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Issue No. 525 June 15 - 21, 2018 Ushs 5,000,Kshs 200, RwF 1,500, SDP 8

Abiriga killing hits

Museveni very hard
Why murder is seen as
intended to hit him and NRM

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Issue No. 524 June 15 - 21, 2018

News analysis Business Health Arts Motoring

Cover story
Abiriga killing hits Museveni very hard
Why murder is seen as intended to hit him and NRM

4 The Week
29 Comments
300 MUK students to defend
selves over malpractices Local solutions for global
problems: Local leaders
continue to inspire public
9 The Last Word confidence where national
governments are failing
Uganda’s crime outrage:
How to renew our nation’s security
architecture to cope with the new 33 Health
challenges of murder and kidnapping
When preeclampsia strikes
in pregnancy: Disease that’s
16 Analysis impossible to predict or
prevent is piling pressure
Trump and Kim summit: Each
on maternity wards
got a win but who got more?

35 Arts & Culture

23 Business Kasese’s best secret: World-
class art, sculpture, coffee at
Why price of rice is rising: Supply Rwenzori Founders
expected to increase starting next month

STRATEGY & EDITORIAL DIRECTOR: Andrew M. Mwenda
MANAGING EDITOR: Joseph Were
INVESTIGATIONS EDITOR: Haggai Matsiko
BUSINESS EDITOR: Isaac Khisa
PHOTOGRAPHER: Jimmy Siya
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2 June 15 - 21, 2018

 Offline

President Museveni
shakes hands with
Peter West, (L)
the British High
Commissioner to
Uganda during a
meeting at Entebbe
State House on June
7. Peter assured the “If we are going to continue being killed
President that the UK
is willing to help in by idiots and cowards, then we are not
the development of serious people”Francis Mwijukye, Buhweju
the Industrial Park at County MP on President Museveni’s statement
Namanve. that Abiriga’s killers are idiots

Rotarian Xavia Sentamu

(L) the District governor
elect and past District
governor Rotarian
Nelson Kawalya(R)
installing Rotarian Hellen
Ssali (M) as the new “There are many of us in NRM when you
president of the Rotary do a small thing, you think you should be
club of Wandegeya treated a special person. There are many
Kampala at Kolping Hotel
June 6. Hellen Ssali is the
of us in NRM who have accumulated
first female president of unnecessary wealth because we think
the club.   INDEPENDENT/ we are entitled. Abiriga has done what
JIMMY SIYA
he has done but he remained humble....
We as NRM need to humble ourselves.”
Musa Ecweru, Minister of State for Disaster
Preparedness

President
Museveni
delivering the
State of the
Nation Address
on June 6.

“I ask you, the citizens, to pray for

me because the job I am holding is
challenging. I need God’s guidance
to deliver justice, without fear or
favour.”Alfonse Owiny-Dollo, Deputy
Chief Justice

293 46,250 Shs1.67

Companies URA is Trees planted in Money needed
investigating over Uganda on World to recapitalise the
tax fraud Environment Day Land Fund

June 15 - 21, 2018 3

week
Complications in ex-LRA boss Thomas Kwoyelo case
The High Court has asked
former Lord’s Resistance Army
(LRA) rebel leader Thomas
Kwoyelo to establish whether
his lawyers are still represent-
ing him in a case where he is
facing 67 charges including
murder, hostage taking, pillag-
ing, robbery, rape and torture
among others. During a hearing
of the case on June 11, High
Court Judge Susan Okalany
asked Kwoyelo to confirm the
status of his lawyers, Caleb
Thomas Kwoyelo at court.
Controversy as Museveni appoints new anti-corruption team
President Yoweri Museveni
has appointed a three-man
anti-corruption team attached
to State House led by the for-
mer Uganda National Teachers
Union (UNATU) General Sec-
retary, James Tweheyo, Captain
Martha Asiimwe, and Sister
Akiror. This move has been
criticized by members of the
opposition terming it as dupli-
cation of resources since the
Inspectorate of Government is
already performing the same
task of curbing corruption. Oth-
ers said the parallel team would
frustrate the existing institutions
4 June 15 - 21, 2018
Alaka and Evans Ochieng,
after they skipped three ses-
sions. The judge told the former
rebel commander that it is in
his powers to summon his
own lawyers because he chose
them to represent him. Okalany
also said the lawyer provided
by the court, Charles Dalton
Opwonya is always present
during the hearings. The Direc-
tor of Public prosecutions (DPP)
made an amendment of the
original charges Kwoyelo was
mandated to fight the vice.
For Nakaseke South leg-
islator Paul Lutamaguzi for
instance, the president’s move
shows he doesn’t value institu-
tions. He says since the Presi-
dent appointed the Inspector
General of Government, he
should have reshuffled the
team if he feels it’s not deliver-
ing on its mandate instead of
lamenting and appointing a
parallel team.
But, Museveni says he
resolved to form a separate
committee that will receive cor-
ruption complaints because
facing to include the current
67. Kwoyelo however had not
seen a copy of the amended
indictment and the judge made
one final adjournment to enable
him access it. Justice Okalany
blamed this on Kwoyelo’s law-
yers. The court set July 23, 24
and 25 as dates for hearing and
pronouncing itself on the case.
After, the International Crimes
Division will set a date for trial.
the inspectorate is a poor
performer. “What happened
to the IGG? Why don’t the vic-
tims of corruption report those
incidents to the office of the
IGG? That was the purpose of
that office; to protect the public
from corrupt officials; to protect
the investors against corrupt
officials,” Museveni said, add-
ing that ” The IGG should
reflect on this. Are her staff
credible? Why does the public
not trust that institution? We
need answers”, he said while
delivering the state of the nation
address on June 06.
ICC Judges visit
Northern Uganda
Judges of the International
Criminal Court (ICC) hearing
the trial of former rebel
commander of the Lord
Resistance Army (LRA)
Dominic Ongwen have visited
northern Uganda to familiarize
themselves with crime scenes.
From June 03 to 09, the three
judges – Bertram Schmitt, Peter
Kovacs and Raul Pangalangam
visited former Internally
Displaced People’s camps of
Pajule, Odek, Lukodi and Abok
where people affected by the
two decade insurgency lived.
According to a press statement
by the ICC, the judges who
went together with legal
representatives of the victims
in the case met with several
community leaders to get their
side of the story so they could
gain an impression of these
locations since prosecution
has finished presenting its
witnesses.
116 witnesses have been
presented against Ongwen who
is charged with committing
war crimes and crimes against
humanity. He is expected
to start defending himself
in September when his case
resumes.
Dominic Ongwen
*terms and conditions apply
 Week

Ethiopian PM Abiy Ahmed being decorated by President Museveni.
Uganda honours Ethiopian Prime
Minister with highest medal
The Prime Minister of Ethi-
opia paid Dr. Abiy Ahmed
Ali paid a two-day State
Visit to Uganda from June
8-9 and was honored with
the Most Excellent Order of
the Pearl of Africa medal on
Heroes Day. The medal is the
highest accolade given to a
head of state in Uganda. The
only other African leader to
be conferred this honor is
Equatorial Guinea president,
Teodoro Obiang Mbasogo.
President Yoweri Museveni
congratulated Ahmed Ali
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upon his assumption of office Tel: +256-312-637-391/ 2/ 3/ 4
as Prime Minister following
his election by Parliament in
April 2018. The two leaders
held talks at State House,
Entebbe and reviewed bilat-
eral, regional and interna-
tional issues of mutual inter-
est. The two also discussed
opportunities for trade and
investment and the need to
work on road transport link-
ing North-eastern Uganda to
Southern Ethiopia, through
Northern Kenya.

Uganda, Kenya in fishing row

UPDF soldiers detained three Kenyan
police officers over a fishing row on Lake
Victoria on the islands of Mageta and Hama
in Bugiri district. UPDF soldiers disarmed
the officers and detained them at Bugiri
Mainland Prison in Uganda on June 11.
Kenyan media reports indicated that the
officers were detained alongside Kenyan
fishermen found catching fish in Ugandan
waters. In November last year, there were
similar reports of seventeen fishermen who
were arrested in Homa Bay western Kenya
and detained in Uganda after claims of ille-
gal fishing. President Museveni deployed
the UPDF on Lake Victoria to reduce on
illegal fishing after the vice nearly depleted
fish stocks on the largest lake in Africa.

June 15 - 21, 2018 5

Week
MP Nambooze investigated over Abiriga assassination
A police statement
released on June 12
shows that Mukono
Municipality legislator
Betty Nambooze
Bakireke is being
investigated over two
posts she made on social
media regarding the
brutal assassination of
fellow legislator Ibrahim
Abiriga.
Police Spokesperson
Emilian Kayima said
Nambooze is one of the
many being investigated
for offensive
communication as per
the Computer Misuse
Act. In her condolence
message, Nambooze had
posted that Abiriga was
a loud speaker of the
people who have chosen
to love power than the
future of Uganda saying
that the deceased had
Payments for Mutuelle de sante made easy
www.rssb.rw
6 June 15 - 21, 2018
invested all himself to
maintain the status quo
and that it’s within it
that he had perished.
Kayima said apart
RSSB accounts in all 416 sector SACCOs and in BK, BPR, GT
Bank, I&M Bank, Access Bank, Cogebanque, KCB and Equity
with 1900 agents across Rwanda
@RssbInfo
300 MUK students to defend
selves over malpractices
from Nambooze’s case,
332 former students of Makerere Uni-
other four general
versity have been summoned to defend
enquiry files have
themselves over allegations of altering their
been opened at the
marks. According to a notice signed by
criminal investigations Venny Nakazibwe, the chairperson of the
department of the central adhoc regularities and malpractices
police. committee of the university, the affected
“when the bodies students where the majority are form the
arrived in Arua on college of Business and Management Sci-
Sunday, a section ences are expected to appear before the
of residents in Arua committee at senate building.
engaged in acts of The probe into the examination malprac-
violence and a lot tice was commissioned on November 13 in
of property was 2014 after complaints from heads of depart-
destroyed as a result” ments and college principals that names
he said, “a number of of some students who didn’t meet the
case files have been minimum qualifications had found their
opened like malicious way on the 65th graduation list. Accord-
damage where a police ing to the report, students engaged in the
motorcycle was burnt to malpractice either with the help of their
ashes, a motor vehicle colleagues or in connivance with university
belonging to NBS lost officials. Other colleges and schools affect-
it’s rear bumper and ed include the college of Engineering and
the windscreen was Technology, School of Law and the college
smashed and a police of computing and information sciences.
ambulance”. The cases under review are dated
between 1999 and 2012.
Pay via
Bank countrywide
Coming
soon
info@rssb.rw 4044
Humour Did you know?
What the Mandela
Effect means

In 2013, the former president of

South Africa and anti-apartheid
revolutionary Nelson Mandela died at
age 95 of a respiratory infection. But
earlier, in 2010, paranormal writer and
Arua Municipality Member of Parliament Colonel Ibrahim Abiriga
was killed on June 8 in Kawanda, Wakiso. researcher Fiona Broome “recalled”
having memories of Mandela dying
during his imprisonment in the
1980s. When Broome discussed
this topic with a security manager,
she found that many other people
shared the same false memory, which
they named the Mandela Effect
and extended to other “alternate
memories,” as Broome calls them.
The Mandela Effect refers to when
a large number of people share a false
memory, originally attributed to the
existence of multiple universes.
The Mandela Effect is similar
to the psychological concept of
confabulation, involving various
forms of memory falsification.
However, believers in the Mandela
Effect, sometimes citing quantum
mechanics, think a shared false
The Inspector General of Government Irene Mulyagonja said the most corrupt government memory is evidence of parallel
officials are hiding behind the back of President Museveni to escape justice universes that have intersected or slid
into each other, such that those who
remember Mandela’s death in the
1980s are simply remembering events
that occurred on a timeline in another
reality.
Numerous other collective
confusions in popular culture are
referred to as examples of the
Mandela Effect.
While there are certainly true
believers in the phenomenon, uses
of the Mandela Effect are generally
humorous examples of popularly
misremembered brand names or
logos, and are not presented as
evidence for multiverses. As for why
many people remember something
that never happened, psychology has
many explanations for inaccurate
memories, including confirmation bias
The home of Uganda’s first Chief Minister Benedicto Kiwanuka was razed after and the influence of misinformation
his son reportedly failed to pay a loan for which he had mortgaged the house.

June 15 - 21, 2018 7

 News analysis Health Business
Namugongo pilgrims New AIDs vaccine trials Isimba launch Bad news to
speak about Martyrs Day give hope to scientists for October the jobless

Issue No. 524 June 08 - 14, 2018

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Letters are What is Israel’s past and future?

welcome ! Refer to: “Jewish dreams
of Jerusalem as Israel’s
Iraq to Palastine? Then to
Egypt and then back to
And right now, is the Great
tribe of Israel going to stay
The Editor welcomes short and capital go back thousands Palastine? Were not any put alone in the big built
concise letters from our esteemed of years” (The Indepen- people in between those walls for another one mil-
readers on topical issues. Please dent May 18). Where then vast hinterlands all settled lion years as the Americans
send them to:
The Editor, The Independent did Abraham come from and accepting travelling also want to do?
Publications Ltd, to travel all the way from strangers for years on end? Kabayekka
P.O Box 3304,
Plot 82/84 Kanjokya St,
Kamwokya.
Kampala,Uganda.
DP must die again to be reborn
Refer to: “Mao reveals in a different skin that suits absenteeism in matters of
Email: editor@independent.co.ug what is killing DP” (The the current political tide. national politics. (DP terina
Independent May 13). The DP must come to terms work!)
Democratic Party (DP) died that it has been in limbo Incidentally, Norbert
DFID clears the or became obsolete on the for the last 56 years. DP Mao highlighted DP’s short-
air on Arsenal FC very table that it was born.
DP was formed to fight
could pride itself as the
oldest political party but
comings at his first failure
of becoming its president
Protestantism that loomed that’s only “reliving” his- general- he referred to it as a
Refer to: “Inside the Rwanda-Arsenal over Uganda’s politics at tory. Reality demands, that “tribal clique.” Hajji Nasser
deal” (The Independent June 01). On June the time. DP’s interpreta- a political party should be Ssebagala had echoed simi-
12, the Sun newspaper of the UK reported tion of events in Uganda’s able to take and, or, retain lar views earlier when he
on the sponsorship of Arsenal FC by Visit political sphere was further political power. said DP was “centred” at
Rwanda. narrowed down to Bugan- The simple formulae Rubaga Cathedral which
The piece implied that aid money is being da region and this is where for work done is: Work = also houses the headquar-
used for the sponsorship deal. This is not cor- its “fixation” largely relied Force x Distance. DP could ters of the catholic faith.
rect. DFID does not give any money to Visit or so, continues to rely. have covered the distance
Rwanda or the Rwanda Development Board. If DP wants to survive, of 64miles since its incep- Rajab Kakyama
The piece also said “Rwanda relies on aid it must “die” the second tion (1954) but there is a
for nearly half of its budget”. This is incor- time and then “germinate” resounding silence about its
rect. Global financial aid is currently 16% of
Rwanda’s budget. It has been decreasing for
several years, as Rwanda moves to stand on
its own two feet.
Who’s behind senseless killings?
All UK aid to Rwanda is earmarked for
specific programmes only, such as education Condolences to the was on his heart. Today the everyone depends on him-
and agriculture, and is tracked for results family of the late Col. people of Uganda are ask- self or herself first. And we
to ensure our programmes are delivering Ibrahim Abiriga, MP for ing what is happening to have to open our eyes and
results. Arua Municipality who our country? Who is behind look around us more care-
The piece also says there is little evidence was heinously murdered all these senseless murders? fully all the time. Of course
of development results in Rwanda. Official on June 08 together with What can we do to save the police force is the peo-
statistics show that Rwanda has lifted almost his bodyguard in a vicious ourselves? Why Abiriga? ples only armed recourse.
two million people out of poverty since 2005 attack. Condolences to the All these questions seem If need be, the military
and the economy has grown at an average people of West Nile and to to have no answer. Every- can lend some officers but
of 8% per year since 2000. Rwanda has made the people of Uganda for one seems powerless. But maybe with a community-
more progress against the Human Develop- this shocking loss. Indeed, the country cannot aban- friendly stance. Security is
ment Index (an official indicator of life expec- regardless of political don its fate to the murder- their job. And the people of
tancy, education and income) than any other affiliation, Abiriga had tran- ers. Indeed one maybe has Uganda need security now.
country in the world. scended his constituency to pour ice-cold water on While necessary in monitor-
The money for this deal has come from and was a national political their head and wake-up ing certain areas, cameras
revenue that Rwanda has generated from figure in his own right. psychologically. Because cannot save anyone from
its existing tourism industry, which is a He is a person we have we need to start focusing on any bullet. But society
significant source of income for the country. known since the days real solutions rather than together can prevent and
Tourism is already Rwanda’s highest earner he was serving in the return to business as usual curb such callous attacks by
of foreign exchange, ahead of tea, coffee and Uganda army in the 1970s. after hearing some reassur- detecting these murderers
minerals combined. Whatever we think of him ing speeches that actually and their hide-outs. May
politically, everyone agrees bring no real change to the the late Honourable Abiriga
Hesron Abiriga was genuine to situation. rest in peace.
himself and spoke what In security matters, Hussein Lumumba Amin

