent to gain independence from colonial rule in 1957, has long been regarded as an exemplar of democracy and good governance in a region with a political history marked by instability, coup d’états, civil conflict, and military rule. It has held four relatively peaceful democratic elections since its transition from military to civilian rule during the presidency of Mr. Rawlings, who seized power in a coup d’état in the early 1980s and later became a democratically elected president, holding office throughout the 1990s. Mills was the country's fourth democratically elected president since the end of military rule. “This is the saddest day in our nation's history. Tears have engulfed our nation and we're deeply saddened and distraught. I never imagined that one day I will address our nation in such difficult circumstances,” said President Mahama, according to a CNN report. “I’m personally devastated. I've lost a father, I've lost a friend, I've lost a mentor and a senior comrade.” Mahama will complete the late leader’s term. Ghana’s election commission has stated that December polls will go ahead as planned. Analysts say that Mills’ death will not have a negative impact on the elections, but that there could be internal party wrangling over who will be the presidential candidate for the ruling NDC, a party founded by the former military leader turned democratically elected Rawlings, whose presence and influence over internal party politics still looms large. Mahama, long regarded a rising star in Ghana’s political scene, has served in parliament since 1996 and served as Minister of Communications until 2001. He ran with Mills during the 2008 elections and took the vice presidency when Mills claimed victory. But it remains unclear whether Mahama will win the party’s approval to run as their presidential candidate. An emergency party congress will be held to elect a new candidate, according to a report by Reuters. The ruling NDC party has faced internal divisions in the past year. Rawlings openly criticized Mills, claiming the late president was not tough enough on corruption and that he had failed to uphold the party’s values and principles. The divisions deepened after Rawling’s wife and former first lady Nana Konadu Agyemang-Rawlings ran against the late president in the race to become the ruling party’s candidate in the 2012, although Mills claimed a landslide victory – 96 percent – at the party’s national congress in Sunyani last July. Mills’ death comes after weeks of speculation about the state of his health and a recent visit to the United States for a medical check up. Mills was Ghana’s first head of state to die in office.

MR MUSEVENI, HE NATIONAL CAKE IS FOR ALL UGANDANS

Referring to Mr. Museveni's campaigns in Bukoto South, he told the voters not to give a non NRM candidate votes as this was bound to deny them services! Though he has been in power for 26 years, Museveni has failed to appreciate that all Ugandans irrespective of their political affiliation are entitled to be nefit from the national cake. It is absurd. William Kituuka Kiwanuka ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ NRM'S NSAMBU DID NOT INSULT KABAKA - MUSEVENI

Museveni said those who use the Kabaka for campaigns are greedy and selfish. new vision By Ali Mambule President Yoweri Museveni has clarified claims that NRM flag-bearer in the Bukoto South parliamentary race Alintuma Nsambu insulted Kabaka Ronald Mutebi and influenced the closure of CBS radio station. He said such claims were lies crafted by people who hate the kingdom and want to drag it into trouble. “If Nsambu abused the Kabaka, why didn’t Mengo report to me as the leader of NRM. He explained that he was blaming the people who wanted to confuse the Kabaka, saying Baganda shouldn’t work with the Government, which they described as that of Banyankole with long noses. They wanted people to think that it was the Kabaka who sent them,” Museveni said. “I am a fighter and fighters don’t know tribes. NRM is a tribe for all the people who support unity, peace and development in the country” he said on Sunday. The President made the remarks while campaigning for the Nsambu in Lwengo district. The Bukoto South byelections have attracted seven candidates, including Nsambu, Mathias Nsubuga (DP) and Julius Ssentamu. The byelections are set for July 12. The seat fell vacant after Muyanja Mbabaali was thrown out of Parliament. Museveni said: “The Kabaka returned to Uganda because of the blood of NRM. DP was here as well as UPC, which removed him. Those who use the Kabaka for campaigns are wrong because the Kabaka has no sides. They are greedy and care about themselves,” he said. Museveni, who said he talked to Katikkiro Eng. J.B. Walusimbi about the issue, added that the talk about Nsambu insulting the Kabaka were mere allegations which deserve no attention. Apart from the mega rally at Kinono, the President met 3,700 NRM chairpersons from over 126 villages in the district at Sseke Secondary School in Kiingo village. Museveni also urged the electorate to ignore claims that Nsambu does not hail from Bukoto South despite having a home there. He added that any leader who vies for a parliamentary seat should be able to support development programmes. Museveni said although it was true that Nsambu came from Bukoto East where he lost in the 2011 parliamentary elections, he deserved a second chance to serve. “It was the people of Bukoto South who invited him here. You gave him the NRM ticket and he bought a piece of land in the constituency. He is part of you,” Museveni added. “Vote for him come July 12 to safeguard the NRM seat in Parliament. The issue of voting for a someone from Bukoto South should wait for 2016 when we shall have organised ourselves but for the moment, we have Nsambu,” he said. Museveni explained that Nsambu, former state minister for IT, did not close CBS radio station as alleged by the opposition, but it was the Government which realised that the station was mobilising people to cause havoc. However, President Museveni blamed the people of Bukoto South for chasing Lwengo Woman MP Gertrude Nakabira and Bukoto Midwest MP Isaac Sejjoba from the meeting. “I know that they have not been attending Nsambu’s rallies but I invited them to this meeting. You did not know what their message was. Sending them away was a big mistake,” he said. Nakabira and Sejjoba were barred from the premises before President Museveni arrived. The electorate said Nakabira was a hurdle in Nsambu’s quest for victory. “The divisions in Movement made us lose elections in Luwero, Jinja and Bushenyi. I urge you not to make the same mistakes,” he said and called for quality service and unity among leaders. Nsambu thanked the people of Bukoto South for welcoming him to their constituency. “I also thank the President for giving me another chance and campaigning for me. I assure you that I’ll not let you and the people of Bukoto South down,” he said.

THE LEA WILSON FAMILY, KINDLY ASSIST NAMUTAMBA

This is an appeal to the family and relatives of Lea Wilson to come and assist Namutamba which they helped to develop earlier. William Kituuka Kiwanuka (wkituuka@gmail.com) ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Geographical Location Namutamba village derives its name from Namutamba Hill, located in Bulera Sub County in Mityana District. Mityana District was established on July 1st 2005 by an act of parliament with the aim of making administration and service delivery easier. Initially the district was part of Mubende District. Namutamba is an eighty eight (88) kilometers’ journey West of Kampala, via Mityana and twenty one (21) kilometers north of Mityana by road. Kampala is the Capital city of Uganda, our country being a land locked country is situated in East Africa. The climate shows small variation of temperature, humidity and winds. The district experiences rain throughout the year, with heavy rains in March- April and September- November. The annual average rainfall is 930mm. It was a fertile hill, with an altitude of 13,520M above the sea level and used to be mostly covered in tall elephant grass. The high altitude ensures favorable climate with medium annual temperatures ranging from 17.2 degrees to 29 degrees centigrade. Background to do with the Lea Wilson’s Personality History

Namutamba was blessed to have a new personality in the early 20th Century. His names were Charles Leslie Lea Wilson. Remarkably on Friday February 13th 1914 Leslie and Sybil were married. With the Lord in charge of their lives and their marriage, later that year, the year that the First World War broke out, they left together for Uganda where this time Leslie was to work for Major Renton on his coffee and rubber estate at Bakijulula (“Baki”) (55) fifty five miles West of Kampala. On return Sybil was left at Mityana 6 miles away with Rev. & Mrs. Bowers – C.M.S missionaries whom Sybil already knew. After a few weeks Leslie got the house at Senda habitable, and a few months after they both moved in though their first born son Ronald in 1915 sadly was taken from them eighteen months later by a virulent attack of dysentery. Their second child Myra was soon with them and then in February 1919 Kenneth followed. Leslie and Sybil prayed often to be shown where it was that they should look for land on which to start a coffee plantation of their own. Out of three alternatives they finally felt Namutamba was the place they were meant to go – only four miles up the hill from Baki. Reggie (1922) and Malcolm (1924) were born.

