News analysis Health Business

China unlocks Handling holiday Cipla sinks into

Uganda agriculture season stress Shs14.5bn loss

Issue No. 601 Dec. 06 - 12 2019 Ushs 5,000,Kshs 200, RwF 1,500, SDP 8

Besigye
marking his 30
year fight with
Museveni
Ahead of 2021

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Issue No. 601 Dec. 06 - 12 2019

News analysis Business Health Arts Motoring

Cover story
Besigye, Museveni
Their 30 year fight ahead of 2021

5 The Week
30 Comments
US Ambassador Deborah Malac
leaves after four year tenure 2019 Movable Property Act :Reasons
why its benefits, including boosting
SME access to credit, are likely to be
9 The Last Word
derailed
Besigye’s political honesty :How
the leading opposition figure hit
the nail on the head when talking
32 Health
about money and politics
Holiday season stress
14 Analysis :Managing the seemingly
inevitable
China unlocks Uganda agriculture:
US$2.4m to finance third phase of the
FAO-China South-South cooperation
35 Arts & Culture
27 Business 50 years of Makerere Art
gallery: Institute of Heritage
Cipla sinks into Shs14.5bn loss: Conservation and Restoration
Pharmaceutical firm hopes to exhibits research oriented art
recover in second half of the year

MANAGING DIRECTOR: Andrew M. Mwenda WRITERS:Ronald Musoke, Ian Katusiime, Patricia Akankwatsa, Julius Businge.
MANAGING EDITOR: Joseph Were DESIGN: 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 Dec. 06 - 12 2019
 inbox

“It is provided for in the law- when

custom duties are collected and
the goods do not enter the market
for whatever reason, either
they are dumped or destroyed.
In case of accidents, the taxes
are refunded.” URA Commissioner
Vice President, Edward Kiwanuka Ssekandi, (2 L) hands over a plaque to St. Lawrence University’s best General Doris Akol responding to MPs
student, Charles Katumba (C) during the 10th Graduation Ceremony on Dec.28. Katumba attained a
CGPA of 4.92.  INDEPENDENT /ALFRED OCHWO on destroyed goods by URA

President Yoweri
Museveni leads
the Anti-corruption
walk on Kampala on
Dec.04. The walk,
which brought together
different government
agencies, religious,
traditional, civil society
leaders and the citizens
aimed to intensify “The church needs to be held
the fight against
corruption.  PPU accountable under the anti-money
laundering law. There are many
people who give unaccounted for
donations to the church” IGG Irene
Mulyagonja

The Uganda National Allied

Workers’ Union, Vice
Chairman coordinator,
Emmanuel Kato (C)
address the media on
the recent release of
first and second phase
of salary enhancement
for all public servants at
Kingdom Kampala on “I am a Lt. Colonel and I have never
Dec.02.   INDEPENDENT /
ALFRED OCHWO been a General. Let us leave issues of
Generals to Generals”Edith Nakalema on
UPDF Generals involved in corruption

Schools to be closed Capacity of East Africa The worth of the CCTV

1300 in Uganda over poor
standards
7000 Standby Forces which
met in Kampala this week
$1.2m Command Centre
President Museveni
commissioned last week

Dec. 06 - 12 2019 3
week
EC faces suit over voter registration deadline
Simon Kinobe, the president
of Uganda Law Society, says
the lawyers’ body is planning to
sue the Electoral Commission
for what he calls a limited time
for the update of the national
voter’s register. Kinobe said
many eligible voters will be left
out of the registration process
which ends on Dec.11 after a
Simon Byabakama Simon Kinobe
21-day exercise. It began on
Nov. 21 and has been criticized
for providing a very limited
window for an important exer-
cise. On Nov.30, EC Chairman
Justice Simon Byabakama said
Power dam investor closes in on Murchison Falls
There are heightened fears
over the fate of Murchison
Falls after Cabinet approved
a feasibility study for the
construction of a hydropower
dam at the spectacular
falls located in the north
western part of the country.
Conservationists and a large
number of Ugandans are
up in arms over the possible
dam construction, a move
there were 16.4 million voters
and the number is expected to
grow before the deadline ends.
“If you want to change a polling
station, go to a Parish near you.
that environmentalists and
tourism enthusiasts will destroy
Uganda’s embattled eco-system
and tourism prospects. State
minister for Tourism Godfrey
Kiwanda while addressing
a stakeholders meeting
convened by the Uganda
Wildlife Authority (UWA)
in Kampala revealed that
government is in the process
of drafting a paper to steer the
They’ll give you a form to apply
after presenting a letter from the
LC1 Chairperson confirming
that you reside in that specific
area.” Byabakama said while
appearing on a radio station.
The chairman added that the
law on voting and registration
does not allow e-registration.
Critics of the election body have
challenged it on several grounds
with some saying the Secretary
to the EC Sam Rwakoojo is in
office illegally after his contract
allegedly expired.
feasibility study process. “I
know Cabinet will come up
with a paper and we shall base
our argument on the findings
of the environmental impact
assessment and other science
considerations before we take
on such a project,” Kiwanda
was quoted by a newspaper. As
a result, Ugandans have started
an online petition to save
Murchison Falls.
CCTV centre
for monitoring
police too
While commissioning
the National CCTV Camera
Command Centre at Police
Headquarters at Naguru,
President Museveni said the
CCTV cameras will be for
monitoring police officers as
well as criminals. “I want to
see what the police officers are
doing. I don’t want to monitor
only the criminals, but also my
own group. How they do their
work,” he said and added
that the cameras should be
installed at the police station
counters to enable monitoring
of the performance of police
officers. Police constructed
a three-storeyed structure
and also installed monitoring
gadgets. The commission was
the end of the first phase of the
installation of CCTV cameras
in Kampala Metropolitan
Policing Area. Museveni’s
push for CCTV cameras
intensified after the killing of
former Arua municipality MP
Ibrahim Abiriga.

US Ambassador Deborah Malac leaves after four year tenure

She came in at a time when Uganda
had just held a divisive election in
February 2016 and she did not let the
moment pass. Ambassador Deborah
Malac waded into the politics saying
the government should release oppo-
sition leader Dr. Kizza Besigye who
was under house arrest. Malac also
added her voice to those who deemed
the elections unfair. She sharply criti-
cized alleged voter intimidation, arrest
of opposition politicians, and violence
meted out on them. Malac was critical
of corruption in President Museveni’s
government in her stay in Uganda
and always spoke out on other issues
of press freedom and transparency in
government. The controversial GMO
Bill, which Museveni sent back to Par-
liament twice, also had support from
Ambassador Malac. The US govern-
ment strongly backs the passing of the
GMO Bill by the Ugandan parliament.
With her low cut blonde hair and
colourful outfits, Malac also proved
a force on the social scene- she never
shied away from dancing at events in
town and attended a number of social
events. Reports say she is headed to
Rome, Italy as her next posting.

