DID THE POLICE HAVE TO ORDER TRAVELLERS OFF BUSES BEFORE IMPOUNDING THEM?

It is sad if true at all that the Police had to order travelers off the buses so that they get alternative means of transport. What the Police should have done is to wait for the buses at the parks and instruct them not to load passengers. There are things which authorities in Uganda do too late and only inconvenience the public. If a passenger has paid money to a bus company and it is not your business that he has paid for the journey and only get him off, is most unfortunate. Just today,while is a taxi,one passenger was talking about how his friend could get a driving permit without the need to be examined,etc. It is the corrupt ridden system we have to live with for sometime that is partly to blame for deaths onour roads
Willy Kituuka

3 Bakulu coaches impounded
Sunday, 3rd July, 2011

The impounded Bakulu buses parked at Gulu police station

By Chris Ocowun

THE Police have impounded three buses belonging to Bakulu Coaches and suspended their operation licences until further notice.
They acted on the order of Uganda Transport Licensing Board.
The coaches, which were impounded on Saturday and Sunday while plying the Juba-Kampala route, are parked at Gulu Police station.
Over 200 travelers from both towns were ordered off the buses and advised to seek alternative transport.
The secretary of the Uganda Transport Licensing Board, Winston Katushabe, said the board decided to suspend the operating licences of two bus companies, Bakulu and Baby coaches, to give the Police time to inspect the companies and re-test their drivers.
This follows the recent accident in which two buses belonging to the companies were involved in a road accident, killing 29 people near Nimule in Southern Sudan.
Katushabe explained that the suspension would give the licensing board time to review the managerial systems of the two bus companies.
It would also ensure that the companies meet their obligations to compensate the bereaved and support the survivors who are still admitted in various hospitals.
“According to preliminary investigations, the Nimule accident was caused by speeding by the two drivers. We want to establish if the drivers of these two bus companies undergo refresher courses,” he said.
The Northern regional police spokesman, Johnson Kilama, said all the buses, which belong to the two companies, would be impounded and parked at Gulu police station as they wait for the next directive.
The directive to impound the buses was given to Kilama by the commissioner of traffic.
Many of the survivors of the head-on collision blamed the driver of Baby Coaches for reckless driving and sticking to Uganda’s traffic rule of keeping left instead of observing right when he crossed into Southern Sudan.

PROGRESS OF THE WORLD’S WOMEN IN PURSUIT OF JUSTICE

In many countries of the world, the rule of law still rules women out
In every region, there are laws that discriminate against women, in relation to property, the family, employment and citizenship.
Too often, justice institutions, including the police and the courts, deny women justice.
But, governments and civil society are pioneering innovative approaches to ensure that women can access justice
Catalyzing gender-sensitive law reform, investing in one-stop shops and providing reparations for women are just some of the responses that are making a difference.
Women parliamentarians, lawyers, judges and activists are driving change and making a difference
Ensuring women are in parliaments, are on the front-line of justice, and are represented in the judiciary and customary justice systems helps women to access their rights.
Groundbreaking strategic litigation has been used in every region to expand access to justice for millions of women.
The report summary:
http://progress.unwomen.org/wp-content/uploads/2011/06/EN-Summary-Progress-of-the-Worlds-Women1.pdf

Reforestation Projects Bring Carbon Revenues And Co-Benefits To Poor Communities

Press Release No:2012/006/SDN

Project rules and processes need to improve, says World Bank report
Marrakesh, July 5, 2011 – Carbon markets can successfully bring revenue to poor rural communities through reforestation projects but the processes involved need reform and improvement. That is the conclusion of a World Bank report released today which draws on seven years of experience of afforestation and reforestation (A/R) projects in 16 developing countries under the World Bank's BioCarbon Fund (BioCF).
The report, released at the Africa Carbon Forum in Marrakesh, Morocco, finds that A/R projects in developing countries face numerous regulatory, capacity, finance and land tenure issues. Despite these barriers, the projects are not only mitigating climate change by contributing to the storage of carbon dioxide, they are also improving rural livelihoods, increasing resilience to climate change, conserving biodiversity, and restoring degraded lands.
"Since 2004, the World Bank’s BioCarbon Fund has built one of the largest portfolios of afforestation and reforestation projects under the UN’s Clean Development Mechanism (CDM),” said Joëlle Chassard, Manager, Carbon Finance Unit of the World Bank. “When analyzing the most efficient mitigation opportunities in developing countries, it is important to look toward the future while taking stock of what has worked and what has not. This report provides lessons for all involved – project developers, validators, regulators, and national authorities”
The BioCF is a public-private initiative mobilizing resources for projects that sequester or conserve carbon in forest- and agro-ecosystems. To date, the Fund has contracted 8.6 million emission reductions from 21 projects, most of which are on degraded lands. More than half of the projects involve planting trees for the purpose of environmental restoration. It demonstrates that land-based activities can generate emission reductions with strong environmental and socio-economic benefits for local communities. The report, The BioCarbon Fund Experience - Insights from Afforestation and Reforestation CDM Projects, documents lessons from the early years of implementing A/R projects in developing countries.
It finds that these types of projects have proven challenging to develop and implement. Complex rules for designing CDM projects are among the obstacles, as is land eligibility and non-permanence. Non-permanence, for example the risk that trees burn down and thus lose their carbon stock, is currently addressed through temporary crediting, which can limit the demand for forest carbon assets. The report suggests a number of improvements that could make the implementation of these projects easier for project developers and government officials.
“Implementing one of the first afforestation and reforestation projects in Africa was a real challenge,” says Hailu Tefera, Manager of Climate Change Programs at World Vision Ethiopia. “We started developing our tree planting project in 2005 and it took four years to get to CDM registration. It was not easy but well worth the effort and we now hope that others can avoid the pitfalls that slowed us down and implement similar projects – maybe even scaled up – all across our continent”.
The first A/R project was registered in China in November 2006. However, it was not until 2009 that more projects followed. A number of issues contributed to the slow start – the rules under the CDM were defined later than projects in other sectors and methodologies for forestry projects were complex and unclear. It took both time and funding to develop the tools required to facilitate their application. Over time, the CDM Executive Board simplified the rules, but adapting to such changes also proved to be a challenge for project developers. The report says that even now, rules will require further simplification to significantly scale up A/R projects under the CDM.
A/R projects are now being developed at a faster pace with almost 50 in the pipeline, building on lessons learned, established methodologies and tools. Today, 27 A/R CDM projects are registered with the UNFCCC; 13 of them were developed with the support of the BioCF and, of these, four are in Africa.
Some African countries are driving the development of A/R CDM projects. In the Democratic Republic of Congo, the Ibi Batéké reforestation project is set to absorb close to 1.6 million tons of carbon dioxide between 2008 and 2037. Also with the support of the BioCF, Africa’s first large-scale reforestation project on Humbo mountain in Ethiopia’s Great Rift Valley was developed and is now looking to be scaled up.
In Moldova, the BioCF s supporting two A/R projects where local farmers are restoring about 30,000 hectares of severely degraded communal and public lands through soil conservation, sustainable timber production, reducing soil erosion and enhancing plant biodiversity. The projects are creating jobs while lowering greenhouse gas emissions that will generate carbon credits.
"These projects provide a great ‘learning-by doing’ example of the benefits of close cooperation between various stakeholders: international institutions such as the World Bank, local and regional forest enterprises, Moldova’s Forest Research and Management Institute, townships and local communities," said Mr. Anatolie Pupoşoi, General Director of the Forestry Agency Moldsilva.
For more information on the World Bank’s carbon finance activities and

