William Kituuka Kiwanuka

Sunday, June 24, 2012

THE GRADUATES' UNEMPLOYMENT IN UGANDA COULD BE A BLESSING IN DISGUISE

I would love give a lecture to unemployed graduates in Uganda. This however will depend on the availability of sponsorship to be able to meet the following: 1. Cost of a venue; 2. Availability of power Point presentation facilities; 3. Cost of publicity of the lecture on mass media; 4. Cost for facilitating media people to cover the event given its importance for scaling out. The theme of my lecture is: "The graduates unemployment in Uganda could be a blessing in disguise." "Necessity is the mother of invention" times are hard, more so after the parents and benefactors of many unemployed graduates have spent millions of Uganda shillings to see their sons and daughters read to degree level. The graduates have to think hard. The unfortunate thing is that many such graduates instead resort to social media and exchange messages, instead of using the resources at their disposal to discover where they could make money from. I joined Uganda Commercial Bank in 1984, and shortly Nile bank opened its doors in 1988. I went for an interview and I was recruited. Little did I know that i was to be a scape goat, and in 1991, i was sacrificed instead of my bosses who had opened a fraudulent Uganda Electricity Board account in the bank which caused my dismissal! The lesson I learnt was that many employers can instead cause you untold suffering. i spent a number of years reading seriously to get a University degree, and it was so easy for my former bosses to circulate my signature among all banks in the country that they had dismissed me! If i had by then started a Community Based organization, i would be very far. The message i have for the unemployed graduates is that they should take time off and think, there are so many opportunities that are in disguise which they can slowly but steadily exploit and the future will definitely be bright. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ IS A DEGREE STILL WORTH IT? By Conan Businge THE S6 exams have just been released and many students are eying one of the more than 20 universities in the country. But is it university education that the students really need to get a job? With the plan to spend millions of shillings on higher education, many youth face a job market that does not seem to need them. Not only is the Ugandan economy producing few new jobs, the ones that are being added are overwhelmingly on the lower end of the skill and pay scale. In fact, surveys from the Uganda Bureau of Statistics (UBOS) indicate that most job gains in the previous years have gone to workers with only a high school certificate or less, casting some doubt on the conviction that a university degree is the ticket to the prosperous dream. Close to a half of the jobs routinely advertised do not require much more than on-the-job training. One would not need a university degree to have the job. Many people in Uganda work in the agriculture sector or are casual labourers. According to the labour force flow figures at the Uganda Investment Authority (UIA) and UBOS, of the more than 480,000 Ugandans who enter the labour market each year, only about 80,000 are absorbed in formal employment, leaving the rest for the informal sector. There are about 30,000 students who graduate with degrees every year. The UBOS findings indicate that illiterates are more likely to be available for work. The remaining majority are left to try their luck in the informal sector, venturing into the entertainment industry, retail trade in places like arcades, Owino market as well as in the motorcycle transport business, in Kampala and other towns of the country. The less enterprising languish on the streets or simply remain a burden to the already overstretched parents. Unemployment in Uganda is highest among graduates compared to other categories of the workforce, a labour report has disclosed. The 2005 State of Uganda’s Population report warned that if the youth unemployment rate of 23% persists, then about 4.37 million youth will be