8 June 15 - 21, 2018


Uganda’s crime outrage
By Andrew M. Mwenda
How to renew our nation’s security architecture to cope
with the new challenges of murder and kidnapping
T
he cold bloodied murder of Arua
Municipality Member of Parlia-
ment, Ibrahim Abiriga, has reignited
the debate on security in Uganda.
Throughout last year, it was alleged that
the security situation in the country had
deteriorated because then Inspector General
of Police, Kale Kayihura, had privileged
clamping down on opposition activism over
criminal policing. He was also accused of
working with criminals. His removal, it was
argued and later celebrated, would end kid-
nappings and murders.
It is three months now since Kayihura left
office. However, the security situation is
getting worse. Some may say it is still too
early to judge. However, our politicians,
elements in security (who were fighting
Kayihura), journalists, civil society activists,
pundits and social media noisemakers have
largely been mute. Of course most of these
people do not really care about security. For
many of them these security problems offer
an opportunity to score political points and
thereby win the affection of the hordes.
Uganda has a problem of crime in large
part because the country is undergoing
rapid structural change. Our urban areas,
especially Kampala, are growing rapidly.
Many who were born in this city or have
migrated into it are doing well. But when
they compare themselves with the affluent,
they feel left behind. This creates social frus-
tration and they turn to crime to make quick
gains. Cities create anonymity, which facili-
tates crime. However, urban poverty/crime
is a sign’s of a city’s growth and vitality.
The recent outrage at murders and kid-
napping is, ironically, evidence that the
state in Uganda has greatly improved
citizen security. There was a time (1971-
1986) when crime was orchestrated by state
security agencies. They would kidnap and
kill people in broad daylight. Between 1986
and 2005, insecurity was orchestrated by
non-state actors: myriads of our citizens
were being routinely killed by rebels and
cattle wrestlers. Millions lived in internally
displaced camps in Northern Uganda, espe-
cially Acholi region, and in Bundibugyo
and Kaseese in Western Uganda.
Joseph Kony’s Lord’s Resistance Army
was abducting children daily. I remember
kids in Gulu would, every evening, walk
from their homes to sleep on the streets of
The Last Word
that town because the countryside was not
safe. I also remember motor vehicles travel-
ling to Northern Uganda could only do it
twice a week in a heavily defended convoy
– in both cases because the state had lost
control of territory.
For many years, cattle wrestling by Kari-
mojong had destroyed normal life in Teso
and parts of Lango. The Allied Democratic
Forces would set bombs in restaurants
around Kampala killing tens of people. In
Kabarole, Bundibugyo and Kasese districts,
ADF would raid villages and kill tens of
people. In 1998 it burned to death 80 stu-
dents in their dormitories and abducted 100
others at Kichwamba Technical College.
Gone is this kind of highly organised and
large scale threat to national security that
characterised Uganda from 1971 to 2005.
The recent insecurity consists of isolated
criminal gangs that are killing and kidnap-
ping people on a very small scale. That
Ugandans are outraged at these develop-
ments only shows how far the country has
come. Compared to the past, these are mere
pin pricks.
Of course this is not to diminish the pain
of those who have lost loved ones. Rather
it is to emphasise the fact that the current
outcry is a sign that the state has achieved
effective monopoly on the exercise of vio-
lence. Ugandans have gotten used to a very
secure political order. So any disturbance of
their peace is intolerable. The recent outrage
shows how far the goal posts of security
have shifted.
However, the situation in Kampala and
the surrounding areas is not as bad as is
presented by the high priests of our politics.
I walk alone at night around this city and
it is always busy with patrons drinking
at their favourite clubs, people in Kikubo
doing brisk business, streets filled with
traffic. Criminals are only able to operate in
dark and isolated neighborhoods. Yet our
elites want to pontificate as if these recent
crimes are a sign of the end of the world.
The claim that the country’s security has
fallen apart, a claim that President Yoweri
Museveni reinforces with his reckless
speeches, is actually a gross exaggeration of
the problem. Museveni may have his own
reasons for undermining the credibility of
his government with his reckless speeches
that reinforce the opposition message. But
Opinion
his claims are often only a small part of the
truths.
The recent spate of kidnappings and
killings shows three major lapses of the
Museveni administration: one is the col-
lapse of the Local Council (LC) system as
a civic institution for ensuring community
security; the other is the increasing erosion
of the prestige and authority of the police
(I see Ugandans beating police officers on
duty – and recently the new IGP advised
people to do more of this); the third is the
erosion of the relationship between security
services and citizens in providing security.
Museveni has talked of the need to equip
police with technical capacity to monitor
crime like putting cameras on streets;
installing equipment on all cars to monitor
their movements, improving the forensic
capabilities of the police etc. These ideas
are good but expensive to implement and
maintain. Besides, the dust in Kampala will
most likely block the cameras. The lack of
street lighting means the cameras will not
see the killers in the dark. Also, there is the
likely risk that these cameras will be stolen
or vandalised as happens to streetlights.
Therefore, the president is suggesting an
investment that is likely to be both expen-
sive and ineffective.
Sadly Museveni expressed reservations
about taking a tough stance on crime with
high handed crackdown on criminals. This
is being naïve. Combating crime requires
a firm hand, one that is not constrained by
many checks and balances. Criminals need
to get a sense of the evil that gets visited on
those who threaten security. This demands
an extremely harsh and even arbitrary
response where – I must add – many inno-
cent people will get hurt.
The first step is reestablishing security is
popular vigilance i.e. people taking care of
security in their communities working in
concert with police and other security agen-
cies. For this to work we need to reinvigo-
rate the LC system by renewing its mandate
and giving it a sense of purpose and agency.
This will be critical in both stopping and/
or investigating murders and kidnappings
and deliver better results at low cost than
Museveni’s proposed cameras.
amwenda@independent.co.ug
June 15 - 21, 2018 9
cover story

Abiriga killing hits

Museveni very hard
Why murder is seen as intended
to hit him and NRM
10 June 15 - 21, 2018

Abiriga's casket in parliament on June 10.   NET/PHOTO
I
By Haggai Matsiko
f all the murders of high profile
public figures had political
motivations, none of them has
been linked to politics as much as
the brutal murder of former Arua
Municipality legislator, Rtd. Col.
Ibrahim Abiriga and his brother, Saidi
Kongo.
At least, that appears to be a common
thread emerging from analysis from
President Yoweri Museveni, security chiefs
and even ordinary observers.
“It is possible that he was killed because
he was a strong NRM supporter,” President
Museveni said while at the scene of the
murder on June.9, “It is possible they
thought by killing him, they would hurt
NRM. Investigations will proceed but there
is a likelihood it could have been about his
support for NRM.”
President Museveni hates to show
emotion when confronted by a situation like
this because apparently he never wants to
come off as weak. But insiders say Abiriga’s
murder appears to have hit him hard. “He
was enraged’, a source close to State House
told The Independent, “The murder is being
seen as having been intended to hit him and
the party.”
Observers say even the timing of his
murder was a political statement. He was
killed two days after President Museveni
made the State of the Nation address, in
which he commented about previous
murders and laid out a plan on how to
deal with them and the sense of insecurity
they have created, and a day before Heroes
Day—when Museveni’s government
remembers those who made sacrifices
during the 1981-86 war that brought him
into power.
Apart from Museveni, Security Minister,
Gen. Elly Tumwiine has described the
murder as part of previous attempts
intended to “disrupt government” and the
whole country.
Uganda People’s Defence Forces (UPDF)
Chief of Defence Forces (CDF), Gen. David
Muhoozi has also said that in the murders,
we are reading a pattern of aiming “to
instill fear, cause anxiety in the public and
disaffection against government”.
A security expert, who works closely
with government has also told The
Independent on condition of anonymity
because of the sensitivity of the matter that
what Uganda is facing today transcends
security.
“This is a political question, which can
only be resolved politically,” the official
told The Independent, “No amount of
security preparedness can prevent this.
There is fatigue and despair and some of
the disgruntled people do not see an end to
Museveni. Some it appears are choosing to
resort to these sorts of things.”
Opposition leader, Kizza Besigye has said
that the escalating insecurity in Uganda
follows longstanding political, economic
and social crises.
“Pent up anger and frustration, especially
among young people is a time bomb.
cover story
Policed by mismanaged and very poorly
paid security organisation,” Besigye
tweeted on June 11.
All this analysis pointing to political
motivations is emerging only after Abiriga’s
murder, although the fallen legislator is not
the first high profile Ugandan to be gunned
down in this fashion.
Part of the reason is Abiriga’s highly
visible support for the ruling party and the
timing of his murder.
The legislator and his brother were
gunned down as they drove to the former’s
home on June 8 at about 6pm, near Energo
fuel station in Kirinnyabigo, Kawanda, in
Wakiso district. Eyewitnesses said gunmen
riding on motorcycles sprayed Abiriga’s
vehicle with bullets before vanishing.
Abiriga was wearing what had become
his signature colour, yellow and driving a
Volkswagen Beetle, also yellow in colour—
the colour of the ruling party—National
Resistance Movement (NRM).
Both members of the opposition and
ruling party agree that Abiriga was one of
the biggest symbols of the ruling party—
owing to his undying confessions of his
love for it, defence of party positions and
dressing code, which was always yellow
from the shoes, suits, and caps amongst
others.
“Everything on me has to at least have
yellow if it is not fully yellow,” Abiriga once
said, “The plate I use, the cups, my bed
is yellow, house and everything must be
yellow.”
June 15 - 21, 2018 11
cover story
President Museveni hands Abiriga a pair of sandals on the budget reading day in 2017.   NET/PHOTO
ADF a scapegoat?
In the absence of evidence Abiriga was
killed for his political views, however, this
remains speculation especially because
previous murders of other high profile
officials have been executed in similar
fashion pointing to a possibility, the
assailants who executed them, also killed
Abiriga, observers say.
Two days before Abiriga was murdered,
President Museveni while giving the State
of the Nation Address said that some of
the terrorists of the Allied Defence Forces
(ADF) as well as other criminal elements,
seeing that they could not survive in the
rural areas, have infiltrated the towns
where Museveni says his government had
not fully focused in terms of developing
intelligence capacity.
“As a consequence,” he said, “we had
7 Sheiks assassinated as well as Major
Kiggundu, Joan Kagezi, AIGP Kaweesi and
Susan Magara, of recent. These killings
seem to have been linked with ADF.”
Other killings, he added, like the women
killed in the Entebbe - Wakiso areas, as well
as the killings in the Masaka area on New
Year’s Eve, were by local criminals using
pangas.
“Urban terrorism and crime will be
defeated just as we defeated the rural
terrorists,” Museveni said, “On the
kidnappers and killers of Susan Magara,
2 were killed at Usaafi Mosque as they
were trying to fight the Police and 8 were
arrested. Regarding the killings of Joan
Kagezi, Moslem Sheikhs, AIGP Kaweesi
and Major Kiggundu, 90 persons have been
arrested and are now facing trial and those
not yet arrested are still being hunted.
12 June 15 - 21, 2018
The ADF criminals in Congo will answer
for the killings of our people even when
they are hiding in Congo. Their only safety
is for them to voluntarily surrender and
seek for amnesty. I salute our brothers, the
Tanzanians, for arresting and handing over
to us Jamil Mukulu. He is now facing the
Courts of Law.”
A security expert, however, told The
Independent on condition of anonymity
that this (Abiriga) murder and the ones
before it, defy the understanding of
extremist groups.
“Once extremist groups hit a target,” the
expert said, “they claim it because that is
what gives them satisfaction. But even if we
are to take the explanation of ADF, it would
be a reflection of total failure on the part
of security agencies. This is an enemy you
have been fighting for over 20 years. Why
haven’t you defeated them?”
The expert added: “The ADF explanation
is a scapegoat intended to offer some sort
of explanation that can play into the global
discourse on terrorism”
He added that the current security crisis
exposes the broken relationship between
the state and citizens.
“People do not trust the state,” the expert
added, “To understand this, you need to
ask yourself, how many people are willing
to report cases where they do not have a
direct benefit?”
Yet, the official added, the biggest
element that provides support for the
security system to work is the people.
“How does the security system function
in situation where you do not have the
trust of the people?” the security expert
wondered, “How do you run a security
system without the LCI structure?”
Another expert, a former intelligence
operative in the Chieftaincy of Military
Intelligence (CMI), who also spoke to The
Independent on condition of anonymity,
said that while President Museveni is
keen to invest in street cameras, the most
important aspect is the people.
“These elements are easy to defeat as we
demonstrated in the late 90’s,” the former
CMI agent told The Independent, “the
problem is that our security people are not
amongst the people. We need to go back to
the people, which is where we started and
how we defeated these elements like ADF.”
Abiriga’s murder comes when concerns
over a sense of rising insecurity has become
a major part of public debate. A May 21
police report, noted that there had been
over 80 cases of kidnap between March and
May.
Although the report covered the whole
country, most of the cases were in central
Uganda and in or near the capital, Kampala.
Of the 80, at least 60 turned out to be false
alarms and self-kidnaps. Of the 20 serious
cases, eight resulted in death. That is about
three deaths every month. In comparison,
over three years, from 2015 to 2018, police
had recorded 48 cases of kidnap.
But in January and February, Police
recorded 28 kidnappings, compared with 24
in the whole of 2017 and three in 2014.
The spate of kidnaps appeared to get out
of hand following the case of Suzan Magara,
the 28-year old daughter of a prominent
businessman whose body was later found
at Kajjansi in Wakiso District after she had
gone missing on Feb. 07. Her captors had
kept her family and security agencies in a

cat and mouse chase for a ransom, which
was paid but didn’t save her.
Commentators point to deterioration in
security, collusion between security officers
and criminals, and the inability by security
agencies to investigate murder cases as the
abettors of crime and insecurity.
In 2017, for instance, self-confessed leader
of the Kifeesi gang, Paddy Sserunjogi aka
Ssobi, told journalists that while some of
them wanted to reform, police officers were
the ones giving them contracts to steal and
commit crime. His colleague openly said
that some of the jobs they were getting
involved killing people for as little as Shs10
million.
Police swung in action and arrested them
but they would shortly be released on bail.
While appearing before parliament, then
police chief, Gen. Kale Kayihura said police
had handed over the Kifeesi gang members
to ISO. Other critics point to the fact that
some police officers have been arrested and
are being investigated over some of these
murders.
Rather than work together, for most of
the part in these investigations police and
ISO have been openly fighting each other.
Following the murder of Kaweesi, for
instance, police officers and ISO operatives
almost exchanged fire at the home of
Christine Umuhoza Mbabazi, who was said
to be a former girlfriend of Kaweesi.
Most of these fights happened under the
leadership of Kayihura, who had put police
at the apex of the security system.
Following his firing last year and
dismantling of his structures, the new
leadership under Ochola has been
reorganising to get to the bottom of crime.
“There has been a spate of murders and
kidnaps but we are in charge,” Ochola said
while appearing on NBS TV with other
security chiefs to talk about the security
situation on June.11, “If we were not in
charge, there would be lawlessness.”
He said part of the problem has been
the fact that there are too many guns in
the wrong hands, which he promised to
address with the on-going gun audit that
he directed following his appointment early
this year.
His counterpart, CDF Gen. Muhoozi said
their presence on the same show exhibited
a unity of purpose by the security agencies
to defeat the crime. Many will be waiting to
see whether this unity puts an end to wave
of crime.
Meanwhile, many; especially in security
circles, blame ADF for the terror attacks.
ADF first launched serious attacks on
Uganda in 1996 when its fighters almost
took over Kasese town and seized Kasese
airstrip but were repulsed by the UPDF.
The following year, they opened bases
in different parts of western Uganda where
they based to launch attacks on government
installations, kill and abduct civilians.
In 1997, they raided Kiburara Seminary
in Kasese and abducted 19 students; in 1998,
they raided Kichwamba Technical Institute
and burnt alive 49 students and abducted 80
others, amongst others.
An onslaught by the UPDF, saw many
rebels defect, die in battle and others
captured.
As a result, the ADF leadership changed
tack-- from guerrilla warfare to urban
terrorism. The ADF launched a wave of
grenade attacks in which over 40 home-
made bombs exploded in busy down-town
areas like the New Taxi Park, Makindye,
Owino Market police post and Nateete.
Over 80 people were killed and over 250
injured.
President Museveni greets one of Abiriga's children
In an intense campaign relying on
painstaking intelligence and a new outfit
in the Joint Anti-Terrorism Task Force,
hundreds of suspects involved in the bomb
attacks in Kampala and other towns were
netted and imprisoned in Kigo and Luzira
prisons.
Other rebels surrendered under the
Amnesty Act. As part of the amnesty
arrangement, these rebels were to be
provided with means of livelihood. Insiders
say over the years, the monetary support
has not been coming, forcing many fighters
to go back to the bush and that some of
those who have stayed eke a living as
contract killers. Some in security believe
that it is these elements that are behind the
murders as hired guns.
Amidst all this, Abiriga becomes the first
high profile public figure to be murdered
this year but his murder brings to 13 the
number of high profile public officials that
have been murdered over the last three
years.
These murders have included; a host of
Muslim clerics, senior state prosecutor Joan
Kagezi, UPDF’s Muhammad Kiggundu
and his bodyguard Steven Mukasa and
former Assistant Inspector General of Police
Andrew Felix Kaweesi, his bodyguard
cover story
Kenneth Erau, driver Godfrey Mambewa,
who were all shot as they drove from his
home in Kulambiro, a Kampala suburb.
Kaweesi, 43, had risen up the police ranks
rapidly becoming one of the most visible
police figures.
Abiriga had also become the most visible
ruling party member of parliament despite
having joined the House only in 2016.
Who was Abiriga?
Abiriga first joined the army in 1971
under former President Idi Amin Dada,
and then deserted in 1975 before joining
the Uganda National Rescue Front under
which he served as an intelligence officer
between 1980-1986. He would later join the
National Resistance Army (NRA) in 1986.
He was later appointed the Resident District
Commissioner (RDC) for Arua, a position
he held from 2007 to 2012. President
Museveni then appointed him the Yumbe
District RDC in 2014 and he served until
2015.
With the 2016 elections around the
corner, in 2015, Abiriga threw his hat
in the race and trounced contenders to
become the MP for Arua Municipality in
the 11th parliament, where in just a few
years he had emerged the most visible
ruling party legislator owing to his dress
code—always in ruling party colours—and
his unquestioning loyalty and support to
party positions. While other ruling party
legislators appeared shy to embrace the
question of lifting the age limit early last
year, Abiriga openly campaigned and
defended the contentious Constitutional
Amendment Bill that proposed the removal
of presidential age limits.
During the debate to pass the bill, Abiriga
told parliament that the people of Arua
had accepted “to touch it (constitution)…
completely”.
But the same unquestioning loyalty
towards the ruling party that made him
a darling amongst his fellow ruling party
legislators, also won him political foes
amongst those opposed to the ruling party
maneuvers; especially the move to remove
the age limit.
At the height of the same debate,
suspected arsonists attacked his home in
Arua, threw a small jerrycan full of petrol
onto the house but it did not catch fire.
It is against this background that officials
in the ruling party suspect Abiriga was
killed because of his political views.
“The people who killed Hon. Idris
Ibrahim Abiriga, your excellence these
people begun threatening us. These people
are recorded on various radio stations,”
said Usuk County legislator, Peter
Ogwang at the burial of Abiriga, “Even
in parliament we know colleagues who
said we shall kill you, we shall kill your
families, we shall kill your children and
here they have started.”
June 15 - 21, 2018 13
news analysis
Abiriga's casket arriving at Old Kampala Mosque.
Abiriga murder
Why kill and chill assassins are political not security issue
By Joseph Were
C
ol. Ibrahim Abiriga, the MP whose
June 8 shooting has shaken the
country, was 30 years old when
President Yoweri Museveni came to
power in 1986. He had already served over
10 years in the armies of Idi Amin and the
Uganda National Rescue Front (UNRF) and
survived. He was a hardened fighter with a
jolly unpretentious veneer.
He was to live another 32 years with
Museveni as president. Over this period,
he swung from being a commander of a
rebel army fighting Museveni in West Nile
from the bushes of South Sudan and the DR
Congo, to a close ally working with him.
In his last days, Abiriga who always
stepped out in yellow outfits, drove a yel-
low car, and lived in a yellow house, had
become the symbol of devotion to the ruling
party and self-proclaimed loyalty to Musev-
eni. His slaying is being seen as the assas-
sination of an ordinary man and an unfortu-
nate price to pay for one’s devotion.
At another level, Abiriga’s public life mir-
rors the transitions in Museveni politics;
from the early years of inclusiveness and
compromise with foes military and politi-
cal, to the recent trend of exclusiveness and
confrontation. His slaying might one day be
14 June 15 - 21, 2018
seen as a mark of what may be going wrong
with Museveni’s politics. For now, however,
it is proving to be a crucial juncture for
Museveni.
Political assassinations are nothing new
under Museveni. But they have been unique
in as much as the publicly known ones have
been assumed to be committed by non-state
actors, including the alleged mother of all
perpetrators; the Allied Democratic Forces
(ADF) rebels who are Muslim aligned and
have been operating for decades from the
lawless eastern DR Congo.
They have also not been typical. Usually,
it is either assassins targeting the head of
state or the state targeting political oppo-
nents. In Uganda, the assassins have so far
targeted only minor technocrats and clerics,
business people, and mid-rung security
types, and now MPs.
Abiriga’s slaying comes after a long line
of unresolved cases of assassinations of
prominent people; including the Assistant
Inspector General of Police, Felix Kaweesi in
March 2017 and a top government prosecu-
tor, Joan Kagezi in 2015, former rebel army
commander Maj. Mohammad Kigundu in
2016 and a slew of Muslim clerics before
that, and recently kidnappings. In most of
the killings, the assassins pounce, kill, and
vanish. They never publicly claim responsi-
bility or explain motive like forces seeking
political capital out of the deaths. Sowing
terror and mayhem appears motive enough.
But Abiriga’s slaying is different and
likely to feel personal for Museveni. Abiriga
had complained of being targeted before,
including an attempt to burn him inside
his house in his hometown of Arua. But the
threat increased soon after he became the
point of focus when the ruling party moved
to amend the constitution to remove the
age-limit so that Museveni could run again
for president. As threats against their lives
mounted from opponents of Museveni,
Abiriga and several ruling MPs either got
personal guns or got extra security details
from the government. In Abiriga’s case, it all
proved futile.
Assassins, who eyewitnesses say were
four, hooded and riding two motorbikes,
killed Abiriga as he returned home in
Kawanda, a laid back leafy neighbourhood,
just outside Kampala. The first volleys of
the hail of bullets punctured the tyres of
his new model yellow VW Beetle, killed
his brother cum bodyguard, and possi-
bly injured Abiriga who was driving. He
attempted to make a quick gateway but
hit something as the tiny car veered off the

