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Makerere under Babies born to Why 2019 could be Uganda’s oil sector
Prof. Nawangwe mums with HIV good for businesses expects US$ 1bn

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FDC, Kadaga
face-off exposes
Among, Katuntu
Legal fight over COSASE looms

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Dec. 14 - 20 2018
INBOX

Issue No. 551 Dec. 14 - 20 2018

News analysis Business Health Arts Motoring

Cover story
FDC, Kadaga face-off exposes Among, Katuntu
Legal fight over COSASE looms

4 The Week
31 Comments
Cholera reported in
Kampala Museveni shouldn’t limit
alternative leaders
9 The Last Word
Museveni’s land politics: Why the
president’s defence of squatters is humane
but economically retrogressive
28 Health
Babies born to
mums with HIV, face higher
14 Analysis risks even though they’re HIV
negative
Makerere’s demigods: How Prof.
Nawangwe is creating a class of
untouchables at Uganda’s top varsity
34 Arts & Culture
20 Business
Book Review: African leaders
Why 2019 could be good and democratic rules
for businesses

STRATEGY & EDITORIAL DIRECTOR: Andrew M. Mwenda
MANAGING EDITOR: Joseph Were
INVESTIGATIONS EDITOR: Haggai Matsiko
BUSINESS EDITOR: Isaac Khisa
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2 Jan. 11 - 17, 2019

 Offline

St. Petersburg, Russia:

President Vladimir Putin fires
an artillery piece at noon
as part of a long standing
tradition, during his visit to
the Peter and Paul Fortress.

Rome, Italy: Pope Francis twirls

a soccer ball presented to him
by a member of the Circus of
Cuba during his weekly public
audience at the Vatican

Zhejiang, China: Workers

assemble power cables on
380-metre-tall pylons to
connect Zhoushan’s Jintang
and Cezi islands as part of an
ultra-high voltage project

Jan. 11 - 17, 2019 3

week

Ugandan wins
environmental
research grant
Ketty Adoch, a Ugandan
innovator in the Agriculture
sector has been named among
eleven innovators nominated
for the Artificial Intelligence
(AI) for Earth Innovation
Awards. Adoch, a geographical
information systems specialist
in agriculture works towards
monitoring change detection for
Land Cover Mapping around
the areas surrounding the Mur-
chison Falls National Park. Also
on the list of grants is Torsten
Bondo, a business development
manager and senior remote
sensing engineer from Denmark
who applies AI to improve crop
water efficiency in Uganda President Yoweri Museveni flags off phase one construction of the Kampala Flyover Project on
using machine learning. December 19, 2018 at Nakivubo Blue Primary School.
The Artificial Intelligence (AI)
for Earth Innovation Awards
are organized by Microsoft
and the National Geographic
Society (NGS), to provide funds
I wasn’t a member of Boda Boda 2010, Kitatta
to innovators for research on Former Boda Boda 2010 time of his arrest, he was at a Inspector General of Police
global environmental chal- patron Abdullah Kitatta hotel where he always held Kale Kayihura to give him
lenges in the key focus areas of started his defense at the meetings as a leader. security because his life was
climate, agriculture, water and army court in Makindye “My story can be in danger because of the
biodiversity conservation. on Jan.07. Kitatta who was verified by the nature of work he was doing
The grants are awarded to speaking in Luganda denied footage of the for the NRM.
research teams and organi- possessing any guns and hotel’s CCTV In December last year,
zations working across five said that he has never been camera. This a seven member panel
continents to advance scientific a member of the notorious is the only chaired by Court Mar-
exploration and research on Boda Boda 2010 motorcycle evidence tial boss Lt Gen Andrew
critical environmental chal- group but rather worked in that can save Gutti found Kitatta and
lenges with the power of Artifi- two offices – one of the ruling me from these his co-accused liable of the
cial Intelligence. National Resistance Move- allegations,” charges and asked them to
Each recipient will be given ment Party and another of the he said while prepare their defense against
access to Microsoft Azure and National Union of Drivers in the dock. With among others possession of
AI tools that includes in the Cyclists and Allied Workers further interroga- fire arms which are a preserve
National Geographic Explorer Association in Nateete. tions, he added that President of the defense forces.
community. He explained that at the Museveni had asked then

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 Week

Cholera reported in Kampala Soldiers attempt coup to oust

The Ministry of Health
confirmed on Jan.07 that two
cases had tested positive for
cholera and seven other sus-
pected samples were being
tested at the Central Public
Health Laboratories for fur-
ther analysis. The patients
who are being treated at the
China – Uganda Friendship
hospital in Naguru were
picked from Wankulukuku
in Rubaga Division in Kam-
pala after showing signs of
the bacterial infection.
Naguru hospital Execu-
tive Director Dr. Emmanuel
Batibwe said the patients
are responding to treat-
ment. “We have admitted
them in the isolation ward
and so far, they are stable
and responding to treat-
ment.” Last year, more than
four cholera outbreaks were
reported in the districts of
Kween, Kampala, Bulam-
Congo postpones election results
The Electoral Commission
of the Democratic Republic of
Congo announced on Jan.06
that results would not be
released as they had earlier
scheduled. Without giving a
new date, Corneille Nangaa
the head of the Electoral body
said tally sheets were trickling
in slowly and so it would not
be possible to release the results
and only asked citizens to
remain patient until all data is
consolidated.
Elections were held on
Dec.30 and now members of
the opposition and observers
are worried that this could be
buli, Mbale and Hoima. In
September 2018, the govern-
ment launched a national
cholera vaccination cam-
paign that aimed to vacci-
nate over one million people
in cholera prone areas.
With the scare in Kampala,
the public is being encour-
aged to be keen on symp-
toms like, diarrhea, fever,
vomiting, dehydration and
decreased urine output and
report any case for imme-
diate treatment. The disease
is easily transmitted in dirty
places as it’s caused by
eating food or drinks con-
taminated with a bacterium
called Vibrio cholera. Doc-
tors recommend increased
level of personal hygiene
especially hand washing
with clean water or use
of alcohol hand sanitizers
while executing duties and
before eating.
a trick by the ruling govern-
ment to have their handpicked
Emmanuel Ramazani Shadary
sail through. Although Presi-
dent Joseph Kabila could not
stand again, having already
served his constitutionally
mandated two terms and been
in power since 2001, he chose
Shadary to be his successor and
many in the opposition feel by
his winning, it will meet there
hasn’t been any change since he
is only a puppet. 21 candidates
stood to be elected in the presi-
dential election where more
than 46million Congolese regis-
tered to vote.
ailing Gabon president
A message was read out
on Jan.07 at state television
headquarters in Libreville
calling people to rise up
against President Ali Bongo
who is currently seeking
treatment for his stroke in
Morocco.
According to reports by
local media in Gabon, gun
shots were heard around the
state media headquarters
at about the same time as a
young man identifying him-
self as Lt Kelly Ondo Obiang
500 get Health Ministry scholarships
On Jan.04, the Ministry of
Health signed scholarship
agreements with over 500
students from 28 training
institutions from across the
country. The scholarships are
intended to improve skills in
the provision of Reproduc-
tive, Maternal, Neonatal,
Child and Adolescent Health
Services. The courses include
but are not limited to: Masters
in: Anaesthesia, Paediatrics,
Obstetrics, General Surgery,
Radiology, Pathology, Internal
Medicine, and Laboratory
Science. Bachelors include:
Anaesthesia and Bio Medical
Engineering. Other beneficia-
ries will pursue diplomas in
Midwifery, Anaesthesia, Child
and Adolescent Mental Health
among others.
Dr. Diana Atwiine, the Per-
manent Secretary in the Min-
istry said the recipients of the
and the deputy commander
of the Republican Guard, as
well as the head of a group
called the Patriotic Youth
Movement of the Gabo-
nese Defense and Security
Forces, began to read the
message. Later government
announced that the four had
been arrested and calm was
restored.
However, there has been
chaos in the country since
2016 when president Bongo
narrowly won the election.
scholarships will be reviewed
every year to see their progress
in the studies. “We are going
to require training institutions
to formally submit to us prog-
ress reports on the students
under your care along with
an invoice at the end of each
semester to enable us process
payments due in time for the
following semester”.
She said the Ministry of
Health is bonding the ben-
eficiary students to serve the
health sector in any part of the
country for a period equivalent
to the length of your course
and that those that get retakes
will not be paid for.
720 scholarships have
been offered under this
Shs7.94billion programme of
which 184 were awarded in
academic year 2017/18 and 536
have awarded this academic
year 2018/19.

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Week
Controversy over Bobi Wine’s new song based on popular christian hymn
Musician and politician Robert Kyagu-
lanyi Bobi Wine released a new song
dubbed ‘Tuliyambala Engule’ and sang
it at the Buganda Kingdom organized
Enkuuka show during which the Kabaka
usually closes the previous and usher his
subjects into the New Year. It has since
caught on especially among supporters
of the politician’s People Power move-
ment. With a tone similar to a hymn,
Bobiwine speaks of how Ugandans
will wear a crown when the struggle is
over and it includes re known pastor
and musician Wilson Bugembe, other
musicians King Saha, Ronald Mayinja,
Nubian Lee and Irene Ntale among
others. Politician Asuman Basalirwa is
also seen in the video.
However, after the song was released,
several pastors including Martin Ssempa
of Makerere Community Church and
Joseph Sserwadda of Victory Christian
Church who also heads the Born Again
Faith in Uganda came out to castigate the
musician for involving politics in matters
of religion. While Ssempa says Bobiwine
attempted to equate himself to Jesus, Ser-
wadda warned him to stop using God’s
property in blasphemous situations.
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Pastor Sserwadda Pastor Ssempa
Also, the State Minister in charge
peace and culture Peace Mutuuzo said
that government will soon start banning
political songs because to her the plat-
form seems to be getting misused by ele-
ments to push personal agenda.
Health Ministry awards scholarships to
over 500, bonds them to work here
On Jan.04, the Ministry of Health
signed scholarship agreements with over
500 students from 28 training institutions
from across the country. The scholar-
ships are intended to improve skills in
the provision of Reproductive, Maternal,
Neonatal, Child and Adolescent Health
Services. The courses include but are
not limited to: Masters in: Anaesthesia,
Paediatrics, Obstetrics, General Surgery,
Radiology, Pathology, Internal Medi-
cine, and Laboratory Science. Bachelors
include: Anaesthesia and Bio Medical
Engineering. Other beneficiaries will
pursue diplomas in Midwifery, Anaes-
thesia, Child and Adolescent Mental
Health among others.
Dr. Diana Atwiine, the Permanent Sec-
retary in the Ministry said the recipients
of the scholarships will be reviewed
every year to see their progress in the
studies. “We are going to require training
institutions to formally submit to us
progress reports on the students under
your care along with an invoice at the
end of each semester to enable us process
payments due in time for the following
semester”.
She said the Ministry of Health is
bonding the beneficiary students to
serve the health sector in any part of the
country for a period equivalent to the
length of your course and that those that
get retakes will not be paid for.
720 scholarships have been offered
under this Shs7.94billion programme of
which 184 were awarded in academic
year 2017/18 and 536 have awarded this
academic year 2018/19.
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Humour Did you know?

A bishop recently said President Yoweri Museveni was sent by God to bless and serve Uganda.

Going vegan could

improve sleep
Going vegan has many benefits.
First, there’s the obvious ‘you’re
not eating animals’, environmental
factors and improvements to your
health. On the latter, research has
linked veganism with benefits such
as lowered blood pressure and cho-
lesterol, as well as reducing rates of
heart disease, type 2 diabetes and
cancer. But there’s another advantage
too, that could help you in everyday
life. More specifically, your sleeping
patterns. Thanks to the specific diet,
veganism could be the key to a good
night’s rest, according to Neil Rob-
inson, who is the Chief Sleep Officer
Makerere Vice Chancellor Prof. Barnabas Nawangwe asked sacked lectures who had absconded at bed and mattress manufacturer,
from duty to return public funds they received for no work done. Sealy UK. Serotonin, tryptophan,
and melatonin are found in many
vegan foods, and these nifty chemi-
cals are imperative in helping you
snooze. Melatonin, a hormone that
all humans produce, is sometimes
also added into diets on its own
as a medicinal supplement to help
adjust the body clock when messing
with sleeping patterns (like suffering
heavy jet lag after a long flight). But
as Robinson points out, you can get
a natural dose of these elements
through foods that fit a vegan life-
style. So, what should you be eating?
Kale (sukuma wiki), bananas, ground
nuts, and avocado are some of the
healthy treats you should be having.

Kyadondo East MP Robert Kyagulanyi also known as Bobi Wine hugged and shook hands with
fellow musician Moses Ssali, also known as Bebe Cool.

Jan. 11 - 17, 2019 7

Allahabad, India: A Naga sadhu, or a Hindu holy man, has a smoke before participating in a procession towards the Triveni Sangam, the confluence of the
Ganges and Yamuna Rivers, ahead of the Kumbh Mela mass pilgrimage

Museveni’s land politics
By Andrew M. Mwenda
Why the president’s defence of squatters is
humane but economically retrogressive
D
uring his New Year speech, Presi-
dent Yoweri Museveni reiterated
his commitment to defend squat-
ters being evicted by “land grab-
bers”. Yet he also promised to protect the
ownership rights of title holders. In trying to
please both, Museveni may be doing good
politics but it is bad economics. Here is why.
At the heart of capitalist develop-
ment (all “advanced” countries in the
world today are capitalist) is the transi-
tion of most people’s livelihoods from
depending on agriculture to depending
on industry and moving from rural to
urban areas. The persistence of peasant
agriculture in Uganda as the main source
of livelihood for the vast majority of our
people is only a re-statement of our con-
tinued backwardness and poverty.
In most of Europe, the transition from
agriculture to industry was brutal. It
involved the forceful expropriation of
land from peasants to commercial inter-
ests. This paved way for commercial rela-
tions to penetrate and transform agrarian
structures. The expropriated peasants
were reunited to the land through the
initiative of capital. The other expropri-
ated peasants went into cities where,
destitute, they were willing to accept
substandard wages in factories. This
made growth of manufacturing possible,
thereby paving way for the industrialisa-
tion of Western Europe.
Contrary to ahistorical but popular
beliefs common most especially among
African elites and their cheer leaders in
the West, the rise of the West from poverty
to affluence was not initiated by kind and
benign leaders seeking to improve the wel-
fare of the vast majority of their citizens.
Rather it was championed by a very small,
selfish and greedy group of industrial-
ists, merchants and commercial farmers
who allied with the state to expropriate
ordinary peasants of their land and exploit
workers via substandard wages. Due to the
inhumanity of this process, Karl Marx said
capitalism came to the world “dripping
with the blood of labour”.
Pre-capitalist Europe was feudal; a
mode of production characterised by
land. Land was owned by landlords,
tilled by peasants. The peasant decided
what to produce e.g. rare chicken or
goats, plant beans or peas. He would pay
the landlord rent in kind or in money.
Thus those who owned land did not
The Last Word
control the production process i.e. did
not decide what to produce, using which
technology, in what quantities, and for
which market. Those who tilled the land
did not own it. This made feudalism ret-
rogressive because the owner of the asset
did not control the production process.
Capitalism is dynamic because it fuses
user and ownership rights.
In Uganda, the 1998 Land Act recreated
feudal relations in agriculture. It left the
holders of title as legal owners and gave
security of tenure to squatters by issuing
them “certificates of occupancy.” This
made both sides losers. While the tenant
has security of tenure via his certificate
of occupancy, the land is encumbered by
a title held by the landlord. The landlord
has title but it is also encumbered by the
certificate of occupancy of the squatter.
Under these circumstances, a bank
would find it difficult to lend anyone of
them because of these competing user
and ownership claims. Equally someone
trying to buy such land has to negotiate
with the user and the owner thereby
increasing transaction costs and creating
uncertainty. This undermines land as a
commodity that can be easily traded.
Capitalism is dynamic because it com-
moditises land and labour. In medieval
times, land and labour did not exist as
freely and easily traded commodities.
Labour existed only as human beings
and land as soil to be tilled. But the idea
of abstract land and abstract labour i.e. as
agents of production – impersonal, dehu-
manised economic entities, did not exist.
There were lands of course – estates,
manors, and principalities. But they were
not “real estate” as we know it today
available for buying and selling as the
occasion warranted. Land could be sold
under some circumstances (with many
strings attached) but was not gener-
ally for sale. Nobles owned land but no
self-respecting nobleman would sell his
estates – exactly the same way Museveni
cannot sell Karamoja to Kenya today.
The same situation pertained to labour.
The medieval world had serfs, peasants,
cobblers, journeymen, apprentices who
laboured. But these did not constitute
today’s vast network of job-seeking
individuals selling their services to the
highest bidder. The peasant tilled the
master’s land and paid rent in money or
in kind. The apprentice entered the ser-
Opinion
vice of his master and his hours of work,
pay or length of his apprenticeship were
regulated by the guild. There was no bar-
gaining between master and servant.
The situation pertaining to land and
labour in Uganda today that Museveni is
trying to protect is similar to this medi-
eval economically retrogressive feudal
system. The peasants Museveni is pro-
tecting do not hold land as real estate
i.e. a commodity to be bought and sold
as circumstances warrant. Rather they
hold it for its subsistence and customary
value. They use the land to meet their
subsistence needs, a factor that makes the
market secondary to their lives. The cus-
tomary value of land is embedded in the
fact that for many (if not most) peasants,
it is inconceivable to sell it. This is because
some have their graves on it and selling it
would offend the dead, anger their ances-
tral spirits or raise the ire of the gods.
Museveni may not realise that his
humane actions actually stifle progress
to commoditisation of both land and
labour. The persistence of the subsistence
economy makes it difficult to release
human beings in agriculture to be avail-
able for industry as labour. The peasant
will not accept to migrate to cities to earn
substandard wages in industry if he can
live by his garden.
Thus, in the short term, Museveni is
protecting the peasant’s current subsis-
tence. But this is at the price of crippling
the mechanism, brutal and dehuman-
ising though it is, that transforms the
peasant into an industrial proletariat.
And this process will, in the long term,
make the peasant better off. Secondly, it
is very difficult to create a large market
when peasants are self-sufficient i.e.
produce most of what they consume.
Without land, peasants meet their needs
purely from the market.
Rampant land grabbing is suggestive
that commercial agriculture is becoming
attractive business. In blocking land
grabbers, Museveni is being humane
but not developmental. There may be
humane ways to eliminate the peas-
antry but they are a very slow process.
Historically, this transformation has not
involved kissing and hugging. Musev-
eni’s saving grace is that Uganda’s poli-
tics may not allow short term costs that
make possible transformation in the long
term.
Jan. 11 - 17, 2019 9
cover story

FDC, Kadaga
face-off exposes
Among, Katuntu
Legal fight over COSASE looms

By Haggai Matsiko

Jan. 14 could see sparks in parliament in a dispute between Speaker Rebecca Kadaga and leaders of the
opposition over the tenure of the committee on Commissions, Statutory Authorities and State Enterprises
(COSASE).

