BlogSpirit | Node Six » Joe in Uganda:

Joe in Uganda:

July 26, 2009
20:50
Uganda Talks and Barya Interview
from » ‎ Joe in Uganda:

Tags: [edit]

As expected July has been an incredibly busy month with the launch of Uganda Talks. We seem to be making good progress and the reader figures are very encouraging. If anyone has any ideas on how we could improve they would be much appreciated.

Returning to Makerere issues, I did an interview a few weeks ago with one of the Vice-Chancellor candidates, Prof. Venansius Baryamureeba. He is the current Dean of the ICT faculty and has proposed a whole host of reforms to restore Makerere to its former position as one of the most respected universities in Africa. An extract:

JP: Now for the question everyone is asking, you are the youngest ever Dean at Makerere, can you be the youngest ever Vice-Chancellor?

VB: I am the only one who is qualified. As somebody who Read Full Post
June 29, 2009
11:28
Uganda Talks
from » ‎ Joe in Uganda:

Tags: [edit]

Blogging on this site is going to be much lighter in future with the launch of Uganda Talks, the new current affairs blog of The Independent magazine. It's been a while coming but we finally launched today and for the time being I will be editing the site. I hope that you have a look and I would really value any feedback you have. There are bound to be teething problems in the first few weeks but it is my hope that we will soon be established as the best place to find cutting edge opinion and analysis related to Uganda. We will also be running guest spots so if anyone has something to get off their chest please contact me either through the comments here or: joepowell at independent.co.ug

Enjoy and spread the word! Read Full Post
June 21, 2009
19:16
Budget Boxes
from » ‎ Joe in Uganda:

Tags: [edit]

One of the steps towards economic integration in the East African Community is a requirement that all the member countries hold their budget readings at the same time of year. This year the combined budgets of the countries (excluding Burundi) was $23.5bn. In Uganda the new Minister of Finance, Syda Bbumba, increased spending but kept taxes as they are, meaning a likely increase in the deficit. That is, of course, unless she can miraculously improve the ability of the taxman to pull in what is due to him.

One thing that caught my eye was this photo from Business Week. In the UK the Chancellor poses with the famous Read Full Post
June 15, 2009
9:58
Climate Change in Uganda
from » ‎ Joe in Uganda:

Tags: [edit]

Last week I attended a British Embassy exhibition about climate change in the National Museum. The displays themselves were fairly basic, being aimed, I guess, at the hoards of school kids who make up the vast majority of the museum's visitors. However, the speeches beforehand were interesting, with the British High Commissioner acknowledging the fact that Uganda is suffering through no fault of their own and promising investment in 'clean development' through the international Climate Investment Funds.

An article in today's South African Mail & Guardian is well timed in that respect. It describes the melting of the Rwenzori ice caps in Western Uganda and the multiple effects that is having on the local community:

But on the dusty, quiet streets of Bundibugyo, the potential impacts on the region’s hydrologic Read Full Post
June 10, 2009
13:58
Zumanomics Review for The Independent
from » ‎ Joe in Uganda:

Tags: [edit]

My latest book review for The Independent is now on-line here. The book is Zumanomics, edited by Raymond Parsons. This is an extract:

It is indicative of President Jacob Zuma’s larger-than-life personality that so much of the international press coverage of him has ignored what the people of South Africa have elected him to do: run a country of huge income inequality which, despite growth rates of over 5% per annum since 2004, has failed to make any meaningful inroads into reducing poverty. Instead we have heard ad nauseam about the multiple wives, the rape trial in which he claimed he avoided HIV infection by taking a shower, the alleged corruption and the very un-Mbeki like dancing to the campaign anthem ‘Bring Me My Machine Gun’...

Zumanomics can be heavy going, but then it is hard to see how essa Read Full Post
10:29
Chinese Newspaper Launched in Africa
from » ‎ Joe in Uganda:

Tags: [edit]

More interesting developments in the continuing mass migration from China to Africa:

The Oriental Post, a Chinese-language newspaper, was launched in Gaborone, Botswana on Friday, making it the first paper to serve the Southern African Development Community's Chinese population.

Miles Nan, president of the Oriental Post, said he hopes the newspaper will enable better communication between service providers and product developers wanting to reach the Chinese community in Botswana. Nan said the fact that "most of the Chinese do not understand English and speak very little Setswana" has created a large information and communication barrier for the Chinese population in Botswana. Botswana receives important contributions to both its rural and urban populations from Chinese services.

Dr. Jeff Ramsay, the coordinator of the Botswana Government Communica Read Full Post
June 08, 2009
11:07
Links etc
from » ‎ Joe in Uganda:

Tags: [edit]

1. If you have a spare hour and a half-decent Internet connection then Barack Obama's fantastic speech in Cairo is well worth watching. A little thing maybe, but can you imagine George Bush ever saying 'Asalaam Alaykum'?

2. President Museveni also delivered a major speech last week, addressing Parliament for his annual State of the Nation. The New Vision interpreted the speech as the beginning of a war against corruption, while other commentators were underwhelmed by the lack of policy announcements. A nice line from the paper: When the opposition refused to applaud him, he accused them of being jealous and teasingly said they can "go hang."

3. Angelo Izama has an interesting post about the Read Full Post
June 04, 2009
7:48
Kristof's Misplaced Travel Advice
from » ‎ Joe in Uganda:

Tags: [edit]

I had to read Nicholas Kristof's New York Times column on tips for 'evading bandits' abroad several times before deciding whether is was genuine or spoof. The latter theory was supported by advice like the following:

4. At night, set a chair against your hotel door so that it will tip over and crash if someone slips in at 4 a.m.

12. If you are held up by bandits with large guns, shake hands respectfully with each of your persecutors. It’s very important to be polite to people who might kill you.