road. Eyewitnesses say the kill-
ers then closed in and shot him
dead at blank range before van-
ishing into the night.
Good and bad in Museveni’s
reaction
Museveni has reacted
uncharacteristically. Usually
he is reflective and calculative.
This time he has swung from
one order to the next as ideas
pop into his head.
He again ordered cameras
mounted along the streets and
highways, motor vehicles, and
business premises, and homes
and pledged improvements in
the police’s forensic capacity.
Then he ordered new dress
codes for boda boda riders
including marked helmets.
Then he banned hoods. Then
he banned tinted windows for
cars. It’s a fumble and unclear
where the directives are head-
ing or where they will end.
But among the dramatic deci-
sions Museveni is making, one
that could have far reaching
impacts, is the order to rewrite
the budget, claw back of money
allocated for priority areas
like defence, roads, electricity,
schools, health and more, and
switch it to funding anti-crime
infrastructure.
Museveni’s emphasis on
security is doubly baffling
because he was the first person
to pronounce that Abiriga’s
slaying is a political assassina-
tion.
“As the investigations are still
going on, we cannot rule out
personal motives for the mur-
der,” Museveni said in a state-
ment on June 09, “However,
there is high probability that
this killing was a political assas-
sination because of his commit-
ment to the NRM.”
According to one study,
assassinations of legislators like
Abiriga are “almost always a
result of national-level conflicts
rather than local ones”. They
are more of acts of protest
against the existing political
order than political actions that
are intended to promote spe-
cific political goals.
It is, therefore, surprising
that although he has reeled off
a long list of security changes,
Museveni has not made a single
political reaction. Museveni, it
appears, is keen to maintain the
facade that Abiriga’s killing is
a security not a political issue.
This is both good and bad.
If Museveni had reacted
politically, with orders to
further restrict political par-
ticipation, research shows he
could possibly have spurred
an increase in the probability of
more political assassinations.
At one point when this was
discussed, it was suggested that
since Museveni is equating the
current violence to urban ter-
rorism, he might bring back the
recently sacked former Minister
of Security, Lt. Gen. Henry
Tumukunde who, because he
quashed the 1990s urban ter-
rorism of grenade attacks in
Kampala, can claim to be an
expert. The current holder of
the Counter-terrorism docket,
Onlookers at the scene of crime in Kawanda.
Abbas Byakagaba, sprung into
the limelight after the 2010 twin
bombings in Kampala but has
showed little success since then.
Many other observers are
also comparing Museveni’s
reaction to that of President
Milton Obote in 1969 after he
was shot in the mouth at UPC
Conference at Lugogo. Obote
dropped all pretense of ruling
democratically and became
autocratic. He was toppled
shortly after, in 1971.
Apparently, the more author-
itarian a leader is or becomes,
the more likely they will be
assassinated. In contrast, assas-
sinations are rare in democratic
systems, possibly because it is
clear “that the elimination of
the head of state will have only
a limited, long-term impact on
the socio-political order”.
Museveni is also keen to
show that assassination never
wins. Here, however, he points
at only political killings.
He said: “The assassina-
tions of Dr. Mondlane and
Samora Machel did not save the
Portuguese from total defeat.
The assassinations of Herbert
Chitepo, Ruth First etc, never
saved the criminals of White
South Africa and Rhodesia
from their eventual defeat.
Amin, by killing Ben Kiwa-
nuka, Bataringaya, Bananuka,
Balufuywa, Major Katabarwa
etc could not save himself from
his eventual defeat.” But there
is one difference; in all the cases
he mentioned, it was those with
power assassinating the weak,
the state killing its opponents.
In Abiriga’s case, it could be
those without power, killing
those with it. In these cases,
throughout history, assassina-
tions have been impactful.
President Joseph Kabila
took power in DR Congo like
Alexander the Great, after a
bodyguard assassinated his
father. Octavius Caesar became
a Roman emperor after Gaius
Julius Caesar was assassinated.
But even the assassination
of Martin Luther King, John
F. Kennedy, Benazir Bhutto in
Pakistan, and the Israeli Prime
Minister Itzhak Rabin in 1995,
have been crucial junctures in
history.
At another point Museveni
says the current spate of killings
is not a security issue but rather
intelligence and media control
issues. “There has been some
laxity in security forces like
Police and other security agen-
June 15 - 21, 2018
news analysis
cies, we shall work on that,”
Museveni says.
When the security bosses
from the Uganda police, the
army, prisons and intelligence
appeared on national television
on June 11, three days After
Abirga’s killing, to explain and
answer questions regarding
security, the emptiness of their
performance amplified the
belief that this situation requires
political rather than security
solutions.
Former leader of the largest
opposition group, the Forum
for Democratic Change (FDC),
retired Maj. Gen. Mugisha
Muntu commented on it.
“I get a feeling that we’re
dealing with the political situa-
tion with knee-jack reactions,”
Muntu said during the Morn-
ing Breeze show on NBS TV,
“I’ve ever been a security chief
during turbulent times and
we had political questions that
have never been resolved up to
now.”
Muntu added: “I really
sympathise with the security
chiefs because in as much as
they would want to act profes-
sionally, the environment is not
conducive. The political heads
shy away from the political
questions of the day.
“Considering our history for
the past 56 years, we’ve not had
a credible hand over of power.
Besides the general elections,
the past three or four of them
have been contested and noth-
ing has been done about it.”
Muntu’s point is critical
because, although assassination
is not a well-studied topic, a few
scholars who have delved in
it have concluded that periods
around elections or a general
increase in domestic violence
are moments when a country
is more susceptible to political
assassinations as is happening
in Uganda. It is worse if consen-
sual political values and prac-
tice are lacking and some politi-
cal minorities feel oppressed.
But the current situation
where electoral competition is
conducted in an atmosphere
where crucial political griev-
ances are never addressed is
equally dangerous. Stable and
regulated succession mecha-
nisms are important to avoid
political assassination, accord-
ing to one study. That is what
Museveni needs to work on.
15
OBITUARY
MP Ibrahim Abiriga: NRM’s
yellow man no more
By Ian Katusiime
I
brahim Abiriga gained prominence in
2017 as the ruling party, NRM, moved
to amend the constitution to remove the
presidential age limit to allow President
Yoweri Museveni to run again. In a colour-
ful way, he became the face of the age limit
movement campaigning for the amend-
ment everywhere he went as he branded
himself in yellow outfits, the NRM party
colour, from head to toe.
Be it in parliament or at functions like the
State of the Nation Address which was his
last public event or even visiting friends,
yellow was his signature colour; his suits,
caps, shoes, socks, and not forgetting his
famous Volkswagen Beetle. In a profile
done by The Independent last year, he said:
“Everything on me has to at least have
yellow if it is not fully yellow. The plate I
use, the cups, my bed is yellow, house and
everything must be yellow.”
To Abiriga, yellow was like a fetish,
he added, “I have just returned from DR
Congo where I landed on very good yellow
undergarments, so I was forced to buy all
the 20 left in the shop.”
His self-proclaimed adoration for Musev-
eni also made him stand out among NRM
MPs. Museveni too seemed charmed by
Abiriga’s obsession with him. During the
budget reading last year, Museveni gifted
Abiriga a pair of Ugandan-made sandals.
The sandals were not yellow and he vowed
to paint them in his beloved colour!
Known as the yellow man, Abiriga was
a jovial character who smiled and joked
with all regardless of political affiliation. In
Kawanda where he lived while on duty, a
few kilometers outside Kampala, he was
a darling of the children in the neigbour-
hood whom he often spoilt with sweets and
money.
Abiriga, the Arua Municipality MP, was
shot dead on the evening of June 8 with his
brother, Buga Saidi Kongo also his body-
guard, as he drove home. He had served
two years in parliament but he had been in
politics for a long time, after he became a
soldier at the age of 15. He worked as Resi-
dent District Commissioner (RDC) in Arua
for 5 years and in Yumbe for 2 years. After
7 years as RDC, he contested for the Arua
Municipality seat and won.
Ibrahim Abiriga was born on June 5, 1956
in Anyafiyo, Arua. His father, Yusuf Abdul-
lah, was a soldier under the King’s African
Rifles (KAR) and fought in World War II.
16 June 15 - 21, 2018
Like his son, Abdullah was a staunch sup-
porter of Museveni.
Abiriga was born at a time of severe
hunger when people survived on simsim
and groundnut paste mixed with water.
The name Abiriga, in fact, means hunger.
As a toddler, Abiriga was like no other and
this, it is believed, shaped his life in strange
ways. “I was told that I never suckled my
mother’s breast because I rejected it com-
pletely so it was just poured out,” he told
The Independent in August 2017.
In the interview, Abiriga said he had 30
wives and sired as many children but they
all died. He was told by relatives and elders
that his failure to breastfeed as a baby could
be the reason for the misfortune. He how-
ever remarried later and is survived by a
wife and ten children.
Joining the army
He attended Rhino Camp primary school
and sat for his PLE exams in 1967. He went
to Kabalega SS in Masindi but while there,
his father persuaded him to follow in his
footsteps by joining the army. In 1971, he
joined the Uganda Army under then-presi-
dent Idi Amin. Abiriga regarded the former
president as one of his life’s heroes.
He underwent military training for nine
months and was deployed in the Secret
Service at Makindye Military Police in
Kampala. He continued with his studies
and completed his O-level education at
Kampala Grammar Secondary School in
1973. After school, he worked as General
Manager of Pakuba Lodge in Murchison
Falls National Park.
When his hero was toppled in 1979,
Abiriga fled to Sudan and collaborated
with other ex-soldiers of Amin plotting a
comeback. On returning from exile in 1980,
he worked as an intelligence officer with the
West Nile-based Uganda National Rescue
Front (UNRF) which was fighting the sec-
ond government of Milton Obote.
In 1985, Abiriga was part of the UNRF
that was integrated in the Uganda National
Liberation Army (UNLA) after the takeover
of Gen. Tito Okello Lutwa. He stayed in
the integrated army when the National
Resistance Army (NRA) under Museveni
captured power in 1986, and served in dif-
ferent positions.
Abiriga began his military career as a staff
sergeant in Amin’s army and rose through
the ranks to become a Colonel.
Entry into politics
In 2006, Abiriga contested for the parlia-
mentary seat of Madi-Okollo but lost. It is
from here that Museveni appointed him
RDC for Arua in 2007. As RDC, he was an
active political mobiliser for NRM and some
of his actions against the opposition were
deemed unlawful.
However, he also used his position to
boost the Arua community such as lobbying
for donor-aided farming projects, acquiring
wheelchairs for the disabled, and sewing
machines for women among others.
In 2014, he was appointed RDC for
Yumbe but he worked there briefly and
then joined parliament representing Arua
Municipality. Not long after joining parlia-
ment, he became recognisable not just for
his outfits but his proclaimed loyalty to
Museveni and the NRM party. There was
speculation that he was set for a ministerial
appointment.
Ruth Nankabirwa, Government Chief
Whip, says Abiriga was a committed cadre.
“Abiriga was a committed person who
believed in whatever he did. He joined
parliament to sit there and do business. He
was one of those who attended without me
having to look for him. He did not need my
phone call to remind him to attend parlia-
ment.”
Nankabirwa says Abiriga applied the
same discipline when attending the NRM
caucus. “He would go by whatever decision
the caucus has taken.”

By Stephen Nuwagira
M
ember states of the
Economic Com-
munity of Central
Africa States (EC-
CAS) have pledged to develop
big power plants and improve
infrastructure for cross-border
power supply and trade.
Already US$10 billion has
been pledged by partners in
Europe for renewable energy
projects in Africa, according
to Ambassador Seyni Nafo,
the interim director of Africa
Renewable Energy Initiative
independent delivery unit.
He said 50 priority renewable
energy projects to benefit have
been identified and member
states are working together to
raise funding for these projects
through green bonds or public-
private partnerships.
This was part of the discus-
sion at the recent Ordinary Ses-
sion of the Council of Ministers
for the Central African Power
Pool (PEAC) held in Kigali,
Rwanda, between June 05 and
07.
The event was part of the
annual meeting of statutory
bodies of PEAC member states
and attracted heads of energy
bodies, experts and policy-mak-
ers from the 11 PEAC member
countries.
Member states of ECCAS
include Angola, Burundi, Cam-
eroon, Central African Repub-
lic, Republic of Congo, Gabon,
Equatorial Guinea, DR Congo,
Rwanda, Sao Tomé, and Chad.
Djono Ahaba Gotran, the
president of the Council of
Ministers, said ECCAS targets
stepping up efforts to increase
power generation to meet
growing demand.
The host minister, Rwanda’s
Infrastructure Minister, Ambas-
sador Claver Gatete, told the
gathering on June 07 that access
to power is a key catalyst for
economic growth but govern-
ments fail to provide electricity
for every home and industry
because of the high investment
required in generation, trans-
mission and distribution of
electricity. He said these push
up tariffs.
Gatete said the PEAC, which
is the bloc’s specialised agency
for power pooling, member
states want to develop a reliable
regional electricity supply, at
US$10bn for electricity
generation in Africa
Central African states moot plans
for cross-border power pooling
sayni nafo
competitive prices.
The region’s energy policy
strategy indicates that they aim
to strengthen generation infra-
structure and facilitate cross-
border power trade through
development of grid intercon-
nections.
“Collaboration between
governments in the region to
develop the power sector gives
an opportunity to raise afford-
able resources, both financial
and human resources, to devel-
op a vibrant energy sector,”
Gatete said.
The ECCAS region has some
of the lowest levels of electrifi-
cation in the world with access
estimated by the International
Renewable Energy Agency
(IRENA) to be only 25%. This
means most people in the
region do not have access to
electricity.
To ensure greater access,
ECCAS member states are
investing more in power gen-
eration to improve access for
home use; especially in rural
areas and for industry.
They are also working
together, through PEAC to
ensure that the energy will be
affordable when it is available.
High potential
Central Africa’s hydro-
power potential is estimated
at 150,000MW, equivalent to
58% of the African continent’s
potential, Gatete says. But the
ratio between hydropower
generation and technically
feasible hydropower potential
is still as low as 3% in Central
Africa.
The region has huge reserves
of renewable energy resources;
hydro, solar, wind energy,
geothermal, as well as non-
renewables like thermal, peat
and coal, which are technically
and financially viable.
The member states want
to exploit all these sources of
energy in partnership with the
private sector.
June 15 - 21, 2018
rwanda
There are already joint
power projects being devel-
oped across the region, includ-
ing the Rwanda-Burundi and
Tanzania plant in Rusumo,
Angola-Chad, Equatorial
Guinea-Cameroon and Central
African Republic, and Rusizi
III by Rwanda-Burundi and
DR Congo that will serve the
three countries.
According to Jean Claude
Ebwelle, from ENEO, the main
power supplier in Cameroon,
such projects are important to
increase access to affordable
power and support Africa’s
development and industrial-
ization.
“We are trying to undertake
projects where we can share
distribution networks and
engage in cross-border power
trade. We are currently doing
studies with Equatorial Guinea
and Central African Republic
to see how we can implement
cross-border power project,”
Ebwelle said on the sidelines of
the conference.
Meanwhile, Seyni Nafo
stressed that PEAC states need
to address the challenges the
sector faces and exploit the
region’s various renewable
energy sources if they are to
spur generation.
He said renewable energy
development is still being
held back by several factors;
including lack supportive
legal frameworks in member
states, low capacity among
stakeholders such as regulators
and energy developers,
and poor infrastructure.
“Renewable energy requires
good grids but there are non-
existent or poor in the region
which leads to huge power
losses,” he said, “Africa loses
up to 20-30% of generated
electricity due to poor and old
distribution lines.”
17
rwanda
Rwanda’s proposed ban on
single use plastics praised
By Stephen Nuwagira
R
wanda’s proposed ban on single
use plastic materials was long over-
due, according to several experts
who have spoken to The Indepen-
dent.
“Do we need straws to drink soda or milk
or other non-degradable plastics, especially
when we lack the capacity to collect and
recycle all of them? I don’t think so,” says
John R. Gakwavu, executive secretary of
the Rwanda Environmental Conservation
Organisation (RECOR).
In an interview with The Independent, he
said spending hard currency on importa-
tion of plastic materials, including straws,
plates and cups, is double loss because these
products hurt the environment, the econo-
my and people’s health.
“It is important, therefore, that citizens
reflect on this and change at the individual
level to influence others to embrace alter-
natives like paper drinking cups. Besides,
Rwanda is a small country with limited
land, and we must protect it jealously for
posterity,” he said.
He said enforcement of proper waste dis-
posal also needs strengthening and pointed
at how Ndumba landfill in Gasabo District
has tonnes and tonnes of waste because “the
country still has very low capacity to recycle
garbage; especially plastics”.
He was commenting on the announce-
ment by government that it is working on
regulation to ban single use plastics during
this year’s World Environment Day on June
5 in Kigali. The global the theme for the day
was, “Beat Plastic Pollution”.
During the event, Minister of Environ-
ment Vincent Biruta revealed that the
ministry was revising the law on plastics to
18 June 15 - 21, 2018
include banning single use plastics, which
have readily available alternatives.
The targeted items include plastic straws,
cups, plates, and cutlery. Later, polyethyl-
ene terephthalate (PET) bottles mostly used
by beverages firms would be outlawed as
alternatives come onto the market, the min-
ister said.
Biruta, like Gakwavu, said attitudes need
to change on the use of plastics.
“We need every Rwandan to play their
part,” he said, “It’s about changing our
habits and choosing sustainable alternatives
that won’t cost the earth. Together, we can
beat plastic pollution and protect our health
and the health of generations to come.”
Rwanda banned use of of plastic bags
and specific types of packaging in 2008
as part of its vision of being a green and
climate resilient nation by 2050 as per the
country’s Green Growth and Climate Resil-
ience Strategy.
The country applies the principle of
“reduce, recycle, and reuse” through
recycling of plastic bags collected across
the country, underlining its green growth
agenda.
Biruta said plastic waste was blocking
country’s drains and waterways and pollut-
ing farmland, rivers and lakes.
“This fact is what influenced efforts to go
beyond plastic bags alone and end plastic
waste in all forms. As a nation, Rwanda is
uniquely placed to take our environmental
protection efforts to the next level and end
the use of disposable single use plastics,” he
said, “Many nations and regions around the
world are already implementing restrictions
on disposable plastics.”
The East African Community Legislative
Assembly has passed a law prohibiting the
use and sale of plastic bags and member
states are in various stages of implementing
the ban.
More needs to be done
However, Gakwavu says more efforts
are required to achieve these goals, calling
for strengthening of public awareness cam-
paigns to educate Rwandans about the ben-
efits of safeguarding the environment and
proper waste disposal. He says there is still
rampant careless dumping of garbage.
“Though we have dustbins in Kigali with
parts clearly marked “recyclable” and “non-
recyclable”, people don’t respect that which
is a big problem. And separating waste at
source is essential in waste handling,” he
says. Many people still throw garbage care-
lessly on the sidewalks, giving more work
to city cleaners.
So the city authorities and government
need to create more awareness if these facili-
ties are to be used effectively, Gakwavu
adds.
Lessons from Sweden
He says Rwandans can take a lesson from
Sweden where alternative solutions like
paper cups and plates are used everywhere;
and there is also citizen consciousness about
proper waste disposal, according to type –
organic, paper, and other waste like metal
or plastics.
However, the environment ministry
acknowledges that some alternatives to
plastics are still expensive or not readily
available. They say the price will go
down as more investments come in and
demand grows.
The ban on plastics has supported the
tourism sector as people from around
the world come to learn from Rwanda’s
green initiatives.
 rwanda

