News analysis Health Business

American interest in Ending HIV Reprieve to cane farmers as

Uganda’s GMO law stigma government allows export

Issue No. 590 Sept. 20 - 26 2019 Ushs 5,000,Kshs 200, RwF 1,500, SDP 8

America pins ex-IGP

Kayihura on torture
Who is next on
sanctions list?

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Sept. 20 - 26 2019 1
inbox

Issue No. 590 Sept. 20 - 26 2019

News analysis Business Health Arts Motoring

Cover story
America pins ex-IGP Kayihura on torture
Who is next on sanctions list?

5 The Week
30 Comments
Why are Kaweesi murder
suspects always re-arrested? Changing Uganda’s electoral
system : Citizens want real
reforms not the cosmetic changes
9 The Last Word
the Attorney General tabled five
America’s human rights imperialism: Bills before parliament
How US government sanctions
against Kayihura are a toxic mixture
32 Health
of ignorance, prejudice and hypocrisy
Ending HIV stigma:
14 Analysis Woman wrongly convicted
of spreading HIV released
American interest in Uganda’s GMO law:
How U.S. funding for science set up a clash
between parliament and Museveni
35 Arts & Culture
27 Business
New art, new audiences:
Reprieve to cane farmers as Overturning perception of
government allows export: The export art as elitist
is limited to the initial three months

STRATEGY & EDITORIAL DIRECTOR: Andrew M. Mwenda WRITERS:Ronald Musoke, Ian Katusiime,
MANAGING EDITOR: Joseph Were Patricia Akankwatsa, 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
Tel: +256-312-637-391/ 2/ 3/ 4 | Fax: +256-312-637-396 E-mail: editor@independent.co.ug | advertising@independent.co.ug
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2 Sept. 20 - 26 2019
 inbox

“Unlike the police and prisons

where we go without notice, with
the military security facilities, we
go there on notice.” Uganda Human
Rights Commission chairman Med
Kaggwa on visiting safe houses
The US Ambassador to Uganda Deborah Malac (C) and US Country representatives speaks
during the third annual US government report to Uganda launch. She said US government have
spent US$896m in development assistance to Uganda during the last US government Financial
Year Sept. 2017- Sept. 2018. Out of this, US$511m was spent on the health sector and more
specifically over US$400m on combating the HIV/Aids through various disease prevention and
control measures this was at ceremony held on Sept 9.   INDEPENDENT/ ALFRED OCHWO

The Interparty
Oroganisation For
Dialogue (IPOD) leaders
demand for proportional
representation election
systems. People’s
Development Party Dr “I must note with concern that your
Abed Bwanika (2nd L) letter was already circulating on social
said the system can
accommodate different media long before it was delivered
political thoughts to my office. I have told you before
altogether. This was
during symposium that is improper and undesirable to
panel discussion held conduct official business on social
at Mestil Hotel in media.”Chief Justice Bart Katureebe
Nsambia on Sept 9. 
INDEPENDENT/ ALFRED
OCHWO

The Executive Director

of Uganda Water and
Sanitation NGO Network
(UWASNET) Yunia Musaazi
speaks at the 9th National
WASH CSO Forum. She
said the event brings
together stakeholders in
the WASH sector to review “The US is a sovereign country, it takes
and reflect on the progress its decisions the way it wants to take
made towards achieving them. If they say we do not want so and
the commitments that
guarantee access to WASH so in our country, who are we to say you
for all this was on Sept should have him?” Deputy Attorney General
9-10 at Silver Springs Hotel
in Bugolobi.   INDEPENDENT/ Mwesigwa Rukutana on sanctions on Gen. Kale
ALFRED OCHWO Kayihura

Years Kyabazinga of UPDF officers who got Medical interns

5 Busgoga William Nadiope
marked on the throne
22 legal training at Gadaffi
Barracks in Jinja
1170 deployed across
the country

Sept. 20 - 26 2019 3
week
US sanctions Kayihura, wife and children
The United States has imposed
sanctions on former Inspector
General of Police Gen. Kale Kay-
ihura, his wife Angela Umurisa
Gabuka, his daughter, Tesi
Uwibambe, and his son, Kale
Rudahigwa. The State Depart-
ment publicly designated Kay-
ihura, under Section 7031(c) of
the FY 2019 Department of State,
Foreign Operations, and Related
Programs Appropriations Act,
due to his alleged involvement
in gross violations of human
rights. “Specifically, the Depart-
ment has credible information
that Kayihura was involved in
torture and/or cruel, inhuman,
or degrading treatment or pun-
ishment, through command
responsibility of the Flying
Squad, a specialized unit of the
Uganda Police Force that report-
ed directly to Kayihura.” A Sept.
13 statement from the US State
Department read. The depart-
ment also declared that it was
freezing any property owned
wholly or partly by the former
police chief. Kayihura vehement-
ly denied the accusations in a
long statement and called the US
sanctions “extremely hypocriti-
cal”. He said he worked with FBI
who even gave him an award
for his efforts in fighting terror.
Kayihura denied owning any
property in the US and saying
the freeze of his assets was “com-
ical”. “This is not only absolutely
false but outrageous and infuri-
ating, especially that these accu-
sations and decisions have been
made without according me an
opportunity to respond to them,
whereby I would give evidence
to the contrary”. Mike Pompeo,
US Secretary of State posted
on his Twitter page: “Today
I publicly designated former
Inspector General of the Ugan-
da Police Force Kale Kayihura
for his involvement in gross
violations of Human Rights.
We will continue to promote
accountability for those who
violate human rights.”

US Ambassador speaks Four Ugandans die in Kuwait

out on FBI role in Uganda The death trap that is and Charles Bekalaze were continue to drive Ugandans
the promised job oppor- received at Entebbe Aiport to Middle East countries like
US Ambassador Deborah Malac said the tunities in the Middle East last week. State House Oman, Saudi Arabia, Leban-
US is always willing to help out in cases of continues to ensnare Ugan- Anti-Corruption Unit head- non and Kuwait. However
kidnaps and murders through its agency, dans. The latest tragedy ed by Lt. Col. Edith Nakale- Ugandans who go there
Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) if con- occurred in Kuwait where ma is investigation Spotlight usually suffer deplorable
tacted by the Ugandan government. “The four Ugandans died in International Recruitment conditions such as being
FBI person is based in Nairobi, [Kenya] and mysterious circumstances Agency, the labour export sold as sex slaves, extremely
once the Ugandan government contacts in the oil-rich nation three company that connect- low pay and other forms of
us, we make the request known and then months ago. The bodies of ed the four Ugandans to mistreatment.
it is relayed to Washington,” she said in a Sarah Achieng, John Torres Kuwait. The high levels of Accident in Bugiri
response to a question by The Independent Mujuzi, Moses Kiwanuka, unemployment in Uganda
during the release of the US annual report
to the Ugandan people. After the murders
of Joan Kagezi, a senior state attorney and Why are Kaweesi murder suspects always re-arrested?
Assistant Inspector General of Police (AIGP),
there were several reports that the FBI had
joined the hunt for the killers. The latest
incident was that the American agency had
joined the murder investigation of Maria
Nagirinya, a social worker who was bru-
tally killed with her driver and their bodies
dumped in Mukono. Malac denied that
there are FBI personnel based in Uganda on
standby for investigations.

The rule of law in Uganda
is deteriorating further with
the continued re-arrests of
suspects granted bail by
courts. Ugandans may have
lost count of the number of
times suspects in the mur-
der of former AIGP Felix
Kaweesi have been arrested.
The re-arrests are always
brutal and inhumane as
was witnessed on Sept.11.
The car carrying the sus-
pects was first blocked, the
suspects yanked out like
sacks of flour and dragged
to a nearby waiting car. An
arresting officer in plain-
clothes held one of the
suspects in a chokehold, as
the cameras followed the
action, the suspect could
be seen gasping for breath
as he looked on helplessly.
The scenes at the Interna-
tional Crimes Division of
the High Court were rem-
iniscent of the dark days
of Idi Amin. Four of the
suspects who were re-ar-
rested were driven off to an
unknown destination. They
are Yusuf Nyanzi, Joshua
Kyambadde, Jibril Kalyan-
go and Yusuf Mugerwa.
The Court granted bail to
eight suspects and it is not
clear why the four were
denied their freedom.
Anthony Wameli, the sus-
pects’ lawyers condemned
the incident. “It is very
unfortunate that our courts
no longer have power.”

4 Sept. 20 - 26 2019

35% of Yaka metres
cheat consumers
Do you feel cheated by your
Yaka metre when it comes to
your electricity consumption
rate? You are probably right and
research by Uganda National
Bureau of Standards (UNBS)
indicates that 35% of electricity
metres used by industrialists
and 15% by domestic users are
inaccurate. UNBS conducted the
research during the 2017/2018
financial year and during the
study, 144,471 metres were
surveyed. Umeme, the electricity
distribution company, says there
are other power distributors
in spite of it being responsible
for 95% of the national grid.
He named other distributors
as Kilembe Investments
Ltd, Bundibugyo Energy
Cooperative Society, West Nile
Rural Electrification Company
among others. Stephen
Illungole, the Umeme PRO
said all Umeme metres are
subject to UNBS verification
and certification prior to
importation. He added that
Umeme carries out regular
audits of Yaka metres.
Judicial officers start weekly physical exercises
Courts will close by 4pm
on Fridays every week to
enable judicial officers perform
physical exercises for better
mental and body health. Judges,
magistrates, registrars and all
top management of the judiciary
will be in involved in three
Mantra, Hero unveil new motorbikes
Mantra Motorbike EA
Limited has introduced new
versions of Here motorbikes
on the Ugandan market
which officials described
as fast, safe and durable.
These bikes are solely
distributed by a leading
automotive dealer; Mantra
Motorbike EA, which is part
of AL Mansour Automative
Group. The newly launched
bikes include; the Dawn
100, Dawn 125, Dawn 150
TR and Scooter Destini 125.
They were unveiled at the
Mantra/Hero showroom
located in the industrial
street, Kampala. Mohamad
Khadr, the country general
Dial *133*2#
for more bundles
hour work outs in front of the
courts, runs in the city, said
the Principal Judge Yorokamu
Bamwine. The weekly exercise
is an initiative of Secretary to the
Judiciary Pius Bigirimana. He
told media that he introduced
similar efforts when he was the
manager for Uganda, said
that the motorcycle industry
is growing fast in Uganda
which is why they unveiled
the new rides with high
performing and comfort
levels. They are giving
longer mileage per litre of
fuel. He said that they have
built capacity to ensure that
they sustainably supply the
bikes and meet demands of
the market. The new bikes,
officials said are a game
changer especially in the
commercial motor-cycle
industry (bodaboda) which
are estimated to be around
100, 000 in Kampala alone.   of a deal to construct a 1410km
Sept. 20 - 26 2019
week
ministry of gender as permanent
secretary. Judicial officers
welcomed Bigirimana’s initiative
saying they have lost many
magistrates and judges to high
blood pressure and other non-
communicable diseases.
Oil money will be for
more infrastructure
While attending the Uganda
Tanzania business forum at the
Julius Nyerere International
Convention Centre in Dar-
es-Salaam, President Yoweri
Museveni said proceeds from oil
should be used to create durable
capacity for the Uganda econ-
omy such as building power
dams, irrigation systems, rail-
ways and scientific innovations.
“Therefore the use of revenues
from the exhaustible resources
should only be used to create the
durable base of the economy.
The exhaustible should give
birth to the durable,” Museveni
said. He urged the rest of the
EAC member states; Kenya,
Tanzania, Burundi, South Sudan,
and Rwanda to do the same. The
Forum was organised under the
theme ‘Promoting bilateral trade
and investment for growth and
sustainable development’ and
was aimed at boosting bilateral
trade between Tanzania and
Uganda. The two countries have
been dealt a blow in their infra-
structure plans after Total SA,
the French oil giant, pulled out
pipeline from Hoima to the Tan-
zanian port of Tanga.
AfricellUG @AfricellUG
*terms and conditions apply |
Regulated by Uganda Communications Commission
5
week
NBL pushes for smart drinking ICPAU’s exam body releases results
Nile Breweries Limited, a subsidiary of AB Also 47.4% of those who
InBev, has through its officials and Uganda passed were in the age
Police Force urged its clients, partners to bracket of 25-29 years.
join the company in embracing the culture A total of 80 candidates
of smart drinking while enjoying its beer. completed the CPA
Officials made this call on Sept.13 during (U) course compared
the Annual Global Beer Responsible Day to 107 in August 2018.
(GBRD) celebrations held at Kyadondo Rugby The cumulative number
Grounds in Kampala. The company’s Coun- of students who have
try Director for Uganda and South Sudan, completed the CPA (U)
Thomas Kamphuis said that harmful use of CPA Kayemba and Frederick Kibbeddi (ICPAU’s President) course since inception is
alcohol is bad not only to their consumers but releasing the results. 3,741. Meanwhile, CPA
also for their business. “We want to be part of Keto Nyapendi Kayem-
the solution, not the problem,” he said. This On Sept.12, the Public 4,048 candidates attempt- ba, the chairperson for
development came at a time    NBL’s parent Accountants Examina- ed the examinations PAEB said they were
company AB Inbev has invested at least $1bn tions Board of the Insti- compared to 3,748 can- investigating allegations
across its market in dedicated social market- tute of Certified Public didates in August, 2018. of examination malprac-
ing campaigns and related programs by the Accountants of Uganda This implies an increase tice for Public Sector
end of 2025. This investment is aimed at influ- released the August 2019 of 300 candidates, repre- Accounting and Report-
encing social norms and individual behaviors examinations results indi- senting 8% increment. In ing – Paper 14 and would
to reduce harmful use of alcohol. NBL’s smart cating an average pass terms of gender, 54.3% keep the concerned
drinking goals are delivered through partner- rate of 33.8% compared of those who passed students posted. “As an
ships with its dealers, bar owners and through to 39.6% in August 2018, were female while 45.7% examinations Body for a
awareness campaigns in the media and road representing a 6% point were male.  The female professional accountancy
shows. Speaking on behalf of Uganda Police’s decrease. The examina- candidates are consis- qualification, we take any
traffic arm, Norman Musinga said they are tions were conducted tently outshining their examinations matter very
intensifying the fight against bad behavior from August 19-23 and male counterparts. In seriously,” Kayemba said,
especially on the roads targeting and that they were for the Certified addition, 35.8% of those “Any matter must be
would influence the process of amending the Public Accountants (CPA) candidates who passed thoroughly investigated.”
laws in Uganda to ensure that this is achieved. course only. A total of made it on first attempt.

6 Sept. 20 - 26 2019
Humour Did you know?
Apple has unveiled
its latest Phone 11

Apple unveiled its iPhone 11 models

on Sept.09, touting upgraded, ultra-
The United States slapped sanctions against former IGP Kale Kayihura
wide cameras as it updated its popular
smartphone lineup and cut its entry
price to $699 (Approx.Shs2.6 million).
The newest handsets come as Apple
seeks to spur new upgrades in a
slumping global smartphone market.
The new iPhones are “jam packed
with new capabilities and an incredible
new design,” Apple chief executive Tim
Cook told a launch event in Cupertino,
California.
The surprise from Apple was the
reduction in the entry-level price at
$699, down from the starting level of
$749 for the iPhone XR a year ago even
as many premium devices are being
priced around $1,000.
Apple additionally unveiled a more
expensive “Pro” model of the iPhone 11.
It also set launch dates for its original
video offering, Apple TV+, and its game
subscription service as part of efforts to
The government will issue fraud-proof land titles following the
implementation of the computerized land information system reduce its dependence on the iPhone.
The TV+ service will launch
November 1 in more than 100
countries at $4.99 per month and will
include a “powerful and inspiring
lineup of original shows, movies and
documentaries.”
Apple is featuring scripted dramas,
comedies and movies as well as
children’s programs in the service,
which will compete against streaming
giants like Netflix and Amazon.
“With Apple TV+, we are presenting
all-original stories from the best,
brightest and most creative minds, and
we know viewers will find their new
favorite show or movie on our service,”
said Zack Van Amburg, Apple’s head of
video.
Apple said customers who purchase
an iPhone, iPad, Apple TV, iPod touch
or Mac will get the first year of the
President Museveni has spoken out on the heightened insecurity across the country service for free.