10 Jan. 11 - 17, 2019


Speaker Kadaga addresses journalists. FILE PHOTO
L
ed by Bugweri County MP Abdul
Katuntu and his deputy, Bukedea
Woman MP Anita Among, COSASE
has become one of the most impor-
tant committees for its handling of what is
being billed as parliament’s biggest investi-
gation in many years; the investigation into
the central bank’s closure of seven defunct
banks, which started in October last year.
Leadership of COSASE has over time
become a platform of prestige, political
influence and posturing, and some say,
financial gain.
The committee’s tenure and that of 11
other committees expires on Jan.13 but
the Speaker has singled out COSASE and
indicated that she prefers its current leaders
to continue in their positions, a position
opposed by the Forum for Democratic
Change (FDC) which appointed them and
has shuffled them.
In the rules of parliament, the appoint-
ment of chairpersons of sectoral committees
such as COSASE is covered under Rule 184
which covers the “Composition of Sectoral
Committees”.
Section (2) of Rule 184 states that: “In
the selection of Members of Sectoral
Committees, the parties or organisations
represented in Parliament shall designate
through the Whips, Membership to Com-
mittees on the basis of party or organisation
representation in the House”.
Section (5) adds that: “Parties or organisa-
tions shall have powers to withdraw and
relocate members from individual commit-
tees.”
The function of whips in selecting chair-
persons of committees is also addressed
under section Rule 15 section (10) under
“Other functions of the Government Chief
Whip, Opposition Chief Whip and Party
Whip shall include—“(c) supplying lists of
Members to serve on Standing and sectoral
Committees”.
Opposition chief whip, Semujju Nganda
who shuffled the COSASE leadership, told
The Independent that as the opposition,
they would stick to the law and reject Kada-
ga’s move to extend Katuntu and Among’s
tenure.
“If they insist,” Nganda warned, “there
will be no COSASE come January 13. They
might go ahead with their investigation but
there will be no report. Someone will go to
court and it will be null and void.”
Katuntu is the problem
The Leader of Opposition, Gulu Woman
MP Betty Aol Ochan, told The Indepen-
dent that Katuntu’s approach is part of the
problem.
“If the issue was really that they had not
concluded their work,” Ochan said, “they
cover story
should have approached the Opposition
Chief Whip, who designates these roles
and made this point. This would have been
understandable.”
Instead, Ochan said, they skipped this
office and went direct to the Speaker cre-
ating a sense that they undermined the
other offices.
“When you do things in what appears to
be bad faith,” she told The Independent,
“you cause these kinds of unnecessary con-
flicts.”
She said her colleagues Katuntu and Anita
Among had “politicised the whole issue”.
But as the FDC leadership insisted on their
position, Kadaga told a press conference at
parliament that her decision would be final.
“I am the head of this institution and
my proposal is good for the institution,”
Kadaga said, “What we are doing is the
work for the people of Uganda not for par-
ties. COSASE is winding up on the Bank
of Uganda investigations. We expect them
to write the report and hand it over to the
House before they move.”
Ochan disagreed with Kadaga on this.
“I have enormous respect for her and I
agree that she is the head of parliament,
which makes her the custodian of our
laws,” Ochan told The Independent, “That
is why she should not be the one that abuse
the same laws and best practices.”
Jan. 11 - 17, 2019 11
cover story
For Ochan, respecting those practices
means respecting the offices below her. She
said that indeed that is why the speaker
previously wrote requesting and not com-
manding.
Going forward, the LoP said they would
be insisting on the rules and procedures.
“We know she has the power to bend
some rules,” Ochan said, “We will insist on
what is right and see how she handles the
situation.”
But Ochan appears to have a rebellion
in her ranks as Among and others appear
equally determined to have their way.
“We have one leader in Parliament,” she
said, “that is the Speaker. If she says we
leave, we have no problem. We have an
assignment that we must complete.”
Ssemujju Nganda
FDC fighting regime sympathisers
COSASE has become a hot potato for
its investigation into the central bank’s
closure of seven defunct banks, namely;
Teffe, Greenland Bank; formerly owned by
the late Sulaiman Kigundu, National Bank
of Commerce (NBC), formerly owned by
tycoon Amos Nzeyi, former Prime Minister,
12 Jan. 11 - 17, 2019
Amama Mbabazi, among others, Interna-
tional Bank, formerly owned by the Emma
Kato family, Cooperative Bank, Global
Trust Bank, and Crane Bank.
The COSASE team has over the last two
months revealed several excesses by offi-
cials at BoU notably that they closed and
sold the assets of these banks irregularly.
The committee had not concluded this
work by the end of the year and its tenure
and that of 11 others expires on Jan.13.
Realising that COSASE would not have
concluded by that time, Kadaga agreed and
that they be given more time and requested
the opposition leadership to allow the team
to go ahead until Feb.20.
However FDC, which as a result of
having the biggest number of opposition
MPs selects leaders of several committees,
Anita Among
declined the request.
They instead insisted that Katuntu and
his deputy, Among, step down and are
replaced by new appointees Kawempe
South MP Mubarak Munyagwa and
Rubaga North’s Moses Kasibante as
chairman and deputy respectively.
Semujju Nganda told The Independent
that as the opposition, they would stick to
the law in the face of Kadaga’s request “that
has since turned into a command”.
Asked whether he did not share in con-
cerns the change of the COSASE leadership
could affect the investigation, Nganda said
he stands for what is right and legal.
“I do not care who and what they affect,”
he told The Independent, “If you allow
these kinds of excuses you end up with a
situation where rules are always waived at
peoples’ whims.”
Semujju said that he had looked at the
rules guiding parliament and they did not
allow that sort of extension.
He said not even the Speaker of Parlia-
ment is allowed to extend the tenure once it
has come to an end.
More specifically on the investigation,
Semujju asked: “Who says those who are
taking over the leadership of COSASE
cannot do the work the current team has
been doing?”
“Katuntu has done very commendable
work,” Semujju said, “He is a fantastic
person but unfortunately the rules do not
allow that sort of extension.”
He added that as a way forward, he had
written to the Speaker advising that the new
team should go ahead and take office and
then co-opt Katuntu to conclude the inves-
tigation.
He cited a precedent to make his point.
When (former Deputy Chief Justice) Ste-
phen Kavuma’s term expired, Semujju said,
he was in the midst of handling election
petitions, the authorities did not say let
us extend your tenure. He left and other
people took over.
“Tenure always has to come to an end,”
Semujju added, “Sometimes people die. So
what do you do in case someone has died?”
He emphasised that their position was
that the tenure of all the 12 committees has
come to an end and they would go ahead
and reconstitute new ones.
While the impasse appears to affect only
two people—Katuntu and Among—it
has much wider implications according to
observers.
At one level, Kadaga has said that
replacing the two could jeopardise the

investigation into BoU, which is at a critical
point.
Katuntu and Among are also more knowl-
edgeable about BoU issues owing to their
involvement in the central bank’s affairs for
almost a year now.
President Museveni selected Katuntu to
lead a team to investigate a controversial
Feb.8 staff reshuffle at BoU. This investiga-
tion, which they concluded late last year
exposed them to the several other issues at
BoU that could be of use even as they inves-
tigate the closure of the seven banks and
write their report.
But for critics this might also be the
problem with Katuntu’s leadership. Some
suspect that his close association with BoU
over the year might have compromised him
and his team.
Matters are not helped by the fact that
Katuntu and Among are seen by hardcore
opposition as regime sympathisers even
though both of them are members of the
FDC.
Some have even claimed that President
Museveni has considered the two for cab-
inet positions in his effort to further poach
from the opposition. These claims are fueled
by the fact that the two have been closely
working with President Museveni on dif-
ferent things.
Divided opposition
The insistence by the FDC leadership to
kick Katuntu and Among out of COSASE
before they complete their investigation
could further drive a wedge between them
and the opposition leadership.
Already, there is no love lost. Months after
defeating General Mugisha Muntu to FDC
party presidency last year, Patrick Amuriat
Oboi, reshuffled opposition leadership in
parliament.
In that reshuffle, Betty Aol Ochan,
replaced Winnie Kizza as the Leader of
Opposition; Budadiri West MP Nandala
Mafabi replaced Angelina Ossege as the
leader of the Public Accounts Committee
(PAC).
Other Amuriat appointments included;
William Nzoghu, Busongora County North,
as a representative in the Pan-African Parlia-
ment, FrankaAkello, Agago Woman MP,
as the new head of the committee on Local
Government, Gilbert Olanya of Kilak South,
as her deputy and Kaps Hassan Fungaroo,
Obongi County MP, the new head of the
Public Assurance committee.
Most importantly, Oboi appointed
Munyagwa to replace Katuntu as the new
chairman COSASE with Kasibante as his
deputy.
“This wasn’t a reshuffle but a purge,”
Katuntu said immediately after the
reshuffle. Days later he said a purge was an
overstatement given that Semujju Nganda
who also supported Gen Mugisha Muntu
was retained as opposition chief whip.
A previous session of COSASE. FILE PHOTO
But it was not lost on many that indeed
what characterised Amuriat’s changes—
was that he used the changes to reward
loyalists, also known as the `defiance camp’
with allegiance to FDC stalwart Kizza
Besigye’s faction and a purge of those
opposed to them.
Initially the intention was to have all
affected by the changes quit office. But
many defied this position citing the law.
“Parliament is not run by Najjanakumbi
(FDC headquarters), we have rules of pro-
cedure and the head of parliament is the
speaker and she is the custodian of the rules
of procedure, when you look at the rule 146
on standing committee, they are supposed
to serve for two and half years,” Among
said at the time.
Indeed, it is on the basis of that rule that
leaders of standing committees stayed on
the job.
But the development had already esca-
lated tensions between those who stood to
lose the jobs and those who stood to gain
them.
“How many reports has Hon Katuntu
submitted on the plenary?” Munyagwa said
at the time, “Munyagwa will always follow
matters to their logical conclusion not this
business of exciting the public.”
In a bid to calm down the tempers,
Amuriat said the changes were intended
to give others a chance to serve. He also
said that he was guided by party loyalty in
picking the new group. The other factor, he
added, was contribution to the party finan-
cially.
What is significant to note, however, is
that this reshuffle triggered the exodus from
FDC by Muntu’s stalwarts.
“The best thing to ever happen to our
cause is this reshuffle or blunder,” former
FDC Secretary General Alice Alaso said on
WhatsApp group of Muntu loyalists, “The
sooner we build our outfit the better for us
and for this country.”
Indeed following the reshuffle, several
FDC legislators met and resolved to reject
cover story
positions and not make monthly contribu-
tions to the party.
They also agreed to form a pressure group
in parliament and support and campaign
for independent candidate Kassiano Wadri
in Arua Municipality. Wadri would later
trounce the FDC candidate. The party has
lost other four by-elections.
If the law did not provide that once a
legislator quits a party on whose ticket they
were voted, they lose their seats, insiders
say the MPs would have united with Gen.
Muntu to form a new political party and
quit the FDC.
Still in order to bypass the law, some of
the legislators have since been working
behind the scenes as part of the New For-
mation, an outfit formed by Muntu and
his loyalists which is aimed at building
momentum until 2020, when they can form
a political party and participate in elections.
It is against this background that observers
say the new tensions in parliament only
serve to further divide and weaken the
opposition.
These sorts of things are also at the heart
of why legislators Andrew Baryayanga of
Kabale Municipality and Medard Sseggona
of Busiro East are working on a Private
Member’s Bill intended at amending the
Administration of Parliament Act.
The FDC and the ruling party NRM
are opposed to the Bill because if it goes
through, it will give MPs powers to select
their own leaders as opposed to the current
arrangement where the parties they belong
to do. This would deal the opposition a big
blow.
Away from this, given their numbers—the
entire opposition controls under 30 per
cent of MPs in parliament, the opposition
has also tended to find strength in working
well with the speakership. If the current
fight damages that relationship, parliament,
FDC, and the entire opposition will be the
losers.
Jan. 11 - 17, 2019 13
News Analysis
Makerere’s
demigods
How Prof. Nawangwe is creating a class
of untouchables at Uganda’s top varsity
By Flavia Nassaka
P
rof. Barnabas Nawangwe, the 63-
year old vice chancellor of Mak-
erere University Kampala has a
tough job. The university is rarely
without a fire he must put out. Squeezed
by a cocktail of scandals, strikes, and mal-
administration, Nawangwe nonetheless
often attempts to cut a calming pose with
apt smile, neat navy blue suits, matching
university stripped ties, and a close-cut to
his balding head. But this ruse failed on
Jan.03.
He was addressing journalists a week
after he fired 45 teaching staff over
offences ranging from sexual harassment
of students, insubordination, fraud, and
absconding from duty among others. Riled
by Nawangwe’s decision, the sacked dons
had petitioned the Speaker of the national
parliament to get the decision reviewed,
and Nawangwe was not impressed. He
called a press conference and, in a move
that was likely to inflame the situation than
diffuse it, he revealed that lecturers he had
fired over absconding duty will now also
have to return salaries they earned without
working.
“We wonder why they had to run to
lawyers and parliament yet there’s a staff
tribunal where they can appeal if they feel
they weren’t fairly heard,” said the tense-
looking Nawangwe, “We can’t tolerate
staff working elsewhere and earning from
us without any service rendered. We are
going to write to them.”
The Independent has established that the
government remits about Shs122 billion to
the university annually to be added to col-
lections from paying private students and
donations and grants. In total, 75% of the
budget is spent on salaries and 25% is used
to undertake other activities.
Nawangwe said some of the beneficiaries
of the 75% have not worked for it and he
is ready to battle any free riders. He added
that the lecturers’ reaction to his recent
move is an indicator that they do not
want to be accountable and are now being
forced out of their comfort zone.
“What has been happening is that they
can choose to be absent, release results
14 Jan. 11 - 17, 2019
when they want,” he said, “This can’t con-
tinue happening.”
“We used the right legal processes to
reach this decision. We are ready to defend
ourselves if parliament summons us,” he
said.
Then he issued another warning; all staff
who speak ill of the university in public
will also be punished. It was not a harm-
less threat as some lecturers had already
learnt. One of these is Dr. Stella Nyanzi, a
popular activist and medical anthropolo-
gist with special interest in sexual anthro-
pology and youth health.
As Nawangwe spoke, Nyanzi was lan-
guishing in Luzira Maximum Security
Prison near Kampala on charges of cyber
harassment and offensive communication
against President Yoweri Museveni. The
university had earlier suspended her from
her job for allegedly insulting the First
Lady Janet Museveni.
Dr. James Ocita from the literature
department of the faculty of Arts is another
victim of Nawangwe’s tough rules on
speaking out. He was fired for alleged
slander and insubordination.
Ocita says in reality, his troubles arose
from him criticizing some leaders of the
university; including Nawangwe and Prof.
Mahmood Mamdani; the Director of Mak-
erere Institute of Social Research (MISR)
for abuse of office. Nyanzi is also from
MISR.
Ocita says he and many of his colleagues
were unfairly fired.
Silence voices
Nawangwe’s actions have had a chilling
effect on debate at the university.
A lecturer in the College of Humanities
who spoke on condition of anonymity for
fear of being punished described the situa-
tion tersely.
“You can’t speak out. You can’t get jus-
tice,” the don said, “Most of the colleges
are suffering in silence.”
The don referred to the case of Stella
Nyanzi who had to stage a controversial
nude protest out of frustration because she
was not listened to when she complained
about the poor leadership of Prof. Mam-
dani.
“I’ve realised what plagues Makerere is
the recycling of these same leaders. The
same people are given different positions
at different times. They just keep rotating
and covering for each other,” the don said,
adding that Makerere as an institution
needs a clean up to get rid of leaders who
feel they own the institution.
Dr. Deus Kamunyu Muhwezi, a lecturer
and head of the Makerere University Aca-
demic Staff Association (MUASA) agrees.
“Makerere is presided over by demi-
gods,” he told The Independent on Jan.06
after Nawangwe’s tough press confer-
ence.
“Even the visitation committee found
some of these leaders not deserving to hold
these positions. This institution should
be bigger than individuals but they will
tell you that I will deal with you and they
surely deal with you,” he said.
Muhwezi says although MUASA had
recommended that one Prof. Bruce Kabasa
who heads the appointments board to be
dropped because of his incompetence, the
University Council retained him in recent
appointments.
Makerere University has a record of
controversy from students, staff, and the
administration. Many controversies often
spill on the streets as students protest and
police chase them with teargas and batons.
President Museveni in November 2016
ordered the university closed over similar
issues and appointed a Visitation Com-