the electronic version of this report, please visit the website: www.carbonfinance.org

For more information on the BioCarbon Fund please visit:

http://wbcarbonfinance.org/Router.cfm?Page=BioCF&ItemID=9708&FID=9708

Contacts:

In Marrakesh: Isabel Hagbrink, ihagbrink@worldbank.org

In Washington: Elisabeth Mealey, +1 202 458 4475, emealey@worldbank.org

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WORLD BANK GROUP COMMITS MORE THAN $57BN TO DEVELOPING COUNTRIES

World Bank Group Commits More Than $57 billion to Developing Countries in FY11 as Multi-Speed Economic Recovery Takes Shape
Press Release No:2012/001/EXT

Borrower demand remains above pre-crisis levels, with total commitments

of $189 billion since financial crisis hit

WASHINGTON, July 1, 2011—World Bank Group support to developing countries came in at $57.4 billion in fiscal year 2011, still above pre-crisis levels, with total commitments of $189 billion since the financial crisis took hold in 2008.

World Bank Group Commitments fiscal years 2011 and 2010 (in U.S. billions)
*Preliminary and unaudited numbers as of July 1.
+Own account only. Excludes more than $6.4 billion in FY11 and $5.3 billion in FY10 in funds mobilized from other investors.
As developing countries emerged from the financial crisis in FY11 (July 1, 2010 – June 30, 2011), the Bank Group provided an estimated 712 loans, grants, equity investments and guarantees to promote economic growth, fight poverty, and assist private enterprise.

World Bank (IBRD and IDA) commitments for social protection—including safety net programs for the poorest and most vulnerable—are estimated to reach $4.1 billion in FY11. Financing for infrastructure, critical for job creation and future productivity, is estimated to reach $20 billion in FY11—46 percent of total lending. In particular, IDA support for infrastructure grew to $7 billion, both a record high and a 31 percent increase over FY10. FY11 also saw unprecedented financing of $1.4 billion for natural disaster management, critical for adapting to climate change and combating the high number of recent natural disasters.
“Over the past year, the World Bank Group clearly demonstrated our commitment to support growth and opportunity for our clients even as the reverberations from the global crisis still send shock waves through the world economy,” said World Bank Group President Robert B. Zoellick. “As the multi-speed recovery takes shape, high and volatile food and fuel prices are stirring new challenges, putting vulnerable populations at risk. The World Bank is honing its focus on areas where we can add most value: targeting the poor and vulnerable; creating opportunities for growth; promoting global collective action; strengthening governance; and managing risk and preparing for crisis. We are doing all this while making the Bank a more transparent, accountable and results-driven institution.”
During the fiscal year, food prices climbed to near their 2008 peak, and the World Bank estimates that rising food prices pushed about 44 million people into poverty since June 2010. To help address price volatility, the Bank saw a strong focus on food security in FY11, including:
· A first-of-its-kind risk-management product that will provide up to $4 billion in protection from volatile food prices by giving consumers and agricultural commodity producers better access to hedging instruments.
· Boosting financing on agriculture to some $6 to $8 billion a year from $4.1 billion in 2008.
· The Global Food Crisis Response Program (GFRP) is helping some 40 million people through $1.5 billion in support.
· The Bank is supporting the Global Agriculture and Food Security Program (GAFSP), set up by the World Bank Group in April 2010 at the G20’s request, to assist country-led agriculture and food security plans and help promote investments in smallholder farmers. To date, six countries and Gates Foundation have pledged about $925 million over the next 3 years, with $520 million received.
In FY11, commitments from the International Bank for Reconstruction and Development (IBRD)—which provides financing, risk management products, and other financial services to countries—reached $26.7 billion, nearly double the FY08 pre-crisis level of $13.5 billion. This follows the record $44.2 billion in FY10 and $32.9 billion in FY09, as the crisis peaked. Cumulative IBRD commitments since the financial crisis (i.e.: FY09-11) reached $103.8 billion. Fast-disbursing Development Policy Loans, many of which focus on reforms to improve governance and increase transparency, comprised nearly 37 percent of the overall total for FY11, down from 47 percent in FY09 and FY10 – at the height of the global financial crisis - but still above the average of 31 percent in the pre-crisis period of FY05-08.