The Namutamba landscape with Tea Plantation in background ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------- History of Namutamba Demonstration School: The School was started in 1936 AD as a Community School at Butumbizi. The Proprietor was Mr. LEA WILSON a British who came in the area to open up a Tea Estate. The purpose of starting this school was to enable the children of his workers (at the shamba) to have education. At this time the school was known as Butumbizi Sub- Grade. The parents were not directly paying school dues. School fee was deducted from the wages of the employees who had children. This was by the manager who would later pay it to the school administration.In 1941, the school was transferred from Butumbizi to Kiwanda. The reason for the transfer was to have it in close vicinity to Namutamba Vernacular Teacher Training College (VTTC) which had been transferred from Mukono. Students from the VTTC would carry out their School Practice at the school. The school name was changed to Namutamba Practicing School. The school had classes One to Three, and Reverend Bulasio. K. Lwanga was the Head teacher. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

The Link to Namutamba Demonstration School website: http://www.namutambademschool.webs.com/

HAPPY BIRTHDAY MAAMA CONSTANCE HELLEN MUGWANYA 92 YEARS

Mrs Constance Helen Mugwanya (Founder) and longtime head of Namutamba Nursery School

Born 92 years ago on 25th July 1920, Maama Constance Hellen Mugwanya, since 19th October 1939 has lived the life of a model saved person, and a real model Christian, mother and educator. Happy Birthday! Thanks to God for the innovation of Namutamba Nursery School which Maama Mugwanya started at her house and thereafter to Namutamba Church before getting to the current location at Namutamba Demonstration School. We pray that the Almighty God gives comfort to Maama Mugwanya through the challenges of old age. William Kituuka Kiwanuka

Scientists tentatively eye cure for HIV/AIDS

How to end AIDS By Michel Sidibé, Special to CNN Michel Sidibé is executive director of the Joint United Nations Program on HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS). He is attending the 19th International AIDS Conference taking place in Washington D.C. this week. The views expressed are his own. Getting to zero – zero new HIV infections, zero discrimination and zero AIDS-related deaths – was unimaginable just a decade ago. Today, it has moved from commitment to action – from President Obama to Ebube Sylvia Taylor, born free of HIV despite her mother being infected with AIDS – to make AIDS part of history. The challenge before us is not how, but how quickly. We owe it to the more than 34 million people living with HIV. The rate of new HIV infections has fallen in most parts of the world – more than 56 countries have stabilized or reduced HIV infections by more than 25 percent. The results are most dramatic in sub-Saharan Africa, where the epidemic has had its most devastating impact. In Africa, AIDS-related deaths have reduced by more than 31 percent as a record number of people are on antiretroviral therapy, more than 6 million people. For the first time in the history of AIDS, the number of people taking the lifesaving antiretroviral drugs exceeds the number of eligible and waiting. Young people have taken charge of their destiny. In 22 countries, the rate of HIV infections among young people has fallen by more than 25 percent in the last decade. Fewer children are being born with HIV. A major push by UNAIDS and the United States PEPFAR program has seen a dramatic drop in new HIV infections among children – 100000 fewer new HIV infections in just two years. The global AIDS response has benefited from the generosity of the people of the United States – the world owes American citizens a big thank you. Three out of five dollars invested in AIDS internationally come from the United States. Now for the first time, buoyed by the successes in the response, 81 countries have increased their share of contributions to national AIDS programs by more than 50 percent in the last five years. In sub-Saharan Africa, investments grew by 97 percent. South Africa has led the challenge by quadrupling its investments, now reaching nearly $2 billion annually, the highest for any low- and middle-income country. Russia, Brazil, China and India also are stepping up and taking responsibility for their AIDS response from domestic revenues. Zimbabwe’s AIDS levy generated nearly $26 million last year. This is global burden sharing in practice. But the world still faces a $7 billion gap annually. The United States can do more and so should the rest of the world. Investments for AIDS has to be predictable. Too often in the response to this disease, we operate “hand-to-mouth”. That’s why sustainable solutions are so important. We have to shake day-to-day dependency and create sustainable solutions for the AIDS response. The number of pills and condoms available shouldn’t depend on the volatility of the financial markets or charity. The way we work has brought us here, but to get to zero we have to change tracks. What worked 10 years ago, 5 years ago isn’t working today. The world has changed and so must we. This week, more than 20 000 delegates will come to Washington, D.C. to participate in the 19th International AIDS Conference. I hope to begin a conversation in shaping the agenda for securing the future – what UNAIDS calls the “AIDS+ agenda.” There are five cornerstones for this agenda: The first one is to secure the science. There can’t be two different sets of prescriptions for the same disease – one for the rich and one for the poor. Access to the best possible medicines must be guaranteed and the lack of resources or capacity must not be an excuse. In addition, there’s a lot of room for innovation – in producing simpler ways to manage HIV treatment. These innovations must be robust enough to work everywhere in the world, from a remote village in Cambodia to the United States. Last week, we laid out a new blueprint to find a cure for AIDS. The quest for a vaccine, too, has taken one-step forward. Science will eventually deliver a final blow to AIDS. Meanwhile, let us do what is in within our control. The second is to secure good laws. There’s no reason why countries should stop people living with HIV from moving freely. There’s no reason for the criminalization of adult sexual behavior or punitive laws against people who use drugs, sell sex or are living with HIV. Women and girls must feel safe and able to protect themselves from violence and abuse. When there’s zero discrimination, it will become easier for people to access essential HIV services. Securing access to services is the third cornerstone. The presence or absence of a virus in the human body should not determine if people have access to affordable health care, health insurance, access to schools, adequate nutrition and social protection. The fourth is securing the full investment. World leaders have agreed to invest between $ 22 billion to $24 billion in low- and middle-income countries annually by 2015. The AIDS response has to be fully funded. Halfhearted and half-empty promises don’t deliver results. Building half a road won’t get you to your destination. If you don’t invest fully, you’ll have to pay more later and pay forever. We also have a responsibility to invest efficiently and effectively. Far too many countries invest in programs that are either ineffective or efficient. We have to focus on where the next 1,000 infections will occur, not on pet projects. Ideology has to be replaced by evidence. People have to take precedence over politics. The fifth cornerstone is community ownership and global solidarity. It’s been proven again and again that when communities are empowered to design and manage their own programs, not only do costs come down, but results are guaranteed. From sex workers in Kolkata to people who use drugs in Kiev, mentor mothers living with HIV in Maseru to men who have sex with men in Dakar, they have managed to provide support to their peers and provided a safe place to access services with dignity and respect. However, they can only do their jobs if we continue to build and maintain global solidarity. Last summer, world leaders agreed to a set of global targets to be achieved by 2015. These have to be met, but we need to look beyond. We have to aim for the end of AIDS – and that begins today.