mittee headed by the late Dr. Abel Rwe-
deire that inquired into the affairs of the
university and recommended setting up
a dispute management system headed by
persons with a clean record.
But Muhwezi says lecturers do not trust
they can find justice in the tribunal. He
said the tribunal, which Nawangwe wants
them to run to, gave aggrieved lecturers
three days to submit their appeals and yet
the Employment Act provides for 14 days.
“Where is fairness there?” Muhwezi told
The Independent on Jan.06.
Some lecturers say to get to the bottom of
their grievances, a forensic audit needs to
be done and a review of all appointments.
They say that’s why they sent a petition to
parliament.
It is not clear how Nawangwe’s tough
handling of situations will affect such
behavior but it has disappointed some of
those who cheered when he was named
vice chancellor in August 2017.
Nawangwe had been the deputy of then
Vice Chancellor John Ddumba Ssentamu,
a mild-mannered gentleman who handled
administrative matters as delicately as a
glass dealer handling vases. Many called
for Ddumba’s removal and Nawangwe’s
entry because they argued, as deputy in
charge of Finance, Administration, and
Development; he possibly could manage
the challenges at the university better.
“They were mistaken,” says a lecturer,
“Nawangwe was there with a big posi-
Prof. Nawanga
tion when all this was happening. He did
nothing and he is now threatening people
by sacking and yet he knows it’s not the
solution.”
Many say Nawangwe should be focusing
more on putting place a credible system
for disputes management, handling strike
triggers, and improving quality of learning
instead of allowing to be used in “fighting
political wars”.
Nawangwe’s defence
Nawangwe could counter that with what
he has campaigned on; among others,
restoring the institution’s integrity, coming
up with a new policy against sexual
harassment, and implementing a new fees
policy.
He could argue that his zero tolerance to
indiscipline policy which partly involved
suspending students who take part in
endless strikes and punishing lecturers
by firing, is an extension of the same neat,
orderly, and disciplined attitude he adapts
everywhere; including in selecting his suits
and ties.
Of course, Nawangwe has always
favoured ties with thick red strikes that
evoke his love for authority and leader-
ship, and fiery coloured pocket-kerchiefs
to adorn his chest and reflect his hot side.
But Makererians are only seeing that
significance now. And they are accusing
him of being intolerant and dictatorial.
Many predict that the culture of chaos that
News Analysis
he had sought to eliminate might in fact
defeat him.
Nawangwe’s tough stance has its
admirers.
In an earlier interview, Prof Eli Katun-
guka- Rwakishaya who is the vice chan-
cellor of the second biggest university;
Kyambogo, in Kampala, told the Inde-
pendent that Makerere has a problem
of workers who earn without actually
working. He said one of the things the uni-
versity needed to do is to review the work
load of staff such that they can have appro-
priate numbers to match the work. He pro-
posed this in 2016 just after the President
had ordered closure of Makerere.
“The over a thousand lecturers at Mak-
erere don’t do research but have resorted
to trotting around the many private uni-
versities sprouting as they get free money
from government since they are employed
on permanent terms,” he said.
Katunguka proposed a complete over-
haul of the human resource system to
remove problems at the management level
created by the Universities and Tertiary
Institutions Act.
“It democratised management,” he said,
implying that is something bad. In fact,
he said, the Act needs to be amended
to ensure members of the University
Council –which is the top governing body,
are appointed by the government and
not elected as is the case today. He says
Council members should also be reduced
from the current 23 -26 members to 9-11
people.
Katunguka says vice chancellors, deans
and deputy vice chancellors of public
universities should be appointment by
the President of the country and vetted
by parliament instead of being elected
by Council. He says staff associations in
public universities should be regulated and
their powers reduced.
“With this administrators will shift from
fighting for their survival to working,” he
says, “There is a lot of infighting and sec-
tarianism. People at Makerere do nothing
but fight every day.”
Meanwhile, as the fighting rages, Mak-
erere University’s appeal and popularity
as a centre of academic excellence appears
to be suffering. Student numbers are dwin-
dling as many resort to other universities,
especially the paying private students.
The university currently has 39,000 stu-
dents, most of them self – sponsored but
the decline in the numbers has hurt the
institution financially too. For instance,
in the Financial Year 2015/2016 when the
university experienced numerous strikes,
it’s estimated that it lost up to Shs70billion
because of a reduction in paying students
numbers.
Jan. 11 - 17, 2019 15
 News Analysis
Negotiating infrastructure
deals with China
Four things African governments need to get right
President Xi Jinping at the Beijing Summit of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation 2018. EPA
Y
ou don’t negotiate with China !” I
was quickly told when I started in-
terviewing African public servants
about their infrastructure deals
with Beijing. There is a widespread view in
Africa that you accept whatever terms are
offered, for fear that the money might go
somewhere else instead.
China is the leading infrastructure
finance provider on the continent – as
demonstrated by a recent pledge of
US$60 billion (£47 billion), most of which
is for infrastructure projects. Big projects
on the slate include hydropower plants
in Angola and Guinea, an oil refinery in
Nigeria, and a new city in Egypt.
Yet, when you look closely at what hap-
pens on the ground, some African coun-
tries are much better at negotiating with
the Chinese than others. Railway proj-
16 Jan. 11 - 17, 2019
By Folashade Soule
ects in East Africa appear to be a good
example. In Kenya, the Standard Gauge
Railway is the largest infrastructure
project since independence from Britain
in 1963. China Eximbank provided most
of the finance for the first phase – 472
kilometres of track between Nairobi and
Mombasa – at a cost of US$3.2 billion.
In neighbouring Ethiopia, an electric
train line from Addis Ababa to Djibouti,
which is also Chinese-financed, opened
two years ago. The cost for this more
expensive type of railway was US$3.4
billion – for 756 kilometres. Kenya claims
that its railway cost more for reasons like
the terrain and the need to carry higher
volumes of cargo. At the same time, how-
ever, many believe other issues to have
been at play – including failures around
the negotiation process.
My ongoing research into China
funded infrastructure projects is con-
firming that African governments can
learn from best practice in this area. The
best deals depend on the following four
conditions being met.
1. Involve everyone
The process in Chinese deal-making
tends to go like this: Beijing will begin by
making financial pledges, often aimed
at a number of countries; these are fol-
lowed by meetings at state level between
a Chinese delegation and the African
head of state and their senior officials.
Infrastructure projects under discussion
have often already been passed over by
Western donors.
Once a project is broadly agreed, the
relevant Chinese contractors, mostly
 News Analysis
state owned enterprises, will typically
contact African civil servants in the
relevant branches of government to get
detailed negotiations underway – with
support from the Chinese trade mis-
sion and local embassy. Topics to be
discussed will include costs, but also the
use of materials and workers; technology
transfer; and the effect of national regula-
tions in areas like labour, construction,
and the environment.
In countries like Togo and Cameroon,
key ministries like finance, planning or
even the cabinet will lead the negotia-
tion. In the likes of Benin and Senegal,
the relevant technical ministry, such as
transport or housing, will lead instead or
take over. They are supposed to consult
with departments like finance and plan-
ning, but they often press ahead on their
own to speed up the process – sometimes
without any experience of dealing with
China.
In practice, such deals can be less ben-
eficial to the country in question. Where
one arm of government is not clear about
what another is doing, it increases the
potential for corruption – there has been New Kenya Railways locomotive. EPA
a corruption investigation in the case of
the new Kenyan railway, for example, ences in Chinese and African negotiating 3. Keep the public onside
and I have been told during my research styles.
that this was also linked to coordination The Chinese often adopt a take-it-or- China tends to be popular in Africa –
failures during the negotiations. leave-it approach. In many cases, Afri- more so than the U.S. in around 60% of
When all relevant government depart- cans are not confrontational enough in countries on the continent. Yet the public
ments are involved in a negotiation, it return. They don’t appreciate that China also see negatives: many think Chinese
does take longer. The process is more has a surplus of domestically produced products are poor quality, while there is
coherent, however, and the resulting materials they are seeking to offload, a growing perception that dealing with
project is less likely to breach national for example. Wiser negotiators will play China tends to favour Chinese labourers.
regulations. China off against other countries seeking African governments need to bear these
to finance infrastructure projects on the concerns in mind. If not, they risk being
2. Empower the negotiators continent, such as South Korea or the denounced by the media or civil society
The president or his senior advisors United Arab Emirates. organisations – as has happened in
also frequently intervene during negotia- Kenya over the railway, for instance.
tions. This is likely to be politically moti-
4. Increase knowledge
African
vated – a need to fulfill electoral prom-
ises around infrastructure development, African governments are still relatively
perhaps, or pressure from the Chinese new to dealing with China; they should
authorities.
Where civil servant negotiators are
governments are take every opportunity to share lessons
with one another. There is a role for
being pressed to hurry up, it can mean
that national regulations get ignored. In still relatively African universities here. They should
set up more centres of Asian studies to

Benin, for example, during negotiations
over road projects several years ago, the
Chinese contractors were unhappy about
certain conditions being imposed. Then
president Yayi Boni agreed to intervene
on their behalf to bypass national regu-
lations in areas including labour and
new to dealing
close the gap in information and knowl-
edge.
Some have argued in the past that
with China; they many African governments fail to
negotiate successfully with the Chinese
should take every because they lack a strategy. I actually
see plenty stratagems and tactics on the

construction. Such situations are best
avoided.
On the other hand, some outside
interventions can be positive. In Togo,
Senegal and Tunisia, and the current
government in Benin, I’ve seen examples
of the cabinet hiring international law
firms with experts who have worked in
the Chinese government and its develop-
ment banks. This can bridge the differ-
opportunity to
African side. What is required is a more
coordinated and coherent approach –
something China has been working on
share lessons from its own perspective. It is better for
African governments to have no deal
with one another. than a bad deal. With the right approach,
they can achieve much more than is often
thought to be the case.
Folashade Soule is a Senior Research
Associate, University of Oxford

Jan. 11 - 17, 2019 17

News Analysis
A model of the moon lander for China’s Chang’e 4 lunar probe. NET PHOTO
Will China’s moon landing
launch a new space race?
By Wendy Whitman Cobb
C
hina became the third country to
land a probe on the Moon on Jan.
2. But, more importantly, it became
the first to do so on the far side of
the moon, often called the dark side. The
ability to land on the far side of the moon is
a technical achievement in its own right, one
that neither Russia nor the United States has
pursued.
The probe, Chang’e 4, is symbolic of
the growth of the Chinese space pro-
gram and the capabilities it has amassed,
significant for China and for relations
among the great power across the world.
The consequences extend to the United
States as the Trump administration con-
siders global competition in space as well
as the future of space exploration.
One of the major drivers of U.S. space
policy historically has been competition
with Russia particularly in the context
of the Cold War. If China’s successes
18 Jan. 11 - 17, 2019
continue to accumulate, could the United
States find itself engaged in a new space
race?
China’s achievements in space
Like the U.S. and Russia, the People’s
Republic of China first engaged in space
activities during the development of bal-
listic missiles in the 1950s. While they did
benefit from some assistance from the
Soviet Union, China developed its space
program largely on its own. Far from
smooth sailing, Mao Zedong’s Great
Leap Forward and the Cultural Revolu-
tion disrupted this early programs.
The Chinese launched their first sat-
ellite in 1970. Following this, an early
human spaceflight program was put on
hold to focus on commercial satellite
applications. In 1978, Deng Xiaoping
articulated China’s space policy noting
that, as a developing country, China
would not take part in a space race.
Instead, China’s space efforts have
focused on both launch vehicles and
satellites - including communications,
remote sensing and meteorology.
This does not mean the Chinese were
not concerned about the global power
space efforts can generate. In 1992, they
concluded that having a space station
would be a major sign and source of
prestige in the 21st century. As such,
a human spaceflight program was re-
established leading to the development
of the Shenzhou spacecraft. The first Chi-
nese astronaut, or taikonaut, Yang Liwei,
was launched in 2003. In total, six Shen-
zhou missions have carried 12 taikonauts
into low earth orbit, including two to
China’s first space station, Tiangong-1.
In addition to human spaceflight, the
Chinese have also undertaken scientific
missions like Chang’e 4. Its first lunar
mission, Chang’e 1, orbited the moon
in October 2007 and a rover landed on
the moon in 2013. China’s future plans
include a new space station, a lunar base
 obituary
and possible sample return missions
from Mars.
The most notable feature of the Chinese
space program, especially compared
to the early American and Russian
programs, is its slow and steady pace.
Because of the secrecy that surrounds
many aspects of the Chinese space pro-
gram, its exact capabilities are unknown.
However, the program is likely on par
with its counterparts.
In terms of military applications, China
has also demonstrated significant skills.
In 2007, it undertook an anti-satellite
test, launching a ground-based missile to
destroy a failed weather satellite. While
successful, the test created a cloud of
orbital debris that continues to threaten
other satellites. The movie “Gravity”
illustrated the dangers space debris
poses to both satellites and humans. In
its 2018 report on the Chinese military,
the Department of Defense reported that
China’s military space program “con-
tinues to mature rapidly.”
Despite its capabilities, the U.S., unlike
other countries, has not engaged in any
substantial cooperation with China
because of national security concerns. In
fact, a 2011 law bans official contact with
Chinese space officials. Does this signal
a new space race between the U.S. and
China?
As a space policy researcher, I can say
the answer is yes and no. Some U.S.
officials, including Scott Pace, the execu-
tive secretary for the National Space
Council, are cautiously optimistic about
the potential for cooperation and do not Long March-3B rocket carrying Chang’e 4 lunar probe takes off from the Xichang Satellite Launch
see the beginning of a new space race.
NASA Administrator Jim Brindenstine ment for a new independent military onstrated, a greater global capacity for
recently met with the head of the Chinese branch, a Space Force. space exploration can also be beneficial
space program at the International Astro- Regardless, China’s abilities in space not only for saving stranded astronauts
nautical Conference in Germany and dis- are growing to the extent that is reflected but increasing knowledge about the uni-
cussed areas where China and the U.S. in popular culture. In Andy Weir’s 2011 verse where we all live. Even if China’s
can work together. However, increased novel “The Martian” and its later film rise heralds a new space race, not all con-
military presence in space might spark version, NASA turns to China to help sequences will be negative.
increased competition. The Trump rescue its stranded astronaut. While Wendy Whitman Cobb is Associate Professor
administration has used the threat posed competition can lead to advances in of Political Science, Cameron University
by China and Russia to support its argu- technology, as the first space race dem-