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President-led anti-corruption walk criticised
The public was lukewarm
about the anti-corruption walk
led by President Museveni on
Dec.4. Museveni was joined by
other government officials like
Chief Justice Bart Katureebe,
Speaker Rebecca Kadaga, and
others officers like ministers,
judges, MPs and other public
servants to raise awareness
Cheptegei caps 2019 with new 10km record Nine held over
Long distance runner Joshua
Cheptegei capped a remarkable
2019 when he set a new record
of 10km in Valencia, Spain. The
current 10km world champion,
who won the IAAF World
Cross Championships earlier
this year in Denmark, clocked
a finish time of 26:38 besting
Kenya’s Leonard Komon’s 2010
mark by six seconds. “What a
Museveni urges on unity for prosperity as he hosts Ethiopians
My prosperity comes from
others. If I say my tribe, my
tribe, it doesn’t make sense,”
President Museveni told a
visiting Ethiopian delegation.
Museveni emphasized the
need for a united Uganda
in particular and Africa in
against corruption. The walk is
being held in commemoration
of anti-corruption week in ear-
ly December. The anti-corrup-
tion walk is also meant to mark
one year since the formation of
the State House Anti-Corrup-
tion Unit headed by Lt. Col.
Edith Nakalema whose unit
was inaugurated on December
murder of UPDF
soldier in Jinja
year it has been. I can’t believe
it,” the 23-year-old said after
the race. He added “I knew
that Valencia was going to be
a really fast course, one of the
fastest in the world. So to get
to achieve what we came here
for is something really special.”
Cheptegei is a leading contender
for the 10,000m gold at the 2020
Olympics in Tokyo.
general to achieve prosperity
of the people in the region. The
President was speaking during
a meeting with the visiting
Ethiopian Public Diplomacy
Team, led by the Speaker of
the House of the People’s
Representative, Hon. Tagesse
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10 last year at Kololo Airstrip.
Ugandans commenting on
social media expressed dis-
satisfaction castigating many
taking part in the walk as
leading culprits of corruption.
Ugandans also scorned at the
piecemeal attempts at fighting
corruption that the govern-
ment usually undertakes.
Residents of Jinja react-
ed with shock over the
murder of a UPDF soldier
Lance Corporal RA 218630
Joel Cherukut, 35, whose
body found near a railway
line in Magamaga Town
Council in Jinja District.
Nine people have so far
been arrested after they
were suspected of par-
ticipating in the murder.
Capt George Musinguzi,
the UPDF Spokesman in
Busoga region said the
suspects include six UPDF
soldiers and three civilians.
Cherukut was undergoing
a course at the College of
Logistics and Engineer-
ing in Magamaga.
Chafo, who called on him at
State House, Nakasero last
week. The 60-man delegation
that includes the business
community, diplomats and
cultural leaders were on a
5-day visit to the country.
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Dec. 06 - 12 2019
week
Court upholds Kashaka’s
10 year jail sentence
John Muhanguzi Kashaka, the
former permanent secretary ministry
of Local Government, may spend
more time in jail after the Court of
Appeal upheld a 10-year jail sentence
handed to him by the High Court for
causing Shs4.2 billion financial loss
to the government in the infamous
bicycle scandal. Kashaka’s conviction
and sentence were jointly upheld
with that of Henry Bamutura, former
principal accountant, Sam Emorut
Erongot, assistant commissioner in
charge of policy and planning who
will serve for 13-years. The Anti-cor-
ruption Court convicted the three in
2014 for their various roles in con-
tracting a sham company, Ammam
Industrial Tools and Equipment
Limited, to purchase 70, 000 bicycles
from India. The said bicycles were to
be used by parish and Local Council
chairpersons in the 2011 general elec-
tions. The bicycles have never been
delivered.  However the convicts
challenged their respective sentences
and conviction, arguing that it was
harsh and not valid in law. They also
argued that the lower court erred
in law and fact, when for failing to
apply provisions of the PPDA Act in
determining the ingredients of the
offence of financial loss committed
by the appellants, as a result of the
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More anti-UN protests in DRC
There is continued heavy gunfire in the DR
Congo town of Beni as protesters demanding
the withdrawal of United Nations forces from
the city again surged. Security forces barricad-
ed hundreds of demonstrators attempting to
get close to the UN headquarters inside the
airport near Beni. There has been an explosion
of anger over the perceived failure of UN
peacekeepers to protect civilians from deadly
rebel attacks with several mass demonstra-
6 Dec. 06 - 12 2019
tions targeting UN facilities in northeastern
DRC. Over 20 people were killed by attackers
believed to be from the feared Allied Dem-
ocratic Forces (ADF), an armed group oper-
ating in the dense forests bordering Uganda
and the DRC. Many of the victims were
hacked to death or beheaded. A few Beni
residents were killed last month by suspected
ADF fighters, prompting angry protesters to
take to the streets.
Museveni stresses ICT at
China Africa conference
President Yoweri Museveni
highlighted the major sectors of
the economy that will address
the problem of poverty as
being commercial agriculture,
Industries, services and
Information Communication
Technology (ICT). He said this
as he launched the 2019 Forum
On China African Cooperation
(FOCAC) highlighting ways of
eradicating poverty not only in
Uganda but in the whole of Africa.
While addressing the conference
at Speke Resort Munyonyo,
Museveni said “When I think
about poverty eradication the one
sector I think about is agriculture.”
He pointed out that for Uganda
and Africa to get out of poverty,
each household must engage in
production of goods and services
to be able to earn something. “The
way to abolish poverty is through
each family in Uganda and Africa
participating in production of