WITH THE CORRUPTION IN UGANDA, A POLICE SURGEON SHOULD BE A LAST RESORT IN DETERMINING THE GIRL'S AGE

A case was brought to my attention when a boy was arrested and brought to Kajjansi Police Station, and charged for defilement. The matter was reported to me. I did not know the girl, however, I learn't that the girl had told some people that she is 17 years. I was not convinced as it looked from the word go that the party on the girls' side were after getting monetary gains. Yesterday, 24th July, I called at the Police. I wanted to know how in the 1st instance a girl who had been collected from where she was by a Police officer as she was threatening someone's life, had all of a sudden become a complainant? What had become of the Case for which the girl was evacuated from the scene? At the Police Station, I was told that when they saw the girl, what looked more serious was that she had been defiled! That is Uganda Police. Cases are taken to them and when they pay lip services, shortly afterwards you find people murdered. Anyway, I asked them the method they used to establish that the girl was defiled. They told me that the Police Surgeon did. It is a big problem Uganda is in. I got a File number given to me and approached higher authorities. You know the beauty of it is that so those of us who had opportunity to go to good schools, you find that one knows some senior person some where to can attend to such problem. Today morning, the case was brought to the Prosecutor and i told him that I was not satisfied that the girl was actually 17 years. I told him that since this girl had been to some school, better we get facts instead of taking what she had alleged as gospel truth. When the girl as asked whether she had been at school earlier on, she said she had and that she stopped in S. 3. Asked the year, the poor girl said it was 2008. By simple computation, a girl in Uganda is in S. 3 by at least 16 years. it is 4 years since 2008. Surely, can any serious person rely on a report by a Police Surgeon? That is the situation in Uganda. Much as we are concerned about justice, let it be justice. It is unfortunate the way the Police use this type of cases to benefit. the simple boy has been a candidate of prison and a sentence for may be 14 years! That is the justice we have. William Kituuka Kiwanuka

IT IS WRONG TO ASSUME THAT UGANDANS DON'T DEMAND ENOUGH IN ACCOUNTABILITY

Donors ought to understand that the graduated tax was being mishandled by the collectors, and the people of Uganda are least ready to see it back in force. The donors are funny people, we send proposals to them for consideration, and unfortunately, they end up rejecting to fund our proposals and then they turn around to say, we are not doing enough. I for one, I am resigned with donors in Uganda, it is almost impossible to get money from them however good the proposals are. So, let those who are looting the tax resources have their day. William Kituuka Kiwanuka ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Ugandans not doing enough in demanding accountability - Dutch Ambassador