Strong Results for the World’s Poorest
In the past decade, the International Development Association, the World Bank’s Fund for the Poorest, has helped people build a better future for themselves, their families, and their countries. For example, from 2000 to 2010, IDA assistance has resulted in:
· More than 3 million teachers recruited and/or trained – more than 4 times the number of primary and secondary school teachers in France.
· Around 300 million textbooks purchased and/or distributed – 15 times the number of books in the New York Public Library.

· 310 million children immunized – equivalent to four times the number of children in the United States.
· Over 118,000 km of roads – enough to circle the globe nearly three times - constructed or rehabilitated and over 134,000 km of roads maintained.

For more information, visit: http://www.worldbank.org/ida/results-at-a-glance.html

Commitments from the International Development Association (IDA), the World Bank's Fund for the Poorest which provides low-interest loans and grants to 79 of the world's poorest countries, rose to a record $16.3 billion in FY11.
FY11 was the third year of implementation under the IDA15 Replenishment, which itself saw a record increase in development funding for IDA countries. Sub-Saharan Africa accounted for about half of the total IDA15 funding with IDA support focused on empowering and protecting the poor; strengthening institutions and governance; fostering gender equality; and addressing global challenges such as climate change.
During IDA15, IDA also expanded commitments to support regional public goods, including for water management, trade facilitation, and roads networks; approved $1.4 billion through the new pilot Crisis Response Window to mitigate the impact of the economic crisis and protect the poor; and strengthened its support for fragile states by providing $4.8 billion to these countries. IDA also boosted its support for countries facing natural disasters such as the rapid response to the Haiti earthquake of January 2010.
IFC, the largest provider of multilateral financing for the private sector in developing countries, again provided a record amount of financing to businesses in developing countries, helping the private sector create jobs, strengthen infrastructure, improve agricultural efficiency, and confront other development challenges. Preliminary and unaudited data as of June 30 indicate IFC invested about $18.7 billion in 513 projects in FY11, reflecting an estimated project value of around $100 billion. In FY10, IFC investments totaled $18 billion. IFC investments have more than doubled in the past five years.
IFC’s work in FY11 again included pioneering projects that address economic uncertainty and increase opportunity. In the Middle East and North Africa, for example, IFC and the Islamic Development Bank launched a program that will mobilize as much as $2 billion to promote Education for Employment, a vital project in a region where youth unemployment runs over 25 percent. In Turkey, IFC is helping the country use renewable energy to meet its growing demand for power. It structured its largest-ever syndication—a €700 million financing package for Enerjisa Enerji Uretim. IFC also provided essential support to the G20’s new Financial Inclusion Initiative, an effort aimed at enhancing access to finance for small and medium enterprises.
The Bank Group’s political risk insurance arm, the Multilateral Investment Guarantee Agency (MIGA) issued $2.1 billion in guarantees—a historic high. The agency continues to see a return to a more diversified portfolio across regions and sectors.
“In large part, MIGA’s success this year is due to the recovery in foreign direct investment from financial-crisis lows—and this is indeed a great story for development,” said MIGA’s Executive Vice President Izumi Kobayashi. “Paired with historic amendments to MIGA’s convention that expanded the pool of investments we can insure, this year’s results demonstrate that MIGA is delivering on our mission to promote foreign direct investment into developing countries to support economic growth, reduce poverty, and improve people’s lives.”
Commitments to sub-Saharan African countries—the Bank’s top priority—were at $9.4 billion in FY11, down from crisis levels of $13.85 billion in FY10 and $9.9 billion in FY09. FY11 commitments to Africa included $7 billion from IDA and $56 million from IBRD; $2.1 billion from IFC; and $243 million in MIGA guarantees for projects in the region.

Managing Risk
Currency, interest rates, and commodity prices have been volatile, and the impact of natural disasters has become more severe in recent years. As a result, the World Bank continues to engage with countries to improve risk management strategies and offer financial products that can help reduce their vulnerabilities. The volume of risk management transactions executed by the Bank on behalf of client countries this year to manage the volatility of currency and interest rate was $5.6 billion. In addition, the Bank provided advisory services on public debt management to 38 countries, as well as financial products that meet our member countries’ risk management objectives.
The World Bank Group continued to help clients mitigate natural disaster and weather-related shocks. For example, IBRD’s credit line for catastrophes, the Catastrophe Deferred Drawdown Option (Cat DDO) was instrumental in helping Colombia respond quickly to emergency relief and reconstruction needs after the country’s worst rainy season in decades. The CAT-DDO tries to address the issue of moral hazard related to post disaster financing; it provides incentives to client countries to engage in pro-active disaster risk management. Two new countries, Peru and El Salvador, also signed Cat DDOs with the Bank in this fiscal year.

A More Open, Transparent, and Accountable World Bank Group
In FY11, the World Bank Group continued to work to make to make its research and operations more open, transparent and accountable.

· Our Open Data website now provides free access to more than 7,000 indicators and is accessible in five languages, and we’ve recently added features to make the data easier to search and download.
· July 1 marks the one-year anniversary of the Bank’s landmark Access to Information policy. Over FY11, the Bank posted 2,682 new documents and reports on its Documents and Reports site, and the public has viewed more than 2 million pages on this site since the AI policy went into effect last year.
· Tools such as our own Mapping for Results app and the Bank’s AidFlow website now promote better visualization of our work, bringing greater transparency and accountability to World Bank operations, strengthening the monitoring of results and enhancing the effectiveness of aid.
· The first-ever Apps for Development competition challenged software developers around the world to take our data, use it creatively and develop applications that raise awareness or contribute to MDGs. More than 100 apps were submitted with more than a third from developers based in Africa.
· We continue to integrate our governance and anti corruption agenda into all of the Bank’s work across countries, sectors and projects.

· In FY11, the Bank announced that it will not to lend directly to finance budgets in countries that do not publish their budgets, or in exceptional cases, at least commit to publish their budgets within twelve months.