Sept. 20 - 26 2019
 News analysis Health Business
Anti-immigrant hate Vegetarian Why Uganda Clays
crime in South Africa heart health recorded Shs722m loss

Issue No. 589 Sept. 13 - 19 2019

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

Museveni cornered
on oil money

Inbox
Will he flee or
fight oil firms?
Follow us on Twitter @
http://twitter.com/#!/ugandatalks

Follow us on Facebook @
www.facebook.com/TheIndependentMagazineUganda
www.independent.co.ug

Letters are
welcome ! Let oil firms go, others will come
The Editor welcomes short and Refer to: “Uganda’s height
concise letters from our esteemed of folly: How gross absurdities
readers on topical issues. Please and misguided corruption
send them to:
The Editor, The Independent fears have killed Uganda’s oil
Publications Ltd, industry” (The Independent
P.O Box 3304, Sept.13). I wonder why all the
Plot 82/84 Kanjokya St, fuss in ensuring that oil reserves
Kamwokya. are exhausted as fast as possible
Kampala,Uganda.
before Uganda as a nation devel-
Email: editor@independent.co.ug ops the technological capacity
to handle its oil-related matters.
Come on people, we have sur-
Don’t beg oil vived without oil money before
firms to invest and we can surely still survive
without it. In my view, it is
better the nation takes time to
develop its capacity in oil and
gas-related issues before the
actual extraction begins. Else,
we surely risk being duped by
the multinational companies
and their related stakeholders. I
was one of the happiest persons
when in the early days the Pres-
ident seemed to stick to the idea
of refining all the oil extracted
here so that we use what we
can and export the surplus in
refined form. All of a sudden
the government was cornered
to a pipeline. I believe, we lost it
at that moment and gave mul-
tinational companies leverage
for exploitation. Now that plans
seem not to be going as expect-
ed, it gives the government more
time for reflection. As our rep-
resentatives, please do not rush.
The multinational companies
need the oil more than you may
think; even if they go, others will
surely come in.
Peterson Kato Kikomeko

Refer to: “Uganda’s height of

folly: How gross absurdities and
misguided corruption fears have
killed Uganda’s oil industry”
(The Independent Sept.13). As a
nation with oil, we do not need
to beg Tullow, CNOOC or Total
to develop the assets. Indepen-
dence. Let’s go raise the money
ourselves. I am at Uganda’s dis-
posal to start fundraising.
Henry Baisi
Hold our
ground on oil
Refer to: “Museveni cornered
on Shs 446bn oil money: Will
he flee or fight oil firms?” (The
Independent Sept.13). Just like
the US has a policy of no negoti-
ation with a terrorist, we should
hold our ground on this. The
Capital Gains Tax law is not new
in this country and I am sure the
oil companies read the laws of
the country before committing
to invest here. Let’s look at other
options within the contract that
we can exploit to our gain. We
should not be bothered by who
wins the contract rather may the
best option for us take the deal.
Eric
Oil delay and follow of
unskilled Ugandans
Refer to: “Uganda’s height of folly: How
gross absurdities and misguided corruption
fears have killed Uganda’s oil industry” (The
Independent Sept.13). The problem in Uganda
is that we have over-emphasised caution in a
situation of extreme (even misplaced) distrust
and of pure ignorance. In business optimisa-
tion problems, this approximates to ‘minimis-
ing costs’ while losing sight of ‘profit maximi-
sation’. You get zero or minimal cost yes, but
equally, zero or negative profit. Quite often,
you hear half illiterate arguments of equating
cost minimisation with profit maximization.
The lesson here should be to keep focused
on what we want – and less on what we do
not want. Expend more energy on positive
decisions and actions even as we watch out
for those we do not want. Part of the problem
is we have people debating and legislating on
issues a majority of them have little compre-
hension of. Thanks to our politics – that allows
even comedians and loud mouthed ignoramus
to claim leadership. These delays and their
causative agents are a clear indication of the
folly of having a nation with largely techno-
logically unskilled people. In different circum-
stances, we would not have to be involving
these ‘foreign’ firms to extract the oil. Which
brings me to a favourite crusade – technical
and scientific training of the African masses.
Dr Eng Kant Ateenyi
America is human right abuser
Refer to: “Kayihura’s response to US sanctions”
(The Independent online sept.14). I cannot say
former IGP Kale Kayihura who American has
sanctioned for alleged human rights abuses and
corruption is innocent or guilty. But what I can say
is he is right about the U.S. statement being shallow
and lacking specifics or details on any crimes he
may have committed. The content also seems to be
based on hearsay as it does not mention any specific
scenario. And our Police Force under Kayihura was
supported by the U.S. in a number of activities (like
investigations and training) and equipment which
same actions may have led to any actions they refer
to now. I think this makes U.S. also culpable against
we; the Ugandans. These days we are awake and
cannot just be played by the U.S. approach.
That said, the U.S. (this same state department)
cancelled the visa of the International Criminal
Court (ICC) Prosecutor recently after her office
announced that they would be investigating Amer-
ican soldiers who allegedly tortured prisoners in
Abu Ghraib prison and several Iraq prisons. The US
publically said that American soldiers would not be
“touched” for these alleged crimes nor investigated
for the same. Never mind that these soldiers actions
were filmed at one point and video circulated online
prompting the U.S. to apologise. After threatening
the ICC, the case was dropped and the US human
rights abusers are going to get away with torture
and rape cases. I do not support Kale Kayihura and
his misguided actions. But honestly, the US is living
in a glass house.
Muwanga the Ugandan

8 Sept. 20 - 26 2019

America’s human rights imperialism
By Andrew M. Mwenda
How US government sanctions against Kayihura are
a toxic mixture of ignorance, prejudice and hypocrisy
A
nd so the United States Department
of State has sanctioned Uganda’s
former Inspector General of Police,
Kale Kayihura. Henceforth, he,
his children and wife will not be allowed
to travel to the United States, own property
there, hold a bank account in that great
country or transact business with its banks.
Of course we acknowledge this to be the
sovereign right of this great power. Yet
we lesser humans have to bear the risk of
criticising the almighty.
According to a statement issued by the
State Department, this is because Kayihura
(while IGP) indulged in gross abuse of
human rights, corruption (using bribery to
strengthen his political position within the
government of Uganda and stealing funds
meant for official Ugandan government)
and using another employee to smuggle
illicit goods, including drugs, gold and
wild life out of Uganda. The accusations of
corruption and smuggling are ridiculous.
We always assume that the U.S.
government relies on sound investigations
and research to arrive at findings. Yet this
is not often true. Western governments
are meticulous while working on matters
internal to their countries. But when it comes
to Africa (or inside America when dealing
with black people), they rely on rumour,
hearsay, gossip and racial prejudice to arrive
at conclusions. African elites dealing with
Africa are also prone to this.
Any casual investigation would find
Kayihura among the most honest public
officials in Uganda. This is especially
inspiring because he wielded enormous
power serving in a government where many
public officials are corrupt – they drive
fancy cars, live in sprawling mansions and
own vast assets. Kayihura had immense
opportunities to become one of the richest
persons in Uganda because of the job
he held, the power he wielded and the
resources he directed.
For instance, he had access to large sums
of classified funds, which he could use at
his pleasure. Under him, the police budget
grew from Shs88 billion to Shs500 billion.
Kayihura was directing large procurement
of police equipment and other supplies
from which he could have taken huge
commissions. This would have tempted
even the most pious public official, not
Kayihura.
Upon leaving office, he did not even own
The Last Word
a house in Kampala in which to live. When
fired, police stopped paying his rent worth
$2,000 per month and Kayihura began
defaulting. Friends intervened to help raise
the rent and I was personally involved.
When he was IGP, some of his close staff
suggested to him (severally) that they use
his monthly rent allowance to buy him
the house in which he lived. He treated
even such suggestion with contempt as
corruption.
Yet Kampala’s busy tongue where slander
and gossip seem essential to our democracy
kept claiming that Kayihura is very rich with
many assets. This was largely because they
were projecting their character on him i.e.
if they had the power he wielded and the
resources he commanded they would have
used it to enrich themselves.
Today Kayihura stays at his farm in
Lyantonde, which he bought in 1990. There
he lives in a little makeshift house. To keep
presence in Kampala, friends helped raise
money to put a deposit on a mortgage on a
house. He has since been having problems
serving the mortgage. It is therefore absurd
that the United States, which should honour
him for honesty, is the one sanctioning him
on ridiculous allegations of corruption and
smuggling.
This brings me to the allegations of human
rights abuse. Under Kayihura, there were
many allegations of human rights abuse
by the police. It is possible many of these
allegations were true. Few police forces
in the world can avoid this as Americans
themselves can testify. Every 28 hours a
black man in America is shot dead by police.
In nearly all the cases, the police officers
walk scot-free. Where they are taken to
a grand jury, accused officers are often
acquitted.
Kayihura should not be judged by the
abuses by his officers but what he did
about it. Keen to improve police conduct
and image, he created the Professional
Standards Unit (to hold officers who
violated professional ethics accountable) and
a Directorate of Human Rights and Legal
Services (to receive complaints from the
public on police violations of human rights).
Under Kayihura as IGP, I went to jail many
times and not once was I tortured.
Instead it was the U.S. government that
was complicit with Uganda’s Chieftaincy of
Military Intelligence (CMI) in torture. The
Independent newsmagazine investigation
Sept. 20 - 26 2019
opinion
in 2008 found the CIA and CMI jointly ran
an illegal detention facility at Summit View
in Kololo where they tortured prisoners.
CMI would arrest people, especially young
Somali men transiting through Entebbe
and give their names to the U.S. embassy in
Kampala. The embassy would send them to
Washington DC where if found on the list of
suspected terrorists would be taken to God-
knows-where.
We penetrated this facility and had
inmates smuggle information to us. We
interviewed those who had survived the
torture and later got released or escaped.
Uganda was not the only country where
the USA outsourced torture. Across the
world, the USA would directly or through
proxies kidnap (euphemistically calling
it “rendition”) young Muslim men and
take them to third countries. There, under
supervision of CIA officials, suspects
would be tortured (euphemistically called
“enhanced interrogation methods”).
I used to be a blind and naïve admirer
of America’s human rights record. These
findings led me on the road to Damascus. I
began to read books about internal politics
and external relations of America. What I
found was depressing but also illuminating.
I have previously written about the gross
violations of human rights by police
departments in America that I do not need
to repeat here. Suffice it to say that the U.S.
lacks moral authority to castigate others for
human rights abuses.
Kayihura’s offense was to use police
against political opponents of government.
But police never tortured political prisoners.
Even Dr. Kizza Besigye is witness.
Accusations of torture were raised on terror
suspects at Nalufenya; a job Kayihura did
with the FBI. The U.S. Justice Department
even awarded him a medal in 2017 for this.
The Uganda Human Rights Commission
and the Parliamentary Committee on
Human Rights visited Nalufenya and
interacted with prisoners and found no
evidence of torture.
Something else motivated America to
sanction Kayihura. Next week, I will
demonstrate that America uses human
rights as an ideological weapon to dis-
guise her selfish intentions by pretending
to be altruistic.
amwenda@independent.co.ug
9
cover story

America
T
By Independent Team

he most significant aspects

of the sanctions the
American government has

pins ex-IGP
placed on former Inspector
General of Police, Gen.
Kale Kayihura are two; the
timing and their broadness.
The timing of the American

Kayihura
announcement is important; just 16
months to the 2021 general elections.
On this point, the sanctions
statement by U.S. Secretary of State
Mike Pompei said the actions against

on torture
Kayihura underscore America’s
concern with human rights violations
and abuses in Uganda. It pledged
America’s support for accountability
for those who engage in such violations
and abuses. “We call on the Ugandan
government to respect human rights
and fundamental freedoms, including

Who is next on
the freedoms of expression and
peaceful assembly,” the statement said.
According to many commentators,
the American demands on freedoms

sanctions list? of expression and peaceful assembly

will be difficult for the Ugandan
government to allow in 2021. Special
attention will be on the police force,
the Chieftaincy of Military Intelligence,
the Internal Security Agencies, the
Local Defence Units, RDCs and
overzealous politicians. To this group,
the Americans are saying “we will be
watching”.
Based on this, many commentators
who have heard similar noises and seen
similar actions from the Americans
in almost all previous elections have
been asking a single question: Apart
from barking threats, what is America
prepared to do this time?
That might explain why the
American sanctions against Kayihura
are so broad and severe; they target his
family also and extend beyond travel
restriction and warn any individual or
business not to do any business with
Kayihura.
America will not give Kayihura or
any member of his close family a visa.
According to several international law
experts The Independent has spoken to,
the American sanctions are designed
to ensure that Kayihura and any
members of his close family do not
travel anywhere. They cannot fly on a
plane operated by a company that does
business with America or bank in a
bank that does business with America.
The legal experts say the Kayihura
name is now flagged with a red alert
internationally.
That Kayihura’s name is now listed
together with notorious Ugandan
names like Joseph Kony, commander

10 Sept. 20 - 26 2019

of the Lord’s Resistance Army (LRA)
rebels and his son Kony Salim Saleh
and commanders Lokweny Okot.
The list also has notorious names
like Jamil Mukulu, the jailed head of
the Allied Democratic Forces (ADF)
rebels and their commanders like
Junju Abdullah aka Steven Alilabaki
and Hussein Muhammad aka David
Kyagulanyi.
The list also has names of companies
like Machanga Ltd which has links to
mineral trade in the DR Congo and is
connected to Paul Malong, a powerful
South Sudanese. Another listed
company is Uganda Commercial Impex
said to operate in the Karamoja area
but with offices on Kanjokya Street in
Kampala.
In addition to the public designation
of Kale Kayihura, the Department has
also publicly designated his spouse,
Angela Umurisa Gabuka, his daughter,
Tesi Uwibambe, and his son, Kale
Rudahigwa in connection to the alleged
“significant corruption or a gross
violation of human rights”. For the
young Kayihuras, the designation is
a potential career stopper. No foreign
university or organisation will want
to be associated with them for fear of
reprisal from the Americans.
Kayihura’s alleged crimes
The Americans are doing all this
because, they say, they have credible
information that Kayihura, who
headed police from 2005-2018, was
involved in torture and/or cruel,
inhuman, or degrading treatment
or punishment. They say Kayihura
committed the crimes through
command responsibility of the Flying
Squad; a specialised unit of the Uganda
Police Force that reported directly to
him.
The charges are that, as the IGP for
the UPF, Kayihura led individuals
from the UPF’s Flying Squad Unit,
which engaged in the inhumane
treatment of detainees at the Nalufenya
Special Investigations Center (NSIC).
The statement says: Flying Squad
Unit members reportedly used
sticks and rifle butts to abuse NSIC
detainees and officers at NSIC are
accused of having beaten one of the
detainees with blunt instruments to
the point that he lost consciousness.
Detainees also reported that after
being subjected to the abuse they were
offered significant sums of money if
they confessed to their involvement in
a crime.
Kayihura is sanctioned under the
new severe Global Magnitsky Human
Rights Accountability Act of 2016
which U.S President Donald Trump
cover story
signed into law on December 20, 2017.
Under this law, the U.S. says it seeks
to “impose tangible and significant
consequences on those who commit
serious human rights abuse or engage
in corruption”.
The Americans allege that Kayihura
has engaged in numerous acts of
corruption; including using bribery
to strengthen his political position
within the Government of Uganda,
stealing funds intended for official
Kaka Ugandan government business, and
using another government employee to
smuggle illicit goods, including drugs,
gold, and wildlife, out of Uganda.
Under this law, all property and
interests in the name of Kayihura, and
of any entities that are owned, directly
or indirectly, 50 percent or more by
him alone or with other designated
persons are blocked. The law also
prohibits all transactions by U.S.
persons or those with business links to
the U.S. from dealing with Kayihura.
“We are targeting Uganda’s former
Ochola Police Inspector General Kale Kayihura
for using corruption and bribery to
strengthen his political position, as
units under his command committed
serious human rights abuses,” said
Sigal Mandelker, Treasury Under
Secretary for Terrorism and Financial
Intelligence. “The U.S. government is
committed to leveraging our human
rights and corruption authorities to
target, disrupt, and counter those who
engage in abuse and corruption around
the world.”
Tumwine
Kayihura used and dumped
Kayihura has reacted by denying all
accusations, proclaiming his innocence,
and accusing the Americans of
hypocrisy and unfairness.
Kayihura, in a statement to the press,
wrote: “I find it hypocritical that the
United States Government authorities
could claim to uphold Human Rights
yet in their letter and action, they fall
below the lowest standards of the
due process of law. How can they
accuse, judge and condemn a person
Kandiho without the basic decency to respect
the principles of natural justice,
specifically, affording a person the
opportunity and the right to be heard?”
His most powerful defense is that, in
any case, he did most of his work on
fighting terror in close collaboration
with American security agencies such
as the Federal Bureau of Investigations
(FBI).
Kayihura is right. The Uganda
Police’s collaboration with the
Americans in the War Against Terror
under the so-called “renditions”
Muzeyi regime is well documented in
Sept. 20 - 26 2019 11
cover story
Inmates at a hearing in a Kampla court show scars from torture while in detention.
numerous independent researches;
including by the Open Societies
Foundations.
The Independent newsmagazine
in 2008 wrote a series that won an
international award for uncovering
how American secret services and
Uganda’s Chieftaincy of military
Intelligence were involved in illegal
detention and torture at Summit View
in Kololo in Kampala.
These stories were followed up by
others. In 2013, the Open Societies
Foundations published a report titled
`Counterterrorism and Human Rights
Abuses in Kenya and Uganda: The
World Cup Bombing and Beyond’
which described some of the atrocities.
The report details alleged abuses
against Walk-to-Work demonstrators
led by opposition leader Kizza Besigye.
The security forces allegedly killed
40 rioters in 2009 and 11 in 2011. It
details torture of suspects at the Rapid
Response Unit (RRU) headquarters at
Kireka in Kampala, prominent Kenyan
human rights defender; Al-Amin
12 Sept. 20 - 26 2019
Kimathi who was detained for almost
a year without charge after he was
arrested in Uganda with a Kenyan
lawyer, Mbugua Mureithi and blocking
with impunity, a delegation from the
International Commission of Jurists-
Kenya.
Kenyan police, Ugandan police,
and individuals who introduced
themselves as U.S. Federal Bureau of
Investigation (FBI) officials allegedly
jointly interrogated suspects in the
torture chambers.
The report concluded: Taken
together, these incidents show Kenya
and Uganda as willing to flout
domestic and international law, engage
in rendition, illegally detain and abuse
suspects, and misuse counterterrorism
laws and security forces to crack
down on minority groups and human
rights defenders. If the allegations
are true, they also suggest the active
involvement of foreign officials in
abusing detainees.
Based on this, Kayihura’s camp has
circulated photos of him receiving
an award of excellence from the
Americans.
Kayihura’s lawyer, Jet Tumwebaze,
from the top-notch law chambers
Kampala Associated Advocates, has
been doing rounds on radio and TV
talk-shows to proclaim his client’s
innocence and America’s unfairness.
“First of all let us start with the
basics; before someone makes such
allegations, you have a right to be
heard. That is the backbone of justice,”
Tumwebaze has been saying before
launching into how the American
should have invited Kayihura and
presented him with the evidence they
have against him.
“That did not happen because the
evidence was not there,” Tumwebaze
told The Independent.
The Kayihura camp is also miffed
at the involvement of Kayihura’s wife
and children on the sanction list and
allegations of corruption and drug
smuggling.
“To think that Gen. Kayihura who
was an IGP for 13 years with such a