The former Netherlands ambassador to Uganda, Jeroen Verheul,stresses a point during the interview. He says Uganda still has a long way to go in order to improve strength of institutions. PHOTOS BY STEPHEN WANDERA OUMA By Daniel K. Kalinaki Posted Monday, July 16 2012 at 01:00 In Summary The Netherlands ambassador to Uganda, Jeroen Verheul, left his post early this month after five years of service in the country. In his last interview the day before he left, the envoy spoke to Managing Editor Daniel K. Kalinaki about his time and work in Uganda. Qn: The Netherlands’ new strategic plan shifts support to Uganda away from social areas like education to productive areas like agri-business. Is this a major change in policy? Ans: It is a change in policy absolutely. We had a shift in government two years ago, from a centre-left coalition to a-centre right coalition and there is always a shift in emphasis in politics when you go from left to the right in a political spectrum. And that shift is associated with moving emphasis from social sectors to productive sectors. In Uganda you see the same shifts over time emerging; the focus on free primary education, free health services, social service delivery was very prominent but I think over the past 5-6 years, there is an increasing emphasis on the productive sectors especially agriculture. So this matches very well with the shift in Netherlands. You have expressed disappointment about the failures in the education sector. Do you want to expand on that? I have always emphasized that there are three reasons why The Netherlands is moving away from support of the education sector; the first is related to the shift in policy emphasis that we have just discussed. The second is related to the modality that we can use in the sense that the support we provided for the education sector was mainly going through budget support and since 2011 we have not been able to provide budget support in Uganda. Therefore, the main vehicle for supporting the education sector fell away and we would have to redesign and re-engineer our complete support to the sector if we were to do that. The third reason is that we are quite disappointed with the lack of progress in results achieved in Uganda in terms of education. One key elements is the number of children that graduate from primary school with a PLE leaving certificate in the top divisions which research has shown enables children to move on to the secondary system and also move on and prepare them for the labour market. If you look at the number of children that graduate at that level compared to, for example, when UPE was introduced you see very, very moderate increase. I think it is about 250,000 kids. And if you know that the complete number of kids that should graduate every year is about a million. Then you see that only 25 per cent of kids graduate with skills that properly enable them move to the labour market. And we thought that over the time spent since the introduction of Universal Primary Education that we have seen an enormous increase in intake, enrolment has increased enormously but the learning in school didn’t increase at the same rate. So we were disappointed and we have been focusing for many years on trying to help Uganda to increase the number but the results of that effort were too disappointing for us to conclude to continue with those efforts. Is it a problem of project design rolling it out at once or one of poor supervision due to government incompetence? The first reason relates to the sheer number of children and the introduction of the project at a large scale. The sheer number is overwhelming in relation to the facilities that were there at the time in terms of classrooms, learning materials; teachers could not cope basically with the number of children. The other element relates to governance of schools and one of the points that we have continuously underlined is the teacher absenteeism; teachers have been appointed and get a salary to teach at the school but they just don’t show up for their work and there are very few disciplinary follow ups if teachers don’t show up for their work. The third element relates to the complex governance of your school system. [It] is largely decentralised but still there are elements that remain at centre level. Deployment of head teachers, for example, is a central issue but deployment of teachers is a decentralised issue. The fourth issue is the disconnect between schools and parents. One of the unintended side-effects of providing free education is the expectation with parents that government will take care of the education of their children and in sense that parents were not responsible for the education of their children anymore. In addition, the abolishment of graduated tax led to a disconnect between taxpayers and district service delivery. Constituents don’t see a link between the service they get from their districts and their contribution by the abolishment of graduated tax. If you look across at other areas where you have been involved in funding, such as the Justice, Law and Order Sector, what have been the achievements or successes? The fact that we remain in justice, law and order is testimony that we are quite satisfied with the progress that we have made now and also that we see a proper perspective for continuing achieving results in that area. I am not saying that it is without its bottlenecks and challenges and problems. But we are reasonably satisfied with the progress we have made in the sector. [For instance], if you look at the performance of the Judiciary, Uganda can be proud about the Judiciary it has developed over the past 25 years. It is a professional, very well organised and well performing [arm] of government. How do you respond to criticism that while some organs in the sector, such as the police, have better equipment, they are increasingly accused of violating human rights? I am disappointed about our collaboration with the police in the sense that what we have tried to do, specifically with the police, is to let them undergo a review process not just a review process based on incidents but a thorough review process based on international professional standards. What is the international professional standard for policing and how does Uganda measure to that standard? That is on one hand and on the other hand is input from the public and from stakeholders; how do they view the performance of the police? We have supported several processes of that review process and I must say I have been disappointed that the review process has not been finished. It is still somewhere stuck in the bureaucracy of police and I cannot find out why it is stuck. I am quite disappointed with that part of our collaboration with the police. I am quite satisfied with the way we have been able to work with the police in deploying police in the north of Uganda and in Karamoja we have invested quite heavily in 2007 in getting the UPDF out and the police in. Looking back at that effort we can be very satisfied at the progress that we have made. Share This Story Would you say, therefore, that the culture of rule of law, as opposed to rule by law is more entrenched in Uganda today? That is a difficult question because how do you measure that? What indicators do you use for that? For instance, does the executive respect pronouncements by the Judiciary? There were some challenges with regard to that [like the Black Mamba raid on the High Court- editor], later on the pronouncements were not in favour of the executive but they were respected so in that sense you can talk about progress. I think it is a difficult call for me to make. In terms of accountability and human rights, respect for human rights, Uganda Human Rights Commission is making a tremendous effort in order to promote the concept of human rights and protection of human rights, I think the Ugandan Parliament has made a major step in voting for the Anti-torture law in the sense that now perpetrators of torture are personally held accountable and liable for their actions I think that is a major step forward. Also the laws on domestic violence are a major step forward and against female genital mutilation, are major steps forward in terms of respect from human rights so it depends on which indicators you use and I think that we should welcome the progress and we should encourage Uganda to continue on that path to respect the rule of law because the rule of law is also more than that. However, Uganda still has a long way to go in order to improve strength of institutions and that is an important element of the rule of law. What are your views in regard to the argument that aid makes governments more accountable to donors and less to their citizens? There is a challenge in Uganda in the sense that citizens are not demanding enough in terms of accountability for service delivery [and] the way public finances are managed. What always struck me in Uganda is this concept about government money. Who does it belong to? I think that the average Ugandan doesn’t see it as their money, they don’t see it as belonging to them; they see it belonging either to foreign donors or to wealthy businessmen. I am not sure what they are thinking who it belongs to. But they are not seeing it as their money and as long as that concept is there it is difficult to demand accountability. There is an important task especially for civil society to make sure that Ugandan taxpayers know that it is their VAT, if they buy sugar they pay VAT and that money is going to URA and the revenue body gives it to the Consolidated Fund which gives it to State House to pay for personnel and staff that is working in State House and other institutions. Ugandan taxpayers contribute to that expenditure and they have a right and entitlement to what is happening with the money. I am very encouraged by the role Parliament is playing in the sense that they demand more and more accountability but where I think Parliament could grow is in demanding more structural and analytical accountability for government funds; now it is mainly incident-based; it is issue here, issue there and they raise those issues and follow up on them which is excellent but if you look at the amount of money involved and you look at the whole budget then it is always a small part and I think you should be more analytical and look at where are the risks where are the large expenditures going, and we should focus on accountability for that but it is a process. I think that what also strikes me is that a lot of Ugandans look at donors as if they would provide the solutions for Uganda. The Americans will help us in this or the Europeans will do that and it has always surprised me why it should be like that maybe some donors are comfortable with that position but I feel completely uncomfortable with that position. History shows that development can only be done by indigenous actions, by the population itself by Ugandans themselves, they have to take the lead and we can support, and we can help, we can transfer knowledge and we can facilitate things in terms of financial transfer, we can give fellowships to people so that they can learn certain skills and bring them back to Uganda. But the lead should be with Ugandans and I don’t mean only one Ugandan, it is not only President Museveni who needs development but it should be much broader Ugandans to take the lead in development. Does your decision to end budget support reflect concerns about lack of integrity in Uganda’s public finance management? It was a response to a concern we had in regard to the way Uganda manages public finances; it was a decision we took in 2011. If you look at the fiscal year 2010/2011, the amount of money that was spent by Uganda on supplementary budgets was about 25 per cent of total expenditure whereas the Public Financial Management Act only allows for 3 per cent. It was a clear violation. It was approved retrospectively by Parliament but for us that indicated that there is something seriously wrong in the way that Uganda manages its public finances and we could no longer legitimise to our Dutch taxpayers that we could use the Ugandan budget as an instrument to achieve development results because the money that we put into that budget is going to be diverted through the process and the money that we initially put into the budget for education, for example, could be reallocated to buy fighter jets. So we had serious concerns about the transparency and efficiency of the decisions that were taken in the budgeting process. This was on top of long-standing concerns on corruption and lack of action against corruption vis-a-vis the Chogm case, for example. Those were reasons why we said okay, now the straw broke the camel’s back we have to stop with budget support altogether. Share This Story Does the entry of other partners, such as China, for instance, reduce the influence of western countries such as yours? If I am realistic, our influence has always been limited whether the Chinese are there or not. I think that the Ugandan public overestimates the role that development partners can play in Uganda. So I don’t see a major change in that regard. I think that oil is the factor that will change the equation. It has already changed the equation; I think that is a more important element than the entrance of the development partners like the Chinese. editorial@ug.nationmedia.com

POLICE DISCIPLINE TO BE PUT TO TEST ONCE AGAIN IN BUTAMBALA AFTER MESSING UP IN BUKOTO SOUTH

Court ejects Butambala MP

Kampala Deputy Lord Mayor Sulaiman Kindandala (L) congratulates Mr Kivumbi (R) after flooring Mr Kikukulukunyu in a court battle on Friday. Photo by Joseph Kiggundu By Anthony Wesaka ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Posted Sunday, July 22 2012 at 01:00 In Summary The Court of Appeal says it was convinced MP Kikulukunyu bribed voters and therefore does not deserve to be in the House. The expelled MP will also meet all the costs of the case. The opposition is in jubilation mood following the exit of another ruling National Resistance Movement MP. Butambala MP Faisal Kikulukunyu was on Friday thrown out of Parliament after the Court of Appeal upheld an earlier High Court decision that he bribed voters in last year’s parliamentary elections. The Court of Appeal’s majority decision ends Mr Kikulukunyu’s fight to stay in Parliament since he cannot appeal to another court as per the amended electoral laws. Subsequently, the court has ordered the Electoral Commission to organise fresh elections in Butambala County. Earlier in the judgement, the lead judge, Mr Steven Kavuma, had favoured NRM’s Kikulukunyu’s stay in Parliament. However, other two judges Stella Arach Amoko and Remmy Kasule, ruled otherwise, thus DP’s Muwanga Kivumbi winning by majority decision of two to one. Share This Story “Since judges Arach and Kasule do not agree, I have no option but to order a dismissal of the appeal by a majority of two to one in the terms and orders proposed in the majority judgement,” said Judge Kavuma. Justifying his decision, Justice Kavuma, in his judgement, had noted that the evidence adduced by DP’s Kivumbi was lacking, treating it as “accomplice evidence which must be taken with caution”. He concluded that for such evidence to stand, it should have been corroborated with other pieces of independent evidence, which was not done in this case. On the contrary, the duo justices in their judgement, held that trial judge Musoke Kibuuka properly evaluated the evidence put before him, making him to reach the right decision of throwing out Mr Kikulukunyu out of Parliament. “Having found that the judge was justified in reaching his decision, in the result, we dismiss the appeal and we uphold the orders of the High Court, namely that the election of the appellant as the MP of Butambala County constituency is set aside and a by-election is ordered,” held the two justices. Court ordered Mr Kikulukunyu to foot all the bill of costs incurred by Mr Kivumbi right from the High Court in pursuing this appeal. Present at the reading of so far the longest election appeal judgement were Kampala City Lord Mayor Erias Lukwago, MPs Ibrahim Ssemujju Nganda (Kyadondo East), Mathias Mpuuga (Masaka Municipality) and Moses Kasibante (Rubaga), among others. Shortly after the reading of the judgement by the Registrar of the court, Mr Erias Kisawuzi, opposition supporters sang the Buganda anthem and hurled insults at the ruling NRM. A jolly Kivumbi thanked the Judiciary for being independent in handling his case. In the contested elections, the EC declared Mr Kikulukunyu as the winner with 13,188 votes against Mr Kivumbi’s 12,453.