By Alex Awiti

Rwanda offers
W
ith an estimated median age of

hope on corruption
about 17 years, East Africa is
one of the youngest regions in
the world. By comparison, the
median is about 40 in Europe, 38 in North
America and 29 in Asia. According to recent
national census data for Kenya, Tanzania,
Rwanda and Uganda, about 80% of the
population is below 35 years.
Survey of young people in east Africa
The identities, norms, and values of this
majority generation provide important
shows their values mirror those of adults
clues for understanding the future; the
world’s collective moral and ethical char-
acter.
A study commissioned by the East
Africa Institute of the Aga Khan University,
between 2014 and 2015 interviewed 7,000
young people aged between 18 to 35-year-
old in Kenya, Uganda, Tanzania and Rwan-
da. The object was to understand how they
thought about themselves and what values
and attitudes they held.
About 40% of the respondents saw them-
selves first and foremost as young people
while 34% saw themselves first as citizens of
their countries. Only 11% identified them-
selves by their faith first and 6% identified
as members of their family first. Only 3.5%
reported their tribe or ethnicity as the first
dimension of their identity.
Identifying as young people is consistent
with policy and legal categorisations that
establish them as a socially distinct catego-
ry. This distinct identity enhances a sense
of esprit de corps and a sense of belonging.
This in turn confers a sense of social entitle-
ment as well as shared grievance. Young people are the mirror image of the adult world around them.   Shutterstock
The findings suggest that young people’s
identities, values, norms and attitudes are of ethnic identity. Tanzania’s ruling party How society affects attitudes
shaped by their families, their communities elite has consistently supported the ethos
and by wider society. Our findings are con- of Ujamaa - equitable economic production The view of young Rwandans is clearly
sistent with previous work by sociologists and distribution of public resources to drive affected by what they experience on a
and behavioural and moral economists. social cohesion and economic progress. day to day basis. For example, there were
Young people are the mirror image of the About 80% of the young people involved reports of policemen accused of corruption
adult world around them. This means that in the survey valued faith first. About half being fired in 2017 while reports of civil-
if any countries want to change the attitudes valued work and family first while 37% ians accused of bribing policemen being
and values of young people they need to valued wealth first and a quarter freedom arrested are not uncommon. In addition, the
start with the adults – from the family to first. Ombudsman regularly publishes the list of
community to the national level. But about 60% admired those who used individuals convicted of corruption related
get-rich-quick schemes. And more than offences.
Country differences half believed it did not matter how one It is possible, therefore, that young Rwan-
While the study revealed numerous par- makes money while 53% said they would dans engage in a cost benefit analysis. This
allels, there were also striking differences. do anything to get money. The survey could inform the ultimate decision about
In Kenya for example, the proportion of found 37% would take or give a bribe and taking or giving a bribe or a belief that there
young people who identified by ethnicity 35% believed there is nothing wrong with was something wrong with corruption.
was 4% between ages 18 and 20. But the corruption. Rwanda’s example offers hope. It
number nearly doubled to 7.8% between An outliner was Rwanda where most demonstrates the importance strong
the ages of 21 and 35. The converse was true said they would not take or give a bribe leadership and an unequivocal commit-
in Tanzania where ethnicity as a dimension and were unambiguous about the fact that ment to integrity and public account-
of identity had remained relatively stable corruption was wrong. ability in shaping the attitudes and
(2.3% and 2.9%) from between the ages of From the survey results it is clear that perceptions of youth.
21 and 35 years. corruption has been normalised in Kenya, Alex Awiti is the Director, East
This can be partly explained by the fact Tanzania and Uganda. Bribery is viewed African Institute, Ecosystems Ecologist
that since independence Tanzania, unlike simply as “eating” and is not seen as an and sustainable development, The Aga
Kenya, has focused on reducing the issue ethical aberration. Khan University.

June 15 - 21, 2018 19

rwanda

Kazora (right) explaining the grain packaging process at EAX warehouse in Bugesera district.  By Stephen Nuwagira.

Grain dealers unite on quality

Move to curb 30% loss of agricultural
produce due to poor post-harvest handling
By Stephen Nuwagira quality control coordinator at the East certified warehouses across the country.

G
rain dealers, big buyers, and other
sector stakeholders are getting
together to work on right interven-
tions to improve quality through
better post-harvest handling and storage.
Quality is the key in determining grain
prices, according to Herman Kazora, the
Africa Exchange (EAX); a Kigali-based
regional commodity exchange that deals in
soya, maize, and beans using a NASDAQ-
powered platform.
EAX taps international and institutional
buyers and connects farmers to the East
African Community (EAC) market of 168
million people and beyond. The firm has 11
Unfortunately, quality is not always a
priority for farmers.
As a result, according to experts, about
30% of agricultural produce in Rwanda is
lost along the value chain due to poor post-
harvest handling methods.
Kazora said it is important for farmers to
understand the importance of proper post-

20 June 15 - 21, 2018


harvest handling and storage.
“That’s why we have stepped up efforts
to promote quality along the grain value
chain by sensitizing farmers on the benefits
of embracing proper handling practices
and storage,” he said. Poor post-harvest
handling and storage results into damage
by insects like weevils or moulding which
causes fungi that produce aflatoxins that are
a health hazard and cause food poisoning.
EAX provides grain shellers and tarpau-
lins to farmers and cooperatives as part of
efforts to ensure proper grain handling and,
therefore, grain quality maintenance. EAX
also sends experts to the field to tell farm-
ers and cooperatives about the benefits of
ensuring produce quality.
The EAX also buys wet maize and dries
it using its hi-tech driers as part of efforts to
maintain grain quality.
“It is such interventions and support
from government that have helped to
improve grain quality in the country,”
Kazoora says. There is still need to step up
efforts geared at addressing the challenges
affecting grain trade in the country. These
include poor quality of grain, lack of storage
facilities, and poor post-harvest handling
practices by farmers and dealers.
Civil society welcomes new
Rwanda Court of Appeal
By John Mbaraga
C
ivil Society Organisations in Rwan-
da have welcomed a move by the
government to set up a Court of
Appeal.
Rwanda Civil Society Platform president
Jean Léonard Sekanyange says setting up
the court is a good move as it will give
Rwandans seeking justice another opportu-
nity to access it.
“Possibly, at the first instance, you might
not have enough evidence to support your
case, but in the Appeal Court, you can have
it and get good justice,” he says.
Rwanda has moved to create the Court of
Appeal mainly to ease the number of cases
that end up in the Supreme Court.
The new court will hear cases on appeal
by disputants from the High Court, the
Commercial High Court, and Military High
court.
Until now, appeal cases from this court
have ended up in the Supreme Court and
created an undesirable clogging of the court
process and delay in rendering justice.
According to available information, the
Supreme Court has a backlog of about 1000
cases.
Kazora said the firm has partnered with
the agriculture and local government minis-
tries, and the reserve forces to ensure qual-
ity grain in Rwanda.
Farmers advised
He urges farmers and middle men to
take post-harvest handling of grain as a
priority and follow given guidelines in the
interest of improving quality. Dangerous
practices to be avoided include shelling
maize in dirty places and selling grains that
are not yet dry. They want the government
to tighten enforcement mechanisms to get
rid of unscrupulous dealers who do not put
quality first. Kazora says some farmers will
not readily embrace practices that promote
quality if nothing is done.
He said some cooperatives hoard grains
in hope of getting better prices, which com-
promises quality since farmers’ cooperative
lack good storage facilities or skills.
Easing access to funding
Meanwhile, $4.7 million (about Rwf4.1
billion) has been disbursed to farmers since
2014 to date under EAX’s warehouse receipt
system, according to Clement Kayitakire,
the EAX trading manager.
Under the system, partnering farmers
Minister of Justice, Johnston Busingye
The Supreme Court will now primarily
hear cases from the ombudsman office and
those requiring constitutional interpreta-
tion. Sekanyange said the newly established
court is a welcome development that will
give people, who are not satisfied with
judgement of lower courts, an opportunity
to seek redress.
“It is a good move giving Rwandans
opportunity to access justice,” he said.
Sekanyange says that the Supreme Court
has had many responsibilities and the
Appeal Court will reduce the amount of
rwanda
deposit produce at EAX warehouses and
are issued receipts, which they use as collat-
eral to secure loans from banks.
A farmer can get a loan of up 75% of the
produce value, and the banks are paid by
EAX when the produce is sold.
“This promotes financial inclusion as
banks serve customers they would have
otherwise not got because some farmers still
use informal means to keep their money,”
Kayitakire said.
EAX works with 20,940 farmers belong-
ing to 187 cooperatives and has partnered
with banks like Urwego, KCB, Equity,
GTBank, Development Bank of Rwanda,
BPR and Ecobank to enable these farmers
get funding. “As a result, many farmers
now don’t rush to sell their produce at give-
away prices during the harvesting season,”
the EAX official said.
The firm buys grains at a comparatively
higher price than the general market price.
The agriculture sector is also still seen by
many financial institutions as risky since
most farmers are not insured and do not
carry out their projects on a large scale to
attract investment and funding.
Only 10% of the total loans given out by
bank last year went to the sector.
work which will lead to good justice deliv-
ery.
According to the judicial spokesperson,
Harrison Mutabazi, the court will also help
to fast-truck cases hearing which usually
were many in the Supreme Court. “The first
interest is to fast-truck hearing processes,”
he said.
According to the new law, the cases tried
by the Court of Appeal are not appealable.
The law says that the Supreme Court
will remain with jurisdiction to review a
judgement rendered at last instance and
to review judgments whose legality of
impaired by injustice.
The Court of Appeal will seat in the City
of Kigali.
At the same time, Rwanda has also
reduced the number of primary courts from
60 to 41.
The new appellant court also has jurisdic-
tion to hear second level appeal cases tried
by the High Court, the Commercial High
Court and Military High Court, if such
cases have an impact on national security
among others.
It was established under the Organic Law
no. 002/2018.OL of 04/04/2018.
June 15 - 21, 2018 21
rwanda
Rwanda needs to push its pledge to remove all obstacles against women’s development.   Flickr/Adam Cohn
By Evariste Karangwa & Jeannette Bayisenge
S
ince the 1994 genocide against Tutsi,
Rwanda has made considerable
progress towards gender equality,
now ranking fifth in the world on
the Global Gender Gap Index.
It pursued sociopolitical reforms that
favour disadvantaged groups. For example,
constitutional reforms now mean women
and people with disabilities are guaranteed
membership in the national parliament.
Other initiatives include giving disadvan-
taged young people access to nine years free
education under and the “Nine Year-Basic
Education” programme.
Despite these steps towards inclusion,
girls with disabilities, who already grapple
with social structures that put them at a
disadvantage, continue to struggle against
male domination in schools.
As described by Joy, a student at one
school: “Boys seem to openly dominate in
all class discussions and responses… (It’s
common to see them) ridicule girls who
make simple mistakes…They use (sayings)
such as “she is a girl after all” or, when she
is assertive in her responses, “she is a man”.
But the girls are fighting back. We dis-
covered this in research that we did that
involved 51 in-depth interviews with
disabled Rwandan pupils and community
stakeholders.
We investigated how disadvantaged girls
with disabilities resist and challenge male
domination in Rwanda’s oldest and largest
public school, Gatagara School. The school
caters for students with disabilities. Initially
starting as a rehabilitation centre in 1962
and opening its doors to children with vari-
ous disabilities in 1973.
Our research shows that girls resist male
domination by either directly and assert-
ively confronting it, or by using more subtle
22 June 15 - 21, 2018
Different girls,
same goals
How Rwandan girls with
disabilities are fighting
sexism at school
tactics. In doing so, they challenge domi-
nation and stereotypes and affirm their
capacity for leadership in a male-dominated
setting. The girls use two distinct resistance
strategies: assertive resistance and subver-
sive resistance.
Assertive Resistance
This includes challenging boys, pursuing
and holding prominent school leadership
roles and advocating for the recruitment of
more female teachers and support staff.
For instance Ruth, a 20-year-old 11th
grader, asserts: “I know that boys and girls
with disabilities have to struggle in our
society, but we are not in the same position
in school…I’m not afraid to challenge boys
in class. I know I am as smart – and may be
more. I want us to have a better life, a bet-
ter time in school…it’s hard enough being
a girl in Rwanda, and even harder to be a
poor girl with disabilities…”
Rene, an 18 year-old in grade 10, empha-
sises the importance of more equitable gen-
der relations among people with disabilities.
She posits that: “Girls with disabilities can
do even better and contribute even more
to our country if we are enabled to excel
in school and not feel pitied or put down
because we are girls with disabilities.”
Subversive Resistance
Those who practice assertive resistance
openly criticise sexism in the school. Sub-
versive resistance, on the other hand, is
more subtle. In this strategy the girls allow
for periods of prejudice, with the view of
eventually reversing it.
For example 25 year-old Peace, who rec-
ognises the influence of patriarchy in pre-
scribing “good girl” behaviour, argues that:
“There are more boys with disabilities here
at Gatagara than girls with disabilities…we
don’t have many female teachers to sup-
port us. That is why it is difficult for me…I
can play by their rules until I am in charge
and can change the rules…I am going to
be a scientist…When I am in power, boys
will not be able to treat me or any other girl
with disabilities in a bad way. I will use my
power…”
Peace’s short-term compliance – being
polite, kind, calm and amenable – can be
interpreted as a survival strategy in a male-
dominated society given that acting other-
wise might be seen as subversive in a male-
dominated society such as Rwanda.
Jeanette, a 23 year-old grade 11 student,
justifies this restrained resistance on a dif-
ferent note. She says that: “one has to know
what her goal is to win the battle…I want
power for the future…when I can really get
boys to change their ways….”
Unified policy approaches
While the paper points to a significant
disconnect between Rwanda’s international
reputation for gender equality and lived
realities on the ground, the girls’ experi-
ences provide valuable insights into com-
pounded inequalities.
Their experiences call for a proactive
national strategy that involves multiple
sectors, namely; education, labour and
politics. The strategy must be specific to
girls with disabilities in schools and ensure
that they are properly represented in public
and private sectors. This is key to making
Rwanda’s pledge – to remove all obstacles
against women’s development – a more
substantive reality.
Evariste Karangwa is the Dean, School of
Inclusive & Special Needs Education, University
of Rwanda, and Jeannette Bayisenge is a
Lecturer, Center for Gender Studies and School
of Social, Political and Administrative Sciences,
University of Rwanda
 rwanda
By Francis Byaruhanga

A
ccess to information
and public confidence
in the media has risen
in Rwanda, according
to the views of journalists and
government officials. The only
problem appears to be around
the inability of journalist to do
thorough investigative report-
ing.
It is a point the Minister of
Justice, Johnston Busingye,
noted when he addressed par-
ticipants in a training of media
practitioners on reporting about
judicial matters last week in
Kigali.
Busingye said journalists
need to act impose checks and
balances on any country’s gov-
ernance by “revealing the hid-
den facts”.
The media, he said, is
expected to keep powers that
be in check and advocating for
the voiceless given its watchdog
role. This responsibility can

Media access
only be accomplished with ease
access to information by the case five years ago.
media. “Access to information is
“A good journalist works in improving, but there are some

to information
the interests of the general pub- challenges when it comes
lic, not for anyone else. There- to investigative reporting.
fore, appropriate reporting is Therefore, media houses need
critical and a must. Though you to support report reporters in

are free to access any informa-
tion from government, that
does not give you the right to
use it any way you want,” the
minister said.
Chriophas Barore, the acting
president of the Rwanda Media
Commission, said access to
information has tremendously
increased with more journalists
able to get information from
government agencies.
Rwanda implemented the
access to information legislation
in 2013 and Barore attributed
the increase to sanctioning of
civil servants who deny media
information.
The Rwandan constitution
provides for this right and even
goes ahead to state that free-
dom of the press and expres-
sion is guaranteed by the state,
Articles 65 and 66 of the media
law state that when a journal-
ist has a press card, he must be
facilitated to access Information.
As part of the process, all
government institutions are
obliged to have institutional
websites, where journalists can
improves
But challenges persist
easily accessing information.
“For instance, if a journalist is
having a problem reporting on
the land laws in Rwanda they
can just visit the ministry web-
sites and access all legislation
pertaining to land,” he added.
However, Jean Pierre
Habarurema, the national
prosecutor at Rwanda National
Prosecution Authority, advised
the media practitioners that
reporting on judicial matters
requires a different approach.
He said access to information
on judicial matters is differ-
ent compared to other fields
“because of its unique nature”.
“Investigation is entirely
secret and journalists are some-
times not given information
because of the ethical principles
attached to the information in
the pre-trial investigation of
court cases,” he said, “How-
ever when the case is in court,
the information is open to the
public.”
He faulted judicial sector
reporters for making their own
judgments about cases.
“There have been cases
where the right to be presumed
innocent has been violated by
journalists wrongly referring to
a suspect in a case as a ‘convict’
before they are sentenced,” he
said.
Gonzaga Muganwa, the exec-
utive secretary Association of
the Journalists in Rwanda, said
public confidence has risen, eas-
ing access to vital information
by reporters, which was not the
this area because investigation
skills are vital if media is to play
its watchdog role,” he said.
Peacemaker
Mbungiramihigo, the Media
High Council executive
secretary, said growth of
investigative journalism is
being hampered by lack of
funds in media houses; a
situation he said also affects
media performance. The official
added that there were isolated
cases of mistreatment of
reporters by sources.
According to Aissa Kizza, a
female journalist at Royal FM
in Kigali, some sources do
not respect female reporters,
adding that the perception of
the Rwandans is still negative
as far as female journalists are
concerned.  
“Some still want to sleep
with female journalists in
return for services they seek
or information. This has
kept away would be young
reporters, creating a gender
gap in the media industry,”
she said.