goods and services which can be
sold in the market and this poverty
may be addressed,” he said.
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Letters are
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readers on topical issues. Please
send them to:
The Editor, The Independent
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Kampala,Uganda.
Email: editor@independent.co.ug
Murchison Falls should
be left untouched
Refer to: “Contentious Uganda hydro
project back on the table” (The Indepen-
dent online Nov.29). Fellow Ugandans, I
think that whoever is advising the govern-
ment on this has got it completely wrong.
Murchison Falls should be left untouched.
It is one of the only remaining natural
tourist attractions. I think government
needs to weigh the options very critically.
Tourism is increasingly becoming a major
foreign exchange earner with minimal
government investment. This God given
source of revenue should be preserved
by all well-meaning and well-intentioned
Ugandans. We should not solely rely on
some foreigner whose intentions may not
be well known, to decide for us on such a
vital matter. We should, as a country, be
moving away from very expensive proj-
ects to cheaper, affordable, and sustain-
able options such as solar power. I have
for example been making a critical look at
what is called Rural Electrification. For the
armchair implementer that sits in air-con-
ditioned office in Kampala, the fact is that
electricity remains largely unaffordable
for the rural poor. The rural people only
stop at paying for the connection, and
use the electricity for the first month only,
because they cannot afford paying bills.
Thus other than maybe the trading cen-
tres where the power is used for commer-
cial purposes, only the poles and power
lines dot largely the rural areas, as people
there try to improvise with some forms of
solar lighting.
Kaka John
8 Dec. 06 - 12 2019
News analysis Health Business
EAC’s bad CUBE transforms Fighting over UTL
year:2019 Ebola patient care administration
Issue No. 600 Nov. 29 - Dec. 05 2019
Ushs 5,000,Kshs 200, RwF 1,500, SDP 8
Follow us on Twitter @
http://twitter.com/#!/ugandatalks
Who’s buying biggest guns?
Museveni, Kagame,
Follow us on Facebook @ Nkurunziza
www.facebook.com/TheIndependentMagazineUganda
www.independent.co.ug
Make partnerships not war
Refer to: “Who’s buying
the biggest guns in East
dent Nov.29). Well thought
out comment. Actually I
strategic we would be hav-
ing partnerships in many
Africa: Latest in Uganda, keep wondering why we areas; including border to
Rwanda, Kenya, Burundi have very few state part- border patrols.
firepower” (The Indepen- nerships. If indeed we were Eric
Why buy big guns in EAC?
Refer to: “Who’s buying the culture of poverty and away in the tropical heat
the biggest guns in East dishonesty that we spend and rain. Only once in a
Africa: Latest in Uganda, our most valuable meager while, but still piloted by
Rwanda, Kenya, Burundi resources on self-destruc- Russians experts (pilots),
firepower” (The Indepen- tion and false self-impor- they are flown around to
dent Nov.29). The mother tance. For example, in 2011, burn tons of jet fuel/hr.
of all questions is: why
should poor neighbouring
President Yoweri Museveni
raided the treasury and
If the US$740 were
put to a productive use,
countries e.g. Burundi,
Rwanda, and Uganda
bought 6 Russian Sukhoi
Su-30MK2 jet fighters
thousands of the 87%
unemployed Ugandan
members of the East Afri- worth US$740 million. youths would have been
can Community go into Nine years down the road, employed.
an arms race? It is simply the jets are parked to rust Anonymous
Embrace digital banking for your safety
According to the Uganda Police Annual machines, to the now – Agent Banking,
2018 Crime Report, 47.7% of crime registered Mobile Apps, Visa card services among
takes place in urban areas. Theft is rampant other interventions especially those that are
in Kampala city and peri-urban areas and accessed via mobile phone.
it is not wise to move around with stacks of Early this year, just ahead of the Africa
cash. According to the same report, cases of Cup of Nations (AFCON) semi-finals in
break-ins, theft and robbery continued to Egypt, I received a call from my bank, Cen-
increase. Not forgetting the spate of killings tenary Bank, who announced to me live on
of mobile money agents and other victims in TV that I had won a trip for two (me and
relation to money. Despite the efforts of the my child) to the AFCON 2019 semi-finals
government to combat crime in many ways because I was a frequent user of -their visa
like the recent installation CCTV cameras, card services. I had a chance to watch a live
finger printing of guns and passing and game with my now 9-month son for free and
deployment of armed LDUs, crime is still we were accompanied by my wife for whom
committed. This therefore begs one to ask: we paid air ticket and other expenses. As I
Is it possible to have money on you and still listened to radio this morning, I am encour-
not have to carry it in bulk everywhere you aged to know that they are running yet
go? Yes! With the revolution of technology another reward campaign to encourage the
in the financial services sector and banking use of digital banking channels and reward-
industry in Uganda and globally, a lot of ing customers for using these services. I
valuable, safe and convenient options have think as customers, we should be the ones
been delivered by both Telcos and banking to pay these companies for offering conve-
institutions as well as FinTechs. nient services to us. I urge you to embrace
However, traditional Banking services are the use of Digital services across different
still considered the safest way to keep mon- platforms and more so in the financial sector
ey today, and this has come a long way in to enhance the safety and security of our
shaping the financial management culture, money.
paved way for convenience and safety of Andrew Kasujja
people’s money. From the time of traveler’s Digital Financial Services Expert at Strategic
checks, to bank slips to depositing via ATM Impact Advisors