UGANDA GOVERNMENT NEEDS TO BE CONSIDERATE TO TEACHERS AND MEDICAL STAFF

Teachers wore T-Shirts mocking the 15 percent salary enhancement government has offered them this Financial Year. The 15 percent would give the lowest paid teacher only about Shs40,000 extra. photo BY Isaac Kasamani. By AL MADHI SSENKABIRWA Posted Monday, July 23 2012 at 01:00 KAMPALA On July 13, teachers under their umbrella body Uganda National Teachers Union (Unatu) announced that they were set to down their tools for two days (July 16-17) if government fails to address their long standing concerns primarily over pay and welfare. Many thought this could pass like any other threat. But the educationists kept their word and maintained a strike through the two days. A pressure group cobbled together to give the teachers’s demands a broader scope than just salary, Citizens Action for Quality Public Education (CAQPE) was in fact the real force behind the latest round of action. The group says its main intension is to expand the scope through which challenges in the education sector are viewed and discussed. The major question however, is whether the teachers, after nearly five years of recurrent pressure are making progress in getting government to listen and the public to notice. When the teachers carried out their last major strike last year, government responded by deploying security teams to monitor and file reports on those that had taken part. The action partly helped stem a prolonged strike action. But while the teams were out wagging the stick, at a more diplomatic level, government engaged with the leadership of the teachers’ union with meetings involving the Prime Minister and the President and the line ministries who tried to cook up solutions. That the strikes are persisting means that neither side has relented and that neither carrot nor stick has worked so far. Mr Stephen Kawalya a parent thinks the persistent strikes are not helping the teachers’ cause. “Striking for two days and returning to class without getting what forced you to lay down your tools is meaningless. In fact those teachers made no point there!” says Mr Kawalya , a parent of four children who attend school in one of the public primary schools in Kampala . This is the second time in a year teachers are laying down their tools to protest what they term as ‘deplorable working conditions and unreasonable pay,’ but Ms Teopista Birungi, the secretary general Unatu thinks otherwise, saying they partly achieved their goal of popularising their cause. “We didn’t strike to get an increment that day. We wanted to awaken government and other stakeholders about our plight .We are optimistic that the message was sent and we are expecting a response from those concerned,” she said last week Mr Issa Matovu , an education expert concurs with Ms Birungi, saying the strike has started registering positive results including relaxing the UPE programme policy to allow pupils get lunch at school. “Their action was strategic and government seems to have swallowed its pride when it announced that schools will soon be allowed to provide lunch to pupils” he said in an interview last week adding “This was just the start and there is likely to be a series of more engagements.” Education minister Jessica Alupo says government wholly appreciates the teachers’ concerns but it is simply limited by resources. “We are not simply seated as government, their (teachers) problems have always been on our figure tips but we are only limited by funds,” she said. Because of this, Ms Alupo says government has now decided to tackle their problems in phases, with some referred to coming fiscal years. But Mr Livingstone Ssewanyana, the executive director Foundation for Human Rights Initiative disagrees with Ms Alupo saying government has the resources but has ‘simply’ failed to prioritise education. “Their (teachers) demand is too modest compared to the money that is being misused .The problem is that as a county we have failed to get our priorities right,” he said. Mr Ssewanyana says teachers have to keep on pushing government if they are to have their long standing issues addressed. “A struggle for rights is not a one-off fight. They have to soldier on and it is good that they have come out and have every stakeholder’s support,” he added. He gave the example of the Kenyan government that earmarked KShs118.7billion (Shs3.4trillion) for teachers’ salaries this financial year while Uganda budgeted Shs290billion for salary enhancement across the spectrum of the public service. Although Ugandan teachers are demanding for 100 percent pay raise, their counterparts in Kenya want 300 percent. The least paid teacher in Kenya takes home Ksh13, 750 (Shs398, 750), which they want to be raised to Ksh74250 (Shs3.4million) .The highest paid teacher earns Ksh120, 270(Shs3.4million) and now want Ksh649, 458 (Shs 18.8million). However, like here, the Kenyan government has also declined to consider such increment this financial year, saying teachers are already under a collective bargaining agreement that is supposed to end in July 2013. A primary teacher in Uganda is currently paid Shs273, 000, a least paid in a secondary school earns Shs350,000 while his graduate counterpart gets Shs450,000. Currently, Uganda has 129,651 teachers on the government payroll teaching in primary and Shs22, 909 in secondary schools. What gov’t has in store for teachers? To increase primary teachers’ salaries to Shs360,000 from the current 273,000 .Government will also add an increment of 20 percent in 2013/14 fiscal year and another 15 percent in 2014/15 finical year-making it 50 percent which also fall short of the 100 percent increment demanded by teachers.

THERE IS NEED FOR PRAYERS THAT THE POLICE INVESTIGATIONS OVER FRAUD WILL BE FRUITFUL

Police investigating over 100 govt projects over fraud claims By Andrew Bagala Posted Monday, July 23 2012 at 01:00 In Summary Detectives are investigating suspected corruption and fraud which dates as back as 2007 in ministries of local government, works and health among others. KAMPALA The Police have started receiving official documents from several government departments and agencies in over 100 projects in which they suspect fraud and corruption. Detectives are investigating suspected corruption and fraud which dates as back as 2007 in ministries of local government, works and health among others. Preliminary reports show unacceptable mismanagement of funds. Police say that officials from different ministries and government agencies will start this week to report to the Criminal Investigation Directorate to help them with investigations. Deputy Police spokesperson Judith Nabakooba, said some of the cases being investigated arise from the Auditor General’s reports while others are backlog cases. “There have been so many allegations of fraud in government systems that have been forwarded to us so we want to clear these cases by the end of this year,” Ms Nabakooba said yesterday. In the Ministry of Health, police investigating mismanagement of funds to the tune of Shs30 billion in over nine projects including Malaria Control Programme, Aids Control Programme, National Health Internship Scheme, and Health Insurance Programme. Detectives say some officials managing health programmes have handed over wanted documents except those handling programmes such as health insurance, child health care, Tuberculosis and Leprosy. “We have written to them but they have declined to give us the documents. They are just buying time,” a senior detective told Daily Monitor in an interview yesterday. Share This Story The CID has also discovered anomalies in the discharge of funds in the Ministry of Local Government where officials pick funds from different votes on pretext that it will be used on other argent project. “The officials don’t have documentation to show the projects they spent the fund on,” another source said. Police want to know where the Shs507 million which was sent to the Local Government to the relocation of vendors in seven urban centres was distributed. Another Shs260 millions funds directed to construction of markets in Kitintale, Kalerwe and Nakulabye in Kampala District were allegedly spent on different activities not specified in the ministry reports. Local Government ministry claim to have paid Shs119m in taxes to Uganda Revenue Authority but receipts to that effect are still missing which detectives are still investigating. Police spokesman Asuman Mugenyi, earlier said six detectives were sent at the directorate to investigate suspected fraud in their system. The 2011 Annual Crime Report showed that police investigated 150 cases in the public sector. Most of the fraud was noted in the procurement or implementation processes of government programmes or projects. abagala@ug.nationmedia.com

WHEN WILL UGANDA GRADUATE TO LEADERS WHO GIVE OUR COUNTRY HONOUR LIKE CLINTON & MANDELA?