14. If terrorists finger you, break out singing “O Canada”!

Overall, however, I decided it was a genuine article, although if its purpose was really to encourage American students to visit far-flung places it surely fails. A mention of the fact that the vast majority of people in any country are kind, helpful and welcoming might have been in order to balance the story. I Read Full Post
7:48
Kristof's Misplaced Travel Advice
from » ‎ Joe in Uganda:

Tags: [edit]

I had to read Nicholas Kristof's New York Times column on tips for 'evading bandits' abroad several times before deciding whether is was genuine or spoof. The latter theory was supported by advice like the following:

4. At night, set a chair against your hotel door so that it will tip over and crash if someone slips in at 4 a.m.

12. If you are held up by bandits with large guns, shake hands respectfully with each of your persecutors. It’s very important to be polite to people who might kill you.

14. If terrorists finger you, break out singing “O Canada”!

Overall, however, I decided it was a genuine article, although if its purpose was really to encourage American students to visit far-flung places it surely fails. A mention of the fact that the vast majority of people in any country are kind, helpful and welcoming might have been in order to balance the story. I Read Full Post
June 01, 2009
12:02
President Wine of Kamwokya
from » ‎ Joe in Uganda:

Tags: [edit]

A friend has just sent me this great link to a Guardian blog about the Ugandan dancehall scene. Naturally as a neighbour to ghetto President H.E. Bobi Wine, it was the references to Kamwokya that piqued my interest:

VBS.TV recently flew out to Uganda to film a documentary about a dancehall collective called Fire Base Crew, who have set up a breakaway republic, the Ghetto Republic of Uganja, in one of the slums in Uganda's capital, Kampala.

While there, the internet TV station discovered the republic has a full cabinet of appointed members: Bobi Wine (who is the leader of the crew) is the president, the vice president is an artist called Buchaman, they also have a prime minister, a defence minister, a minister for disaster preparedness, a minister of agriculture (whose crop of choice, unsurprisingly, Read Full Post
May 31, 2009
14:56
Africa Maps
from » ‎ Joe in Uganda:

Tags: [edit]

Ryan C Briggs has posted this great map based on the number of times African countries feature in the New York Times. Scarlett Lion adds a couple of long-standing Africa map favourites here. I would also add the following take on Uganda to the list, courtesy of Ugandan Insomniac's workmates:

Venansius Baryamureeba, is the most compelling candidate.

Baryamureeba was the first Ug Read Full Post
May 27, 2009
7:45
Campus Water
from » ‎ Joe in Uganda:

Tags: [edit]

When it comes to bottled water I have always been a one brand man (for UK-based readers the tap water revolution has yet to hit Uganda. I blame cholera). Highland, Aqua Sipi, Riham, Wavah, Dasani, Ripples, Peak, Refresh and the other atrociously named bottles on offer just don't compete when a bottle of Rwenzori is on sale - although I have to admit being disappointed when I found out it was actually tapped from a swamp at Namanve (also home to a large power station) and not the ice topped border mountains with DRC.

However, my loyalties are now going to be tested as the ever-innovative Makerere Food Science department has launched their very own 'Ca Read Full Post
May 26, 2009
7:33
Higher Education Minister Slams Makerere
from » ‎ Joe in Uganda:

Tags: [edit]
Mr. Mwesigwa Rukutana has been Minister of Higher Education for a little over three months, however he has already begun the baiting of Makerere which is a favourite hobby of most NRM politicians. At a conference of African business academics I attended last week he delivered a highly disingenuous speech of which the following are some highlights:
- Many universities in the Third World countries turn into opposition agents.
- In Uganda dons attack the government, condemn the government and castigate the government but make very little contribution in terms of policy.
- Ugandan academics need to come down from the clouds and live here on Earth with us or they will remain irrelevant.
- When did practical ideas ever emanate from Makerere?
- Where are the Makerere professors? I only ever hear from Read Full Post
May 25, 2009
11:35
Dr. Tajudeen Abdul-Raheem Dies
from » ‎ Joe in Uganda:

Tags: [edit]

For those of you who haven't yet heard, pan-Africanist giant Dr. Tajudeen Abdul-Raheem tragically died in a car accident near Nairobi yesterday. He has recently been involved with trying to promote a peaceful solution to the Migingo island dispute, and leaves behind a vast legacy of writing and activism. Alex de Waal has this moving tribute:

Dr. Tajudeen Abdul-Raheem, the most irrepressible Pan Africanist of his generation, died in Nairobi on 24 May 2009. His friends and colleagues are stunned at the loss of a man who was so full of life and humour, such a determined Afro-optimist, and such a devoted father to his children, Aisha and Aida. Africa is impoverished by his untimely death...

Tajudeen was a Director of Justice Africa, Chairperson for the Pan African Development Education and Advocacy Programme (PADEAP) and Chair of the International Governing Council of the Centre for D Read Full Post
8:46
Kabushenga in Unfortunate Salute
from » ‎ Joe in Uganda:

Tags: [edit]

Possibly time for Vision Voice to hire a new marketing team?