Kamwenge mayor Godfrey Byamukama was tortured at Nalufenya detention centre.
humongous budget could be involved
in smuggling drugs and cocaine,
pangolin scales and ivory is really
laughable,” his lawyer says, “Kayihura
personally created Environmental
Protection Police, if he wanted to
smuggle ivory, we would have no
elephant left.”
Finally they argue, even if Gen.
Kayihura was not an angel, he cannot
be accused of crimes committed by any
of the 40,000 strong force he led.
“How can you say he committed
a crime of 100 policemen?” asks his
lawyer, ““Jean Pierre Bemba (DR
Congo warlord) was acquitted by
the ICC for crimes committed by his
rebels.”
Warning shot from America?
Several commentators have been
repeating those lines since America
sanctioned Kayihura. In their view,
the Kayihura sanctions are a warning
shot from the superpower. In the lead
up to the 2021 elections in Uganda, the
Americans have been schmoozing with
leaders of the opposition to Museveni’s
33-year reign, especially the youthful
leader of the People Power movement,
Kyadongo East MP Robert Sentamu
Kyagulanyi aka Bobi Wine; the music
superstar turned red-bereted politician.
America’s cozying up with the
Museveni opposition is against a
strategic disagreement in the American
capital, Washington, between President
Trump’s Africa defence strategists and
the diplomats in the State Department.
The diplomats favour Museveni
being kicked out while the defense
team swears by his strategic role
in maintaining peace in Uganda,
South Sudan, Burundi, Somalia, and
DR Congo. Without Museveni, the
American defense strategists believe,
the Great Lakes could go up in flames
and require their intervention.
For now, the forces for and against
Museveni in Washington appear fairly
balanced. But a lot is riding on how
the 2021 general elections in Uganda
pans out. In the last election of 2016,
Kayihura unleashed the security
Sept. 20 - 26 2019
cover story
forces against the opposition and on
Election Day placed Museveni’s main
challenger Kizza Besigye under house
arrest. Kayihura squashed threats
or attempts at protests against the
election results with brutal force.
That job in 2021 will fall on Martins
Okoth Ochola and his deputy Sabiiti
Muzeyi. Or as we have seen recently,
the head of the Chieftaincy of Military
Intelligence, Brig. Abel Kandiho or
the head of the Internal Security
Organisation (ISO), retired Col. Kaka
Bagyenda, might play major roles.
This duo is seen as very hardline and
has been accused of running detainee
torture chambers Kayihura-style in
so-called `safe houses’. In this they
have the tacit support of the Minister
for Security and decorated 1986 bush
war veteran Gen. Elly Tumwine. The
sanctions against Kayihura, according
to most commentators, could be the
American way of telling this group,
`we are watching you’ and your wives
and children.
13
news analysis
Jude Aleu, a crop scientist based at the National Agricultural Crop Research Resources Institute, Namulonge cuts a GM cassava tuber to show how it is disease-free
By Ronald Musoke& Isaac Khisa
W
hen President Yoweri Museveni
rejected the Genetic Engineering
Regulatory Bill 2018, for the sec-
ond consecutive time, his action
left the Ugandan public polarized between
local and international interests of science,
business, and politics.
The Ugandan parliament passed the Bill
in November last year but Museveni says
he has remained guarded because, for him,
genetic engineering touches on national
security and sovereignty of Uganda.
The President spelled out what he did not
like and what he wanted to see in the law
in a letter dated July 22 and addressed to
Speaker of Parliament, Rebecca Kadaga.
About a month after the President stated
his opposition to the bill, the U.S. Ambassa-
dor to Uganda, Deborah Malac, said pub-
licly that she is disappointed that President
Museveni has refused to sign the genetic
engineering regulatory law.
Malac was on Sept.10 launching a report
detailing America’s development pro-
grammes in Uganda over the last one year,
including aid to genetic engineering research
by Ugandan scientists.
She says the biotechnology debate in the
country is shrouded in “misinformation and
confusion.”
“We hope that there will be a discussion of
the sound science behind the technology and
not allow it to be a conversation that is full of
emotion and misinformation,”Malac said.
She said the genetic engineering law is
not about whether or not certain varieties of
crops might be imported into Uganda but
about making positive use of research that is
ongoing in Uganda by Ugandan scientists in
the agricultural sector.
“A lot of research done by very smart
Ugandan scientists is ongoing and has been
14 Sept. 20 - 26 2019
American interest in
Uganda’s GMO law
How U.S. funding for science set up a
clash between parliament and Museveni
ongoing for many years supported by the
American government,” she said, “Unfor-
tunately the results of this research cannot
get out of the laboratories into the hands of
Ugandan farmers who can make use of this
research and improve the lives and liveli-
hoods of their communities.”
It remains unclear how Parliament intends
to proceed following President Museveni’s
rejection of the Bill. However, Kadaga has
said Parliament may evoke Article 91 (6) (b)
of the Constitution.
Article 91 (6) (b) provides that where (the
President) refuses to assent to a Bill which
has been reconsidered and passed under
paragraph (a) or clause (4) of this Article,
the Speaker shall, upon the refusal, if the Bill
was so passed with the support of at least
two-thirds of all MPs, cause a copy of the
Bill to be laid before Parliament, and the Bill
shall become law without the assent of the
President.
MPs under pressure
If parliament takes that path to pass
the Genetic Engineering Regulatory
Bill, 2018 without Museveni’s consent,
it will be unprecedented. It will also be
a sign of the pressure the MPs must be
feeling over the Bill.
Local scientists say Uganda’s agricultural
sector is grappling with challenges of climate
change and pests and diseases which require
innovative solutions, including the latest
advancement in science.
Over the last 20 years, Uganda has been
promoting the adoption of genetically
modified (GM) crop varieties with several
confined field trials being conducted in
Uganda’s agricultural research stations. The
researchers occasionally share the results
with local farmers.
On July.30, Jude Aleu, a crop scientist,
harvested two cassava tubers from a patch
at the National Agricultural Crop Resources
Institute, Namulonge. One tuber was geneti-
cally modified and the other was not.
On tour of the research institute 25km
north of Kampala were small scale farmers
from the central district of Nakasongola.
“You see these two tubers?” Aleu told
the farmers. “One is from this stem, which
is genetically modified and this other one is
non-genetically modified.”
Aleu then proceeded to chop the two
tubers, beginning with the genetically
modified cassava, whose inside showed no
contamination. When he chopped the other

tuber which is non-GMO, it was all rotten.
The tubers were harvested from the same
field.
“The root is all rotten and the farmer can
get zero harvest from the entire farm. This is
what a section of our farmers are reaping,”
Aleu told the now attentive farmers.
Aleu told the farmers that the cassava that
did not show any sign of the disease in the
garden was because it had undergone some
kind of ‘immunization,” similar to the one
given to young children against measles or
tuberculosis.
His usage of the word ‘immunization’
was to help the farmers understand the new
technology –biotechnology engineering –
which is now being used to develop crops
that are resistant to pests, diseases as well as
drought.
In terms of weight, Aleu said biotech
cassava produced an average of 14-22kg
per stem compared with less than 1-2kg per
non-biotech cassava stem. Cassava is one of
the most important crops in Uganda but it is
being wiped out by the cassava mosaic dis-
ease and the cassava brown streak disease.
After witnessing the two types of cassava
grown on the confined farm, Sam Kigula,
one of the Nakasongola farmers said such
biotech crops should be already with the
farmers to help them deal with the issue of
pests, disease and drought.
But Titus Alicai, the head of cassava
research at the institute said although
research is now about 80% complete and this
type of cassava could be ready for release to
the farmers in the next two years, that will
not be the case until all the relevant legisla-
tion is passed by Parliament.
Similar research is ongoing in other
agricultural research stations. For instance,
genetically modified (GM) bananas are
being tested for resistance to banana bacteri-
al wilt and black sigatoka as well as bio-forti-
fication of bananas with micronutrients such
as iron and Vitamin A at the National Agri-
cultural Research Laboratories, Kawanda.
Proponents of biotechnology in agricul-
ture argue that GM crops can potentially
improve yields and livelihoods and trans-
form the agriculture sector, and therefore
alleviate food shortage and boost economic
development.
Local scientists say the application of
science, technology and innovation will be a
game-changer and the answer to Uganda’s
rapidly growing population which is now
estimated at around 40 million and projected
to hit the 80 million mark by 2050.
Prof. Joseph Obua, the chairman Gov-
erning Council at the National Agricultural
Research Organisation (NARO) noted in
November, last year, that the critical chal-
lenges to agriculture such as climate change
and devastating pests and diseases are quite
formidable and require innovative solutions,
including the latest progress in science to
meet increasing demand for food, feed and
income. But even with some positive results
taking place in several agricultural research
stations around the country, not everybody
is convinced.
Those against GMOs say use of genetical-
ly modified by-products in agriculture could
block farmers from saving seed from their
harvest for replanting the following season
because seeds are patented.
Museveni’s tough position
When President Museveni rejected the
Bill for the second time, he said in a letter to
parliament that many of the critical issues
he had raised in the earlier letter of objection
he sent to Kadaga in December 2017 had not
been fully addressed in the revised bill.
The President urged Parliament to guard
against interests of various groups which
could be against the interests of Ugandans.
“I do understand that there are large com-
mercial interests behind the promotion of
the technology. These commercial interests,
however, need to be balanced against the
need to protect ordinary Ugandan citizens
from real and potential harm, health and
wellbeing rather than profit,” he said.
He said the issue of genetic modification
of seeds and livestock does not only touch
on science but also agriculture, ecology,
food, national security as well as the sover-
eignty of Uganda. He urged the legislators
Manufacturers, inventors
and introducers of GM
products,must ensure that
their products are safe
and as such, accept strict
liability in case the product
does cause harm
to “proceed with caution and include the
necessary safeguards in this law.”
Museveni said many of his concerns had
not been addressed in the revised Bill due to
the narrow interpretation of parliamentary
procedure, which limited the number of
clauses, which could be added into it.
“Parliament should allow free deliberation
and if necessary, the addition or subtraction
of clauses until a harmonized position can be
reached among all stakeholders,” Museveni
said.
Museveni said he is in favour of a law that
“allows scientists to carry out research and
make scientific breakthroughs, while at the
same time safeguarding the beautiful ecolo-
gy and diversity that God has bestowed on
our country as well as the interest of Ugan-
dans who continue to depend on the land
for their sustenance.”
The president further noted that he wants
the law improved to ensure that the benefits
of genetic inventions are shared equally
Sept. 20 - 26 2019
news analysis
between the breeder and inventor and the
indigenous communities that have been the
custodian of genetic materials through the
ages.
“The law should clearly spell out how
intellectual property rights and economic
benefits will be shared with local commu-
nities.” Museveni also wants stringent mea-
sures included in the law, which will ensure
that GMO crops do not contaminate the
organic crops.
The law must clearly spell out the isola-
tion measures such as greenhouses, isolation
distances that will be applicable for any
person involved in genetic material research
and production.
“The law must also address the penalties
that apply to any person who fails to apply
these measures and allows the co-mingling
of GMO with non-GMO material,” the presi-
dent said. Museveni also suggested the need
for measures guarding against the use of
poisonous and dangerous viruses and bacte-
ria as well as chemicals, like glyphosate that
have been suspected of causing cancer.
This law should put in place safeguards
to protect our soils from such contaminants.
Specifically, we should prohibit the use of
the substances like glyphosate until we have
developed our scientific data showing that
it is safe to use on our fertile Ugandan soils,
Museveni said.
On the issue of strict liability, which was
contentious as Parliament debated the Bill,
the President proposed that once harm had
been done by a genetic material/product, the
burden of proof must rest with the invention
and introducer of the genetic material that
caused the harm.
“We cannot expect our poor peasant
farmer to marshal the necessary financial
and administrative resources to develop the
scientific and legal evidence with all its intri-
cacies to defend himself or herself in court,”
Museveni said.
While cautioning parliament to tread
carefully on the Bill, the President made
reference to the “wonder drug” called tha-
lidomide, which was licensed in the 1950s as
a sedative and for the treatment of morning
sickness in pregnant women but several
years later, it emerged that it led to severe
birth defects in children.
“This teaches us; firstly, that scientific
inventions may cause harm to humans and
that, this harm may not be apparent for
many years.”
Therefore manufacturers, inventors and
introducers of genetically modified or engi-
neered products, Museveni noted, must
ensure that their products are safe and as
such, accept strict liability in case the product
does cause harm.
The President said addressing the issues
raised will finally allow Ugandans have a
genetic engineering law that is pro-science,
pro—people and pro-development.
15
NEWS ANALYSIS
NGO representatives take part in a campaign to elect board members for CCEDU recently.  INDEPENDENT/ALFRED OCHWO
Government’s next
move on NGOs
It now has data on their agenda, funders, money
By Ian Katusiime
A
fter a month-long verification and
validation exercise of NGOs oper-
ating in Uganda, attention has now
shifted to what the government in-
tends to do next. What is clear so far, accord-
ing to interviews The Independent did with
several heads of NGOs, the exercise appears
to have left a few NGOs unregistered and
was carried out to get information on NGOs
that criticise the government.
The exercise required NGOs to log onto a
website, fill out a form, print and hand deliv-
er to the Bureau.
Some NGO bosses described the exer-
cise as “intrusive” basing on the questions
they had to answer such as number of staff
employed, dates when they started working,
their contracts and a lot more.
The exercise that started on Aug.08 and
ended on Sept. 7 was officially to enable the
National Bureau for NGOs build a reliable
databank for information on all NGOs oper-
ating in Uganda for evidence-based decision
making.
16 Sept. 20 - 26 2019
But The Independent has learnt that just
days before the exercise started, the Financial
Intelligence Authority (FIA), the govern-
ment agency that deals with financial fraud,
directed Equity Bank to avail it with bank
details of 13 specific NGOs.
Godber Tumushabe, a policy analyst who
is well known in the world of civil society,
says an independent policy think tank that
he runs called the Great Lakes Institute for
Strategic Studies (GLISS) was on this list.
In a response on Twitter then, Tumushabe
advised FIA that the move was unlikely to
leave the FIA being taken seriously as an
anti-money laundering body.
“That is a mafia like operation,”
Tumushabe said of the move by FIA, “There
must be due process for you to say you want
access to our bank accounts, there must be a
prima facie case say a court order.”
The other NGOs whose accounts the FIA
demanded were Action Aid International
Uganda, Citizens’ Coalition for Electoral
Democracy in Uganda, Alliance for Cam-
paign Finance Monitoring, Anti-Corruption
Coalition Uganda, Human Rights Network
Uganda, and Foundation for Human Rights
Initiative.
The Independent was unable to confirm
details with the NGOs but they are some of
the most visible on the Ugandan civil society
scene.
Tumushabe says, based on this, it is clear
the government intends to use the verifica-
tion and validation exercise to push back
against organisations whose focus is on
governance, democracy and human rights.
“NGOs are under siege,” he says, “Their
(government) democratic credentials have
dwindled substantially and they don’t like
civic organisations.”
Tumushabe says he is not against the
NGO Bureau gathering data on NGOs but
he is surprised that the NGO Bureau “is just
waking up to ascertain which NGOs are up
and running”.
“They are basically incompetent,” he told
The Independent. “I have no problem but I
am only surprised that NGO Bureau has not
had accurate data since 1989.”
The National NGO Register was estab-
lished in 1989, it was later renamed the NGO

Bureau as the supervisory body for NGOs.
Richard Ssewakiryanga, the executive
director of Uganda National NGO Forum
(UNNFOF), an independent platform for
all NGOs, says he supported the process in
principle and that is important to have an
accurate record but he pointed out some of
the problems in the exercise.
First was when the NGOs were given an
ultimatum of one month in which to provide
the information. “You have 14000 NGOs
and you give them 30 days to validate; they
were so many logging in on the network.”
Ssewakiryanga says the Bureau also kept
introducing new questions which made
the process complicated. And the details
required also worried him. He says requir-
ing details of bank accounts, the staff; board
of directors and donors, and other structural
issues was intrusive and needed to be han-
dled better.
“In a country where data confidentiality is
still a problem, you have to be careful with
such inquiries,” he says, “It could be used for
ulterior motives.”
In other words, individuals or organi-
sations that work with or on projects with
NGOs now risk having their information
shared with third parties thanks to the data
government has collected from NGOs.
Ssewakiryanga argues that asking for the
start date for an employee or even the bank
accounts of organisations does not add value
to the NGO database.
“You need to collect data that you can
analyse,” he says. “Some of the information
being collected looks like people are being
targeted.”
He also told The Independent that there
were two phases of granting permits to
NGOs and the validation form did not cater
for the older permits issued much earlier.
Ssewakiryanga says the exercise did not
consider NGOs based upcountry; where
internet is slow and sensitisation about the
exercise was not adequate.
He says the validation was not a tried and
tested method and it could be the reason
there were so many glitches.
In reaction to the complaints, the govern-
ment says say the exercise was a plain pro-
cess aimed at gathering basic information on
NGOs and their activities.
Minister of state for Internal Affairs Obiga
Kania told The Independent that validation
was just about retrieving data.
“If they registered successfully in the first
place, then this is just simple documenta-
tion.”
To Kania, those who were saying the pro-
cess was tedious have problems with their
organisation’s structures.
“This was a question of putting all docu-
ments together and you send by email.”
Kania rejected the request of NGO bosses
who wanted the verification exercise to be
extended beyond the one month period.
Local NGOs a problem
Stephen Okello, the Interim Executive
Director of the National NGO Bureau says
the NGO Bureau is in the process of creating
a proper regulatory framework for NGOs.
He says the data gathered can now be used
by cabinet, parliament, embassies, and the
general public.
“This is not a sudden exercise,” he told
The Independent, “Over the years we have
put together the policy, the Act and other
regulations.”
Okello dismisses the view that the data
demands on NGOs were intrusive. He says
the function of regulation requires all the
demands they made on NGOs.
“We want to have a comprehensive data-
base where we can tell the exact contribution
of NGOs to the country in financial and oth-
er terms,” he said.
He said the NGO Bureau requires updat-
ed information on the exact number of
NGOs because some quietly close either
Obiga Kania
because they run out of money or they
became redundant. He explained that infor-
mation on the number of Ugandans and
foreigners employed is essential in determin-
ing which NGO pays what amount of taxes
and deductions for NSSF contributions.
Okello says indigenous NGOs are not like
their international counterparts.
“When the international ones are closing
they will come and tell you but the local ones
will just close shop and that is it,” he says.
He said when when the verification was
first announced, international NGOs hurried
to complete the exercise while the indig-
enous ones were already counting on an
extension.
“‘This is Uganda’, they will probably
extend,” Okello quoted local NGOs saying.
He says the Bureau opened call centres
to coordinate the exercise and their staff
Sept. 20 - 26 2019
NEWS ANALYSIS
worked late in the night on deadline day to
complete the exercise.
Still, many NGO were not validated. One
young man who runs an NGO about youth
empowerment told The Independent that he
only learnt about the validation exercise on
Sept. 13, almost a week after it ended. The
man who did not want his organisation
named for fear of jeopardising its operations
said he will inquire on how to get the valida-
tion of his NGO done.
For others like Cissy Kagaba, executive
director of Anti-Corruption Coalition Ugan-
da (ACCU), the validation process was an
unnecessary bother.
Kagaba told The Independent that every
year her NGO files returns with the NGO
Bureau which has information the bureau
was collecting. Like other NGO heads, she
says the demand for new details; including
what people earn, was intrusive.
“There is nothing to hide but it could be
a violation of a fiduciary relationship with
Godber Tumushabe
employees,” she said.
“I think the state wastes a lot of energy
on going after NGOs. Their claim is fighting
money laundering yet there are glaring inci-
dences of this going on in the economy,” she
added.
Kagaba argues that NGOs regularly sub-
mit audit reports, annual work plans on top
of there being an enabling law for what they
should file, NGO Act, 2016.
“It is puzzling that they would ask ques-
tions like how old is so and so. Some of the
information could be got by writing to our
donors,” she says.
On the timing of the validation and when
FIA wrote to NGOs like ACCU, Kagaba
says it could be part of the plot to tighten the
squeeze on NGOs.
“It can create more suspicion given those
circumstances,” she said.
17
news analysis

Oil and gas is the lifeblood of Nigeria’s economy. Wikimedia Commons

Nigeria’s $9.6bn gas debt case

How London court punished country for failing on contract to
construct pipelines for transporting wet gas to investor
By Oludara Akanmidu The big question is: What went processing agreement. Nigeria’s

N
igeria has received a legal
hiding after a UK court
awarded a private company
a US$9.6 billion judgment
debt against the West African
nation. The ruling has generated
significant attention in both domestic
and international media. This is
understandable given that the sum
amounts to 20% of the country’s
foreign reserves. This means it poses a
significant threat to its economy.
wrong? How did Nigeria end up in this
costly situation? For the answer, we
must look back to January 2010 and a
gas supply contract that went horribly
wrong.
The Background Story
On January 11, 2010 Process and
Industrial Development (P&ID), a
company based in the British Virgin
Islands, signed a contract with the
Federal Government of Nigeria. This
contract is called a gas supply and
government agreed that, over a 20-year
period, it would supply natural gas
(wet gas) to P&ID’s production facility.
In return, P&ID would process
the wet gas by removing natural gas
liquids and return approximately 85%
of it to the government in the form
of lean gas. This lean gas was to be
returned at no cost to the Nigerian
government.
Based on this agreement, Nigeria
was supposed to arrange for the supply
of wet gas to P&ID’s gas processing