June 15 - 21, 2018 23

rwanda
President Donald Trump and North Korea’s leader Kim Jong Un sign documents as U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo and the North Korean leader’s
sister Kim Yo Jong look on at a signing ceremony at the Capella Hotel on Sentosa island in Singapore on June 12, 2018./   Saul Loeb—AFP/Getty Images
Trump and Kim summit
Each got a win but who got more?
By Brian Bennett
W
hen Kim Jong Un walked out
to shake hands with President
Donald Trump — the first time
a North Korean leader has met
face to face with an American president —
he did not wear the ubiquitous red pin with
the portraits of his father and grandfather
seen on his chest in countless propaganda
stills.
The small gesture spoke to a big opening,
a signal that Kim may be willing to break
with the bellicose records of his father and
grandfather and the first several years of his
own time in power.
For his part, Trump set aside his past
taunts and insults and launched a pitch for
how prosperous North Korea could be if it
changes course, going as far as showing a
U.S.-produced movie to Kim with a vision
of his country as a wealthy, developed state.
He also played the role of gracious host
— and perhaps older brother — holding
Kim’s handshake for 13 seconds, briefly
touching Kim’s arm, then gesturing for the
24 June 15 - 21, 2018
two men to walk toward a room for a one-
on-one meeting that lasted more than half
an hour.
It was a historic meeting during which
the two leaders did their best to set aside 60
years of dark history and distrust as well as
their own jabs at each other.
But it is just that history of brinksman-
ship and betrayal that makes the next steps
in negotiations so crucial and progress so
improbable. Kim has long seen his nuclear
weapons program as a deterrent to the kind
of military intervention that toppled Sad-
dam Hussein, while the Trump Administra-
tion, like its predecessors, has insisted that
is the one thing that it would have to give
up in order to join the world community as
a peer.
On Tuesday morning, it was clear that
the only progress toward denuclearization
was rhetorical. The main achievement of the
summit was the summit itself — a propa-
ganda win for Kim at home, and something
that Trump would cast as a win for himself
as well. The biggest concession from the
final agreement came on the American side:
an agreement to stop joint military exercises
with South Korea, which Trump called
“provocative” and expensive “war games,”
arguing it would save the U.S. a lot of
money not to have to fly bombers to South
Korea from Guam for the drills.
The U.S. also spent taxpayer money craft-
ing what amounted to a propaganda movie
extolling North Korea’s possible future. In
a slick, highly produced film made by the
White House to show movie-obsessed Kim
Jong Un during their meeting, a booming
voiceover says, “the past doesn’t have to be
the future” as images of the lights turning
on in darkened North Korea and gleaming
skyscrapers in Pyongyang flip by.
Trump said he is “not concerned at all”
that Kim could use the film the White
House made to show North Korea as an
equal power to the U.S.
“I’ll do whatever it takes to make the
world a safer place,” he said in response to a
question from TIME.
That the summit happened at all was a

rare breakthrough helped by
Trump’s willingness to ignore
the past and diplomatic conven-
tions and start fresh with one
of the U.S.’s longest and most
intractable adversaries.
“Rightly or wrongly, he’s
unburdened by recent history,”
said Michael Allen, who worked
in the President George W. Bush
national security council and
advised the Trump transition
team. “He’s not afraid to visit
the premise of an issue and ask,
‘Now, wait a second, let’s go
back. Why don’t you smart guys
tell me why we are still doing
this?’”
So far both leaders are
getting what they want out of
the exchange. Kim carefully
orchestrated the exchange to
create the illusion that he’s an
equal power to the leader of
the free world. Since he started
down this conciliatory path, he
has had two visits to China and
met with South Korean leaders
and Russia’s foreign minister.
For his part, Trump gets to
revel in a characteristically bold
moment on the international
stage that had eluded his
predecessors — never mind
that they had intentionally
not granted North Korea an
audience until it had shown
more progress in ending its
nuclear program.
Trump has said he’d be open
to giving Kim’s government
security assurances in exchange
for giving up its nuclear
weapons and promoting
economic development to help
its people. Even if little comes of
their first meeting, Trump aides
point to the fact that he has
successfully convinced China to
let international sanctions affect
the country, prompted North
Korea to suspend ballistic
missile and nuclear tests
and released three American
detainees.
Before the meeting, Trump
took to Twitter to rebut his
critics in typically undiplomatic
and ungrammatical language,
calling them “haters & losers.”
“We have our hostages,
testing, research and all missile
launches have stoped, and
these pundits, who have called
me wrong from the beginning,
have nothing else they can say!”
he wrote. “We will be fine!”
The full text of the
Trump-Kim agreement
A photo of the document President
Donald Trump signed revealed that the
leaders agreed on four primary points.
By Everett Rosenfeld
President Donald Trump
and North Korean leader Kim
Jong Un signed an agreement
at the conclusion of the June
12 historic summit. Here’s
what it says, according to
a photo of Trump’s signed
document:
Joint Statement of President
Donald J. Trump of the
United States of America and
Chairman Kim Jong Un of the
Democratic People’s Republic
of Korea at the Singapore
Summit
President Donald J.
Trump of the United States
of America and Chairman
Kim Jong Un of the State
Affairs Commission of the
Democratic People’s Republic
of Korea (DPRK) held a first,
historic summit in Singapore
on June 12, 2018.
President Trump and
Chairman Kim Jong Un
conducted a comprehensive,
in-depth, and sincere
exchange of opinions on
the issues related to the
establishment of new U.S.-
DPRK relations and the
building of a lasting and
robust peace regime on the
Korean Peninsula. President
Trump committed to provide
security guarantees to the
DPRK, and Chairman Kim
Jong Un reaffirmed his firm
and unwavering commitment
to complete denuclearization
of the Korean Peninsula.
Convinced that the
establishment of new U.S.-
DPRK relations will contribute
to the peace and prosperity
of the Korean Peninsula and
of the world, and recognizing
that mutual confidence
building can promote the
denuclearization of the Korean
Peninsula, President Trump
and Chairman Kim Jong Un
state the following:
 The United States and the
DPRK commit to establish
new U.S.-DPRK relations
in accordance with the
desire of the peoples of the
two countries for peace
and prosperity.
 The United States and
the DPRK will join their
efforts to build a lasting
and stable peace regime
on the Korean Peninsula.
 Reaffirming the April
27, 2018 Panmunjom
Declaration, the DPRK
commits to work toward
complete denuclearization
of the Korean Peninsula.
 The United States and
the DPRK commit to
recovering POW/MIA
remains, including the
immediate repatriation of
those already identified.
Having acknowledged
that the U.S.-DPRK summit
— the first in history — was
an epochal event of great
June 15 - 21, 2018
rwanda
significance in overcoming
decades of tensions and
hostilities between the two
countries and for the opening
up of a new future, President
Trump and Chairman Kim
Jong Un commit to implement
the stipulations in this
joint statement fully and
expeditiously. The United
States and the DPRK commit
to hold follow-on negotiations,
led by the U.S. Secretary of
State, Mike Pompeo, and a
relevant high-level DPRK
official, at the earliest possible
date, to implement the
outcomes of the U.S.-DPRK
summit.
President Donald J
Trump of the United States
of America and Chairman
Kim Jong Un of the State
Affairs Commission of the
Democratic People’s Republic
of Korea have committed to
cooperate for the development
of new U.S.-DPRK relations
and for the promotion of
peace, prosperity, and security
of the Korean Peninsula and of
the world.
Source: Internet
25
Bitcoins, cryptowallets,
blockchain
How are they related and how are digital currencies
created, regulated, and used for ordinary transactions?
By Efpraxia D. Zamani
W
hen the bitcoin was first
introduced eight years
ago, it promised to change
payments. People would be
able to transact directly with each other,
without needing to place their trust in
banks – but that promise still hasn’t
materialised and adoption of bitcoins is
low.
We were first told in 2009 that many
transactions would be verifiable and
validated by the bitcoin protocol.
26 June 15 - 21, 2018
However, as we argued in a recent study,
a significant adoption barrier to bitcoin is
the lack of usability.
Since the inception of cryptocurrency,
developers and researchers have been
using metaphors to explain bitcoin in
a clear effort to help people feel more
comfortable with the technology.
A secure application for holding
bitcoins is dubbed a “cryptowallet”, the
trading platforms where people can buy
and sell bitcoins are called “exchanges”,
and in several locations around the
world, ATMs have emerged for bitcoin-
based transactions. The production of
bitcoins is described as “mining”, but
the only similarity between this and
mining for gold or valuable gems, is that
both processes are very, very difficult
to achieve. Finally, bitcoins are called
“coins”, even though they are entirely
digital.
Using metaphors to refer to these
technologies helps people feel more
familiar with the technology. But there is
also a downside: people expect that the
technology can be used as regular money.
One could easily believe that, in fact,

such “coins” are stored in a “wallet”,
which leads to further misinterpretations:
If these are coins, what do they look like?
If it’s real money, how do I get refunds
for paying for stuff? And do I get change
if I don’t have the exact amount? But
the coins don’t exist. They are merely
entries in a highly secure, very restricted
database.
There are no wallets, crypto or
otherwise. These are either software
applications that may or may not connect
to the internet, or hardware-based
solutions (similar to USB sticks). ATMs
can be used to buy and sell coins, but
teller machines do not hold “coins”.
And, in the bitcoin world, there are many
transactions that can’t mimic how regular
money works.
If I pay for something with pound
notes and then regret my purchase, I can
return the item to the shop and the shop
may or may not issue a refund. But the
bitcoin protocol doesn’t allow this. If a
transfer of bitcoins has been broadcast to
the network, by design, that transaction
is final. It means that, had I paid for that
item with bitcoins, the shop can’t issue
a refund but instead has to process a
new payment, or a charge back – which
incurs additional processing fees. This
isn’t a refund – as some money would
be deducted from the full amount I
originally paid.
X marks the spot
To support the adoption of bitcoin as
an alternative payment, we need to have
a system that is cheaper, better and more
desirable compared with other forms of
payments, such as debit cards.
The bitcoin is cheaper, because –
even when paying by debit or credit
cards – there is always a fee involved
for processing such transactions. Some
merchants will pay the fee themselves, or
roll this cost over to the consumer, as an
extra charge for paying by card. Paying
in bitcoins has zero cost or very low
cost, subject to how much of a hurry the
consumer is in.
Everyday transactions in bitcoins
are fairly straightforward and security
is robust: if I need to pay somebody in
bitcoins, I can send the exact amount
to that other person’s bitcoin address
(a randomly generated sequence of
characters, that changes every time there
is a transaction) by confirming it with my
unique PIN-like number. The rest is done
by the miners (more about which later)
who need to verify that the transaction is
unique and genuine.
Despite these clear advantages, bitcoin’s
desirability factor remains low. And there
is little we can do (at least for now) to
increase its uptake. Notably, adoption is
also affected by trust perceptions. People
NEWS ANALYSIS
are more likely to trust the technology if leveraging the power of advanced
they have a better understanding of how computers and graphic cards. In return
the bitcoin protocol works. This can be for their services (creating new bitcoins,
achieved without forcing everybody to authenticating transactions, maintaining
become an expert in cryptography. the blockchain), they get rewarded with
new bitcoins.
Four essential facts about bitcoin Where are bitcoins stored? A
What is bitcoin? It’s one of many cryptowallet – which is a software
cryptocurrencies – but the only one that application that stores private keys (code
has grabbed the headlines. It is a type of that looks like a very long PIN) – is where
digital currency, created and regulated all bitcoins are stored. These private
by a network of thousands of computers keys are connected to public keys (code
(known as peers) using encryption again, but the equivalent would be a bank
techniques. Because of this, its production account). The best way to understand
is independent from any authority, such how a cryptowallet works is to think of
as banks and sovereign states – and it, in similar terms, as a secure connection
trust in the bitcoin is produced by the between a person’s PIN to their bank
technology itself. How does this happen? account, which then allows them to check
Meet the blockchain: Simply put, the balances and make payments.
blockchain is a very restricted database,
whose entries are the bitcoin transactions. Money makes the world go round
The blockchain operates as a digital The bitcoin hasn’t become the
ledger of transactions. Just like regular alternative payment system for
businesses that keep a record of money consumers that was promised eight
coming in and going out, users of the years ago. Widespread adoption of the
cryptocurrency need to record all bitcoin- cryptocurrency is hobbled by a number
based transactions. The difference is that of factors: its reputation is associated far
the blockchain is a decentralised and too often with alleged bad boys, and talk
distributed, open-access ledger whose of a bubble that’s about to pop persists
records are permanent and verifiable by even as bitcoin continues to surge. But,
the network of peers. So everybody can above all else, few people can cut through
view past transactions, but nobody can the jargon to understand how it actually
alter them without having the consent works.
of the majority. This means that the These perceptions can shift if bitcoin-
blockchain doesn’t exhibit weaknesses based transactions become easier to
associated with traditional ledgers. The comprehend in a way that will help
blockchain technology is secure by design. people build trust in the technology.
How are bitcoins produced? Through Instead of replicating old paradigms,
mining, which is undertaken by the bitcoin should be embraced as a fresh new
peers of the network. The miners are way to pay for stuff.
people and organisations that connect
their computers in the network to offer Efpraxia D. Zamani is a lecturer of
processing power, using special software information Systems, De Montfort University
to solve very difficult algorithms, while
Bitcoin loses $40 billion in the market value
Bitcoin on June 12 fell to a two-month low, sliding in three of the last four
sessions on nagging regulatory and security concerns after the weekend hacking
of South Korean cryptocurrency exchange Coinrail.
The original virtual currency neared its lowest level of the year of just under
$6,000 BTC=BTSP on the Bitstamp platform. It fell to a low of below $6,500 and
last traded down 4.7 percent at $6,551.48. So far in 2018, bitcoin is down nearly 53
percent, after soaring more than 1,300 percent last year.
On June 10, Coinrail, a relatively small cryptocurrency exchange in South Korea,
said its system was hit by “cyber intrusion,” causing a loss of about 30 percent
of the coins traded on the exchange. About 40 billion won ($37.28 million) worth
of virtual coins were stolen. That wiped out more than $40 billion in the market
value of the cryptocurrency market on June 10. Bitcoin itself declined by nearly
$1,000 with volumes below $5 billion per day, their lowest levels since November
2017. Other digital currencies also declined in sympathy with bitcoin. Ethereum,
the second-largest by market value, was down 5 percent over 24 hours to June 13
to $496.07, while the third-largest, Ripple, lost 4.3 percent to $0.55, according to
cryptocurrency price tracker coinmarketcap.com.
June 15 - 21, 2018 27
 NEWS ANALYSIS
Blockchain and
cryptocurrency
Why accountants of the future will need to speak the
digital currencies language if they want your money
By Anwar Halari
I
f you haven’t already heard of Bitcoin,
you either haven’t been paying atten-
tion or you’re a time traveller who just
touched down in 2018. Because by now,
most of us will have heard of Bitcoin and
some of us have even jumped on the band-
wagon, investing in cryptocurrencies.
But despite its popularity, many people
still don’t understand the technology that
underlines it: blockchain. In very simple
terms, blockchain technology is an open
access shared ledger that keeps a record
of all the transactions between parties and
allows all users to agree on its contents.
New information is added in blocks linked
to the previous blocks, resulting in a chain
of blocks being built.
This ledger is verified by “miners” to
make sure it’s true – and so creating an
audit trail. Past records can be viewed
but not altered without the consent of the
majority. And it is this technology that is
behind cryptocurrencies such as Bitcoin –
the value of which rose almost 1400% in the
past year, but has at times, also fallen mas-
sively too.
Crypto is here to stay
It can certainly be anticipated that this
evolutionary technology is set to spark a
huge revolution in the business world. It’s
already being trialled at governmental level,
from the Sweden Land Registry, to the Big
Four accountancy firm such as E&Y – who
accept Bitcoin as payment for its consul-
tancy services.
28 June 15 - 21, 2018
The Australian Securities Exchange is
also considering the use of blockchain tech-
nology to replace the current clearing and
settlement system of share trading. And
even the Bank of England is planning its
own Bitcoin-style virtual currency.
Major governments around the world
have acknowledged and further legitimised
the use of Bitcoins as payment vehicles. In
fact, more and more major companies are
accepting Bitcoins – Microsoft, Virgin Galac-
tic and Subway to name a few. It seems
certain then that blockchain technology has
a wide appeal. And although it may be a
rocky road ahead, with countries such as
India and China banning or restricting the
use of cryptocurrencies, crypto is here to
stay.
Wider implications
A recent report from the Institute of Char-
tered Accountants in England and Wales
on blockchain, claims it is fundamentally
an accounting technology. In its simplest
of definitions, accounting is a process of
keeping records, and this is precisely what
blockchain offers in a more “modern” and
“foolproof” way. As once the records are
agreed upon and validated, the records
are bundled into blocks that are virtually
impossible to change, making the technolo-
gy tamper-proof. Essentially, as the business
world adopts the use of accounting systems
that use blockchain technology, accountants
will spend less time doing the mundane
tasks of bookkeeping and reconciliations,
and will instead focus their energy and time
on the interpretation of information and
decision making. Blockchain technology
will also make it easier for accountants to
measure the accuracy of data. Meaning that
the technology should effectively cut down
on fraud and make accounting errors disap-
pear.
The new accountants
A report by the World Economic Forum
suggests that 10% of global GDP will be
stored on blockchain-related technology by
2025. This implies that the way transactions
are recorded and communicated will com-
pletely transform between now and then.
It is easy to see then, why accountants of
the future will need to educate themselves
about Bitcoin and other cryptocurrencies if
they are to account for transactions denomi-
nated in it. The profession will evolve and
adapt massively over the coming years.
And in fact, auditors have already started
auditing transactions in the blockchain.
Universities around the world have
already begun offering blockchain-related
courses. Even the professional accountancy
bodies now feature blockchain technology
in their qualification syllabus.
But of course while all this might sound a
bit futuristic to some readers, the evolution
of money is something that has been going
on for centuries. From a barter system to
gold bars, metal coins to paper money, to
plastic cards. All we are looking at now, is
simply the next cycle in evolution – from
electronic money to cryptocurrencies.
Anwar Halari is a lecturer in Accounting and
Finance, The Open University
Why price of rice is rising
Supply expected to increase starting next month
By Isaac Khisa
T
he price of rice, which had dropped
by around 30% last year, has spiked
again owing to low off-season pro-
duction and increased import costs,
according to millers and traders.
In the past three months, the commod-
ity’s price has increased by more than 33%
to Shs4, 500 per kilogram – meaning con-
sumers have to pay more.
This is the same price that the commodity
traded at in April last year prior to govern-
ment intervention.
Phillip Idro, the managing director of
Upland Rice Millers Company Limited,
who also doubles as the chairperson of
Rice Millers Council of Uganda, told The
Independent in an interview that the surge
in the price of the household commodity
is attributed to low off-season production
early in the year leading to rice scarcity.
“At the moment, it is off-season and there
is no rice to mill,” he said. “We expect some
of the crop to start maturing next month
and this could drive the price downwards.”
Idro, who claims to have more than
30,000 rice out growers, however, said, the
current commodity price could have been
even higher had it not been for the imports
from Tanzania that boosted supply.
However, he could not state the amount
of rice imported into the country.
Geoffrey Adito, the director for technical
services and development at FOL Group,
the company behind the production of
Kingdom Rice, said the current surge in
price is as a result of high cost of imports
and scarcity of locally produced rice to mill.
“As I talk now, we have not been process-
ing rice in the last two months because of
scarcity,” he said.
He said the company has also failed to
import unprocessed rice, commonly known
as brown rice, into the country to mill as a
result of the government’s decision to re-
instate import taxes on the commodity.
The government had in April last year
waived taxes on import of brown rice to
increase supply and make the commodity
affordable to buy and consume. This was
after the price per kilo had risen by 30%
starting January.
Last year, the surge in the price was
attributed to the prolonged drought that
led to food shortage in different parts of the
country.
Currently, importing a metric tonne of
rice attracts US$345 or 75% of the value of
import whichever is higher as a tax irrespec-
tive of the type of rice-husked, milled, pro-
cessed or packed ready for distribution.
“Since the re-instatement of taxes…
importing brown rice for processing locally
has become uneconomical. We are now
simply waiting for our rice in Northern
Uganda to mature and start milling again,”
Adito said.
FOL Group, with a capacity to process at
300 tonnes of rice per day, acquired 14,000
acres of land sometime back in Nwoya
district, with 1,000 acres already under rice
cultivation.
On the other hand, sources at the SWT
Tanners, the company behind the Pakistan
SWT Rice, said weakening of the shilling
against US dollar has also contributed to the
surge in rice prices countrywide.
Data from Bank of Uganda shows the
shilling has since December last year lost its
value against the US dollar by approx.6.5%
to Shs3, 820.
This development comes amidst several
demands that rice farmers have put before
government. In the recent weeks, farmers
and dealers under their umbrella organisa-
tion Rice Association of Uganda cried out
to government to rethink a policy that is
encouraging more imports of the commod-
ity – which they say is pushing them out of
business.
Need for import subsidy
Farmers and other dealers in this trade
appear to be pushing for different interests.
For instance, in a two-page appeal pub-
lished in The Daily Monitor, the farmers said
they are alarmed by the “ongoing dilution
of the East African Common External Tariff
policies and the shift towards increasing
importation of rice”.
The publication was in response to
reports that Rice Millers Council Uganda
had met President Yoweri Museveni asking
for a reduction in import duty on brown
rice from US$345 per tonne to around
US$150. 
The statement was signed by RAU
Chairman, John Daniel, the coordinator for
Northern Chapter, Andrew Bongomin Okot
and the Chapter Coordinator for Eastern
Uganda, Ahmed Naleba.
Amidst all this, is data from the Agricul-
ture Ministry that show rice production in
the country standing at 237,000 metric tones
per year – which is lower than consumption
– at 444,468 metric tones. The supply deficit
is filled up with imports mainly from Paki-
stan and Tanzania. This means that Uganda
alone faces a shortage of 207, 468 metric
tonnes of rice per annum.
Surprisingly, for business reasons, some
dealers re-export the commodity to the
neighboring markets especially South
Sudan and the eastern Democratic Republic
of Congo – which could partly be respon-
sible for price hikes.
Is the future bright?
Government officials are planning to
boost production in partnership with farm-
ers to at least 680,000metric tonnes of rice by
2020 valued at US$376million.
Going forward, players are suggesting
good ideas. Idro said there is need for the
local farmers to increase output and thus,
minimize shortage by among other things
increasing the acreage on which rice would
grow.
The Rice Association confirmed that most
of the 670 small scale rice millers and a few
medium and large scale millers in the coun-
try remain idle during the off-season. But
the group thinks this scenario can be dealt
with accordingly.
Part of the solutions farmers suggests
include millers investing in storage facili-
ties to be able to operate during off-season
period.
The other is offering attractive price so
that farmers are motivated to grow and
supply more to millers.
June 15 - 21, 2018 29
business
A section of the Roofings plant in Namanve, a Kampala suburb.   Independent/Jimmy Siya
Inside the 2017 private sector
investment survey
Real estate, transportation and storage,
agriculture record drop in revenue
By Julius Businge
T
racking private sector performance
requires that entities get organised
through joining associations. This is
to enable themlobby for government
support to improve on their performance.
This was the key message from Gideon
Badagawa, the Executive Director, Private
Sector Foundation Uganda (PSFU) during
the release of the Private Sector Investment
Survey 2017 on June 01, at Imperial Royale
Hotel in Kampala.
“Let us know where you are and what
you are doing,” Badagawa said. “Let’s be
organised and be able to be helped.”
The 2017 survey that captured data for
the previous year (2016) was the sixth in
30 June 15 - 21, 2018
a series of surveys carried outby the three
government agencies – Uganda Bureau
of Statistics, Bank of Uganda (the fund-
ing agency of the survey) and the Uganda
Investment Authority– aimed at compiling
Uganda’s balance of payments, interna-
tional investment position and other related
key macroeconomic factors to guide policy
moves.
A total of 860 questionnaires were admin-
istered during the survey from which 746
enterprises responded, representing a
response rate of 86.7%. The highest share
of respondent enterprises (21%) were in
wholesale and retail activities, followed by
manufacturing (20.8%), finance and insur-
ance (9.9%), construction (9.2%), informa-
tion communication and technology (6.4%)
and professional, scientific and technical
services(5.0%).
The survey indicates that distribution by
sector reflected a high number of enterprises
with Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) and
borrowing in manufacturing and service
sectors.
Overall, the 746 enterprises had an
estimated contribution to value added in
current prices during the 2016 survey of
Shs7.1trillion, equivalent to about 8.9% of
GDP.
In addition, the samples’ contribution
to fixed capital formation during 2016 was
estimated at about Shs14.1trillion represent-
ing 68.4% of total fixed capital formation and
80.4% of private fixed capital formation.
On employment, the findings indicated
that total employment by the enterprises
that responded grew by 3% from 100,127
employees during 2015 to 103,108 employees
during 2016.
There was also an increase in com-
pensation of employees of 14.7% from
Shs3.1trillion in 2015 to Shs3.5trillion during
2016. Profitability of enterprises surveyed