· We have also been encouraging governments to publish information, enact Freedom of Information Acts, open up their budget and procurement processes, build independent audit functions and reform their justice systems.

Contacts:

David Theis 202-458-8626

Broadcast: Natalia Cieslik: 202-458-9369

WILL UGANDA ECONOMY SURVIVE CRUMBLING LIKE A PACK OF CARDS?

May be since he shot his way to power in 1986, President Museveni's real challenge is now. The 2011 Presidential elections may be to blame where the NRM Government spent so many billions whose source remains unclear, and this money looks like the trigger that is to disturb the economy for sometime. There is no clear solution to how the NRM can tame the situation more so given its heavy expenditures on administration for political purposes. Uganda would run very well with half the number of districts. Look at the size of the Parliament. Reasonable Ugandans want services not the useless politics because politics is not productive. Whatever IMF or others say about Uganda's economy, until the powers that be address the useless expenditures which are in place as the passport for President Museveni's continued leadership, we are yet to witness worse things!

Many shops in and around Kampala city have remained close, Wednesday Morning. Photo by Steven Otage
Many shops in and around Kampala business district remain closed despite news trickling in that Kampala City Traders Association (KACITA) have reportedly called off their planned two day sit down strike that was set to begin Wednesday morning.
This follows leaders of the traders meeting with President Museveni to air their grievances about the tumbling shilling against the dollar and the increasing fuel prices.
The traders were demanding that government do more to curb the economic crisis that has engulfed Uganda for much of the year. The traders had planned to close their shops from Wednesday until Friday.
However, Daily Monitor reporters have observed that a substantial number of shops along Kampala road have remained closed.
Our reporter in downtown Kampala goes on to report that many shops in Kikuubo, Kisekka Market and along Namirembe road are also closed. Reports coming in from Masaka town also indicate that many shops have remained closed in observance with the ban.

UGANDA'S ECONOMY ON TRACK - IMF!
Thursday, 30th June, 2011
By Chris Kiwawulo

THE International Monetary Fund (IMF) has endorsed Uganda’s Policy Support Instrument (PSI), saying it aims at maintaining macroeconomic stability and alleviating constraints to growth.
The endorsement, which was announced yesterday after IMF’s executive board completed the second review under the PSI for Uganda, means that the country is on the right path towards economic development.
IMF deputy managing director and acting chairperson Naoyuki Shinohara in a statement said: “Thanks to generally sound macroeconomic policies, Uganda withstood the global financial crisis and other shocks. Economic growth has recovered and is expected to strengthen, although inflation risks, mostly related to rising food prices, have increased.”
He added that the modest intervention by the Central Bank had mitigated volatility of the exchange rate, helping the financial sector to remain sound.
Reacting to the endorsement, the finance ministry permanent secretary and secretary to the treasury, Chris Kassami, said the endorsement shows that the economy is being competently managed.
A successful policy support instrument, he added, was important for the credibility of Uganda’s budget and attracting foreign investment.
“This endorsement gives a signal to investors and donors. Even Ugandans living abroad have the confidence that the money they send back home is safe,” Kassami said.
Policy support instruments are designed for low-income countries that may not need, or want IMF assistance but still seek the organisation’s advice, monitoring and endorsement of their policies.
“A PSI review is, therefore, an important tool in giving signals to the international community and investors about soundness of the economic policy framework,” Kassami explained.
PSIs are voluntary and demand-driven. The PSI for Uganda was first given a green light on May 12, 2010.
Shinohara said the main challenge facing economic policy makers at present is to adjust fiscal and monetary policies to safeguard macro-economic stability and rebuild policy buffers, including international reserves.
He noted that scaling up infrastructure investment will be key to faster growth in Uganda over the medium term.
Kassami said the Government will continue to invest in infrastructure, value addition, agriculture and human resource to improve competitiveness and exports growth.
Commenting on the depreciation of the shilling against the dollar, Kassami said the current problems of the shilling were temporary and would be handled.
He said international factors had affected Uganda’s exports thereby reducing foreign exchange inflows.
The shilling hit an all-time low of sh2,725 against the dollar on Wednesday due to the increasing global demand for the dollar.
“The Government is taking measures to improve exports to increase foreign exchange inflows and resolve the shilling problem in the short term,” Kassami explained.
But, he said, redeeming the shilling was a collective responsibility where all Ugandans have a role to play through working hard and exporting more.

By John Njoroge

Posted Monday, July 4 2011 at 00:00
Traders in Kampala have unanimously decided to hold a two-day sit-down-strike over what they say is government’s reluctance to respond effectively to rising foreign currencies over the Uganda Shilling.
On Wednesday and Thursday, shops and other businesses will remain closed, according to the Kampala City Traders Association spokesperson, Mr Issa Sekito. He said the move is aimed at drawing the attention of government to the traders’ demands.

Non-partisan
“This is not political. We are failing to do business in this country. We are concerned about high inflation and the continued depreciation of the Uganda shilling,” Mr Sekito told Daily Monitor last evening, adding that government had failed to listen to them and control the rising US dollar, which is negatively affecting traders.
“The Uganda Revenue Authority (URA) now demands traders pay certain taxes using the US dollar regardless of its rate,” Mr Sekito added.
The traders, who say the US dollar is their main currency of trade, want the government to “decisively” intervene and stall the depreciation of the Uganda Shilling.
“The public is abusing traders over high commodity prices yet these commodities are bought by our traders expensively. They pay very high taxes and in US dollars at that. How do you expect these traders to conduct business?” Mr Sekito asked.
He said the present currency situation had been foreseen by the business community two years ago but government chose to ignore the warnings.
Additionally, traders are concerned about government’s recent budgetary priorities which they say are petty and do not address the critical needs of the average person.
“When you reduce excise duty on things like paraffin which are transported by diesel and petrol run vehicles, do you think you are being realistic?” Mr Sekito asked.