Besigye’s political honesty
By Andrew M. Mwenda
How the leading opposition figure hit the nail on
the head when talking about money and politics
L
ast week, I attended the launch of
an autobiography by former cabinet
minister, Mathew Rukikaire: 70
Years a Witness. In attendance was
Dr. Kizza Besigye, the leading pillar of the
opposition in Uganda and four times presi-
dential candidate against President Yoweri
Museveni. In his speech, Besigye said UPM
polled badly in the 1980 elections because
its candidates had no money. Besigye said
Rukikaire got the highest number of votes
of all UPM candidates in 1980, even polling
higher than party president, Museveni, be-
cause he (Rukikaire) was rich.
There are exceptions to this rule. How-
ever, overall political competition requires
money everywhere, even in the richest
countries. In poor countries, money gains
greater significance because the electorate
is ethnically diverse, poor and agrarian. For
most poor people, small donations of sugar
or meat and soap acquire disproportionate
importance. Agrarian societies have values
and norms where the poor expect the rich/
leaders in society to help them in times of
need and they too reciprocate with loyalty.
I made exactly the same point as Besigye
in this column last week; that to be an
effective politician in poor and ethnically
diverse agrarian societies, one needs money.
Corrupt politicians remain popular because
they share their “loot” with their co-ethnics.
For instance, the politician helps people with
personal needs like school fees, medical bills,
funeral and wedding expenses. Our politi-
cians are always under enormous pressure
to meet these needs – whether the money is
stolen from the state or acquired honestly is
irrelevant. This is because our voters do not
distinguish between the private resources
of a politician and the public finances of the
state.
Corruption is, therefore, democratically
sanctioned behavior. This explains why
corrupt politicians who are generous in their
ethnic and/or religious communities win
elections. In societies with ethnic tensions,
people are even more willing to support
one of their own that is accused of criminal
activity, seeing such accusations as attempts
to sideline them. Ethnic tensions undermine
the rule of law as people think the corrupt
steals for them.
For example, India has the longest sur-
viving democracy of any poor country in the
The Last Word
world today. In this year’s elections, 20% of
candidates for parliament were facing crim-
inal charges ranging from murder to rape
and extortion. In fact this number has been
growing at a rate of 2% in every election.
As a result, one third of India’s parliament
is under criminal indictment. According
to a report by the Carnegie Endowment
appropriately titled “When Crime Pays” a
candidate with a criminal record in India is
three times more likely to win elections than
one who is clean.
Uganda is headed in the same direction as
democratic competition deepens. Indeed,
over the last 25 years of electoral politics, we
have seen honest politicians like Eriya Kate-
gaya, Rukikaire, Ruhakana Rugunda, Kintu
Musoke, Bidandi Ssali, Kirunda Kivejinja,
Amanya Mushega, Tarsis Babwegyere, etc.
quit electoral competition or be trounced
when they have tried. This is because they
are not willing to dirt their hands looting the
state. The problem is that there are many
crooks ready to join.
In rich countries, the private sector is rich
enough to fund parties and individuals who
represent its interests. There are also many
rich individuals and private organisations/
foundations to do similar. In poor countries,
the private sector is small and most rich
individuals are beholden to the state. There
are limited opportunities outside the state to
sponsor an effective opposition. Therefore,
the only reliable source of political money is
corruption. Consequently, corruption is not
just a means for individual enrichment. That
is only its overt manifestation. Fundamen-
tally it is a system of cultivating and main-
taining a political following.
This is why we need to understand, even
though we may refuse to endorse, Museveni.
Our president moves around with cash-
stuffed envelopes, which he liberally hands
over to people. The young Museveni would
have been revolted by this crass bribery and
political opportunism. However, he has out-
lived many of his bush compatriots in large
because of his willingness to step down from
his revolutionary utopia to the hard rock of
reality. Many Ugandans accept his transfor-
mation with the humility of experience.
With this knowledge we can craft a polit-
ical model to limit the role of money in poli-
tics, recognising that we cannot eliminate it.
The problem, of course, is that most of the
Dec. 06 - 12 2019
opinion
people who get elected to public office have
little incentive to reform the system. Their
success shows they are beneficiaries of the
system and hence have a vested interest in
its perpetuation. It would literally be like
asking them to bite the hand that feeds their
political success.
Money politics is not a cause of our pov-
erty but a symptom of it. Neither does it
mean we cannot outgrow it. The U.S. had a
very corrupt political-machine system that
has over decades improved albeit slowly.
The country remains saddled with a lot of
political corruption, a lot of it actually legal-
ised – like lobbying. For instance, up until
the end of the 19th century when America
was poor and agrarian, votes were sold in an
open marketplace the way we buy tomatoes
and beans – it was perfectly legal. Indeed,
early efforts to criminalise vote buying in
the USA were resisted by some of the most
respected economists who defended it on
the principle of willing buyer and willing
seller.
Whichever political reform we attempt will
not eliminate the centrality of money in pol-
itics unless we give up on democracy. It can
only limit it with tradeoffs. The American
philosopher, Will Durant, said there are only
three successful forms of government known
to man: aristocracy (rule by birth), theocracy
(rule by religion) and democracy (rule by
money). One way to limit vote buying is to
introduce proportional representation. Here
political parties, not individuals, would com-
pete for votes. Parliamentary seats would be
allocated according to the share of votes a
party got in the elections.
This system would reduce the incentive
of individual politicians to ingratiate them-
selves with voters by giving them money.
However, it would shift power from voters
at the grassroots to political party bosses at
the center. The jockeying for top slots on the
list of parliamentarians would centralise cor-
ruption since aspiring legislators would now
bribe party bosses. This would shift money
from a multitude of voters to a small group
of party bigwigs. The question is, what is
better: the decentralised corruption we have
today at the grassroots, or the centralised
corruption of the party bosses?
amwenda@independent.co.ug
9
cover story