jobless and there will be social tension and a lot of crime in the country. In Kampala, the youth unemployment rate is at 32.2%, while among university graduates the unemployment rate is 36%. The country’s labour force can accommodate only 50% of the deserving university graduates. But one of the greatest challenges is that the current workforce appears to be under-skilled. Roughly about 15% of the employment covers semi-skilled occupations. Although the labour force grew by some 1.1 million persons from 2002/3 to 2005/6, job openings did not expand by a commensurate rate, locking out thousands of qualified youth. However, civil service jobs increased by 6% in 2008, possibly due to creation of new districts, but the new opportunities are grossly inadequate to absorb job seekers churned out by educational institutions every year. The most startling finding is that was that only about 545,000 of Ugandans (5% of total labour force) hold permanent jobs, indicating temporary or contract employees plus those in the informal sector largely power the country’s 7% GDP growth. The latest report follows a recent World Bank warning that an increase in joblessness, during the pressing times of economic downturn, could trigger an explosion in crime, resulting in civil unrest. But why are most graduates unemployed? According to the available indications, official reports say, the current business and technical system does not meet the requirements of the economy. A 2006 survey by Uganda Bureau of Statistics (UBOS) indicated that a majority of individuals entering the labour market do not have the necessary skills and knowledge. Agriculture and the informal sector are the most important sectors of Uganda’s labour market, according to the report based on business, technical and vocational education and training (BTVET). About 15% of the employment covers semi-skilled occupations, “for which lower level BTVET might be an adequate preparation.” “Agricultural employment continues to cater for some 70% of the Ugandan workforce, and subsistence agriculture still accounts for about 55 to 60% of it. “The service and industrial sectors absorb only 20% and 10% respectively,” adds the report. It says that these proportions are not expected to change in the near future. The same report says there is a big disparity of labour productivity between Uganda’s firms and those in other countries. “Value added per worker in Uganda has been 68% lower than that in India and 96% lower than that in China.” Based on these findings, that is why the education ministry and Government are putting so much emphasis on the development of vocational education in the country. The education ministry’s Permanent Secretary, F.X. Lubanga, argues that with the development of tertiary education, the country will reduce on unemployment since there will be more job creators. Though he does not campaign for people to step off the track of formal education, he believes that informal and formal education should be taught concurrently, for graduates to attain skills. All schools in the country will soon be asked to embed skills and vocational subjects in their teaching time tables. Primary schools, according to Lubanga, will be asked to teach their pupils at least two integrated production skills. Such skills for instance may include handwork sessions. All secondary schools, on the other hand will be asked to take on vocational subjects. The new move is aimed at ensuring graduates obtain the required skills before they can graduate from formal education. But that is for formal education. To boost job creation in the country, there is need for more students to embrace vocation education, which the Government is gradually shifting lots attention to. Every district will soon have a BTVET institution. “We will be constructing these schools in every financial year, till each district has one boarding BTVET institution,” Namirembe Bitamazire, the education minister explained. Published on: Saturday, 26th March, 2011 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------My contact; wkituuka@gmail.com