*terms and conditions apply

AfricellUG @AfricellUG

Jan. 11 - 17, 2019 19

Why 2019 could be
good for businesses
Local traders claim foreign nationals
involved in petty trade remains a
headache
By Isaac Khisa
Following the unexpected
past bad year for
businesses, there is a good
chance that this could be
reversed sometime this
year, some analysts say.
T
heir hope is that the economy, which
has shown signs of recovery, is likely
to remain sound to stimulate growth
of businesses.
But the risk is that inflation, which the cen-
tral bank has tried to control since last year,
could make a comeback in the course of the
year driven by a likely surge in food prices
due to unpredictable weather conditions.
Luckily, the conditions that pushed the
central bank rate to 10% as at the end of
2018, the lowest since 2011, still remain
the same and the economy is seem to be
still performing well, according to the
latest monetary policy report from Bank
of Uganda.
The Gross Domestic Product grew
between 7-8% for the first 10 months
of last year and is expected to sustain
growth going forward supported by
the ongoing investment in public infra-
structure such as the Karuma and Isimba
Hydropower dams.
Trade captains and analysts who spoke
to The Independent showed optimism for
growth of businesses in 2019 citing likely
improvement in the economy.
“We are coming from periods of slow
growth since 2016 but we have observed
some faster growth starting 2018 because
of the improvement in the agriculture
20 Jan. 11 - 17, 2019
sector that also feeds into our manufac-
turing sector,” said Gideon Badagawa,
the executive director at the Private
Sector Foundation of Uganda.
Data from World Bank shows that
Uganda’s economy is projected to grow
at 6% in 2018/19 compared with 4.5% in
2016/17 and 2.5% in 2015/16. The global
bank cites increase in investments in
various sectors across the country.
Badagawa said the agriculture and
tourism sectors expect to grow faster this
year subject to government’s involve-
ment seeking for viable markets.
The country’s agriculture sector has
been growing at about 2% per annum
over the last five years, which is well
below the population growth rate and
below the 3-5% growth rates in other East
African countries.
In the medium term, the agriculture
growth rate is expected to remain around
2.5%, assuming reasonable weather con-
ditions and no army worm infestations,
according to the World Bank, even as it
employs more than 70% of the popula-
tion.
Badagawa, however, said there has been
a hiccup in trade and commerce segment
especially in the importation of capital
equipment and machinery such as motor
vehicles since the government came up
with a law that prohibits import of motor
vehicles above 15 years.
The new shift, Badagawa, says trig-
gered a sharp decline in motor vehicle
imports since the end of last year, a
momentum expected to continue this
year.
Everest Kayondo, the outgoing
chairman for Kampala City Traders
Association says though they expect
businesses to thrive following projected
growth in the economy this year, their
worry is how the local population will
participate in this growth.
Beer production line at Nile Breweries Limited. The beer firm
“We hope that the issues surrounding
foreigners engaged in petty trade espe-
cially Chinese will be resolved,” he said
adding, “we engaged government last
year and we hope this will be concluded
this year.”
He says the government needs to come
up with a policy that clearly spells out
trading activities that foreign nationals
can engage in as it is in the neighbouring
countries such as Kenya.
“In Kenya, a foreign national cannot run
a hotel that is below 3 star hotels,” Kay-
ondo said.
Local traders have in the past two or so
years protested against foreign nationals
engaged in petty trade saying they are
driving them out of business.
On Nov. 08, 2016, traders in the
northern Uganda town of Lira refused to
open their shops for business protesting
what they termed as `unfair competi-
tion’ from foreign traders mainly those of
Indian origin.
In 2017, Kampala traders marched
around the city protesting Chinese
involvement in small businesses.
It is estimated that more than 600 for-
eigners, mainly of Chinese and Indian
origin trade in Uganda without the right
work permits or documents to operate

m has boosted capacity to meet the growing demand. COURTESY PHOTO.
businesses, according to the ministry of
trade.
Martin Okumu, the former director of
communication at the Uganda National
Chamber of Commerce and Industry and
now the executive director of Sapientia
Professional Consultants, however, says
growth of local businesses is likely to
remain unchanged as a result of high
foreign national
interest rates, high transportation and
energy costs.
“Interest rates of about 18-25% per
annum are relatively high to borrow,
import goods, sell and make a break-
even,” he said.
“Most countries including whose
nationals are in Uganda – Chinese and
Europeans –are lending at 2-5% per
annum. They buy goods from their own
countries and bring them to the Ugandan
market at a lower price because they
borrow their capital from their financial
institutions at low interest rates. This
benefit, unfortunately, is not there for the
local traders fighting for a share of the
same market.”
This comes as private sector credit,
though on a recovery path, remains below
its historical trend, and its contribution to
economic growth could be weighed down
by increased borrowing requirements and
business
the associated further increase in lending
rates.
Private sector credit was recorded at
10.5% as at the end of June 2018 com-
pared with 5.6% in the previous year due
to improving economic conditions.
Agriculture, personal and household
loans, and trade, together constituted
50% of the total private sector credit.
Okumu says realisation of Buy Uganda
Build Uganda (BUBU) policy could
cushion local traders and manufacturers
against cheaper imported foreign com-
modities.
“If all government entities could buy
commodities in Uganda such as statio-
nery from Picfare, we would save the
country from foreign currency woes and
help boost manufacturers capacity,”
Okumu said.
This, however, also faces a hurdle given
that the Bank of Uganda has persistently
opposed BUBU arguing that it contra-
venes the East African Community free
market protocol.
Going forward
Badagawa says there is need for gov-
ernment to come up with stabilisation
fund to help farmers remain in business
in periods of decline in commodity prices
as it has been with the recent case in Tan-
zania.
In November last year, the Tanzanian
government deployed military to buy
cashew nuts from farmers to solve a row
over prices.
President John Pombe Magufuli had a
month earlier ordered for a 94% increase
of the crop prices to Tshs3, 000 per kilo-
gramme to encourage farmers to grow the
crop.
In Kenya, a However, traders were reluctant to pur-
chase the commodity at the government
prescribed price as farmers halted the sale
of their crop for weeks, arguing that the
offers from private traders could not meet
cannot run a the production costs.
“Someone (government) needs to plan
hotel that is ahead on the quantities of crops that will
be produced so that farmers do not make
below 3 star
losses as prices falls,” Badagawa said,
in reference to government’s sponta-
neous response to save farmers plight in
hotels declining maize prices last year.
Patrick Mweheire, the Stanbic Bank
Chief Executive told The Independent last
month that the New Year is expected
to be good for businesses including the
banking industry, carrying on momentum
from 2018.
He said the growth in businesses
is likely to be driven by the expected
US$15-20bn investment in the oil and gas
industry ahead of production slated for
the next three-four years
Jan. 11 - 17, 2019 21
feature
Uganda’s oil sector expects
US$ 1bn investment in 2019
But will oil companies pump money into key infrastructure
projects to meet new first oil timeline?
By Ronald Musoke
U
ganda’s oil and gas industry is
expected to rake in investments
worth over US$ 1 billion this
year,according to senior energy
ministry officials.
The outlay for this year is part of the
close to US$20bn that the government
expects over the next three years as the
joint venture oil company partners step
up activities to commercialize Uganda’s
petroleum resources which were discov-
ered over a decade ago.
The development of the upstream proj-
ects are being taken forward by the three
joint venture partners, CNOOC Uganda
Ltd, Total E&P Uganda and Tullow
Uganda Operations Pty Ltd.
Eng. Irene Muloni, the Minister of
Energy and Mineral Development said
22 Jan. 11 - 17, 2019
recently that the government expects
a pick-up in activity in the sector this
year following a calm 2018 that involved
designs of key production infrastruc-
ture such as the East African Crude Oil
Pipeline and the two central processing
facilities.
She said the government has also
revised its timelines for first oil by 24
months to 2022 following a series of
missed deadlines.
According to the government’s original
road map, first oil was scheduled for
2020 but the joint venture oil companies
failed to submit their final investment
decisions in time. Muloni said the gov-
ernment had expected the key decisions
to be made latest end of 2017 or in the
first quarter of 2018.
“Unfortunately, it has not happened
and 2018 has come to an end,” Muloni
said, “That means Uganda’s first oil
shifts.”
At the time the government announced
the 2020 first oil timeline; many
observers said the schedule was quite
ambitious considering the range and cost
of infrastructure involved.
In the field, for instance, oil companies
needed to develop infrastructure to
produce the oil. These included drilling
and completing more than 400 wells,
setting up two central processing facili-
ties, laying of over 200km of in-field flow
lines, laying approximately 150km of
feeder pipelines, construction of base
camps and minor access roads, among
others.
Besides the crude oil pipeline and
refinery development, the oil companies
had to do Front End Engineering Designs
before making their final investment