rose by 57.4% to Shs1.2trillion during 2016
from Shs800billion recorded in 2015.
Foreign Direct Investment
The survey indicated that the grossed-up
findings on FDItransactions during 2016
increased by US$87.2 million to US$625.7
million from US$538.5 million in 2015.
This upward movement was largely
attributed to higher inflows in the mining
and quarrying sector which is linked to
the issuance of exploration and production
licenses to the companies in the oil sector.
Additionally, the inflows in 2016 were
mainly on account of higher inflows
of equity capital which increased to
US$395.7million during 2016 compared to
US$352.7million recorded in 2015.
In terms of numbers, the major recipient
sectors of FDI during the year were mining
and quarrying including oil (33.4%), whole-
sale and retail (30.6%), finance and insur-
ance (23.9%) and manufacturing (11.1%).
In terms of source of FDI, Netherlands,
Kenya, UK, France, Switzerland, Australia,
South Africa, India, Bermuda and Sey-
chelles were the largest sources accounting
for 85.5% of total FDI stocks received by
Uganda during 2016.
The survey says that foreign private
capital, particularly in the form of FDI is an
important source of finance for most devel-
oping economies.
In these economies, FDI entities have con-
tinued to provide the financial, human and
technological resources required to comple-
ment domestic private investments, and to
support growth and development on top
of creating new jobs. Further, the activities
of FDI boost demand and improve public
revenue.
In essence, FDI enterprises are associated
with increased capital formation, export
growth and technological transfer within
the host economy.
In the area of transactions involving
other equity investment (equity investment
of less than 10% of total equity) during 2016
were estimated at US$ 16.5 million.
Meanwhile, the largest inflows or dis-
bursements of debt from foreign affiliates
went to electricity and gas, ICT and agri-
culture.
The three sectors jointly accounted for
86.2% of the total disbursements from for-
eign affiliated entities received during 2016.
In addition, the survey findings showed
that entities in the electricity and gas sec-
tors had the largest exposure to foreign
debt from unrelated entities, accounting for
73.4% of the outstanding stock of debt in
this category at the end of 2016.
Entities in electricity and gas, agriculture
and ICT sectors received 86.2% of the total
disbursements and remitted 60.5% of the
repayments to non-affiliated entities during
2016.
Big sector revenues
According to the report, there was an
increase in total turnover (sales revenue)
of 37.1% to Shs44.5trillion in 2016 from
Shs32.4trillion recorded in 2015.
The increase was largely on account of
growth in ICT, wholesale and retail, arts,
entertainment and recreation, health and
social work activities, education, mining
and quarrying and finance.
However, the report notes that there was
a decline in sales revenue in real estate of
93.2% from Shs859billion in 2015 to Shs-
58billion in 2016; transportation and storage
activities of 29.2% from Shs835billion in
2015 to Shs591.9billion in 2016; agriculture,
forestry and fishing of 15.9% from Shs
1.1trillion in 2015 to Shs1trillion in 2016
and water supply and sewerage activities
of 13.6% from Shs34.7billion in 2015 to
Shs29.9billion in 2016.
Jobs and compensation
Officials said that the number of employ-
ees in the enterprises that responded
increased by 3% from 100,127 as at Decem-
ber 31,2015 to 103,108 employees as at
December 31, 2016with the highest growth
among non-resident employees.
On compensation, the survey collected
information on compensation of employees
during 2015 and 2016. Total compensation
of employees (namely; wages, salaries, con-
tribution to pension fund, fringe benefits
business
and) paid out by enterprises that responded
increased by 14.7% from Shs3.1 trillion dur-
ing 2015 to Shs3,5trillion during 2016.
Under this component, domestic employ-
ees received the highest share of total
employees’ compensation accounting for
an average of 93% of the total compensa-
tion during the two years. Compensation
to non-residents increased by 509.6% to
Shs2.3trillion in 2016 from Shs0.4 trillion in
2015.
Net profits and dividends
The findings from entities that responded
indicate that net profits reported for 2016
increased by 57.4% to Shs1.2trillion from
Shs800billion earned during 2015.
In addition, retained earnings increased
to Shs622billion during 2016 from Shs-
248billion in 2015.
In terms of profitability by sector, finance
and insurance had the largest share of total
profits estimated at 60.9% of total profits for
all entities that responded.
The total profits for this sectorincreased
to Shs767billion in 2016 from Shs560.7billion
registered in 2015. Enterprises in electricity
and gas and manufacturing sectors fol-
lowed with profitability of Shs287.4billion
and Shs200billion, respectively during 2016.
Meanwhile, some entities registered
losses in 2016. Large losses amounting
to Shs104.3billion were recorded in the
ICT sector followed by accommoda-
tion and food at Shs47.2billion, trans-
port Shs33.9billion, and construction
Shs23.5billion, education Shs11.5billion and
mining and quarrying Shs1.8billion.
UBOS calls for cooperation
Like Badagawa, the other leaders from
collaborating agencies want the private sec-
tor to cooperate in the process of conducting
these surveys.
Ben Paul Mungyereza, the executive
director of Uganda Bureau of Statistics
(UBOS) urged companies that snub survey
questions to stop. He said UBOS remains
committed to keeping detailed information
of individual companies to themselves so as
not to compromise their business strategy
and targets.
“For those who refuse to respond, it is
unfortunate,” Mungyereza said adding, “In
business today, information is important
in helping players survive in a competitive
market.”
Going forward, according to the report,
the prospects for 2017 are higher FDI
inflows supported by huge investments
projected for some of the major oil sector
related projects such as the construction of
oil roads, Kabaale Airport and the oil pipe-
line.
Meanwhile, at the same event, Mungyer-
eza launched the questionnaire for conduct-
ing the 2018 PSIS that will capture data for
the current year – 2017.
June 15 - 21, 2018 31
 Executive Style
Opportunity Bank eyes
bigger market share
Could you briefly describe
whoTineyi Mawocha is and
the management principles
I
he holds as CEO?
have 18 years of banking
experience. I have previ-
ously worked in the hos-
pitality industry and fast
food management. I believe
results are achieved by the
right people who are led very
well and held accountable by
measuring their performance
and rewarding their success.
I also believe in punishing
or trying to remedy non-
performers. I also believe in
leading from the front and
management by both walking
the business and by statistics.
Generally speaking, what is
your assessment of the bank-
ing sector at the moment?
There are many players in
the market and each is trying
to find its own niche, and that
is fine.The cake is huge. There
may be some consolidation
in the future but I am sure the
customers are getting what
they want. It is good that the
central bank has allowed ban-
cassurance to rollout which we
believe will benefit the custom-
ers and the economy. The sector
has somewhat suffered because
of a slow growing economy.
The agriculture sector which is
one of our key sectors of lend-
ing has been struggling because
of bad weather and changes in
prices.
Non-performing loans have
been problematic in recent
years for banks; how are you
managing them at Opportu-
nity Bank?
NPLs have been growing at
industry level largely because
of not monitoring the loans
closely and also diversion of
funds. At Opportunity Bank
we do progress disbursement
which help us in detecting
misuse of funds. Our model
32 June 15 - 21, 2018
is relationship based on trust.
The community or groups that
we lend are self-regulating and
thus help us in reducing indebt-
edness. We are active when
monitoring loans.
What is triggering your move
from Tier II to a tier Ifinancial
institution amidst reportsthat
some banks are struggling to
survive?
This is customer driven.
Our customers especially
SMEs keep asking for different
products like current accounts,
foreign currency and other
trade finance services. As Tier
II institution we are not able to
offer these directly; we have to
depend on another institution
and that takes a lot of time. The
good thing is we are operating
above the required capital and
are currently around Shs28bil-
lion.
How is Opportunity Bank
working towards beating com-
petition coming from mobile
telecom and other non-bank
Tineyi
Mawocha
is the Chief
Executive
Officer of
Opportunity
Bank Uganda
Limited, a tier
II financial
institution. He
spoke to The
Independent’s
Julius
Businge
about their
operations
and sector
prospects.
financial players like SACCOs
in Uganda?
We look at them as partners
and not competitors. They
might encroach on our areas
somehow but I think telecoms
are preparing many people
who are financially excluded to
join banking. We have to work
with them synergistically.
You are recording good per-
formance with small and me-
dium clients – who form your
largest customer base – yet
they are feared for not living
longer…what magic is behind
your business strategy?
Our largest customer base is
group clients, which one may
term as micro enterprises. The
same customers are growing
rapidly and becoming SMEs.
We advise them on how to
manage their finances to ensure
they grow and don’t close shop.
What would be your policy
recommendations for the cen-
tral bank to tackle current sec-
tor challenges?
The central bank is proac-
tive. The new changes at
management level, I believe,
are meant to improve the way
it does the regulation. The
central bank should assist
bankers by ensuring the regu-
lations don’t bring in costs. For
instance, in the past which is
changing now, it would want
each bank to have its own
sophisticated data room which
was costly. Going forward,
the bank should allow mecha-
nisms of platform sharing like
they have done with agency
banking.
What are the reasons behind
your expansion and rebrand-
ing drive in remote towns of
Uganda?
We are growing and
also building our capacity.
Rebranding is being done to
increase customer confidence
in our brand. Our profits almost
doubled in 2017 as compared
to 2016 performance because of
our good working relationship
with our customers and ventur-
ing in new areas of revenue.
What are the top four sectors
that you consider profitable for
investors to sink in their cash
as we speak, and why?
One cannot go wrong with
agriculture especially when
they use irrigation even at
small scale. Education is highly
sought after and therefore a
great area of investment fol-
lowed by services especially
hospitality and then retail trad-
ing.
Where do you envision your
performance as a bank in the
coming few years?
We are on a major growth
path to serve more customers
and mainstream them. We see
growth in youth and female
customer base and we believe
this is highly sustainable.
 business
csr Aviation

Coca-Cola’s plastic recycler thinking big KQ unveils three Non

supply chain director said their target is to Stop flights to Cape Town

K
collect 100% of the equivalent of the plastics
they put out through their business by 2030. enya’s na-
“We are committed to an initiative that tional car-
we call world without waste,” he said, on rier, Kenya
behalf of the managing director said. Airways,
Currently, the company does collect has unveiled three
about 34% of the plastics it puts out through non-stop flights to
their soda and water business. Cape Town South
Malac (2R) engaging Coca-Cola staff
Plastic Recycling Industries is collecting Africa.

E
about 10 tons of plastic daily, ridding the The new flights
xecutives at Coca-Cola Beverages Af- environment of close to 400 tons of plastic to the country’s for the growing
rica’s subsidiary – Plastic Recycling per month. second-most popu- number of our cus-
Industries – are thinking big in terms US Ambassador to Uganda, Deborah lous urban city, tomers who travel
of collecting plastic waste and put- Malac commended the company for clean- will depart Nairobi between Nairobi
ting it into other use. Joining the rest of the ing up the environment through the new every Wednesday, and Cape Town,”
world to mark the World Environment Day business model. Friday and Sunday said Vincent Coste
on June 05, Peter Obong, the company’s at 3:30pm. (Pictured), KQ’s
The airline said Chief Commercial
banking
the new flights is in Officer.
Tanzanian billionaires buys stake in Equity Bank line with its strategy “In addition to
enhancing Africa

T
to assert its pres-
anzanian billionaires Aunali and The duo has invested more than ence and expand integration, this
Sajjad Rajabali have bought seven Kshs1.5 billion in NSE-listed firms over connectivity across new route will be
million shares of Equity Group the past two years, taking significant Africa and open up beneficial to the
worth Sh344 million, expanding stakes in companies such as Co-op Bank, opportunities for tourism industry
their investment in Nairobi Securities The Rajabalis are now ranked tourism, trade and as it establishes
Exchange-listed firms, Kenya’s Business seventh in Equity’s list of top individual investment. vital links with our
Daily reported. investors with a 0.19% stake. Equity “We are indeed global network.”
Their purchase of the bank’s stock is Group has operations in across the east very proud to Currently, the
disclosed in the lender’s May regulatory African region including the Democratic increase our fre- airline operates
filing of its ownership structure. Republic of Congo. quencies to South seven weekly flights
Africa to cater to Cape Town

banking csr

DFCU plans to Airtel rising stars initiative returns

lead in banking

D
FCU bank top executives are plan-
ning to make the lender one of the
most loved and best performing
financial institutions through in-
vestments in digital systems and working
towards transforming it to officer several
unique products to its customers, accord-
ing to Elly Karuhanga, the bank’s chairman
Board of Directors.
Speaking at the 53rd annual general meet-
ing at Sheraton Hotel in Kampala on June
07, Karuhanga said they plan to improve Airtel staff with rising star players

the internal banking platforms, offer agent
banking solutions, cut operational costs,
strengthen retail banking solutions, improve
customer value proposition and offer finan-
cial services to the oil and gas sector in the
next three years.
“We want to become the market leader,”
he said amidst cheers from shareholders.
In 2017, the bank increased its net profit by
136% to Shs106bn prompting its manage-
ment to recommend Shs6.8 as dividend per
share. The bank has 67 branches and 100
ATMs countrywide.
A
irtel Uganda’s Rising Stars Initia-
tive – a tournament that gives
talented boys and girls under the
age of 17 years an opportunity to
showcase their abilities in hope of securing a
sports career, is back.
It is the 7th season of the tournament. The
tournament that started in 2011 has identi-
fied many celebrated stars such as Farouk
Miya, Muhammed Shaban and many others
who have gone on to play professional foot-
ball for local and international football clubs.
This year, V.G. Somasekhar, the compa-
ny’s managing director said in Kampala on
June 7 that the matches will be played in the
eight FUFA regions with Fort Portal hosting
the finals on August 27.
The matches will be closely watched and
followed by FUFA selected scouts whose
role will be to identify the next Ugandan
superstars. The winning teams at national
finals will each bag Shs5million among
other individual team accolades.