H-T: Rowan Read Full Post
May 19, 2009
11:54
Quote of the Day
from » ‎ Joe in Uganda:

Tags: [edit]

"[The] National Resistance Movement is modelled along the lines of the Communist Party of China"

Government spokesman Ofwono Opondo quoted by Angelo Izama. At least they're being honest about it I suppose... Read Full Post
May 15, 2009
18:25
The Tories on International Development
from » ‎ Joe in Uganda:

Tags: [edit]

Owen Barder's excellent podcast series 'Development Drums' has an interview this week with Shadow International Development Minister, Andrew Mitchell (pictured). Mitchell has held the post for four years so is well versed in the challenges facing DFID and aid more generally. On most topics he follows the Labour lead, for example guaranteeing that the Department will remain independent with a minister in cabinet (historically Conservative governments have tended to have development under the control of the Foreign Office).

Mitchell does, though, propose some changes. He wants a Department that focuses on outcomes rather than inputs, that engages more with the private sector, an Read Full Post
May 12, 2009
13:18
Recession Brings Ugandanomics to France
from » ‎ Joe in Uganda:

Tags: [edit]

The New York Times had a great piece yesterday on how the French have been pouring money into cows as an alternative form of savings during this period of rock-bottom interest rates at the banks. The featured farmer's Holsteins will give a 4-5% return on investment through the selling of their offspring:

“At this difficult time, it’s a much better investment than real estate and much more tangible than the stock market,” Mr. Marguerit said. He then proceeded to praise the new interest “in natural, organic and lasting things” among the French, who have always romanticized the countryside and imagined themselves shrewd peasants at heart.

“This is part of the patrimony,” he sa Read Full Post
May 11, 2009
12:09
The BNP Slurs Uganda
from » ‎ Joe in Uganda:

Tags: [edit]

Ugandan Insomniac has been having fun with the Simon Darby (he of the far-right British National Party) comments about Uganda last week. For those of you that missed his rant this is the best part:

Dr Sentamu should not interfere in the political process. He’s not in any position to tell me or anyone else who is, or isn’t, English. If I went to Uganda and told them that they were all genetic mongrels and that anyone could be Ugandan I’d still be picking spears out of myself now.

He went on to defend his remarks:

I am not implying that all Ugandan people use spears at all. I was speaking specifically about the indigenous pe Read Full Post
May 08, 2009
13:10
Review of Moyo's Dead Aid in The Independent
from » ‎ Joe in Uganda:

Tags: [edit]

My review of Dambisa Moyo's controversial new book 'Dead Aid' is now on-line at The Independent's website here. There have of course been a huge number of reviews already so I tried to see how practical her prescriptions would be specifically in Uganda. This is an extract:

The vast, and often complacent, global aid establishment has rarely been as panicked as they have since the publication of Dambisa Moyo’s debut book ‘Dead Aid’. The Zambian ex-investment banker, educated at Oxford and Harvard, declares the $300 billion of aid money that sub-Saharan Africa has received since 1970 as not only wasted, but as a key factor in the decline of relative living standards in many countries. Moyo concludes that all direct government to government aid should be cut off in five Read Full Post
May 07, 2009
9:32
Stomachs Rumble at Makerere
from » ‎ Joe in Uganda:

Tags: [edit]

Not for the first time the university administration is threatening to stop providing free meals for students on Government scholarships. The above cartoon is the take on the situation by Mr Ras, the New Vision's often inspired cartoonist.

In other news lecturers are likely to hold exam marks hostage until salary arrears have been cleared. The situation prompted a Read Full Post
May 05, 2009
18:39
Links etc
from » ‎ Joe in Uganda:

Tags: [edit]

I don't normally post link lists but I think these are worth sharing:

1. Alison Evans pays tribute to the 11 years Simon Maxwell spent as Director of the Overseas Development Institute. Maxwell's mantra of 'find out who is making what policy decision and when, and what evidence they need to make it' should be at the forefront of every researchers mind. His attitude reminds me of one of my old Cambridge Professors, Ron Martin, who drummed into us the importance of doing policy relevant research.

2. Rosebell Kagumire chides the Ugandan Journalists Association for accepting a gift of UGX 150m from the President.

3. Paul Read Full Post
April 30, 2009
17:25
Gold Diggers
from » ‎ Joe in Uganda:

Tags: [edit]

I am a great fan of Polyp's cartoons. His work in the New Internationalist was always first rate and directly to the point. As so often this one is simple but highly effective.

Hat-tip: Africa is a Country Read Full Post
April 29, 2009
19:00
Will The Ugandan Githongo Please Stand Up
from » ‎ Joe in Uganda:

Tags: [edit]

It is hard to avoid John Githongo these days. The publicity generated by his starring role in Michela Wrong's excellent 'It's Our Turn to Eat' has once again catapulted him to the forefront of Kenyan politics. He is staring out of the latest edition of the Kenyan aspirational men's magazine 'Adam' and is on the cover of the East African version of The Africa Report (which is, by the way, vital bimonthly reading). His vision is to launch a new grassroots political party cutting across tribe and based on the principle of honest and effective governme Read Full Post
April 27, 2009
12:43
Swine Flu Boosts Pharmaceuticals
from » ‎ Joe in Uganda:

Tags: [edit]

I am the only one that finds this type of market reaction to a crisis slightly disturbing? Read Full Post
9:28
Subs Having Fun At The Independent
from » ‎ Joe in Uganda:

Tags: [edit]

Read Full Post
April 22, 2009
14:08
Quote of the Day: Wisdom of a Traffic Cop
from » ‎ Joe in Uganda:

Tags: [edit]

From a retired Major in the traffic police:

"At night in Uganda when a car is swerving all over the road we know they are ok. It's when they're driving in a straight line that we arrest them, as we know they are too drunk to avoid the potholes" Read Full Post
April 20, 2009
12:21
The Rebuilding of Makerere's Reputation?
from » ‎ Joe in Uganda:

Tags: [edit]

There is interesting article on the rebuilding of Makerere's reputation at the Science and Development Network website. It writes glowingly about the return of a 'research culture' at the university, indicated by a sharp uptick in the number of PhD students graduating in the past few years. This comes after Makerere's reputation as one of the best university's in Africa was hurt by years of neglect and hostility during the fifteen years of political turmoil that consumed Uganda from 1971. It is notable, though, that the article attributes many of the gains to foreign donor money (including the gleaming IT faculty - pictured above from ibeatty on Flickr), a source that is clearly unsustainable. Read Full Post
April 16, 2009
0:16
Ugandan Guide To Road Users
from » ‎ Joe in Uganda:

Tags: [edit]
In four weeks time I will, according to the friendly lady at the Automobile Association of Uganda, be the proud owner of a three year driving permit. That is of course if I can successfully negotiate the theory test, which is based on a handbook containing such gems as:
- Do not overtake just for the fun of overtaking
- Never compete with a train
- Do not just dangle your arms out the window (in the signs section)
- You can easily smell if the other driver has been drinking
And my personal favourite:
- If you hear the siren or see blue flashing lights of the State motorcade approaching draw your vehicle to the extreme left...Do not try to overtake or join the motorcade.
Not join the motorcade! Do they want to take all the fun out of driving? Read Full Post
April 15, 2009
12:03
The Ups and Downs of IT at Makerere
from » ‎ Joe in Uganda:

Tags: [edit]

Two recent articles related to IT development at Makerere caught my eye. The first is an upbeat post from Spartakuss on how the vast number of student elections on campus can now be conducted online, saving time and resources:

The room is packed and the tension is high as girls line up to cast their votes for their different candidates. The candidates in turn throng the lines of voters reminding them constantly with little flyers and sweets and candies, more commonly known as “logistics”, to nudge voters to include their names on the list they, the voters, will be ticking. But this is no ordinary election. It is Makerere University’s very first election that is being conducted using the E-Voting System.

The online system that has the aspirants and their pictures entered into the system was built at the Makerere University faculty o Read Full Post
April 11, 2009
13:45
Wrong Review for The Independent
from » ‎ Joe in Uganda:

Tags: [edit]

My review of 'It's Our Turn to Eat' by Michela Wrong for The Independent is now online here. This is an extract:

"John Githongo was appointed Kenyan anti-corruption czar on a wave of optimism in 2003, as the newly elected NARC Government led by Mwai Kibaki ended 24 years of rule by Daniel arap Moi. Promised unfettered access to the new President, the man responsible for reviving Transparency International in the country confidently set about uncovering the institutional corruption that had characterised Kenya for so long. The signs seemed good. Two new Acts were announced, the first of which would regulate the conduct of public officials and the second set up a new anti-corruption commission. Perhaps most symbolically, Kenya, the home of graft for so many years, became the first country to ratify the UN Convention against Corruption. Two years later, howe Read Full Post

April 03, 2009

15:51
G20 Snub Gaddafi?
from » ‎ Joe in Uganda:

Tags: [edit]

Looking at the G20 guest list it was interesting to see which international and regional organisations were represented. The IMF, World Bank, World Trade Organisation and UN leaders were all understandably present. So was José Manuel Barroso, the President of the European Commission, and the Prime Minister of Thailand represented the Association of Southeast Asian nations. But the African Union (AU), Chaired by President Gaddafi, was noticeably absent. Instead Prime Minister Zenawi of Ethiopia attended in his capacity as Chair of the New Partnership for Africa's Development (NEPAD), a programme which is run by the AU. Surely protocol would normally dictate that the Chair of the AU would be invited before the Chair of NEPAD? Or perhaps it had more to do with who could be trusted to behave themselves at dinner and not disrupt the negotiations?
Who is this leather-faced man, camped out on a stool which has over the years conformed to his shape, taking half-bottle gulps of the mid-range national beer between whisky shots?

He’s The Lifer, and nobody knows much of anything about him other than the fact that he’s been in town as long as anyone can remember.

Where does his money come from? How did he end up here? It’s all a mystery. But one thing’s for sure, when The Lifer first came through town, that’s when “travel was real, man.”

The Lifer is good for a few amusing stories involving the inges Read Full Post

March 31, 2009

21:38
Report on the 'Africa Trade and Investment Conference' in Cape Town
from » ‎ Joe in Uganda:

Tags: [edit]

For those of you interested in trade-led development and ways to deal with the global 'credit crunch' in Africa:

SOUTH-SOUTH TRADE TO COMBAT CREDIT CRUNCH

Bankers from across Africa gathered in Cape Town last week to call for an increase in South-South trade as a means to combat the effects of the global financial crisis on the continent. Trade between "South" economies currently makes up only 6% of global trade flows, although growth has been rapid. Since 1985 Africa's trade with other "South" economies is up 1170%.

The call comes as the financial crisis hits the continent in the form of reduced remittances, a drop in Foreign Direct Investment and an expected cut back in aid monies. Similarly as international banks scale back their credit lines to Africa a liquidity crisis has been growing, with businesses unable to find sources of trade finance for import-e Read Full Post

March 28, 2009

11:18
China, the Dalai Lama and the ANC: Lessons For Africa?
from » ‎ Joe in Uganda:

Tags: [edit]

The refusal of a visa for the Dalai Lama to attend a Peace Conference has dominated headlines in South Africa this week (see cartoon in Mail & Guardian). It has attracted widespread criticism from newspaper columnists, and from the deafening silence emanating from most top members of the ANC it is not hard to imagine what they are thinking. It was, after all, not long ago that Nelson Mandela himself was labelled a terrorist by many countries and denied visiting rights.