Is Museveni still a ‘new breed’ leader?

Former US President Bill Clinton with President Museveni at the National Medical Stores in Entebbe last Friday. Clinton's one-day visit to Uganda aimed at fighting diarrhoea deaths among children. Photo by Stephen Wandera. By Tabu Butagira Posted Monday, July 23 2012 at 01:00 In Summary Former US President Bill Clinton extolled them as reformists, but critics now say the Ugandan leader and his Rwandan as well as Ethiopian counterparts appear cut from the jinxed fabric of African ‘big men’. When Bill Clinton as a sitting US President spoke about the “new breed” of African leaders, he was confident a handful of relatively younger presidents on the continent were reform-minded. The understanding was they would not behave like the ‘old guards’ who considered it a right to rule for life because they led the struggle for their countries’ independence. These ‘big men’ imprisoned opponents they could not kill or bribe, lived lavishly as majority citizens wallowed in poverty and offered perks to secure soldiers’ loyalty. Uganda’s Yoweri Museveni, Rwanda’s Paul Kagame and Ethiopian Prime Minister Meles Zenawi – feted by Mr Clinton in the “new breed” league – either staged a coup or shot their way to power following a bloody guerilla war. But they promised reform and inspired. For instance, Mr Museveni in his inaugural 1986 speech said Africa’s problem is leaders who overstay in power. He, derided Presidents on the continent who flew to attend UN summits in New York in private jets while leaving in their backyards citizens walking barefoot and jigger-infested. Thus Uganda assumed a special place in the West because under Mr. Museveni, the country imbibed structural adjustment programmes that IMF and the World Bank prescribed and enforced with rigour as the right medicine for its struggling economy. Liberal era Liberalisation returned foreign investors to Uganda to revive collapsed or ailing industries, making available scarce essential household items and creating private sector jobs. The Ugandan economy grew uninterrupted at about 8-9 per cent per annum. Share This Story The Bretten Woods institutions in turn rewarded Kampala with more loans and debt relief, without asking or answering the question why a well-performing economy would fail to service its debt. Because the country was recuperating from a ‘sick’ economy and tumultuous political period, the promulgation in 1995 of a liberal Constitution coupled with restoration of the rule of law as well as human security in most parts of the country put the former guerilla leader in his own class and endeared him even to critics. As such it surprised a little – if at all - that a US President labeled Museveni one of Africa’s “new breed” leaders. Does that appellation hold true today? “Yes,” said Presidential spokesperson Mirundi Tamale. “If you want to know that Museveni qualified and still qualifies as a ‘new breed’ (of) African leader,” Mr Tamale said, “You need to revisit where Uganda was before Museveni became President in 1986, and the socio-economic transformation since then, which is the context in which Bill Clinton made that statement.” Many things in Africa have changed since Clinton’s 1998 visit, dubbed the most ambitious ever by a sitting American President, and since he left the White House in 2001. Gaddafi is dead and buried at an undisclosed location after more than 40 years in power. And Museveni, one of Africa’s longest-serving leaders, is now a military general, his wife Janet Kataha a cabinet minister and their 38-year-old son Muhoozi Kainerugaba, who formally enlisted in the army only in 1999, a colonel and commander of the powerful and elite Special Forces Group. The President, in a coil of fate, cruises to New York in a Gulfstream V plane to attend UN meetings while jiggers kill villagers in the eastern Busoga region. He had presidential term limits scrapped in 2005 to keep in power cumulatively now for 26 years - a period within which the US has had five different presidents, two of whom served two terms of four years each! In Kampala, soldiers were rushed onto the streets to protect Museveni’s 2011 February victory and court had previously ruled that the 2001 and 2006 ballots he won were rife with irregularities. Economic growth is crawling at a 3.2 per cent, roughly three in every 10 Ugandans live in abject poverty, external debt has according to official statistics piled to more than $4 billion (over Shs8 trillion). Mr Clinton on Saturday learned firsthand the desperation of rural Ugandans when Senior Two student Bill Clinton Kaligana, named in his honour during a visit 14 years ago, told the former US leader that his mother could not afford his $76 per-term tuition ($228 per year), and asked for his help.

Mobile Phone Access Reaches Three Quarters of Planet's Population

Maximizing Mobile - New World Bank Report Points to Human and Economic Development Opportunities WASHINGTON, July 17, 2012 --- Around three-quarters of the world’s inhabitants now have access to a mobile phone and the mobile communications story is moving to a new level, which is not so much about the phone but how it is used, says a new report released today by the World Bank and infoDev, its technology entrepreneurship and innovation program. The number of mobile subscriptions in use worldwide, both pre-paid and post-paid, has grown from fewer than 1 billion in 2000 to over 6 billion now, of which nearly 5 billion in developing countries. Ownership of multiple subscriptions is becoming increasingly common, suggesting that their number will soon exceed that of the human population. According to Information and Communications for Development 2012: Maximizing Mobile, more than 30 billion mobile applications, or “apps,” were downloaded in 2011 – software that extends the capabilities of phones, for instance to become mobile wallets, navigational aids or price comparison tools. In developing countries, citizens are increasingly using mobile phones to create new livelihoods and enhance their lifestyles, while governments are using them to improve service delivery and citizen feedback mechanisms. "Mobile communications offer major opportunities to advance human and economic development – from providing basic access to health information to making cash payments, spurring job creation, and stimulating citizen involvement in democratic processes,” said World Bank Vice President for Sustainable Development Rachel Kyte. “The challenge now is to enable people, businesses, and governments in developing countries to develop their own locally-relevant mobile applications so they can take full advantage of these opportunities.” This new report, the third in the World Bank’s series on Information and Communication Technologies (ICTs) for Development, analyzes the growth and evolution of mobile telephony, and the rise of data-based services, including apps, delivered to handheld devices. The report explores the consequences for development of the emerging “app economy”, especially in agriculture, health, financial services and government, and how it is changing approaches to entrepreneurship and employment. “The mobile revolution is right at the start of its growth curve: mobile devices are becoming cheaper and more powerful while networks are doubling in bandwidth roughly every 18 months and expanding into rural areas,” said Tim Kelly, Lead ICT Policy Specialist at the World Bank and one of the authors of the report. Countries around the world are taking advantage of this potential, for example: · In India, the state of Kerala’s mGovernment program has deployed over 20 applications and facilitated more than 3 million interactions between the government and citizens since its launch in December 2010. · Kenya has emerged as a leading player in mobile for development, largely due to the success of the M-PESA mobile payment ecosystem. Nairobi-based AkiraChix, for example, provides networking and training for women technologists. · In Palestine, Souktel’s JobMatch service is helping young people find jobs. College graduates using the service reported a reduction in the time spent looking for employment from an average of twelve weeks to one week or less, and an increase in wages of up to 50 percent. The report emphasizes the role of governments in enabling mobile application development. It also highlights how mobile innovation labs – shared spaces for training developers and incubating start-ups – can help bring new apps to market. For instance, infoDev, in collaboration with the Government of Finland and Nokia, has established five regional mobile innovation labs (mLabs) in Armenia, Kenya, Pakistan, South Africa, and Vietnam. infoDev is also using mobile social networking to bring grassroots entrepreneurs together with other stakeholders in mobile hubs (mHubs). “Most businesses based around mobile app technology are at an early stage of development, but may hold enormous employment and economic potential, similar to that of the software industry in the 1980s and 1990s. Supporting the networking and incubation of entrepreneurs is essential to ensure that such potential is tapped,” said Valerie D’Costa, Program Manager of infoDev. The report benefits from research funded by the Ministry for Foreign Affairs of the Government of Finland, the Korea Trust Fund for ICT4D, and UKaid. It features at-a-glance tables for more than 150 economies showing the latest available data and indicators for the mobile sector. It also introduces an analytical tool for examining the relevant performance indicators for each country’s mobile sector, so that policy-makers can assess their capacities relative to other countries. Contacts: Washington: Cathy Russell, (202) 458-8124, crussell@worldbank.org For Broadcast Requests: Natalia Cieslik, (202) 458 9369, ncieslik@worldbank.org World Bank webpage: http://ww.worldbank.org/ict/IC4D2012 infoDev webpage: http://www.infodev.org/ic4d Visit us on Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/worldbank Be updated via Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/worldbank For our YouTube channel: http://www.youtube.com/worldbank News Release 2012/015/SDN

