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News analysis Health Business

When elephants Is mzungu 'savior' killing Kampala’s rental rates


attack people babies in Mayuge? remain stable

Issue No. 560 Feb. 22 - 28 2019 Ushs 5,000,Kshs 200, RwF 1,500, SDP 8

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at MTN
Story behind dumping of 5 bosses

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Feb. 22 - 28 2019
INBOX

Issue No. 560 Feb. 22 - 28 2019

News analysis Business Health Arts Motoring

Cover story
Deportations at MTN
The Inside story

4 The Week
30 Comments
Bishop Bamwoze hailed for
development initiatives Democracy beyond voting
and protests: We should build
systems that make us accountable
9 The Last Word
to each other, just as governments
Museveni’s AU speech: account to citizens
Why there is a big disconnect
between Museveni the intellectual
32 Health
and Museveni the politician
Is mzungu savior killing babies
14 Analysis in Mayuge?: Renee Bach is not a
nurse or doctor; over 100 babies
When elephants attack people: she treated have died
Can UWA’s electric fence at Queen
Elizabeth Park stop them?
35 Arts & Culture
27 Business
Romantic emotions on
Kampala’s rental rates remain stable: canvas: Dancing Lights for
Final investment decision in oil and gas to the month of love
drive real estate sector

STRATEGY & EDITORIAL DIRECTOR: Andrew M. Mwenda WRITERS:Ronald Musoke, Flavia Nassaka, Ian Katusiime,
MANAGING EDITOR: Joseph Were Agnes Nantaba, Julius Businge.
INVESTIGATIONS EDITOR: Haggai Matsiko DESIGN/LAYOUT: Sarah Ngororano
BUSINESS EDITOR: Isaac Khisa CARTOONIST: Harriet Jamwa

PUBLISHER: Independent Publications Limited, Plot 82/84, Kanjokya Street, P. O. Box 3304, Kampala, Uganda
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2 Feb. 22 - 28 2019
Offline

“I welcome you to Uganda. Given our


location along the equator, we have
the best all-year weather in the world,
amazing wildlife, breath-taking falls,
Ugandans are warm people”President
Museveni to Israeli tourists

Albania’s Prime
Minister Edi Rama
reacts as ink is
thrown at him by
members of the
opposition during “I cannot request for money from
parliamentary
session in Tirana, government when the Pope’s visit
Albania, February has not yet been confirmed.”Kampala
14. Archbishop Cypriano Lwanga refuting reports
he asked for Shs9bn to facilitate the visit

A soldier is fed snake


blood during the
Cobra Gold multilateral
military exercise in
Chanthaburi, Thailand,
February 14.

“It is hard to just put it in one word or


even a few words. All I can say is that it’s
a matter that can be resolved. That must
Don Smith reacts
as Cap’n Crunch the
be resolved. Because the alternative
Great Dane yawns is not something that we should even
during the Meet be thinking about, or entertaining;
the Breeds event that we can stand in the way of our
ahead of the 143rd
Westminster Kennel own progress or the progress of all East
Club Dog Show in Africans.”Rwandan President Paul Kagame on
New York, February 9 Uganda-Rwanda tensions

Tutors in Primary Israeli tourists who Teachers to


183 Teachers Colleges who
have been transferred
250 visited various parts
of Uganda
3400 be hired by
government

Feb. 22 - 28 2019 3
week

Bill on election of LOP divides opposition


Members of the opposition have dis- Opposition,” he told Daily Monitor.
agreed on a proposed amendment to the Nambooze and Mbidde say the Bill is
Administration of Parliament Bill, 2019, to anti–opposition in nature. Nambooze went
provide for an elected Leader of Opposition as far as saying Sseggona should face the
(LOP), committee chairpersons and Opposi- DP disciplinary committee for going against
tion chief whip. The proposed amendment party principles. Sseggona however says
was mooted by Busiro East MP Medard his bill is aimed at advancing democracy
Lubega Sseggona but has faced resistance and adds that those who are dismissing
from fellow opposition lawmakers like it have not internalised it. The Bill seeks
Betty Nambooze (Mukono Municipal- to provide for the election of back-bench
ity), Mukasa Mbidde, who represents the members of the Commission, the LOP, the
Democratic Party (DP) at the Arusha-based Betty Nambooze Medard Sseggona Chief Opposition Whip and Party Whips
East African Legislative Assembly (EALA). and to establish the office of Deputy Leader
Sseggona, the shadow Justice and constitu- not us (Opposition), because it is going to of Opposition and Deputy Chief Opposition
tional affairs minister, says the Amendment work from 2021 and it will be NRM in the Whip. It also includes provisions for the
will go into effect in 2021, which should Opposition. We will not be in the Opposi- tenure of party Whips and to establish the
not worry the opposition. “It should be the tion unless some people think that even as office of dean of Independent Members of
National Resistance Movement to worry, we cross into power, they will remain in the Parliament.

Bishop NRM top organ backs queue voting


Bamwoze hailed elections because it will reduce
for development the number of petitions filed
by those who were dissatisfied
initiatives with the outcome of the ballot
Bishop Cyprian Bamwoze has process and enhance transpar-
been hailed as a developmental ency because losing candidates
leader who established many can visibly tell whose support
projects for Busoga region and they had. Part on the agenda of
his nation. The retired bishop of the CEC retreat was the 2021
Busoga diocese died aged 86 af- electoral roadmap. Some of the
ter a battle with leukemia. Presi- CEC members that attended
dent Yoweri Museveni praised the meeting include Hajji Moses
Bamwoze for being a pillar to Kigongo (1st National Vice
the youth. During a special sit- Chairperson), Speaker of Parlia-
ting in parliament to honour the ment Rebecca Kadaga (2nd Na-
fallen bishop, Museveni said he tional Vice Chairperson), Prime
first met Bamwoze in 1962 at a Minister Ruhakana Rugunda,
youth conference and urged the The Central Executive Com- said the proposal was pushed Maj Gen Matayo Kyaligonza
church to help the youth find mittee (CEC), NRM’s top deci- by NRM chairman Yoweri (Western Region), Mike Mukula
work. Speaker of Parliament sion making body, has adopted Museveni. NRM previously (Eastern Region), Minister with-
Rebecca Kadaga said Bamwoze the method of lining up behind conducted its primary elections out Portfolio Abdul Nadduli
was a self-made man who had candidates during the next par- using the secret ballot but there (Central Region), Sam Engola
a lot of commitment to the rural ty primaries. The decision was was concern because the system (Northern Region), Godfrey
communities and touched so adopted during a five day CEC led to violence and intense Nyakana (Kampala Region)
many lives. Kadaga cited his retreat in Chobe Safri Lodge internal bickering. The new sys- and Maj. Gen. Jim Muhwezi
unfinished work especially that ended on Feb. 20. NRM tem is also aimed at reducing (Veterans).
the Busoga Integrated Rural spokesperson Ofwono Opondo the cost of conducting internal
Development Centre and writ-
ing a Lusoga dictionary which
must be completed to sustain Classes resume at Makerere University amid uncertainty
his legacy. Bamwoze was After one month of paralysis the chairperson of Makerere of terror’. Kamunyu said the
consecrated in August 1972 and at Makerere University, classes Administrative Staff Asso- university staff have given the
served as Bishop of resumed after assurances ciation (MASA), his secretary council one month to resolve
Busoga Angli- by the University Council general Joseph Kalema and all the issues. However stu-
can diocese during a general assembly of Dr Deus Kamunyu Muhwezi, dents who have not studied
for 27 years. administrative, academic and the chairperson Makerere are anxious as to how all the
He was laid support staff associations. The University Academic Staff pending issues will be resolved
to rest at staff went on strike on January Association (MUASA). The in one month. Even as lectures
Bugembe 18 protesting the decision by standoff led to a parliament resumed, there was uncertain-
Cathedral in the Makerere vice chancellor summon to Nawangwe and ty on the next course of action
Jinja. Prof Barnabas Nawangwe to the Council where MPs on Nawangwe will take given the
suspend three staff associa- the Education committee told tolerance he has exercised in
tion leaders; Bennet Magara, Nawangwe to end his ‘reign the past.

4 Feb. 22 - 28 2019
Week

Kagame speaks out on Rwanda-Uganda relations Report pins UPDF,


In a revealing interview with of the regional body. Kagame UWA on killings
The East African, Rwandan who recently handed as AU
President Paul Kagame said chairman to Egypt’s El Sisi said A report by Human Rights
the tensions between Uganda Rwanda and Uganda relations and Peace Centre (HURIPEC)
and Rwanda can be resolved had worsened because the latter based at Makerere Univer-
through dialogue. “All I can chose to believe information sity’s School of Law accuses
say is that it’s a matter that can from Rwandan dissidents based the Uganda People’s Defence
be resolved. That must be re- in South Africa. The 61 year Forces (UPDF), Uganda Wildlife
solved. Because the alternative old leader also cited the Africa Authority (UWA), and Uganda
is not something that we should Free Continental Trade Area Police Force personnel of killing
Paul Kagame at least 133 civilians in the last
even be thinking about, or agreement as one of his proud-
three years. Zahara Nampewo,
entertaining…” Kagame said. est achievements saying he was
the director HURIPEC, said the
The new EAC chairman also Burundi and Uganda will not lucky to build on the efforts of
report was a scorecard of the
said Rwanda’s relations with be affected by Rwanda’s chair other leaders.
state of human rights in the first
half of President Yoweri Musev-
Activists appeal to MPs on criminalising prostitution eni’s fifth elective term which
he dubbed ‘Kisanja Hakuna
As Parliament debates the suspects. They argued that placards reading; “sex work- Mchezo’. A total of 40 deaths
Sexual Offences Bill of 2015, arrests are mostly carried out to ers deserve equal rights & were attributed to the UPDF, 62
women rights activists are ap- solicit bribes from sex workers treatment”, “outlaw poverty to police and 31 to UWA. The
pealing to MPs not to criminal- and harass them. The women not prostitution”. Further, the report does not reveal the names
ise prostitution. The activists activists say the Sexual Of- women rights activists lament- of those killed or tortured by the
explained that the offence of fences Bill 2015 seeks to prohibit ed that criminalisation of sex security agencies and UWA due
commercial sex remains one of prostitution under clause 12 just work leads to discrimination to confidentiality. Government
the most redundant provisions like the Penal Code Act. While and prohibits sex workers from spokesperson Ofwono Opondo
whose enforcement is a fruitless addressing journalists at the accessing HIV/AIDS testing and dismissed the report saying
exercise let alone the difficulty Uganda Museum in Kampala, treatment. the government was not given
of gathering evidence against the women activists brandished enough time to respond.

KCB flies 30 Arcade wrangles persist


customers to Japan For two days, close to twenty
buildings in the city centre
losses. Yanga has met Presi-
dent Museveni over the matter
were closed as the owner, but issues were unresolved.
KCB Bank Uganda Business Mansour Matovu aka Yanga Kampala Capital City Author-
Club customers will travel to protested what he termed as ity has stayed out of the saga
Tokyo Japan from the March 2 mistreatment in a long running saying it is an ownership issue
-12. The 10day tour of the city property row that involves which ought to be resolved by
of Tokyo will expose the cus-
fellow businessman Charles individuals. Drake Lubega,
tomers to the world of business
Muhangi who passed on late another businessman had been
ranging from cottage, small
last year. Yanga says he is be- involved in property wrangles
scale industries, electronic mar-
ing frustrated in his pursuit of with Muhangi for some time
kets, motor vehicle parts and
malls which were taken over over the ownership of land on
used motor vehicle exportation
inspection among others. The by Muhangi before he died. which Qualicel Bus Terminal
business trip is organized by Out of frustration, Yanga closed sits. The Supreme Court had
KCB Bank Uganda in partner- seventeen of his buildings in the granted Muhangi ownership
ship with the Japanese embassy city last week leaving hundreds of the land but he passed away
of traders counting heavy shortly after.

UTB in golf tourism promotion


In a bid to promote golf Asiimwe, the outgoing CEO Club on Feb.18. Innocent
tourism, Uganda Tourism of UTB said supporting sports Kihika, the president of the
Board (UTB) and Uganda Golf tourism has a direct impact Uganda Golf Union said that
Union have signed a three year on the economy in terms of the partnership covers the 18
partnership agreement to pro- creation of new jobs and other golf clubs in Uganda. Globally,
mote golf across the country. opportunities. He also said that golf contributes about US$20bn
The signing comes ahead of a the new partnership is part to the world economy annually
tour by Uganda Golf Tour set of the product development and attracts millions of holiday
to kickoff later in March. UTB by UTB to grow the tourism makers. An estimated 5-10%
will offer Shs50million for vari- sector. “Golfers travel a lot people travel worldwide with a
ous game to be played in Golf and spend,” he said at a press sole purpose of playing golf, ac-
Stephen Asiimwe courses across Uganda. Stephen conference held at Golf Course cording to Asiimwe and Kihika.

Feb. 22 - 28 2019 5
Week
NBA to start Africa
league in 2020
African kids with hoop dreams
could be staring at a bright future
following an announcement by the
National Basketball Association (NBA),
a men’s professional basketball league
in North America of starting a profes-
sional basketball league in Africa. The
league will feature 12 teams from sev-
eral countries across the continent. The
league will debut next year, and will
be referred to as the Basketball Africa
League. It will include teams from
several African countries, including
Angola, Egypt, Kenya, Morocco, Nige-
ria, Rwanda, Senegal, South Africa and
Airbus to halt production of giant A380
Tunisia. The NBA plans to conduct
qualification tournaments later this European aircraft maker Airbus will stop favour of smaller planes. Airbus will deliver
year. While there are several basket- the manufacture of the iconic A380, the giant the last batch of the plane in 2021. However
ball teams across Africa, a pro league plant beloved by passengers but increas- the company will keep supporting the exist-
will unify them under one umbrella ingly shunned by airlines. Aviation analysts ing fleet of A380s for years. Fans of the super-
and provide resources and visibility. described the A380 as an engineering feat and jumbo posted on social media their favourite
“The Basketball Africa League is an an economic failure. Airlines opted for smaller moments in the aircraft. It flew commercially
important next step in our continued planes for shorter travel. The four engine for 12 years and could fit anywhere from 500-
development of the game of basketball plane was also too expensive to fuel and 800 passengers. Twin-engine aircraft, like Boe-
in Africa,” NBA commissioner Adam maintain. Some airports also struggled to con- ing’s 787 and Airbus’ own A350 series have
Silver said in a statement. Former US tain its accommodation needs. The final blow become more popular with airlines for flying
President Barack Obama will play a however came when Emirates, a longtime direct routes to a wider variety of destina-
role in the founding of the league. customer cut its fleet order for the A380 in tions, lessening the reliance on giant planes.

6 Feb. 22 - 28 2019
Humour Did you know?
Music motivates the
brain to learn

Humans have been making, listening,


and dancing to music since time
immemorial, and this art can easily soothe
or amplify our emotions. New research
Archbishop Cyprian Lwanga has asked the government for Shs9b for the works at Uganda explains what “chords” music strikes in the
Martyrs shrine for the Pope’s visit. brain, and how it relates to certain cognitive
processes, particularly learning.
Listening to certain types of music may
even alter our perception and change the
way we see potential partners, while happy
songs can help boost our creativity.
In a new study, the findings of which
feature in the journal PNAS, researchers
from McGill University in Montreal,
Canada have now shown that we can use
music to activate the brain’s reward center
and motivate learning in an error prediction
model. The current research uses a musical
reward learning task and functional MRI
to understand how pleasurable music
motivates the brain to learn and to strive for
its reward.
The team worked with 20 participants
aged between 18 and 27 years, whom they
asked to take part in a musical reward
experiment. Each person had to choose
a combination of colors and directions,
Inspector General of Police Martin Okoth Ochola has said internal
corruption is the biggest challenge in the Uganda Police. and each combination had a different
probability of the participant hearing either
pleasant music or a dissonant, unpleasant
audio track.
After a few attempts, the participants
learned which combinations they should
choose in order to increase their chances of
accessing the enjoyable music reward.
While the volunteers were participating
in this task, the researchers used functional
MRI to measure their brain activity. Then,
using a special algorithm, the investigators
calculated the difference between how
often the participants expected to receive
their reward and the number of times they
actually received it.
On further comparing this data with
the functional MRI scans, the team found
that correct predictions correlated with
heightened activity in a brain area called
the nucleus accumbens, which previous
MTN Uganda chief executive officer Wim Vanhelleputte has been deported. research has tied to the experience of
pleasure when listening to music.