Perhaps more interestingly, however, is what implications this may have for China's relationshi Read Full Post

March 27, 2009

17:37
Chris McGreal Will Be Missed
from » ‎ Joe in Uganda:

Tags: [edit]

Chris McGreal is moving to Washington D.C. after reporting on Africa for nearly two decades in The Guardian. He has been one of the best Africa correspondents for that period and his final dispatch shows that it is possible to write about Africa without resorting to tedious clichés, even when the subject is as brutal as the Rwandan genocide (although his does appear to have attracted some - I think unfair - flak in the comments). Read Full Post

March 23, 2009

18:44
Why do Western Journalists Continually Fall Into This Trap?
from » ‎ Joe in Uganda:

Tags: [edit]

Mary Riddell is one of Britain's better columnists. She generally manages to produce original material, rather than resorting to the lazy rehashing of tired arguments and opinions that make up a lot of comment pieces. However, her article today reads like a checklist of what not to do when writing about Africa, ruining a potentially interesting analysis of the thawing in relations between Presidents Kabila and Kagame. Instead the piece is relegated to the overflowing dustbin of nauseating Western writing about the continent. An attempted Read Full Post

March 22, 2009

18:20
Umony Mania
from » ‎ Joe in Uganda:

Tags: [edit]

Brian Umony is fast becoming the poster boy for the 'Cranes', the national football team of Uganda. Yesterday at Namboole stadium he scored a terrific goal against Malawi, lashing the ball in from 20 yards to equalise in a match they went on to win 2-1. Last month he scored both goals in an away game against Sudan and he has been prolific for his club this season, including a crucial goal against South African giants SuperSport FC in the African Champions League. Umony is also a great role model for young footballers in the country. A university graduate, he possesses none of the petulance or arrogance associated with Premiership stars in the UK. No doubt the continent's scouts will be paying close attention to his form Read Full Post

March 20, 2009

14:26
Is This the Worst Interview Answer Ever?
from » ‎ Joe in Uganda:

Tags: [edit]

Margaret Mbeiza is a rare breed of politician in Uganda for all the wrong reasons. She was the only new Presidential appointee who failed to pass the Parliamentary vetting process, after the committee in charge expressed grave concerns over her ability to handle the Economic Monitoring portfolio to which she had been assigned. After reading her interview in this week's Independent (during which Steven Kibuuka implies her 'special' friendship with the President is the reason behind her appointment) it is easy to see why Parliament rejected her. My favourite response is this one:

Independent: How does it feel like being appointed a minister?

Margaret Mbeiza MP: It's very good; in fact very good because everyone will fear you and you will be called titles like honourable m Read Full Post

March 18, 2009

19:46
Oil Roundtable Tomorrow
from » ‎ Joe in Uganda:

Tags: [edit]

Tomorrow the US Embassy and Fanaka Kwa Wote are hosting an oil roundtable debate at the Protea from 9.30am. It will be chaired by Andrew Mwenda of The Independent. Looks like it should be interesting. More details here. Read Full Post

14:31
Election Fallout: Was 2008 Rigged?
from » ‎ Joe in Uganda:

Tags: [edit]

The final tallies for Monday's election make for interesting reading. The DP's Robert Okware won with 6,129 votes, over 3,000 clear of the NRM's Kisuule in second place. Natukunda in third received 1,090. Overall turnout was up by nearly 300%, from 3,500 last year, and the winning margin increased tenfold.

Student politicians I've spoken to on campus attribute this this to one thing: the determination of the opposition parties not to be the victim of what they saw as 'blatant rigging' in 2008. They suggest that ballot boxes were 'pre-stuffed' before polling opened and that the postgraduate vote was a target for ringers, due to the fact that the majority live off campus and don't tend to vote. Indeed security around the ballot boxes was significantly beefed up this year, with four police officers assigned to each polling station for the entir Read Full Post

March 16, 2009

22:23
DP Take Back Campus
from » ‎ Joe in Uganda:

Tags: [edit]

In what is likely to be seen as a return to normality at Makerere, Democratic Party candidate Robert Okware won the Students' Guild Presidency by a comfortable margin today. The NRM's wonderfully named Castro Robertson Kisuule finished in second place, while Independent Husnah Natukunda came in a better than expected third. Natukunda also managed to carry the postgraduate constituency, who are perhaps less easily seduced by the type of money which was thrown around by the DP and NRM campaigns. Regardless, though, all students should now be hoping that Okware can deliver real change in staff-student relations at Makerere. Read Full Post

17:03
Democracy In Action
from » ‎ Joe in Uganda:

Tags: [edit]

Results to follow here. We should know the winner this evening. Read Full Post

March 15, 2009

20:15
Makerere Election Looms
from » ‎ Joe in Uganda:

Tags: [edit]

Tomorrow is Election Day on campus, with eight candidates vying to replace Robert Rutaro as the Guild President. Rutaro's term has been largely uneventful, notable mainly for the fact that he was the first NRM candidate in a decade to capture the position. The campaigns this time around have been the standard mix of pointless noise-making, wasted money and terrible political slogans. This year we get to choose from such gems as 'Celebrating Diversity in Leadership', 'East African Community Oyee', 'One for All, All for One' and 'Struggle is Our Life'. Depressingly it appears as though the contest will likely once again come down to a battle between the candidates representing the NRM and Democratic Party, although I am hopeful that spirited Independent Husnah Natukunda will run them closer than expected. An improvement on last year's dismal turnout would also be a bonus.