Besigye,
Museveni
Their 30 year fight
ahead of 2021

By Ian Katusiime

10 Dec. 06 - 12 2019

W
Supporters of President Museveni on his nomination day in November 2015
innie, would you
accept to be our
candidate for
President?”
Col. Kizza Besigye
posed that question
sometime in early October 2000.
His wife, Winnie Byanyima was
surprised.
“You as who? Who are `we?” she
asked Besigye. And the conversation
soon became even more serious.
Winnie said: “It would be suicidal.
How would you take him on? I
wouldn’t do that! How can you, in this
short time take on Museveni?”
“People are fed up with him,”
Besigye said.
“I guess they are, but it takes some
time to turn discontent into votes,”
Winnie countered.
Days later, on October 20, 2000,
Besigye dropped another surprise on
Winnie.
“I am going to run for president,” he
told her that night.
Again she answered with a weighty
caution.
“I will support you but I hope you
realise that this is a one-way ticket. We
are defying Museveni. He is going to
fight us to the end.”
This drama is captured in Daniel
Kalinaki’s book on Besigye titled
‘Kizza Besigye: Uganda’s Unfinished
Revolution.”
A week later, on October 28, 2000 at
a little known restaurant in Kampala,
Besigye publicly declared his intention
to challenge Museveni in a press
statement.
Nineteen years later, Winnie appears
to have been prophetic on both counts:
First, although he has challenged
Museveni in four presidential elections
over 16 years, Besigye appears to have
failed to “turn discontent into votes”.
Secondly, Museveni and Besigye
appear determined to “fight to the
end”.
Kalinaki published his book in
2014, with the 2016 presidential
battle between Museveni and Besigye
already looming. Once again, as the
2021 presidential election nears, most
Ugandans are asking whether Besigye
will again challenge Museveni – for
a fifth time. And what will be the
result? Is this the time when Besigye
will finally succeed in turning popular
discontent into votes?
This November marked 20 years
since Besigye penned his famous
dossier titled ‘An insider’s view on
how NRM lost the broad base’. The
document stirred the hierarchy of the
NRM, then known as the Movement,
when Uganda was in the throes of a
one party political system.
In his missive, Dr. Besigye criticised
the creeping autocracy under President
Yoweri Museveni who was then in his
thirteenth year in power having taken
over Uganda in 1986. Besigye started
off writing “I have taken keen interest
and participated in the political
Dec. 06 - 12 2019
cover story
activities on the Ugandan scene since
the late 1970s. This was during a
period of intense jostling to topple and
later succeed the Idi Amin regime.”
He added, “I am therefore, fully
aware of the euphoria, excitement and
hope with which Ugandans received
the Uganda National Liberation Front/
Army (UNLF/A)…” The dossier
resulted into the court martialing of
Besigye, at the time a Colonel in the
UPDF, “for airing his views in the
wrong forum.”
Besigye accused the NRM of
sectarianism and of being a one man
dictatorship. It culminated in his
declaration to stand for the presidency
in the 2001 elections. Since the 2001
election, Besigye has stood three more
times against Museveni. In that period,
he has incurred the wrath of the NRM
regime with trials, teargas, constant
arrests, torture and blockades on his
home.
But 2019 marks 30 years since
Besigye became disillusioned with
Museveni in 1989. The trigger appears
to have been a decision in October 1989
by the National Resistance Council
(NRC), which was the parliament of
the time, to extend its term purportedly
to write the constitution. The NRC
had expanded its membership with
220 county representatives, district
women representatives, 10 army
representatives, and 20 presidential
nominees.
Some people did not support the
11
cover story
Besigye campaigning during the 2016 elections
move and Waswa Ziritwawula, a
representative from the Democratic
Party (DP), resigned from the NRC.
Some people demanded a referendum
on the issue. However, bush war
acolytes defied them, sometimes with
threats.
Kalinaki in his book narrates
how one of the Museveni devotees,
Gertrude Njuba, assured the NRC that
that there was no need to consult the
masses “since they had not appointed
the NRM or its organs in the first
place.”
Kalinaki writes: “The NRC was set
up to formalise the decisions of the
NRA (National Resistance Army), she
told the members, and if they did not
comply, more pliant people would be
found”.
Commenting on this period, Besigye
said: “I could not see how we could
make a transition with Museveni. At
a personal level that confidence had
completely collapsed around 1989. By
that time I was convinced that there
was corruption, no respect for rules
and plans we were making. It only got
worse. But from that time, I knew we
were in for a difficult time. At the time,
12 Dec. 06 - 12 2019
however, we could not even persuade
anybody that there was a huge
problem. Many people had not awoken
to the disaster that we were sitting
with: corruption scandals that rocked
the country; the management of the
transition politics, the intolerance that
had developed, and the capriciousness
of Museveni’s rule. My mind was made
up much earlier that we were heading
for trouble”.
Besigye initially sought to correct
what he saw as going wrong from
within the NRA. In one case in 1998,
and on the prompting of Museveni’s
brother; Salim saleh, he wrote a dossier
addressed to top army officers of
the time like Elly Tumwine, Joram
Mugume, Pecos Kutesa, Kasirye
Gwanga, Stephen Kashaka and others.
In it he pointed issues that were, in
his view, not being handled properly
including recruitment, training,
deployment, legal and regulatory
deficiencies, and the ad hoc manner of
doing things.
The issue of recruitment to and
promotion within the army was
contentious at the time after Muhoozi
Kainerugaba, Museveni’s son, joined
the military with many of his close
friends and associates in alleged
unclear circumstances.
“How did he join the army and
become a cadet?” Besigye asked.
Such questions landed Besigye in
trouble. From being Museveni’s blue-
eyed protégé, and Minister of State
for Internal Affairs at just 29-years of
age, to NRM leading ideologue and
National Political Commissar, Besigye
had by 1993 been reduced to a routine
soldier with title of Chief of Logistics
and Engineering. That is why some
Besigye critics say that he only fell out
with Museveni because the president
had rendered him irrelevant within
the NRM. But Besigye supporters
say Museveni shunted Besigye aside
because he saw him as a challenger.
At the time of the Constituent
Assembly (CA) in 1994, Besigye
appears to have become disturbed
that, although the CA membership was
organised under the Movement (NRM)
system of `individual merit’, Museveni
was clandestinely pulling strings to
influence decisions.
Museveni was not in the CA but
Besigye discovered that he was calling