Other concerns
There are also growing concerns that foreign nationals are increasingly engaging in petty trade in Kampala, trade ideally meant for Ugandan nationals. The traders say the profits from petty trade are repatriated to foreign countries, money which would support many young Ugandan industries.
Four local business proprietors in March sued the Attorney General and Kampala City Council over issuing work permits and licences to foreign traders who had not deposited the mandatory $100,000 to the central bank. They said the traders, mainly of Asian descent, were engaging in retail and other petty trade activities in the central business hub of Kampala.

FIRMS CUT POWER OVER GOVERNMENT DEBTS!
By Walter Wafula
Posted Wednesday, July 6 2011 at 00:00
Kampala
Ugandans should brace for 24 hours of load-shedding starting today, as government runs out of money to pay for power generated by private electricity companies. The country’s sole electricity power supplier Umeme Limited yesterday announced the resumption of load-shedding, starting 6am to 6pm during day and from 6pm to 6am in the night.
In a text message to consumers, Umeme said, “Dear customer, we regret to inform you that UETCL has informed us of a generation shortfall of 50MW day and 120MW peak resulting into both day and night emergency load-shedding.”
In an interview yesterday, Mr Issa Ssekitto, the spokesman of Kampala City Traders Association, said the new round of loadshedding was bound to cripple business in Uganda. He said the power cuts just like the depreciating shilling against the dollar will culminate in today’s strike by the traders.
Umeme, however, said the situation is temporary and advises consumers to make use of power when available. Power producer Aggreko switched off 50megawatts based at Kiira, in Jinja while Electro-maxx Ltd switched off 22 megawatts based in Tororo District. Jacobsen Ltd is expected to shut down its 50-mw plant in Namanve today, drastically cutting electricity supply to the national grid.

Emergency power cut
“This shortfall means that the amount of electricity that Umeme receives for distribution is greatly reduced thus prompting emergency load shedding to regulate the distribution of power,” said Mr Sam Zimbe, Umeme’s general manager.
Mr Erias Kiyemba, the chief executive officer of UETCL, yesterday said the Independent Power Producers (IPPs), cut off supply to government due to non-payment of arrears totalling Shs200 billion. “This is what we are requesting from government as arrears for March to June. Generators cannot buy fuel from their suppliers because they cannot pay them,” he told Daily Monitor in an interview.
Mr Kiyemba said the IPPs without good financial backup are under pressure to stop generating power.
The power transmission company, which is the sole buyer of power in Uganda, said the IPP are demanding that the government first settles the arrears for March and April amounting to Shs92 billion and pay the balance within the next three months. IPPs contribute 40 per cent of the electricity consumed in Uganda and other power demand is met by hydropower generated from Nalubaale (180mw) and Kiira (200mw) power stations.
However, the combined megawatts generated by the two stations have drastically reduced to 185mw due to drought. According to Umeme, now there is a shortage of 120mw during peak time and 50mw during day, resulting in both day and night load shedding.
Last week, Parliament blocked a request by government for additional Shs92 billion to pay for power. Just in April, Parliament approved Shs92 billion to pay for power. Government said this was used to settle power debts for January and February. The request was part of Shs61.3 billion supplementary budget requested for by Finance State Minister Fred Omach.
Government currently pays about Shs50 billion per month to subsidise the cost of power. The power subsidies have risen from Shs8 billion per month in 2007, to Shs50 billion this year. UETCL attributes the rise to depreciating shilling against the dollar and rise in fuel prices. “We sell the energy in shillings but buy in dollars,” said Mr Kiyemba.
The shilling has lost ground to the dollar by over Shs600, standing at Shs2,530 per dollar. For government to maintain power tariff at the current level, government must give UETCL Shs488 billion in subsidies