Read Full Post

March 12, 2009

21:33
BBC Goes Crazy for Uganda
from » ‎ Joe in Uganda:

Tags: [edit]

Uganda has been all over the BBC for the past few days, with four stories of varying importance. The rush has in part been sparked by the President's visit to the UK, during which he managed to meet his old friend the Queen, as well as Gordon Brown.
Uganda leader defends wife's job
Congo hunt has 'caught 90 of LRA'
Uganda hit by anti-Israel hackers
Uganda blackouts 'fuel baby boom'
Does anyone want to guess which story will have had the most hits? I know where my money is... Read Full Post

0:40
The ICC and Bashir
from » ‎ Joe in Uganda:

Tags: [edit]

There is something deeply troubling about the ICC decision to indict President Bashir of Sudan. The aftermath suggests that there had been no real planning for what would happen next. NGOs have been forced into an ugly retreat over a warrant that is highly unlikely to be acted upon, at least while Bashir remains in office. The fact ignored by many is that most parts of Darfur have been relatively stable over the past three years and that agreements with Khartoum have allowed the UN and NGOs to construct effective systems for delivery of humanitarian aid. That is now threatened with destruction. As Julie Frint and Alex De Waal put it:

International justice is a virtuous enterprise, but not risk-free. Sudanese people are already paying a high price for the abando Read Full Post

March 06, 2009

17:56
Kagimu Calls for Privatisation of Makerere
from » ‎ Joe in Uganda:

Tags: [edit]

Hajji Habib Kagimu has a colourful history as a link man between Libya and Uganda, and has become incredibly wealthy in the process. Today he was invited to speak to the Makerere University Private Sector Forum in the prestigious Main Hall and was to be introduced by Vice-Chancellor Lubobi. After the audience had waited for nearly an hour his son arrived to deliver the speech on his father's behalf, Kagimu having apparently been called to an urgent meeting with the Big Man at State House.

It was, however, worth the wait. Kagimu effectively called for the complete privatisation of the university, with lecturers renamed 'service providers', students 'primary customers' and sweeping market reforms to be rolled out across campus. He told the crowd that supply and demand should dictate what courses they take, as when they graduate they will become mere 'products' that could prove useless. Given the incendiary content of Read Full Post

March 05, 2009

18:01
The Deadly Flash Drive
from » ‎ Joe in Uganda:

Tags: [edit]

Before training with Kamwokya FC last week (in an under-reported January transfer I made the switch from the University team), we (the players) participated in a drill designed to raise awareness of STDs. We lined up in two groups of ten facing each other and passed the ball behind our backs until the coach blew his whistle. A member of the other group then had to guess where the ball was, and inevitably chose wrongly on most occasions. The lesson? You cannot tell who has, or doesn't have, an STD just by looking at them.

This seemed to me a simple and effective way of spreading an important message. And it could easily be adapted for campus students. Under my plan 100 USB flash drives would be distributed to students of University Hall. They would then be told to go and print their work in one of the many Read Full Post

March 03, 2009

11:36
Strike Threat Returns (As If It Ever Went Away...)
from » ‎ Joe in Uganda:

Tags: [edit]

It seems like the Makerere lecturers have come up with a new plan to scare the university's administration into paying decent salaries on time. The move? To threaten a crippling July strike which will shut down campus when, erm, there are no students around. Perhaps the new leader of the Staff Association, Dr Tanga Odoi, has decided that students should no longer be the proverbial trampled grass in their long running dispute, however I doubt his campaign will get very far if he has. Read Full Post

March 02, 2009

17:49
Makerere Jumps in Web Rankings
from » ‎ Joe in Uganda:

Tags: [edit]

I'm a couple of weeks late on this story as we had been hoping to get a letter in one of the daily newspapers giving our opinion on Makerere's rise from 47th to 32nd in the Webometrics rankings of African universities. The letter below is self-explanatory, although it is perhaps a tad disappointing it failed to make it into print ahead of important missives such as 'Caution Those Rollar Skaters' and 'What Happened to Bundesliga?'

EDITOR -

The Council of Graduate Students at Makerere would like to congratulate the University on its recent rise in the Webometrics rankings from 47th to 32nd position in Africa. However, we believe that it is unfortunate that the only system in place to rank African Read Full Post

February 24, 2009

9:24
Quote of the Day
from » ‎ Joe in Uganda:

Tags: [edit]

Via Norbert Mao and Professor Mahmood Mamdani:

"In a 1972 visit, Amin went to Makerere with a full battalion of troops. He said: “I came with a full battalion of troops so that when you raise your heads from your books, you know who has power.” Amin then added: “On my way, I stopped at Mulago (the university teaching hospital) and I looked at your medical records and I saw that most of you are suffering from gonorrhea.” Then he paused and said: “I will not tolerate you spreading political gonorrhea in Uganda”. This attitude of “might is right” exists even in today’s Uganda." Read Full Post

February 23, 2009

8:59
Separated at Birth?
from » ‎ Joe in Uganda:

Tags: [edit]

Col. Mummar Gaddafi, Africa's 'king of kings', and newly appointed head of the African Union, has been taking time off from his United States of Africa project to concentrate on something far more important - suing the scandal rag Red Pepper for publishing slanderous stories that he is having an affair with the Queen Mother of the ancient Toro kingdom in Western Uganda. Red Pepper has never let the facts get in the way of a good story, and apologies or corrections are rare in the Ugandan media, however so far Gaddafi has merely ensured that everyone is talking about the rumour and its merits. Perhaps most amusingly, though, is the amount is he demanding in damages Read Full Post

February 19, 2009

18:08
Was the President's Arua Speech Unconstitutional?
from » ‎ Joe in Uganda:

Tags: [edit]

"If you give me 20 per cent of votes and another area gives me 90 per cent votes, then I will automatically consider the [region that offers] higher votes” - President Museveni speaking in Arua on Monday.