Feb. 22 - 28 2019 7
News analysis Health Business
Fight erupts over Crime HIV and young girls: New study Back to zero: UTL’s prospective
Preventers SACCO money on prevention methods investor fails to raise capital

Issue No. 559 Feb. 15 - 21 2019


Ushs 5,000,Kshs 200, RwF 1,500, SDP 8

Mutebile's
next fight

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http://twitter.com/#!/ugandatalks Big money
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Address impunity on our roads


Letters are
Over the years, road users the Traffic and Road Safety Interestingly most of the
welcome ! in Uganda have acquiesced (Rules of the Road) Regula- vehicles that are involved in
The Editor welcomes short and
to their shabby treatment tions, 2004, the vehicles of this habit are government
concise letters from our esteemed without asking the question: the president, Vice President, vehicles with red number
readers on topical issues. Please “Who is entitled to the right Chief Justice, Speaker of Par- plates, giving an impres-
send them to: of way in Uganda?” This liament or the Prime Minister sion that every government
The Editor, The Independent question is pertinent given too have a right of way. vehicle has a right of way,
Publications Ltd,
P.O Box 3304,
that various people have Suffice to say, some ironically these are govern-
Plot 82/84 Kanjokya St, continued to claim the right individuals not explicitly ment officials that should be
Kamwokya. way on Ugandan roads – provided for under the law, the custodians of the law and
Kampala,Uganda. ranging from the president to can be granted permission should know better.
pastors, traditional leaders, by the Inspector General of In Uganda we shall always
Email: editor@independent.co.ug cabinet ministers and private Police if it’s deemed neces- be good at drafting laws, but
individuals who are friends sary. However it has now as long as impunity contin-
of those with access to the become the new normal to ues to reign unabated the
levers of power. witness incidents of vehicles rhetoric of our leaders to pre-
Fellow Ugandan’s Section 123 (5) of The whose occupants claim for side over functional systems
I am yet to see the “Ten Point Pro- Traffic and Road Safety Act the right of way in a forceful will continue to be a dream
gramme” of the recently launched makes it explicit that “emer- and aggressive manner in for the future.
‘Peoples Government’. I would like to gency motor vehicles” such total disregard to the law and
focus on the political issues rather than as police cars, fire brigade, other road users. Such inci- Cissy Kagaba
the political personalities involved. And ambulance and military vehi- dents reign where impunity The Anti-Corruption Coalition
that is why I would actually like to see cles have a right of way. in the system is the order of Uganda
clarified, in a most simple way, where Under Regulation 5(2) of the day.
exactly does this Peoples Government
draw its political legitimacy from. I
would like to see it transcribed political Violence is not Despair of Besigye’s cabinet
point by political point.
Is the Ugandan ‘Peoples Govern- the solution Whenever new theories get prematurely accept-
ed as hard fact, policies usually follow and mislead
ment’ inspired by political events in society into new and ultimately disastrous direc-
Venezuela, or is the Venezuelan opposi- People mostly from the opposition tions. This goes directly to former Forum for Demo-
tion and their foreign backers inspired keep saying that the government has cratic Change president and four time presidential
by the 2016 events in Uganda where we politicised Makerere University and candidate aspirant, Dr. Kizza Besigye who recently
had two inauguration ceremonies simi- that, that’s why scandals keep happen- named his cabinet doubled as ‘people’s assembly’
lar to what just happened recently in ing there. So why is it that after students under what he called the ‘people’s government’.
Venezuela? And if yes, is the Ugandan took a very good decision not to involve Besigye was secretly sworn in as the so- called
‘Peoples Government’ also counting on themselves in the recent strike -because it ‘people’s president’. I consider his government
foreign political recognition like is the was more about managerial or heads of ridiculous because we cannot be convinced that a
case in Venezuela? the university, some leaders; like KCCA president can appoint a cabinet after three years of
I ask this bearing in mind that Ugan- Lord Mayor Erias Lukwago, criticised swearing in. Secondly, I believe that Besigye is try-
da’s oil is nowhere near the quantities them? It makes no sense to me. Who is ing to recover his lost and buried political support
reportedly being fought for politically putting politics into the university? because there is no way the FDC party president
by world powers in the Venezuela crisis. You claim that the Minister of Educa- Patrick Amuriat can appoint the shadow cabinet
Secondly, in the Ugandan People’s tion, First Lady Janet Museveni is not and then Besigye decide to form his own making
Government’s own words, what exact- concerned. But she was the one who Amuriat a member in it.
ly, therefore, makes the NRM govern- gave the University Council and other Does this mean Besigye is fighting his party
ment illegitimate? managers the space and right to go on agendas? Besigye’s political strength is no more. He
The sensible expectation would be meeting until they come out with the has to accept that. Democratic politics is a numbers
that anyone with such a well drafted final decisions. Stop making our Univer- game and if by now people in Kampala cannot
political document would make it pub- sity look bad before the entire World due even recognise Besigye in the city, it is automatic
lic for the Ugandan peoples perusal, to some inner small internal disagree- evidence that Dr. Besigye’s days are over however
and for a basic assessment of the ments. The chain of people getting hurt much Erias Lukwago and other friends fight resus-
Peoples government’s true value to is going to increase, from the leaders to citate his political strength.
Uganda. the students and finally to the parents. By David Serumaga
Lumumba Hussein Amin Kevin seguya serumagadavid916@gmail.com
Kampala Uganda Kelvinsegz@gmail.com @david_serumaga

8 Feb. 22 - 28 2019
The Last Word Opinion

Museveni’s AU speech
By Andrew M. Mwenda
Why there is a big disconnect between Museveni
the intellectual and Museveni the politician

L
ast week, President Yoweri Museveni officials of the state of Rwanda. As a private citizen I have staked every-
delivered an impressive speech to Let me assume that Kampala’s claims of thing to get the relationship between
fellow African Union (AU) heads of kidnappings and killings are true. Museveni Uganda and Rwanda on the right footing.
state in Addis Ababa about the need should send his officials to Kigali, or per- I can only count losses. I am acutely aware
for regional and continental integration. sonally call President Paul Kagame to find that this quarrel between Kampala and
According to social media, the president ways to resolve it. Kigali has complained to Kigali will inevitably lead to the collapse
even got a standing ovation. The speech Kampala that Uganda provides sanctuary of the East African Community (EAC), the
was Musevenisque in its historical sweep, to persons working actively to destabilise very institution that Museveni says is abso-
breadth of perspective, depth of analysis their country and ensure regime change. lutely critical for our strategic security and
and strategic foresight. It showed how Mu- Social media and intelligence services in prosperity. Let us not forget that the quarrel
seveni the politician contradicts Museveni Uganda also claim that Kigali has been between Kenya and Tanzania and between
the intellectual. It also proves that leaders seeking to overthrow the government in Tanzania and Uganda in the 1970s led to the
are human – they have egos and other emo- Kampala and this is one of the reasons why collapse of the first EAC. We are witnessing
tions that stand in the way of their strategic former police chief, Kale Kayihura, was the beginning of the second unravelling of
ambitions. hounded out of office. this regional body.
Museveni argued that the colonial con- To his credit, Museveni has many times Last week, Rwanda blocked Ugandan
quest of Africa was made possible by the gone out of his way to resolve differences cement from entering their country. Many
failure of pre-colonial African chiefs to unite with his enemies and critics. In 2011, I Ugandan investors, workers and exporters
against the foreign invader. Instead, he said, worked closely with him to fix the relation- are losing jobs and contracts in Rwanda.
they allowed their tactical differences to ship with Kigali. He has throughout his From Kigali’s perspective, it makes sense:
blind them to this strategic threat they all political career sought talks with nearly why keep paying scarce dollars to indi-
confronted. He then advised contemporary every rebel group that he has fought, viduals and businesses in a country seeking
African leaders to put aside such tactical including the psychopathic Joseph Kony. your destruction. And Uganda hasn’t acted
disagreements in pursuit of the bigger con- He reconciled with Chris Rwakasiisi and much differently: we denied Rwandair a
tinental goal of what he called “strategic with the families of Milton Obote and licence to fly out of Entebbe to London and
security” and prosperity. Even the presi- Idi Amin. Therefore, it is surprising that Brussels in spite of a bilateral agreement on
dent’s harshest critics on Uganda’s social Uganda and Rwanda can veer so close to this. And Museveni has been chair of the
media agreed that this was indeed a great military confrontation at the time when EAC while Kagame for the AU.
speech. Museveni is leading the argument for stra- Burundi has closed its border with
I read the speech with admiration and tegic cooperation. Rwanda, South Sudan is falling apart
frustration: admiration for its grand vision It is possible Kigali did something that and Tanzania is kicking Kenyans out and
and frustration with its disconnection from hurt Museveni personally and/or Uganda looking to SADC. That leaves Kenya as the
Uganda’s foreign policy towards Rwanda. nationally. But what is it that it cannot be only country not squabbling with other
Charity begins at home. If Museveni discussed and resolved? Does such action EAC members. But within Museveni’s
believes that strategic cooperation should stand above our need for regional integra- broad definition of regional integration,
be placed above tactical differences, why tion? What is so difficult for Uganda to get Nairobi’s declaration of Somalia as an
has he not promoted this approach in Kam- its grievances on a piece of paper and invite enemy state last week only shows how our
pala’s relations with Kigali? The Museveni Rwandan officials to find a solution? Kigali nations are far from uniting and cooper-
who spoke in Addis Ababa should find it has grievances against Kampala which they ating on anything.
important to work hard to solve this misun- have made clear formally and informally. The lesson I drew from Museveni’s oth-
derstanding with Kigali. I have personally carried these grievances erwise great speech is that our strategic
It may be surprising to many readers that very many times to Kampala. needs are often in conflict with our tactical
Uganda has never made any formal or What is depressing is that for two years considerations. Basically we are human. The
informal complaint to Rwanda about what now, the Chieftaincy of Military Intelligence fact that we know the problem and the solu-
Kigali has done to her. Yet social media (CMI) has been arresting Rwandans in tion does not take away our feelings, egos
and security officials in Kampala accuse Uganda, detaining them, torturing them and idiosyncrasies. That is why Museveni
Kigali of kidnapping Rwandan dissidents and deporting them back to Rwanda. It needs to revise his views about pre-colonial
in Uganda and either killing them or taking has never taken any of them before courts African chiefs. Their response to colonial
them to Rwanda and thereby violating our of law. Young Rwandans who have suf- intrusion was shaped by the petty conflicts
sovereignty, a complaint Rwanda reads fered this fate or whose relatives have suf- they were involved in. Consequently tac-
in the Ugandan media. I have asked for fered it have approached me severally for tical quarrels overpowered strategic con-
evidence of this from Kampala to take to assistance. Officials of the government of siderations – exactly as is the case between
Kigali for four years and gotten NOTHING. Rwanda have done the same. They think Uganda and Rwanda today.
The only person Kampala has presented as given my access to key decisions makers in
evidence, a one Lt. Mutabazi, was NEVER Uganda I can help. My appeals have landed amwenda@independent.co.ug
kidnapped. He was officially handed over on deaf ears. The only response I have
by the officials of the state of Uganda to the gotten is that I am a spy of Rwanda.

Feb. 22 - 28 2019 9
cover story

Black days
at MTN
Story behind dumping of 5 bosses
Elsa Mussolini
Former GM
mobile money
Anthony Katamba
Former GM
Corporate Services

Olivier Prentout
Former CMO
Annie Tabura
Former GM sales and
Distribution

Wim
Vanhelleputte
Former CEO
cover story

O
By Haggai Matsiko cite an internal power fight with Katamba.
But Wim, of course, could not fire Katamba
fficially, the Feb. 14 depor- without sanction from HQ in South Africa.
tation of MTN Chief Exec- In which case, he needed to build a strong
utive Officer (CEO), Wim case against Katamba. So what was it?
Vanhelleputte was sparked Insiders have told The Independent that
by President Yoweri Mu- the fight between Wim and Katamba can be
seveni’s concerns over al- traced from the first months Wim took the
leged gross crimes by MTN staff; including job in July 2016.
threatening national security. Katamba joined MTN in 2003 as General
But investigations by The Independent Counsel but had risen to become the most
have found that an internal fight between powerful person at MTN Uganda. Rela-
the CEO and the company’s little-known tively young, in his mid-40s possibly, with
but powerful and now sacked General a final title of General Manager in Charge
Manager-Corporate Services, Anthony of Corporate Services, he was the company
Katamba, could have caused the spark. fixer who knows where all the skeletons are,
Vanhelleputte’s deportation follows that and the legal advisor of management and
of three other senior staff weeks earlier, board. He held more sway than any CEO.
including Annie Tabura, then-General He derived part of this power from his
Manager for sales and Distribution and close relationship with shareholder and
from Rwanda. MTN Uganda Chairman Charles Mbiire.
The Independent has learnt that the He also reportedly had godfathers based
MTN saga has escalated into a diplomatic within MTN Group in South Africa.
crisis involving MTN, its mother country Apart from these connections, his role
South Africa, Rwanda, France, Italy and as General Counsel gave him control over
Belgium. everything; from procurement, access to
The breadth of reach of the crisis, the po- data, and several other operations for the
litical might of the players, and the financial company.
muscle involved show that something big Wim Vanhelleputte Because of all this, company CEOs before
is at stake. Former CEO Wim always had to submit to Katamba or
The question is no longer whether ins with authorities and endured bad press at least be in his good books to survive. At
Uganda, and in particular; Museveni, is for its perceived profit repatriation and some point, those close to him say, he start-
right in going after MTN. The question now exploitative transfer pricing practices. ed eyeing the post of CEO itself. But every
is whether he can handle the fallout. However, all these have continued to be time there was need to change a CEO, South
Rwandan authorities have complained discussed without threatening the sustain- Africa always appointed a new officer.
publicly and The Independent understands ability of the business or Uganda’s national Also because Katamba felt too powerful,
the French, Italian and Belgian embassies security. it became inevitable for him and CEOs to
in Kampala have all been sucked into the The ongoing refusal of the government to collide. For instance, Wim was appointed af-
matter. renew MTN’s license has also raised uncer- ter a fight between Katamba and then CEO,
Initially, following the deportation of tainty. But it is the spate of deportations of Brian Gouldie led to his firing.
Tabura, who is Rwandan, the biggest top MTN staff that spells an escalation. They fought over a procurement deal,
suspicion was that this was part of the ten- To make matters worse, all the four which Katamba blocked.
sions between Kampala and Kigali, which started working together, at least after July At the height of the fight, this reporter
have escalated over the last years. Rwandan 2017, that is a year and about nine months. spoke to both Katamba and Gouldie.
authorities have accused Ugandan officials Tabura, the Rwandan, had not spent a year Katamba said he was not involved in the
of plotting to overthrow the government of on the job in Uganda—having joined in decision to fire Gouldie. He also spoke only
President Paul Kagame. Ugandan officials April last year. generally about the company’s perfor-
also say Rwandan authorities are plotting The deportations saga seemed to explode mance.
to overthrow the government of President when one of the top Ugandan managers at Gouldie also did not speak directly about
Yoweri Museveni. MTN, Anthony Katamba, was sacked. Katamba. He only noted that some high
The puzzle many had failed to crack Apparently, Katamba’s sacking hap- level people within the company had em-
is how a Rwandan, a French citizen and pened just two days before Wim was de- barked on a campaign to bring disrepute to
an Italian; all working for a South African ported and word on the grapevine was that his name. He said that he had caused a lot
company, could have been working for Charles Mbiire; the local business mogul of changes which had affected these people
Rwandan authorities to jeopardise Ugan- and MTN Uganda chairman is targeted. and contractors and that this is where the
da’s security. There is no love lost between With all these pieces flying, secretive problem was coming from.
Rwanda and France. And the same applies organisations like the Internal Security Weeks after those interviews, it was
to Rwanda and South Africa. Just as many Organisation (ISO) raiding MTN, and the made official—Gouldie was leaving. While
were trying to crack this puzzle, Wim, a sector regulator; the Uganda Communica- Gouldie was recalled, Katamba was investi-
Belgian, was thrown into the mix. tions Commission (UCC) speechless, The gated but kept on the job.
Equally inadequate as an explanation was Independent set out to attempt to explain By the time Wim took the job in July 2016,
the claim that MTN was being punished what is going on. he knew about these sorts of things. He had
over accusations of fraud surrounding In all four cases, done in a similar manner previously headed MTN Ivory Coast. Be-
Mobile Money, under declaration and and over apparently similar circumstances, cause he was an insider, he knew what had
evasion of taxes, unfair competition with the security agencies have, through the happened to his successor. Wim, therefore,
competitors and recently, a disagreement Police Spokesperson Fred Enanga, cited appeared to have already planned on how
over licence fees. “national security”. to deal with the problems at the telecom
Since 2013, MTN has had on and off run- In the case of Wim, however, insiders when he arrived.

Feb. 22 - 28 2019 11
cover story
Also he had previously worked in
Uganda, and is married to a Ugandan and
was, therefore, a resident. Because of this he
knew his way around the centres of power
and did not need Katamba to network and
lobby.
Finally, within just months on the job, he
proposed a voluntary retirement for older
staff. His target appeared those in senior
management. And in total, about 100 staff
had to leave the telecom. Within senior
management, Phrase Lubega, the then Gen-
eral Manager Commercial Mobile Financial
Services and others, left.
Wim had hoped that Katamba, who had
clocked 13 years, would also leave, but
Katamba stayed put.
So, insiders say, Wim devised another
plan for Katamba. Sources tell The Inde-
pendent that Wim told Katamba that for as
long as he remained legal counsel, he would
never get appointed CEO. So, Wim report-
edly convinced Katamba to accept a role
where, Wim told him, “You can gain some
business experience”.
Katamba accepted the appointment Wim
offered but also kept the legal counsel posi-
tion too.
Meanwhile, Wim had already found a
new legal counsel in a seasoned lawyer
called Enid Edroma who had previously Olivier Prentout (L), Katamba and Mutabazi
worked for Shell and was at the time work-
ing with the National Identification and When she asked to talk to them on the
Registration Authority (NIRA). phone, they refused. She contacted the
However, once she joined MTN, Kat- Rwanda ambassador.
amba refused to hand over office to her. Then on Jan.21, MTN Head Office called
Apparently, he even threatened to sue MTN her and informed her that the police was
for advertising his job without his knowl- looking for her. They assured her that the
edge. Edroma ended up at HQ in South company’s lawyers were present. But as
Africa. soon as she reached the basement parking
Meanwhile, Wim had appointed other lot, about 10 people with guns arrested her
people. He had replaced some old hands at about 9am.
with his new team. Among them was She was taken to the Kireka-based Special
Olivier Prentout, who became CMO in July Investigations Unit (SIU) and detained in
2017, Elsa Mussolini, the mobile money a cell until about 6.30pm when she was
general manager, the same month and An- picked up by a police vehicle and driven
nie Tabura, the general manager for sales to Entebbe Airport. She was handed her
and distribution in April 2018. passport, handbag and a boarding pass and
Tensions that existed between Katamba put me on a RwandAir flight to Rwanda. Charles Mbiire
and Wim, insiders claim, almost automati- Elsa Mussolini, the mobile money general
cally extended to this group. manager, was also deported the following
Then in December last year, insiders say, day. Insiders say she appeared at SIU with Services, Anthony Katamba.
rumours started that four senior managers Wim that day. While she was deported that “From the position I hold,” the whistle-
at MTN would be deported. night, Wim was left to stay. It is at this point blower’s note reads, “I have access to all that
And on Jan.19, while returning from an that diplomats from the French, Italian is going on and I think it is time I highlight
MTN Group conference in Rwanda, Pren- and Belgium embassies got involved. An some of the issues. After I witnessed what
tout and Tabura were stopped at Entebbe insider said at all the other meetings with my colleagues went through at the mercy of
Airport. the authorities, Wim was treated respectful one man, we are all scared.”
While at the Immigration Desk, Prentout, until the last meeting on Feb.14 when he The whistleblower alleges that Katamba
was taken into one of the offices. He told was handcuffed. had bragged in the “MTN corridors” some
Tabura not to wait for him as the officials weeks before the deportations that he was
were crosschecking something. He was not Whistleblower `unmasks’ Katamba going to get four top executives in MTN
allowed into the country. He was deported Meanwhile, back at MTN a whistleblow- Uganda deported. He allegedly said they
that very night Jan.19. er circulated a two-page note to “all MTN were playing with his power in the com-
Meanwhile, Tabura was also delayed but directors and managers’. pany and that he is the real CEO.
let through. It claimed that MTN was harbouring a The whistleblower also noted that Justice
However, on Jan.20, two police vehicles criminal and needed to disassociate itself Lawrence Gidudu’s ruling on December
came to her home but did not find her. from the General Manager of Corporate 10, 2015 implicated Katamba and former