THE VERY GREAT REV BRO ANTHONY KYEMWA

I just didn’t know what to say when our very dynamic editor, Mr Willy Kituuka, contacted me and threw me the idea that was in the offing of his brilliant schedule, and that was his intention to publish something in honour of a very great person whose name never deserts the lips of thousands of Ugandans in their daily talk. And that is the intellectual, scholarly and prime first class Rev Bro Anthony Kyemwa, one of the greatest academic dons and principals Uganda has ever had and one of the most prominent and courageous headmasters SMACK has ever seen! Indeed, Rev Bro Anthony already has a very big place in SMACK’s history and he deserves to be honoured to the highest! And I agreed to agree with myself on the proposal to write something on a Brother I so much admired and I still appreciate for all he did for me and for my college.
By the way, who can speak of education in our land and who can also speak about SMACK and forget to mention the name of Rev Bro Anthony Kyemwa, a person who correctly carried out his immense responsibilities and at times at the peril of his life, and at the most dangerous milestone in our nation’s history? Is it all that easy to compose something on such a person? And in addition, on a Brother? A Brother is always a man beyond excellency and above prominence as this was again recently proved abroad with the death of Rev Bro Emmanuel Kisitu, long time H/M at Savio, etc. How his former students, friends and anonymous people jammed the internet with pictures, messages, testimonies, etc. All in honour of a poor Kisitu whose demise touched even those who never knew him! And now a poor me is endeavouring to produce something on a very great person whose legend, re-nown, celebrity go far beyond the limits of horizon: and this is the very real Rev Bro Anthony Kyemwa!
I first discovered, in flesh, this very wonderful Brother when he was transferred from St Leo’s College to SMACK. Prior to that, I had already heard of him from my late younger brother who had just joined St Leo’s and they had Rev Bro Anthony as their very excellent Maths and Fine Art teacher and they indeed regretted his departure to Kisubi! And in the ordinary civilian life when my late father was appointed chief in Mawokota County in the Kabaka’s Govt (1952 – 1959) our family always, almost on a daily basis, used to interact with the family of the late Chevalier Andrea Kyemwa who was Rev Bro Anthony’s uncle and who probably gave him the name Kyemwa. This very famous Chevalier Andrea Kyemwa was once a very great chief in Buganda, having been a county chief on many occasions and having later on been appointed Regent during late Kabaka Muteesa II exile by the British (1953 – 1955). Omutaka Kyemwa, as he was popularly called, was also one of the most decorated Ugandans of his time. He was a Papal Knight of the Order of St Sylvester, he was a Kabaka’s Knight of the Order of the Shield and Spears, he was awarded a Distinguished Service Medal by the British, and had a British military decoration for his feat as a World War I hero. And among the many things I witnessed about him was his very historic triumphant funeral which brought to his home hundreds of cars and thousands of people from all over Uganda who, among others included the formidable Dr Joseph Kiwanuka, then Bishop of Masaka whose funeral oration in praise of Andrea Kyemwa was almost a canonizing process in style! That’s the Kyemwa whose exceptional qualities in merit, spirituality, and gallantry would eventually portend the arrival on scene of our very much celebrated Rev Bro Anthony Kyemwa!
When he arrived at SMACK as our Biology teacher and eventually our Fine Art teacher I was an S2 student. As a teacher, Rev Bro Anthony was very original in his method and he was always very punctual! His biology lessons were indeed very instructive and full of genius! I remember the very first lessons dealing with the human dental formula eventually followed by those on dog and cat dental formulae, etc. And every student really enjoyed those lessons. And, as one of the greatest African scholars in Art and Sculpture, Rev Bro Anthony helped SMACK opt for the most original papers from the vast programme Cambridge University proposed and, to the surprise of many, SMACK would literally shine in exams amassing dozens of distinctions in the subject for both the A & O-Levels ! He helped students develop that keen sense of intuitive critique which later on at university became for many of them a useful tool to handle with very sufficient depth and analytical approach studies in arts, social sciences, sciences, law, medicine, etc..and those who took fine art, drawing, sculpture, modelling, etc. found things very easy thanks to the excellent background obtained from this brilliant artist. I’m sure some of our boys would have made it very easily to Europe’s very highly reputed schools of Fine Art or universities had they had any type of reasonable sponsorship ! However, one of them, expert artist Mr Mathias Muleme, who made it to Canada after obtaining Grade A in fine art in his HSC, is now a star of high esteem in his city. This Muleme while in S6 staged a personal art exhibition at Lugogo where it was ceremonially opened by the then H/M, Rev Bro Paul Bourget. And I also think of several other Kisubi talents like Gaston Ssemboga, J. Piwang, Ssenjobe who made wonders as Fine Art teacher at Nnamagunga, etc. All are very outstanding artists in East Africa! You can just have a full catalogue of them if you are in contact with institutions specializing in the field. And there you will find Rev Bro Anthony’s legacy as a person who specially cultivated interest in fine art at SMACK.
How did Rev Bro Anthony train his students in this field? His tactic consisted in building his students in matters regarding relating nature to aesthetic value through appealing to a student’s mind and sense of beauty as the basis for external production and overall creation. With Rev Bro Anthony’s method students at SMACK had already a know how in treating those tough Cambridge questions whereby a candidate would be requested to imagine a scenario impacting a certain mood on its surroundings or environment where a student would act as a serious observer. Such topics were hard to treat but for SMACK, under Rev Bro Anthony’s coaching methods, everything of the kind was a mere child’s play. In our O-Levels, in that fateful accident year, 19 out of 31 candidates got distinction in Fine Art and the rest high credit. Idem the previous year, same number of distinctions for the same number of candidates! And one of its students, C. Musembya, was awarded a German Govt scholarship to study and specialize in art! Many of Rev Bro Anthony’s super excellent Fine Art students very successfully majored in other disciplines to even become scholars of great repute. I can think of Professor F. Katamba (Lourdel) who was one of SMACK’s ever greatest academic giants and who has actually climbed the ladder to become Professor and Head of the English Department at the University of Lancaster (UK). He was a naturally very brilliant artist. Many other students discovered their intellectual aptitudes, thanks to art, and via art, got special university degrees in fields related to art. Makerere University’s notable don and director of the university’s very eloquent printing press, the influential Mr Simon Ssagala Mulindwa, is one of these very great figures among whom one can count plucky businessmen who have also made it thru art. Late Mr Tom Kiyegga created TOTEX Co Ltd to specialise in designing and the company was very highly reputed all over the region. Think of ROSMA Designers who made history during Pope Paul VI’s visit to Uganda in 1969. ROSMA produced thousands of T-shirts, flags, etc. bearing the Pope’s effigy.
Rev Bro Anthony was an equally very successful educator as a notable sports adviser whenever asked to be the prop of the Sports Master in matters of monitoring such and such sporting event. I remember very well how he was helping SMACK take off in boxing when a number of students were trying to re-establish the defunct Boxing Club! It’s only other unforeseeable circumstances which included the transfer from Kampala to Fort Portal of our renowned coach, Commonwealth Gold Medallist Tom Kawere, then Chairman of the Uganda Boxing Council at Lugogo, who would regularly come to SMACK on Fridays and give a two-hour coaching session, that let down the loved project which had already started producing notable punch to punch experts like one Misango (Mugwanya), a boy from Jinja, who during the Amateur Boxing Championships at Nsambya Police Sports Ground punched his way to semi-finals only to be stopped by a guy from the far experienced Kilembe Mines Boxing Club which at that time was the only club to rival the powerful Namiryango College, the hub of Uganda’s boxing!
Rev Bro Anthony was also an exemplary House Master when he was in-charge of Kiwanuka House! The House won two great trophies, thanks to the Brother’s very sharp wisdom. They took the very first ever Drama Trophy at the college’s inter-house drama festival. Their play was voted first class by the jury led by Makerere University’s legendary Mrs McPherson who was strongly impressed by the decor that corresponded very well with the theme of the play. And this was painted under the guiding inspiration of Rev Bro Anthony. The House equally won the Horticultural Trophy thanks to its very well set up and regularly well maintained flower garden whose perfect excellence was an inspiration drawn from Bro Anthony’s well updated artistic imagination and aesthetic impression. And needless to mention the very many high achievements to his credit when he exercised with super distinction his duties as assistant headmaster, and discipline was strengthened. He helped to chase away anything to do with divisionism and tribalism. And he is remembered for having been a very natural deterrent to alcoholism and beer-drinking, a habit into which some few students would secretly and clandestinely take refuge. On many occasions those local brew drinkers, in order to escape on-spot detection would chew some wild edible greens and roots to conceal the scent of the brew.
This strategy proved to be efficacious on the part of the drinkers who would then disturb the Sunday evening classes notably by moving about on the verandas and taking the opportunity to address classes, through the windows, using an array of top concrete academic show-off vocabulary, etc. But this had to come to an end the day Rev Bro Anthony was appointed Deputy H/M, for this time brew drinkers and addicts realised, perhaps to their affliction, that there was, in addition, a native authority who couldn’t be fully tricked through knacks and gimmicks of the kind! And furthermore, this authority, known for his ubiquity due to his exceptional efficiency at work, was often on service on the campus and in the Headmaster’s Office on Sundays!
As Deputy H/M Rev Bro Anthony is still remembered for the big role he played during the very sadly sinister hours and period of that fateful road accident in which 12 students perished. He was a real comfort to the H/M, fellow staff members, parents, OBs and students. His contribution helped the College to recover smoothly from the shocks of the perilous incident and get ready for the long- awaited Cambridge School Certificate exams (O / A Levels) in which SMACK came up top-dog that year, and to the surprise of the entire nation who had expressed worry and concern about the chances of doing anything substantial. When he left for further studies, Rev Bro Anthony had already planted a special impact in the college life to the extent that the national political events that followed in 1966 found the college strongly united and they didn’t thus create any havoc within the students’ body!!!
Rev Bro Anthony Kyemwa was equally very successful as full Headmaster when he very bravely ran St Mary’s College Kisubi as its very first even African H/M at a very crucial period in our nation’s history. And SMACK always remained the most intelligent, brilliant, dynamic, attractive and outstanding college in the country! And its legendary re-nown spread further and further all over the region as a school run by a very respected diligent headmaster strongly reputed, in all serious circles even at the Ministry, for his sharp administrative wits and for his efficient handling of finances! On this, as one leading personality, now a Minister, once told us in Paris, Rev Bro Anthony Kyemwa won the admiration of the entire Ministry of Education as a person who could do great wonders using the little given to him !
Great wonders? Yes, this has always been the miracle of our superb Rev Bro Anthony Kyemwa who has always been a doer of exploits and feats whether in his speciality as an outstanding African artist and sculptor who was even once dubbed by his students “the omnipotent creator of distinctions” for both the Cambridge O & A-Levels, and has monuments to testify to his memory: the Kisubi Virgin Mary in the quadrangle, the school eagle effigy in front of the main building and the then filmed and reported triumphal arch constructed in 1955 at Savio on the Kabaka’s return from exile; or as a sharp administrator always serving with efficiency and special distinction; or as a very wonderful genuine servant of his nation who, unlike many headmasters at his time, refused to enrich himself on the college’s resources, and instead used every coin available to invest in projects that enhanced SMACK’s great prestige; and, as a headmaster who at that critical period was strongly appreciated for his resolution by his entire staff, many of whom were expatriates who still proudly brandish his name whenever they recount their memories on Africa ! And finally as a very much devoted member of the Congregation of the Brothers of Christian Instruction to which he has won an infinite first class honour and a super excellent dignity. For almost sixty years now, Rev Bro Anthony
has been a very faithful member of the Congregation and has fully shared in its joys and sorrows.
At the peak of this writing, it’s important to recall that as a teaching Brother, Rev Bro Anthony won the hearts of all his students on account of his total commitment to his duties. He would be seen spending an entire full day in the Art Room preparing the most original items for his students. His khaki trousers and a short-sleeved red shirt which he put on whenever he went in the Art Room made him a legend of a devoted teacher always seriously applied to his responsibility. And this won him great respect among his students who, in turn, reciprocated this devotion with hard work and admirable attitude in the art classes which regularly topped Uganda. And Providence has rewarded Rev Bro Anthony’s teaching career and efforts with an abundant lot of gifts. Can anyone succeed to count the number of his former students who thru fine art rediscovered their aptitudes in other subjects and later on professions? Who can enumerate the crowd of artists who owe their talent to Bro Anthony? Look at the artistic monuments his legacy will leave to SMACK : the statue of the Virgin of Kisubi in the dormitory quadrangle, the Eagle effigy in front of the Main Building, etc..
And who can forget the immense contribution, on behalf of the Brothers of Christian Instruction, Rev Bro Anthony has made for God and our beloved country and the entire region? It’s only Providence that knows how this very great Brother, who put everything of his to the service of others, including his tremendous gift as a leading African artist and sculptor, will be rewarded in heaven!
May the Good Lord continue to bless and grant more and more longevity in life to the very useful Rev Bro Anthony Kyemwa! May the Good Almighty God, in full recognition of the Brother’s very wonderful high achievements for Him and for our country and for the entire Congregation of the Brothers of Christian Instruction, prepare a gilded ornate heavenly throne that will seat in very great regard our very much beloved titled merited omnific exemplary courageous devoted parent, the very highly respected and the almost quasi-venerated Rev Bro Anthony Joseph Kasule Kyemwa the Great!
Dr By G. H. Kkolokolo (Paris/France)