The implication of the words are clear: the national cake will not be divided equally and the State will discriminate against traditionally opposition areas like Arua. Unfortunately these statements are so common I tend not to notice them, but surely they should be provoking more of an outcry? Leafing through my copy of the 2006 Constitution National Objective III is very clear:

"Every effort shall be made to integrate all the peoples of Uganda while at the same time recognising the existence of their ethnic, religious, ideological, political and cultural diversity"

This is followed by National Objective XII (ii):

"The State shall take necessary measures to bring about balanced development of the different areas of Uganda and between the r Read Full Post

15:15
Dynasty?
from » ‎ Joe in Uganda:

Tags: [edit]

There is not much I can add to the pages of reshuffle analysis in the newspapers, except perhaps to give a summary for non-Ugandan readers:
The President's wife and MP for Ruhaama County, Janet Museveni, received her first ministerial appointment in charge of Karamoja affairs. This was widely seen as a sign of things to come. On a personal note, having worked on Karamoja for the past two months, I was delighted to see a high profile Minister taking over the portfolio. The region is in urgent need of attention.
Finance Minister Suruma was sacked, the move being variously attributed to his role in a maj Read Full Post

February 13, 2009

11:19
LabourList Post: We should still talk about Africa, even in the downturn
from » ‎ Joe in Uganda:

Tags: [edit]

You can find my full post for the new LabourList site here. This is an extract:

"It is tempting to think that in times of recession Labour’s commitment to international development should be downplayed. Focus is rightly on securing domestic jobs, ensuring people stay in their homes and providing help to small businesses and the financial sector.

However, it would be a mistake to begin ignoring Africa after the huge strides Labour have made in the past 12 years. It would be similarly injudicious to accept that international development is now a cosy bi-partisan issue. All evidence suggests that Conservative governments have been less kind to the cause. Major’s administration is infamous for the Pergau Dam scandal, in which aid was promised to Malaysia in return for an arms contract. Overall the Thatcher-Major years saw a fall in Read Full Post

February 11, 2009

10:09
When Leaders Exercise
from » ‎ Joe in Uganda:

Tags: [edit]

Ugandan Insomniac flagged up this wonderful photo of the President doing press-ups at a visit to a secondary school, apparently to demonstrate the importance of exercise to the onlooking students. Of course it's a political stunt (time to amend the 75-year age limit in the constitution anyone? Never mind 2011, 2016 is fast approaching...) but one that every politician worldwide indulges in. There are some great example of paparazzi 'stumbling' across our leaders engaged in vigorous, virile activity, and it has the potential to do some good. President Obama has been credited with giving the US fitness industry a boost due to his daily workout. Similarly President Sarkozy has gone some way Read Full Post

February 09, 2009

12:34
Our President, The Farmer
from » ‎ Joe in Uganda:

Tags: [edit]

Being from good, solid Mhima stock it is no surprise that the President loves his cows. One of his favourite hobbies is lecturing small-holder farmers on how many litres of milk per day his farm produces, and advising them on the best way to take advantage of high food prices. In theory it's great to have a farmer in charge of a country where an estimated 82% of the labour force is engaged in agriculture, although I somehow suspect the President's vast farm is slightly better served in terms of fertiliser, machinery, good seed and all the other farm inputs that are important in raising production quality and quantity.

Given this background, it is not surprising that one of the most common gifts given to the Big Man are cows and other types livestock. It appears, though, that despite the much-awaited oil billions soon to pour into the Government's coffers, these gRead Full Post

February 08, 2009

20:33
Grumpy Old Man
from » ‎ Joe in Uganda:

Tags: [edit]

Dear BBC,

I have lived in Uganda for two years and always thoroughly enjoyed the World Service. The programming is mostly of fantastic quality and I know how popular it is with Ugandans and expatriates.

However, I have one complaint to make which may seem trivial but I know is a real irritant for listeners here in Uganda. Why are Sportsworld and Sportsworld Extra constantly interrupted to cut to the news is Swahili? This happens week after week, one example being today when commentary of Manchester United versus West Ham was taken off with 10 minutes remaining. Why does this happen? Why can't Swahili news be scheduled normally (aside from the fact that the vast majority of Ugandans don't speak Swahili)? From canvassing friends I know that football commentaries are one of the most popular programmes on the radio station. Please allow us to enjoy the little we get without interruption.

Many thanks,
Joe Powell)

In Public or Private (Iain Dale defends use of golliwog)

Simple. Read Full Post

February 03, 2009

15:27
Refugee Camp Report
from » ‎ Joe in Uganda:

Tags: [edit]

I'm now back in Kampala and have realised that I never followed up on the promise to write about Nyakabande refugee camp on the DRC border, where I spent some time before Christmas. Fortunately James has come to the rescue and you can read his excellent account here:

http://jtinuganda.blogspot.com/2009/01/on-border-volunteering-at-nyakabande.html

That is of course, if you don't mind reading a report written by a Canadian. Perhaps the Tories have spent so long out of office that they've become diplomatically incontinent, but quite what Canada and Korea have done to be on a tacky advert that implies the innate mathematical quality of British people is being stifled by Labour, I'm don't know. Perhaps this is one that should never have left the back of an envelope?
Read Full Post

January 08, 2009

19:45
'Bottom-Up' Development in Barlonyo
from » ‎ Joe in Uganda:

Enclosure: [download]

Tags: [edit]

I've been wanting to post this video for a while but have had to wait for a decent Internet connection back in London. In development policy discussions one of the debates you will hear most often is between the 'top-down' and 'bottom-up' approach. Unhelpful pieces of jargon perhaps, but the underlying concepts are central to how you think foreign aid money should be spent and what you consider to be the more effective government approach.