12 Feb. 22 - 28 2019
cover story
But while being interrogated, some of and deported that very night. Exactly two
the deported MTN managers were shown days after he sacked Katamba.
messages from this group. The Indepen-
dent understands that security operatives Troubles far from over
that interrogated the deported officials All this happens at a time MTN is push-
asked them about funding Kyadondo East ing to have its licence renewed.
Legislator Kyagulanyi Sentamu. Mussolini Pressure is also mounting on MTN from
was accused of inciting violence by funding local contractors who accuse it of fraud and
Bobi Wine. anti-competition behaviour. Insiders also
Katamba was also the only other mem- say President Museveni had been given a
ber of the group who was never invited for report showing that MTN was under-de-
interrogation or arrested. claring revenues, repatriating mega profits,
If this was not enough evidence for MTN and evading taxes.
officials, Katamba appeared to confirm As early as 2016, Museveni was claiming
them by, according to sources within MTN, that telecom companies were under declar-
threatening the CEO. ing revenue and costing the country an
“He sent the CEO a message saying he estimated $400 million per year in unpaid
would deport him just like the three oth- taxes. Last year, Museveni warned against
ers,” an insider told The Independent on the “hiding of money coming in and out of
conditions of anonymity because of the sen- the country, the coming in and hiding of
sitivity of the matter at the company. Those telephone calls, the misuse of social media
close to Katamba claim he denies all this. for subversion and malice”.
When contacted by this reporter on Feb.18, The president made these statements
Katamba declined to comment. the same month ISO operatives invaded
On Feb.12, however, reports emerged the MTN data centre and forcefully carried
that Wim had fired Katamba. The company away some servers.
has not explained Katamba’s firing and While telecom sector regulator; the
Wim efforts to get a comment from Wim Uganda Communications Commission
remained futile. Company lawyers who (UCC) had earlier noted in a review that
were with Wim the day he was deported MTN failed to meet some legal and techni-
had not responded to our queries by press cal requirements for the licence, it gave a
Flying Squad Commander Nixon Agasirwe time. green light for renewal. Cabinet also gave
of torturing a one Mr Sentongo (accused However, insiders say following the a green light but on condition that MTN
with former MTN Uganda Head of Public threat the CEO fired Katamba. Then, two floats shares in order for locals to own part
Access and Mobile Money, Richard Mwami days later, Wim was summoned to police. of the company.
of embezzling billions of money from the He had arrived at the Kireka-based Special On top of this, government had slapped
company). Investigations Unit (SIU) in the company a US$ 100 million licence fee on MTN and
“This shows you that you are harbouring of company lawyer, Barnabas Tumusingize when UCC whittled it down to about
a criminal and MTN need to disassociate by about 11am. But even by 4pm, sources US$58 million, President Museveni dis-
itself NOW from this sadistic criminal who close to the matter say, they had not been agreed publicly.
has only been pursuing his personal agenda attended to. By 6pm, they were still at SIU. “You ought to be aware that over the 20
in the company. He has with Nixon been Eventually when Wim was interrogated, years span during which MTN has been op-
compromising engineers in the company the first question reportedly was: “Why are erating in Uganda, it has reaped vast profits
to erase call data records to protect criminal people who were deported still working?” most of which have obviously been repatri-
activities in the country,” the note reads. Apparently, Wim explained that first of ated. This is common knowledge derived
Insiders say Katamba was suspected of all, they had not handed over when they from the company’s own declarations and
causing the deportation of the three manag- were deported, so, they had to handover. from our own sources,” President Museveni
ers after it emerged that information only he He added that while they had been deport- wrote to UCC and ministry of ICT on Octo-
could access with the three others was what ed from Uganda, they were still employees ber 28, 2018. “Accordingly, the company’s
security operatives were using to interro- of MTN Group. obligation to sow where it intends to reap
gate his colleagues. The Independent understands that the for the next 10 years, as well as its ability to
For instance, insiders claim that Katamba deported staff had continued to work in do so, is, and cannot be in doubt.”
belonged to a Whatsapp chat group with virtual space—and were accessing the “I am hereby directing both of you to
the three senior managers. They had created company cloud. Wim, who hired them protect the interest of both the country and
the group to discuss how to deal with both and had been working closely with them, investor by ensuring that you scrutinise the
OTT and Mobile Money tax. had continued to work with them. He had process and involve Finance and the tax
As the biggest telecom, MTN was lead- just returned from a business trip in Dubai matters. I expect a quick resolution and an
ing efforts to challenge the two taxes as it where he had met these officials. It is not update in 14 days,” Museveni added.
was feared they would negatively impact clear whether he was supposed to but Kat- A Jan.23 meeting between President
both their mobile money transfer and data amba did not attend this meeting. Museveni and the MTN Group CEO Rob
businesses. The MTN team even appeared At this point, insiders claim, Wim sus- Shuter in Davos, Switzerland on the side
before a parliamentary committee in efforts pected that it was Katamba who had passed lines of the World Economic Forum had
to lobby against the tax. on the information partly because he is been seen as a major step forward for the
On the Whatsapp chat group, they were among the few in the company with such company; especially given that it happened
sharing ideas on how to lobby and what high level access. He is the one who had just after the initial deportations. Wim’s depor-
other measures to take in a bid to get gov- threatened to deport him. After the interro- tation, however, has showed that MTN’s
ernment to review its measures. gation, Wim was driven straight to Entebbe troubles are far from over.

Feb. 22 - 28 2019 13
news analysis

When
elephants
attack
people
Can UWA’s
electric fence at
Queen Elizabeth
Park stop them?

Workers, many of whom come from the park’s neighbourhood have since October, last year, been erecting an electric fence that the Uganda Wildlife
Authority hopes will finally stop elephants raiding people’s crops.  INDEPENDENT/RONALD MUSOKE

By Ronald Musoke time visitor would think Kwatampora and “We need urgent help to ward off the

E
his folk will in a few months harvest food elephants,” says Kamarembo.
lephants are one of the most iconic and spare some to sell and earn millions of
and popular animals that attract shillings. But that view vanishes when the Electric fence
visitors by their thousands to Queen villagers start telling mournful tales of their Fortunately, it appears, help has finally
Elizabeth National Park in western routine confrontation with their dangerous arrived. The Uganda Wildlife Authority
Uganda. Even the locals of Kafuru, a small wild neighbours. (UWA) is constructing an electric fence
village near the eastern fringes of the park “The animals attack us every day,” says between Kafuru village and the park.
know this. Jacob Baabo. A gang of workers has, since October last
MacLean Nagasha, a 17-year old student “We try to grow our crops in order to year, been working on the fence. All grass
of Bakyenga S.S in Rubirizi, for example, survive but all our labour goes to waste and shrubbery has been cleared from a strip
says elephants are important because the almost all the time,” says Moses Koyeky- along the length of the dirt road that looks
government earns foreign exchange from enga, 42, “We sometimes go without food about 5 metres wide and stretches as far as
the tourists. For her community, she says, and we have been reduced to labourers in the eye can see. Along it, an unending line
the park provides firewood, thatching grass neighbouring villages in order to find food of holes have been dug and round posts,
and timber. for our families.” each 3ft high, have been fixed and three
But for other residents, like David Medias Kamarembo, a dimunitive but lines of 2.55mm high tensile wires strung
Kwatampora, elephants represent anguish, vocal woman who says she grows mainly across the posts.
pain and sorrow. cotton says she and her colleagues are fail- It is difficult to believe that this short and
Sixty-year-old Kwatampora has been ing to educate their children because of the weak-looking fence can stop a buffalo, let
living here since 1972 and has witnessed non-stop elephant and buffalo raids on their alone an elephant which is big and power-
the conflict between elephants and people crops. ful. The fence is about as tall as the waist of
almost daily. Just like hundreds of others in Along the road between the park and the a tall person, yet an elephant can be three
this village perched on the western side of fields of crop are grass thatched huts where, times taller. But Ibrahim Njenga, a Kenyan
the Kyambura Gorge in Kirugu sub-county, we are told, villagers stay overnight as they fence technician who is overseeing the
Rubirizi District, he is a peasant farmer. keep watch over their crop. It is said that in work and has fixed the fences in Botswana,
He, like almost everybody here, depends just one night of “crop raiding,” elephants Gabon, and Kenya, says it works.
on their small plots of arable land that are can destroy whole gardens, leaving the He says fences are only needed in short
only separated from the park’s boundaries subsistence farmers desperate for food and stretches where human-elephant conflict is
by a narrow dirt road. They grow cotton, money. So those who cannot endure the worst.
maize, cassava and tomato. cold nights, battle the beasts in the morning “Our research shows that building electri-
Looking at the plants in full bloom, a first and throughout the day. fied fences is the most effective way to suc-

14 Feb. 22 - 28 2019
news analysis
ceed. We have worked out that a short-post of the team constructing the fence told tionships with some communities.
fence with long electrified outriggers works The Independent that the electric fence has Asalu says the population of both ele-
best,” Njenga says, “We have already tried brought almost instant results. phants and human beings around the park
it in many places and it has worked very He says the elephants had a particular has been increasing and that means that the
effectively.” course along which they would move and human-wildlife conflict can only grow. He
Njenga has done this kind of work for cross and destroy people’s gardens but that says a recent airborne survey found close to
the last eight years and his gang of 10 work- has stopped. 4000 elephants in the park.
ers is made of up of Ugandans with the “All around the park, we have a hard
majority coming from the Kyambura area. Valley of death time controlling elephants,” he says, add-
Njenga’s understudy, Modest Enzama, is The fence is being built at a time when ing that UWA has in the past had even its
attached to UWA and works directly with confrontation between man and animals own staff get killed during missions to scare
the fence builders. from the park has become increasingly away the elephants from the communities.
Njenga explains that the fence’s effective- fatal. Just four months ago, in September, Even President Yoweri Museveni has
ness in blocking elephants is built around Kwatampora woke up to the horror of his voiced his concern about the growing
“outriggers;” wires that slant from the verti- neighbour, Angelo Ndyoburungi’s death. human-wildlife conflict around Uganda’s
cal posts at an angle of 45 degrees towards On the fateful day, he says, Ndyoburungi conservation areas. Museveni is a founding
the direction the animal will approach from woke up to go to his farm but before he member of the Giants Club, a conservation
the national park side. could start work, he was ambushed and programme that brings together political
He says when the system is switched on, gored by a buffalo. Gladys Muhindo, the leaders, financiers, and scientists to endorse,
electricity pulses of up to 9000 volts drawn deceased’s daughter in law told The Inde- fund, and implement elephant landscape
from solar-powered energizers feed into pendent that although residents tried to save protection projects. At a summit organized
the wires. Then, when the wires touch an his life by rushing him to the nearby dispen- in Kenya in 2016, he called for a solution
elephant on the soft flesh of its chest or its sary, he died from his injuries. He left seven to the growing human-elephant conflict in
trunk, the animal is shocked and forced to children. His grave is just metres away from Uganda.
turn away before it can reach the posts to his mud and wattle house.
destroy the fence and run into the fields. Mending fences
The fence voltage is high, but the current Erecting the 10km electric fence is
is low meaning that it cannot electrocute a
person to death. Anyone who touches it will Tales of planned to be completed by the end of
April. That is when its full effectiveness will
receive a strong shock but not one that will
kill them.
desperation reflect be tested.
Asalu, the chief warden says UWA has in
The UWA officials say that while the
fence is not constructed to prevent people
the ever growing the past come up with several interventions
such as bee farming (bees irritate elephants)
from crossing, it will help to demarcate the
park’s boundary more clearly and assist
dangerous as well as digging trenches in the park’s
hotspots to try to stop elephants from going
park rangers in enforcing security and ille-
gal harvesting of resources from the park,
interaction into the communities. All these have come
with little success, sometimes owing to the
including poaching.
Njenga says the fence is effective on big-
between farmers high intelligence of the elephants.
When the trenches were dug, for
ger animals like elephants, rhinos and buf-
faloes.
and wild animals instance, the elephants quickly got around
this challenge by filling up the trenches with
Space for Giants, a Nairobi-based conser- soil. Meanwhile other crossing areas were
vation agency is building the initial 10km of The horror of wild animals killing human marshy swampland and the trenches could
fence on the eastern fringes of Queen Eliza- beings does not stop in Kafuru. In the not be dug. The elephants soon saw these
beth National Park, from Kyezazza near nearby Masoro village, the Kafuru residents spots as good crossing points to the com-
the small township of Kyambura, near the say two people were recently killed by wild munity gardens.
Kyambura Gorge, to Kyabakara—a stretch animals. “We realized that these interventions
of close to 10km. Each kilometre has cost Such tales of desperation in this village were not adequate enough to handle this
the agency US$ 6000. might be anecdotal but they reflect the ever problem,” Asalu says to explain why suc-
Edward Asalu, the Chief Warden of growing dangerous interaction between cess of the electric fence is critical.
Queen Elizabeth Conservation Area told farmers and wild animals as both human But in other African countries where
The Independent that UWA’s plan is to erect and animal population swell. similar fences have been deployed, some
an electric fence stretching over 100km from Kwatampora told The Independent that people who live near fences break them
the cobalt plant at KCCL through Muhokya the confrontations with the wild animals in order to continue illegally entering the
and Kikorongo towards Bwera up to seem more these days than 40 years ago. park to collect firewood or water or even
Busunga where the park ends. He says back then it was only warthogs poach bush meat. This sometimes renders
“We have started with 10km as a pilot that occasionally crossed into their gardens the fence ineffective and elephants learn fast
project to see how effective it can be but and burrowed into their cassava and potato where fences are no longer electrified and
from the reports I am getting, the results are gardens. The elephant and buffalo attacks take advantage. There must be strong local
looking good.” started around the 1990s, he says. appreciation of the benefits the fence brings.
The electric fence will only be erected Olivia Biira, the community conservation The fence must also be maintained where it
in what Asalu calls hotspot areas—places manager for Queen Elizabeth National Park is damaged, to keep it effective.
where the feud between elephants and peo- told The Independent that the problem of Biira told The Independent that she hopes
ple has been going on for decades. Asalu elephants’ havoc has been a long standing the electric fence will not only reduce dam-
says these areas include Kyezazza, Rutoma challenge. age to people’s property but also mend the
and Kakari while on the Kasese side; the She says cases of crop and property relationship between the park managers
Kicwamba area is quite problematic. destruction, injuries, and even deaths are and the communities.
Julius Nabasa, a Ugandan supervisor reported to her often and they strain rela-

Feb. 22 - 28 2019 15
feature

How should we
happy. One striking study by a team of Bel-
gian and French physicians has shown that
even in a cohort of patients with chronic
locked-in syndrome, a majority reported

measure well-being?
being happy.
The second problem is “valuation ne-
glect”. Valuing a life is a reflective activity
that should not be reduced to feeling happy
or unhappy. Of course, Sen admits, “it
Happiness and life satisfaction do not coincide would be odd to claim that a person broken
down by pain and misery is doing very
and material possessions aren’t enough well”.
We should, therefore, not fully neglect
the importance of feeling well, but also
By Henry S. Richardson & Erik Schokkaert credible. But according to psychologists, acknowledge it is not the only thing people

O
happiness and life satisfaction do not care about.
pinions differ on the definition coincide. Life satisfaction has a cognitive
of well-being. Yet there’s a grow- Together with Martha Nussbaum, Sen
component – individuals have to step formulated an alternative: the capability ap-
ing consensus that it cannot be back to assess their lives – while happiness
reduced to material consumption proach, which stipulates that both personal
reflects positive and negative emotions that characteristics and social circumstances
and that other aspects of life, such as health fluctuate.
and good social relations, are essential to affect what people can achieve with a given
A focus on positive and negative emo- amount of resources.
being well. tions can lead to understanding well-being
Increasing well-being is generally ac- Giving books to a person who cannot
in an “hedonic” way, based in pleasure read does not increase their well-being
cepted as one of the essential components of and the absence of pain. Looking instead
social progress, but if different aspects of life (probably the opposite), just as providing
to individuals’ judgements about what is them with a car does not increase mobility if
all contribute to well-being, can or should worth seeking suggests a preference-based
we construct an overall measure of it? For there are no decent roads.
approach (a possibility we discuss below). According to Sen, what the person man-
example, is “happiness” a good measure? People judge all sorts of different things to
Before we can begin to monitor social ages to do or to be – such as being well-
be worth seeking. nourished or being able to appear in public
progress in terms of well-being, we need In other words, happiness may be an ele-
more clarity on the concept itself. without shame – are what really matter for
ment in evaluating one’s well-being, but it is well-being. Sen calls these achievements
not the only one. the “functionings” of the person. However,
Measuring happiness
One possibility is to use large opinion he further claims that defining well-being
surveys in which individuals answer simple
The capability approach only in terms of functioning is insufficient,
Nobel Prize winner Amartya Sen has because well-being also includes freedom.
questions on their degree of happiness or pointed out that understanding well-being
life satisfaction. These have revealed robust His classic example involves the compari-
on the basis of feelings of satisfaction, plea- son between two undernourished individu-
patterns, confirming that economic growth sure, or happiness has two problems.
has a weaker than expected effect on satis- als. The first person is poor and cannot
The first he calls “physical-condition afford food; the second is wealthy but
faction, and that other aspects of life, such as neglect”. Human beings adapt at least par-
health and unemployment, are important. chooses to fast for religious reasons. While
tially to unfavourable situations, meaning they achieve the same level of nourishment,
These simple survey measures seem the poor and the sick can still be relatively