An Oil rig in Western Uganda during the
exploration phase. Uganda is now headed for a
critical oil development phase. FILE PHOTO.
decisions for the two central processing
facilities.
These include the Tilenga project which
covers Buliisa and Nwoya districts and
the Kingfisher project which covers
Hoima and Kikuube districts—both esti-
mated to cost about US$ 8 billion.
The Tilenga project will have a pro-
cessing facility with capacity of up to
190,000 barrels of oil per day and the
Kingfisher project, 40,000 barrels per
day. These processing facilities will feed
into the refinery and the 1,445km crude
oil pipeline.
But putting in place the essential mid-
stream infrastructure, including a 60,000
barrels per day Greenfield refinery, a
crude oil export pipeline and a products
pipeline—facilities needed almost at the
same time— has proved difficult.
The government only managed to find
investors for the US$4bn oil refinery in
Hoima in April, last year, following the
signing of a project framework agree-
ment between the government and a
consortium of companies led by the US
giant, General Electric (G.E).
The Albertine Graben Refinery Con-
sortium is comprised of YAATRA Africa
(Mauritius), Lionworks Group Limited
(Mauritius), Nuovo Pignone Interna-
tional SRL (a General Electric company
domiciled in Italy) and SAIPEM SPA
(Italy).
Josephine Wapakhabulo, the Chief
Executive Officer at the Uganda National
Oil Company (UNOC) referred to the
signing ceremony as a “game changer”
for the country.
But the agreement only became effec-
tive from Sept.7, 2018, and the con-
sortium is now undertaking technical
studies (FEED and ESIA) together with
other pre-FID activities such as devel-
oping a financing strategy, financial
modelling, raising capital and risk anal-
ysis and the supply and demand consid-
erations for the project.
Muloni said the government has given
the refinery consortium a maximum of
two years to reach a FID after which
they will embark on construction of the
refinery. It is expected to be ready in
2023.
The energy minister says Uganda has
also made progress with the construction
of the US$3.5bn East Africa Crude Oil
Pipeline (EACOP) which is a 1445 heated
pipeline from Hoima in mid-western
Uganda to the Indian Ocean port of
Tanga in Tanzania.
Muloni says the FEED for the crude
pipeline was finalized last year and
submitted to the government. However,
the two neighbouring states spent 2018
negotiating with the JV partners on how
the crude export pipeline should be
developed.
So far, four rounds of negotiations
of the host government agreements
between the government of Uganda and
the lead project sponsors have been held
since February, 2018, but there remains
“sticking issues” on the economic model
of the project and the allocation of
pumped oil to both the refinery and the
EACOP.
Muloni says she expects the host gov-
ernment agreements to be signed “soon”
Tilenga will
process up
to 190,000
barrels of oil
per day
feature
so construction of the pipeline can start.
“We have gone a long way but there
are a few areas that we have not agreed
on because there are still a few points to
agree on,” She said, “We expected the JV
partners to make their FID to allow the
construction of the pipeline.”
“We have invested a lot of time into this
process (and) I am confident that we will
achieve a win-win situation.”
Another stumbling block between the
government and the JV partners has
revolved around Tullow Uganda Pty
Ltd’s farm down of its stake in Uganda’s
oil operations.
Although Tullow entered into a sale
and purchase agreement to farm down
21.5% of the participating interests to
Total and CNOOC for up to US$900 mil-
lion, it appears negotiations over how
much capital gains tax is due the govern-
ment has been quite contentious.
When the transaction goes ahead,
Tullow will remain with 11.7% partici-
pating interest and a non-operator.
However, Muloni says, she gave “con-
ditional consent” on Nov.21, last year,
for the transaction to proceed, subject
to Tullow’s payment of the tax obliga-
tions as assessed by the Uganda Revenue
Authority (URA). The URA says Tullow
must pay US$ 167 million.
“For me, as a licensee, I have given con-
ditional consent to this transaction sub-
ject to payment of the tax obligation as
assessed by URA,” Muloni said, “What
now remains is that once this transaction
gets out of the way, the companies need
to make a final investment decision.”
“Producing oil involves many stake-
holders each with a key role and time-
lines to meet. That is why these pains-
taking decisions have been taking long,”
Muloni said.
Government remains upbeat
She, however, remains upbeat, saying
Ugandans should appreciate the signifi-
cant progress made so far in taking for-
ward the key projects leading to first oil.
“We have already fallen off the
schedule by a year. If we can catch up,
then we can look at the tail end of 2021
or at least a slight cross into 2022.”
“As a country, our primary focus
should be on ensuring that the journey
towards first oil is one that brings in
maximum benefit to the country, by
ensuring that the oil and gas resources
are produced efficiently, and that Ugan-
dans can competitively participate
through provision of goods and ser-
vices.”
“There is no short cut for a country
whose agenda is sustainable exploitation
of natural resources in order to create
lasting value for society.”
Jan. 11 - 17, 2019 23
Executive
business Style
Migration can stir economic growth
Give us a brief overview of
migration in Africa currently.
Who is migrating and where
to?
Overall, migration in Africa
is dominated by Africans
moving within Africa. They
move mostly to neighbour-
ing countries, or within the
same region. Africa’s share of
global migration, which over-
all stands at 258 million, are
36 million people of which 19
million move within the con-
tinent and 17 million move
outside Africa.
What does that mean?
It means African migration
is predominantly pan-Afri-
can, with about 53% of total
movements originating from
Africa and staying within the
continent. That shows that
African countries can simul-
taneously be source, transit
and destination countries.
Africa has one of the busiest
movement corridors, the fifth
largest in the world. There are
migratory movements that have
been well-established for many
years and connect migrants
with destination countries
because of historical, linguistic,
religious or cultural ties.
What are the major migratory
routes?
Most of the contemporary
movement in Africa is struc-
tured around three or four
migratory routes. First, we have
the Horn of Africa migratory
route, which is the most domi-
nant in the East African region.
It starts from the Horn—Soma-
lia, Ethiopia, Eritrea—then goes
through Sudan into Libya and
then across the Mediterranean
to Italy or Malta.
The second is the West Africa
route, starting from countries
such as Nigeria, the Gambia,
Côte d’Ivoire and Burkina Faso,
then going through Niger to
Algeria, then predominantly to
Libya. Agadir is the main con-
nection point from where they
move to Libya.
The third route is from East
Africa to South Africa through
Tanzania, Mozambique and
Malawi, with South Africa
24 Jan. 11 - 17, 2019
being the magnet.
The fourth is the Gulf of
Aden route. Here we have
people coming from mainly
Somalia and Ethiopia, going
to Djibouti as a transit point to
Yemen.
Who in Africa is migrating
most?
These routes are populated
by young people. About 60%
of people in irregular migra-
tion are young people, many of
them under 20 years and some
unaccompanied. The rest fall
into the 25 to 35 age bracket.
Are there more men or women
moving?
Of the 258 million migrants
globally, about 48% are female.
Within Africa the percentage
tends to drop a little bit, but
we could safely say 45% of all
African migrants are female.  becoming a commodity in the
We are, however, seeing an
increasing “feminization” of the
process because some women
are participating as breadwin-
ners, seeking employment in
new places. It is no longer like
before, where men would leave
home and women would stay
behind.
Migration is
at the heart of
every discussion
on sustainable
development
in Africa. Africa
Renewal’s
Zipporah Musau
spoke to Ashraf
El Nour, the
Director of the
International
Organization for
Migration (IOM)
Office to the UN
in New York.
We have seen images of mi-
grants in the Sahara Desert…
These are mostly nonorga-
nized movements facilitated
by smugglers and human traf-
fickers. They don’t go through
internationally recognized
borders. It’s a big business tar-
geting young people who can-
not easily get passports, visas
or tickets, and the only other
option is to look for recruit-
ers who promise them a job
and organize the smuggling
from one country to another,
from one group of smugglers
to another. In the process the
migrants are put at risk and
some of them are even kid-
napped for ransom.
What main challenges do mi-
grants face?
One is the “commodifica-
tion” of migrants. Migrants
hands of smugglers and human
traffickers as they pay for the
journey. Human trafficking
and smuggling is becoming
a big business in Africa, and
law enforcement cannot cope
because it is lucrative and there
are more people getting into
this field.
Again, with many women
and girls on the move now,
gender-based violence (GBV)
is becoming rampant, some-
thing that certainly worries us.
We are also seeing situations
where migrants have their body
organs harvested.
What economic gains do they
bring to host countries?
Migration has always been
historically positive and plays
a constructive role as a catalyst
of economic growth, a driver of
population dynamics around
the world and a blender enrich-
ing world culture and human
heritage and civilizations.
Migrant workers across all skill
ranges fill labour market gaps,
promote trade and investment
and bring innovation, skills and
knowledge to both host and
origin countries. If you look at
the recent report by the McK-
enzie Institute [International],
migrants contributed roughly
$6.7 trillion to the global GDP
output in 2015, which is $3 tril-
lion higher than they would
have produced had they stayed
home. The other benefit is the
remittances. In 2017 the World
Bank estimated that remit-
tances by migrants globally
stood at $596 billion, of which
$466 billion went to develop-
ing countries, including Africa.
Remittances to sub-Saharan
Africa accelerated 11.4 % to $38
billion in 2017. Migrants also
contribute to the transfer of
knowledge and the enriching of
civilization.
Tell us about non-Africans
moving into Africa.
IOM estimates that 2.3 mil-
lion non-African migrants
have established themselves in
Africa. The majority of them
are of Asian and European
descent. Some of the Europeans
migrated after World War II
and settled in Africa—South
Africa is a good example.
There is also a large number of
Asians, predominantly Indians,
brought in during the colonial
time to construct railways. Most
recently we have the Chinese.
The China model of investment
brings not only the money but
also people to do the job.
 INSURANCE
IRA licenses 114
insurance players
I
nsurance Regulatory Authority has
licenced 114 players to carryout insur-
ance business this year. These includes
32 insurance companies; one Micro
Insurance firm, one re-insurer, five Health
Membership Organizations (HMOs), 35
insurance brokers, two re-insurance brokers
and 24 Loss Assessors, adjusters, insureance
surveyors and risk advisors.
The Authority also licensed fourteen com-
mercial banks and two credit institutions to
sell insurance products to their clients. The
Authority renews licences of all insurance
players annually as a way of scrutinizing
their suitability and therefore protect the
interests of policyholders and beneficiaries.
However, effective next year, the Author-
ity will start issuing perpetual licenses and
as such the licenses issued will remain in
force until suspended, varied or revoked, as
per Section 44 (2) of the Insurance Act 2017.
“The public is advised to deal with only
licensed insurance players,” the Authority
said in a statement.
ACCOUNTING
ICPAU ready for new
reporting standards
T
he Institute of Certified Public Ac-
countants of Uganda and its mem-
bers are ready to implement the new
international accounting standards
that took effect at the beginning of this year,
according to Frederick Kibeddi (CPA), the
president and Ruth Nseko, the vice presi-
dent of the Institute. The standards include
IFR9, IFR 15 and IFR 16. The standards
have to do with monitoring of commercial
loans and their servicing and provisions for
leasing of property among other things. The
Institute’s executives said the new standards
will reduce fraudulent reporting and related
criminal accounting practices. They said
implementing these standards will ensure
that companies grow and hence create vari-
ous opportunities including jobs.
The duo was speaking to The Independent
on the sidelines of an event for releasing the
ELECTRICITY
Electricity tariffs drop
E
lectricity Regulatory Authority has
reduced power tariffs for consumers
due strengthening shilling and eas-
ing inflation.
The domestic consumer tariff has been
reduced by Shs 0.5 from Shs 769.5 shillings
of the 2018 fourth quarters to Shs 769 of the
first quarter of 2019.
AVIATION
Uganda revises aviation law
E
lectricity Regulatory Authority has
reduced power tariffs for consum-
ers due strengthening shilling and
easing inflation.
The domestic consumer tariff has been
reduced by Shs 0.5 from Shs 769.5 shillings
of the 2018 fourth quarters to Shs 769 of
the first quarter of 2019.
The average tariff for the commercial
consumers has been reduced by Shs 1.3
from Shs 686.1 of last quarter of 2018 to
684.8 of first quarter of this year.
Medium industrial consumers have
been rewarded with a Shs 1.2 reduction
from average tariff of Shs 614.4 of fourth
2018 quarter to Shs 613.2 during the same
period under review.
The tariffs for large industrial consum-
ers reduced by Shs 4.3 from average of Shs
382 of 2018 last quarter to Shs 377.7 for the
first quarter of 2019. Extra-large industrial
consumers’ tariff reduced by 0.6 shillings
from average 312.5 of 2019 last quarter to
311.9 shillings.
Ruth Nseko and Frederick Kibeddi
November examinations for accounting stu-
dents on Jan.03 in Kampala.
The results included those for Accounting
Technicians Diploma (ATD), Certified Public
Accountants (CPA), and Certified Tax Advi-
sor (CTA) courses. A total of 6,202 candidates
attempted the examinations compared to
6, 139 candidates who sat for the June, 2018
examinations. The average pass rate for the
three courses was 47.4% compared to 40.3%
for June 2018.
The average tariff for the commercial con-
sumers has been reduced by Shs 1.3 from
Shs 686.1 of last quarter of 2018 to 684.8 of
first quarter of this year.
Medium industrial consumers have been
rewarded with a Shs 1.2 reduction from
average tariff of Shs 614.4 of fourth 2018
quarter to Shs 613.2 during the same period
under review.
ENTREPRENEURSHIP
TEF opens applications
for 5th Entrepreneurship
Programme
T
he Tony Elumelu Founda-
tion, the leading African-funded
and founded philanthropy com-
mitted to empowering African
entrepreneurs, is now accepting applica-
tions for the 2019 cohort of the TEF En-
trepreneurship Programme.
 The Programme is a 10-year, $100 million
commitment to identify, train, mentor
and fund 10,000 African entrepreneurs.
The Programme’s objective is to gener-
ate at least 1,000,000 new jobs and create
at least $10
billion in
new busi-
ness revenue
across Africa.
Founder
and UBA
Chairper-
son, Tony
O. Elumelu,
said “The
private sector
must be the
core driver Tony Elumelu
of Africa’s
economic transformation, but this sector
cannot attain its full potential if entre-
preneurs are left behind.”
Now in its 5th year, the TEF Entrepre-
neurship Programme has empowered
4,470 entrepreneurs, using a bespoke
and robust selection, training and imple-
mentation process to create visible and
sustainable impact across all 54 African
countries.
Last year, over 2,210 Ugandans entre-
preneurs applied for the program, rank-
ing Uganda the third highest after Nige-
ria and Kenya in submissions, with a
total of 126 successful applicants receiv-
ing US$5000 as seed capital.
The tariffs for large industrial consumers
reduced by Shs 4.3 from average of Shs 382
of 2018 last quarter to Shs 377.7 for the first
quarter of 2019. Extra-large industrial con-
sumers’ tariff reduced by 0.6 shillings from
average 312.5 of 2019 last quarter to 311.9
shillings.
Jan. 11 - 17, 2019 25
Business
Ongoing construction of Isimba HydrDam on River Nile. COURTESY PHOTO.
Uganda’s electricity boom
New generations could trigger a drop in tariffs
By Julius Businge
U
ganda government is expected to
commission Isimba and Karuma
hydropower dams this year as one
big step towards boosting the elec-
tricity supply in the country.
The commissioning of the two hydro-
power plants with a combined capacity of
783MW will see the country’s installed elec-
tricity generation capacity increase from the
current 955MW to 1,738MW.
This development is expected to reduce
on the power cuts as well as drive the elec-
tricity cost downwards amidst the growing
demand from commercial and domestic
consumers.
Currently, the average electricity retail
base tariff rates applicable for the year 2019
as announced by the Electricity Regulatory
Authority (ERA) on December 24, 2018 for
the various consumer categories include;
Shs769 per kWh for domestic consumers,
Shs684.8 per kWh for commercial consum-
ers, Shs613 per kWh for medium industrial
consumers and Shs377.7 per kWh for large
industrial consumers.
Other are Shs311.9 per kWh for extra-
large industrial consumers and Shs751.1 per
kWh for street lighting.
The Chief Executive Officer of the ERA,
Ziria Tibalwa Waako told The Independent
in an interview that “2019 is a glittering year
because of the infrastructure that is coming
onboard and the positives that it brings.”
She also said key players in the sector
including power distributor Umeme and
transmitters would expect to invest more in
the infrastructure this year to facilitate elec-
tricity distribution to consumers.
The country had 1.3million electricity
consumers connected to the national grid
as at the end of September 2018, up from
26 Jan. 11 - 17, 2019
approximately 1.18million as at the end of
2017, according to ERA.
Tibalwa said key transmission lines that
are under construction including Tororo-
Opuyo-Lira, Bujagali-Tororo, Kawanda-
Karuma, Karuma-Lira and Kawanda-Kap-
eeka are expected to be completed this year.
ERA’s Manager for Communication,
Julius Wandera, said many areas country-
wide including northern region that has
been experiencing repeated power outages
will benefit from the new infrastructure that
is being constructed.
“From a regulator’s point of view
there are headaches that are going to be
answered…because of that infrastructure
coming onboard,” he said.
Wandera said the regulator expects con-
tinued refurbishment of the ageing Jinja
based Nalubaale Power Station, formerly
known as Owen Falls Dam to ensure con-
tinued supply of electricity from the facility
to the national grid.
Meanwhile, Tibalwa said they support
government initiatives geared towards
growing electricity demand and supply
including ‘the energy rebate policy’ and the
‘electricity connection policy.’
Energy rebate policy deals with electricity
compensation to an individual or firm that
designs, finances and constructs electricity
distribution infrastructure in an area that is
not connected to the national electricity grid.
Tibalwa said the policy would continue
to encourage industrial customers in 2019
including medium industrial, large indus-
trial and extra large industrial customers to
invest in the electricity network.
She said more efforts will be geared
towards implementation of the 2018 gov-
ernment policy to connect consumers at no
cost. The policy implementation is expected
to increase consumer’s access to electricity
from the current 20% to 30% at the end of
this year and 60% by 2027.
“ERA urges all qualifying Ugandan
households to embrace the policy and get
connected to electricity which shall in turn
increase electricity consumption in both
short and long term,” Tibalwa said
Only consumers whose houses are
located 30 to 90 meters from an existing
power distribution line qualify for free
connections provided that their houses are
wired by certified electricians, according to
the policy.
The regulator also expects that the newly
licensed mini-grids and off-grids small
power plants in different parts of the coun-
try will allow more households and institu-
tions to access power.
They include; the 0.3MW Kisizi hospital
mini hydro-power plant, the 0.1 Bwindi
Mini-hydro power plant, the 0.04 Swuam
Community Micro-Hydro-power plant
in Bukwo, the 0.05MW Pamoja energy
power plant in Kamwenge, the 0.05MW
Muduuma Biomass plant in Mpigi and
the 0.23MW Kitobo small power plant on
Kitobo Island.
Others expected to be constructed in
2019 include the 0.1MW plant in Bukasa
Island and the 0.03MW plant in Bunjako in
Mpigi district.
ERA is developing a framework for
regulation of these mini-grids to ensure
they operate within agreeable terms and
conditions and in line with the country’s
electricity framework.
The Uganda Manufacturers Association
Executive Director, Daniel Birungi told The
Independent that they would continue to
engage government on key policies geared
towards lowering power tariffs and elec-
tricity extension in their areas of operation
to ease the cost of doing business.
 Business

Private sector activities rise

U
By Isaac Khisa rising costs of operations.
He said the performance
ganda’s private suggests that the underlying
sector activ- demand has significantly
ity increased improved and perhaps also
for December justifies the Monetary Policy
2018 signalling Committee maintaining a
improved busi- hawkish bias in light of these
ness environment. The Stanbic risks that could feed through
Bank Purchasing Manager’s into core inflation.
Index (PMI) for manufacturing Last month, the Bank of
and services rose to 56.6 for Uganda maintained its cen-
December from 55.7 recorded tral bank rate at 10 % saying
in the previous month owed to the outlook for inflation had
increased demand for various improved. The bank’s head
products and services. Any- of Fixed Income, Benoni
thing above 50 denotes growth; Okwenje said overall input
Airtel Uganda acting Marketing Director, Michael Lukyamuzi (R) hands over a brand anything below, contraction. prices increased again in
new motorcycle to the telecom’s mobile money agent from Zigoti Electrical Uganda This triggered companies December, with rises in both
Limited, George Ssenoga, in the ongoing Beera Millionaire with Airtel Money to increase their staffing purchase prices and staff
promo. COURTESY PHOTO. levels, purchasing activity costs contributing to overall
and inventories during the inflation.
month. Four of the five “Where purchase prices
broad sectors covered by rose, companies reported
the survey – agriculture, higher fuel costs and
industry, construction, increased prices for raw
wholesale & retail and ser- materials such as food items
vices sectors – saw employ- and cement,” he said.
ment rise, the exception The survey, sponsored by
being construction. Stanbic Bank and produced
Commenting on the survey by IHS Markit, has been
findings, Jibran Qureishi, the conducted since June 2016
regional economist E.A at and covers the agriculture,
Stanbic Bank said it has been industry, construction,
a strong finish for the private wholesale & retail and ser-
sector in 2018 despite of the vices sectors.
Dimension Data East Africa General Manager, Ndung’u Kahindo (L) and Ted
Ogonda, the Engineering Manager in charge of sub-Saharan Africa at Cisco
Systems, Kenya, address the media on business opportunities for 2019.
Dimension Data East Africa plans to launch its digital business solutions
including big data and analytics, artificial intelligence and machine learning
technologies this year. Courtesy Photo.
Weekly share price movement (Jan. 04, 2018)
Security Dec. 03 Jan. 04 Movement
BATU 30,000 30000 00
BABU 138 139 -0.7
CENT 1,071 980 9.2
QCL 190 249 -23.6
DFCU 822 845 -2.7
EABL 6,313 6,862 -8.0
EBL 1,242 1,434 -13.3
JHL 15,259 13,507 12.9
KA 319 347 -8.0
KCB 1,350 1,434 -5.8
NIC 14 15 -6.6
NMG 2,386 2,487 -4.0
NVL 338 337 0.2
Kenya’s Cabinet Secretary for Industrialization, Trade and
SBU 30 31 3.2
Cooperatives, Peter Munya, looks at some of the products during the
UCHM 29 24 20.8
recently concluded 19th EAC Jua Kali-Nguvu Kazi exhibition held at the
Eldoret Sports Club in Uasin Gishu County. Courtesy Photo. UCL 19 20 -5
UMEME 320 321 -0.3
ALSI -- -- --