William Kituuka Kiwanuka M

WITH OBAMA RE-ELECTION CHANCES AT 53.9%, US GOVERNMENT SHOULD ADDRESS MUSEVENI SUCCESSION

President Obama has the challenge to see that he is re-elected in the forthcoming elections in November this year. However, when re-elected, it is my prayer that the issue of succession in Uganda is put as a worthy agent for his Government, given that when helped, Uganda has the potential of getting to a Somalia. It is not disputed, Museveni has played what is seen by many as a positive role in international politics including the current roles in Somalia in restoration of order in governance. If the succession issue is not solved to see Museveni relinquish power in 2016, Uganda is on a time bomb, whose explosion may be so disastrous. Signs of this development are so clear within the ruling NRM where a good number see that Museveni has played his role, and the challenges the country faces in the near future are above him given what he has the taken the country through. It is therefore appropriate for the post re-elected Government of Obama to give the Uganda picture good attention to see succession well managed. William Kituuka Kiwanuka ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------- MUSEVENI'S ATTACK ON MBABAZI ROCKS NRM By Isaac Imaka & SHEILA NATURINDA Posted Thursday, June 21 2012 at 00:00 In Summary MPs warn of split in ruling party as President comes under fire for criticism of the Prime Minister and Speaker Rebecca Kadaga. MPs and other politicians yesterday hinted that the NRM is close to its second major split after the President’s outburst against Prime Minister Amama Mbabazi and Speaker Rebecca Kadaga on Monday night. Several MPs who spoke to Daily Monitor said the National Resistance Movement is experiencing its second birth pangs nearly 10 years after the delivery of internal opposition when Dr Kizza Besigye issued an indicting critique on the lack of democracy. The MP for Ajuri County, Hamson Obua, said a further breakaway resulting from the current stand-off could confirm that there is more than meets the eye. “The best thing will be for the NRM leadership to harmonise what is lying ahead of it. Break away of a section of members will lead to the collapse of the party,” he said. On Monday night, President Museveni lashed out, telling the ruling party’s parliamentary caucus that Ms Kadaga and Mr Mbabazi were responsible for the ongoing NRM troubles. He is quoted as having accused the two of nursing personal leadership ambitions and carrying on without consulting him yet he is the commander-in-chief. His verbal charge on Ms Kadaga has since attracted criticism as undermining the constitutional principle of separation of powers which insulates the Speaker from undue pressure and interference from other arms of government. President threatened? At Parliament, former Ethics and Integrity minister, Miria Matembe said the President is threatened by the growing popularity of the Speaker. Ms Matembe was part of the first break-away which followed sharp disagreements over the controversial lifting of term limits in 2005 which paved the way for Mr Museveni to run for office in perpetuity. Other MPs said the President was really reacting to the emergence of a parallel power base within the party which some say could rally around either Ms Kadaga or Mr Mbabazi and wrest power from him in 2016. Share This Story 161Share “The continuous abusing, quarrelling and telling members that he fought the bush war; how he is the commander in chief and the chairman of the party, as if we do not know that already, confirms the long held fear that he takes himself as the alpha and omega of the party and, like a dictator, his word is final,” one young MP said. Asking not to be quoted, the MP said: “It shows that there is something fundamentally wrong within our party and if not addressed the party is going to fall apart. The President should know that the bushes have been cleared and the country is ready for take-off. We are no longer in the military mentality where the President can just scare everyone into submission.” In 2005, a faction of the NRM broke away to form the Parliamentary Advocacy Forum which evolved into the Reform Agenda (RA)under which Dr Besigye contested for the Presidency in 2006. RA has since expanded into the Forum for Democratic Change. Ndorwa East MP Wilfred Niwagaba has emerged as a leading voice in the want-away faction, and said yesterday that the final breakaway will depend on how the party handles the internal primary elections mid-way 2015. “We have our government of the NRM backbenchers and it has been there since the Eighth Parliament where Hon Banyenzaki chaired it and now it’s Theodore Ssekikubo chairing it. “We recruited new members from the Ninth Parliament and it’s like a shadow government within the ruling government to check on the front bench excesses and offer alternative policies. We need to be robust and continue showing positive