16 Feb. 22 - 28 2019
feature
Income Subjective life Equivalent measure them because these are aspects
satisfaction income of life – family time, health – that are not
1 Norway Denmark Norway traded on markets.
2 Switzerland Switzerland Switzerland
Does all this matter in practice?
3 Netherlands Finland Sweden
The following table, compiled by the
4 Sweden Norway Denmark Belgian economists Koen Decancq and
5 Great Britain Sweden Great Britain Erik Schokkaert, shows how differing ap-
6 Germany Netherlands Belgium
proaches to well-being can have practical
consequences.
7 Denmark Belgium Netherlands
It ranks 18 European countries in 2010
8 Belgium Spain Finland (just after the financial crisis) according to
9 Finland Germany France three possible measures: average income,
10 France Great Britain Germany
average life satisfaction and average
“equivalent income” (taking into account
11 Spain Poland Spain
health, unemployment, safety and the qual-
12 Slovenia Slovenia Greece ity of social interactions).
13 Greece Estonia Slovenia Some results are striking. Danes are
14 Czech Czech Czech much more satisfied than they are wealthy,
Republic Republic Republic while France is the opposite. These large
15 Poland France Poland
divergences are not seen when comparing
equivalent incomes, however, which sug-
16 Hungary Hungary Estonia
gests that satisfaction in these two countries
17 Russia Greece Russia is heavily influenced by cultural differences.
18 Estonia Russia Hungary Germany and the Netherlands also do
worse on satisfaction than on income, but
they cannot be said to enjoy the same level
Preferences thus have a cognitive “valu- their equivalent income rankings confirm
of well-being.
ational” component: they reflect people’s that they do relatively worse on the non-
Therefore, Sen suggests that well-being
well-informed and well-considered ideas income dimensions.
should be understood in terms of people’s
about what a good life is, not merely their Greece has a remarkably low level of life
real opportunities – that is, all possible
market behaviour. satisfaction. Cultural factors may play a
combinations of functionings from which
This does not coincide with subjective life role here, but Greece is also characterised
they can choose.
satisfaction. Recall the example of patients by high income inequality, which is not
The capability approach is inherently
with the locked-in syndrome reporting captured by the averages in the table.
multidimensional; but those seeking to
high levels of satisfaction because they have These differences among various mea-
guide policy often think that rationally
adapted to their situation. This does not sures of well-being hint at the important
dealing with trade-offs requires having one
mean that they would not prefer to have issues involved in deciding which mea-
single ultimate measure. Adherents of the
their health back – and it certainly does not sure of well-being – if any – to select. If we
capability approach who succumb to this
mean that citizens without locked-in syn- want to use the measure to rank nations’
thought often mistrust individual prefer-
drome would not mind falling ill with it. performance at providing well-being, then
ences and apply instead a set of indicators
One example of a preference-based mea- we will be pulled towards a single, simple
that are common to all individuals.
sure, advocated by the French economist measure, such as subjective happiness. If we
So-called “composite indicators” – like
Marc Fleurbaey, directs people to choose seek to keep track, for policy purposes, of
the United Nations’ Human Development
reference values for all non-income aspects whether individuals are doing well in the
Index, which adds together consumption,
of life (such as health or number of hours respects that really matter, we will be pulled
life expectancy and educational perfor-
worked). These reference values will de- towards a more multi-dimensional assess-
mance at the country level – are a frequent
pend on the individual: everyone probably ment, such as that offered by the capability
outcome of this kind of thinking. They have
agrees that not being ill is the best possible approach. And if we are most impressed by
become popular in policy circles, but they
state, but a workaholic lawyer is likely to disagreement among individuals as to what
fall victim to simply adding up scores on
place a very different value on work hours matters, we will have reason to understand
different dimensions, all deemed equally
than someone with an arduous and hazard- well-being along the lines suggested by the
important.
ous factory job. preference-based approach.
Taking individual convictions seriously Fleurbaey then suggests that people
define a salary that, combined with the Henry S. Richardson is Professor of Philosophy,
Beyond the subjective approach and the
non-income-based reference value, would Senior Research Scholar, Kennedy Institute
capability approach, a third perspective –
satisfy the individual as much as their cur- of Ethics, Georgetown University and Erik
the preference-based approach to well-be-
rent situation. Schokkaert is Professor of Economics, KU
ing – takes into account that people disagree
The amount by which this “equivalent Leuven
about the relative importance of different
life dimensions. income” differs from the person’s actual
Some people think that hard work is work-based income can help answer the
This post belongs to a series of contributions
necessary to have a valuable life while oth- question: “How much income you would
coming from the International Panel on Social
ers prefer to spend more time with family. be willing to give up for better health or
Progress, a global academic initiative of more
Some think that going out with friends is more free time?”
than 300 scholars from all social sciences and
key, while others prefer reading a book in a Some psychologists are sceptical about
the humanities who prepare a report on the
quiet place. preference-based approaches because
perspectives for social progress in the 21st
The “preference-based” perspective starts they assume that human beings have
Century. In partnership with The Conversation,
from the idea that people are better off well-informed and well-considered ideas
the posts offer a glimpse of the contents of the
when their reality matches better what they about what makes a good life. Even if such
report and of the authors’ research.
themselves consider to be important. rational preferences exist, one struggles to

Feb. 22 - 28 2019 17
ADVERTORIAL

How Umeme has


transformed Electricity
distribution in East Africa

S
ince its inception in 2005, Umeme has delivered on majority shareholder owning 23% of the company. This
its promise of turning Uganda’s electricity distribution 

 
   
 
system into one of the best in the region. sector, but the country as a safe investment destination.
Uganda’s electricity sector reforms were premised From inception, we have continued to practice world-
on attracting the private sector to anchor the class corporate governance standards. We believe in
    
         
    sustainability of the institution while serving society. To
viability of the Electricity Supply Industry. that end, we continue to focus on environmental, social,
and governance matters at the Board level.
I am pleased to highlight the positive impact of Umeme to
customers, the general community, and the entire country. Looking ahead, the challenge and opportunity lies in
Over the period, the company has invested over US$ 600 the upcoming electricity generation capacity that will
million in the electricity distribution system. increase the installed capacity to over 1,700MW after
the commissioning of Isimba and Karuma Hydro Power
As a result, this investment has doubled the size of the
Plants (HPPs). Our ambition is to ensure the power is
distribution network, reduced energy losses to 16.5% from

 
  
      
38%, improved revenue collections, and grown customer
for economic and social transformation of Uganda.
connections to 1.3 million.
Our strategy is to focus on the industrial hubs and areas
          
 
      
    
MW in 2005 to 930MW as of 2018. The electricity supply to
drive. We will prioritise increasing grid connections for the
our esteemed customers is more reliable than it was before
businesses and government. The National Development
the sector reforms.
Plan projects electricity access rate of 40% by 2025,
Umeme is one of the biggest FDI attractors in Uganda. compared to the current estimated 23%. Our investment
    

       plans are aligned to the priorities of the sector.
others, the International Finance Corporation (IFC),
On behalf of the Board, I extend our sincere
Standard Chartered Bank, and Stanbic Bank to a tune of
appreciation to the government, stakeholders, business
US$ 265 million.
   
    
Equally, through listing on the Uganda Securities period to transform the electricity industry in Uganda.
Exchange (USE), the ownership of the company has been We pledge our support and dedication to further the
broadened to over 5,700 shareholders. NSSF Uganda is the development of the sector.

4 UMEME POWER: Transforming Uganda

18
UMEME Power Book.indd 4
Feb. 22 - 28 2019
12/8/18
ADVERTORIAL

  
 
 
  

Feb. 22 - 28 2019 POWER: Transforming Uganda


UMEME 19 5
news analysis

Karuma dam 93% ready


This is a liberating project, says PM of different projects that government is
undertaking. The event was one of the
Rugunda as NRM bosses visit site opening activities of NEC’s three day retreat
at the neighboring picturesque Chobe Safari
Lodge.
“We are so much impressed with the
achievements that we have observed; we
encourage other Ugandans to come and pay
a visit to this project; it is a national souvenir
that we are proud of as NRM.”
In August last year, when President
Yoweri Museveni visited the site for the first
time since its construction started in 2013,
this is what he said:
“I came here to see the progress of work
and what I will not be able to see in future;
the power house and the dam before being
swallowed by water. Karuma is a Uganda
Government dam, built with our own mon-
ey with a soft loan from China.”
The dam, which is being constructed
under the ground, is constructed by Sino-
Mutikanga (R) engages Prime Minister Ruhakana Rugunda during the visit on Feb.15. hydro Corporation Ltd from China and is
expected to cost US$1.7bn, financed by the
By Julius Businge of the construction works. government of Uganda (15%) and the soft

T
“We would have started producing loan from China Export and Import Bank
he 600MW Karuma Hydropower power at the end of last year which means (85%). The loan is being paid by the govern-
Dam under construction on the Riv- we have lost what would have been the ment of Uganda starting 2013 for the period
er Nile in Kiryandongo District in potential revenue accruing from the sale of of 30 years.
northwestern Uganda is 93% ready this power,” he said.
and the remaining work is progressing well. However, he said the remaining works
Quick facts about Karuma dam
Harrison Mutikanga, the chief executive and physical progress are going on well.  August 12, 2013: Construction starts
officer of the Uganda Electricity Generation He said a few technical works remain in the  December 2018: Official commis-
Company Limited (UEGCL), which is the powerhouse that will house the six turbines sioning date
official government agency supervising the and related infrastructure.  July 2019: New suggested date for
project, gave the update on Feb. 15 to a visit- The official commissioning of the dam is official commissioning
ing high level team from the ruling NRM now set for December this year. It had ear-  December 2019: New date set for
party. lier been set for July. Initially, construction official commissioning
The members of the National Executive of the dam was expected to end in Decem-  US$1.7bn: Cost of the project
Committee (NEC) of NRM were led by the ber 2018.  93%: Physical progress as at Feb.15,
Prime Minister, Dr. Ruhakana Rugunda. The government wants this project 2019
Speaking after the tour of the project, accomplished to meet the growing electric-  4274 (86%): Number of Ugandans
Rugunda said now that Karuma is about ity demand by domestic and commercial employed
to be completed, Isimba (183WM) is com- consumers and to, hopefully exploit econo-  702: Number of Chinese employed
pleted, Bujagali is working, electricity is mies of scale and Karuma Dam’s better  NEC visited the site as one of the
no longer a problem and, therefore, more investment financing plan to drive power opening activities of its three days
investors; local and foreign are welcome to consumer tariffs down. retreat at Chobe Safari Lodge.
do business. Commenting on the delays of the  The project has an underground
“It is good to come and see Karuma in its project, Rugunda said Karuma is one of powerhouse, which shall receive
final stages,” he said. “This is a liberating the few projects that had been generally water to move the turbines through
project because power has been one of the well resourced but the movement and ‘a mosaic of tunnels and ducts’
leading bottlenecks for Uganda’s economic administration of resources, procurement making it the first of its kind in
development. There is no reverse gear.” and recruitment of personnel sometimes Africa.
He said they saw many happy workers affected the speed of implementation of the  There is a total 26.5 km of under-
at the site who testified to having acquired project. Despite that, he said, the govern- ground tunneling and other civil
skills and money from the project so far. ment is happy that by the end of year, the works.
Harrison Mutikanga said the dam could project will be done.  Transmission lines: The project will
have been completed much earlier but sev- “We will be able to even sell power even have three major transmission lines;
eral challenges delayed it. He cited bottle- to the region,” he said. 400 KV Karuma-Kawanda line that
necks in procurement of project services, The NRM Deputy Secretary General, is 248km long; 400 KV KarumaOl-
delays by the government to handover land Richard Todwong said that the visit was wiyo 55 Km long and the 132 KV
for the project, and even unfriendly weather part of the NEC’s routine work of moving Karuma-Lira 75km transmitting the
– too much rain – which slowed down some around the country to monitor the progress power produced.

20 Feb. 22 - 28 2019
Kampala’s rental
R
By Patricia Akankwatsa

etail rental rates in Kampala


have remained stable over

rates remain stable


the past six months as the in-
dustry consolidates following
a slowdown in the past two
years, according to the latest
report from the property agency, Knight
Frank.
The property agency said rents for the Final investment decision in oil and
retail segment remained stable at US$200
for a space that is less than 10 meters square, gas to drive real estate sector
US$48 for less than 50 meters square, and
US$28 for a space that is less than 100
meters square. opment of industrial space along Jinja Road
The rental rates for tenants seeking for up to Mukono and beyond, which has had
a space of more than 500 meters square a positive impact on land values for well
remained at US$20 per meters square and located, encumbrance free land,” the report
US$14.5 per meters square for rental space notes. The commercial sector, however, that
that is more than 1,000 meters square. consists mainly of office space recorded a
According to the report, retailers have 2% annual increase in occupancy for Grade
reported a significant growth with malls A and AB office space in Kampala from
performing exceptionally well since the 84% in 2017 to 86% in 2018 .
launch and opening of new anchor tenants Approximately 13,000m2 of Grade A/
in them. AB office space in the core Central Business
An anchor tenant is a major department District (CDB) (between Kampala road and
store or chain store located in a shopping cen- Yusuf Lule road) and periphery areas (parts
ter that attracts the-would be customers for of Kololo, Bugolobi, Nakawa and Bukoto)
different items in a shop. was leased during the 2nd quarter of 2018
Victoria mall in Entebbe, for instance, compared to 11,000m2 in the 2nd quarter of
had the highest footfall per square meter 2017.
Judy Rugasira
of gross leasable area of any mall in East This represents an 18% year on year
Africa, at 41 people per square per month, tor recorded an increase in new stocks of growth in take up rates attributed to
subsequent to new anchor (Shoprite Super- prime residential accommodation, 85% of increased flexibility from landlords with
market) opening in June 2018, according to which were apartment blocks. regards to lease terms at renewal and new
Knight Frank. This was followed up closely For example, the average rent for prime leases.
by the Acacia Mall at 17 people per square two bedroom furnished apartments
meter per month and with the same trend reduced from $2,250 to $1,850 and unfur- Fashion, food, entertainment to drive
expected at the Village Mall in Bugolobi nished from $1,500 to $1,000 during the retail sector
once Shoprite’s 5th outlet opens there in the period under review as the residential The report further notes that a strong
first quarter of 2019. sector registered a 5% decline year on year retail sector performance will continue to
Mark Du Toit, the head of retail at Knight from 86% to 81% in occupancy rates for the be driven by the fashion, food, entertain-
Frank said the country’s retailers have prime residential suburbs of Kololo, Nakas- ment and leisure offerings at the malls in
changed their attitude towards rental facili- ero and Naguru. support of Kampala’s reputation as a strong
ties. He said that shopping malls work for The decline was attributed to an increase consumer driven market compared to other
them because they are spacious enough to in the supply of houses in prime locations East African countries.
serve their customers. within Kampala and the suburbs of Naalya, Judy Rugasira, the managing director
He cited the redevelopment of entrance Kira, Najjera, Namugongo, Buwaate and at Knight Frank, however, said the current
and exits at Shoprite Lugogo Mall as exam- Kitende. trend of corporate tenants and government
ples which were undertaken to ease traffic Similarly, the industrial sector recorded parastatals moving into their own built to
congestion on both Lugogo bypass and a drop in rental rates owed to supply out- suit buildings will have an adverse effect
Shoprite on Jinja road. stripping demand as companies continued on office space by increasing the supply of
He said the opening of the 8th Café Javas to relocate to smaller premises. vacant stock on the market in the short to
store at Lugogo Mall in November last year The report further stated that the rental medium term.
was well received by the primary catchment rates declined 5% year on year in the tra- “Office rents will continue to steadily fall
market of this neighborhood and has added ditional industrial areas of Ntida, Luzira, if the demand doesn’t increase significant-
to the leisure and dining options available Bugolobi and the 1st- 8th Streets of Kampala. ly”, she said, adding that Final Investment
in the area. Also, the industrial sector continues to Decision (FID) on Uganda’s basin wide
be dominated by owner occupied property crude oil development will have an impact
Rental rates for other segments and speculative development of warehous- on the property market.
However, rental rates for residential ing space for rent. Uganda hopes to start oil production in
houses recorded a sharp decline as the sec- “There also seems to be increased devel- the next two – three years.