BROTHER ANTHONY KYEMWA MORE THAN A FATHER!
I will never forget the parental care of Brother Anthony Kyemwa former Headmaster of St. Mary’s College Kisubi (SMC). Kyemwa saw the school through very difficult time in the 70’s. The school had no fence but trust the Brother, he was in control. There was insecurity in Amin’s time, but the Brother made it to see us go for preps where teachers at times were scared. He endured through the strikes mostly due to food. I thank the Brother for the parental care. For the students, reading was pleasure (unlike the situation now when cheating of examinations is the norm by a number of students who don’t want to read yet they fictitiously want to show they excel at books. For us we could even compete in bathroom! Those students who would go for Express (reading from midnight to 3.00am) would wake up their friends for Oriental (reading from 3.00am to breakfast time or thereabout). Cooking water with bedsprings for heavy coffee was normal. We were good at summarizing for exams. Brother got respect from students; they could see him from a distance and would get moving very fast to wherever they were required. The Brother gave us freedom to move around Kisubi hill but this never compromised academic standards/excellence. Asked about what led St. Mary’s College Kisubi to be at the height of glory and fame it enjoys as far as academics is concerned, Brother Kyemwa said, “In my opinion, the aspirations of the students and staff led to the rise of the school. There was a strong spirit of competitiveness with other leading schools; that is Kings College Buddo, Mt. St. Mary’s Namagunga, Namilyango to mention but a few.” Brother Kyemwa’s message to the SMACK community if they are to maintain the established tradition of excellence is: “Discipline should be emphasized because it is with discipline that one can concentrate on one’s work. There should also be a strong school spirit among the students because this unites them in all aspects.” “When I meet former students of St. Mary’s College Kisubi, they always thank me for having emphasized discipline.” Brother Kyemwa would like to be remembered as one who tried under the circumstances of the time. He tried to keep the school standards up and never down.
William Kituuka Kiwanuka