Jan. 11 - 17, 2019 27

By Amy Slogrove, Kathleen M. Powis & Mary-Ann
O
Davies
ne of the most remarkable
public health successes of
the last decade in south-
ern Africa has been the
reduction in the number
of babies born with HIV.
This was achieved through the provision
of antiretroviral therapy to pregnant and
breastfeeding women living with HIV. For
example, the number of new HIV infections
in children in South Africa has come down
from a peak of 70 000 in 2003 to 13 000 in
2017.
Nevertheless, worldwide there are still an
estimated 14.8 million children under the
age of 15 who were born HIV uninfected
but have been exposed to their mother’s
HIV during pregnancy.
A staggering 30% of pregnant women in
South Africa have HIV. Their infants are
exposed to both HIV and antiretroviral
drugs during pregnancy and breastfeeding.
HIV-exposed but uninfected children don’t
have HIV, so what’s the big deal?
It is a big deal because HIV-uninfected
children born to mothers with HIV are
prone to infections that are more severe, are
at almost two times greater risk of dying
before their first birthday, and are more
likely to be born prematurely than children
born to mothers without HIV.
In our recent study we set out to try and
quantify the contribution of deaths in
HIV-exposed but uninfected infants to the
overall infant mortality rates in Botswana
and South Africa.
What we found was that because children
born to mothers with HIV make up almost
1 in every 4 infants in Botswana and South
Africa, and because they die more often
than children born to mothers without HIV
– even when they are HIV-uninfected them-
selves – this contributed to a higher infant
mortality rate in both countries.
The risks
Even when they’re not HIV infected, chil-
dren born to women with HIV experience a
complex package of detrimental exposures.
For example, HIV-exposed but uninfected
infants are still more often born preterm or
of low birth weight. This increases their risk
for complications and death early in life.
They are also exposed to more infectious
pathogens in the home such as tuberculosis.
There are other problems too. Breast-
feeding has enormous nutritional and
immunological benefits, but has often been
avoided in infants born to women with
HIV. Maternal access to antiretrovirals has
28 Jan. 11 - 17, 2019
The largest number of HIV-exposed but uninfected children are in South Africa. SHUTTERSTOCK
Babies born to
mums with HIV
They face higher risks even
though they’re HIV negative
made it safer but sustained breastfeeding is
still low. One study in South Africa showed
that, irrespective of HIV-status, women
stopped breastfeeding their babies on
average when the infants were eight weeks
old.
On top of this, HIV-exposed infants more
often have mothers who are unwell or who
have died. And HIV-affected households
experience challenging socioeconomic cir-
cumstances that can make children more
vulnerable. These exposures in the first
1000 days of life can be detrimental to early
childhood development and have life-long
consequences.
In addition, infants born to women with
HIV are subject to factors during pregnancy
that unexposed infants aren’t. These include
exposure to HIV particles, that may make
their immune systems develop differently.
And these infants are exposed to at least
three antiretroviral drugs given to the
mother during pregnancy.
What the research found
To estimate the contribution of deaths in
HIV-exposed but uninfected infants to the
overall infant mortality rates we used previ-
ously published research comparing the
mortality risk in HIV-exposed uninfected
infants to risk of mortality in unexposed
infants, as well as United Nations estimates
of infant mortality in Botswana and South
Africa.
In Botswana, HIV exposed uninfected
infants accounted for 26% of the infant
population but 42% of all infant deaths.
Similarly, in South Africa HIV exposed
uninfected infants accounted for 23% of
the infant population but 38% of all infant
deaths.
Putting this into actual numbers, this extra
mortality in HIV exposed uninfected infants
increased the overall HIV-uninfected infant
mortality rate in both Botswana and South
Africa from around 30 deaths per 1000
infants to 35 deaths per 1000 in the year
2013.
Botswana and South Africa have adopted
the World Health Organisation’s recom-
mendation to provide lifelong antiretro-
virals to all pregnant and breastfeeding
women with HIV. But there’s a lack of
research comparing the mortality of HIV-
exposed to unexposed infants under these
new guidelines. Our calculations are there-
fore based on the year 2013, the most recent
year before policy shifts in both countries.
There is emerging evidence though of a per-
sisting increase in mortality in HIV-exposed
infants even with maternal antiretroviral
therapy.
What next
With 1 in every 4 children in Botswana
and South Africa being HIV and ARV-
exposed, robust systems need to be put
in place to monitor the long-term safety
of these exposures during pregnancy.
Countries need to invest in research to
understand why HIV-exposed children
still have an increased risk of dying. And
countries need to ensure that routine child
health interventions, such as immunisa-
tions and promotion of optimal durations of
breastfeeding, are uniformly reaching HIV-
exposed children.
Most critically, countries like South Africa
and Botswana with high HIV infection rates
need to find responsible, transparent and
accurate ways of sharing what is known
and being done about the risks of HIV-
exposure with HIV-affected families and
involve them in finding solutions.
Source:theconversation
 health

Children and violent films

Watching violence on screens makes
children more emotionally distressed

R
By Caroline Fitzpatrick the ages of three and four. Four years Child development
later, second grade teachers rated the
esearcher at Concordia’s PER- same childrens’ classroom behaviour The content of media to which young
FORM center and Assistant using a social behaviour question- children are exposed is closely related to
Professor of Psychology, Uni- naire – which covers behaviour such as child outcomes.
versité Sainte-Anne physical aggression, inattentiveness and Age-appropriate programmes – like
Children today can access emotional distress over the course of the `Sesame Street’ for kindergarteners–
media through both tradi- school year. Teachers were unaware of which aim to help children understand
tional devices, like televisions, and por- which children had been exposed to vio- words or ideas, are known to help them
table devices like laptops and tablets. lent media. develop language and mental skills.
With more access, children are more To rule out the impact of the home New technology can be useful too.
likely to be exposed to violent content – environment on the development of Video chat technologies – like Skype
like real-life or cartoons where force is these behaviours, we controlled for the or Facetime – which give children an
being used and harm is being done to a contribution of early childhood aggres- interactive, two-way live exchange with
person or character. Studies show that sion, parenting quality, maternal educa- adults facilitate language learning.
37% of media aimed at children have tion, parent antisocial behaviour and On the other hand, violent films and
scenes of physical or verbal violence. family structure. video games often feature attractive
What’s more, 90% of movies, 68% of According to our results, teachers rated protagonists that engage in a dispropor-
video games, 60% of TV shows, and exposed children as more antisocial. tionate number of aggressive actions.
15% of music videos have some form Antisocial behaviours include; a lack of Children exposed to this type of content
of violence. In some cases, it’s rising – remorse, lying, insensitivity to the emo- can develop a deformed perception of
the amount of violence in mainstream tions of others, and manipulating others. violence and its actual frequency in real
movies has been growing steadily over life.
the past 50 years. Eventually, this can give rise to the
Evidence shows that this can be detri- Our results also reveal significant asso- impression that the world is an overly
mental to young children. Around the ciations between exposure to violent dangerous place filled with ill-inten-
ages of three and four children begin to media and classroom attention problems. tioned people. People that have such a
develop perceptions and expectations Furthermore, exposed children were worldview are more likely to interpret an
about the world around them. These reported to show more signs of emo- ambiguous or accidental gesture as hos-
views are strongly influenced by their tional distress; in terms of sadness and a tile or as a personal attack.
daily experiences. If children are often lack of enthusiasm. There are steps that parents can take.
exposed to scenes of violence, they may The results were similar for boys and By modeling, positive non-violent behav-
develop a view of the world as a more girls. iour – like using respectful communica-
dangerous place than tion to solve problems
it actually is. rather than aggression
To investigate this – and having conversa-
further, and predict tions about the violent
the types of mental images their children
health outcomes this are exposed to, parents
has, my colleagues and can reduce the nega-
I examined the poten- tive effects of violent
tial long-term risks media on their child’s
associated with expo- development.
sure to violent media Parents should also
on children’s devel- keep bedrooms free
opment. We found from screens, closely
that those exposed to monitoring children’s
violence become more media usage, and shut-
antisocial and emo- ting off the internet at
tionally distressed. night.
Caroline Fitzpatrick
Exposed to violence is a Researcher at Con-
Through parent cordia’s PERFORM
reports, we measured center and Assistant
children’s exposure Professor of Psy-
to violent movies chology, Université
and programmes in Sainte-Anne
1,800 preschool aged Source:theconversation
children between Cartoons often have scenes of physical or verbal violence. CHRIS BECKETT/FLICKR

Jan. 11 - 17, 2019 29

COMMENT
By Benjamin Ahikiiriza
Nawangwe’s good intentions,bad ideas
Ensuring tranquility at Makerere University shouldn’t mean
students and staff fear robust debate of topical issues
T
he year 2018 witnessed an unprec-
edented clampdown from within
Makerere University Kampala
(hereinafter referred to as ‘Makerere’
or ‘the University ‘) on freedom of expres-
sion and academic freedom through a bliz-
zard of threats, warnings, suspensions and
online vitriol.
Ever since its establishment, Makerere
has enjoyed a deserved and vividly cre-
ated image of a baobab of innovation,
activism, academic research and devel-
opment. Ranked alternately the 3rd or 4th
best university on the African continent,
Makerere stands head and shoulder
above many, alongside the greats in the
annals of Africa’s tumultuous history.
However, there is an increasing and
widespread feeling across our society
that its prestigious image turns pale and
blurry by the day. To many, an Institu-
tion globally acclaimed as a lion of the
Intellectual landscape is soon or later
turning instead into the lions’ Prey.
A veritable journalist and political
pundit, Andrew Mwenda, has for
example severally expressed dismay
about the products manufactured and
churned out by the university. Recently
in his weekly column that runs in The
Independent Magazine he regretted that”
most of the students from that University
depress me by their utter intellectual
ineptness, close-mindness and mistaking
of political sloganeering for intellectual
analysis. These are young Ugandans who
gave up on thinking long ago”.
Several other persons across the spec-
trum have expressed the same or similar
feelings; with business managers ques-
tioning the “employability” of the uni-
versity’s students and graduates.
The question then is how did we get
here – in a situation where students
decades long graduated are regarded
far better qualitatively educated than us.
There are several answers to this ques-
tion but key of them must be the ever
shrinking space for academic freedom
and freedom of expression.
Individual Rights Activist Greg Luki-
anoff and Prof. Jonathan Haidt of New
York University in their book, `The Cod-
dling of the American Mind’ published
in 2018 create an evidence based Nexus
between free speech, exposure and aca-
30 Jan. 11 - 17, 2019
demic freedom and intellectual endow-
ment in an increasing globalised and
pluralistic society. The thread that runs
throughout their book is that it is intel-
lectually harmful to overprotect students
from exposure to the many lines of dif-
ference – opinions, behaviours, et cetera
in our society today.
I wrote this as a sexualities researcher
at the university, Stella Nyanzi, was
serving a suspension under the uni-
versity’s regulations for using sexually
explicit connotations in her scathing criti-
cisms of the University Management.
The university in a tweet said it had
amended its Human Resource Manual
to authorise the concurrent running of
its internal administrative disciplinary
proceedings with criminal prosecution in
Courts of Law, all against its employees.
Forget the clear lack of constitutionality
in the amendment; it is ostensibly a
carefully constructed legal manouvre to
circumvent the characteristically highly
procedural and strict proof criminal jus-
tice system. This serves the purpose of
passing judgement against employees
like Stella Nyanzi deemed parallel to the
university seemingly inward -looking
rules without due regard to the parallel
criminal due processes which obviously
Going forward,
none of us
should stay
silent about
this dictatorial
moment at
Makerere.
can occasion double jeopardy.
Several students have been warned or
suspended singlehandedly by the Vice
Chancellor in utter contravention of
procedural and constitutional law appar-
ently for engaging in activities deemed
disruptive or inflammatory such as
peaceful demonstrations(as sanctioned
by the Constitution) and even flimsy
ones like stern social media posts.
These actions could be well inten-
tioned; that is motivated by good faith to
score some public relations goals, ensure
tranquility at the University conducive
for the forward movement of University
programmes and/or protect students
from “immoral contamination”.
However, they present a risk of stu-
dents cringing at robust debate over
topical issues. Objectionable words and
ideas become perceived as violence
similar to throwing stones or wielding
sticks. In the long run students embark
on dangerous practices like silencing
disagreeable ideas. This is what Andrew
Mwenda is referring to when he says
young Ugandans gave upon thinking
(debate, analysis) and are comfortable
with their pre-installed ideas and con-
ventional wisdom ( silencing disagree-
able speakers). Going forward, none of
us should stay silent about this dictato-
rial moment at Makerere.
Students must elect from among them
those who are well equipped through
past leadership experiences to lead them
and not opportunistic demagogues since
some past student governments have
proved incompetent and motivated
by personal interests and have either
ended up too comfortable in their newly
found largesse or crumbling under the
heavy weight of bribery and patronage.
Academic and non-academic staff must
rise up-to the occasion. It’s rather embar-
rassing that whereas past national gov-
ernments have been at the forefront of
chocking academic freedom, these days
stifling of the same is internally inspired.
There is urgent need to jealously pro-
tect its honour and dignity for the over-
arching objective of ensuring qualitative
education of Human Resource critical
for development of this generation and
those beyond with their attendant chal-
lenges especially unemployment.

Betty Aol Ochan
Museveni shouldn’t limit
alternative leaders
By denying the opposition space as his power retention
strategy, the President normalises the abnormal
T
he opposition, generally speaking,
is a government in waiting. And
true to that, in democratic soci-
eties, tables often turn with the
opposition taking over power and those
in power becoming the opposition.
The regularity with which the power
table swings from opposition to ruling
party and from ruling party to the
opposition is usually an indicator of
the health of a county’s democracy,
and how much power citizens have in
choosing those they deem qualified to
manage public affairs on their behalf.
Equitable access to civic spaces by
the ruling party, those in the centre,
and the opposition is sacred in a
functioning democracy. However,
in Uganda this space is alarmingly
shrinking and becoming a monopoly
of the ruling NRM party.
Denying spaces for the opposition
and critics of the NRM is now an
established part of the power reten-
tion strategy for President Yoweri
Museveni and his life- presidency
project. Some mistake this act of
opportunism for tactical astuteness on
the part of Museveni. Nothing can be
further from the truth. Bluntly put,
this primitive hogging of power has a
counterproductive effect on Uganda’s
transition to democracy.
Already, Uganda is a black sheep in
the original East African region—we
are the only country that has not had
a peaceful transition from one presi-
dent to another. If the Democratic
Republic of the Congo manages to
pull off a peaceful transition from
President Joseph Kabila to another
leader, despite its flawed electoral
process, the blackness of Uganda
will cast a dark shadow beyond East
Africa.
Increasingly, it is no longer even
‘‘news’’ when members of the oppo-
sition are blocked from holding
meetings, rallies, prayers, and
music concerts, as is the case with
singer and Member of parliament,
Robert Kyagulanyi better known
by his stage name—Bobi Wine. It
is near- becoming acceptable in the
eyes of Ugandans that the NRM
and President Museveni can have as
much access to the electorate using
public resources while the opposi-
tion remains largely chained on poles
planted by the police and military.
That is how tragic it has got; normali-
sation of the abnormal.
If you ask, who benefits from this
cloudy and unbalanced sad situation
in which the opposition appears free
but when in real sense is chained?
Certainly not Ugandans. The sole
beneficiary of this situation is
Museveni. But this comes at the cost
of continuous psychological torture
of Ugandans who are unsure of what
will happen to the country without
him. By gluing his raw life-presidency
If the opposition
is perpetually
stopped from
accessing the
electorate, it
means Ugandans
are being denied
an opportunity
for the sprouting
of new political
talent to widen
leadership
choices for
citizens.
COMMENT
aspirations to Uganda’s future, and
fattening his ego by claiming to have
grandeur ambitions that go beyond
Uganda’s border, Museveni has
become more opportunistic than
nationalistic.
The limiting of civic space for
Ugandans has dire consequences for
Uganda, including but not limited to
stunting the growth of state institu-
tions that are critical for the growth
and inculcation of a democratic cul-
ture. It also undermines the growth of
new emerging talent in both the oppo-
sition and ruling party—talent that
could offer Uganda solutions to chal-
lenges Museveni has failed to address
in the last 33 years.
The need for equitable access to
spaces in which the opposition and
the NRM must coexist to sell their
agenda to the public for the benefit
of Ugandans is not debatable. If the
opposition is perpetually stopped
from accessing the electorate, it
means Ugandans are being denied an
opportunity for the sprouting of new
political talent to widen leadership
choices for citizens. Unfortunately,
this is what we are faced with. The
consequence has been that Ugandans
have been disempowered, making
citizens weaker in the demand for
accountable leadership. This weak-
ness of the citizenry is best illustrated
by the now infamous begging phrase:
Tusaba Govementi etuyambe (We ask the
government to help us).
Betty Aol Ochan is Gulu woman MP and
Leader of Opposition in the parliament of
Uganda
Jan. 11 - 17, 2019 31
COMMENT
By Maxwell Gomera
Nature vs. infrastructure
Environmentally reckless growth is not preordained;
it is possible to make smart, sustainable choices
I
n November 2017, scientists working in
Sumatra, Indonesia, made an exciting
announcement: they had discovered a
new species of orangutan, bringing to
seven the number of great ape species glob-
ally.
But one year later, the only home of
the 800 wild Tapanuli orangutans is
being cleared for a $1.6 billion dam and
hydroelectric power plant. Although the
project will contribute less than 1% of the
country’s planned generating capacity,
scientists say it will lead to the extinc-
tion of this rare species. This raises, once
again, a key question: what is nature
worth?
Indonesia is not alone in making envi-
ronmentally detrimental trade-offs. The
twenty-first century will be a period of
unprecedented infrastructure expansion,
and a staggering $90 trillion will be spent
over the next 15 years to build or replace
dams, power plants, and other facilities.
In fact, more infrastructure will be built
over the next decade and a half than cur-
rently exists. Naturally, habitats will be
disrupted in the process.
And yet, environmentally reckless
growth is not preordained; it is possible
to make smart, sustainable choices. To do
so, we must recognize the true value of
nature, and make environmental ethics
and cost-benefit analyses part of every
project.
At the moment, this is not happening;
most infrastructure is planned and con-
structed on the basis of market assess-
ments that fail to account for nature. As
a result, the world is facing a growing
crisis: the weakening of ecosystem
services – such as clean water, flood
defense, and bee pollination – that pro-
tect biodiversity and form the foundation
on which human welfare depends.
To change the status quo, we must make
an ethical choice not to expose critical
habitats and “natural capital” to greater
danger – regardless of the possible eco-
nomic returns. Just as most of the world
has rejected the use of slave or child
labour, the permanent destruction of
nature must be repudiated.
Some economists have recognised this
by building environmental costs into
32 Jan. 11 - 17, 2019
their arguments; the Amazon rainforest
is a case in point. There, deforestation
has reduced the production of vapour
clouds that are essential to transporting
rain across South America. The drought
that parched São Paulo between 2014
and 2017 is believed to have been caused,
at least in part, by the absence of these
“flying rivers.” As the Brazilian climate
scientist Antonio Nobre has noted, if
these aerial water pumps are perma-
nently turned off, an area that accounts
for 70% of South America’s gross
national product would be turned into
desert.
Of course, identifying critical natural
capital is challenging, especially at
smaller scales. While many can agree
on the importance of protecting the
Amazon, it is harder to demonstrate the
value of preserving orangutans in Indo-
nesia. But, over time, loss of the Tapanuli
orangutan’s habitat would profoundly
change the composition of the rainforest
and disrupt its ecological services. At the
same time, the elimination of a species of
great ape – our closest kin – would erase
an opportunity to understand better our
own evolution and genetics.
The real
challenge is to
instill this ethos
in developing
economies,
where the
bulk of future
infrastructure
spending will
occur
In the developed world, some govern-
ments and businesses are making the
ethical choice by applying the “precau-
tionary principle” to growth. Adopted
in 1992 as part of the Rio Declaration
on Environment and Development, the
principle embodies the conclusion that
it is wiser – and ultimately cheaper – to
avoid environmental degradation in the
first place.
The real challenge is to instill this ethos
in developing economies, where the bulk
of future infrastructure spending will
occur. Consider highway development.
By 2050, there will be 15.5 million miles
of new paved roads, enough to circle the
Earth more than 600 times. More than
90% of this fresh pavement will be laid
in developing countries, which already
face huge environmental pressure. In
the Amazon region, for example, there
are nearly 53,000 mining leases encom-
passing 21% of the basin’s land mass. In
Guinea, a World Bank-supported dam
is reportedly threatening a key chim-
panzee sanctuary. And in Tanzania, the
government has approved a dam and
hydroelectric plant in the Selous Game
Reserve, a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
With human needs increasing as
populations and incomes grow, there
are legitimate reasons to build more
infrastructure. But if current trends
continue, short-term interests will strip
away the natural assets on which all life
depends. To plan for smart development,
governments and business must
recognise nature’s role in supporting
economic activity and ensuring
ecological and human health. After all,
we do not – and cannot – live in a world
where nature has no value.
Maxwell Gomera, a 2018 Aspen New Voices
fellow, is Director of the Biodiversity and
Ecosystem Services Branch at the United
Nations Environment Program.
Copyright: Project Syndicate, 2018.