Feb. 22 - 28 2019 21
business

BATU
By Julius Businge Shareholders dividend

B
The good news to shareholders is that
ritish American Tobacco Uganda earnings per share (or value per share)
Limited (BAT) has recorded an in- increased from Shs246 in 2017 to Shs280 in

records
crease in profit after tax of Shs1.6bn 2018 as a result of increased revenue and
to Shs13.7bn for the year ended profitability as recommended by the Board
December 2018 amidst the operational en- of Directors. The earnings per share are
vironment that the company’s top manage- subject to approval by the annual general

Shs13.7bn
ment described as ‘tough’. meeting to be held on May 22, 2019.
Financial results released on Feb.14 If approved, officials said that the
shows that the company’s net profit dividend which is subject to withhold-
increased from Shs12.0bn in 2017 to ing tax will be paid on June 21, 2019 to

net profit
Shs13.7bn in 2018. shareholders whose names appear on the
BATU Managing Director, Mathu Kiun- company’s share register at close of busi-
juri, said the improved performance is ness on May 31, 2019. The results came at
attributed to positive outcomes from the a time the company’s share price remained
company’s productivity improvements, unchanged at Shs Shs30, 000 and its counter
focus on the value brands and ensuring that
it continues to provide consumers with the
Good 2018 largely having no activity at the Uganda
Securities Exchange.
products based on demand.
Gross revenue increased by 3% from Shs-
results amidst A USE trading report for the year 2018
compiled by Crested Capital, a brokerage
149bn to Shs154bn during the same period
under review driven by excise-led pricing
tough operational firm indicated that the company’s counter
remained dormant on the bourse through-
in the market which was partially offset
by lower volumes as a result of consumer environment out the year and its price flat at Shs30,000,
unchanged since May 2016.
affordability challenges and the adverse This happened even as the company
impact of illicit trade. reported an improved first half of 2018
The cost of operations slightly went up performance with profitability increasing
by 1% from Shs49.3bn in 2017 to Shs49.8bn “We continue to engage the government 76.23% to Shs6.17bn compared to Shs3.50bn
in 2018, though the company executives on the importance of a stable, predictable in the same period of 2017.
said the cost was partially offset by produc- and fair tax environment to ensure
tivity improvement initiatives. sustainable business and government Dealing with illicit cigarettes
In addition, finance costs reduced sig- revenue growth,” the company said in a According to Uganda Revenue Authority
nificantly by Shs1.8bn as a result of lower notice. officials, smugglers take interest in Super-
overdraft utilisation following the positive The company’s cash generated from match cigarette brands as they are bought
change in the company’s supply chain operations increased significantly by 242% cheaply from the neighboring Kenya and
model which led to reduced working capi- to Shs30.7bn driven by profit growth and are profitable once they reach Uganda with-
tal requirements. reduced working capital requirements. out being cleared.
Its assets increased from Shs43bn to The Company Secretary, Nicholas Officials say that through their enforce-
Shs45bn in the period under review while Ecimu, said that BATU delivered a strong ment department, they have intensified
its liabilities too went up from Shs11bn to set of results in 2018 despite the illicit trade supervision and intelligence information
13.5bn. in cigarettes in the country which averaged gathering and monitoring at the Busia
In terms of tax contribution to govern- at 22% in the year. Boarder and other borders to deal with the
ment [excise duty, VAT and corporation], Sector players believe that illicit vice that is making government lose tax
it increased by Shs4bn to Shs90.5bn in 2018 cigarettes are reducing the amount of revenue. Available statistics indicates that
driven by full year impact of the excise duty-paid cigarettes and denying the URA collected Shs74 billion worth of taxes
increase effected in 2017. government tax revenue. from cigarette imports in 2017 alone.

22 Feb. 22 - 28 2019
business

Uganda Breweries
they formulate government policy in
order to avoid such occurrences.”
He added that sourcing raw materials
locally comes with many opportunities

revenue up 12%
including reduction in foreign exchange
expenditure, strong and sustainable
market for the local beer ingredients,
increased tax remittances as a result
of sales growth, poverty reduction
New tax sees company’s sales for and development of a sense of pride
and ownership among Ugandans for
affordable brands drop by 30 percent beverages with home grown products.

Impact on the economy


During this financial year, Ocitti
By Julius Businge said that UBL embarked on a five year

B
production capacity expansion project
eer maker, Uganda Breweries that will see their beer capacity grow
Limited, saw its revenue surge by 47% upon completion. This project
amidst a sharp decline in sales started in January and is expected to
for affordable brands for the improve interim packaging efficiency
half year ended December 2018. by 20%.
The company’s financial statements The expansion will cost approx.
released on Feb. 12 shows that its Shs135bn and will entail purchase of
revenue grew by 12% in the first half of new state of the art technology and
2018/2019 compared to 4% recorded in related infrastructure changes.
the same period in the previous year. This investment is in addition to the
The UBL’s 12% growth in revenue expansion of the company’s spirits
helped the parent company, East plant done last year, 2018, with the new
African Breweries Limited (EABL), Shs13bn glass packaging line.
based in Nairobi, Kenya, to record This glass line now produces spirits at
a 13% growth in sales revenue from about four times the speed and volume
Ksh 36.8bn in 2017/18 to Ksh 41.6bn of what the company used to produce
in 2018/19 for the three east African with a capacity of 6, 000 bottles per
markets of Uganda, Kenya and hour, replacing the old line which had
Tanzania. capacity to produce 1, 440 bottles per
EABL registered an increase in net hour.
profit from Ksh5bn to Kshs6.6bn during According to Ocitti, the company
the same period under review. invests Shs20bn in agriculture and agri-
Across the region, Uganda and Kenya business to enable it collect over 25,000
Mark Ocitti
recorded 12% growth in net sales each metric tons of raw material [cereals]
while Tanzania registered the highest engagement through the company’s from 17,000 farmers spread across the
net sales of 26%. distribution network. country.
This is higher than the 4% growth in The key raw materials for this
net sales recorded in the previous year Senator, Ngule sales drop production includes; sorghum, barley,
by Uganda and the Kenyan subsidiaries. Ocitti said that whereas the Uganda corn starch (maize) and tapioca
Tanzania recorded a 28% growth in net business registered growth in revenue, (cassava) from farming areas ofSebei,
sales in the previous year. the same level of success around their Kapchorwa, Acholi, Lango, Zombo,
UBL Managing Director, Mark Ocitti, affordable beer brands like Ngule and Teso, Rwenzoris, Kigezi and parts of
said the increase in revenue was driven the Senator family recorded a 30% drop central Uganda.
by innovations– the same factor that in sales largely as a result of the newly In terms of tax and jobs, the company
appears to have played out across the introduced excise duty on low cost beer has remitted around Shs190bn per
three markets, basing on available brands mid last year. annum over the last three years to the
group information. The introduction of the excise tax government and created 800 permanent
According to the group results, on the low cost beer brand led to the and temporary staff in addition to 23,
innovations in Uganda contributed increase in the factory price by Shs200 000 jobs created indirectly.
10% to the total revenue for the group to Shs2, 200, and ultimately leading to Going forward, Ocitti said that over
compared to 18% and 45% in Kenya and decline in demand. the next six months they will continue
Tanzania respectively. Ocitti said the 30% decline in demand to drive their visibility, distribution and
For instance, Uganda’s premium beer for these products was a danger to production innovation aggressively
– Tusker Lite and Guinness delivered farmer’s income that depend on selling as they try to solve the problem of
21% growth which fed into the general raw materials – sorghum and cassava – expensive beer.
performance of the company in Uganda used in producing these brands. “It is our hope that the kind of growth
and the EABL as a Group. “Any action affecting their volumes we registered in the first half continues
Another factor that supported has a direct impact on the farmers that throughout the whole year,” he said.
growth in Uganda include, enhanced produce this raw material,” he said.
visibility strategy implemented through “We urge the government to always
advertising and continued consumer consider input from stakeholders as

Feb. 22 - 28 2019 23
Executive Style

‘Tourism should be every Ugandan’s


business’—new UTB boss
Lilly Ajarova will in March, this year, officially take over the mantle at the Uganda
Tourism Board (UTB) as the new Chief Executive Officer. She talked to The
Independent’s Ronald Musoke about her plans for Uganda’s tourism industry.

You have come in at a time when the fixed while others say it is the marketing didn’t have a ministry— it was just a
government’s interest in the local tour- budget that needs to improve. What’s your department within the Ministry of Trade
ism sector is probably at its highest level. view? and Industry. Now, we are an independent
How excited are you about your new job I think we need to first of all have a clear ministry with two ministers and support

I
at UTB? plan on what we want to do. Just like any- staff who provide oversight and policy
am excited about being the CEO of body, the government would want to put direction in the industry. That means the
Uganda Tourism Board from the per- resources where it expects a good return on government recognizes the importance
spective that it offers quite a big chal- investment. We, the people in the industry of the sector. We also have Uganda Tour-
lenge for me but, a good one nonethe- have so far pushed the government in the ism Board—the institution mandated to
less. We know that we have treasure in this right direction. We, for market this country as a tourism destina-
country and our natural heritage is quite instance, tion. So, for me at this point, I would say,
enormous. We also know that tourism pres- even if the budget is a factor, we now need
ents a huge opportunity for our economy to present concrete plans so we can con-
and we are just in that state of “where do vince the government to invest more into
we go and how do we do this.” So, I find the industry. We now need to get to that
this exciting because it offers a challenge point where there is a meeting of minds to
of trying to get Uganda to the next level ensure that more investment in the sector
by creating a clear path of how to get is provided to drive the economy. I follow
there. We also have an opportunity to regional sector trends and I know that we
network and lobby the right people are in competition for the tourists. So we
to make sure that we move this sec- need to up our game and provide a higher
tor forward. quality of service than we are offering now
if we want to increase our tourist numbers.
Despite the ever growing reve- If you are, for instance, rating a particular
nue from tourism, there is fierce hotel to be a 5-Star hotel, it must meet the
debate among stakeholders in expectations of an international tourist who
the industry of what needs to actually knows what a 5-Star hotel is. These
be done to take the industry are some of the things that we are going to
to the next level. Some be handling as UTB. Secondly, as a country,
say Uganda’s brand are we that well-known? Unfortunately,
identity needs there are people around the world who
to be still know Uganda because of Idi Amin.
What they knew of him is what they know
of Uganda and yet we have moved so far
away from that era. So we need to up our
game by being out there in the market
place. We also need to take advantage
of our embassies abroad. I mean,
what are they doing to pro-
mote tourism? We need to
make them push more
than they are doing
right now.

24 Feb. 22 - 28 2019
So, is this going to be your strategy? so agro-tourism could be key in attracting intend to take the campaign further?
My focus is to have a clear plan on how these kinds of tourists who either want to With regards to domestic tourism, we
to promote Uganda’s tourism industry. Yes, experience milking cows or picking coffee. shall first of all create more awareness to
there are already some plans (in place) but encourage Ugandans to visit and enjoy the
we need to review and update these plans What will it take for Uganda to deepen her heritage they have. We are going to come
and be clear with all the stakeholders that tourism sector to compete with countries up with some packages where some people
there is a plan we are working with and that like Kenya, South Africa, Mauritius, Egypt are going to be ‘pushed’ in a way to travel.
we have a vision of where we want to reach and Morocco? We need to find away where we make it
with our industry. This has to be clear to all We need to package our tourism prod- easy and affordable for Ugandans to move
of us. UTB is only a part of the network. We ucts and services better. We also need to to the tourism sites. The main issue with us
have the private sector, we have the Uganda promote them aggressively. We need to be Ugandans though is that our attitude is all
Wildlife Authority that manages the wildlife out in the market. If you want Australians wrong. We think that tourism is only for
resources; we have the tourism ministry to come here, you cannot sit in Uganda white people or foreigners. This is why I
responsible for the policy—all of these need and say we have beautiful landscapes and think we need to have our children exposed
to agree on what our vision is and where mountains. You need to go to Australia and early enough. I want to create tourism
we want to be in five or ten years’ time and tell them about it or you take it to them in a clubs in schools just like we have wildlife
then work backwards on the strategies we certain format to provoke them to come and clubs. These clubs will get these children to
need to employ to achieve our vision. For have the real life experience here. Do you travel. I am, for instance, not doing what I
me that is important. We also have to have know how Kenya “hit gold” in the area of am doing by accident. My parents started
a clear strategy of how we are going to tourism? It was the movie: “Out of Africa.” taking me out to visit national parks when
promote this country by developing differ- Everyone wanted to visit the country I was only five years. And it was not once,
ent tourism products. My other priority is where the movie was made. We have had it was regular. So I did not end up in con-
to have a national brand. We already have our moments with “Queen of Katwe” and servation and tourism by chance. So for
a brand called the “Pearl of Africa,” but “Black Panther” but we still have the oppor- the future of tourism, we need to engage
can you see it? We hear it, but do you see tunity to attract film makers to come over children and expose them as early as pos-
it? Can you touch it? When I say “Pearl of and use our scenery to attract tourists here. sible. It will not be a struggle for them to
Africa,” do we all imagine the same thing? This should be added onto the marketing save money for the next travel or holiday to
There must be some common understand- representatives we currently have in the Kidepo or Mweya.
ing once someone mentions the “Pearl of UK, North America and the German-speak-
Africa.” So branding is one of the key priori- ing countries. We should also be investing You have worked at Ngamba Island
ties that I will embark on. We are also going more in digital marketing because you can Chimpanzee Sanctuary and you definitely
to work closely with other ministries to easily take the experience of the Source of appreciate the current problem of wildlife
make sure that the infrastructure is in place. the Nile to any place in the world. trafficking which is threatening nature-
For example, the road to Bwindi Impenetra- based tourism. What, in your opinion, is
ble Forest Park should not be in the state it The local tourism sector faces the chal- fuelling this vice in Uganda and Africa in
is. We know that most international tourists lenge of statistics which some local ex- general?
are coming to Uganda because of Mountain perts, say is based on guesswork. How do I think it is mainly economic gain at the
Gorillas yet this road should not be in the you intend to solve this problem? higher level of the problem though poverty
state it is. First, statistics are very important because in Uganda is another factor. Economic gain
you cannot evaluate what you cannot is for the kingpins at the high level who are
Uganda’s tourism is hinged a lot on na- measure. Secondly, it is true, statistics are dealing in wildlife products making loads
ture. What is your strategy for diversifying a challenge right now but we are going to of money in the process while poverty is
the country’s products portfolio? overcome it. What normally disturbs people for the guy deep in the village who kills
We obviously need to diversify Uganda’s in regards to the number of tourists is how an elephant to get the tusks for some little
tourism portfolio. Right now, it is majorly you define who a tourist is. According to money. Addressing poverty in Uganda
about wildlife where people know that the World Tourism Organization, a tourist and Africa requires urgent attention while
when they go to Bwindi, they will see goril- is anybody who moves from their usual the culture in South East Asia that glorifies
las, when they go to Kibale, they will see place of residence to another and spends wildlife products as exotic trophies also
chimpanzees, when they go to Murchison at least 24 hours there but not more than needs to be dealt with decisively. We need
Falls National Park, they will see the falls, one a year. We just have to strengthen our to consistently teach Ugandans to value the
or see the caldera when they visit Mount partnership with the other agencies like the resources they have. Instead of someone
Elgon or even snow when they climb Uganda Bureau of Statistics and the direc- killing an elephant to enrich oneself, let
Mount Rwenzori. But there is a lot more torate of immigration. Why shouldn’t we them see the value in tourism. The solution
we have in this country: the culture of the sit down together and say this kind of infor- lies in creating awareness and getting Ugan-
people of Uganda is, for instance, so diverse mation is what is required for the Uganda dans to value their natural resources. But
that the experience you will have with Tourism Board and this kind of statistics in fighting wildlife crime, it is high time we
people in Kisoro in southwestern Uganda is is for the Uganda Revenue Authority. We deployed technology that is available.
different from the Banyoro in mid-western just need to strengthen our partnership and
Uganda; or somebody in Arua in north- working relationship as government agen- Your last word?
western Uganda, or someone in Karamoja cies so that we can be efficient in the way Tourism is key and it is something every
in northeastern Uganda.The opportunities we get the numbers. Ugandan should be looking at getting
are enormous around culture. One other involved in; both in terms of providing
thing is that tourism trends keep changing Many Ugandans still view tourism as something from which they can earn but
at the international level. We are now at meant for a certain class of people or for- also by becoming tourists in their own
a point where tourists no longer want to eigners but thankfully, there are a number country. In other words, tourism should be
come here sit and lay back. Most of them of initiatives aimed at boosting local tour- every Ugandan’s business.
want to come and experience something; ism to change this mindset. How do you

Feb. 22 - 28 2019 25
business

Moses Ali, the First Deputy Prime Minister shaking hands with Lucky Patra, a former PLE candidate at St. Ponsiano Primary School, one of Airtel Uganda’s adopted schools
during the launch of the telecom’s 4G internet services. Indian High Commissioner to Uganda, Ravi Shankar (R) and Airtel MD, V.G. Somasekhar.   Courtesy Photo

Airtel takes on rivals shared prosperity,” he said.


The First Deputy Prime Minister and
Deputy Leader of Government Business in

with 4G internet Parliament, General Moses Ali appreciated


Airtel because of the level of substantial
investment that it has made in Uganda.
He said it is time for a number of sec-
tors including education to tap into the fast
New initiative expected to drive internet services while providing quality
education services to the rural communities.
the company’s revenue growth Consistent profit growth
Airtel’s new step is also expected to boost
its profit margin in an industry that has
By Isaac Khisa others requires telecom companies to be become so competitive.

A
able to cover the entire geographical area In the Financial Year 2017/18, the com-
irtel Uganda has unveiled a fourth of Uganda so as to enable universal access, pany recorded a 53% growth in net profit
generation (4G) internet services, promote effective competition and quality to Shs245bn on the back of growth in value
stepping up the battle for custom- of service as a condition to be granted an added services, data and mobile money
ers in country’s telecommunication operating licence. services.
market. Godfrey Mutabazi, the Executive Director The superb growth meant that its profit
MTN Uganda and Africell unveiled at the Uganda Communications Commis- growth was more than that of the country’s
their 4G services in 2015 and 2016 respec- sion, said the evolution of technology in largest commercial bank – Stanbic Bank –
tively, with the latter availing the service Uganda has greatly improved over the last which recorded a merely 5% growth in net
to subscribers only in Kampala, Mbale, decades driven by the private sector. profit to Shs200bn in 2017.
Jinja, Mbarara, Arua, Masaka, Wakiso and “We experienced the first generation Airtel’s revenue increased from
Entebbe areas. networks which were limiting because of Shs1.03trillion to Shs1.16trillion during the
Airtel Uganda Managing Director, V.G. quality and capacity. Now, information and period under review, with revenue from
Somasekhar, said the company has invested communication technology in Uganda has mobile money services increasing from
US$800million in the last eight years in greatly changed due to significant private Shs128.42bn to Shs190.7bn while that from
upgrading its network countrywide. sector investment,” he said. value added services such as voice mail,
He said the company now boasts of 1,632 Mutabazi revealed that the telecom sector phone back-up, post-paid bill payment,
network sites and over 3,900 kilometres of has invested close to US$2.3billion in the and data increasing from Shs306.28bn to
fiber optic, making it possible for subscrib- ICT infrastructure, boosting voice, data and Shs372.15bn.
ers to enjoy an improved experience in mobile money services. The telco’s earnings from airtime sales,
internet based activities. The Indian High Commissioner to however, grew marginally from Shs503bn
“This encompasses video conferencing, Uganda, Ravi Shankar, said the new service to Shs506.9bn during the same period
video calling, video streaming, gaming ser- means a fast and reliable internet that will under review as customers embraced data
vices and mobile internet access,” he said. promote financial and digital inclusion in services.
This new internet services comes at the Uganda. Currently, Airtel Uganda has approxi-
time the government is implementing the “As a result, our countries (India and mately 10million subscribers compared
National Broadband Policy that among Uganda) emerge as leaders for a new era of with MTN’s 11.2million.