performance,” he said. Mr Medard Lubega Sseggona, a DP member representing Busiro East constituency, believes the faction fighting in the NRM is good for the country’s politics. “We shall have a dictatorship in perpetuity if the NRM remains intact so the break off faction is well intentioned. What I see is that whoever breaks off should join us in the Opposition to uproot the dictatorship,” he said. Former Gulu MP and Democratic Party leader, Norbert Mao, agreed that only a revolt within NRM can deliver democracy to Uganda. “It goes without saying and the signs of a split are more than evident now. Am sure before 2016, we shall have a breakaway faction from the NRM because we can’t afford to have a post 2016 Museveni rule. “There is a jittery younger generation in the NRM which sees Museveni now as the mathematical pi (leave pi as pi) because no one in his generation has ever taken him on at the ballot,” he said. Pi is a mathematical constant that is the ratio of a circle’s circumference to its diameter. Mr Mao said institutional weaknesses and succession gridlock in NRM is frustrating young ambitions, which could result in the bubble of cohesion bursting soon. NRM Spokesperson Mary Karooro Okurut could not be readily got for a comment as her phone was off by press time. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- RESPECT KADAGA, PARLIAMENT COMMISSION TELLS PRESIDENT By Isaac Imaka & Sheila Naturinda Posted Saturday, June 23 2012 at 01:00 As the NRM party schemes to limit the damage the President’s attack on Speaker Rebecca Kadaga and Premier Amama Mbabazi brought to the party’s unity, NRM members of the Parliamentary Commission have asked the President to desist from any further ridicule and attacks aimed at the Speaker. The commissioners said an attack on the Speaker is equally an attack on the institution. Addressing the press in the Speakers boardroom, the three commissioners said the President’s attack was an unfortunate attack on the institution and the office of the Speaker which should not be repeated. Commissioner Emmanuel Dombi said the decision to respond and caution the President was reached in a joint meeting between the three members of NRM on the House Commission who attended the Entebbe meeting and witnessed the President’s outbursts. “Although the law is silent on the nature of respect the President should accord to the Speaker and other leaders, it is naturally inferred that the President should reciprocate in propositional measures the respect that he is accorded,” Mr Dombo read from the statement. “We therefore do not expect the President to refer to the Speaker and other leaders with whom he has been mandated to manage the affairs of this country in a derogatory manner,” The commission, which is chaired by the Parliament Speaker, is the highest decision making body of Parliament and comprises four back bench MPs; three from the ruling NRM and one from the opposition who serve on a two-and-a-half year basis. Other members of the commission are: Minister of Finance, Prime Minister, and Leader of Opposition. The statement presented was by Commissioners Emmanuel Dombo (Bunyole East) and Dr Chris Baryomunsi (Kinkiizi East) and also signed by another NRM commissioner Jalia Bintu (Masindi) who was not present while they presented the statement. In response to the President’s rhetoric question of ‘who is Kadaga’ during the Entebbe meeting, the commissioners reminded the President that she is the number three in the country and so deserves the respect accordingly. “In case he doesn’t know who Kadaga is, she is the second national vice chairperson of NRM and a member of the Central Executive Committee, the apex organ of the NRM, and she is number three in the order of precedence,” the statement reads in part. Going forward, the commissioners said referring to Mr Eriya Kategaya as being more senior to Speaker Kadaga was an affront to the office of the Speaker and a contravention of the Constitution which stipulates that she is number three in the country. “According to the order of succession, the Speaker is number three in that if the President isn’t around his functions are for the Vice President and in the absence of the VP, those functions are performed by the Speaker and if she is publically ridiculed, she may not be in position to do the functions when need arises,” Mr Dombo said. Mr Chris Baryomunsi added: “We all appreciate the contribution of the historicals who fought in the bush war but for purposes of progress, we should respect whoever supports the struggle and the development of this country.” Meanwhile, this newspaper has learnt that President Museveni has summoned Ms Kadaga, Premier Mbabazi, Chief Whip Daudi Migereko and his deputy David Bahati to his rural home in Rwakitura in Kiruhura District on Sunday. However, we couldn’t readily ascertain the details of the impending meeting and the other members due to attend. editorial@ug.nationmedia.com