WHAT LOGIC IN CENTRAL GOVERNMENT NOT PAYING WHAT IS DUE TO BUGANDA?

HIS HIGHNESS KABAKA RONALD MUWENDA MUTEBI II By Joyce Namutebi Mengo has renewed demand for a federo status and payment of a sh19b debt it says the Central Government owes. Buganda prime minister, Eng JB Walusimbi said Mengo was in the process of setting parameters for the basis of negotiations with the Central Government. He said a peaceful Uganda could only be attained after Buganda issues were sorted out. His comments were contained in a speech read by the deputy Katikkiro, Emmanuel Sendawula, at Buganda Parliamentary Caucus one-day retreat held at Katomi Kingdom Resort on Friday. Buganda is demanding rental arrears of sh6.26b for the lease of Lubigi, where National Water and Sewerage Corporation is constructing a sewerage treatment plant, and sh11.5b for Kigo farm prison. The arrears for Kigo date as far back as August 1993 to May 2011, the meeting heard. From the state lodge in Makindye, Buganda is demanding sh800m and from the military barracks in Makindye, sh290m. The demands also include the 9,000 square mile Buganda land. The Vice President, Edward Sekandi, who was tasked by President Yoweri Museveni to head the negotiations, had earlier told the caucus that his team was awaiting feedback from Mengo. During the meeting, MPs expressed concern at the absence of ministers from the region and vowed to black list them. The former Vice President, Prof. Gilbert Bukenya, made a presentation on viable economic activities that the region could engage in.

WE NEED TO PRAY FOR BUGANDA MPs IN PARLIAMENT TO REMAIN UNITED OVER BUGANDA DEMANDS

Buganda’s demands still stand - Katikkiro

Some of the MPs who attended the Wakiso meeting on Friday. Photo by Martin Ssebuyira By Mercy Nalugo Posted Sunday, July 22 2012 at 01:00 In Summary Recovering debts. Buganda MPs to meet President over the Shs27b that government owes Kabaka Mutebi’s monarchy. Buganda is still keen on its demands from the government and will not give up until the State gives in, the kingdom Katikkiro has said. In a statement presented to the Buganda Parliamentary Caucus during a one-day retreat at Katomi Kingdom Resort, Wakiso District on Friday, the first deputy prime minister of Buganda, Mr Emmanuel Ssendaula, who represented Eng. J.B Walusimbi, named some of the demands as returning Buganda’s 9000sq miles and granting a federo system of governance. The kingdom also wants government to clear an outstanding debt that has accumulated to Shs27 billion among other demands. Mr Ssendaula urged legislators to put Buganda issues above those of their political parties so that they move in unison in a retreat that was meant to tackle a range of issues. “Let us put our parties and religious affiliations aside and discuss Buganda’s issues as the Buganda Caucus. Be proud of your culture and traditions and development will come automatically,” said Mr Ssendaula. Speaking about the failed talks between Mengo and the central government, Mr Ssendaula said Mengo is trying out other avenues through which the talks could be held. “We are not only quiet but we are looking at the issues to be discussed and how they would be handled,” said Mr Ssendaula. Share This Story Share He said they would also recognise and reward some of the youth that were imprisoned following the Kayunga riots. The legislators, in a meeting chaired by Mr Godfrey Kiwanda, agreed to meet President Museveni to put forward all the kingdom’s demands, which they said had remained unanswered for a long time. “We shall also put forward documents indicating the government’s outstanding debts so that they can be cleared. We should think of meeting the President as soon as possible,” said Mr Kiwanda. Mukono Municipality MP Betty Nambooze, who presented a report on strengthening the Buganda Parliamentary Caucus, urged her colleagues to show solidarity towards Buganda issues. Don’t fight Buganda “The kingdom of Buganda is so pronounced that one cannot claim to be part of the Buganda Caucus while fighting the kingdom,” she said. Former Vice President Gilbert Bukenya tipped legislators that poverty was on the rise in the kingdom. “We are all leaders but who is a true leader? For me a true leader must be a day dreamer and must make this dream come true. We must think about which package we are giving our people,” said Prof. Bukenya. Whereas Ministers; Ruth Nankabirwa (Microfinance) and Rose Namayanja (Luweero Triangle) apologised that they would not attend the retreat, the Vice President, Mr Edward Ssekandi, who was supposed to officiate the retreat, did not show up. It is only the Minister for Trade, Ms Amelia Kyambadde, that attended and urged MPs to embrace cooperatives. mnalugo@ug.nationmedia.com