26 Feb. 22 - 28 2019
Business
banking pension

Stanbic Bank sees tech-driven growth in 2019 NSSF targets

D
uring its fourth annual globally, Mweheire said. “It Investment Banking Emma defaulting
economic forum,
Stanbic Bank envisioned
has enabled businesses to be
more efficient while reducing
Mugisha, noted that technology
has had a broad-based impact on
employers

T
2019 as year of growth their cost to serve. As a bank, we various sectors of the economy.
driven by technology. Patrick aggressively match this trend “We need to align ourselves he National
Mweheire the Chief Executive through the various innovations with current economic trends. Social Security
of Stanbic Bank said, “We are that have put our customers in Technology is not only about Fund (NSSF) an-
optimistic that this will be a very greater control of their overall digitization. From previous nounced on
positive year for growth. This banking experience.” budget speeches, there is a Feb.11 that employers
platform was an opportunity The economic forum was held conversation around embedding who had not remitted so-
to discuss and explore the best under the theme “Achieving technology in all sectors cial security contributions
practices in utilizing technology a paradigm shift in Uganda’s including the mechanization of for their employees had
to drive Uganda’s economy.” Economic growth through agriculture, industrialization, a grace period of three
Technology has practically leveraging Technology”. and the whole Blockchain trend.” months to agree with
revolutionized every industry Stanbic Head of Corporate the Fund on a payment
plan as a preferred option
banking CSR instead of using courts
of law. The Fund’s MD
UDB scores MTN Marathon 2018 Raises Shs 600 million Richard Byarugaba said
stable outlook that over Shs160 billion
would be collected from
in credit rating this exercise and that

F
the Fund would waive
itch Rating, one of the up to 95% of the penalty
top international credit amount owed to those
rating agencies world- that would comply. Avail-
wide has assigned able data indicates that
Uganda Development Bank 10,839 out of more than
Ltd (UDB) a long-term Issuer 33,270 employers that

O
Default rating (IDR) of B+ with are registered with the
n February 14, MTN to an event of national stature.
a stable outlook. Shs10.2tn Fund have not
Uganda announced that “We would like to thank all
A credit rating is an assess- paid NSSF contributions
the 2018 MTN Marathon that participated in the MTN
ment of the creditworthiness in a period ranging from
Season has raised Shs 600 Marathon Season that took place
of a borrower in general terms two months up to seven
million to go towards the improve- in November 2018. This was
or with respect to a particular years. Byarugaba said
ment of maternal health. the first time we took the MTN
debt or financial obligation. A The MTN Foundation Marathon beyond Kampala to two that although it is the obli-
credit rating can be assigned announced its contribution of an more regions. The participation gation of every employer
to any entity that seeks to bor- additional Shs400m to total Shs 1 was impressive as Ugandans to pay social security con-
row money — an individual, billion in proceeds, in celebration came together and have raised tributions for their em-
corporation, state or provincial of 20 year anniversary of MTN in money for the improvement ployees on a timely basis
authority, or sovereign govern- Uganda. This is the highest amount of maternal health. That is the and the correct amounts,
ment. ever raised from the 15-year legacy power of connections,” said MTN the Fund recognises that
UDB is a state-owned of the MTN Marathon. Uganda CEO Wim Vanhelleputte for various reasons, some
development bank and its The successful implementation the Stanbic Bank Uganda employers may be unable
Issuer Default Ratings are of three inaugural regional mara- Headquarters in Kampala. to remit funds on a regu-
driven by its Support Rating thons in Mbale, Gulu and Mbarara More than 30,000 people par- lar basis. “…eventually
and Support Rating Floor on top of the MTN Kampala Mara- ticipated in the MTN Marathon they get overwhelmed
of ‘4’ and ‘B+’, respectively, thon was noted as a contributing Season 2018 including several first by the arrears and penal-
which reflects Fitch’s view of fact to the growth of the Marathon timers and elite runners. ties levied on unremitted
a high propensity of Ugandan funds,” he said.
authorities to support the bank csr
in case of need.
UDB MD Patricia Ojangole Kansai Plascon intensifies malaria fight

P
expressed pleasure upon this
achievement. “This rating casts aint maker Kansai will embark on painting schools mosquitoes which land on
confidence in the institution in Plascon has launched across the country with the painted surfaces. As part of
terms of our credit processes, its largest humanitarian new paint which disrupts the the campaign, the company
governance and unwavering project dubbed “Hold mosquito’s nervous system will donate anti-mosquito
support from government, my hand to 5” which is aimed and affecting their desire paint to underprivileged
this process has provided our at fighting the prevalence to feed. Chris Nugent, the schools across the country
partners with an impartial of malaria cases across the company’s managing director, through partnerships with the
opinion about the soundness country. It is the first company while launching the project government, NGOs and the
of our business,” she remarked. to launch the first anti-mosquito in Kampala on Feb.15, said private sector.
paint product in the market. It the paint is designed to kill

Feb. 22 - 28 2019 27
Business

Shoprite to open 5th


store at Village Mall
the retail chain segment.
By Patricia Akankwatsa Though Shoprite had

S
placed a break on rapid
outh African retail expansion, it embarked on
chain, Shoprite, is new expansions last year
set to open its fifth following exit of Kenya’s
branch in Kampala retail chains.
as it seeks to tap into the The retail chain opened
growing middle-class an outlet at the Acacia
population. Mall outlet in Kampala in
Property management April and the most recent
and consultancy firm, at Victoria Mall in Entebbe
Kansai Plascon Managing Director, Chris Nugent (R) launching the “Hold my Knight Frank, revealed on in December last year.
hand to 5” Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) drive at Nakasero Primary Feb. 13 that the firm will Shoprite employs
School. The campaign aims to highlight the plight of the most vulnerable open the fifth outlet at the 147,478 people and
malaria victims – children, while driving consumer education on the fight Village Mall in Bugolobi operates 2,689 outlets
against malaria.   Courtesy Photo. in the first quarter of 2019. in 15 countries across
The new expansion Africa and the Indian
follows the exit of Ocean Islands which
Kenya’s retail chains – consist of 613 Shoprite
Nakumatt and Uchumi supermarkets, 246
Supermarkets. Checkers and Hyper
Shoprite opened its first supermarkets, and 367
store in Uganda in 2000 at U-save stores among
the Ben Kiwanuka Street. other brands dealing
This was followed up with in furniture, fast food,
the second store in 2004 at pharmaceuticals and
Lugogo Mall and the third household items.
at Metroplex Shopping Last year, the retail
Mall in Naalya in 2011. chain recorded a 3.3%
However, the Naalya growth in turnover to
outlet was closed in 2015 about 145.6 billion rand
citing low customer traffic ($10.90 billion) in the 12
Emmanuel Dei- Tumi CEO Human Capital International (Centre) and stiff competition in months to June 2018.
addresses media on matters of leadership during a Press conference
held at Sheraton hotel on Feb. 12. Looking on is Kihuguru Annette
Executive Director – Eco Bank (R) and Godfrey Ivudria CEO - EABW
digitals.   Courtesy Photo

Weekly share price movement (Feb. 15)


Security Feb. 15 Feb.08 Movement
BATU 30,000 30000 00
BOBU 134 134 00
CENT 1,242 1,298 4.3
QCL 200 200 00
DFCU 690 690 00
EABL 8,154 7,838 4.0
EBL 1,568 1,575 0.4
JHL 16,090 15,622 2.9
KA 328 327 0.3
KCB 1,607 1,589 1.1
NIC 14 14 00
Vincent Omoth, Marketing Manager Fresh Dairy (4th Left – Front row) NMG 2,526 2,280 10.7
poses with Uganda Secondary Schools Sports Association Executives,
NVL 336 337 0.3
Regional Secretaries and District Chairpersons during a sports
SBU 28 29 3.4
symposium held on 8th February 2019 at National Council of Sports​.
UCHM 27 29 3.4
The Association’s members were trained on the rules and regulations
UCL 18 18 00
of the Fresh Dairy Secondary School games. This is in line with the 5
year contract signed between Fresh Dairy and USSSA worth Shs3.8 bn UMEME 300 300 00
to support secondary school sports in Uganda.   Courtesy photo. ALSI -- -- --

28 Feb. 22 - 28 2019
A photo picked off the internet showing Bach treating a child

Is mzungu 'savior' killing


babies in Mayuge?
“Elijah was given some milk. We stayed
Renee Bach is not a nurse or doctor; there for two days and they discharged us,”
Kakai says. She was not given a medical
over 100 babies she treated have died form or any document or any explanation.
“They didn’t say anything. They drove
me up to Jinja Amber Court and gave me

N
By Flavia Nassaka performing medical procedures and giv- Shs2000. When we got home the baby
ing treatment to children of unsuspecting became very weak. He died three days lat-
one of the mothers knows parents. er,” she sobs “Those people did something
what exactly happened to Annet Kakai is one of the mothers who to my child and he died.”
her child. What they all say lost a child and is suing Renee Bach. She is now seeking justice. Her case is set
is their children were not “Those people did something to my child to be heard on Mar.12 at the High Court in
growing normally and were and he died,” she said, “They gave him Jinja.
possibly malnourished. something. When we got home he died.” Kakai is not the only one who has lost a
They all went to Renee Bach for help. And Kakai is from of Buzika village in Buikwe child at the hands of Bach. Up to a hundred
the children died. district near Jinja and her son, Elijah, was children are said to have died ever since the
Renee Bach is believed to be from Bed- reportedly not growing well when she first white savior opened her facility first from
ford; a town in the U.S. state of Virginia. went to Bach’s NGO for help. The baby 2012 to 2015 in Jinja and from 2016 when
In Uganda, she runs an NGO called Serv- was thin. Kakai says her friend, who she they relocated to Mayuge as a nutrition
ing His Children (SHC) based in Masese 1 only knows as Fatumah, had told her of the center under the government-owned Kigan-
village of Jinja town in eastern Uganda.A white lady who would help feed her one daalo Health Center IV to date.
white poster that hangs over the entrance year old to grow fat.
of the center states Renee Bach promises: “Elijah was playing. He was laughing. Experimenting on children
“Breaking the cycle of malnutrition in fami- My worry was he was too small for his Kayaga says information from witnesses
lies and communities across Uganda”. age,” she says. Fatumah had already told that have worked at the facility show Bach
But Renee Bach is now being sued in the Bach about her when they arrived. surfed the internet and at times would call
High Court in Jinja for the death of over 100 “The white lady dressed in doctor’s uni- doctors in the U.S.when dealing with cases.
children under her care in unclear circum- form (white lab coat) took my son and went She says Bach has hired social workers
stances. with him to another room,” Kakai says. who comb government health facilities and
A female lawyer’s NGO – Women’s Pro Bach returned the baby after about an hour homes from as far as Butaleja and Mbale
bono Initiative (WPI) is providing legal aid and through an interpreter she asked Kakai districts. As a result the center at Kigan-
to the mothers, who are mainly vulnerable to return to the facility the next day. daalo Health Center IV now handles about
women. When she returned the next day, Kakai 20 children a day – both in and out patient
Beatrice Kayaga, a legal officer at WPI and her baby was put me in a car driven to departments.
told The Independent that, without any Kigandaalo Health Center IV in Mayuge; That’s how they landed on Zubedah
medical qualification, Renee Bach has been another district. Gimbo of Kizuba village in Namutumba

Feb. 22 - 28 2019 29
health
district and she lost her three-year old son region are severely malnourished. could not give details of the MoU.
under unclear circumstances. According to Latest figures shared by Dr. Samalie “I don’t know the details in the MOU. I
Gimbo, they took her son, Twalali Kifabi, Namukose, the principal Nutritionist at don’t know the latest from that facility,” he
from her while she was heavily pregnant. Ministry of Health, show that for instance said. Kayaga says Nabangi might have just
“They only returned him home in a coffin 53% of children are anemic in the Busoga deliberately refused to divulge this infor-
and gave me an envelope with Shs50, 000 region and that many children there are mation. “Bach seems to be well connected.
in it,” she says, “They came in a car and left born below 2.5kgs. Even those that are born Many district leaders refused to talk to us
immediately, before burial. I had questions above the normal birth weight, Namukose too when we visited. We heard that the lady
as to what had killed my child. I needed said soon become malnourished at about never made any record of the patients she
help and explanations. None was given to nine months of age.With these figures, was seeing.I went there but I was denied
me by the women that came with the body children wards in the area are always filling access to the facility,” Kayaga says.
of my dead child.” with patients. Many of the children die. Other sources who asked not to be
Gimbo says that, July 22, 2013 is stuck in Peter Dyogo Nantamu the District Health named said the Office of the Prime Minister
her memory. Officer (DHO) Jinja says, as a result, moth- has warned those against Bach’s facility
“They called me that he had died. I had ers are always desperate for help and when “not to antagonize people who are helping
asked my mother to help me go with the anyone comes up, they tend to run to them the country”.
child because I was heavily pregnant. I had without a second thought.
earlier taken him to Nawandagala Health Dyogo shut down Bach’s nutrition cen- Medical centres not supervised
Center in Namutumba and doctors there ter in Jinja in 2015. This was after piling At the Uganda Medical and Dental Prac-
advised me to give him nutritious foods. complaints about her enticing patients to titioners Council, the Registrar Dr. Ssen-
They gave me a list. I couldn’t afford them.” leave Nalufenya Children’s Hospital before tongo Katumba says Bach’s story speaks to
She says when she started hearing stories completing their doses to her clinic and that a general problem of systems failure. For
of other parents saying Bach is not a doctor, she was carrying out medical procedures him, it’s the responsibility of government to
she realised she could have made some mis- that could at times turn out disastrous to ensure that such entities that come up are
take that killed her son. registered by professional bodies.
Gimbo now wants court to compel Bach He warns that with the loopholes in sur-
to give her an explanation. She says her veillance and other weaknesses like lack of
mother said for the three days of admission supplies, it’s up to Ugandans to be vigilant
at the Masese 1 center, the white woman and beware of people who come as help-
would connect tubes to the child’s arms and ers in the community since many of them
chest, and that she would give him some have a hidden agenda. In 2015, he says Bach
things to drink. approached them complaining about Dyo-
The Independent contacted Bach to verify go’s move to close her facility in Jinja. He
these claims.She didn’t respond to her mail says after an investigation it was decided
and yet her phone was off. Another contact that the facility remains closed.
at the facility said they were not doing any He says the local government in Mayuge
media interviews or speaking publically Bach with a girl she adopted. needed to double check SHC’s record
about an issue since its going before court. before allowing working with them. He
But, in September 2017, Bach had given patients. suspects the reason it was taken to a govern-
an interview to a U.S.newspaper where it’s Dyogo says the sense he got then was that ment facility is because not a lot of regula-
said she had gone to raise funds to cater Renee did not believe that Ugandan medi- tion happens there.
for bills back here in eastern Uganda. She cal doctors knew what they were doing. He Such happenings to him should be a
reportedly spends $17,000 (Approx. Shs 62 says complaints from her own medical staff wakeup call for government to improve.
million) per month. She told them she had kept coming to his office that she ignored “Many poor countries are suffering
started SHC as a food aid organisation in their advice on prescriptions and diagnosis. because of that white savior complex. We
2012 but that quickly changed. She treated severe acute malnutrition, tuber- need to be very tough in regulation. We
“And, so, after we had seen about 12 culosis, malaria,pediatric HIV, metabolic have heard stories of countries disposing of
malnourished kids come through and we imbalances, anemia, parasites like Jiggers radioactive things in the name of donating
had taken them to different hospitals and and hypoglycemia; a condition where blood medical equipment,” Katumba says.
had poor experiences with them not get- sugar decreases to below normal levels. She On their part as the medical council, he
ting even moderate treatment and care, we would connect drips, do blood transfusions, says, they have tried to tighten the noose;
decided this is an area that the Lord is kind and put patients on oxygen. especially with a 2017 scenario in Mengo
of showing us there is a huge need and Then, the DHO made a spot visit on the hospital where heart surgeries went bad.
maybe this is where we’re supposed to put facility and directed its closure realizing that To open a facility like Bach’s, one is now
our focus.” both the clinic and its managers were not required to fill a form endorsed by district
According to the article published in The registered as a medical facility or profes- authorities, an APL of the supervising doc-
News and Advance a daily newspaper in sionals but as an NGO. tor who has not less than three years of
Virginia, Bach said, “And I thought it was so “It was a private entity at that time. I was experience and a duly filled commitment
odd because I had never really seen malnu- surprised to hear that it is now operating letter by a supervising doctor. And, when
trition before, and was like ‘What is happen- under government. I don’t know how that it’s a foreigner involved, in addition to
ing? This is so weird”. She was describing happened,” Dyogo said on Feb.13 in a tele- academic certificates, they should have a
how the malnourished children look. She phone interview with The Independent. He letter of invitation from the place they hope
possibly was overwhelmed. was cagey and asked us to instead of inquir- to operate in Uganda, a certificate of good
ing about the past consult with officials in standing and clearance by Interpol.
Many children die Mayuge. For now however, the petitioners
According to national figures the eastern When asked, the district Health Officer want court to completely close the
region ranks high in malnutrition. While Mayuge, Charles Nabangi said there’s an facility and compensate mothers who
the 2016 Demographic Health Survey puts MOU between the health facility and Bach’s lost their children. The case comes up
the national burden at 29%, but up to 50% nutrition center at Kigandaalo HC IV. He on March 12 in Jinja.
of children admitted in hospitals in Busoga
30 Feb. 22 - 28 2019
health

One of the therapy activities that happen at the cancer hostel

Child cancer treatment


When peace of mind is medicine
By Flavia Nassaka music,” he says and headed to cancer recorded 582 cases, up from 512 in 2017 and