18 Sept. 20 - 26 2019

facility which it intended to build in
the country’s Cross Rivers State. This
required the government to construct
pipelines and arrange facilities
for transporting the wet gas. The
government failed to do this for three
years.
P&ID viewed this failure as a
repudiation of the contract. In simpler
terms, this means that the government
renounced their obligation under
the contract. Consequently, in March
2013, P&ID began an arbitration action
against the government before a
London tribunal.
Clause 20 of the agreement, which
both parties signed, provided that
any disputes were to be resolved by
arbitration with the seat of arbitration
being London, England or any other
place agreed by the parties. Nigeria
tried to contest this, but its appeal to
have the tribunal sit in Nigeria failed.
At the tribunal, P&ID claimed that
it had invested $40 million in the
project even though it had not acquired
the land or built any facilities for
gas processing. It claimed damages
In January 2017,
the tribunal by
a majority of 2
to 1 made a final
award of US$6.597
billion together
with interest at
the rate of 7%
starting from 20
March 2013 until
payment is made
of about US$6.6 billion dollars: the
amount of the net income it would
have earned over the 20-year period of
the agreement.
In response, the government argued
that the damages claimed were not
a fair and reasonable consequence
of the government’s breach of the
agreement. This is because P&ID
never commenced building the gas
processing facility. It also argued that
P&ID should be awarded only three
years’ worth of income as by that time,
the company should have found some
other profitable investment which
would reduce its losses from the
breach.
Similarly, the government objected
to the measure of estimated expenses
and income stream which P&ID used
to calculate its damages claim.
The tribunal’s decision
In July 2015 the tribunal decided
that by failing to fulfil its obligations,
the government had repudiated the
agreement. P&ID was therefore entitled
to damages.
In January 2017, the tribunal by a
majority of 2 to 1 made a final award
of US$6.597 billion together with
interest at the rate of 7% starting from
20 March 2013 until payment is made.
The 7% interest reflects what P&ID
would have paid to borrow the money
or earned by investing the money in
Nigeria.
Following the tribunal’s award of
damages, in March 2018, P&ID brought
an action before the Queen’s Bench
Division of the English Commercial
Court. It wanted permission to enforce
Sept. 20 - 26 2019
news analysis
the damages awarded by the tribunal.
Despite delays by the Nigerian
government, on 16 August 2019, the
court made an order enforcing the
tribunal’s final award which now
stands at about $9.6 billion.
In making this award, the court
noted that the damages awarded were
purely compensatory and not intended
to punish the Nigerian government.
The court also confirmed that there
were no public policy grounds on
which the award should not be
enforced. This decision converts the
arbitration award to a legal judgement.
This case perhaps highlights issues
with Nigeria’s ability to effectively
manage its oil and gas resources as
well as its facilities. Between January
and June 2019 alone, it is reported that
Nigeria lost 22 million barrels of crude
oil.
These losses have been largely
attributed to pipeline vandalism and
aged pipelines. The Nigerian National
Petroleum Corporation recently spent
billions on oil pipelines maintenance.
But other problems, such as corruption
and fraud in awarding security
surveillance contracts for pipelines,
persist.
Next steps
The $9.6 billion appears to be the
largest amount of damages awarded
against Nigeria to date. Evidence
however suggests this is not the first
time that Nigeria has failed to meet its
contractual obligations. In 2016 it was
reported that investors in Nigeria’s
power sector threatened to pull out
due to the government’s failure to meet
its contractual obligations.
This case also demonstrates an
ongoing issue with the government’s
attitude to critical infrastructural
projects. The Mambilla hydroelectric
power project is a case in point. In spite
of the huge potential offered by the
project, it has been plagued by several
controversies ranging from corruption
and embezzlement of funds to the
“irregular” awarding of contracts, and
a general lack of political will.
The Nigerian government is yet to
pay the judgement debt. Allegations of
domestic and international conspiracy
surrounding the agreement continue
to abound. For now, the government
has said that it intends to appeal the
amount awarded.
Oludara Akanmidu is a Lecturer in Law,
De Montfort University
Source:theconversation
19
news analysis
Pope Francis greets worshippers in Antananarivo, Madagascar, on Sept. 8, 2019. AP Photo/Alexander Joe
By Joseph Hellweg
P
ope Francis recently completed
a seven-day tour of three African
countries: Mozambique, Madagas-
car and Mauritius. It was a signifi-
cant trip for a number of reasons.
During his visit, the pope spoke on issues
of peace and ecological sustainability that
these countries are facing. Mozambique
recently signed a peace accord with longtime
rebels, and the country is still recovering
from the cyclone earlier this year that killed
over 1,000 people. Madagascar faces severe
deforestation, and Mauritius too faces risks
from climate change.
Africa has the world’s third largest Cath-
olic population, after the Americas and
Europe. Nearly 1 out of every 5 Africans
– 19.2% – is Catholic. The Pew Research Cen-
ter expects the number of African Christians
south of the Sahara, including Catholics, to
double by 2050.
From my perspective as a scholar of Afri-
can religions, however, the pope’s visit needs
to be understood against the background of
the church’s longer history in Africa and the
current challenges Catholicism faces in the
continent.
20 Sept. 20 - 26 2019
Catholicism in Africa
Churches face competition and
a troubled legacy as they grow
Early Catholic history in Africa
Although Catholicism in Africa expanded
dramatically under European colonialism
in the 19th and 20th centuries, the church’s
roots in Africa go back to its earliest days.
Christianity emerged in Africa among
first-century Jewish communities in Alexan-
dria, Egypt. Many early, influential church
figures were North African.
After the Islamic conquest of North Afri-
ca – from 634 to 711 A.D. – however, Islam
grew faster than Christianity, making it the
region’s dominant religion.
Muslim traders then took Islam across the
Sahara Desert to West Africa and over the
Indian Ocean to eastern Africa.
Spread of Christianity
The later arrival of Catholic missionaries
on the western, central, southern and eastern
coasts of Africa spread Christianity across
the continent.
In the 15th and 16th centuries, the Por-
tuguese came to Africa by ship and began
winning converts in the Central African
kingdom of Kongo.
On the other side of the continent, in
today’s Mozambique, missionaries estab-
lished Catholic communities that would
eventually become the contemporary
Mozambican Church.
French missionaries arrived in Madagas-
car in 1640. With the help of early converts,
they produced a Catholic catechism, or
teaching manual, in Malagash, the island’s
indigenous language.
Because Catholic Portugal, and later
France, expanded the trans-Atlantic slave

trade, both priests and slave merchants fol-
lowed in their wake.
African Catholics and European mission-
aries nonetheless protested against the slave
trade. Even the Vatican condemned slavery
in the 1680s. But many bishops and priests
already possessed slaves, and the Vatican
enslaved Africans to man its ships.
The church’s complicity in Africa’s sub-
jugation only intensified in the colonial era
in the 19th and 20th centuries as the church
founded parishes, schools and hospitals
across the continent, often with the encour-
agement of colonial authorities.
Reforms and end of colonialism
Catholic missionaries worked mostly in
European languages, contributing to the
continent’s linguistic and cultural colonisa-
tion.
In fact, colonisation and evangelisation
occurred in lockstep. The Portuguese col-
onised Mozambique; the French, Madagas-
car; and Britain, after initial French occupa-
tion, Mauritius.
But Catholic missionaries also criticised
colonialism. In 1971, for example, authorities
in Mozambique, still under Portuguese rule,
expelled a Catholic order for criticising the
colonial regime for preventing missionaries
from properly serving Mozambicans.
Elsewhere on the continent, during Afri-
ca’s transition from colonial rule to inde-
pendence, from the late 1950s to 1980, many
priests supported emerging ethnic and
nationalist movements.
The long-term outcomes of these Catho-
lic-backed independence movements have
been mixed.
In what was to become Zimbabwe, for
example, bishops supported resistance
against white-led Rhodesia from the 1960s to
1980 but unwittingly brought dictator Robert
Mugabe, who died recently, to power.
But in Malawi, Catholics in 1994 helped
unseat the repressive president, Hastings
Banda, and establish multiparty democracy.
And in many French-speaking African
countries, bishops served as neutral media-
tors who led national conversations between
autocratic rulers and civilians throughout
the 1990s, often achieving democratic
reforms.
Rise of Pentacostalism, Islam
To many Africans today, in the wake of
independence and the church’s support for
it, the Catholic Church has distanced itself
from its colonial past to become an institu-
tion associated with sociopolitical reform,
education and health care.
This accounts in part for its substantial
Sept. 20 - 26 2019
news analysis
growth in the three countries visited by the
pope.
In Mozambique, Catholics are 30.3% of the
population, the country’s largest religious
group, surpassing indigenous religious
practitioners and Muslims. In Mauritius, at
27.2%, Catholics take second place to Hindus
but outnumber Muslims. And in Madagas-
car, they come in third at 21.7%.
But the church faces new challenges.
In 1970, Pentecostals represented less than
5% of all Africans. They now stand at 12%,
a significant shift. In Mozambique alone,
Pentecostals are the second largest Christian
community.
And Islam is growing faster in Africa than
Christianity. By 2050, African Muslims south
of the Sahara are expected to increase from
30% to 35% of Africa’s population.
The pope’s visit, then, reflects a strategic
commitment to the continent, for good rea-
son. The battle for souls is a struggle for sta-
tistics, enmeshed in the changing loyalties of
the world’s largest Christian church.
Joseph Hellweg is Associate Professor of
Religion, Affiliated Associate Professor of
Anthropology, Florida State University
Source: the conversation
21
NEWS ANALYSIS
Believing the unbelievable
How superstitions affect our psychology and well-being
By Ana Sandoiu more money for fewer items in a package as
O
n Friday the 13th vast numbers of
people across the world avoid go-
ing about their usual business be-
cause they fear this day will bring
them “bad luck.” In this Spotlight feature,
we examine the psychological mechanisms
behind superstitious thinking.
Speaking of business, not only do airlines
and airports routinely skip a 13th aisle or the
13th gate, but more than 80% of high-rise
buildings all over the world lack a 13th floor.
Also, some hotels and hospitals often choose
not to have a room with the number 13.
Billions of people in the United States and
across the world are superstitious. A quarter
of adults in the U.S. consider themselves to
be so, and recent trends reveal that younger
people are more superstitious than older
adults. In fact, 70% of U.S. students rely on
good luck charms for better academic per-
formance.
Millions of people in China think the color
red or the number 8 will bring them wealth
and happiness, while a study of consumers
in Taiwan showed that shoppers tend to pay
22 Sept. 20 - 26 2019
long as the number of items in the package
represents a “luckier” number.
Most of us know that these beliefs are
irrational, but we still abide by them. Why
do we do it? Do superstitions fulfill an
important psychological role, and if so, what
is it? What are some of the mechanisms that
explain these irrational beliefs, and how do
superstitions affect our mental well-being?
Why do we believe the unbelievable?
The fascinating thing about superstitions
is that we often believe in them despite
knowing, on some level, that they can’t be
true. Why do we do this?
Jane Risen, a professor of behavioral
science at the University of Chicago Booth
in Illinois and a member of the American
Psychological Society, has used the so-called
dual process model of cognition to explain
our belief in superstitions.
According to Risen (and other renowned
authors, such as Daniel Kahneman), humans
can think both “fast” and “slow.” The former
mode of thinking is snappy and intuitive,
while the latter is more rational, and its main
job is to override the intuitive judgment
when it finds errors.
The dual thinking model is an established
one, but in the case of superstitions, Risen
suggests that the model should undergo
refinements. The researcher notes that error
detection does not automatically involve
error correction. In other words, people can
realise that their belief is wrong but still act
on it.
The “thinking fast and slow” model
“must allow for the possibility that people
can recognise — in the moment — that
their belief does not make sense, but act on
it nevertheless,” writes the author. “People
can detect an error, but choose not to correct
it, a process I refer to as acquiescence,” she
continues.
But superstitions are not merely a mani-
festation of our flawed cognition. Sometimes
superstitions offer a host of benefits.
How superstitions may relieve anxiety
Sometimes superstitions can have a
soothing effect, relieving anxiety about
the unknown and giving people a sense of
control over their lives. This may also be the

reason why superstitions have survived for
so long — people have passed them on from
generation to generation.
As an article appearing in the Interna-
tional Journal of Psychology and Behavioral
Sciences states, “Superstition has its roots in
our species’ youth when our ancestors could
not understand the forces and whims of
(the) natural world. Survival of our ancestors
was threatened by predation or other natural
forces.”
As a result, superstitions have “evolved”
to produce “a false sense of having control
over outer conditions,” and reduce anxiety.
This is also why superstitions are “prevalent
in conditions of absence of confidence, inse-
curity, fear, and threat.”
A Medical News Today reader, who
describes their parent’s various superstitions,
echoes the same sentiment. “My mum has
tons of superstitions,” they say. “(She) can’t
walk under a ladder, can’t put new shoes
on the table (even in their box), can’t break a
mirror, can’t give a purse without money in
it, (has) to throw a pinch of salt over her left
shoulder if she spills some.”
“I think some of these are just common
sense comments, such as don’t break a
mirror or you might cut yourself because
the shards are sharp, that have grown into
something more. But they transform into
this set of rules to live by, often for no appar-
ent reason,” the reader continues.
“I think life is a series of random coinci-
dences and can’t be shaped by these strange
little habits, but I guess it’s reassuring to
believe you have some control over it —
especially when there’s so much about our
lives and society that we can’t change,” says
the reader. “Life is pretty scary sometimes,”
they add, “so (...) people (do) whatever they
can to try to avoid hidden dangers.”
Superstitions may improve
performance
Furthermore, by alleviating anxiety,
superstitions may objectively improve per-
formance. Stuart Vyse, author of `Believing
in Magic: The Psychology of Superstition’
and former professor of psychology at Con-
necticut College, explains in an interview for
the British Psychological Society:
“There is evidence that positive, luck-en-
hancing superstitions provide a psycholog-
ical benefit that can improve skilled perfor-
mance. There is anxiety associated with the
kinds of events that bring out superstition.”
“The absence of control over an important
outcome creates anxiety. So, even when
we know on a rational level that there is no
magic, superstitions can be maintained by
their emotional benefit,” Stuart Vyse says.
Indeed, one study that examined perfor-
mance in “golfing, motor dexterity, memory,
and anagram games,” found that making
gestures, such as keeping one’s fingers
crossed, or uttering words, such as “break
a leg” or “good luck,” boosted the partici-
pants’ performance.
This mechanism is mediated by increased
self-confidence, write the authors.
“(T)hese performance benefits are pro-
duced by changes in perceived self-efficacy.
Activating a superstition boosts participants’
confidence in mastering upcoming tasks,
which in turn improves performance.”
‘Cheap’ superstitions better than costly
ones
“(O)nce you know that a superstition
applies, people don’t want to tempt fate by
not employing it,” says Vyse. He goes on to
cite an example of a chain letter that became
famous among journalists in the U.S.
“Many of these journalists knew that it
was bunk, but they did not want to tempt
fate by not copying the letter and sending it
on,” says the researcher.
However, “not tempting fate” is also a
popular option because the costs of abiding
by the superstition are very low compared
with the potential outcome.
In this case, sending the letter and
employing the superstition bears little cost
compared with the alleged outcome of var-
ious “calamities” brought on by bad luck,
such as “lost fortunes, jobs, and lives.”
Similarly, quickly knocking on a wooden
surface when commenting that one has been
in great health for years is a small price to
pay compared with the potentially devastat-
ing consequences of illness.
One study confirms this and explains
that superstitions appeal to people because
the advantages of carrying around a lucky
charm, for example, outweigh the disad-
vantages of a so-called costly exploration
scenario — a situation where a person must
explore an uncertain environment.
According to the authors, “superstitions
that involve carrying small, lightweight
lucky charms might persist because the same
general learning rules for identifying causal
relationships in other settings are advanta-
geous, while here they do next to no harm.”
“Similarly, (...) avoiding the number 13
may impose a relatively small cost with
potentially large benefit, which might
explain why this superstition persists.”
Superstitions and OCD: A complex link
A person that MNT spoke to and who
Sept. 20 - 26 2019
NEWS ANALYSIS
prefers to remain anonymous revealed that
they have to set their alarm “at least 10 times
every night, along with muttering some
reassuring words.”
Otherwise, they continued, “I feel like
something negative will happen in my life.
I can’t stop setting my alarm until I feel at
ease. I’ve been known to get to about 50
before.”
Although such a habit may seem unusual
to some people, those who perform these
ritualistic behaviors often draw comfort
from them. “I actually think it’s a good thing
sometimes — a way of keeping yourself
mentally on track!” the person continued.
Sometimes, however, repeated behaviors
may signal a more severe condition, such as
obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD).
“For me, superstitions cross over into
OCD,” said another person that MNT inter-
viewed. “I do ‘superstitious thinking’ when
I’m struggling with OCD, where I believe
doing or thinking something will make
something happen or not happen.”
“An example is that I need to pick the
correct pair of socks to wear; otherwise, my
mum will die. So for me, (superstitions are)
potentially harmful and a sign I’m not doing
that well,” says the MNT interviewee.
Established research recognises super-
stitions as an example of “compulsions
performed in response to obsessions,” along
with “excessive hand washing, ritualised
bathing or grooming, checking behaviors,
mental rituals, need to repeat activities,
re-reading text, (and) hoarding behaviors.”
However, there has been much debate
surrounding the issue of whether OCD
and superstitions share a continuum. Many
researchers suggest that they do not, point-
ing out superstitions and OCD use different
brain areas.
Still, OCD and superstitions share many
overlapping traits, such as performing rit-
uals to ward off harm. Furthermore, some
researchers have defined superstitious ritu-
als as “maladaptive methods of attempting
to gain control in uncertain situations.”
“[L]ikewise,” they continue, “compulsive
behaviors are maladaptive and performed
with the intent of preventing or reduc-
ing anxiety associated with the obsessive
thought.”
However, it’s important to remember that
although there seems to be an established
connection between superstition and OCD,
there are discrepancies in the results of the
various studies that tackled this link.
Drawing the line between superstitions
and OCD is a nuanced issue that healthcare
professionals should handle competently
and sensitively. MNT have an informative
article about OCD for those who wish to
know more about the condition.
Source: Medical News Today
23
Reprieve to cane farmers as
government allows export
This is limited to the initial three months
S
By Isaac Khisa
ugar cane farmers in Busoga
sub-region have received a
limited reprieve to export their
excess cane to the neighbouring
Kenya, even as questions on
how much impact it will cause
to the local sugar millers remain.
The farmers through their umbrella body,
Busoga Sugar Cane Growers Association,
have been at logger heads with the govern-
ment and the local sugar cane millers over
their proposal to export the excess mature
cane to West Kenya Sugar Company Ltd
located in Busia, Kenya.
Amelia Kyambadde, the minister for
trade and industry, had in June this year
told Parliament that no single farmers will
be allowed to export raw cane with the view
that the move could hurt local firms.
However, following series of meetings
between farmers, trade ministry executives
and President Yoweri Museveni over the
past three months, the government eventu-
ally gave a green light, enabling farmers to
export their cane to avoid losses.
24 Sept. 20 - 26 2019
So far, the exports have been ongoing
for the past two weeks via Busia border,
Michael Mugabira, the coordinator of the
Uganda Sugar Cane Growers Association
told The Independent in a phone interview.
Uganda Revenue Authority executive
at the Busia boarder post confirmed to The
Independent that sugar cane farmers are
exporting raw cane to Kenyan factory for
sugar processing.
“Right now, I can see only three trucks
loaded with sugarcane destined to Ken-
ya,” the official who preferred anonymity
because is not authorised to speak the media
said on Sept.12.
The official said they expect more trucks
loaded with cane in the coming months as
harvesting gains momentum.
This news comes barely three weeks after
President Museveni and his counterpart,
Uhuru Kenyatta of Kenya met on the side-
lines of the 8th TICAD Conference in Japan
and discussed issues related to the sugar
business between the two countries.
In June this year, the Busoga Sugar Cane
Out growers Association signed an agree-
ment with West Kenya Sugar Co Ltd’s
Olepito Unit, located in Busia, Kenya, to sup-
ply it with at least 600 tonnes of cane per day
for an initial three months.
In the agreement, a copy that The Indepen-
dent has seen, also shows that the sugar firm
will purchase mature cane at Ksh4,055 (Shs
143,000) per tonne payable within two-three
days upon cane delivery.
This is far higher than the offering from
local sugar millers who have lowered the
price from as high as Shs170, 000 per tonne
to between Shs128, 000 and 120,000 per
tonne.
The sugar company will also deduct 1%
as administrative cost, currently, Ksh40 (Shs
1,400) per tonne to facilitate operations of
the Busoga Sugar Cane Out growers Asso-
ciation, according to the agreement. The
Association will also not sign a contract with
another Kenyan sugar miller.
This new development comes on the wake
of delayed cane harvests beyond the recom-
mended 18-month maturity period and is
drying in the gardens.
Museveni said on Sept.09 that the gov-
ernment has lifted the ban on the export of
excess raw sugarcane to Kenya for a period