$ 50 BILLION INVESTMENT IN SUSTAINABLE ENERGY IS ANNOUNCED AT RIO+20

Rio+20: Ban announces more than 100 commitments on sustainable energy

Photo: Engineering for Change ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 21 June 2012 – Speaking at the United Nations Conference on Sustainable Development (Rio+20), Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon announced that more than one hundred commitments and actions have been already mobilized in support of the UN’s global sustainable energy initiative. “Achieving sustainable energy for all is not only possible, but necessary – it is the golden thread that connects development, social inclusion and environmental protection,” Secretary-General Ban said at Rio+20, in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Launched in September 2011, the Sustainable Energy for All initiative brings together governments, businesses and civil society groups in an unprecedented effort to help make the world’s energy systems more accessible, efficient and cleaner. It is designed to catalyze global action in support of three, interlinked and complimentary objectives, all to be achieved by 2030 – ensure universal access to modern energy services, double the global rate of improvement of energy efficiency, and double the share of renewable energy in the global energy mix. “This initiative is already mobilizing significant action from all sectors of society. Working together, we can provide solutions that drive economic growth, expand equity and reduce the risks of climate change,” Mr. Ban said. The International Energy Agency estimates that 1.3 billion people – one in five globally – lack electricity to light their homes or conduct business. Twice that number – nearly 40 per cent of the world’s population – rely on wood, coal, charcoal or animal waste to cook food, resulting in toxic smoke that causes lung disease and death. More than 40,000 people – including heads of State and government, parliamentarians, mayors, UN officials, business and civil society leaders – are attending Rio+20, between 20-22 June. It seeks to shape new policies to promote global prosperity, reduce poverty and advance social equity and environmental protection. “Sustainable Energy for All provides a powerful model for the future,” the UN chief said. “The UN is bringing all key stakeholders to the table to work in common cause for the common good. This initiative shows the power of partnership and ability of the United Nations to spearhead transformational change.” Among the commitments and actions agreed upon by Governments, Ghana, one of the first countries to partner with the initiative, has developed a national energy action plan to support capacity-development and innovative financing mechanisms. Countries initiating or completing similar assessments include Bangladesh, Kenya, Mozambique, Nepal, Tajikistan, Uruguay and Vietnam. Meanwhile, Brazil, the host country for Rio+20, has committed to investing a further $4.3 billion to achieve universal energy access at a national level by 2014. Among the commitments and actions agreed upon by private sector corporations, small and medium-scale enterprises, Microsoft has committed to going carbon neutral and will be rolling out an internal carbon fee that will apply to Microsoft’s business operations in over 100 countries. Italian energy company Eni has earmarked approximately $5 billion to achieve its gas flaring and carbon intensity reduction goals; and, the Renault-Nissan Alliance has committed approximately $5 billion to commercialize affordable zero-emission vehicles. Among the commitments and actions agreed upon by financial institutions, donors and development banks, the Bank of America has set a ten year $50 billion environmental business goal, while the World Bank Group has committed to doubling the leverage of its energy portfolio by mobilizing private, donor and public contributions to World Bank-supported projects, as well as supportive policies to expand energy access, renewable energy and energy efficiency. Among the commitments and actions agreed upon by non-governmental organizations, artists, academia, and individuals, members of the rock band Linkin Park have launched a campaign urging world leaders at Rio+20 to end energy poverty, while India’s Energy and Resources Institute has committed to expanding lighting services to households in several developing countries, using solar and other clean energy technologies, by 2018. The Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers, along with 40 other professional associations, has pledged to mobilize their two million members worldwide in support of the Sustainable Energy for All initiative. Since the Sustainable Energy for All initiative’s launch last year, more than 50 Governments from Africa, Asia, Latin America, and the Small Islands Developing States have engaged with the initiative and are developing energy plans and programmes. The majority are from developing countries that have initiated or completed energy sector assessments and gap analyses, thus laying the groundwork to scale up action in priority areas, undertake strategic reforms where needed, and attract new investments and financial support. In addition, businesses and investors have committed more than $50 billion to achieve the initiative’s three objectives, and hundreds of actions and commitments are underway in support of the initiative, supported by businesses, donors, entrepreneurs, organizations, artists, and individual volunteers. In November 2011, Secretary-General Ban announced the members of a high-level group – consisting of 46 members who are global leaders in business, finance, government and civil society – tasked with mobilizing action among governments, the private sector and civil society for the initiative.

THANKS TO BUGANDA GOVERNMENT FOR INNOVATIONS INCLUDING 16 YEARS OF CBS

We thank God for the guidance He has given our king His Highness Ronald Muwenda Mutebi II to see to innovations and good counsel that has helped the people in Buganda to be beneficiaries of innovations by his leadership.