B
patients. He says he saw that entertainment 476 cases in 2016.
rain Walusimbi is an entertainer improves the quality of life of the child She said although the numbers are high,
with a heart for cancer children. patients and their caregivers. the good news is that more numbers of
He visits them at the Uganda Can- “Even the parents became more relaxed,” children are also surviving from the likes of
cer Institute in Kampala, brings he says, “You know most of them don’t leukemia and Bukirtts lymphoma which are
a bouncing castle, does face paintings on have relatives in the city or a source of the commonest. This can be seen from indi-
them, and plays music. income.” vidual cases handled as latest statistics on
Walusimbi’s involvement started in 2007. He says because they report to the exact numbers of survivors are unavailable.
He had been hired to entertain guests dur- Cancer Institute late, when their cancers Also, according to the Executive Direc-
ing a staff party that was also attended by are in advanced stage; many have to be in- tor, Dr. Jackson Orem, realising that 95%
patients. He says his team made face paint- patients; which means spending more. of childhood cancers are curable through
ings on the children and brought in bounc- We spoke on Feb.15, when the world was chemotherapy, they have put emphasis on
ing castles. But he realized amidst the merry marking International Childhood Care Day providing stocks of at least 85%.
making and fun was misery as some chil- (ICCD). The main goal of this global health “While we can’t say let’s prevent espe-
dren could not leave the verandas to par- event is to help create awareness about cially with children where causes are mostly
ticipate. Some had smooth shaven heads, childhood cancer, reduce mortality, and unknown. We said let patients report early,
open wounds, and big swellings. They did eliminate all cancer-related pain and suffer- we can save them and those that we can’t
not have food or where to sleep. The wards ing of children fighting the disease. Started help we said lets ensure that they don’t die
were full, he learnt. in in 2002, the day aims to achieve at least in pain,” says Balagadde who has been the
He thought these children; mostly below 60% survival for all children diagnosed with only pediatric oncologist until recently.
15 years of age, needed a shelter. So, in 2010, cancer around the world by 2030. There are now two pediatric oncologists.
he set up ‘Bless a Child Foundation’, a child While the international theme for the cel-
cancer patients hostel in Makerere Kikoni; ebrations was ‘No More Pain’ and ‘No More Children need more care
a residential neighbourhood nearMulago Loss’ for children, survivors and their fami- But, oncologists are not all that the chil-
Hospital.He now houses 30 patients and lies’, In Uganda it was marked under the dren need. Balagadde says they have had to
30 care givers at any given time. They are theme, ‘Better Access to Care’ as the country think outside chemotherapy to see how else
mainly referred to him through word of still grapples with a challenge of ensuring they can help children recover fully.
mouth. that those that are diagnosed with the vari- One of those ways is to go the Walusimbi
He keeps innovating. He, for example, ous cancers survive. Survival rate is still way.
strives to give the patients food more than low, at 30%, and yet the number of those “Treatment is not just what happens on
thrice a day. And when he read about reporting with cancer is on an increase. the physical. It’s about emotions. It’s about
clown doctors – who go to hospitals in the Dr. Joyce Balagadde Kambugu a child- peace of mind. That’s what we are seeing
West not to treat but to add some entertain- hood cancers expert who heads the Pedi- here,” she says.
ment, he thought he could try it out here. atric Oncology department at the Institute Among the activities they focus on
“I got swings, bouncing castles, I got told The Independent, that last year they are annual childhood cancer survivors

Feb. 22 - 28 2019 31
health
camp. This was first held in August 2018.
They also have the 3C programme which
involves using children to talk about the
problems that affect them the most.
Under the programme, she says, they

Why antibiotics fail in


will look for child ambassadors to go into
schools, speaking about cancers, and teach-
ing the community about cancer warn-
ing signs they should look out for. Most

fight against bacteria


importantly, they will talk to them about
services that are offered at the institute and
other referral clinics around the country.
In the budget for such activities, Orem
says, the institute has suggested that they
are allocated Shs178million for increasing By Maria Cohut to penetrate the bacterial membrane and

B
awareness and shs144billion to operation- do its work.
acteria that are immune to the For this study, the researchers turned to
alise regional cancer centers in the new action of antibiotics have become
financial year. polymyxin B, an antibiotic that doctors use
a primary concern for medical in the treatment of meningitis and infec-
Having patient hostels for those who research communities across the
continue to pick treatments from the Insti- tions of the urinary tract, eyes, and blood.
world. A new study investigates what The researchers explain that they chose
tute and yet they are from upcountry, he makes these “superbugs” resilient in the
said they have been suggested to govern- this specific drug because it used to be the
face of some of the most potent drugs. only antibiotic that would work against
ment as one of the unfunded priorities. Only recently, Medical News Today,
When this was put to the Commissioner bacteria that were otherwise resistant to
presented a study highlighting the ever- drugs. However, a few years ago, a team
Clinical Services at the Ministry of Health growing crisis of superbugs spreading
Dr. Jackson Amone, he said a patient hostel of specialists from China found that one
at an unexpectedly fast pace all over the bacterial gene could make these microor-
is a new term in Uganda which needs to world.
first be studied not only about relevance ganisms immune to polymyxins.
The authors of that study issue the “We wanted to find out how this
but the legal issues that may arise. For grim warning that if bacteria continue to bacteria, specifically, was stopping this
instance, what happens when a child dies “armor” themselves so effectively and at drug in this particular case,” says first
from there? such speed, antibiotics may soon become author Adree Khondker, adding, “If we
He said a policy on palliative care, which altogether ineffective against them. can understand that, we can design better
might cater for all that, is being drafted. That is why it is of utmost importance to antibiotics.”
“We are costing it now. After that, it will understand how, exactly, these microor- The researchers used specialised, sensi-
be forwarded to the Ministry of Finance ganisms can fend off the drugs that were tive tools that made it possible to analyze
for a certificate of financial implication and previously able to work against them. This the bacterial membrane. These tools ren-
then cabinet,” he said. knowledge will be the first step in coming dered extremely high-resolution images
However, as healthcare managers up with stronger treatments to fight stub- that captured even individual molecules
embark on those plans, Dr. Samuel Guma born bacterial infections. with dimensions of about one-millionth of
a palliative care expert and Executive In a new study, a team of physicists the width of a single strand of hair.
Director Kawempe Home Care, an NGO from McMaster University in Hamilton, “If you take the bacterial cell and add
that offers end of life care warns that they Canada, has now determined what allows this drug, holes will form in the wall,
should know that childhood palliative care bacteria to repel antibiotics once they acting like a hole-puncher, and killing the
is unique. The programmes, Guma says, become resistant. cell,” Khondker notes. “But, there was
should recognize children need to play, to Although the mechanism is simple, this much debate on how these holes were
be counseled, and to be understood. This is the first time that researchers have inves- formed in the first place.”
includes children who recover from cancer. tigated and been able to pinpoint it, thanks
“There should be a discussion about to highly sensitive technology. What happens to resistant bacteria?
quality of cure. Children need to be pre- Lead study author Prof. Maikel Rhein- The mechanism by which the antibiotic
pared for treatment aftermath. There is städter and colleagues report their findings penetrates the bacterial membrane works
pain and trauma that comes with chemo- in a study paper that the journal Nature as follows: the bacterium, which has a
therapy. There are many complications Communications Biology has published negative charge, automatically “pulls in”
that come out of treatment like heart dis- today. The researchers believe that their the drug, which has a positive charge.
ease and others,” he says. discovery could help scientists design However, when this takes place, the bac-
Walusimbi who is no professional in more effective drugs to treat infections. terial membrane acts as a barrier against
“There are many, many bacteria out the antibiotic, aiming to prevent it from
this field agrees. From experience he says,
there, and so many antibiotics, but by pro- reaching the bacterium’s interior. Under
he often sees recovering children becom-
posing a basic model that applies to many normal circumstances, this is ineffective
ing depressed, rejecting medicines even as
of them, we can have a much better un- because the membrane is thin enough for
they are responding because of what hap-
derstanding on how to tackle and predict the antibiotic to “punch holes” in it.
pens to them after swallowing medicine.
resistance better,” notes Prof. Rheinstädter. However, in the case of a drug-resistant
“At the end of the day a child is a child.
When they get some little energy, you will bacterium, the researchers’ state-of-the-art
see them running around playing. The next
A need to understand technology revealed that the membrane
minute, they take drugs and become very micromechanisms becomes more rigid and much harder
sick, they can hardly swallow, at this time To understand how stubborn bacte- to penetrate. Moreover, the bacterium’s
they need an explanation,” he says. ria are able to keep potent antibiotics at negative charge becomes weaker, meaning
bay, the researchers studied in detail the that it is more difficult for the antibiotic to
mechanism that allows one of these drugs locate and “stick” to it.

32 Feb. 22 - 28 2019
comment
By Sasha Fisher
Democracy beyond voting and protests
We should build systems that make us accountable to
each other, just as governments account to citizens

F
or over a decade now, we have nomic security and retreating into an and individuals work together to build
witnessed more elections and, si- isolationist mentality. In the 2016 U.S. homes for the needy, fix roads, and pool
multaneously, less democracy. Ac- presidential election, Bernie Sanders funds to invest in better farming prac-
cording to Bloomberg, elections have and Donald Trump both appealed to an tices and equipment.
been occurring more frequently around the overlapping bloc of voters who are fed Imagine if over 300 million Americans
world. Yet Freedom House finds that some up with “the system,” and second- and convened every month for a similar pur-
110 countries have experienced declines third-generation immigrants turned pose. There would suddenly be billions
in political and civil rights over the past 13 against newer immigrants. In countries more citizen hours invested in neighbor-
years. ranging from Germany to Brazil, voters to-neighbor interaction and citizen
As democracy declines, so does our have flocked to far-right parties not out action.
sense of community. In the United States, of love for the candidates, but out of fear This was one of the main effects of
this is evidenced by a looming loneliness of losing power and status. the Village Savings and Loan Associa-
epidemic and the rapid disappearance of And yet we know that “user engage- tions that originated in the Democratic
civic institutions such as churches, eight ment” works, as shown by countless Republic of Congo. Within communi-
of which close every day. And though studies and human experiences. For ties, members have access to loans to
these trends are global in nature, the U.S. example, an evaluation conducted in start small businesses and save for a
exemplifies them in the extreme. Uganda found that the more citizens rainy day. The model works because it
This is no coincidence. As Alexis de participated in the design of health pro- leverages neighbor-to-neighbor account-
Tocqueville pointed out in the 1830s, grams, the more the perception of the ability. Likewise, from Haiti to Liberia to
America’s founders envisioned a country health-care system improved. And in Burundi and beyond, community-based
governed not by shared values, but Indonesia, direct citizen involvement health systems have proven effective
by self-interest. That vision has since in government decision-making has led precisely because health workers know
defined America’s institutions, and fos- to higher satisfaction with government their neighbors and their needs. Com-
tered a hyper-individualistic society. services. munity health workers go from home to
A few years ago, when I was launching By creating more opportunities to home, checking in on pregnant mothers
Spark MicroGrants in East Africa, I engage in civic and political life, we and making sure they are cared for. Each
watched a group of American MIT stu- can strengthen trust in our institutions of these solutions uses and strengthens
dents meet with around 50 residents and stem the tide of extremism. Today, communal accountability through shared
of a Rwandan village. Residents were though, engagement happens in fits and engagement – not traditional vertical
hoping to convince Rwanda’s govern- starts related to political campaigns and accountability lines.
ment to contribute to a project to extend policies, such as Barack Obama’s 2008 If we believe in the democratic prin-
an electricity line to their community presidential campaign or the Tea Party ciple that governments must be account-
(which, to their credit, they eventually movement that emerged to oppose him. able to citizens, we should build systems
did). One of the students grilled a com- After mass shootings, protests in favour that hold us accountable to each other
munity member about why the govern- of gun-control laws increase, but after – and we must engage beyond elections
ment, rather than the individuals at the a short while, the National Rifle Asso- and protests. We must usher in a new
meeting, should pay for the project. ciation exploits fears of government era of community-driven democracy –
That student was channeling a typi- overreach to encourage engagement in power must be decentralised and placed
cally American idea of privatisation and the other direction. Achieving genuine in the hands of families and communi-
access based on individual purchasing engagement, rather than reacting to ties.
power. But that idea can corrode collec- issues that are presented by politicians or When we achieve community-driven
tive and civic engagement, and it seems circumstances, requires new institutions democracy, we will engage with one
to be undermining political trust as well. that overcome the barriers to frequent another and with our governments –
According to the Pew Research Center, and effective civic participation and not just on special occasions, but con-
the share of Americans who trust the community-driven change. tinuously, because our democracy and
government dropped by a colossal 55 While the Western world suffers from freedom depend on us.
percentage points between 1958 and over-individualisation, the most notable
2017, and now sits below 20%. Not sur- governance and economic innovations Sasha Fisher, an inaugural Obama
prisingly, engagement has also dropped are taking place in the Global South. In Foundation Fellow, is the founder of Spark
in the same period, with involvement in Rwanda, for example, the government MicroGrants.
civic associations falling by half. has introduced policies to encourage
Growing distrust in governing institu- grassroots solutions that strengthen Copyright: Project Syndicate, 2019.
tions has fueled a rise in authoritarian citizens’ sense of community and
populist movements around the world. shared accountability. Through monthly
Citizens are demanding individual eco- community-service meetings, families

Feb. 22 - 28 2019 33
comment
By Madeleine de Cock Buning and Miguel Poiares Maduro
Regulating speech in new public square
The challenge is to redefine the parameters
of civil discourse without restricting pluralism

T
oday, debates about public issues platforms, like Google and Twitter, have how they use data and code algorithms.
play out on social media, people considered similar steps, and all three are Ideally, these algorithms should give
receive their news via digital plat- being pressured to give authorities access to consumers more control over editorial
forms, and politicians pitch their the private data of users who publish fake preferences and integrate editing and fact-
policies using these same media. The In- news or make defamatory statements. But checking applications developed by reliable
ternet is our new public square. we believe that these steps, while seemingly media organisations.
In the public square of old, journalists and prudent, are deeply misguided. Platforms must also clearly identify news
editors served as gatekeepers and acted as At the heart of any strong democracy is sources, especially paid political or commer-
referees. Human news aggregators set the a political consensus and arbitration that cial content. Many of these more immediate
agenda and provided audiences with cred- depends on the public’s ability to debate measures can and should be implemented
ible information and a diversity of views. and disagree. It is not up to private entities in advance of the European Parliament elec-
We trusted them because of the profes- – or public institutions, for that matter – to tion in May 2019.
sionalism and integrity of their editorial censor this process. Rather, we should be We also need new international collabora-
processes. working to ensure that citizens have access tion and better jurisdictional rules to ensure
In the new public sphere, this model of to a broad array of opinions and ideas and that laws and regulations protect victims of
journalism – and of journalism’s role in sus- understand what they are reading, viewing, fake and offensive news without restricting
taining democracy – has become obsolete. or hearing. Freedom of expression includes free speech or undermining the rights of
Traditional media no longer play a domi- the right to receive and impart information whistleblowers. In particular, these conflicts
nant gatekeeping and agenda-setting role. without interference, which implies the cor- should not be legally settled where only one
Fake news can reach multiple jurisdictions ollary values of media freedom and media of the parties has effective access to justice.
at once. pluralism as enshrined in the EU’s Charter Finally, platform companies should coop-
But so can public and private measures of Fundamental Rights. Studies show that erate with schools, civil-society groups,
that censor speech. The challenge is to rede- most people prefer reliable and pluralistic and news organisations to strengthen the
fine the parameters of civil discourse in the news sources; policymakers’ job is to enable public’s media literacy. Data show that con-
new public sphere without restricting plu- them to realise this preference. sumers in some markets still have difficulty
ralism. Recent examples highlight the risk of A March 2018 report to the European distinguishing fake news from real.
throwing the baby out with the bathwater. Commission by the High-Level Group on Well-intentioned efforts to scrub the
Despite the ominous headlines, the influ- Fake News and Online Disinformation, new public square of disinformation will
ence of fake news on political decision- which one of us (de Cock Buning) chaired, certainly backfire; only consumers can mar-
making appears to be limited. According offered a roadmap, and the recent European ginalise fake news. We cannot allow pri-
to the Reuters Institute for the Study of Commission Action Plan provides a good vate companies or governments to decide
Journalism at the University of Oxford, the starting point. But more needs to be done. what people should know. The history of
reach of such content is largely restricted to There is no silver bullet to combat disinfor- democracy is clear on this point: pluralism,
groups of believers seeking to reinforce their mation. Only multi-stakeholder approaches not private or public censorship, is the best
own views and prejudices. But that does not that spread responsibility across the news guarantor of truth.
make digital deception any less dangerous. ecosystem and take into account the fun-
Fake news feeds – and is fed by – polarisa- damental rights involved, can provide
tion, and, paradoxically, the more it is dis- adequate defenses against disinformation. Madeleine de Cock Buning, Professor of Digital
cussed, the more disruptive it becomes. For example, professional media must Politics, Economy, and Societies in the School
That is because fake news undermines do more to guarantee the veracity of their of Transnational Governance at the European
trust in all forms of media and reinforces coverage. Fact-checking technology can University Institute, was Chair of the European
the view that it is impossible to discern fact help, as long as it is kept free of political and Commission’s High-Level Group on Fake News
from fiction. When people do not know economic influence. Google, Facebook, and and Online Disinformation. Miguel Poiares
what they can believe, journalists’ ability to Twitter should stay out of the fact-checking Maduro, Director of the School of Transnational
police the powerful is weakened. This trend business. Governance at the European University
will only worsen as “deep-fake news” – Big Tech is starting to take responsibility Institute, was a member of the European
bogus images and videos that appear real by committing to a Code of Practice based Commission High Level Group on Media
– becomes more ubiquitous. on the ten key principles from the High- Freedom and Pluralism.
Clearly, the vulnerabilities of the digital Level Report. But “Big Tech” can contribute
public sphere must be addressed. Some in other ways, such as by providing client-
argue that the solution is to block question- based interfaces for curating legitimate Copyright: Project Syndicate, 2019.
able websites or demote search results. news, ensuring diversity in social-media www.project-syndicate.org
Facebook, for example, censors duplicitous timelines, and making a high priority of
posts and has created an election “war reposting fact-checked information. Plat-
room” to fight disinformation. Other global forms can also improve transparency in