of three months.
“Mature sugarcane that does not have
ready buyers from local millers should be
exported,” he is reported to have said.
The decision is said to have been reached
at during a meeting chaired by the Presi-
dent at State House, Entebbe. The meeting
brought together sugar millers and farmers
from Busoga Sub-Region.
The meeting also emphasized and agreed
that only mature cane should be exported
adding that an agricultural officer should
determine sugarcane maturity and its fitness
for export.
The meeting also resolved that if a farmer
had credit with a miller, the latter is obliged
to buy all the mature sugarcane within the
agreed contract period.
If not, the miller should compensate the
farmer for the loss. In addition, Museveni
directed that all bond warehouses should
be banned with immediate effect in order to
harmonize the price of sugar and root for the
expansion and growth of the sugar industry.
The President also asked sugarcane mill-
ers and farmers to work together adding that
the two players need each other in order to
ensure the survival of the sugar industry.
He, however, cautioned sugarcane farm-
ers on the low returns from sugarcane pro-
duction saying that the venture will not get
them out of poverty mostly those who have
small pieces of land.
He instead urged them to diversify their
production ventures and concentrate more
on crops like coffee, poultry, piggery and
fish farming, among other enterprises that
can yield good income for their homesteads.
Kyambadde revealed that her ministry is
doing all that is possible to secure licenses for
farmers to sell their raw sugarcane to avert
incurring losses. She also urged farmers to
form a consortium for transportation of their
sugarcane.
Jim Kabeho, the chairperson of the Ugan-
da Sugar Manufacturers Association earlier
told The Independent in an interview that
they are comfortable and that the farmers
have a right to sell their cane anywhere in
the region.
Uganda’s sugar industry that started way
back in the 1920s, now boast of nearly 20
licensed companies majority of which are
located in the south-eastern Busoga region.
However, though the annual sugar pro-
duction had increased from 140,000 in the
1960s to 240,000 tonnes in 2008 and 400.5
tonnes in 2014, it dropped to 365 metric
tonnes in 2017, according to data from the
Ministry of Trade, Industry and Coopera-
tives.
The local consumption of raw sugar
stands at around 350,000 tonnes per annum,
according to Uganda Sugar Manufacturers
Association. The balance is exported to
neighbouring countries.
Forum exposes
opportunities for trade
By Julius Businge
P
rivate sector companies have a
chance to triple their growth once
they adapt to the changing technolo-
gy and business environment.
This was the key message delivered by Dr.
Geci Karuri – Sebina in a keynote speech at
the second 2019 Mkutano Economic Forum
held at Sheraton Hotel, Kampala on Sept.12.
Sebina is a well-respected thought leader
on innovation, urbanisation and the 4th
industrial revolution.
On the other hand, Mkutano is a “Gather-
ing for a Purpose” where open debate leads
to solutions, according to David Ofungi, the
brain behind the Mkutano. This Mkutano
edition was in line with the United Nation’s
9th Sustainable Development Goal (SDG 9)
that focuses on industry, innovation and
infrastructure.
This year’s Forum was attended by slight-
ly over 200 participants mainly from the
private sector and research institutions. The
focus this time around was on the role of
Science, Technology and innovation in Eco-
nomic Development.
Sebina told business leaders to understand
their own institutions well, do what they can
and organise to do it innovatively.
She added that investments in innovation
should connect with research and develop-
ment, human resource, capital development
and physical infrastructure put in place by
the private sector and the government.
The key drivers of innovation, she said,
are research institutes, innovators, technol-
ogy, entrepreneurs, knowledge brokers,
innovation policymakers, local intermedi-
ates, innovation brokers and funding organ-
isations.
“Focus on generating new knowledge and
technologies and creating customer value,”
she said.
From a policy angle, she said focus should
be on the government to instil a culture of
valuing science technology and innovation
(STI), integrate STI into government plan-
ning and budgeting at the highest levels.
In addition, there has to be adoption of a
whole-of-government approach to innova-
tion, create an enabling and inclusive gov-
ernance environment, create a more inno-
vation-enabling environment, increase and
transform human capabilities, expand and
transform the research system, expand and
transform the institutional landscape and
increase funding and funding efficiencies.
However, experts say for innovations to
succeed, they have to be supported by the
Sept. 20 - 26 2019
business
government through demand for products
available on the market.
Sebina said innovation helps to address
social and environmental challenges by
contributing to economic growth and job
creation. It also leads to improved com-
petitiveness and is a major reason of why
growth rates differ at the firm, regional and
international level.
She said investments in science and tech-
nology should target formal enterprises,
highly-skilled personnel and technology-in-
tensive sectors.
Sebina added that STI should be done
by carefully understanding the dynamic
business sector, macro-economic stability,
trade and investment, competition and tax
policies.
There have to also be markets that encour-
age innovation and those that mobilise
private funding for innovation through
well-functioning financial markets.
The policy environment should target the
private sector – entrepreneurs, corporations,
investors, knowledge institutions, influenc-
ers, and the public sector in general.
Elioda Tumwesigye, the minister of Sci-
ence Technology and Innovation agreed
with Sebina, adding that sector innovations
support economic growth and that the gov-
ernment is well aware of it.
He said, from a legal and regulatory angle,
that the government is working on the auto-
motive innovation policy and also champi-
oning the genetic engineering bill.
This development comes barely six
months since the government approved
the National Research and Innovation Pro-
gramme Framework with the aim of encour-
aging creativity and supporting innovations
in the country in March this year.
Barbra Mulwana, who represented the
Uganda Manufacturers Association at the
Forum said collaboration among sector
players is important if innovations are to
contribute growth of private sector firms and
the economy.
“We cannot stay in silos anymore,” Mul-
wana said. She said they have formed a
research technology and innovation board
and that there are many ideas that are com-
ing up in support of STI amongst the manu-
facturers.
She said that they are planning to work
closely with innovation hubs and be able to
link them to UMA members.
She also said efforts should be geared
towards sensitizing the public on the use of
ICTs and as an engine for growth.
25
business
Credit where credit is due
By Agencies
L
ooking at formal Small
Medium Enterprises
alone, the unmet need
for credit in Sub Saharan
Africa is close to $100bn. An ar-
ray of strategies exists to derisk
Africa’s SMEs for lenders and
spur private sector growth.
Small and Medium Enterpris-
es (SMEs) are the driving force
of economic development in
Africa, accounting for 90% of all
businesses, 50% of employment
and 40% of GDP across the con-
tinent. Yet a persistent financing
gap of more than $330bn a year,
according to the International
Finance Corporation (IFC), has
challenged African SMEs to
grow without access to credit –
an unprecedented pathway to
economic development, and not
one to rely on.
What’s causing the funding
shortfall?
Demand-side gaps – SMEs
remain uncompetitive due to
inadequate business plans and
corporate governance, limited
accounting expertise and a lack
of collateral. Surveys consistent-
ly illustrate that SMEs do not
believe they will receive financ-
ing and do not approach banks.
Supply-side gaps – Banks
are operating under relatively
nascent financial regulatory
frameworks; they have con-
strained technical capacity such
as credit analysis resources and
technology access; and there is
a short (but growing) supply
of credit bureaus. Small local
banks, which have more expo-
sure to SMEs, have difficulty
accessing long- term financing
compared to larger commer-
cial banks, forcing short-term
arrangements with SMEs that
limit adequate capital invest-
ments.
Tough interest rates – Bor-
rowing costs in Africa’s growth
markets are often high and vol-
atile, either pricing SMEs out of
the lending market or inducing
non-performing loans (NPLs);
the ratios of NPLs to total gross
loans are higher in leading
Sub-Saharan African growth
26 Sept. 20 - 26 2019
markets compared to other lead-
ing emerging markets globally,
such as Vietnam, Brazil, Indone-
sia and China.
Information asymmetry
– Easy access to corporate
information, including data on
ownership structures, financial
performance, incorporation doc-
uments, credit history and mov-
able collateral, remains elusive,
compounding the risk barrier
around lending.
Macroeconomic headwinds
– The above challenges are exac-
erbated by ballooning sovereign
debt; limited foreign exchange
reserves and US dollar liquidity;
low commodity prices; and a
slowdown in Chinese growth.
Where does that leave the SME
financing market?
The result is heightened
risk perception around SME
Young entreprenuer, Godfrey Sengonzi creates
aniche with egg-spiced concrete floor tiles in Kampala
financing as an asset class,
scaring away large banks with
long-term capital and therefore
restricting credit. African bank
loan books are heavily weighted
towards governments, multi-
nationals and major family-run
businesses, with as little as 5%
and 8% of loan portfolios – in
the continent’s largest markets
of Nigeria and South Africa,
respectively – allocated toward
SMEs (East African countries
having higher allocations on
average), according to the World
Bank. Overall, only 20% of Afri-
can SMEs have a line of credit,
according to the African Devel-
opment Bank. Looking only at
formal SMEs, the overall unmet
need for credit in sub-Saharan
Africa alone is close to $100bn,
the highest figure compared to
other emerging market regions,
according to McKinsey. As the
growth engine of economic
development, the gap illustrates
a major priority for African
policymakers, lenders and inno-
vators.
The opportunity
To grease the wheel, SMEs
require de-risking at scale, and
banks require the right informa-
tion technology.
Tech enablement – Business
banking units, even in many of
the continent’s largest banks,
rely on legacy technology and
inefficient processes, making
onboarding and due diligence
resource-intensive. However,
specialised fintech, business
intelligence and workflow solu-
tions are now available to help
digitalise, organise or automate
these processes, which increase
efficiency around origination
and compliance. As more SMEs
formalise and Africa’s markets
mature, the banks quickest to
adapt will become market lead-
ers. Kenya’s top 5 local banks,
for example, have come together
in a consortium to trial a mobile-
based lending service to SMEs,
starting with 3,500 businesses
and at a more competitive inter-
est rate.
Government & capacity build-
ing – African governments have
indeed increased their attention
to the SME financing gap. Mov-
able collateral registries, such
as in Egypt and Nigeria, are an
innovative approach to formalis-
ing and de-risking SMEs. Credit
Guarantee Schemes, supported
by governments and multilater-
als, are also on the rise, however,
they typically result in short-
term financing solutions, tied to
particular fund lifecycles, with-
out spurring a structural change
for financial inclusion. Attention,
however, is highly deficient with
regard to capacity building sup-
port for SMEs. New public pilots
should allocate resources to trial
advisory programmes via local
business associations to finance
business plan formation and
skills development in accoun-
tancy, management, governance
and technology. This will yield
long-term dividends for SMEs
to become competitive and for-
malised.
Corporate data transparency
regulations – Easy access to
corporate records, at scale, par-
ticularly on accurate ownership
information, is not impossible.
Governments should invest in
new Africa-centric data regu-
lations that, while protecting
individuals’ privacy, incentiv-
ise formal participation in the
private sector. SMEs will not
formalise until they are properly
incentivised to do so with finan-
cial rewards, and currently the
perception of a tax burden out-
weighs the various incentives.
SME credit ratings – One
innovation repeatedly in
demand from African bankers
is the ability to accurately rate
SMEs, along with the wider
private middle market, at scale.
This is a significant opportu-
nity for banks to work with
specialised fintech firms to
apply data solutions that have
already proven effective in the
consumer retail banking space
toward the SME and corporate
space.
Adapted from African Business
Magazine
 Executive Style
UN provides huge business
opportunities for Africans
Globally, the UN has
been reforming its supply
chain management. How
is this expected to foster
efficiency, particularly in
field missions, many of
W
which are in Africa?
hen Secretary-
General
António
Guterres was
elected to lead the UN,
he soon realised that the
organisation needed to
modernise, reduce its
bureaucracy, decentralise
authority, and change its
culture to focus on “results
and people rather than
bureaucracy and process,”
including its supply chain,
to make it more agile and
responsive. He also saw
the need to give people
working in the field,
particularly in peacekeeping
operations, better support to
successfully carry out their
mandates. These reforms would
promote efficiencies throughout
the institution.
So what impact has been made
so far?
The Secretary-General’s
management reforms
and the new supply chain
organisation came into being
on the first of January this
year, so we’re still in the
early days of these reforms.
As part of the new Office of
Supply Chain Management,
we merged procurement
and logistics—previously in
separate departments—into an
integrated supply chain under
the Department of Operational
Support. And now, as a
cohesive unit, we have become
more responsive. We are much
more agile. Is the job finished?
No, not yet. We still have a long
way to go, but we’re well on the
way to improving the support
that we give to peacekeeping
operations. For example we are
in the process of signing long-
term global freight forwarding
contracts this month, which will
make deliveries much faster for
our peacekeeping missions.
Part of the UN agenda is
gender equality and women’s
empowerment. With the
UN system’s procurement
volume at about $17 billion—
more than the GDP of many
countries in Africa—how is
your office enabling African
women looking to do business
with the UN?
I am a really strong supporter
of gender equality. I think
gender equality and women’s
empowerment is something
that has been overlooked for
far too long. In our UN supply
chain we proactively work to
ensure that opportunities are
available, particularly to small
and medium-sized enterprises
that are women-owned and
run in Africa and in other
developing countries. Women
are actively encouraged to bid
for UN contracts.
What are these women
business owners required to
Christian
Saunders
has been the
United Nations
Assistance
Secretary-
General in
the Office of
Supply Chain
Management.
He spoke
to the Africa
Renewal’s
Kingsley
Ighobor about
the opportunities
that African
companies can
tap form the UN.
do?
The UN buys a more
diverse portfolio of goods
and services than any other
entity—purchasing about
60,000 different items.  Thus,
there are opportunities for
many different businesses,
large and small, to supply the
UN. Our purchases range from
stationery to food supplies, ICT,
fuel, armored vehicles, aviation
services, and much more.
Must suppliers be large
multinational corporations to
get UN contracts?
No, that’s a misconception.
A lot of suppliers, particularly
small suppliers, shy away
from conducting business
with the UN and might think,
“Oh, this big entity based in
New York—it’s too difficult
for us to do business with the
UN.” But the reality is that
the majority of our purchase
orders are below $50,000. So
as long as they can supply
what we need—and with a
little homework and some
persistence—most small and
medium-sized companies will
Sept. 20 - 26 2019
be able to do business
with the UN.
How would you measure
your engagement with
African businesses
currently?
Last year we engaged
with companies from 54
African countries for a
total of approximately $600
million in a very diverse
set of goods and services—
fuel, construction, catering,
food rations, ICT, aviation
services, and so on.
Do you have a policy
on protecting the
environment? If so, how
do you implement such a
policy?
Since 2017 we’ve
had an environmental
strategy, particularly for
peacekeeping operations, and
we have an environmental
management system. This
predominantly deals with
areas such as energy, water,
wastewater, solid waste, etc. We
recognise that in the past, we
could have done better in this
regard, but we are committed
to improving in the future. The
UN needs to not only talk the
talk, but also walk the walk.
Do you have a message for
African youth, especially
young entrepreneurs?
There is so much innovation
going on in Africa. For example,
there is a computer tablet that
is able to monitor a person’s
heart rate and read their EKG
[electrocardiogram]—and
the results can be sent to a
doctor who may be 5,000
miles away to analyse and
provide a diagnosis. Africa is
also at the forefront in mobile
banking, solar energy, and off-
grid electrical supply. So, my
message to young people is,
keep innovating. The future for
Africa is very bright, limitless,
and extremely exciting.
27
business
TAXATION CSR

Kountable partners with Coca-Cola aids sickle cell fight

C
customs agencies in EA oca-Cola they chose to sponsor

G
Beverages Africa the event through their
lobal trade and technology has handed over water brand because
platform, Kountable, has formed a contribution they strongly believe
strategic partnerships with of Shs10million to the that water is life. He said
customs agencies in both Rwanda Uganda Sickle Cell they are engaging the
and Kenya. The first agencies to formally Rescue Foundation government to reduce tax
join the Kountable network were CLOFFIK as part of the support charges on water to make
and SPEDAG Interfreight of Rwanda. towards the forthcoming it more affordable to the
The company hopes that this partnership 5th Sickle Cell consumers on the market.
will provide its platform with a dedicated Conference happening on He said that the company
group of local customs experts to assist in Sept.19 at Hotel Africana. Simon Kaheru continues to support
the processing and payment for imported The contribution was in activities geared towards
goods. form of cash (Shs5million Kaheru, the public affairs fighting sickle cell given
“The more parties we have who validate and 100 cartons of and communications that 1000 babies are
and participate in a transaction the more Rwenzori Pure Natural director for Coca-Cola born every year with the
trust and transparency we bring to the Mineral Water). Simon Beverages Africa said disease.  
network,” Kountable CEO, Chris Hale
said. “We have gone through an extensive CSR
process to select these partners based on
their professionalism and strength of their Why Pilsner committed Shs50m to Busoga coronation

A
experience”. s part of its corpo-
The agencies are said to have been chosen rate social responsi-
upon undergoing a rigorous selection bility, this year Pil-
process that included in-depth interviews, sner Lager – a beer
obtaining recommendations from the brand under Uganda Brew-
Rwanda Revenue Authority’s (RRA’s) Risk eries Limited – committed
Management Office as well as the Kenya Shs50million towards the
Revenue Authority (KRA’s) Commissioner, recently concluded fifth cor-
Customs and Excise Services Department. onation anniversary celebra-
tions of the Kyabazinga of
Busoga, His Majesty William
Gabula Nadiope IV. UBL
marketing and innovations
director, Juliana Kagwa,
said the support towards the
kingdom was appropriate
since Pilsner lager has been
at the center of celebration of
culture in Uganda.
“Rooted in its tag line the
“The King’s Beer”, Pilsner
has over the time been
associated with celebration
of cultural traditions across
Uganda,” she said.
She said that more sup-
port of this nature will be
given in the future to further
cement their relationship
with the Kingdom.