Gordon Brown
Universal Declaration of Human Rights
As it marks 70 years millions do not sense that human
rights should mean universal rights of all
S
even decades after its adoption, the
Universal Declaration of Human
Rights (UDHR) remains a beacon
of hope for the world, sending out
an unequivocal message that an injustice
anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere,
and that no abuse of human rights can be
allowed to continue without challenge.
While illiberalism and authoritarianism is
on the rise, it is important to recall that the
UDHR – and the covenants and conven-
tions it has inspired – champions every
person’s right to life, liberty, and security.
Incorporated into many countries’ constitu-
tions, it stipulates that no one should be
subjected to torture or to arbitrary arrest or
detention. It enshrines the rights to a fair
trial, privacy, free expression and associa-
tion, and freedom of thought in religion and
conscience. Moreover, it emphasises impor-
tant social and economic rights, such as the
right to work and form labor unions.
But the authors of the UDHR – created
amid the Cold War politics of the 1940s
– could only agree on what rights people
should have, not on why these rights should
be regarded as fundamental, let alone how
or by whom they should be protected.
At the outset, there were no enforcement
treaties, no proper appeal mechanisms, and,
until much later, not even basic covenants
countries could sign. A creature of its time,
the UDHR also says little about the rights
of women, the disabled, the LGBTQ+ com-
munity, and children. And so, despite major
advances over the last seven decades – such
as the creation of the International Criminal
Court (ICC) and the UN’s Responsibility to
Protect doctrine – human-rights abuses con-
tinue to be perpetrated at an alarming rate
and with virtual impunity.
To make recommendations relevant to
a review of the UDHR at 70, New York
University convened the Global Citizenship
Commission (of which I was chair) under
the auspices of John Sexton and Paul Bog-
hossian. Our deliberations were informed
by a team of philosophers brilliantly led by
Jeremy Waldron.
Beyond enumerating rights, the Commis-
sion argued for a new clarity about who
should carry out the corresponding duties,
and how. Time and again, vetoes or threats
of vetoes by the permanent members of
the UN Security Council have blocked
action. The resulting paralysis has not only
permitted massive loss of human life; it has
also undermined the credibility of collec-
tive security, enabling increasingly flagrant
human-rights abuses. To address this, the
Commission’s report recommends that the
Security Council’s permanent members
voluntarily suspend their vetoes in situ-
ations involving mass atrocities and, by
implication, allow more scope for the ICC.
And, beyond identifying the more detailed
responsibilities of governments and interna-
tional institutions, new mechanisms should
be created to ensure corporate compliance
with human rights.
It is to the credit of the UDHR’s authors
that, unlike the European Convention
on Human Rights, a single declaration
enshrines not only civil and political rights,
but also social and economic rights. But it is
not enough to declare that such rights are
important. In South Africa, for example, a
modern constitution includes explicit com-
mitments to upholding social rights. Yet the
country has found no satisfactory means of
enforcing them.
The desperate plight of the world’s
nearly 70 million displaced people and
over 20 million refugees has just been rec-
ognized in new agreements hammered
out in December this year. The Commis-
sion’s report asserts unequivocally that the
world’s refugee protection system should
be strengthened, not least by reaching an
effective consensus on the balance between
the right to movement and the power of
states to restrict it –with the long-term objec-
tive of a new international convention that
supports Sustainable Development Goal
10.7, which commits states to “facilitate safe,
orderly, regular, and responsible migra-
tion.”
One of the Commission’s most urgent sets
of recommendations relates to the treat-
ment of children now at risk in the world’s
40-plus ongoing wars. A new report that
emerged this year from the Commission’s
work, Protecting Children in Armed Conflict,
edited by Shaheed Fatima QC, also calls
for radical changes – for schools in conflict
zones to enjoy the same effective protec-
tion as hospitals; for states to take active
measures to prevent sexual violence against
children and to prevent child abductions
and trafficking, and for a clear declaration
that denial of humanitarian access is always
unlawful where civilians are at risk of star-
vation. In the longer term, Fatima recom-
mends that the international community
COMMENT
consider adopting a comprehensive legal
instrument and civil accountability mecha-
nism for the protection of children in armed
conflict.
Former US First Lady Eleanor Roosevelt –
the driving force behind the UDHR – once
declared that human rights begin “in small
places close to home, so close and so small
that they cannot be seen on any maps of the
world. Unless these rights have meaning
there, they have little meaning anywhere.”
And indeed, `The Ordinary Virtues’ by the
former Canadian politician Michael Igna-
tieff, which grew from a Carnegie study,
indicates that even in the world’s most
desolate and lawless corners, individuals
have a strong sense of their own rights and
also, if to a lesser extent, of the importance
of treating those close to them with decency.
Yet, even as the world becomes more
deeply integrated, millions do not have a
strong sense that human rights should be
upheld as the universal rights of all. That
is why the Commission, citing the work of
Fonna Forman, founding Director of the
Center on Global Justice at the University
of California, San Diego, makes recom-
mendations about how governments might
actively encourage and support human-
rights education – something few countries
currently do.
After all, as Roosevelt pointed out, docu-
ments expressing ideals “carry no weight
unless the people know them, unless the
people understand them, unless the people
demand that they be lived.” That simple
truth must underpin the world’s agenda for
championing human rights now and in the
future.
The Global Citizenship Commission
report was made possible with editorial
help from K. Anthony Appiah, Craig Cal-
houn, Andrew Hilland, Robert Shrum,
Diane C. Yu, and many others. For the full
membership of the Commission, see gias.
nyu.edu/2016/04/release-global-citizenship-
commission-report/.
Gordon Brown, former Prime Minister and
Chancellor of the Exchequer of the United
Kingdom, is United Nations Special Envoy for
Global Education and Chair of the International
Commission on Financing Global Education
Opportunity. He chairs the Advisory Board of
the Catalyst Foundation.
Jan. 11 - 17, 2019 33
book review
African leaders more constrained
by democratic rules than you think
A
frica is often imagined to be a
place in which presidents can do
whatever they want, unencum-
bered by constitutional or demo-
cratic constraints. A large body of literature
has developed around the idea that the law
can be flouted at will, leading to a situation
in which what really matters is the person-
ality of the president, not the rules of the
game.
The implications of this way of under-
standing the continent are profound not
just for how we think about Africa, but
also for how we study it. If democratic
institutions don’t constrain leaders, there
is no point in researching them. Instead
we should spend all of our time looking at
informal processes such as ethnicity and
patrimonialism.
But, although this image is often repeated
within policy circles and the media, it is
wrong. A new book I edited, `Institutions
and Democracy in Africa’, argues that
approaching the continent in this way cre-
ates a deeply misleading picture of poli-
tics that underestimates the potential for
democratisation.
In other words, if we want to understand
democracy in Africa, we need to take the
official rules of the game more seriously.
The book covers a wide range of institu-
tions, including political parties, legisla-
tures, constitutions and judiciaries. As a
taster, here are three important ways in
which democratic rules constrain African
leaders more than you might think.
Holding elections promotes democracy
It’s often said that Africa features elections
without change. But repeatedly holding
elections not only creates opportunities for
the opposition to compete for power. It also
promotes democratic consolidation.
Looking at all elections held in Africa
since the early 1990s; Carolien van Ham
and Staffan Lindberg find that as long as
a minimum threshold of quality is met,
holding elections increases the quality of
civil liberties. This in turn creates greater
opportunities for opposition parties to
mobilise.
That’s because elections have a number
of democratising effects. These include
training voters in democratic arts, encour-
aging coordination between opposition
parties and increasing the pressure on
ruling parties to reform the political pro-
cess. This last happens for example by
allowing for a more independent electoral
commission.
34 Jan. 11 - 17, 2019
Title: Institutions and Democracy in Africa
Author: Edited by Nic Cheeseman
Publisher: Cambridge University Press
Repeatedly holding elections fosters new
democratic openings that tend to make
it more difficult for leaders to hold on to
power in the long-run.
Legislatures are tougher to manage
than before
The common depiction of African leg-
islatures is that they are weak and feeble.
They’re portrayed as “rubber stamp” insti-
tutions that can do little to hold govern-
ments to account. But this is not an accurate
depiction of what happens in a number of
countries where conflict between parlia-
ments and presidents is becoming a more
common.
Significantly, parliaments are also begin-
ning to play a role in some of the most
important decisions. In both Nigeria and
Zambia, it was the legislature that ulti-
mately rejected efforts by sitting presidents
to extend their time in office beyond consti-
tutionally mandated limits.
Term-limits are starting to bite
On the theme of term limits, pretty much
the only time you will read about this par-
ticular institution in the media is when an
African leader has changed the constitution
to remove them. In the last 20 years this
has happened in a number of countries
including Burundi, Chad, Uganda and
Rwanda.
By contrast, when a president respects
term limits and stands down, it goes largely
unnoticed. This has created the misleading
impression that African leaders can break
the rules at will. The reality is that in most
cases they can’t.
Reviewing every country in Africa from
1990 to the present, Daniel Young and
Daniel Posner find that term limits are
twice as likely to be respected as broken.
This is especially true for states that lack
natural resources.
Significantly, they also demonstrate that
when one president respects term limits
it creates a powerful precedent that sub-
sequent rulers feel bound to follow. To
date, there is not a single country in which
a president has tried to outstay their wel-
come after their predecessor willingly stood
down.
The shape of things to come
These examples are part of a broader
trend. In 2015, a sitting civilian Nigerian
president lost power to another civilian
ruler for the first time. In 2016, the same
thing happened in Ghana. In 2017, it was
Gambia’s turn. Since then, Liberia and
Sierra Leone have also seen opposition
victories.
From a few isolated examples in the early
1990s, almost half of the continent has now
witnessed a transfer of power.
Moreover, it is not only when it comes to
elections that things are changing. In 2017
Kenyan became the first country in Africa –
and only the third in the world – in which
the election of a sitting president was nulli-
fied by the judiciary.
Of course, this does not mean that all
presidents have to follow the rules, or
that all of these institutions are starting
to perform well. The continent features
a remarkable variety of political systems
and some of its states are on very different
political trajectories. In more authoritarian
contexts such as Cameroon, the Democratic
Republic of Congo, Uganda, Rwanda and
Zimbabwe, the quality of elections remains
extremely poor; even when leaders suffer a
setback they may be able to bounce back.
But while the process of institutionalisa-
tion may be patchy and uneven, one thing
is clear: Africa is not without institutions,
and we will deeply misunderstand its poli-
tics unless we pay careful attention to the
rules of the game.
Nic Cheeseman is Professor of Democ-
racy, University of Birmingham
Source: the conversation
 Feature

The man I knew

Remembering Rt. Rev. Dr. Livingstone M. Nkoyoyo
By Rev Samuel Murangi

I
t was 1986. I had finished junior high
school in Fort Portal, Uganda and
moved to the Capital City Kampala, in
search of an opportunity to pursue high
school education. Mukono Diocese, which
was only two years old at the time, under
the leadership of the then Bishop Living-
stone Nkoyoyo was working with a young
man from England (Simeon Wiehler, now
a professor at the University of Rwanda) to
establish a home for street boys. By God’s
grace, Simeon invited me to join him, to
work as evening supervisor of the home in
exchange for tuition.
Our first home was a guest house, (adja-
cent to his Grace’s Residence). He had built
the house for missionaries. He allowed
Simon and a group of us teenagers to live
in the house for more than six months,
as we built our own round- houses on a
piece of land the diocese had donated to
be used for orphanage. Although I had
been brought up as an Anglican, confirmed
by an Anglican Bishop in Toro, living in
close proximity to an Anglican Bishop was
quite an experience. It was the first time
of sharing meals and jokes with a bishop,
riding in a bishop’s vehicle. Otherwise, it Fort Portal and ask anyone who attended or a need to build a Cathedral for Mukono
used to be the “Who” is “Who” who had the wedding, they will narrate his sermon, Diocese.
access to a bishop! yet it was preached in Luganda; a language On Tuesday January 2, 2018, I called to
In 1997, I came to the United States for not well spoken among the Batoro. wish him a Happy New Year, not knowing
further studies at Bryn Mawr College. Two In March of 2017, I flew to London to he was admitted at the hospital. After
years later, I heard his Grace was visiting spend a week with him while he was praying, the conversation turned to him
the East Coast of the United States and receiving cancer treatment. In spite of all the asking about my wife and two daughters
decided to invite him to visit the church I pain and side efforts from chemo, seldom and the Namugongo Marty’s Shrine he
had become affiliated with in Rosemont. was the conversation about his sickness. has been building. Two days later, I woke
Quite frankly, I never expected him to Every moment, he talked about Namu- to hundreds of WhatsApp messages
come. To my surprise, he did! gongo Marty’s Shrine, the orphan project, announcing his death.
I will never forget when he decided to For me, my family and many others, he
spend Easter holidays with me in Phila- was more than an Archbishop, he was the
delphia. Which prominent person leaves
his blood family and comfortable life in Through my man I knew who changed my life. I forever
cherish the special one on one time I spent
Uganda to spend Christmas with an ordi-
nary clergy, bachelor at the time, in a small interaction with his Grace, especially in Philadel-
phia, praying with him, reading scripture
house in the United States? But His Grace
did! with him, I together and listening to his considerable
wise council. I still hear his voice echoing,
There was one additional concern of
his, finding me a bride. That prayer was
gained a deep reminding me to be grateful to Jesus Christ
for his Grace and Mercy and for his free gift
answered in 2010 when I called and told
him and Mama Ruth that I had finally
appreciation for of salvation. Through my interaction with
him, I gained a deep understanding as well
found my missing Rib. He asked, what is
her name? I told him that her maiden name
the true meaning as appreciation for the true meaning of the
cross of Jesus Christ and the heavy price
is Kasiimo, which means a gift. When he
met her, he immediately agreed that indeed
of the cross of Christ paid for my (our) sins.
I am grateful to God for having given
I had a found a wonderful a gift from God.
In January 2011, his grace travelled to fort
Jesus Christ me an opportunity to interact with such a
special man. I will forever remember him as
Portal, spent four days with my family and friend, father and mentor.
officiated at our wedding ceremony and The very Rev Samuel Murangi, MSS, MDiv
also played a double role, as my Dad. Call Rector, Emmanuel Resurrection.