Timeline of events since Besigye issued dossier
November 1999
Besigye authors hard
hitting dossier
September 2000
Elders from Rukungiri meet
Museveni at State House to
diffuse tensions between
Besigye and Museveni
October 20, 2000
Besigye retires from the army
October 28, 2000
Declares he is running
against President Museveni
in 2001 elections
March 12, 2001
Contests against Museveni
with four others scoring
27% of the vote
March 23 2001
Files first presidential
election petition at Supreme
Court in Uganda. Petition
dismissed in 3-2 verdict
August 17, 2001
Flees into exile in South Africa
Besigye displaying a ballot paper during the 2011 elections December 2004
PAFO and Reform Agenda
merge to form FDC. Debate
clique meetings to push his agenda. Some ensues on whether Besigye
people Museveni used were Miria Matembe, should be FDC presidential
Margret Zziwa, Mathias Ngobi, Michael candidate
Sebalu, Bidandi Ssali, Steven Chebrot, Agard
Didi, Noble Mayombo, Jotham Tumwesigye, October 26, 2005
Aziz Kasujja, George Kanyeihamba, Beatrice Besigye returns to Uganda
Lagada, and Faith Mwonda. Many of these
went to get to positions from Museveni in October, 28, 2005
government or its departments. Some are still Arrested and charged with
with Museveni, some have fallen out with rape, treason. Also court
him. martialed for terrorism and
“The arbitrarily handpicked group went illegal possession of firearms.
ahead to take positions on major areas of
the draft constitution which we members of December 12, 2005
CA, considered as “NRM supporters”, were EC rules saying Besigye can be
supposed to support in the CA,” Besigye is nominated as FDC presidential
quoted to have said. candidate while in jail
Soon, Besigye and others formed the
Solidarity Ring for the Disadvantaged January 2, 2006
(SORID); it was a political support Besigye released
mobilisation vehicle disguised as an NGO.
When in 1998, he was removed from even February 20, 2006
this lowly position, Besigye sought to leave Besigye contests against
the army. But the plan was thwarted by Museveni for the second time
events. At this point, Besigye was a Senior winning 37% of the vote
Military Advisor to the Minister of Defence
–who was President Museveni. And 2021 March 2006
promises to be another phase in the fight Files second presidential
between Besigye and Museveni. election petition at Supreme
Court which is dismissed
November 2007
Besigye’s brother, Joseph
Musasizi Kifefe, dies of
multiple complications
arising from alleged torture
by security authorities
February 2009
Wins another term as FDC
president
March 2009
Sparks debate saying
Museveni never fired gun
during 1981-1986 NRA
Bush War
September 2010
Besigye is voted as
consensus flag-bearer
of IPC an alliance of FDC,
CP, JEEMA and SDP. IPC
however fell apart later
February 18, 2011
Besigye scores 26% in third
election against Museveni
February 25, 2011
Besigye and other
opposition politicians
call for protests against
government
April 11, 2011
Leads Walk-to-Work
protests decrying rising
food and fuel prices
May 11
Returns from Nairobi
for special treatment
after pepper is sprayed
in his eyes. Same day as
Museveni is sworn in for
sixth term
March 2012
Besigye steps down as FDC
president, two years before
the end of his tenure
Nov 12, 2013
Besigye in an interview with
NTV, says he won’t take
part in 2016 elections
July 1, 2015
Contests for the FDC
presidential flag-bearer
against party president Gen.
Mugisha Muntu
Sept 3, 2015
Elected party presidential
flag bearer with 718 votes
to Muntu’s 289.
Dec. 06 - 12 2019
cover story
Same month, Besigye
begins talks with TDA, a
loose alliance of opposition
politicians to front one
candidate against Museveni
November 4, 2015
Nominated as a presidential
candidate for fourth time
February 18, 2016
Besigye is arrested on
Election Day. Polls 35% of
the vote.
May 12, 2016
Swears himself in as
‘People’s President’ same
day as Museveni is sworn in
May 13, 2016
Besigye arrested and
charged with treason.
Jailed in Kitgum prison.
March 26, 2017
Besigye launches ‘My
Land, My Life campaign’
in Mityana district. It was
against increased land
grabbing in the country
August 2017
Joins forces with opposition
politicians in Togikwatako
campaign against age limit
amendment
January 2018
Launches Tubalemese;
campaign aimed at
boycotting businesses
owned by members of
ruling NRM
January 2019
Declares 2019 year of
action
February 15, 2019
Besigye unveils People’s
Government; Cabinet,
Assembly
October 24, 2019
Launches Twerwaneko; a
call for Ugandans to defend
themselves against impunity
of NRM government
November 2019
Launches petition to
have President Museveni
indicted by the international
Criminal Court
13
NEWS ANALYSIS
Vincent Ssempijja (R), the agriculture minister launched a new high-yielding rice variety
during a tour by the delegates of the Industrial Park in Luwero District.   COURTESY PHOTO
By Ronald Musoke
L
oyda Twinomujuni is a success-
ful dairy farmer from Mbarara in
south-western Uganda with 200
cows. She says about 110 of these are
milked and each gives about 16 litres daily.
But it was not always so rosy on the farm.
Twinomujuni recalls when her family had
just 86 cows that were unhealthy with a low
fertility rate.
“We used to get an average of eight litres
per cow,” she recalls.
Twinomujuni says “everything changed”
when her family was introduced to Chinese
trainers who taught them about better tech-
niques of dairy farming and a new variety of
pasture that they planted.
“The results were almost instant,”
Twinomujuni says.
“Our cows became healthy, the fertility
rate went up, and productivity has since
doubled per cow,” she says.
“We now have too much milk,” she says,
“But this is a good problem.”
She says her dream now is to go into com-
mercial production of milk-based items such
as yoghurt, ice cream, and cheese. She also
hopes to possibly export her dairy products
to China.
Sophie Mugala is a rice farmer from Buda-
ka in eastern Uganda. She also says her farm
changed soon after Chinese trainers intro-
duced her to modern techniques of growing
rice. She says they made her realise how
wrong her family and her entire village had
been going about that business.
She has since learnt how to apply fertil-
14 Dec. 06 - 12 2019
China unlocks
Uganda agriculture
US$2.4m to finance third phase of the
FAO-China South-South cooperation
izers and modern rice planting, weeding,
harvesting and drying methods. She says
she now earns more money and is a trainer
of other rice farmers in neighbouring com-
munities.
Mugala and Twinomujuni are part of hun-
dreds of Ugandan farmers who say Chinese
trainers and methods have improved their
farms and lives.
They are all beneficiaries of a Chinese
government sponsored hands-on skills train-
ing programme which has been running
for the last 10 years in 12 African and Asian
countries. The skills training for small scale
farmers is among several projects of the
South-South Cooperation programme which
China and the Food and Agriculture Organ-
isation (FAO) have been collaborating with
the sub-Saharan countries.
The local farmers alongside diplomats,
government officials, researchers, academics
and agri-business experts met recently, from
Nov.25-27 in Kampala, to celebrate the col-
laboration under the theme; “South-South
and Triangular Cooperation: Inspiration,
Inclusion and Innovation.”
The UN defines “South-South Cooper-
ation” as “a process where two or more
developing countries pursue their individual
and/or shared national development objec-
tives through exchange of knowledge, skills,
resources and technical know-how.”
Shengyao Tang, the director of the Office
of the South-South Cooperation told dele-
gates that the programme focuses on food
security and farmers’ income and liveli-
hoods, adding that “the principle is to teach
local people how to fish rather than giving
them fish.”
With hundreds of millions of Chinese citi-
zens having been lifted out of poverty under
a generation, experts at the conference said
the Asian economic giant offers practical
agricultural technological and policy solu-
tions that can be useful for other developing
countries.
Lifeng Wu, a senior official in the Depart-
ment of International Cooperation in China’s

Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs
told delegates that China had so far sunk up
to US$ 80 million into the programme. He
said more than 70,000 small-scale farmers
in rural areas and hundreds of thousands of
others have benefitted from the programme.
Lifeng said hundreds of low-cost, scalable
technological innovations adapted to the
local environmental and socio-economic
context have been introduced, tested, and
demonstrated. They also include over
330 species and varieties, over 120 broad
categories of plant and animal production
practices, and over 200 types of agricultural
machinery and tools.
“The programme is inclusive, involving
stakeholders at all levels, based on the prin-
ciple of “leaving no one behind,” he said, “It
embraces farmers, women and rural youth,
governmental and non-governmental part-
ners.”
Offering experience and expertise
Beneficiaries have come from the Demo-
cratic Republic of Congo, Ethiopia, Liberia,
Madagascar, Malawi, Mali, Namibia, Sene-
gal, Sierra Leone and Uganda.
Chinese and government officials from
countries where the programme has been
running say it is an important source of
inspiration for countries, development part-
ners, and farmers.
They also note that the technological
knowledge accumulated in China, especially
in relation to the sustainable intensification
of agriculture offers great potential for
exchange with other countries of the global
south, and is highly relevant to south-south
cooperation initiatives.
China, for instance, offers a wide range
of experience and expertise in developing
agricultural value chains and promoting
related business models and public-private
partnerships.
Chinese value chains have undergone
profound changes over the past decades that
reduce transaction costs and enhance trans-
parency, thanks to recent developments in
information technology.
By putting emphasis on increasing rural
incomes and improving rural livelihoods,
the programme has contributed to enhanc-
ing local villages’ economies and markets,
achieving a sense of potential prosperity and
slowing outmigration flows of young people
like Sophie Mugala, the rice farmer from
eastern Uganda.
The programme also explores collabora-
tions with relevant stakeholders in order to
promote the digitization of agriculture and
rural development to benefit smallholders in
those countries that request it.
Speaking about the programme successes
so far, Abebe Haile-Gabriel, the FAO Assis-
tant Director-General and Regional Repre-
sentative for Africa said the programme had
boosted knowledge and technical exchanges,
technology transfer and engaged with thou-
sands of rural working women and youth.
In Uganda farming has for generations
been characterised by low on-farm pro-
duction and productivity, and inadequate
investments which have hampered commer-
cialization.
The FAO-China South-South programme
has tried to unlock the sector with close to
3,000 farmers and 80 extension staff trained.
There have also been three capacity devel-
opment study tours for policy and technical
staff conducted in China.
Seven agricultural technology demonstra-
tion hubs have been established throughout
the country, showcasing effective technolo-
gies in horticulture, livestock, cereals, aqua-
culture, renewable energy, agro-machinery,
value addition and sustainable business
models. Significant private investments have
also taken root.
Main flagship project
At the conference, both the Ugandan and
Chinese government officials took turns to
praise the US$220 million China-Uganda
Agricultural Cooperation Industrial Park in
Luwero District, calling it one of the most
successful projects under the programme.
The park has three centres including; an
agricultural production technology incu-
bation centre, an agricultural products pro-
cessing and trade centre and an agricultural
industry cooperation centre. When it is fully
completed, it is expected to provide up to
100,000 jobs.
By working together
with our Chinese friends,
majority of African
countries will quickly
eradicate poverty
Pius Wakabi Kasajja, the Permanent Sec-
retary in Uganda’s Ministry of Agriculture,
Animal Industry and Fisheries said the
industrial parks that are sprouting up across
the country have led to improved processing
of the farm produce which in turn has bene-
fitted local farmers.
At the conference, panel discussions dwelt
on results, innovations and lessons learned
over the past decade as well as the future of
the programme.
Dr. Mohammed Bello Umar, the Per-
manent Secretary of the Federal Ministry
of Agriculture and Rural Development in
Nigeria praised the programme for helping
Nigeria to achieve self-sufficiency in rice and
cassava production.
“Most of the technologies that were
brought by the Chinese experts have been
replicated and these are now being exported
to the neighbouring countries,” Bello said.
Dec. 06 - 12 2019
NEWS ANALYSIS
Bello noted that it is important for African
countries to cooperate with China because
they have experienced and got right what
many countries on the continent are grap-
pling with at the moment.
Dr. Fadel Ndiame, a special advisor at the
Alliance for a Green Revolution in Africa
noted that the ever-growing middle class
on the continent that is increasingly looking
for nutritious and quality food means that
farming will have to be transformed from
the “sedentary struggle for survival” to a
science-based and market-driven venture.
Ndiame said small scale farmers need
to be part of the ever-growing lucrative
agricultural value chain but they need help
from research institutions and SMEs that are
involved in the sector.
Vincent Bamulangaki Ssempijja, the Min-
ister of Agriculture, Animal Industry and
Fisheries attributed the recent growth of the
agricultural sector over the last few years to
the FAO-China south-south cooperation pro-
gramme. The food crops sub-sector, Ssem-
pijja said, has particularly grown at 5.3%
and 4% for the years 2017/18 and 2018/19
thanks to the cooperation. This, the minister
said, is significant improvement from the
performance of 1.3% and 1.4% between 2015
and 2017.
“Farmers have in the past been getting 25
bags of rice from one hectare but, with the
improved variety, a farmer is likely to get
between 100-110 bags from the same effort
and area,” he said.
He said Uganda has since 2011 been
receiving support from China to implement
strategies to solve some of the country’s
agricultural constraints, including low levels
of production, productivity and profitability
in priority crop commodities, livestock and
fisheries.
Going forward, Ssempijja said the South-
South Cooperation programme has been
and is expected to continue being the main
flagship project providing the platform for
agricultural technology, skills and knowl-
edge transfer from China to Uganda.
On Nov. 26, Uganda and China signed a
US$ 2.4 million agreement to implement the
third phase of the FAO-China South-South
cooperation framework.
The third phase which will be imple-
mented over the next three years has been
designed to commercialize agricultural
productivity with the target of increasing
exports to the Chinese market according to
Uganda’s agriculture minister.
Ssempijja said Ugandan farmers will be
guided by Chinese agribusiness experts on
how best to improve productivity on the
farms.
“We strongly believe that by working
together with our Chinese friends through
joint venture businesses, investment arrange-
ments and win-win cooperation, majority
of African countries will quickly eradicate
poverty,” Ssempijja said.
15
news analysis

Namuganza launching the report at Mestil Hotel on Nov.29.