THAT THE FUTURE IS BRIGHT FOR UGANDA'S CHILDREN

Future bright for mothers,children Publish Date: Jul 20, 2012 Before independence, Uganda’s health care system was enviable and was considered the best in SubSaharan Africa. It included a strong public health system where health visitors, in conjunction with sub-county and parish chiefs, ensured home hygiene, latrine coverage, malaria control, safe water, immunisation and nutrition, among other strategies. A Public Health Act provided for functional disease prevention programmes and health care was free and funded by the Government. Between 1940 and 1970, infant mortality had reduced from 250 deaths per 1,000 live births to 120. At around independence (1962), Uganda had about seven million people. Ten years after independence, however, the violence that swept Uganda in the wars of the late 1970s (ousting President Idi Amin) and early 1980s (NRA guerilla war) greatly affected the health care system. But when the NRM government took over power in 1986 Uganda started implementing the World Bank/International Monetary Fund programmes of decentralisation. User fees were introduced, personnel were retrenched and programmes that did not initially do well were scrapped. The Government and donors had to invest lots of money and human resource to teach Ugandans about reproductive health — the state of physical, mental and social wellbeing in all matters relating to the reproductive system at all stages of life. Awareness messages had to be incorporated in education syllabuses and on agendas of all social gatherings to register some success. Prominent women personalities also joined the bandwagon and their journey started with the formation of the Uganda Council of Women that existed in the 1960s. Rhoda Kalema, one of the prominent women who spearheaded the council’s formation says: “During the wars, women would fail to go to hospital and many would deliver at home under unsafe conditions. The subsequent years were characterised with shortage of facilities.” But in the late 1980s, President Yoweri Museveni’s NRA (now NRM) government pledged to improve health care. The journey started with empowering women by electing them in positions of authority. These played a great role in improving reproductive health. Museveni started by appointing Joan Kakwenzire to a six-member commission to document abuses by the military after the war. The Government also declared that each district would have a woman representative on the National Resistance Council (now district woman Members of Parliament), which has been maintained to date in the Parliament of Uganda. In 1987, Museveni appointed Joyce Mpanga as minister for women and development. By 1989, there were two women serving as ministers and three serving as deputy ministers in the NRM cabinet. Between 1994 and 2003, Museveni appointed Dr. Specioza Wandira Kazibwe as Uganda’s first female Vice President — the highest ranking position in the hierarchy of Uganda’s leadership. She was also holding the portfolio of the Minister of Agriculture, Animal Industry and Fisheries. During Kazibwe’s tenure, she rallied fellow women leaders to push for their rights ranging from political, human rights to health, especially eproductive/maternal health. Female civil servants and professionals also formed organisations like Action for Development, to assist women, especially in war-torn areas. Since the 2006 presidential campaigns, Museveni has been pledging construction of health centres in every part of the country so that people can access health services in a distance of 5km; although it is yet to be achieved in some areas. Today, these women have done a tremendous job in ensuring that reproductive health improves and maternal and infant deaths reduce. Current and former parliamentarians including; Ruth Kavuma (former woman MP Kalangala), Beatrice Rwakimari (former woman MP Ntungamo) and Sylvia Namabidde (Mityana) have rallied fellow parliamentarians including men to support the funding of reproductive/maternal health. To them, reproductive health is the same as maternal health. In 2008, the MPs rejected a local government budget that had not catered for reproductive health. Kavuma, then a member of the social services committee, said they had pushed for funding and the World Bank agreed to give Uganda a loan of $130m (sh322b), of which $30m (sh74b) is for specifically procuring reproductive health supplies. “One of the biggest challenges we face is that when you ask for money for reproductive health, politicians tend to argue that by funding infrastructural development like building health facilities and roads, they have funded reproductive health, which is not the case. We need funds to be directly channelled towards buying reproductive health supplies,” she explained then. Reduction in maternal mortality For their efforts, Uganda has had its maternal mortality rate reduce from 600 to 310 deaths per 100,000 live births (4,700 deaths) in the last 20 years, according to a report done by WHO, UNICEF, the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) and the World Bank that was released in May this year. Commenting on the estimates, the UNFPA Uganda country resident representative Janet Jackson, notes: “It is good news for Uganda that maternal health is now a priority. We need to continue investing in maternal and reproductive health so as to accelerate the reduction in maternal mortality.” Jackson observes that this could be done through provision of obstetric care, skilled birth attendance, antenatal care and family planning. But the MDG target is to reduce maternal deaths by three quarters by the year 2015 and for Uganda’s case this means reducing the maternal deaths to at least 120 per 100,000 births. According to Reproductive Health Uganda (RHU) programme coordinator Annet Kyarimpa, more needs to be done to achieve this feat. She says teenage pregnancies that stand at 25% countrywide (the highest in Sub-Saharan Africa), need to be addressed. “Historically, expenditure on reproductive health commodities is far below allocation at less than 10%. The Government only contributes 15% to contraceptive procurement, while 85% is deferred to donors despite the fact that Uganda’s budget is financed by donors to the tune of only about 70%,” she observes. The Maputo Declaration of 2003 requires that governments allocate 15% of their budgets to the health sector. But Uganda allocates about 9% of its budget to the sector, which should be increased. Uganda needs $244,476,913 (over sh606b) to ensure that the country has all the reproductive health supplies it needs over the next five years, Kyarimpa states. If all the required money is got and the contraceptive prevalence rate increases from 24 to 50% countrywide, budget allocation for reproductive health is raised, and the unmet need goes down from 41 to 5%, maternal mortality will automatically reduce. Besides, the Government would save $112m (sh278b) by investing in contraceptive commodities and services to fill the entire unmet need. Unmet need refers to the percentage of women who would like to be able to either space their children or stop having children but are not using contraception. Abortion and contraceptives Experts also say that if contraceptives are availed, the about 300,000 abortions that occur in Uganda and the about 6,000 women who die from pregnancy-related causes would reduce greatly. And the fulfilment of reproductive health becomes more challenging with the ever growing population, which currently stands at over 34 million people, and it is projected to reach 130 million people by 2050, according to UN estimates.

13 YEARS OF UPE IN UGANDA

By CONAN BUSINGYE THE Uganda Debt Network (UDN) recently released a damning report on the state of education in universal primary (UPE) and universal secondary education (USE) schools. However, all is not lost since the advent of UPE in 1997 and USE four years ago. The UDN report followed a survey in selected schools in which parts of classrooms were found to have been converted into teachers’ accommodation, pupils shared latrines with teachers, girls and boys shared latrines and pupils studied in highly congested classrooms without desks. However, despite the seemingly gloomy picture, the implementation of UPE and USE policies by President Yoweri Museveni’s Governments have been land-mark developments in Uganda’s education history. First, Uganda was the first country in sub-Saharan Africa to introduce USE. One of the greatest achievements of UPE was the substantial increment in primary schools enrollment from around three million to over five million children in 1997 to todays over eight million. With the introduction of USE, secondary schools enrollment also rose by over 100,000 to the current 790,000. The same programmes also saw education taking the lion share of the national budget, coming off the 7% in the 1990s to over 15% today. The wealth bias that characterized access to primary education prior to the programmes have been eliminated. The 20% poorest households now have as high enrollment as the 20% richest households; with the 84% to 85% respective access to primary education, according to a 2004 World Bank study. Large quantities of learning materials have been supplied in schools and reduced the pupil – textbook ratio. In 1993, there were 37 pupils per book, compared to today’s 3:1 for P3 and P4, for core subjects. Millions of three-seater desks have been supplied to pupils and over 5,000 pieces of furniture for school offices. A massive investment of billions of shillings has been done to achieve this. But save for all this; pressure is mounting on the infrastructure and human resource, due to increasingly high enrolment every other year Challenges still about However, despite the above achievements, challenges still abound. The UDN report corroborates the Education Standards Agency report and the 2012 USE headcount report calling for massive investment to improve the physical infrastructure as well as academic standards in the public primary and secondary sectors, lest the country loses all its gains. The minimum standards stipulate that a class should not comprise more than 60 pupils, a desk should be for only three pupils, every latrine should be for 40 pupils, and that there should be at least 4 teachers’ houses per school. However, all schools that were surveyed by UDN were found with a classroom to pupil ratios above 60 with some classes housing triple the expected number. “Due to lack of enough space, some primary schools were found to have portioned classes to accommodate teachers who come from distant places or for other office work; hence forcing children to squeeze in the remaining small space,” reads the report. Similarly in the latest headcount report, it was revealed that up to 34% of USE schools were overcrowded and needed urgent decongestion. The UDN report also showed acute shortage of furniture with most pupils sitting on the floor especially in Northern Uganda. Ariet primary school in Kapujan sub-county in Teso was found with a total of 777 pupils but with only 10 desks in use and 140 piled