AWARDS AWARDS

Sanlam unveils Services Awards Emirates wins third consecutive

operates. “The program Best Entertainment award

is open to all Rotary
Uganda clubs across
the country to allow
for clubs outside of the
Central Business area in
Kampala to be able to
benefit,” he said.
“The top three project
(L-R) Sanlam General CEO Gary Corbit , Rotary District D9211 initiatives will receive
Governor, Francis Xavier Sentamu and Sanlam Board Director, service awards worth
Rose Lillian Lubwama, during the Award lunch in Kampala Shs45 million. The top
O
n Sept.09, Middle East carrier, Emirates
clinched its third consecutive award
for Best Entertainment at the 2020
Passenger Choice Awards held during
the APEX EXPO in Los Angeles, USA.
The airline was also given a Five-Star Global
Airline Official Airline Rating, the highest rating
in the first airline rating program based solely on
verified and certified passenger feedback.
Emirates’ winning streak has been due to its

S
anlam General
Insurance has
unveiled Sanlam
Uganda Com-
munity Service Awards
to reward philanthropic
citizens who are making
a difference in their com-
munities through differ-
ent social initiatives.
The awards are part of
Sanlam Uganda Inspire
Initiative, the firm’s new
umbrella Corporate
Social Responsibility
(CSR) Programme.
Entries for the awards
are now open and will
close on Nov.01 at
12:00pm.
The insurer’s CEO,
Gary Corbit, said the
award is intended to
provide financial back-
ing to three of the most
outstanding projects that
support the communi-
ties in which Sanlam
initiative will receive
Shs20 million and the
second Shs15 million,
while the second runner
up will take home Shs10
million. We believe the
award funds will go a
long way in contributing
to their project progress.”
Rotary District D9211
Governor, Francis Xavier
Sentamu said the service
awards are a perfect
fit for the work Rotary
members and clubs do.
continual innovations in inflight entertainment,
setting the benchmark for customer experience.
The airline has been at the forefront of the
industry from being the first airline to install TV
screens in every seat in 1992 to allowing customers
to create and sync bespoke entertainment playlists
on its mobile app since last year.
Currently, Emirates is believed to provide one
of the most comprehensive and state-of-the-art
entertainment and communications services
in the skies. ice, its award-winning inflight
entertainment system, now offers over 4,500
channels of entertainment, including well over
1000 world movies – more than any other airline.

28 Sept. 20 - 26 2019
 business

Multichoice, PEP stores

inks a business deal
By Patricia Akankwatsa She said Multichoice and

M
PEP stores are on a mission
ultichoice Uganda to provide responsive Pay TV
has entered into packages, high quality service
a business deal and innovative technology to
with PEP stores, a the television viewers.
multi-national retail company, This development comes a
to bring DStv and GOtv prod- few days since the pay-tv com-
ucts and services closer to the pany announced a reduction
subscribers. in its subscription fees for its
The new arrangement means DSTV and GOTV packages.
that Multichoice customers will PEP stores Uganda Manager,
The Consortium for Enhancing University Responsiveness to Agri- now access services such as Liaan Scholtes, expressed his
business Development (CURAD) Managing Director, Apollo Segawa and sales, installation, subscription delight at the partnership with
Swiss Contact country director, Tania Haidara displays a report during payment and purchase acces- Multichoice.
the launch of the 6th National Agribusiness Innovations Challenge 2019 sories among others at the PEP “Customers have responded
held at Silver Springs Hotel on Sept 11.   INDEPENDENT/ ALFRED OCHWO stores countrywide. very well to the PEP brand, a
Patricia Kiconco, the head of clothes retailer here in Uganda.
customer experience and care We will continue to give our
at the Multichoice Uganda, said customers the best prices on
the new initiative is to enable a wide range of products that
customers access their services will now include DStv and
with convenience. GOtv merchandise at all our 13
“As of now, Multichoice stores countrywide,” Scholtes
Uganda has three branches said.
spread across the country. With He said Multichoice’s
two in Kampala and one in customers can now be assisted
Mbarara,” she said. “This is at all PEP stores located at
assurance to our customers in Kabalagala, clock tower,
the city an even deeper rooted Luwum Street, Park Royal,
and widespread presence, Jinja road, Bugolobi, Kireka,
in synergy with this historic Mukono, Victoria mall in
partnership with PEP Uganda Entebbe. As well as in Masaka,
stores.” Mbarara, Jinja and Mbale.
Crown Beverages Uganda ED Paddy Muramira, (3nd L) unveiled a three-
months promotion that will see consumers of their beverages to win
goods. The campaign dubbed Nyongeza with Mirinda and win Instantly
Aya bass winners will walkaway with mobile phones, radio hand sets,
decoders, sola lights and soda. The launch was at their head offices in
Nakawa Industrial area.  INDEPENDENT/ ALFRED OCHWO
Weekly share price movement (Sep. 03)
Security Sep. 03 Aug.08 Movement
BATU 30,000 30000 00
BOBU 130 128 1.5
CENT 1,037 1,157 10.3
QCL 130 130 00
DFCU 650 650 00
EABL 6,985 7,243 3.5
EBL 1,422 1,446 00
JHL 13,177 13,261 0.6
KA 89 105 15.2
KCB 1,430 1,411 1.3
NIC 12 12 00
NMG 1,356 1,609 15.7
NVL 325 329 1.2
SBU 28 29 3.4
Lands, Housing and Urban Development Minister, Betty Amongi announces UCHM 10 12 16.6
the closure of the Kampala Capital City Authority land registry and UCL 14 14 00
administration offices from Sept 16- 26, in preparation for system UMEME 297 297 00
upgrade.   INDEPENDENT/ ALFRED OCHWO
ALSI -- -- --

Sept. 20 - 26 2019 29
Ending HIV stigma
Woman wrongly convicted of spreading HIV released
D
By Ian Katusiime
uring the Christmas holiday
of 2018, Sylvia Komuhangi
went on a tour in northern
Uganda and decided to visit
her friend Grace Anena in
Kitgum. It was a visit that
would change her life. And her life changing
experience was sparked by her HIV status.
She is HIV Positive.
Trouble started one night, when Komu-
hangi and Anena were left alone in the
house with the baby of Anena’s niece,
Eunice Lakot. When Lakot came back, she
reportedly found reddish swellings in her
baby’s armpits and was alarmed. She secret-
ly contacted her other relatives.
Komuhangi and Anena recall being
woken up one morning to the sound of peo-
ple in their compound.
“They told me ‘You are a stranger in this
home,” Komuhangi recalls, “Some were
local authorities in the Local Council.”
Komuhangi and Anena were arrested
and charged on December 27, 2018 before
the Kitgum Magistrates Court.
Komuhangi was charged with committing
a “negligent act likely to spread disease con-
trary to Section 171 of the Penal Code Act of
the Republic of Uganda” while Anena was
charged with causing grievous bodily harm.
Anena got bail and was acquitted lat-
er while Komuhangi was denied bail on
grounds that she was a non-resident of the
area and remanded to Kitgum Prison.
During her detention in police cells, she
was tested and found HIV positive and this
appears to have sped up the pace of Komu-
hangi’s conviction. The Magistrates Court
sentenced her to two years in prison in June;
six months after her ordeal started. Even
when Lakot’s baby was tested and found to
be HIV negative, Komuhangi was kept in
jail.
One newspaper article labeled Komu-
hangi as a “monster” at the time of her
arrest. Another newspaper ran a story under
the headline; “Woman gets two year jail
term for infecting baby with HIV blood.”
Komuhangi would possibly still be lan-
guishing in jail if her case had not caught the
attention of lawyers from the NGO, Uganda
Network on Law, Ethics and HIV/AIDS
30 Sept. 20 - 26 2019
(UGANET). The lawyers learnt of Komu-
hangi’s case after her conviction. UGANET
appealed at the Gulu High Court and the
conviction was overturned on Aug.29.
Another step in fight against stigma
On Sept. 12, UGANET held a press con-
ference in Kampala at which they described
Komuhangi’s case as another example of the
unending stigma that persons living with
HIV/AIDS face. They said Kamuhangi’s
acquittal marked another step in the fight
against spreading HIV stigma.
“This has set free the community of peo-
ple living with HIV,” said Dora Musinguzi,
the executive director of UGANET at the
press briefing attended by other HIV/AIDS
activists like Lillian Mworeko, the director of
International Community of Women Living
with HIV/AIDS. Dr. Stephen Watiiti, the
chairman of the National Forum for People
Living with HIV/AIDS Network in Ugan-
da-(NAFOPHANU) was also present.
“Komuhangi was sentenced in unfair cir-
cumstances and on overblown facts. There
was not enough rigour,” Musinguzi told the
press.
Mworeko of the International Community
of Women Living with HIV/AIDS com-
mended court’s decision to acquit her. “This
is a gender issue. HIV criminalisation affects
women disproportionately,” she said.
She added that it makes it harder for
women living with HIV to cope.
Change discriminatory laws
Mworeko urged the Constitutional Court
to speed up Petition Number 24 of 2016
where the community of HIV activists chal-
lenged the HIV and AIDS Prevention and
Control Act 2014.
Activists say the current HIV law is
regressive and should be struck down. They
argue that it criminalises transmission which
intensifies discrimination. The HIV activists
say that mandatory testing, provided in the
law, is also discriminative.
“Parliament needs to resist criminal laws,”
Mworeko said. She also urged courts, law
enforcement agencies and media to exercise
restraint.
The activists said the media should not
spread stigma against persons living with
HIV. They said some reporting fuels dis-
crimination against people living with HIV/
AIDS. It was noted, however, that the media
serves a positive role since UGANET learnt
of Komuhangi’s conviction through a
newspaper story.
Dr. Watiiti, who is open about his HIV
positive status said there are over 1.3 mil-
lion Ugandans living with HIV and called
for an end to the prejudice toward them.
“Being HIV positive does not make you a
bad person. These days people with HIV
are living longer.”
Rosemary Namubiru, a nurse, was in
2014 sentenced to three years in jail for
criminal negligence over what seemed a
potential infection of a baby with the HIV
virus.
Her crime was that as an HIV positive
nurse, she placed the life of a baby in dan-
ger when she pricked herself with an injec-
tion she was administering.
In her defence, Namubiru said she
pricked herself accidentally as sometimes
happens among medical workers. But her
pleas were cast aside as police and swarms
of media cameras swooped on her. Test
results for HIV infection on the baby were
negative but Namubiru still served her
sentence.
When she was released after one year
of her sentence, she reportedly got threats
to harm her and had to travel to the coun-
tryside and stay away from her home in
Kampala for several months for her safety.
Since she was arrested, convicted and jailed,
Komuhangi who worked as a school teach-
er lost her job. She is free now after eight
months in jail but facing an uncertain future
because of HIV stigma.

Happy looking older man: A three-pronged intervention demonstrates it may be possible to reverse biological aging.
Reversing biological aging
Could scientists have stumbled upon a way to do it?
By Agencies
I
n a small clinical trial, scientists were
looking for a means to restore the thy-
mus — the gland that forms and releases
key immune cells. By doing so, they ac-
tually managed to reverse various aspects of
biological aging.
The thymus gland, located between the
lungs, is the organ within which T cells
— a critical population of immune cells —
mature. This gland also has a peculiarity.
After a person reaches puberty, it begins a
process of involution, which means that it
becomes less and less active and starts to
shrink in size gradually.
Studies have shown that thymic involu-
tion affects the size of immune cell popula-
tions related to it, possibly causing changes
to biological mechanisms when people reach
their 60s.
Prof. Steve Horvath from the University
of California, Los Angeles School of Public
Health and colleagues initially set out to see
if they could restore function in the aging
thymus.
In the study paper they recently published
in the journal `Aging Cell’, they explain that
“[t]hymic involution leads to the depletion
of critical immune cell populations, [...] and
is linked to age‐related increases in cancer
incidence, infectious disease, autoimmune
conditions, generalized inflammation, ath-
erosclerosis, and all‐cause mortality.”
For the reasons outlined above, the
researchers organised and conducted what
they believe is a first-of-its-kind clinical trial:
TRIIM (Thymus Regeneration, Immunores-
toration, and Insulin Mitigation).
The study took place between 2015–2017,
and the researchers were pleased with the
results they achieved. They found that it
was possible to restore thymic function and
reduce the risk of age-related conditions
and diseases linked to poor immune system
reaction. They also had a pleasant surprise.
At the end of the trial, the researchers found
that the mix of drugs they used to restore
the thymus gland had also reversed other
aspects of biological aging.
‘Significantly reduced’ biological age
A person’s biological age refers not to
how old they are in conventional years, but
to how much their biological mechanisms
have aged, according to their epigenetic
clocks — markers that indicate how changes
in various cellular mechanisms have affected
gene expression.
For their trial, Prof. Horvath and team
recruited 10 healthy adult males aged 51–65.
The researchers were able to use and analyse
data collected from nine of these individuals.
In the first week of the clinical trial, the
researchers gave the participants recombi-
nant human growth hormone (rhGH). In its
natural state, rhGH supports many different
aspects of cellular health, such as cell growth
and regeneration.
Previous studies — some conducted in
animals, and others with the participation
of individuals with HIV — have uncovered
evidence that rhGH could help restore thy-
mus function, as well as immune system
effectiveness.
To the regimen of rhGH, the researchers
Sept. 20 - 26 2019
HEALTH
then gradually added the steroid hormone
dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA) and then
metformin, a drug that helps increase insulin
sensitivity.
Prof. Horvath and team conducted MRI
imaging, different blood tests, and epigen-
etic age tests at various stages of the trial to
find out whether their approach had been
successful.
The researchers found that they were cor-
rect in thinking that the rhGH, DHEA, and
metformin combination could restore the
thymus gland later in life. They also discov-
ered that the intervention had “turned back”
the biological age clocks of the participants.
The investigators write:
“Although, on average, trial volunteer
epigenetic ages were lower than their
chronological ages at baseline, epigenetic age
was nevertheless significantly decreased by
treatment [...], with a mean change in [the
difference between the epigenetic age and
chronological age] after 12 months of about
2.5 years.”
Though these results are promising and
indicate that it may be possible to reverse
signs of biological aging, the researchers also
caution that the trial sample was very small.
They advise that future studies should
aim to replicate these findings in larger
cohorts to verify their validity.
The research team also notes that their tri-
al received financial support from Intervene
Immune, Inc., a company with a specific
interest in reversing thymic involution and
reversing the aging of the immune system.
Source: Medical news today
31
comment
By Kandeh K. Yumkella
Energy, employment, migration in Africa
How every job created directly by electricity in rural
communities creates five “productive use” jobs
A
fricans are increasingly unsettled.
Since 2010, at least one million
Sub-Saharan Africans have mi-
grated to Europe, and the number
migrating to the United States has also risen.
These trends have spurred considerable
political anxiety in destination countries. Yet
efforts to address a major factor driving this
exodus – the lack of employment opportuni-
ties in Africa – are failing to yield significant
results.
The African Development Bank (AfDB)
estimates that, unless stronger action is
taken now, 100 million young Africans will
be unemployed in 2030. To avoid such a
scenario, the Africa-Europe Alliance for
Sustainable Investment and Jobs, established
last year by the European Union and African
governments, aims to provide resources for
education and skills training, strengthen the
business environment and the private sector,
and improve investment conditions.
Similarly, over the next decade, the AfDB’s
Jobs for Youth in Africa initiative is supposed
to equip 50 million young people with mar-
ketable skills, and to create 25 million jobs.
Most of that employment will be in agricul-
ture, where growth, the World Bank reports,
is 2-4 times more effective in raising incomes
among the poorest people than growth in
other sectors.
To tap this potential, AfDB President
Akinwumi Adesina has called for turning
rural areas “from zones of economic misery
to zones of economic prosperity,” which
requires “new agricultural innovations” and
the transformation of agriculture into “a
sector for creating wealth.” Given that Africa
has the world’s youngest population – 60%
of the continent’s inhabitants are under the
age of 35 – this transformation also requires
making agriculture “a really cool choice for
young people.”
Already, 70% of Africa’s youth reside in
rural areas and work in agriculture, which
is expected to be a trillion-dollar industry
by 2030. The AfDB hopes to take advantage
of this to foster a cohort of “agripreneurs,”
and has invested nearly $1 billion in this goal
since 2016. Small and growing businesses
currently account for just one-fifth of jobs
in emerging economies, compared to three-
xxxii Sept. 20 - 26 2019
fifths in the developed countries.
But there is a major barrier to agricultural
development in Africa: scaling up any
industry requires reliable, uninterrupted
electricity, which much of rural Africa –
home to more than 600 million people – does
not have. Fortunately, there is a way to close
this gap and create millions more jobs that
reduce so-called distress migration: fully
embrace and accelerate the development of
Africa’s nascent distributed renewable-en-
ergy industry.
According to a new report by Power for
All, an industry advocacy group, distrib-
uted renewable energy in Africa – which
includes mini-grids and solar infrastructure
for households, businesses, and productive
purposes like irrigation – already directly
employs as many workers as traditional
power utilities. These jobs are largely
“sticky” – two-thirds are full-time and long-
term – and the majority are high-skill posi-
tions that command middle-level incomes.
Young people aged 18-25 form about 40% of
the total rural-electrification workforce.
To tap this
potential, AfDB
President
Akinwumi Adesina
has called for
turning rural
areas “from zones
of economic
misery to zones
of economic
prosperity
Africa’s distributed renewable-energy
industry is just getting started. By 2022-
23, the number of jobs in the industry is
expected to double in Kenya and soar
more than tenfold in Nigeria. According to
one recent projection, off-grid solar alone
could create 1.3 million full-time-equivalent
jobs across East, West, and Central Africa,
as well as South Asia, by 2022. Previous
estimates suggest that, by 2030, the off-
grid renewable-energy value chain could
generate at least 4.5 million jobs, including
entrepreneurs, technicians, distributors, and
installers.
And that is only direct employment.
According to the Powering Jobs report, for
every job created directly by a private firm
delivering electricity to rural communities
via decentralized renewables, five “produc-
tive use” jobs (based on the application of
a distributed renewable-energy product or
service) may be created in the communities
being electrified. This would include, for
example, jobs in solar-powered milling,
dairy processing, or cold chain storage facil-
ities.
Yet creating jobs is just the first step;
workers also have to be able to fill them.
And, as the Powering Jobs report showed,
Africa’s skills gap – in terms of both hard
and soft skills (including in middle man-
agement) – is growing. The right technical,
marketing, financial, and management capa-
bilities are essential.
African governments and their donors and
partners are already committed to investing
in skills-building and job creation. Given the
implications for employment, development,
and migration, there is a strong case for
channeling a significant share of that invest-
ment toward Africa’s distributed renew-
able-energy industry.
Kandeh K. Yumkella, former United Nations
Undersecretary-General for Sustainable Energy
and Director General of the UN Industrial
Development Organization, is a co-founder of the
African Energy Leaders Group.
Copyright: Project Syndicate, 2019.