When Mulwanyamuli was Katikiiro of Buganda, there was a time he wanted to talk to the people who were by then listeners of Radio Uganda. The subject of his talk was based on Federism, and he was not given opportunity. This prompted him to present the problem to the Buganda Parliament *Lukiiko' which gave a go ahead to start Buganda's own mouth piece. 16 years ago, the radio Station opened, and today the radio is a big mobilizer for development, and a good contributor to government Revenue. What has constrained Buganda Kingdom developments is the bad decisions made at different fora like when the radio station was put off air for over air. There is reluctance by the Central Government to pay rents due to Buganda for the properties the Government is renting. These are unfortunate developments. However, we the people of Buganda are grateful to the Kabaka of Buganda and all those who think hard on how to get programmes to the people in the hard times, and in many cases the scheming has paid off more so after the mobilization by CBS FM radio.

The Building in the photo is another innovation by Buganda Government. it is Muganzirwaza which when open is expected to and to the income of the kingdom. The efforts of Buganda land-board in realizing resources to see the building a reality are highly commended.

Kasubi Tombs caretakers pose with portraits of the four kings who were buried at the burnt site. Buganda administration has the big challenge to see that the Kasubi tombs that were burnt are put in even a far better shape than was the case before they got burnt.

Above is the photo impression of the Kasubi tombs before they got burnt. William Kituuka Kiwanuka

RIO+20 SUCCESS DEPENDS ON HOW GOVERNMENTS ACT, UN'S BAN SAYS

Rio+20 success depends on how governments act, UN's Ban says Rio+20: Ban Ki-moon urges world leaders to act on sustainability

UN Secretary General defends scope of summit agreement, but says it is 'merely a piece of paper' unless leaders take action Jonathan Watts, in Rio de Janeiro guardian.co.uk, Wednesday 20 June 2012 17.32 BST

UN secretary general Ban Ki-moon at the Rio+20 Earth summit. Photograph: Evaristo Sa/AFP/Getty Images Ban Ki-moon, the secretary general of the United Nations, called on world leaders to step up their political commitment to sustainability on Wednesday, as he opened the Rio+20 Earth summit with an acknowledgement that negotiations have so far failed to live up to hopes. More than 100 world leaders and senior ministers, including the Chinese premier Wen Jiabao, US secretary of state Hillary Clinton and UK deputy prime minister Nick Clegg, are attending the mega-summit, which has been billed as a once-in-a-generation opportunity to rebalance economic growth, social stability and environmental protection. However, many delegates and NGOs have expressed dismay at the watered-down outcome document that was agreed by member states ahead of the summit. Although it promises to establish new sustainable development goals and a host of other objectives in 26 areas, the terminology is vague. Most timetables, targets, financing figures, methods of monitoring and strong language on commitments was stripped out of the document – The Future We Want – by the hosts, Brazil, in a desperate attempt to secure a compromise before the leaders arrived. Ban said: "Some member states hoped for a bolder ambitious document. I also hoped that we could have a more ambitious outcome document. But you should understand that negotiations have been very difficult and very slow because of all these conflicting interests." He said the document was practical and far-reaching, but its significance would depend on the political will of national leaders. In the coming three days, the document will be discussed at high-level talks. It is thought unlikely that they will reopen negotiations on the wording, but Ban urged the leaders to step up the ambition. "Why do we have a summit meeting? The leaders are the ones who can make a political decision. Depending on the political priorities they chose, the consequences will be huge," he said in a call for them to work harder on putting the ideas into practice. "If these actions are not implemented, then this will merely be a piece of paper," he said. Brazil, which has the presidency of the conference, has declared the preliminary talks a success. With a draft agreement in place, it hopes to avoid the last minute turbulence and high-level recriminations that marked the Copenhagen climate conference in 2009. However, many civil society groups believe no deal may be better than a weak deal. Several NGOs are urging leaders to reopen negotiations so that a more ambitious deal can be reached. Friends of the Earth's director of policy and campaigns Craig Bennett said: "The current deal on the Rio table is really scraping the barrel – with woolly definitions, old ideas and missing deadlines, it doesn't come close to solving the planetary emergency we're facing. Nick Clegg and world leaders arriving in Rio must give the summit a life-saving shot of urgency and ambition by pledging tough action to create a safe and prosperous future for us all."