June 15 - 21, 2018 33

business

Karuma civil works at 80%

completion- UEGCL Board
By Ian Katusiime seven-member board

C
ivil works on the
600MW Karuma
Hydropower
Dam are at 80%
completion, according
to Proscovia Njuki, the
Chairperson of the Board
of Directors of Uganda
Electricity Generation
Company Limited
(UEGCL), which is
responsible for overseeing
works on the dam.
Abrarah Babirye, (L) a spare parts dealer in Kibuye, receives a dummy air Njuki, who was speaking
ticket from Total Uganda Lubricants & Specialties Manager, Hosea Nkojo to journalists during the
in the concluded Buy, Verify and Win lubricants campaign. board’s quarterly visits
of inspection of works at
the dam on June 07, said
“UEGCL looks forward
to the timely completion
of this project taking into
account the elements of
quality, cost and time.
In this regard, we are
in full preparation for
the commencement
of Operations and
Maintenance of the plant.
We are here as the board
to assess progress on the
ground,” she added.
During the tour, the
inspected works in
the tunnels at Karuma
Construction site including
the surge chamber, an area
where pressure of water is
levelled during the process
of electricity generation.
The board also toured
the employers’ camp where
construction is underway
for offices, labs, residential
houses, canteen, and a
services and facilities
centre.
The government hopes
to use the extra electricity
from Karuma and the
183MW Isimba on the
downstream of River Nile
to drive the electricity
prices downwards to stir
growth of the industrial
sector.
Currently, Uganda
is ranked second in
terms of high electricity
prices across the East
African Community
(EAC) countries, with
the exception of Burundi.
Karuma Hydropower Dam
is expected to be launched
in December.

Ricvky Rapa Thomson, (R) co-founder Safe Boda and Eunice Among brief the
press during their launch of 50% less promo on June 1.   INDEPENDENT/JIMMY SIYA

Weekly share price movement (June 12)

Security June 12 May 29 Movement
BATU 30,000 30000 00
BOBU 160 160 00
CENT 1,435 1,422 0.9
DFCU 895 896 0.1
EABL 8,387 8,685 3.3
EBL 1,860 1,783 4.3
JHL 18,890 18,110 4.3
KA 362 365 0.8
KCB 1,851 1,727 7.2
NIC 18 19 5.2
NMG 3,778 3,843 1.6
NVL 450 450 00
SBU 31 31 00
Jean Phillipe Bittencourt, (M) Sheraton Kampala Hotel General UCHM 62 59 5.0
Manager serving ISftar Dinner to Muslim orphan children at the UCL 25 25 00
Hotel. Sheraton hosted the orphans as part of their corporate social
UMEME 300 350 14.2
responsibility.   INDEPENDENT/JIMMY SIYA
ALSI -- -- --

34 June 15 - 21, 2018


By Sébastien Turbot
Local solutions for global problems
Local leaders continue to inspire public confidence
where national governments are failing
O
n June 8, leaders from the
largest advanced economies
gathered for the annual G7
summit to discuss the most
pressing challenges the world faces.
Most of the items on the agenda –
from climate change to inequality
– resonate particularly strongly
for people living in urban areas,
who comprise 54% of the world’s
population. And yet, municipal
governments were not be represented
in any official capacity during the
G7 meetings. This is a mistake; if the
world’s biggest problems are to be
solved, cities must become part of the
conversation.
Historically, cities have played a
marginal role in global debates. In
the United States, for example, early
cities were rife with corruption and
factionalism; local politics was messy
enough. But today’s urban centers are
economically stronger and politically
bolder. Twenty-first-century cities’
determination to act in their own
interests became clear in late 2017,
when more than 50 US mayors
pledged to meet the commitments of
the 2015 Paris climate agreement –
directly challenging President Donald
Trump’s withdrawal from the deal.
Last week, leaders from Montreal
and 10,000 other cities around the
world delivered a similar message to
the G7. They presented a declaration
that included a diverse collection of
municipal views on the summit’s
key themes, and urged national
governments to collaborate more
closely with their local counterparts.
These demands, and the manner in
which they are being made, was a first
for a G7 meeting. The goal is to make
this the norm.
Still, even without a seat at the
table, many of the world’s megacities
– powered by strong human capital,
competitive markets, and widespread
appeal – are already working to build
a more progressive, inclusive, and
sustainable future. From Buenos Aires
to Tokyo, city leaders are making
their concerns known globally – often
irrespective of national agendas.
Small and mid-sized cities are also
raising their international profiles. By
investing in “smart” and “resilient”
urban planning, governments from
Bordeaux in France to Curitiba
in Brazil are strengthening their
brand identities and luring talent,
investment, and businesses from
around the world.
The American-Canadian author and
urban activist Jane Jacobs famously
observed that cities are the true
engines of national prosperity. Cities
power growth through innovation,
trade, and exchange. And city services
are often more visible to citizens than
federal aid; consider, for example,
who responds during a traffic accident
or a natural disaster.
To be sure, today’s cities face
many challenges. As urban areas
have grown, leaders have been
forced to change how they plan.
Amid tightening budgets, city
governments are moving away from
overly bureaucratic systems toward
those that encourage greater levels
of entrepreneurship. But, as Chicago
The American-
Canadian
author and
urban activist
Jane Jacobs
famously
observed that
cities are the
true engines
of national
prosperity
comment
Mayor Rahm Emanuel noted last
month, this has been positive for many
cities, allowing them to become testing
grounds for the future of mobility,
work, housing, energy, education, and
health.
“Twenty years from now,” Emanuel
told fellow mayors in New York City,
we will see “an inflection point where
the nation-state is in decline, and the
city-state à la Singapore is driving the
cultural and economic activity.”
Of course, not all cities have the
same resources, influence, or needs
as Chicago or Singapore. But any
city leader nowadays can appreciate
the importance of standing on
the frontlines of change. Inspired
by this solidarity, and connected
through international networks
like Metropolis, C40 Cities, and 100
Resilient Cities, municipal leaders
everywhere are forging partnerships
to create united urban agendas.
At nearly every turn, on just
about every major issue, national
governments are failing to deliver
solutions, while city leaders continue
to inspire public confidence.
According to a 2017 survey by the
Centre for Political Research at
Sciences Po, 64% of French adults
believe their local mayor is working
harder than the executive branch to
solve everyday problems. No doubt
many other urbanites feel the same
way.
This is an opportune time for city
leaders to become global players.
When gatherings like the G7 summit
are convened to discuss the world’s
most difficult challenges, the people
closest to those challenges, who are
likely to have the most valuable
insights concerning how to overcome
them, should be in the room.
Sébastien Turbot is Executive Director
of the NewCities Foundation.
Copyright: Project Syndicate, 2018.
June 15 - 21, 2018 35
Prematures at an incubation center at the obstetrics and gynaecology department of Mulago hospital in Kawempe
When preeclampsia
strikes in pregnancy
Disease that’s impossible to predict or
prevent is piling pressure on maternity wards
L
By Flavia Nassaka
evel Four is the busiest floor at
the Gynecology and Obstetrics
facility at Kawempe Hospital
which is a branch of Mulago
National Referral Hospital,
North West of Kampala city.
People dart up and down the stairs to
and from the treatment area while more
lounge in the waiting area whose only seat
is the terrazzo floor.
The Centre of activity is the nursery of the
Neonatal Intensive Care Unit; a secluded
room where premature babies are nursed.
Visitors enter barefoot after washing hands
with a liquid disinfectant. Almost every
baby has a pistol-like needle plastered on
their tiny wrist while a few others have
36 June 15 - 21, 2018
tubes running into their little noses. Every
two babies share an incubator and on the
day of my visit, about 80 babies were being
monitored. Up to 100 premature babies are
sometimes monitored in this area, accord-
ing to Dr. Annette Nakimuli who heads the
facility.
The mothers – one after another – are
allowed into the guarded room to check
on their tiny babies. Some were delivered
at as young as seven months into preg-
nancy. The queue also has a few men –
three- among about twenty women. Some
women are pallid, with swollen feet and
faces, and most have Lesu wrappers tied up
their chests – the telltale signs of new sickly
mothers. All wait anxiously for their turn to
get in. The situation looks desperate.
“We had to remove those babies,” says
Dr. Nakimuli, “We wanted to save the
mothers. They can only start improving
when we remove them.”
She says some of the mothers could not
keep the pregnancy to full term because of
preeclampsia, a poorly understood disorder
that affects pregnant women. Since more
and more mothers are getting the complica-
tion, pre-eclampsia cases have been allotted
a nine bed ward at the facility. But because
of the numbers, some mothers are moni-
tored in the general ward and others in a
non-functional operating theatre that has
now been turned in a ward.
Caught unaware
Many mothers hit by pre-eclampsia are
caught unaware and only wake up on a
hospital bed. Just like 20-year old Marion
Nakirijja.
When we met, she had been on admis-
sion for three days having been rushed
to the hospital unconscious. Speaking
with frequent stammers, she says she was
surprised to end up in hospital and uncon-
scious because she had been for antenatal
at her local facility in Komamboga along
Gayaza Road that week. She says being a
second time mother, she never anticipated
any complications. But she started experi-
encing constant palpitations, nausea, and
headaches before she collapsed.
Experts say pre-eclampsia is strange and
can only be detected by diagnosing persis-

tent hypertension and presence of protein
in one’s urine. Many victims will experience
severe headaches, nausea, sudden weight
gain and swelling along with high blood
pressure.
If not properly diagnosed and managed,
preeclampsia can progress to eclampsia,
which involves getting seizures.
Leading killer
Pre-eclampsia remains one of the leading
causes of maternal death as is thought to
kill more than 75, 000 women each year in
Africa.
At Kawempe, about five mothers report
on a daily basis with the condition. The
hospital’s clinical head Dr. Evelyn Nabunya
says last year alone, the condition contribut-
ed 23.7% of the maternal deaths registered.
Without giving specific figures of the
deaths she said this was an increase from
the 20% registered in 2016. She added that
in 2017 alone, the hospital received 43,000
women for antenatal and conducted about
27,000 deliveries.
Nabunya who is a consultant gynecolo-
gist says it is preferable if the condition
shows up later in pregnancy because the
mother can either be induced or helped
to deliver through caesarian section. But
when it comes early, the outcome is usually
a baby affected by complications associated
with pre matures and a mother progressing
into eclampsia or developing severe compli-
cations that come with it like kidney failure,
stroke, and liver damage.
It is unclear what causes the disease.
What is currently understood is that the dis-
ease is caused by the placenta developing
abnormally. Studies have showed women
are more likely to develop preeclampsia
during a first pregnancy and that the more
time that elapses between pregnancies the
greater a woman’s risk of developing the
disorder.
Also, scientists have found the disease to
be affecting African women more than their
white counterparts.
Nakimuli says knowing this is not
enough as many of the studies that gave
these insights were done in the west. For
her, to understand the problem, they have
to study and re-study the most affected
cohort until all their questions are answered.
She and her team at Mulago have now
embarked on understanding the disease
farther.
“A study is ongoing. We are using genet-
ics to understand which women are at risk
of getting the disorder. We are also trying
to understand whether there are genes that
can protect a woman from the disease,”
she says. Later, they hope to find ways to
prevent it.
Nakimuli has done some studies already
that have given her clues. Initially, she
recruited 730 mothers from who she col-
lected umbilical cord samples and blood to
confirm for sure whether there’s a genetic
predisposition of African women to the con-
dition. The result was positive – she found
that the genes that protect African women
against preeclampsia are different from
those that protect European women.
She now wants to save them.
“If we skate them in we should try
as much as possible to save them,”
she says, “We have managed to
lower deaths from bleeding but we
also know the condition contributes
to bleeding. They bleed a lot after
delivery.”
She has no magic bullet to tackle
the condition yet but with constant
monitoring and mothers reporting for
antenatal early, she says many can be
saved because there are those warning
signs that call for immediate action.
Expectant mothers take blood pressure tests. High blood pressure in pregnancy could be a sign of pre-eclampsia
No drugs, no skills
Dr. Micheal Bukenya, a gynecologist who
also heads the Parliamentary Health Com-
mittee urges pregnant women to beware of
warning signs such as rapid weight gain,
severe headaches that do not go away even
with use of pain killers, dizziness, vision
changes, and reduced frequency in urina-
tion.
He says even women who report to the
facilities early are sometimes not helped
because many health workers lack train-
ing on how to deliver some preeclampsia
treatments. A prominent case is that of
Grace Kaudha Magumba, the woman MP
for Iganga District who was hopped from
facility to facility until she succumbed upon
reaching Kawempe in July 2017.
At the Kawempe facility, with 45 gyne-
cologists and about 200 midwives, Nabunya
health
says currently their biggest challenge is with
doing confirmatory tests and making timely
decisions. “For some tests, we take them to
the main Mulago hospital to be analyzed.
On a minimum they will take 24 hours
meanwhile the disease is progressing,” she
says. For her what would be appropriate is
using bed side tests that can produce results
instantly for quick decisions.
But Bukenya says not many health work-
ers know how to administer an intravenous
drug called magnesium sulphate which is
used in such cases. That is why they always
refer cases to Mulago Hospital.
The Ministry of Health policy recom-
mends use of Magnesium Sulphate for
women suffering from preeclampsia as one
of the life- saving commodities. On paper
the drug is said to be available in 70% of the
facilities across the country.
But a joint research by an NGO – Coali-
tion for Health Promotion and Social Devel-
opment (HEPs) Uganda and others in 2017
found that these drugs are also inaccessible.
The survey according to HEPs Executive
Director Dennis Kibira sought to among
others establish accessibility of three vital
drugs given to those who develop pre-
eclampsia.
Only 5% of public health facilities were
found with Methyldopa tablets, only 17%
were found with Magnesium Sulphate, and
none of the public health facilities had Cal-
cium Glocanate. Even in the private facilities
only 10% of them had the drug.
Also, fear among health workers, of
having to deal with prematures, is a major
problem as many work in facilities without
necessary equipment.
June 15 - 21, 2018 37
 ART | BOOKS | SOCIETY | TRAVEL | CULTURE
Kasese’s best secret
World-class art, sculpture, coffee
at Rwenzori Founders
W
By Dominic Muwanguzi main attraction is of course, the world
renowned Rwenzori Founders – famed for
hen in Kasese, the offering residences to world-class sculptors
rustic little town of like Ann Christopher and Jon Buck; both
past copper mining multi-award winners and Fellows of the
glory that lies 375 Km Royal society of British Sculptors. Local
from Kampala city, in talent includes Isaac Okwir whose specialty
western Uganda, make are local totem figures and Peter Oloya
sure to visit Rwenzori Founders Art Centre. of the famed Crowned Crane that sits at
You won’t regret it. Located just eleven Buckingham Palace, England and its edition
kilometres north of the town, the place’s that graces the entrance of the British High
38 June 15 - 21, 2018
Commission in Kampala, BBC African
Footballer of the Year trophy and Fadaika
Na BBC award presented annually to the
best young African entrepreneur. Some of
their works are on permanent show and
many are for sale.
Notably, there’s Christopher’s sculpture
`The Shape of Time’ in the lineal format that
is emblematic of her other artworks; Isaac
Okwir’s `Lango Mama’, in distinct style,
that connotes the cultural heritage of the

Langi- the calabash covering the head of
the little child the woman is carrying on her
back is a utilitarian object that is essential to
the household and Jon Buck’s` Bird in the
Bush’ that celebrates the return of birds to
this venue.
But the rustic beauty of the place is a big
bonus.
The Rwenzori Foundry is the only
bronze sculpture foundry in Uganda. It sits
on 110 acres of land and was established
by a British national, Rungwe Kingdon,
who founded it as a cultural conservation
facility. Kingdon was adopted into the
Pangolin (Lugave) clan of the Baganda and
this inspired his gifting the facility to the
community.
A few metres from the studios, is the
award winning eco- friendly art gallery
and coffee bar that opens into the beautiful
gardens dotted with permanent sculptures
of artists who have had residency here
before.
The return of birds to this enclave is by
no coincidence. As Emmanuel Basaza,
director of Rwenzori Founders says, when
this facility opened ten years ago, there
were only a handful of birds here, but today
the number has more than quadrupled
because of the deliberate effort of replanting
indigenous trees and stopping the use of
insecticide.
Such dedication, passion and foresight,
is the engine for the running of the
facility. Even with the absence of bronze
in the country, the foundry can still
produce bronze sculptures that dominate
international art circles.
The forte of this foundry however lies
in the sculpting of iconic totemic bronze
figurines that evoke unique species of
animals such as African elephant, Buffalo,
Hippo, Lion, Colobus monkey and of
course the Pangolin. All these are cast in
series, with superior craftsmanship of both
local and international artists who have
been trained by world –class craftsmen
from Britain.
The technique of bronze casting is
rigorous, intricate, and demanding. The
artist must be innovative, talented, and
patient. The process in detail takes twelve
delicate steps that are each intertwined to
form a final masterpiece.
ART
For example, the craftsman makes a
model of the artwork from wax. Applying
the traditional method of lost wax
technique, molten wax is poured into the
mould composed of negative and positive
layers, the wax is “chased” to clean up any
flaws from the wax such as air bubbles,
wax “rods” are then attached to the object
to allow metal to flow through and gas to
escape during the process of casting, then
the ceramic shell is transferred to the kiln
made of ordinary brick and clay to be fired
at a certain temperature, followed by the
pouring of molten bronze into the ceramic
shell.
Thereafter the piece is transferred to the
metalwork department where it is cleaned
and chased to look like the original artist’s
work. Finally the patination that gives it
colour and safeguards the metal from the
elements is applied.
At the site, these procedures are
conducted in open air structures to allow
unwanted gases to flow out to the lush
vegetation that surrounds the facility and
oxygen from the foliage to be consumed by
the craftsmen and animals that inhabit the
environ.
As much as the process is
overwhelmingly demanding to the
craftsmen and artist, the benefit of such
procedure is more than real. Besides
the fact that the final product is a
masterpiece, casting in metal privileges
the artist to retain a copy- prototype- of
their artwork. This way, the artist is
able to sell his work in editions thereby
creating increased demand for the
artwork from the buyers.
“Editioning gives the artist an
opportunity to continue earning from
his artwork even after it is bought.
It also promotes the idea of building
one’s (artist) archive. If an artwork
is bought, the artist still retains an
original copy of it,” says Emmanuel
Basaza, director of Rwenzori Founders.
However, he is quick to point out the
difference between editioning and
replicating.
The former requires making certain
improvements on the specific artwork,
while, the latter involves reproducing
the exact copy with no alternations
whatsoever. In this respect, the BBC
African footballer of the Year and
Fadaika Na BBC trophies all have
editions and the artist, Peter Oloya,
still earns from them yearly.
“We import the bronze we use, but
this is made easier because the foundry
is facilitated by Rwenzori Sculpture
Foundation, a charity based in the UK.
However, we hope to make the most of
Kilembe Copper mines once it reopens
and this is why we are here,” says
Basaza looking very optimistic on the
future of the Rwenzori Founders.
June 15 - 21, 2018 39
 ‘Sonic attacks’ hit U.S. diplomats in China
The U.S. has evacuated several
citizens from China after they showed
symptoms suggesting they had come
under ‘sonic attack’. Sonic and ultra-
sonic weapons (USW) are weapons of
various types that use sound to injure,
incapacitate, or kill an opponent.
The injuries of the brain are linked to
‘abnormal sounds’. On June 8, remain-
ing Americans in China were urged
to seek medical help in the event they
suffered any ‘unusual, unexplained
physical symptoms or events, auditory
or sensory phenomena, or other health
concerns’. The issue of sonic attacks first
surfaced in Cuba when American and
Canadian diplomats there reported suf-
fering injuries last year.