By Ronald Kakungulu-Mayambala
Blocking activists on social media
How Uganda is using old and new laws crack down on
citizens, activists and politicians who criticise the president
A
ctivists who use digital media are
protected by international law and
protocols that guarantee freedom of
expression.
Under international law, freedom of
expression is also protected on the internet
and mobile devices. It stands to reason then
that the same rights enjoyed offline should
be enjoyed online.
There are also protections in Africa. For
example, the African Charter on Human
and Peoples Rights provides that every indi-
vidual has the right to receive information
and to express and disseminate opinions
within the law.
The African Commission has also acknowl-
edged the importance of freedom of expres-
sion in the digital space. African nations are
required by regional law to guarantee the
right to freedom of information and expres-
sion on the internet.
But these rights aren’t always protected.
Take the case of Uganda. Its Constitution
protects freedom of expression and the
courts have expanded this to include free
speech expressed via new forms of tech-
nology.
Yet freedom of speech and expression is
not a reality in Uganda. The government
continues to use domestic laws on electronic
communication to crack down on citizens,
activists and politicians who criticise the
president on the internet.
This is unfortunate. Digital activism in the
political sphere is critical. It enables govern-
ment critics and political activists to hold the
government to account. This is clear from the
way in which digital platforms like Facebook
have been used by opposition politicians.
For instance, Robert ‘Bobi Wine’ Kyagulanyi
often shares his message on social media
when he is barred from traditional media
platforms.
This explains why the Ugandan govern-
ment is reinterpreting old criminal libel laws
and enacting new ones to restrict digital
activism.
Why Uganda is wrong
Activists in Uganda who use social media
find themselves vulnerable to action by the
state on a number of fronts.
The first is the country’s defamation laws.
While courts in Kenya, Zimbabwe and else-
where on the continent have held that crim-
inal defamation laws are unconstitutional,
in Uganda the state continues to take a hard
stance. In 2013 for instance, security minister
Muruli Musaka announced the creation of
a social media monitoring centre. The aim,
he said, was to weed out those who use it to
damage the government and people’s repu-
tations.
Then there is the Computer Misuse Act,
under which charges such as cyber harass-
ment and offensive communication can
be brought. This has happened frequently
against online activists.
For example, in 2016 Swaibu Nsamba
Gwogyolonga, a political activist, was
arrested and charged with offensive commu-
nication. The charge was brought because of
a picture he’d posted on Facebook of Presi-
dent Yoweri Museveni lying dead in a coffin.
And in 2017, David Mugema and Jonah
Muwanguzi were arrested and charged with
offensive communication for posting a song
on their social media platforms calling for
the resignation of President Museveni.
The most notorious use of these provi-
sions was the recent conviction of Stella
Nyanzi. The Makerere University lecturer
and human rights activist has a considerable
social media following.
She was charged with the offence of cyber
harassment after writing a caustic Facebook
post in which she called the president “a
pair of buttocks” and the first lady “emp-
ty-brained”. She subsequently wrote a
poem lamenting the fact that the president’s
deceased mother had not aborted him.
By using laws such as the Computer
Misuse Act, the Ugandan state has crimi-
nalised criticism of the president. This runs
contrary to the country’s Constitution.
Other laws like the Anti-Terrorism Act are
also used to limit freedom of expression. The
Act allows the security apparatus to inter-
cept private communication without a war-
rant while investigating terror activities.
The fear is that the state will brand activists
who use social media platforms as terrorists
so that it can put them under surveillance.
For instance, in August 2019, the Wall
Street Journal reported that Ugandan
security officials had worked with Huawei
technicians to hack into opposition politician
Kyagulanyi’s phone. He had previously
been accused of treason and attempted
terrorism. This shows how the Ugandan
state can create the impression that vocal
dissenters are in fact terrorists.
Sept. 20 - 26 2019
COMMENT
More than that, the Regulation of Intercep-
tion of Communication Act allows bona fide
interception of communication in connection
with the provision, installation, maintenance
or repair of a telecommunication service.
Ugandan internet service providers are
required to ensure that their telecommu-
nication systems are technically capable of
supporting lawful interception without it
being detectable by users. This is an outright
breach of privacy.
The Uganda Communications Act is also
problematic. In the run-up to the presiden-
tial election in 2006, for example, the govern-
ment used the provisions of the act – which
are to monitor, inspect, licence, supervise,
control and regulate communications
services – to block access to Radio Katwe
because the online station was critical of the
president.
Shut downs
The other way in which activists are barred
from using social media platforms, and the
internet, is through shut downs.
Museveni has on several occasions shut
down the Internet and blocked access
to social media platforms like Facebook,
Twitter and WhatsApp.
The Ugandan government has also intro-
duced a social media tax. The idea was ini-
tiated by Museveni, who argued that Ugan-
dans were using social media platforms to
gossip. The tax was meant to raise resources
to cope with the consequences.
In today’s Internet era the right to freedom
of expression, with all its attendant bene-
fits to democracy, is best exercised online.
Any limitation or infringement of this right
should be viewed circumspectly. These
efforts by the Ugandan government to limit
online freedom of expression should be
resisted as much as possible.
Ronald Kakungulu-Mayambala is Associate
Professor of Human Rights, Law and Peace,
Makerere University
Additional research was done by Solomon
Rukundo. He holds an LLB (Hons) from the
University of Dar es Salaam, and a Diploma in
Legal Practice from Uganda’s Law Development
Centre
Source:theconversation
33
comment
By Crispin Kaheru
Changing Uganda’s electoral system
Citizens want real reforms not the cosmetic changes the
Attorney General tabled five Bills before parliament
O
n 25 July, the Attorney General
of Uganda, William Byaruhanga
tabled five electoral reform Bills
in Parliament. The Bills were: the
Presidential Elections (Amendment) Bill
No.17, 2019, the Parliamentary Elections
(Amendment) Bill No.18, 2019, Electoral
Commission (Amendment) Bill No. 19, 2019,
Political Parties and Organisations (Amend-
ment) Bill No. 20, 2019, and the Local Gov-
ernments (Amendment) Bill No.21, 2019.
The amendments contained in the Bills
are meant to provide for the time of filing
and determination of petitions, the nature
of evidence used in an electoral petition,
the time for holding fresh elections, the use
of technology, equal use of state owned
media, restrictions around donations during
election period, regulation of involvement
of public officers in political campaigns, the
role of the Attorney General in election peti-
tions and timely enactment of relevant elec-
toral legislation, as per the Supreme Court
recommendations in the Presidential Elec-
tion Petition No. 1 of 2016 (Amama Mbabazi
Petition) among other aspects.
This happens to be the earliest that the
country has seen amendments to electoral
laws brought before Parliament – prior to
a general election. Uganda’s next general
election is scheduled for January/February
2021. The electoral reform Bills were tabled
approximately a year and a half prior to the
next general election polling day. It is easy
to argue that this was comparatively early in
as much as it would be valid to contend that
it was technically late.
It was early in the sense that, in the past
electoral cycles, government has tabled
electoral reforms less than six (6) months to
an election. At the launch of the strategic
plan and the road map for 2020/2021 general
elections on December 11, 2018, the Electoral
Commission, envisaged that amendments to
the electoral law would be completed before
the end of the first quarter of 2019 – to pave
way for the implementation of the roadmap
based on a solid legislative framework.
Key exercises in preparation of the next
general elections have already commenced.
For instance, the demarcation of electoral
areas and reorganisation of polling stations
started on Sept.02. This important exercise
is intended to identify and create electoral
areas on one hand, as well as place voters
in their rightful polling stations in their
34 Sept. 20 - 26 2019
respective electoral area. These are quite
significant exercises. For a voter, if you do
not pay attention to these processes, you risk
not knowing where you will be voting from
in next election.
While the already on-going electoral exer-
cises are critical, they would have made
better meaning if they were conducted
under a firm, well pre-determined legislative
framework. Part of the uncertainty brewing
around the country’s electoral operations
can be explained by the absence of specific
aspects in Uganda’s legal regime for election
management.
For instance there is currently an ongoing
exercise to demarcate electoral areas. How-
ever, there are also amendments in the Local
Governments (Amendment) Bill No.21,
2019 that are aimed at reviewing popula-
tion quotas for electoral areas such as cities,
municipalities, divisions etc.
Therefore, good as it may be, the exercise
of amending electoral laws that is currently
underway is akin to setting or changing
rules of a game when the game has already
commenced. That is why it is, in fact, gen-
erally good practice to amend electoral laws
immediately after an election.
Generally speaking, the tabled reforms
respond to key aspects of the 2016 Supreme
Court recommendations. However, they do
not seem to significantly address the real
challenges that afflict Uganda’s election
management system.
For example, the Presidential Elections
Experience
shows that when
state or private
media houses
deny political
candidates (or
their agents)
media space, it is
on ‘orders’ from
individuals in
government
Amendment Bill, just like the Parliamentary
Elections Amendment Bill, seeks to provide
for restrictions on candidates’ sources of
funding for elections. However, the intent
of the law should be to regulate rather than
restrict candidates’ sources of funding. It
should foster campaign finance disclosure
where applicable.
The Bills before Parliament also do not
provide for the explicit prohibition of the
involvement of public officers in partisan
political campaigns and neither do they
define the special procedures for voting of
persons in restricted areas.
Given the country’s past experiences,
where public officers have time and again,
been involved in open partisan cam-
paigning, the amendments ought to reflect
severe punishments for those public officers
who participate in political campaigns.
Similarly, given the lingering doubts
around the transparency of voting in
restricted areas, it would instill more confi-
dence within the electorate if the procedures
for voting in such areas are made explicit
and clearly stipulated by the law.
The proposed amendments that remove
the time limit (of 48 hours) within which
every returning officer furnishes a presiding
officer in the district with voting material
prior to an election could easily create
uncertainty around when actually polling
materials can be distributed. It is possible
that a returning officer could deliver polling
materials to presiding officers days, weeks
or even months prior to the election day
or could convey the voting materials just a
couple of minutes to polling. Either way,
this could leave a lot of room for potential
manipulation.
On one hand, it increases the risk of mal-
practices like tampering with polling mate-
rial (in case the material is in the hands of
Presiding Officers for a very long time), and
on the other, it creates a possibility of voters
being disenfranchised (in the event the mate-
rial is delivered at the last minute prior to
polling).
Therefore, to avoid the 2016 general elec-
tions’ experience where polling materials
were delivered late to some polling stations
in Wakiso and Kampala (and a few other
places around the country), it remains
important that the law retains a prescription
of a specific time (48 hours) within which
presiding officers receive polling material.