34 Feb. 22 - 28 2019
ART | BOOKS | SOCIETY | TRAVEL | CULTURE

Romantic emotions on canvas


Dancing Lights for the month of love

I
By Dominic Muwanguzi in vibrant colours of blues, oranges and festivals and parties. They create sensations
yellows. The paintings on canvas are both of excitement, delight and love which the
n Edison Mugalu’s current exhibit vibrant and elegant with a lingering muse artist captures. The artist, with his colourful
titled `Dancing Light’ the motivation about nature and the viewer is almost palette, is in turn revealed as a romanticist.
is to immortalise the magnificence of tempted to “drown” in them because of This is also Mugalu’s niche. As he evokes
light when it appears to be dancing, their magnificent beauty. love emotions with his work, he says he
as if in motion. The new artworks largely concentrate seeks to implore humanity to live harmoni-
Mugalu‘s art explores the manner on the cityscape or streetscapes and the ously in this era interrupted by social injus-
in which light is broadcasted on surfaces. dancing light effect is produced as a result tices and prejudices. His dexterity to create
He concentrates on the shimmering effect of of human action: by enabling and interrupt- such classic illusions on canvas makes his
the light either on water or hard surface like ing the supply of light at the same time. It art dreamy and is a perfect souvenir to a
the city street. The ghostly human figures is as if everyone in the street is shooting off loved one during this month of love. It’s
in the paintings appear like they are disap- fireworks. an appropriate, or even urgent, revelation
pearing into the immerse light and canvas; Mugalu’s skyline awash with fireworks happening in February and the Valentine
almost transporting the viewer with them. evokes the nature of an artist who, beyond season.
This is Mugalu’s painting forte and evokes the urge to capture such rare and exciting Dancing Light exhibition is showing
particular sensations. moments, also seeks to document the tech- from February 16 until the end of March at
The concept is not new for Mugalu, an nology of the time and the people response Umoja Art gallery located in Kamwokya,
impressionist artist whose primary niche to it. Fireworks have become popular at opposite Kobil Petrol Station.
is painting dazzling waterscapes bathed major local festivities like weddings, music

Feb. 22 - 28 2019 35
Gucci selling pair of ‘dirty’ trainers for £615 and the internet is confused
Gucci has prompted criticism on social ences “old school shapes” on its shoes have sparked a furore on Twitter,
media for selling a pair of trainers website. The Screener trainers, with critics accusing Gucci of “commercial-
that purposefully look dirty for as they’re called, come in a ising poverty” and describing the trainers
£615. The Italian fashion house range of colours, all as an example of “peak capitalism”. “Some
describes the off-white men’s of which feature people have more money than sense. It’s
leather trainers as “vintage”, “dis- the same scruffy ridiculous,” commented one person.
tressed” and that the style refer- aesthetic. But the

Woman floors Putin! Mugabe sues butchery over cows debt


President Robert $28 000 being outstanding worth $6 900; 40 steers
This is the woman who Mugabe’s family business, balance of the 122 cows sold worth $11 416,50 and 72 cull
floored Vladimir Putin in a judo Gushungo Holdings has to him. Mugabe’s family cows worth $41 648,40. The
sparring session - prompting petitioned the High Court says between December butchery paid only $31 830,60
him to get up and kiss her on in Harare seeking an order 6, 2017 and February 13, leaving a balance of $28 134, 90
the head. The Kremlin strong- to compel businessman, 2018, it sold and delivered of which the said sum is now
man said after last night’s train- Blessing Murondiwa, to pay to Murondiwa; 10 cull cows overdue and payable.
ing with Olympic judo medallist
Natalia Kuzyutina, 29, in Sochi,
southwestern Russia, that exer- Too shy to say `I love
cise helps people to ‘get real’.
Kuzyutina is said to have sent you’? This company
the 66-year-old Russian leader
flying and she boasted after-
will do it for you
wards about their sparring. Building up the courage to
Newspapers reported: confess your feelings to your
‘Kuzyutina was a lot pushier crush and asking them out on
than fellow male sportsmen. a date can be a nerve-wrecking
“She kept going on and on experience, but thanks to the
and finally managed to throw unique services offered by
Vladimir Putin over her head. Japanese company Kokunavi,
He wasn’t upset but indeed it doesn’t have to be. If you’re
too shy to approach your crush,
appreciated her persistence. He
you can just pay them to do it
got up and kissed Natalya on
on your behalf. The company,
the top of her head.”
Kokunavi, charges US$260 for
Putin said after the session:
“‘It’s a well-known medical
fact - the level of adrenaline
MP steals sandwich, resigns a basic job and US$530 for a
premium which included some
coaching on love matters. Think
increases in a person who prac- A Slovenian lawmaker chatting. “I must have stood of it like having a friend deliver
tices physical exercises, so your resigned on Feb.14 for some three minutes by the a love letter to your high school
mood improves, and you take stealing a sandwich from counter,” he told journalists. crush, and charging you a lot of
a different look on the world a supermarket. MP Darij He insisted that he returned money to do it.
around you. I can probably say Krajcic’s defence is that he shortly afterwards to pay
that it helps you to get real.” walked off without paying for the sandwich. But he
because three supermarket apologised and resigned
employees had “treated from parliament.
(him) like air” and continued

Tajikistan: Where celebrating birthday in public is illegal


The democratic Republic somoni ($530) for celebrating of the family circle is strictly
of Tajikistan is probably the her birthday in the company forbidden. As strange as that
only country in the world of friends outside her home. may sound, the law is actually
where celebrating a birthday According to the “Regulation enforced, with authorities going
outside the family home can of Traditions and Customs as far as using social media
earn offenders a hefty fine. The in the Republic of Tajikistan” pictures and videos as proof
latest case is of pop star Firusa the celebration of birthdays against suspected offenders.
Khafizova, who got fined 5,000 anywhere except in the privacy

36 Feb. 22 - 28 2019
The man who owns 400 cars
W
hen Rodger Dud-
ding bought an
almost-new Jensen
FF back in 1968, lit-
tle did he know that half a cen-
tury later he would still own
it - along with two more, plus
more than 400 other classic cars
and around 65 motorbikes.
He even owns 24 - yes 24 -
Aston Martin Lagondas - or
4% of the entire production of
the striking William Towns de-
signed luxury car. Rodger just
celebrated his 80th birthday.
Buying whatever takes his
fancy, Rodger has built up
what he claims is the biggest
car collection in the UK, and
probably Europe too.
Called Studio 434 and not
open to the public, Autocar
recently got the chance to look
around the incredible hoard of
rarities.
He owns 14,000 lock-ups in
the Midlands and the south
east of England - and he’s still
buying classic cars to add to his
collection.
Rodger appears at number
623 in the 2017 Sunday Times
Rich List and is thought to have
a net worth in the region of
£180 million.
His car collection is said
to be worth £40 million ($54
million USD) alone - or around
£100,000 (Approx. Shs473 mil-
lion) per car on average. And
while some are worth much
less than that, many are worth
much, much more.

The Largest 7 seater 4x4 In Uganda


Only available at spear Motors Limited

Mercedes Benz GLS Driving you into the Future

0783 614 601 / 0753 614 601 sales@spearmotors.co.ug www.spearmotors.co.ug

Feb. 22 - 28 2019 37
John Ssegawa: On the
misuse of marriage
`Heartbreaks and being entangled in love
compromises your thinking and yet I want to be open’
By Agnes E Nantaba popular in the late 90s and is famous for his roles in

J
plays like Bungulu ewa Bungulu, Ensitaano, Mas-
ohn Ssegawa is one of Uganda most wanku, Ssebalamu Tebesigwa. His latest play is Zansaa-
famous theatre drama actors, script nze.
writers, and directors. Most of his Ssegawa’s acting voyage started in the early 1990s
work is in the local language, Lugan- after he graduated from Kyambogo University with a
da. A largely self-taught man, Ssegawa diploma in Secondary Education. He started off as a fan
rides on the sheer power of his talent. of local drama and when several drama groups broke
After relying on scripts written by up, he joined Afri-Diamonds; a combination of then
colleagues, for example, Ssegawa popular groups - Diamonds Ensemble and Afri-Talent.
says he exploited his relationship “I didn’t join as an actor but to help in management
with renowned dramatist Mari- having raised some money from the village,” says
am Ndagire to “pick a few les- Ssegawa.
sons about script writing”. Ssegawa soon jumped on to stage in the play ‘Kila-
He has co-written plays gilo’ loosely translated as ‘Order’. His talent shone
with celebrated actors like immediately and when the play was sanctioned by the
Charles James Ssenkubuge Ministry of Defense in 1994 as a good depiction of the
and says he is inspired by army in community, he was part of the group that took
legendary dramatist Alex it on tour around the country as was the trend at the
Mukulu. He admires both time. Ssegawa split from Afri-Talent to form his own
for being abstract thinkers, group, Beyond Borders Entertainment.
observing the environment Ssegawa is the sixth born of Damiano Ssekiziyivu.
and coming up with dramatic He was born in a polygamous family of 25, raised in
statements. Mubende district. He moved to Kampala for quality
“They are great writers and education at Kabojja Junior School. He recalls being
for you to achieve in script naughty, undisciplined, and earning suspensions.
writing, you must be their Ssegawa has no hopes of getting married. He says
students for which I am that marriage is a mission that requires selflessness, sac-
very proud.” rifice and love which he feels he cannot fulfill.
Ssegawa “Marriage has been abused because many have
became gone into a ministry that they don’t understand,” says
Ssegawa, “It has been relegated from being a ministry to
a status symbol forcing many to go into it without basic
understanding.”
Ssegawa is a father of two sons and one daughter.
Ssegawa says drama requires keenly observing the
environment to produce matching scripts.
“The best stories you can have are from real life
experiences because you can feel it and they are
tangible,” says Ssegawa.
He also says the local drama industry is
changing, as it always does, to meet audi-
ence demands and expectations. He says
previous changes required him to start
fusing drama with music and comedy.
Today, he says, technology has birthed
ICT enabled theatres and there is more
competition with music and comedy for
the same audience. He says the audi-
ence today wants comedy for instant
satisfaction.
“Some people don’t want to use
their brain to think hard,” he says.

38 Feb. 22 - 28 2019
Q&A

John Ssegawa’s Liteside


they are. as growing economies. I would love to be
Any three things that we They fail to understand more patient.

I
don’t know about you? What is your greatest that we can never win
am principled and extravagance? humanity. Where would you most
believe in myself I cannot stop buy- like to live?
and work. I have ing clothes; so many I What is the quality you My country is home.
work discipline and haven’t worn but I keep most like in a woman?
people around me say buying. Intelligence and open What is your most trea-
that I strive to be good to minded; I love to hold an sured possession?
everyone although it may What is the greatest argument for the better Beyond Borders enter-
not be good a trait. thing you have ever with such women. tainment.
done?
What is your idea of per- I am still a work in What is the quality you What is your favorite oc-
fect happiness? progress. most like in a man? cupation?
Meeting up with Intelligent, disciplined I love to share knowl-
friends. What do you consider and loving. edge.
the most overrated vir-
What is your greatest tue? Which words or phrases What do you most value
fear? Pride is something do you most overuse? in your friends?
Heartbreaks and be- many people often use I often use ‘do you Selflessness and being
ing entangled in a love even in unbefitting cir- understand’ to emphasise true to self.
situation; it compromises cumstances. Many people a point.
your thinking and yet unknowingly suffer from Who are your favorite
I want to be open in all it. What or who is the writers?
situations. I also fear the greatest love of your I don’t entertain read-
thought of death. What does being power- life? ing fiction because I am a
ful mean to you? My family and com- story teller. I enjoy read-
What is the trait you Power is God given pany. ing biographies of influ-
most deplore in your- and to make meaning ential and great people
self? out, it entails doing When and where were like Barack Obama and
Striving to be good different things for the you happiest? Nelson Mandela because
always and to everyone. benefit of many. The In 2000 when I had my they have story to tell.
My fear to be a loner challenge lies in selfishly first child,Two years ago,
keeps me doing it. using it for personal gain. my father was diagnosed Which historical figure
with cancer and I had to do you most identify
What is the trait you On what occasion do convince family to take with?
most deplore in others? you lie? him to Nairobi hospital. Mahatma Gandhi; he
Being opportunists; Sometimes I tell lies to He left with no hope of was blessed with influ-
the whole thinking that manage a situation. The returning alive but God ence and he only meant
because someone pulled truth might be detrimen- was good and I still get well.
off one assignment, they tal. emotional remember-
can do the same without ing that he still lives on. What is your greatest
others. We should under- What do you most dis- 15 years ago, one of my regret?
stand that with the same like about your appear- brothers was ordained I wish I had been a dis-
discipline and feeling ance? a priest something that ciplined student; I would
of achievement, we can I love the way I am but fulfilled my father’s wish have lived a quiet and
make better. hate what I go through of having one of his sons humble life.
to sustain it. In the arts take that journey.
Which living person do industry, we struggle a Which talent would you How would you like to
you most admire? lot to attain presence and most like to have? die?
I admire Sylver Ky- it gets more demanding I wish I could sing and In my sleep.
agulanyi and Steve Jean. to keep up appearances. express myself more than
They have remained true I do. It would make me a What is your motto?
to their calling. When Which living person do full package. Behold, how good
you walk into their lives, you most despise? and how pleasant it is
you will meet their pas- Politicians are selfish If you could change one for brothers to dwell in
sion at what they do. I people something that thing about yourself, unity.
would love to get where doesn’t take us any far what would it be?

Feb. 22 - 28 2019 39
Global comment
By Donald P. Kaberuka
Empowering the African Union
Fatigue in the global multilateral order is a moment of peril,
but also a golden opportunity for Africans

W
hen the Organisation of Ensuring “adequate, predictable, and governors to design a policy response.
African Unity (OAU) was sustainable” funding for the AU was Thanks partly to this home-grown
founded in 1963, Emperor a top priority. Historically, the AU’s response, most African countries
Haile Selassie of Ethiopia, finances have been highly erratic, with emerged from the crisis with only
the bloc’s first president, issued a clarion many member countries – often afflicted limited damage, even though a number
call: “What we require is a single African by rising expenses and weak financial of them were later hit by second-round
organisation through which Africa’s governance – failing to pay up. This effects on the real economy, such as
single voice may be heard, within which left the AU excessively dependent on lower commodity prices and a slowdown
Africa’s problems may be studied and just six member states, which covered in investment flows.
resolved. We need an organisation which 55% of the budget, and, increasingly, The same kind of internally-guided
will facilitate acceptable solutions to on external partners. Making matters coordination is urgently needed today on
disputes among Africans and promote worse, peace and security operations are topics ranging from trade to climate and
the study and adoption of measures becoming more expensive, owing to the security, because the global multilateral
for common defense and programs for complexities of modern hybrid conflicts, order is showing signs of fatigue. Less
cooperation in the economic and social such as those in the Sahel and the Horn. than four years after the world came
fields.” To address these problems, it was together to adopt the path-breaking 2030
By promoting Africa’s economic agreed that a 0.2% levy on eligible Agenda for Sustainable Development,
integration, safeguarding its sovereignty imports would enable the AU to finance trade wars and reversals on climate-
and integrity, and projecting its voice itself in the long term. Moreover, a change commitments are emerging,
and defending its interests on the world reliable and predictable funding model and populism, protectionism, and
stage, the OAU – and its successor, for continental peace and security isolationism are on the rise, including
the African Union – aimed to bring initiatives was adopted: the Peace Fund in countries that have long been among
about the continent’s full liberation and will soon amount to $100 million – Africa’s largest external donors.
empowerment. But, in order to fulfill this enough to enable the AU to address In such a context, regional
mission, the AU needs reliable resources conflicts through prevention and arrangements are more important than
of its own. mediation. ever. This includes the AU, as well as
This is largely a matter of mindset, Reforming an intergovernmental the African Continental Free Trade
not means. Fortunately, mindsets are organisation is never easy. That is as true Area, which will enter into force in a
beginning to shift. for the AU as it is for the United Nations few months with 50 of 55 AU members
At the 2016 AU summit in Kigali, or the Bretton Woods institutions. having signed on. The African CFTA is
African leaders recognised that, despite Balancing high-level reform imperatives not simply about reducing tariffs to boost
the AU’s achievements, it remained with often-divergent national political intra-continental trade; it is a chance to
under-resourced and inefficient, pressures is a delicate task. deepen and unlock Africa’s investment
operating below potential and failing Some argue that the reforms do not go potential.
to implement many decisions. To far enough. Others fear they go too far, This is a moment of peril, but also
reinvigorate the AU, they tasked too fast. There is also a small minority a golden opportunity for Africans to
Rwandan President Paul Kagame with that remains convinced that change chart our own way forward. While the
leading a process in which all of them isn’t needed at all, because the AU was ongoing institutional reform of the AU
have been deeply involved. supposed to be a political body, rather does not resolve all of the continent’s
Less than three years later, a set of than a more technocratic one, like the challenges, it offers a strong foundation
reform recommendations produced by UN, though this view fails to recognise upon which to consolidate an effective
Kagame and the pan-African committee the link between political legitimacy and and self-reliant AU that Africans can
of experts that he appointed – through effectiveness. trust to rise to present and future
an inclusive consultative process, But, in deciding on next steps, Africans challenges.
involving African leaders and other should recall the experience of the 2008
stakeholders – are being implemented. global financial crisis. At the height Donald P. Kaberuka, a former president
The reforms address funding of the of the crisis, the popular view was of the African Development Bank, is High
AU; harmonisation among the AU’s that, without large-scale external help, Representative of the African Union Peace
institutions; the division of labour among Africa’s economies would be in grave Fund and Distinguished Visiting Fellow at
the AU, regional bodies, and member danger. Then the AU and the African the Center for Global Development.
states; and the accountability of member Development Bank (of which I was the
states and the relevance of the AU’s work head) convened an emergency meeting Copyright: Project Syndicate, 2019.
for ordinary citizens. of finance ministers and central bank

40 Feb. 22 - 28 2019
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