Jan. 11 - 17, 2019 35

Your brain dictates how many friends you have
Think about your closest friends—the
people you call daily, share your secrets
with, and text at 2 a.m. when you need a
favour or some emotional support. How
many people are you picturing? One?
Three? Eight? If you’re like most people,
you probably answered between three and
five.
British anthropologist Dr. Robin Dunbar
was the first researcher to discover that peo-
ple could really only maintain relationships
with an average of 148 people throughout
their lifetime. The brain can only process so
much social information, and relationships
with about 150 friends, family members,
and acquaintances seems to be the cut-off
point. Dunbar and friends in 2016 described
the concept of “layers of friends” within the
larger circle of 150 relationships and found
that as the number of friends in any given
layer increases, the emotional closeness
of those relationships decreases. In other
words, the smallest layer generally contains
three to five of your closest pals. The next
layer overlaps and contains 10 additional
people—or 15 people total, counting your
five BFFs. The third layer has an additional
35 people, followed by a final layer with an
additional 100. So if you have three to five
true-blue friends, you’re on target.

Would you get this tattoo? 16-year-old footballer

There’s a cruel joy in some- stomach. This statement was turns out to be 28
one else’s terrible tattoo. We intended to win back the trust
don’t know for sure that this of Jose’s wife. It’s a wild thing Gourav Mukhi went from
tattoo is real, but we hope it is. to have permanently tattooed being celebrated as the youngest
That’d make it a lot more fun. on your body. Why any wife goal scorer in the history of the
According to tattoo artist Jorge, would want to be reminded of Indian Super League to being
who goes by @sickcat_13 on these things whenever they see suspended for six months, after
Instagram, a man named Jose their husband shirtless, we’ll authorities found that he wasn’t
L. Torres asked him to tattoo never know. actually 16-years-old, but 28. His
a statement on his chest and troubles started back in Octo-
ber, when the Jamshedpur FC
Artist turns his face striker scored a “historic goal”
into optical illusions against Bengaluru FC. It made
him the youngest scorer in the
history of India’s soccer league.
Luca Luce is a talented make- He was only 16 at the time, or
up artist who uses his expert at least that’s what his docu-
skills to turn his own head ments showed, but all the atten-
into mind-boggling 3D optical tion made people look at him
illusions. 40-year-old Luce has more closely, and some started
been working as a television expressing doubts about his age
makeup artist in Italy for over online. It didn’t take long for
18 years, but first made a name evidence of his deceit to come
for himself online in 2015, when out, as only three years prior, he
photos of his hand-painted opti- had been suspended from the
cal illusions went viral. He now National U16 Football Cham-
“carves”, “pierces” and “dis- pionship, for being much older
torts” using only makeup sup- than he claimed. So if he was
plies and mountains of talent. older than 16 three years ago,
how could he be 16 now?

British don’t want World’s most expensive live fish bought for a whopping Shs6.7bn
Prince Charles as king! S Legend, a red and white Fish farm in the Japanese city
Prince Charles wouldn’t Koi Carp bred in Japan became of Hiroshima. The female carp
exactly be the people’s choice the most expensive live fish won first prize at the presti-
to become the next king, ever sold, after fetching a mind- gious All Japan Koi Show last
according to a new poll in The blowing price of $1.8 million year, and is expected to bag her
Independent. A surprising (Approx. Shs6.7 billion), more second title this year, which
46 percent said they would than $1.3 million more than the greatly increased collectors’
want the heir apparent to previous record. interest. Fans and collectors of
abdicate immediately to allow The fish is 101cm-long (about Koi carp are now expected to
Prince William, the Duke of 3-foot rulers) and is a Koi Carp travel from all over the world
Cambridge, to take the crown in from the highly-regarded to catch a glimpse of the most
the event of Queen Elizabeth’s Kohaku variety. It was bought expensive fish ever sold.
demise. by a collector from Japan after
a fierce bidding war at the Saki

36 Jan. 11 - 17, 2019

Subaru’s X-Mode
What’s it and how does it work?
By Agencies

I
t reads like it might be a gimmick but X-
Mode is anything but…Here we explain
what X-Mode is and how it works.
Subaru’s symmetrical all-wheel
drive already makes its vehicles the most
capable in their segments across rough
or slippery ground. And X-Mode makes
them better.
Previously only available on Forester,
X-Mode is now also available on XV and
Outback.
What is X-Mode?

Activating X-Mode recalibrates things

like gearing and engine mapping to
soften the throttle which makes it easier
to drive on slippery roads, meaning
you’re less likely to over-rev and keep
breaking traction. Although, you can
slam the throttle into the carpet and it
will give you full power, like if you need
to build momentum to climb up a slip-
pery slope.
X-Mode also speeds up the locking
between front and rear axles by about
25% to improve grip in bumpy terrain,
and the traction control acts faster to
prevent wheelspin. It also works in both to control speeds via the cruise con- like when adjusting speed on a descent
forwards and reverse. trol stalk, X-Mode is controlled via the or when taking off on a slippery track.
What about the transmission? Well, throttle and brake pedals. So, if you inch Hill descent control is active up to
X-Mode tells the CVT to hold onto ‘gears’ over a crest at 5km/h and then step off 20km/h but it remains on-guard until
a little longer than normal to give you the throttle that’s the speed the car will you reach 40km/h. And the fact it works
more low-down grunt at lower speeds. maintain. If you want to go a bit quicker in reverse too allows you to control your
What else does X-Mode do? you simply squeeze the throttle. reverse descent should you decide not to
The other thing about X-Mode is it continue driving up the hill.
It activates hill descent control but, dulls the throttle sensitivity so that the Source: Internet
unlike some vehicles which require you car doesn’t lurch in delicate situations,

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Jan. 11 - 17, 2019 37

Andrew Stewart Tamale; East
Africa’s freestyle football champion
By Agnes E Nantaba Tamale’s achievements. He boasts in signing contracts for the game including

A
his favourite skill, ‘around the world’ with soda giants Crown Beverages and
ndrew Stewart Tamale, also trick which he uses to balance the ball the latest being digital TV service pro-
known as Andy Skillz, is a 22 year on the bridge of the foot, flick it up to vider GOtv. Tamale has participated in
old freestyle footballer who reigns knee-level, loop the leg round the ball as several national and international tour-
as two time East African free style it falls, and allow it to land back on the naments and received his first award
champion. Freestyle football is a sport in bridge. three years ago as Talented Youth Star
which athletes compete to perform various To him, freestyle football is more of a of the year for two consecutive counts.
tricks using a football. talent which is largely self-taught and He is also a two time champion for East
The game remains a rare and unique grasped out of passion. Africa; a title that he holds to date.
sport although it’s growing worldwide. Tamale is the last born of his parents. In Uganda, Tamale says that the sport
This explains why Tamale is the only He went to Kiwatule Parents School for is less developed and lacks competitions
known Ugandan who plays the juggles primary education. He joined Kyambogo to up the skills and interest more people.
the ball left right and centre. College School where he completed ordi- He, however, has plans of rolling out
Tamale says that the sport involves nary level but the environment couldn’t competitions locally so that more young
doing short performances of about three allow him explore his talent. people can get to know about the sport.
30-second performances or a single “Fellow students and teachers only got Tamale has plans of keeping within the
minute-long performance depending on to know about my skill in the media like sport for the next five years and quit at
the stage of competition and the compe- newspapers and TV,” he says. a time when more young people have
tition’s structure. In other countries, it’s It was during his advanced education taken it up.
played in teams but not in Uganda or at Rise and Shine High School that he
east Africa because it’s very hard since had greater opportunity to explore his
it’s largely self-taught. skill. During advanced level, he started
“Evaluation is based on difficulty, origi-
nality, all round skills, trick execution,
mistakes, and variety,” says Tamale,
“Players are not allowed to touch the
ball with the hands or arms”.
For the last four years, Tamale has been
performing for crowds and has starred in
company advertisements, opening school
games, and entertaining guests at corpo-
rate parties and weddings.
Tamale initially played ordinary
soccer in 11 and seven positions until
he chose to specialise in freestyle. For
him, watching Youtube videos featuring
famous soccer players like Cristiano
Ronaldo, Lionel Messi and Zinedine
Zidane sparked off his love and training
for the game. The videos showcased
players performing tricks that Tamale
never believed would be possible to pull
off but was pushed to replicate. And so
during his primary seven vacation, his
mother Josephine Kirabo (RIP) bought
his first ball and boots. Even when his
father, Prosperous Ssentongo (RIP) never
believed that he would craft a career out
of the game, he still pushed on and has
since never looked back.
“My father wanted me to focus on pur-
suing formal education,” he says,
“I stumbled a lot trying to replicate the
tricks for a long time until I grasped.”
His brother Isaac Mwesigwa who
also doubles as his manager took on
to pushing the passion and prides in

38 Jan. 11 - 17, 2019


Andrew Stuart Tamale’s Liteside
Any three things that we don’t know
about you?
I am a humble person who likes to
laugh and joke around often. It’s very
hard to get me really pissed.
What is your idea of perfect happiness?
Every good moment is worth being
happy.
What is your greatest fear?
With God at the centre of my life, He
holds my fears.
What is the trait you most deplore in oth-
ers?
Having negative energy and the belief
that someone can’t make it. I don’t like
to associate with such people and those
who don’t appreciate other’s efforts.
Which living person do you most admire?
My brother Isaac Mwesigwa has
everything I would love to have. He has
achieved a lot at his age and I have learnt
a lot. I also admire Andrew Henderson
the world free style champion; he works
really hard and trains for about eight
hours a day. I also admire Sean Garnier
has achieved a lot from the sport.
What is your greatest extravagance?
I love travelling the world.
What is the greatest thing you have ever
done?
Proving to many people who tried
to pull me down that freestyle football
really works. There are several occa-
sions when people tried to de-motivate
me and I kept pursuing my passion and
here I am as the East African freestyle
champion
What is your current state of mind?
I am a happy person.
What does being powerful mean to you?
Having a true God at the centre of
everything and making use of Him in life
is being powerful.
On what occasion do you lie?
I was raised by honest people and cau-
tioned against telling lies so I don’t tell
lies.
What do you most dislike about your ap-
pearance?
I am perfectly made in the image of
God.
Which living person do you most despise?
I don’t focus my energy on hating too
much.
What is the quality you most like in a
woman?
God fearing.
What is the quality you most like in a
man?
God fearing.
What or who is the greatest love of your
life?
After the death of my parents, my
brother takes it all. He is one person
who started from scratch and has made
it through. He started working at only
12 years and I have witnessed him raise
through levels and he remains my inspi-
ration. I have had a chance to learn from
his mistakes and work to be better than
him.
When and where were you happiest?
My mother was the first person to
believe in my talent so I was very happy
having her around for my first big per-
formance. Winning the East African free-
Q&A
style championship on two consecutive
counts in 2017 were happy moments for
me. Signing my first big commercial con-
tract with GOtv was a happy moment.
Which talent would you most like to
have?
I also do portraits although once in a
while. It’s one talent that I would love to
push on alongside freestyle football.
If you could change one thing about your-
self, what would it be?
At least nothing.
What do you consider your greatest
achievement?
I don’t take it for less being East Africa
football freestyle champion.
Where would you most like to live?
Uganda is my best destination to live
because it presents several opportunities
to thrive and become a champion.
What is your most treasured possession?
I treasure the free styling skill.
What do you regard as the lowest depth of
misery?
Going days without food is very low.
What is your favorite occupation?
Freestyle football is something new and
unique in Uganda and I love to promote it.
What do you most value in your friends?
I have very few friends because I am so
picky with friends. I value positivity and
value addition in friendship.
Who are your favorite writers?
I am not a good reader save for the
bible.
Which historical figure do you most iden-
tify with?
I don’t have any as yet.
Who are your heroes in real life?
My brother Isaac Mwesigwa remains
my hero.
What is your greatest regret?
Although it was beyond my control,
I regret losing my mother before wit-
nessing me become a star.
How would you like to die?
I don’t think about death now.
What is your motto?
Work in progress.
Jan. 11 - 17, 2019 39
Global comment
By Carl Manlan
Africa’s philanthropic potential
Africans have the financial means to help the African
continent achieve its development objectives
I
t has now been more than three
years since the United Nations
General Assembly adopted the
2030 Agenda for Sustainable
Development, and the money required
to meet the Sustainable Development
Goals (SDGs) – the agenda’s key targets
– remains elusive. In fact, less than half
of the $6 trillion in annual financing that
is needed has even been pledged.
But while the dearth of global funding
could be viewed as a tragedy for the
Global South, for Africa, it actually
represents a tremendous opportunity.
Foreign aid has long supported
Africa’s progress. But Africans are
increasingly able to invest in their own
solutions. By 2025, African household
and business spending could hit $5.6
trillion, and Deloitte estimates that by
2030, a half-billion Africans will have
disposable income. If every African with
the means contributed a dollar a month
for a year to pool our own resources, the
benefits would be profound.
But before we can even begin to
dream of legions of homegrown donors,
the immediate goal must be to create
networks and strategies to maximise
the benefits of African giving. The
first step is to build philanthropic
infrastructure – the technological, legal,
tax, and accountability systems needed
to ensure that donations are secure.
While digital financial services have
already made fundraising easier, the
scale of online giving in Africa remains
small. For example, Africa’s largest
online fundraising platform, M-Changa,
launched in 2012, has collected money
from more than 340,000 donors for some
29,000 projects. China’s Tencent charity
platform, by comparison, solicited 28
million donations in just three days last
year.
Moreover, Africa’s civil-society
organisations (CSOs) must become
more adept at persuading potential
African donors that they are worthy aid
recipients. According to EPIC-Africa, a
Dakar-based nonprofit that tracks CSO
effectiveness, there is little credible data
on the number of African CSOs, what
40 Jan. 11 - 17, 2019
they do, and how they effect change
in the places where they operate. In
other words, donors have little way of
knowing whether their money is being
well spent. If African philanthropy is
ever to serve as an effective catalyst
of human progress, greater CSO
transparency will be needed.
Aware of these shortcomings, EPIC-
Africa has formed a partnership with
the Rockefeller Foundation to create
the African CSO Excellence Awards,
a program designed to recognise
organisational capacity on issues like
strategic ability, leadership, governance,
financial health, and project monitoring.
The ultimate goal is to strengthen
philanthropic infrastructure to make
charities more effective and more
accountable.
Finally, Africa’s philanthropic push
should target economic growth. One
of the best ways to shift Africans’ focus
from poverty reduction to wealth
creation is by supporting small and
medium-size enterprises – including
female-run farms. That way, when gov-
ernments build systems that connect
intra-African trade to global value chains,
While digital
financial
services have
already made
fundraising
easier, the
scale of online
giving in Africa
remains small.
well-resourced SMEs can maneuver to
take advantage. And when SMEs suc-
ceed, jobs are created, helping more
people find means of upward mobility.
The African diaspora, as well as
Africans on the continent with
disposable income, can help
governments achieve the SDGs by
directing resources to organisations that
are best positioned to create African
wealth. By strategically pooling their
financial resources, Africans could end
poverty, eradicate diseases, improve
health-care systems, and educate the
continent’s children. All of this would
help Africa realise its economic potential
– including its potential to fuel global
prosperity.
Since 2015, Africa’s household
spending growth has averaged 3.5%,
and by the end of 2019, consumer
demand is forecast to add as much as
$1.1 trillion to African GDP – further
evidence that a growing number of
Africans have the financial means to
help the African continent achieve its
human-development objectives. What is
needed now are the tools to adequately
channel Africans’ new philanthropic
capacity.
The international community should
continue to support progress across
Africa, and better resourced countries
should fulfill their unmet SDG funding
commitments. But Africans do not
need to wait for the world to come to
the rescue; we have the resources we
need right here at home. After so many
decades of dependence on foreign
funding, it is time that wealth – and
not poverty – dictates how the African
continent develops.
Carl Manlan, a 2016 New Voices Fellow
at the Aspen Institute, is Chief Operating
Officer at the Ecobank Foundation.
Copyright: Project Syndicate, 2019.
www.project-syndicate.org
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