The amendment that creates an offence
for any state owned media and personnel
who do not provide balanced media for
all candidates can be read as progressive.
However, this proposal could be barking
the wrong tree. Experience shows that when
state or private media houses deny political
candidates (or their agents) media space, it is
on ‘orders’ from individuals in government.
The law should address itself to the origin of
such ‘orders’ rather than placing the burden
on the management and staff of a media
house. In fact, within this context, in order to
guard against a risk of self-censorship on the
part of the journalists employed by media
houses, the law should provide for sanctions
against the media house themselves and not
necessarily the personnel.
While most of the gaps observed in the
Bills could be resolved through the on-going
consultations on the amendments, it remains
clear that even though the Bills are panel
beaten and passed, they would still not ade-
quately guarantee the best election.
The amendments before Parliament do
not tackle the real political and electoral
reforms that would progressively change
the electoral management framework of
Uganda. Proposals to reinstate Presidential
term and age limits, make the appointment
process of the Electoral Commission more
transparent, streamline the role of security
agencies in elections, check the rising elec-
toral violence, regulate the bad influence
of money in campaigning, and strengthen
the doctrine of separation of powers, do not
seem to be adequately reflected anywhere in
the amendments.
While indeed it may be accurate to say that
some of these require amending the Con-
stitution, it is also correct to say that many
require programs to be operationalised and
mindset change.
The reform of Uganda’s election system
is not just about tinkering with Acts of Par-
liament in anyway. It is about welcoming
progressive elements such as the code of
conduct for political parties and organi-
sations, about objectively critiquing the
proposals tabled, properly enforcing the
existing (good) laws, conducting a compre-
hensive legal reform that includes reviewing
the Constitution, and most importantly, it is
about subjecting Uganda to a surgical moral
reform process (as a society) and collectively
committing ourselves to live by certain
moral standards.
Short of that, what we are going through
now may be yet another exercise in fulfill-
ment of a regular pre-election ritual with
little or no significant consequences. In
fact, the exercise risks being seen as a mere
maneuver to impose cosmetic changes to the
electoral system.
Crispin Kaheru is the Coordinator of the Citizens’
Coalition for Electoral Democracy in Uganda
(CCEDU)
By Peter Nyanzi
Kampala flyover project
Better beauty aesthetics will bring
our city at par with modern cities
T
he Government through Uganda
National Roads Authority 
(UNRA) has embarked on the
implementation of the Kampala
Flyover Project in Kampala City. The
flyover project starts from the Shoprite
junction near the Old Taxi Park, through 
the Clock Tower and Nsambya Rd
Junctions, through Mukwano Rd to the
Kitgum House junction on Jinja Road and
ends at the Africana Hotel roundabout 
near UMI.
According to UNRA, the project will
include modern interchanges, bridges
and roads that pass on top of others –
commonly known as flyovers. By all
standards, this is a landmark project 
given that it is the first of its kind in
Uganda.
It is a by-product of the Greater
Kampala Road Network and Transport 
Improvement study by the Japan
International Cooperation Agency
(JICA), which was carried out about ten
years ago. The study found that traffic 
congestion in the Greater Kampala
Metropolitan Area, which comprises
Kampala Capital City Authority, and
the Municipalities of Entebbe, Mukono,
Nansana, and Kira is continuing to
worsen, and that if not dealt with, it could 
derail Uganda’s national and regional
economic development goals.
The study found that the congestion
has been a result of rising urbanisation, a
poor road network and public transport
systems. Additionally, the study found
that the traffic congestion around 
Shoprite and the Clock Tower was the
worst in Uganda and the area is the most
prone to accidents involving pedestrians.
The researchers consequently
recommended that flyovers, road
widening and walkways be built, which
they added would have important
implications for environmental
conservation, road safety, poverty
reduction and national development.
Here are ten of the many expected
benefits that will accrue from the land 
mark project:
 Reduced commuting time hence less
wastage of time in traffic jams and
more time spent on productive work.
The current average driving speed in
Kampala is just 4.4km/hr in Kampala
but it will be expected to double when
Sept. 20 - 26 2019
comment
the project is completed.
 Better road safety outcomes due to
fewer accidents; especially involving
pedestrians and cyclists. Pedestrian-
friendly walkways/footpaths are to be
developed or upgraded.
 Reduced wear, tear and damage to
motor vehicles and road surfaces and
hence lower costs of maintenance and
higher longevity.
  Less time in traffic jams will lead to
reduced air and water pollution in
the city because of lower emissions
of deadly gases hence a better
environment and better climate
change mitigation outcomes.
 Reduced fuel wastage in traffic
jams would lead to lower costs on
transport and thus more disposable
income for workers and households.
 Modernisation, beautification and
better aesthetics for Kampala City
thus bringing our city at par with
other modern cities around the world.
 Lower costs of travel would lead
to a lower cost of doing business
and hence more profitability for
entrepreneurs, investors and the
business community generally hence
more taxes for national development.
 There will be more job opportunities
as Ugandans would be recruited to
work on the projects plus of course
more income for BUBU companies,
which will supply construction
materials such as steel, cement,
gravel, and sand among others
 Given that the project is being
undertaken by highly-experienced
Japanese engineering professionals
working in concert with Ugandans,
there will be technology transfer as
specialised skills, technologies and
expertise in modern engineering
techniques will be passed on from the
Japanese experts to their Ugandan
counterparts who will be able to
implement such projects in other
streets or towns in the future.
The project would lead to a less
congested city, a healthier population,
more productive working hours,
higher profitability for business, more
jobs, and more taxes all of which
would eventually lead to national
development.
35
comment
By Ottilia Anna Maunganidze
Africa champions multilateralism
Although often unnoticed, Africa’s potential as a
champion of regional cooperation deserves unlocking
A
frican countries’ commitment to
multilateralism has often gone
unnoticed. But, at a time when
the world is increasingly turning
its back on shared institutions, this could
change, with Africa emerging as a vocal –
and empowered – champion of multilater-
alism at the regional, continental, and global
levels.
African countries have long recognised
multilateralism’s integral role in fostering
development, prosperity, and peace. That
is why, beyond supporting global efforts
– such as the United Nations, the Non-
Aligned Movement, and the G77 – Africa
established the Organisation of African
Unity (OAU) in 1963. From the 1960s to
the 1990s, multilateral initiatives provided
critical support for African countries as they
escaped colonialism and ended apartheid.
The OAU’s successor, the African Union
(AU), embodies the widely held conviction
that global cooperation and regional inte-
gration are continental imperatives. A pillar
of global multilateralism, the 55-member
organisation is particularly effective at the
UN General Assembly, where sheer num-
bers are key to getting motions passed.
At the continental level, the AU comprises
eight regional bodies covering Southern,
Central, Eastern, Western, and Northern
Africa. Regarded as the building blocks of
the wider African Economic Community,
these bodies facilitate coordination among
neighbours in ways that support the AU’s
broader peace, security, development, and
governance agendas.
Given the persistence of violent conflict in
Africa, most of the AU’s resources are chan-
neled toward promoting continental peace
and security. The AU now takes the lead on
peace operations on the continent (including
those deployed by the UN) and participates
in most political negotiations and mediation
efforts.
The AU sometimes contributes to such
efforts directly. For example, in Sudan, AU
negotiators, led by Special Envoy Mohamed
el Hacen Lebatt of Mauritania and Ethiopian
Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed, were instru-
mental in securing a power-sharing agree-
ment between the ruling military council
and civilian opposition leaders.
When appropriate, however, the AU defers
to regional bodies, while continuing to offer
36 Sept. 20 - 26 2019
active support. The Southern African Devel-
opment Community takes the lead in medi-
ation efforts relating to conflicts and political
impasses in the Democratic Republic of
Congo, Lesotho, and Zimbabwe. Likewise,
the Economic Community of West African
States stands at the forefront of counter-ter-
rorism efforts and responses to violent
extremism in Western Africa.
The AU also works hard to deepen eco-
nomic integration, especially by fostering
intra-continental trade. Here, Africa has
a long way to go: as it stands, only 15%
of African countries’ exports stay on the
continent (for comparison, Asian countries
account for 58% of Asian exports, and 67%
of Europe’s exports remain in Europe).
Against this background, plans to establish
an African Monetary Union with a single
currency by 2023 are highly ambitious, to
say the least.
But that does not mean that no progress is
being made, or even that this single-currency
goal is unattainable. The African Continental
Free Trade Agreement (AfCFTA) – which
entered into force last March and has now
been signed by 54 of 55 AU countries – could
well unleash rapid economic integration.
Africa has established several other mul-
tilateral organiszations to facilitate dispute
resolution and foster cooperation. These
include the Pan-African Parliament; the
African Development Bank, the Economic,
Social and Cultural Council, the African
Commission on Human and Peoples’ Rights,
and the African Court on Human and Peo-
ple’s Rights.
But severe financial constraints impede
these institutions’ ability to fulfill their man-
dates. As a result, Africa still relies heavily on
global multilateral institutions. The majority
of UN Security Council resolutions focus on
Africa, where UN agencies – such as the UN
Refugee Agency, the International Organiza-
tion for Migration, the UN Children’s Fund,
and the World Food Programme – also do
much of their work.
While such efforts are valuable, they sus-
tain an imbalanced dynamic and perception
of Africa acting more as a beneficiary of
global multilateralism than an active partic-
ipant – let alone a leader – in it. But no one
understands the African context better than
Africans. And, given their long-standing
commitment to multilateral approaches,
and it seems clear that Africans should be
playing a larger role in guiding international
initiatives on the continent and beyond.
Such a shift requires, first and foremost,
continued progress on African integration.
In economic terms, this means building on
recent successes like the AfCFTA in order
to advance toward true economic and
monetary union. In political terms, it means
strengthening the AU, including by imple-
menting proposed institutional reforms and
ensuring sustainable financing.
At the same time, the structure of global
institutions must be better aligned with
a changing geopolitical context. African
leaders are already calling for an expanded
role in the UN Security Council. World
Trade Organisation rules and International
Monetary Fund quotas should also be
revised, so that they no longer place devel-
oping regions at a disadvantage.
Africa may still need support from the
international community, but that does not
mean that it should be a passive aid recip-
ient. Instead, global multilateral institutions
should empower the continent to participate
actively in setting and implementing their
agendas. As reforms are introduced and
progress accelerates, the need for external
support will only diminish.
Founded on a strong sense of shared
identity and driven by common interests,
Africa’s commitment to multilateralism is
a force to be reckoned with – or, at least, it
can be. With international institutions under
unprecedented strain, unlocking Africa’s
potential as a champion of multilateralism is
in everyone’s interests.
This article is part of a joint initiative of the
Körber-Stiftung and the Munich Security
Conference on the future of multilateralism,
multilateral best practices, and regional
perspectives on multilateral cooperation. Starting
September 19, the full project will be available for
download at www.munich-young-leaders.org.
Ottilia Anna Maunganidze is Head of Special
Projects in the Office of the Executive Director at
the Institute for Security Studies (ISS), Pretoria.
Copyright: Project Syndicate, 2019.
 ART | BOOKS | SOCIETY | TRAVEL | CULTURE
New art, new audiences
Overturning perception of art as elitist
I
By Dominic Muwanguzi
n any part of the world today,
in any art gallery or museum of
contemporary art, it is no longer
unusual to encounter a black and
white or coloured photo image
sedately sitting behind a glass
frame or a larger than life installation
created from found objects (organic sand
synthetic) occupying the gallery foyer.
These types of artworks attest to the rapid
evolution taking place in contemporary
art globally. For artists to remain relevant
to the ever- shifting tastes and preferences
among the public and to tap into the
increasingly advanced technologies in
the present times, they have to innovate
and create what community appropriate
art. Additionally, this “new art” prompts
reaching out to new audiences; the type
that rarely patronises art galleries, to
ensure a universal artistic movement that
questions the ongoing of the everyday.
My first meeting with new art was in
2012 during the Visionary Africa- Art at
Work itinerary workshop that happened in
Kampala under the auspices of European
Union and other partners. As part of the
workshop, a pavilion was erected in the
gardens adjacent to the Uganda Railway
Station, along Jinja Road. The pavilion
hosted a photography exhibition with
a series of photos from Uganda’s post-
colonial period until the mid-seventies.
Eminently showing was former
President Idi Amin Dada photographed
in what used to be his usual bravado
style; wearing his uniform complete with
ornamental military badges. I remember
the exhibition curator, Simon Njami,
remarking as he took us around the
exhibit space that photography as an art
form is unique because it is light and
therefore palpable to larger audiences,
unlike painting and sculpture that may
necessitate a prior knowledge of the
principles and elements of fine art. In the
context of this exhibit, everyone present
at least knew or had heard of General Idi
Amin Dada and could obviously develop
diverse interpretations why his pictures
where being shown here.
Since that time, I have frequently
encountered different forms of new
art including video art, soundscapes,
installations ( ephemeral), performance
art, projections and text-based works.
These artworks are essential in showing
both how artists are steadfast in creating
art that is relevant to the shifting tastes
and preferences of the individual, as well
as, tap into new technology to push the
boundaries of traditional art making.
The recent itinerary exhibition, Future
Africa Vision in Time 2019, held at the
Makerere art gallery is a testimony to how
artists from across the continent and afar
are making the most of new art to reach
out to different audiences and provoke
diverse discourses about contemporary
issues. Here, the artists showcased art in
all new art disciplines to illustrate the need
to convey a specific message to audiences
and provoke the young artists at the
university to think different when making
Sept. 20 - 26 2019
art. The latter is central to new forms of
art production today since the traditional
perception about art making has always
been the use of synthetic or imported
material to make art. Pamela Enyonu
(Uganda), Derrick Komakech (Uganda),
James Muiruki (Kenya) Lynn Lelliott and
Paul D Miller aka DJ Spooky all produced
art from everyday materials or “the self-
introspection”.
The legitimacy of such art has been won
through the establishment of biennials that
celebrate the art form. So far, photography
is at its peak with photo festivals popping
up in at least every corner of the world.
A recent additional to the long list of
photography festivals globally is the Kigali
Photofest that took place in June this year.
The festival ‘founded by photographers
for photographers’ saw photographers
from across the continent showcase their
work and exploit it as a platform for
more international undertakings. Similar
Photo Festivals across the continent and
internationally include the LagosPhoto
Festival, AddisFoto Fest, FotoFest (Texas),
Rencontres d’Arles (Arles, France) and
Photo London ( Somerset London). All
these are overturning the perception of
art as an elitist subject – one exclusive to
specific type of people- and inevitably are
interrogating the themes that are to be
found in our everyday.
Images courtesy of Kigali PhotoFest
37
Fake money
worries Kenyans
Fake so-called new generation
bank notes have hit the mainstream
financial market with weeks to the
September 30 deadline as imitators
rush to beat the Central Bank at
its own game. The introduction of
new notes was hoped to disrupt
currency counterfeits, estimated to
be in billions of shillings. But the
move by the fraudsters to quickly
imitate the money is set to be a big
blow to efforts to rid the country of
dirty and fake money. The Nation
newspaper revealed that the coun-
terfeiters are getting better with
every currency revision they have
hurriedly come up with, and they
are perfecting the art.
Busia women swap
husbands
Two Busia women have
swapped their husbands in an
unusual twist after each deserted
their marriages over unending
family woes. When Millicent
Auma, a mother of two, left her
husband; Christopher Abwire,
she moved in with Kevin Barasa.
But Barasa’s wife; 28-year-old
Lillian Weta could not stand it
and she did the unusual. She
approached Auma’s former hus-
band, Abwire and suggested they
become a couple. He agreed. The
two couples are now happier and
have even met and embraced the
unusual move. “Since she (Lilian)
came, all my stresses have var-
nished. I sleep well and I eat well
too, and anything I want I’m giv-
en,” said an elated Abwire. “I am
happy with my new wife,” said
Barasa, “It is an exchange.”
Woman left with mouth stuck open after laughing too hard
A Chinese woman recently
had to have her jaw set back
in place by a doctor after she
dislocated it by laughing too
loudly. I guess laughter really
wasn’t the best medicine
for her, quite the contrary.
The bizarre incident took
38 Sept. 20 - 26 2019
Young man caught impersonating 81-year-old to fly to New York
A 32-year-old man Singh and the date of Security Force (CISF).
was apprehended at birth 1 February 1938, But Sub-Inspector
New Delhi airport reports local media. Patel Rajveer Singh from the
after he was found to had disguised himself by CISF said Patel’s appear-
be impersonating an dying his beard white, ance and skin texture
81-year-old to fly to using a wheelchair and seemed to be much
New York. Jayesh Patel wearing glasses and a younger than mentioned
was attempting to travel turban, according to a in the passport. Under
using a fake passport statement released by questioning he admitted
bearing the name Amrik India’s Central Industrial his real name.
74-year-old woman becomes Terrifying Deepfake
world’s oldest ever to give birth app lets you swap
Mangayamma, a 74-year- but despite visiting countless faces with virtually
old woman in India’s Anthar
Pradesh state, recently became
doctors and temples, the
couple was unable to bear chil- anyone
the oldest woman in history dren for 54 years of their mar-
Zao is a Chinese artificial
to give birth, after successfully riage. But, even after reaching
intelligence-powered app
delivering twin baby girls fol-
lowing an IVF procedure.
menopause some 25 years ago,
the woman still had a strong
that allows users to swap
faces with anyone. The
“I am very happy. God has
answered our prayers,” Man-
desire to give birth, and last
year, after seeing a 55-year-old app allows the user to
gayamma told reporters “We neighbor become pregnant superimpose his/her simple
are the happiest couple on via in-vitro fertilisation, she picture on to the face of
earth today. We have our own and her husband decided to any character in a video or
children.” The woman had undergo the procedure as well. GIF in just 8 seconds with
married Yaramati Sitarama Doctors at Ahalya Nursing truly breathtaking results.
Rajarao, a farmer from Nelapa- Home in Guntur performed For example, one user was
rthipudi village, back in 1962, the procedure. able to swap faces with
famous movie star Leonardo
DiCaprio and fulfil their
dream of starring in
blockbusters like `Titanic’.
When the app was
recently uploaded to China’s
iOS App Store, it became the
number one downloaded
app on the platform in only
two days. But it has sparked
serious privacy concerns
due to how convincing the
transformation can be. It has
potential to deceive millions
of people by showing
famous individuals saying
or doing something they
never actually did. Concerns
about Zao and its advanced
place on September 1st, on a before, as a result of puking face-swapping magic were
high-speed train heading to during her pregnancy. expressed by Chinese state-
Guangzhou South Railway Apparently, once you run media as well, with
Station. After Dr. Luo dislocate your jaw once, you some asking if it could be
Wensheng who was on board are likely to do so again, used maliciously and even
the train helped reset the while yawning, laughing or become “a threat to national
jaw, the woman told him she just opening your mouth too security”.
had dislocated her jaw once much.

Keep your ‘smart’ car
safe using old tricks
By Motoring Guru
I
magine waking up to find your
priceless vehicle is not where you
parked it. Gone; it has been stolen.
If your car happens to be he more
digitally `connected’ newer type, it
might be that over-reliance on new
technology has made you drop your
guard. So we remind you of some old-
fashioned ways to protect your car in
this digital age.
Lock the doors manually
In case you own, a `smart’ car;
the kind that is `connected’ with
technologies like Bluetooth and keyless
entry, you can throw off thieves by
locking your car manually – with the
key. Remember thieves targeting a
smart car will either clone your key’s
wireless signal or hack it through
interceptors. You beat them at it when
you use your key analogue-style.
If you are the really high-tech type
and not keen on using the above
manual approach, you could use what
is called a Faraday bag. This is a special
bag that uses technology to ensure
thieves cannot intercept signals from
your car keys to the vehicle. A Faraday
bag works by blocking the signal from
your car keys.
Install a vehicle tracker
The vehicle tracker works on the
principle that if someone really wants
to steal your car, they will find a way
to steal it. So the vehicle tracker uses
the Global Position System (GPS) to let
you know that your vehicle is where
you want it to be; mobile or stationary.
Sept. 20 - 26 2019
That way, you are quickly alerted
when something goes wrong. In case of
theft, the thieves can drive it but they
cannot hide it because the GPS will
give away the vehicles location. Police
and then recover it. The most common
GPS vehicle tracking system uses what
is called a “data pusher” because it
pushes (sends) information to you at
regular intervals via your mobile phone
or computer.
Good old steering lock
Yes, the steering wheel lock might
sound archaic in this digital era, but it
could be the near perfect old-fashioned
solution to a new problem. In reality,
it is a scarecrow against opportunist
thieves and slows down the smarter
ones who know how to beat it. There is
also a tyre lock; similar to those used by
parking managers to clamp offending
vehicles. You can get a more portable
one. But this is more cumbersome and
only useful for someone parking for a
really longtime.
Install a kill-switch
The kill switch works by cutting
off the normal electrical circuit of
your vehicle. The switch is a sensor,
connected to the electricity circuitry
system of your car. When you lock
the car using your sensor key, the kill
switch is set to “open”. This means the
normal electrical circuit from the spark
plugs cannot be completed. The engine
cannot run. In some kill-switches;
the engine can run but only at very
low RPMs, meaning the car cannot be
driven. The inverse happens when you
open the car using the sensor key.
Reset passwords
Many new cars can connect to
the internet or be controlled by a
smartphone app. If your car has this
functionality, make sure you change the
default password and never keep the
car’s wireless access codes in the car.
Be practical and real
Remember the same old tips about
being careful with your keys, parking
in a secure place, and not leaving
valuables in the open in your car? Use
them. They work quite well, even in
this digital era. It is never a smart idea
to leave your vehicle unlocked or with
the windows down – even partially.
You must always park in a well-lit area
at night and under supervised parking
during the day. If you have valuables,
keep the well hidden; possibly in the
car boot. That keeps away opportunistic
thieves.
39
global comment
By Alexandra Borchardt
What’s wrong with the news
If newsrooms are giving what audiences want, why
does 32% of the public avoid news altogether?
T
he British public cannot get enough
news about Brexit – at least, that’s
what news platforms’ data analytics
say. But, according to the Reuters
Institute’s latest Digital News Report, 71% of
the British public tries to avoid media cov-
erage of the United Kingdom’s impending
departure from the European Union. This
disparity, which can be seen in a wide range
of areas, raises serious questions about news
organisations’ increasingly data-driven ap-
proach to reporting.
The rise of data analytics has made
journalists and their editors confident that
they know what people want. And for
good reason: with a large share of news
consumed on the Internet, media plat-
forms know exactly which stories readers
open, how much they read before getting
bored, what they share with their friends,
and the type of content that entices them
to sign up for a subscription.
Such data indicate, for example, that
audiences are interested in extraordinary
investigative journalism, diet and person-
al-finance advice, and essays about rela-
tionships and family. They prefer stories
with a personal angle – say, detailing an
affected individual’s fate – rather than
reports on ongoing conflicts in the Middle
East or city hall coverage. And they are
drawn to sensational stories – such as
about U.S. President Donald Trump’s
scandals and antics – under “clickbait”
headlines.
But if newsrooms were really giving
audiences what they wanted, it seems
unlikely that almost one-third (32%) of
respondents in the Digital News Report,
the world’s largest ongoing survey of
online news consumption, would report
that they regularly avoid news altogether.
But they did, and that figure is up three
percentage points from two years ago.
The most common explanation for
avoiding the news media, given by 58%
of those who do, is that following it has
a negative effect on their mood. Many
respondents also cited a sense of power-
lessness.
Moreover, only 16% of participants
approve of the tone used in news cov-
erage, while 39% disapprove. Young
people, in particular, seem fed up with
the negativity bias that has long been
regarded as a sure-fire way to attract
40 Sept. 20 - 26 2019
audiences. For many, that bias feels
disempowering. Conversations indicate
that the problem is compounded for
young parents, who want to believe that
the world will be good to their children.
Younger generations also feel consuming
news should be more entertaining and
less of a chore.
One reason for the disconnect between
the data and people’s self-reported rela-
tionship with the news media may be
the “guilty pleasure” effect: people have
an appetite for voyeurism, but would
prefer not to admit it, sometimes even
to themselves. So, even as they click on
articles about grisly crimes or celebrity
divorces, they may say that they want
more “quality news.”
When newsrooms indulge readers’
worst impulses, the consequences are far-
reaching. Media are integral to support
accountability by anyone wielding power
or influence, and to mobilise civic engage-
ment. Democracies, in particular, depend
on voters being well informed about
pressing issues. News organisations thus
have a responsibility to report on serious
topics, from political corruption to cli-
mate change, even if they are unpleasant.
That does not mean that readers’ com-
plaints about media’s negativity bias
should be disregarded. On the contrary,
if people are to be motivated to confront
challenges that are shaping their lives,
The most
common
explanation for
avoiding the news
media, given by
58% of those
who do, is that
following it has a
negative effect on
their mood
they should not be made to feel power-
less.
This is where so-called solutions jour-
nalism comes in. By balancing informa-
tion about what needs changing with
true stories about positive change, news
organisations can fulfill their responsi-
bility both to inform and to spur progress.
This means occasionally recognising that
over the long term, living standards have
improved globally.
Reconnecting with audiences will also
require media organisations to broaden
their perspectives. In much of the West,
it is largely white, male, middle-class
journalists who decide what to cover and
how. This limits news media’s ability
to represent diverse societies fairly and
accurately.
In fact, only 29% of Digital News Report
respondents agreed that the topics the
news media choose “feel relevant” to
them. A joint study by the Reuters Insti-
tute and the Johannes Gutenberg Univer-
sity in Mainz, Germany, indicates that the
key to increasing this share is to increase
diversity in newsrooms.
At the same time, news media need to
do a better job of contextualising and oth-
erwise explaining the news. While 62%
of Digital News Report respondents feel
that media keep them apprised of events,
only half believe news outlets are doing
enough to help them understand what is
happening. At a time when nearly one-
third of people think that there is simply
too much news being reported, the solu-
tion seems clear: do less, better.
This means listening to readers, not
just studying the data analytics. It means
balancing good news with bad news,
and offering clarifying information
when needed. It also means representing
diverse perspectives. Media organisations
that do not make these changes will con-
tinue to lose trust and relevance. That is
hardly a sound strategy for convincing
consumers that their work is worth
paying for.
Alexandra Borchardt is a senior research
associate at the Reuters Institute for the Study
of Journalism at the University of Oxford.
Copyright: Project Syndicate, 2019.
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