Swedish brewery makes beer with recycled sewage water

Your `clean’ kitchen towel
could poison you
Your kitchen towel is a filthy rag covered
in bacteria, scientists have revealed. Towels
used for multiple purposes, such as hold-
ing hot items and wiping surfaces, were the
worst. And if it’s even a tiny bit damp, it’s
far, far worse. Half of kitchen towels anal-
ysed contained bacteria, with big families
and meat eaters facing increased danger. The
more children a family had, the more likely
the sample was to contain bacteria – and Dr
Susheela Biranjia-Hurdoyal, of the Univer-
sity of Mauritius, said: ‘Our study demon-
strates the family composition and hygienic
practices in the kitchen affected the microbial
load of kitchen towels.
Man makes millions from
selling fake dog balls
Gregg Miller is living proof that a crazy
idea can sometimes turn out to be pure
genius. He is the inventor of Neuticles;
silicone implants for male dogs to replace
testicles after neutering so they do not lose
their manly look, and he is a millionaire.
Miller came up with the idea for a purely
cosmetic replacement for animal testicles in
the early 90s, when he neutered jis dog and
wanted him to maintain his “God-given
natural look”, so he asked the vet if some-
one made testicle implants. The veterinar-
ian told him that it was the dumbest thing
he had ever heard of. Believe it or not, that
same vet soon got in touch with him about
it to tell him that he had changed his mind
and wanted to work with him on a proto-
type. And that’s how Neuticles, the now
world-famous fake dog balls came to be.
In an attempt to raise Research Institute (IVL)
awareness about the ability and Carlsberg is supposed
to turn wastewater into safe to convince people that
drinking water, a brewery “second-hand water” can
in Stockholm, Sweden be as clean as normal tap
has launched a new beer water. IVL claims that the
brand made with recycled challenge to get people to
sewage water. Aptly called drink recycled water is not
PU:REST, the new beer a technological one, but a
crafted by Stockholm’s psychological one, so what
Nya Carnegiebryggeriet
(New Carnegie Brewery)
better way to convince
consumers of the purity of
in collaboration with the treated wastewater than
Swedish Environmental using it to create a beer.
Female news anchor calls City introduces special
colleague ‘handsome’, walkway for smartphone-
suspended using zombies
Authorities in the Chinese city of Xi’an
recently inaugurated a special sidewalk
lane designed for “phubbers” – people who
walk while staring at their smartphones and
ignore everything around them.
Chinese media reports that a large shop-
ping mall overlooking the smartphone-user
lane had been asking authorities for it over
a month as a safety precaution for “phub-
bers”. Cars often come onto the pavement in
front of the mall, sometimes barely missing
pedestrians who have their eyebvalls virtu-
ally glued to their smartphones, so the lane
is supposed to keep them out of harm’s way.
A Kuwaiti female news anchor was The short lane is painted red, green and blue
recently suspended by the Ministry of Infor- and features pictures of smartphones.
mation for jokingly calling a male correspon-
dent ‘handsome’ during a live TV broadcast.
Basima al-Shammar, a news anchor for
Kuwait TV, made the mistake of jokingly
complementing a male correspondent live
on air. In a video, she can be heard telling
her male colleague, who didn’t know he was
already on live TV and was still adjusting his
traditional headgear, that he didn’t need to
fix his looks because he was already hand-
some. Although elsewhere this would pass
as a simple compliment, in Kuwait, it was
perceived as unacceptable flirtation on the
female anchor’s side.

40 June 15 - 21, 2018

Dos and don’ts at
an accident scene
By Motoring Guru
R
ule One: Don’t admit liability
It says that on your insurance
sticker: “Don’t admit liability”. So
be smart. Stay calm and say what
is absolutely necessary only. A seemingly
innocent comment may be used against you
if it gets recorded in police statement.
Also don’t offer any payment that could
be construed as a bribe. Most insurers
prohibit statements of admission, offer,
promise, payment or indemnity, accord-
ing to several experts. Don’t agree to settle
anything unless you absolutely sure that the
can resolved at that level.
Things to avoid saying include:
 I will pay for the damages.
 I’m sure my insurance will take care
of it.
 I didn’t see you.
 I was on the phone
 I don’t need medical help. I’m fine
All these could be used against you later,
either in court or with the insurance firm
as admissions of fault. Remember personal
injury insurance claims arising from a car
accident depends on the extent to which each
driver is found to be at fault for causing the
accident. If you are found to have been exclu-
sively negligent, you may be held fully liable.
Rule two: Stop and stay at the scene
Stop your vehicle and if possible, park
safely on the side. Use your hazard lights
or the reflective triangle. If not available
use any possible means, including
foliage or tree branches to warn other
motorists of the accident. Use common
sense. Ensure you are safe, especially
at odd hour or in hostile environments.
Remember, failure to stop at the scene of
an accident is criminal. Also, you want
the police to get your side of the story
when they arrive.
Rule Three: Help in medical
emergencies if you can.
This can be tricky because if you are
not knowledgeable, you might do more
harm than good. So assess the injuries
suffered and only help if it safe for you
and the victim. Give first aid if you can.
Rule Four: Report the accident
Legally, you’re required to call the
police if anyone has been hurt or killed,
if an offence has been committed or if a
state vehicle or property has been dam-
aged. In these situations, you need to
stay on site until a police officer has dis-
missed you.
Rule Five: Get details of the other
parties and of witnesses
Exchange details with any other par-
ties involved, as well as witnesses (names,
addresses, contact numbers, vehicle regis-
tration numbers). If you’re too injured to do
so, you may ask a traffic or police officer to
do so on your behalf. It’s also a good idea
to take down the officer’s name, and record
the relevant accident report number.
Rule six: Record details of the accident
straight away
As soon as possible, make notes of factors
like traffic flow and weather at the time of
the accident. Take photographs if you can.
It can also help to sketch the scene, showing
the positions of all vehicles immediately
after the accident in relation to a clear fixed
point, such as a traffic light, pole or other
permanent fixture. Later, measurements can
be taken in relation to the fixed point if it’s
necessary to reconstruct the accident.
Rule Seven: Don’t take anything
intoxicating “to calm down”
The police at the scene or station may
want you to undergo a medical examina-
tion, so unless a medical doctor has said you
must take some kind of narcotic or intoxi-
cant, don’t do so.
Rule Eight: Get a copy of the police
report
A police report is one of the most criti-
cal pieces of evidence for determining
liability in the event of a car accident.
Always ask the police for a full copy of
the report that’s filed.
June 15 - 21, 2018 41

 (The Independent is republishing this interview first published on August 18- 24, 2017)

Col Abiriga Ibrahim;;

NRM’s yellow man
By  Agnes  E  Nantaba

C
ol  Ibrahim  Abiriga  is  the  MP  for  Arua  
Municipality  who  is  popularly  known  
(HC.!!$,H"#D>HH(!F%'$!"H
diehard  supporter  of  President  Yoweri  
*(+#<HH(H#H#H)H!"!)H$'H
campaigning  to  lifting  of  the  constitutional  age  
!")H$H98F.'(H)$H!!$,H*(+#H)$H&*!.H
)$H'*#H#H#H5354<
He  is  also  a  jovial  MP  who  can  meet  and  
mingle  with  anyone  regardless  of  style  and  
')'<HH(%'(H)$H($,H(H(*%%$')H$'H
H#H(%/!!.H'(#)H*(+#H.H
,'#H.!!$,H!!H)H)"<HH(.(H(H,'-­‐‑
'$H(H$H%'$"##)!.H.!!$,H$*)/)(H'##H Masindi  
from  suits,  shirts,  shoes,  hat,  socks  and  recently   and  join  
*#''"#)(< the  military  
C+'.)#H$#H"H(H)$H)H!()H+H.!-­‐‑ despite  objection  
!$,HH)H(H#$)H*!!.H.!!$,<HH%!)H H*(=H)H from  his  uncle  and  pro-­‐‑
cups,  my  bed  is  yellow,  house  and  everything   )()(H'$"H"<
"*()HH.!!$,=DH
'H(.(< C'H,(H#$H$2!H''*)"#)H
 “I  have  just  returned  from  DR  Congo  where   then  and  since  he  had  been  a  soldier,  he  
I  landed  on  very  good  yellow  undergarments   maintained  that  my  destination  was  also  in  
($H H,(H$'H)$H*.H!!H)H53H!)H#H)H )H'".=DH
'H(.(<
($%=DHH(.(< #H4;94=H
'H$#H)H'".H*)H
(H.!!$,H().!H)(H"H#$)<H*'#H)H applied  to  continue  with  school  under  the  
5349E4:H*)H'#H)H)H
"%!H'#H department  of  education  at  Grammar  Sec-­‐‑
Hotel,  President  Museveni  gifted  him  with  a   ondary  School  where  he  reveals  to  have  
%'H$H##F"H(#!(H$'H#HCH $"%!)H'#'.H+!<H
)'H##H
(%!#H!(!)$'D<HHH%'(#)HH'-­‐‑ months  of  training,  Abiriga  was  deployed  
ried  the  sandals,  together  with  shirts,  hats  and   in  the  Secret  Service  at  Makindye  Military  
shoes  that  are  made  in  Uganda  to  promote  the   $!H#H
"%!<
*.H#H*!H#H?@H"%#<H #H5334=H'(#)H*(+#H%%$#)H
Unfortunately  the  sandals  are  not  yellow  and  
'H(HH$'H
'*<HH!H)H$H

'H(.(HH,!!H/-H))HGH.H%#)#H)"H $'H45H.'(H*#)!HH,(H)'#(''H)$H
.!!$,< *"H#H)H("H%$()$#H#H5347<H
H,H
Abiriga  says  his  love  for  Museveni  is  a   months  into  the  position,  Abiriga  resigned  
response  to  a  calling  by  his  father  Yusuf  Abdal-­‐‑ )$H$#H!)+H%$!)(H#H$"H#H<
lah  (RIP),  a  former  soldier  under  the  King’s   HC
)H)(H=H H#H)$H(($)H,)H

'#H0(H?

@H,$H$*)H#H$'!H'H younger  people  to  share  in  the  fresh  views  
<HH
'H(.(=HC.H)'H,(HHH%'$%$-­‐‑ and  even  when  I  had  set  out  to  run  for  only  
nent  of  President  Museveni  and  he  urged  us   one  term,  I  have  reconsidered  a  second  one  
!,.(H)$H(*%%$')H"H#H)H D< $"H5354=DHH(.(<H
'H(H)H'H#H
He  says  he  also  adores  Museveni  because   (*'++#H!()H($#H$H(H)'H,$HH67H
$H)H'(#)B(H%*(H$'HH*#)H()H !H !'#<HH(.(HH,(H$'#H)HH)"H,#H
'$#H$'H!$(H)$H48H.'(H#$,<H#H"-­‐‑ *#'H,(H)H)(H()H#H(H#"<
'H57=H5335=H)H$+'#"#)H$H#H#H C
'H"#(H*#'=DHH(.(=HC*'#H
Uganda  National  Rescue  Front  II  (UNRF  II)   that  time,  people  survived  on  sim-­‐‑sim  and  
signed  a  historical  peace  agreement  that  has   '$*##*)(H%()H"-H,)H,)'<D
remained  a  milestone  in  ensuring  the  security   Abiriga  says  he  had  over  30  wives  and  sired  
#H()!).H#H)H()H !H'$#<H over  30  children  in  his  early  years  but  they  all  
H.!!$,H!(!)$'H(H!($HH($!'<HHH <HH(.(H$#!.H$H #$,(H,.H).HH
/'()H('+H#H)H'".H$H)#F##H but,  he  adds,  the  elders  and  relatives  blamed  
'(#)H H
"#HH)H)H'# H$H)1H the  deaths  on  Abiriga’s  failure  to  breastfeed  
Sergeant  until  he  was  promoted  to  the  rank   (HH.<HC H,(H)$!H))H H#+'H(* !H".H
$H$'H*#'H 
H#H/#!!.H$!$#!H#H mother’s  breast  because  I  rejected  it  completely  
#$,H<HH(H)'H%*(H"H)$H'$%H ($H)H,(H*()H%$*'H$*)=DHH(.(<H$.=H
-­‐‑
out  of  school  in  senior  three  at  Kabalega  SS  in   'H(.(HH(H$#H,H#H43H!'#<
36
42 Aug
June18
15-‐ -24
21,, 2017
2018
 Q&A

Col Abiriga Ibrahim’s Liteside

Any  three  things  we  don’t   ove  whelmingly  in   All  those  who  cause   the  fact  that  many  children  

I
know  about  you? !155$ 5 5 division  among  the  people   can  access  education  in  
am  a  social  person   seconded  by  an  opposition   of  Uganda  such  as  Kizza   Uganda  under  the  NRM  
who  associates  with    15 Besigye  and  Amama   #!51
everybody  regardless   '15
5!5*!5 What  is  your  greatest   Where  would  you  most  
5155&5#55 extravagance? What  is  the  quality  you   like  to  live?
the  supreme  and  true  God,   Some  time  back,  people   most  like  in  a  man? I  want  to  live  here  in  
Allah  who  created  all  of   were  abusing  me  for  not   He  should  be  able  to   Uganda  being  the  pearl  of  
" 1555"!&55 owning  a  decent  house   unite  others  and  provide  
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Global comment
By Roselyn Mugo
Africa’s future farmers
New report shows that mastering digital skills is
important if young people are to work on farms
A
frica is in the midst of a youth
employment crisis. By 2035,
some 350 million new jobs will
be needed, and agriculture,
the continent’s biggest industry, could
provide the bulk of them. But at the
moment, young Africans are shunning
life on the farm for work in the city.
If Africa’s employment gap is to be
closed, agribusinesses must find ways
to recruit younger hands.
This challenge was the focus of
my research as part of the Youth
Think Tank, a youth-led research
initiative in partnership with Restless
Development Uganda and the
Mastercard Foundation. In a recent
report, we examined the experiences
of young African agriculturalists
in seven countries. And what we
discovered is that the best way to entice
young people back to the farm is by
improving access to and engagement
with emerging technologies.
Many of the young people with
whom we spoke said that their biggest
obstacle to a career in farming is
learning the digital and technical
skills necessary to succeed in today’s
agricultural market. With technologies
like cloud computing, soil sensors, and
weather drones changing how food is
produced, packaged, and distributed,
digital literacy is as important as arable
land and high-quality seeds. It stands
to reason, then, that if more young
people could master digital skills, more
would find work in the field.
To understand how important
technology is to the young African
farmer, consider competition for land.
Most farmland is acquired through
hereditary or communal distribution
systems, and when new plots are
allocated, they are typically smaller
than those provided to previous
generations. To remain profitable,
younger growers must produce larger
crops from smaller spaces, which
requires innovation.
Our study found that in many cases,
the best solutions for young farmers
are already being designed by young
people. For example, in Kenya, one
vegetable grower turned her kitchen
44 June 15 - 21, 2018
garden into a vertical farm to increase
its output. Today, she runs her own
business designing, fabricating,
and installing similar structures
for a variety of customers. Another
interviewee created a mobile app to
help farmers connect with local seed
and fertiliser suppliers.
Unfortunately, these types of youth-
driven innovations rarely receive
the necessary political or financial
backing to make them viable and
scalable. Despite having great ideas,
most young agricultural innovators
do not feel supported in their efforts.
Young people can help solve Africa’s
unemployment challenges, but those
closest to the problem have yet to be
made part of the solution.
Our research suggests several
strategies to achieve this outcome. For
starters, young people need places to
engage with like-minded innovators.
Recognising this, policymakers and the
private sector should work together
to create incubation centers and
ideation hubs to help young people
build, discuss, and access farm-related
technologies.
Moreover, those who promote new
According to
the Food and
Agriculture
Organisation of
the United Nations,
the average age of
an African farmer
today is about 60,
while 60% of the
population is under
the age of 24
farm technologies should travel to the
places where young people gather, to
provide hands-on, audience-specific
training. If the newest farm gadgets
and tools are marketed only on social
media, as is often the case, uptake in
rural areas will remain weak.
Next, young people need access
to financial products and services
to help them turn their ideas into
marketable businesses. And, finally,
countries must find ways to involve
their youth in early stages of the
technology-development pipeline. As
the experience of the Kenyan gardener
illustrates, young people are often the
best judges of what will deliver long-
term, practical results.
Last year, I had the privilege of
presenting these findings at the
Global Youth Economic Opportunities
Summit in Washington, DC. I spoke
about the role young people play in
Africa’s economy, and the importance
of soliciting their views on the future
of African agriculture. It was an
important first step in bringing young
peoples’ ideas to the table.
But much work remains to be done.
According to the Food and Agriculture
Organisation of the United Nations,
the average age of an African farmer
today is about 60, while 60% of the
population is under the age of 24. To
breathe new life into Africa’s farms, the
entire industry must innovate. And, as
our research shows, the best way to do
that is by working much more closely
with those who have the most to gain
from progress.
Roselyn Mugo is a student of law at the
University of Nairobi and a member of the
2017-2018 Mastercard Foundation Youth
Think Tank.
Copyright: Project Syndicate, 2018.
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