UTODA SHOULD STOP THE ARROGANCE

The arrogance of UTODA has gone far, and it has caused enough damage to the country. Someone has to be in control. it is disappointing to learn that UTODA business is going to be one of the undoings between the would be good relation between Erias Lukwago the Lord mayor and the Executive Director madam Musisi. Musisi is in for State House business and this is to cause real problems instead of solving. When Lukwago asks for Financial documents regarding UTODA, he is right as any Ugandan would. The problem is that UTODA is operating beyond the contract terms and they assume not only the roles of the Ministry, but they are involved in Policing to the extent that their members have been seen beat people in broad day light! It is sad, that these things go on and the powers that be are taken to be ignorant. What we see is possible evidence that UTODA finances some statehouse business that is why they are seen as untouchable, and Mr. Museveni must know that Ugandans deserve better services, they may not be able to get him out of his sweat chair but he should have the people of Uganda at heart. We`are fed up of those Ugandans who because they have State House coonnections keep on bragging as the country sinks yet as they lot. Without some of the levies by UTODA, it is certain the charges would be lower. Why does UTODA assume powers that don't belong to them. Let people who understand planning plan for our city. We want the city decongested and it is not UTODa to do the work. The planners have to and UTODA should just take instructions, not to do the stupid of going to State House when their bosses are the Kampala Lord mayor who has the mandate of the people of Kampala. UTODa before fooling around should first ensure that they religiously pay what is due to Kampala City Council and then they can give the balance to whoever they wish as well as put on bigger berries if they wish.
William Kituuka Kiwanuka
ONLY MUSEVENI CAN UPROOT US

UTODA KATONGOLE
Daggers have clearly been sharpened, and battle lines drawn. What is remaining now is a full blown war between Lord Mayor Erias Lukwago and the Uganda Taxi Operators and Drivers Association (UTODA).
After Lukwago puffed and huffed, swearing to terminate UTODA's money-minting taxi park tenders, the managers of the taxi body have dared the Lord Mayor to walk the threat, if he is really man enough.
"We are ready to fight and die in the parks," UTODA's supremo Hajj Moses Katongole declared amidst thunderous cheers, as he addressed taxi drivers and guides on Monday this week.
Katongole had called an impromptu meeting at Nsambya's Youth Sharing Hall, to counter Lukwago's threats. The meeting came hot on the heals of another meeting for taxi drivers held last week in which the drivers expressed anger over exploitative charges levied by UTODA.
Flanked by his deputy Chris Ssengooba, Katongole said they did not need the clearance of Lukwago to manage the parks, reminding him that the highest authority in the land-- the President-- has always blessed their presence in the park.
Katongole's foregoing statement brings out what is largely known -- which is that State House is the God father of UTODA, the reason the taxi body has managed to hold onto the tender for as long as Museveni has been in power , the public protests not withstanding.
Katongole reminded Lukwago that they had survived many mayors at City Hall before, and that UTODA will "surely outlive him," as well.
Other UTODA officials said they were ready to work with Lukwago if he gives up his belligerent attitude towards them.

Show of influence
In a bid to alienate him from his members and by extension weaken his hold on the taxi park business--, Lukwago called a meeting of taxi drivers, owners and guides at City Hall, "to tell him the problems they encounter in their day to day work."
Katongole reacted angrily to Lukwago's move, reminding him he had to go through UTODA to summon their members. Lukwago had snubbed UTODA by not including them on his invitees list.
By calling a meeting of taxi drivers and guides-- a few days after Lukwago's meeting-- Katongole wanted to show the world that he still calls shots at the taxi parks.
He also wanted to let the drivers and guides know that they hobnobbed with Lukwago at their own risk since UTODA was not going anywhere soon.
In fact, Katongole did good mobilization work of his members going by the big turn up at Nsambya sharing hall. He threw a sumptuous lunch for drivers and guides who attended- what turned out to be a PR meeting. They washed the heavy lunch with soft drinks, in which they literally swam.
True to the adage: When you want to melt an African's heart give him food, at the end of the day, all drivers and guides were singing Katongole's name vowing to deal with whoever messed with him.

Musisi softens on UTODA
City Hall insiders claim the Executive Director Jennifer Musisi Ssemakula has since softened her hard-line stance on UTODA, leaving Lukwago with a high mountain to climb alone.
Our sources reveal that Musisi changed her stance, following directives from State House to go slow on UTODA-- which is a cash cow for the ruling NRM party.
Katongole's boastful tone-- he stated UTODA did not need the clearance of Lukwago to manage the parks-is further proof that UTODA may just be too hard to crack.