This video shows a demonstration of a classic 'bottom-up' piece of development work in a community that I have worked with on several occasions in the village of Barlonyo, in the Lira district of Northern Uganda. Barlonyo was the site of one of the worst LRA massacres in 2004 and has also had to deal with cattle-rustling from neighbouring regions.

Action Aid asked the people what interventions could help them recover from the LRA and improve the livelihoods of the poorest in the community. Ox-ploughs and oxen were Read Full Post

December 14, 2008

22:37
And so it starts again...
from » ‎ Joe in Uganda:

Tags: [edit]

[www.reuters.com]

Governments launch military offensive on Uganda rebels
By Jack Kimball

KAMPALA (Reuters) - Uganda, the Democratic Republic of Congo and south Sudan launched a joint military offensive on Sunday against northern Ugandan rebels in Garamba, eastern Congo, a Ugandan army spokesman said.

The three governments agreed in principle in June to launch joint military operations against the LRA guerrillas -- known for mutilating survivors and kidnapping thousands of children -- if leader Joseph Kony did not sign a final peace deal to end two decades of conflict.

"It's a joint operation ... We have attacked Lords Resistance Army bases. The operation began this morning," Uganda army spokesman Paddy Ankunda said.

Ankunda said they had attacked several camps, and no casualties had been reported so far.

Officials from south Read Full Post

December 12, 2008

0:45
Congo
from » ‎ Joe in Uganda:

Tags: [edit]

For the last six days I have been in Kisoro District, volunteering with the Uganda Red Cross at Nyakabande Refugee Reception Centre on the D.R.C. border. I will post a full account in the next few days, however I would like to quickly draw attention to the excellent Ushahidi site which is tracking the conflict day-to-day. Ushahidi came to prominance during the Kenyan unrest earlier this year. It allows people on the ground to report acts of violence on the web and then uploads them to create a live map of the conflict. As you can see from the above clip violence has been particularly concentrated on the Uganda border, creating an estimated influx of 30,000 Congolese into the country. Read Full Post

December 02, 2008

21:52
Kampala At Night Photo Competition
from » ‎ Joe in Uganda:

Tags: [edit]

While I admit this photo is unlikely to be on the short-list for a Pulitzer, try squinting a bit and using your imagination, and then see if you can guess what is going on here just 100m from our house...

Hint: 2 storey building, large iron sheets, 1 x 1000 Watt light

Read Full Post

November 27, 2008

10:57
Letter in Monitor
from » ‎ Joe in Uganda:

Tags: [edit]

Read Full Post

10:07
Excellent Piece by Prof. Nuwagaba
from » ‎ Joe in Uganda:

Tags: [edit]

Prof. Augustus Nuwagaba is based at Makerere and is an outspoken expert on poverty eradication. This article is a very good analysis of the moral bankruptcy of corruption, entitled 'The Corrupt Are Heroes, The Honest Are Fools'. This is an issue we have touched on in lectures and is undeniably a pervasive attitude in all sectors of society. Driving without insurance? Pay off the traffic police. Find yourself as Minister of Health? Supplement your salary with donor funds meant for AIDS drugs. Want to change the Constitution to give yourself a third term? Distribute brown envelopes stuffed with 5 million shillings to Members of Parliament. As Nuwagaba put it:

"Corruption is like a snowball, once it starts rolling it must increase. This implies that when those who are corrupt go unpunished, few are willing to swim against the tide"

Below is Read Full Post

November 19, 2008

20:00
Boda-Bodas Banned From Campus
from » ‎ Joe in Uganda:

Tags: [edit]

It's been a turbulent couple of weeks on campus. First Kenyan students rioted in protest at paying more in fees than their Ugandan counterparts. Seemingly oblivious to the fact that (as far as I know) every university in the world charges their international students more, the Kenyans threatened to take senior staff members hostage and as a result there is now a police enforced curfew at Makerere. The situation was not helped by a knee-jerk request from the Big Man to allow them to pay the same. It seems the way forward will now be for the next session of the East African Legislative Assembly to agree on a common tariff, so that all citizens in the region can study at a cost below that of the standard international rate.

The second major issue to arise is today's banning of boda-bodas on campus. In the past few days Read Full Post

November 17, 2008

11:42
A Word of Warning on the Free Trade Area
from » ‎ Joe in Uganda:

Tags: [edit]

A couple of weeks ago I wrote about the potential of a Free Trade Area for Africa in terms of strengthening regional integration, growing inter-state trade and even promoting peace on the continent. However, I was probably too brief on the potential problems in setting up such an agreement and on the economic imbalances that exist between countries. Karl Lyimo in The East African has summarised some of the issues here:

http://www.theeastafrican.co.ke/opOrEd/comment/-/434750/491166/-/9ocypo/-/index.html

An extract:

" To that end, these new dreamers on the socio-economic development bloc propose a memorandum of understanding in six months that would commit them to the establishment of an FTA with a combined GDP of $625 billion — about 58 per cent of the continent’s total, nearly half of which is South Africa’s. This is still less than the $700 billion in taxpayer funds that US President George W. Bush sought to bail out his country’s ailing financ Read Full Post