Oxfam says government

wrong on land
Recommends different approach
to issues in new report
By Julius Businge Renowned economist and lecturer at The government has prioritised

A
new report by Oxfam, the
international development and
humanitarian organisation, has
faulted the government’s land
policies.
Titled `Locked out; How unjust land
systems are driving inequality in Uganda’,
the report re-emphasised dealing with
gaps in land access, ownership and
management to speed up economic
growth and social transformation.
According to the research findings, poor
households are continuing to subdivide
ancestral lands and individual lands
and plots are getting smaller and less
productive.
Makerere University Fred Muhumuza and
the leader of research and advocacy at the
Oxfam Uganda office, Patience Akumu
who compiled the report, listed these as
major issues.
Speaking at the report launch on Nov.29
in Kampala, Muhumuza and Akumu said
other findings according to the report
had to do with difficulty of valuing land
for compensation, weaknesses regarding
dispute resolution mechanisms and the
effects of gender and cultural norms.
According to them, national policies
have not addressed these issues. Instead,
the government’s focus is on economic
growth through privatisation of land for
big projects.
provision of land to investors both in
rural and urban areas; mainly large scale
and foreign-based, free of charge or for a
nominal sum. The goal is to operationalise
public-private partnerships. They said that
the government assumption that this move
would result in livelihood improvement
for all the people is not largely correct.
“The reality is that fewer jobs than
anticipated are created, the displaced
people often lack the skills to take them
up, and no training in the required skills is
made available,” the report reads in part.
They also said that most of the land
that the government gives away is under
the management of the Uganda Land
Commission and District Land Boards

16 Dec. 06 - 12 2019

which have failed to keep a comprehensive
inventory of their land.
They quoted a 2015 report by the
auditor general that looked at 211 pieces
of government land and found that 19% of
them did not have records. Similar gaps,
the report says, have been found in land
records managed by the DLB.
This record gap has facilitated
encroachment onto government land
and land grabbing by investors through
government agencies.
The report was compiled when the
impact of gaps in land governance and
administration on inequality in Uganda
are becoming clearer.
The evidence in the report was gathered
in 2018 and involved interviewing key
government officials, community leaders,
civil society and others with professional
knowledge and from documented
evidence.
The report comes a few weeks
after the end of the Justice Catherine
Bamugemereire Land Commission
that started work in 2017 following
appointment by President Yoweri
Museveni to investigate land conflicts in
Uganda.
Speaking at the report launch,
Muhumuza said that managing land
problems is key to reducing inequality and
driving economic growth. He said that in
Uganda, where over 70% of people derive
Multiple
factors ensure
that the rich
get access,
control and
own more
land at the
expense of the
poor
their livelihood from agriculture, land is
an important resource for lifting people
out of poverty.
“Land is a unique asset that, besides
increasing rather than depreciating in
value over the years, holds worth beyond
the monetary,” he said. He added that
people have cultural attachments to land,
and it determines not just monetary
wealth but also cultural identity and
self-worth. Unfortunately, he said,
not everyone has access, control and
ownership over this important resource.
The poor, the vulnerable, the young and
those who live in rural areas have been
locked out from enjoying their land rights.
Multiple factors ensure that the rich get
access, control and own more land at the
expense of the poor. Muhumuza said these
factors are borne in the colonial history
that divided land to appease monarchs
and dominant religious groups.
Quoting figures from the Uganda
Bureau of Statistics (UBOS), Muhumuza
said between 1996 and 2012 the richest
10% of the population increased their
share of national income from 29.9%
to 35.7%. On the contrary, the share of
the poorest 10% decreased from 3.2% to
2.5%. In addition, he said between 2013
and 2017, the people living in poverty
increased from 19.7% to 21.4% or from
6.7 million to 10 million poor people. He
said poverty numbers are still high partly
because land conflicts negatively impact
productivity on land.
Poverty, land and inequality
According to the report, the increase
in poverty levels is directly linked to
land, which is both a generator and
a store of wealth. It says that people
providing paid agricultural labour and
those in subsistence farming are more
likely to be poor than those whose main
Dec. 06 - 12 2019
news analysis
income is commercial farming or other
nonagricultural enterprise.
It adds that the use of land also has an
impact on households that are not directly
dependent on land-based activities. This
is through the production of food, export
revenues, and industrial production that
influence the price levels and value of real
income. In addition, the report says that
the poor also lack the skills, knowledge
and access to capital necessary to improve
productivity.
Related to this, according to the report,
it is challenging for women – a group
that is increasingly contributing to wealth
creation to use land for growth purposes.
This is because, generally, land is handed
down from father to son.
“If a man has no sons, his brother,
nephew or another male relative will
inherit,” it reads in part.
It adds that women are legally allowed
to buy land, but few have the necessary
resources; they typically have only
temporary rights over land, linked to their
relationship with their father or husband.
Recommendations
The report says there should be better
land policies, that address the inequalities
rooted in history to resolve cultures and
attitudes that lock the poorest and most
vulnerable from accessing land. There is
need for more inclusive and progressive
customs.
The Succession Amendment Bill and
the Marriage and Divorce Bill should
be passed into law. In addition, the
report says that the government should
put the interest of ordinary Ugandans
before that of big investors. Dispute
resolution mechanisms for land should
be strengthened and properly funded.
Solutions should be community based
and from people who are well trained in
gender, social norms and how they affect
land rights. People who are compulsorily
displaced, should benefit from valuation
processes and compensation must be done
quickly and be inclusive of both men and
women.
Persis Namuganza, the Minister
of State for Lands, who launched the
report, agreed that the findings in the
report were real and that efforts are
being made to amend the necessary land
laws to deal with them. She said one
of the interventions the government is
implementing is registering customary
land owners in a bid to solve the
ownership challenge. She also said district
courts are being empowered to handle
land conflicts. She added that government
would continue to work with CSOs
and other land activists to sensitise the
public on land matters so as to reduce the
inequality gap.
17
news analysis
Can Africa industrialise
in its present form?
Lessons from elsewhere
By Dr. Eng. Kant Ateenyi Kanyarusoke: M-ASHRAE;
M-SASEE
T
he Uganda Engineers Registration
Board celebrated its 50th anniversary
during its 2019 annual forum
held in Kampala from Dec. 05-06.
I was invited together with my team of
engineering researchers and innovators to
talk about the 4th Industrial Revolution (4IR).
We chose three areas to address: the
Industrial revolution itself and whether
sub-Sahara Africa (SSA) was ripe for it;
examples from our seven year Research
and Development (R&D) work covering
the entire IR spectrum from pre-industrial
to futuristic solar crop drying, and most
importantly, education of SSA’s engineers
to enable the region take advantage of
emerging trends in technology so as to
emancipate its people from the yoke of
backwardness they currently are in. In this
article, I will only debrief the public on the
industrial revolution.
Introduction
The greatest revolution in modern human
history is thought to be the Industrial
18 Dec. 06 - 12 2019
Revolution (IR) which started in England
in the mid eighteenth century. It is a man-
made revolution in which production
of commercial goods was changed from
artisanal to mechanical in centralised areas
called factories. The machines produced
tens to hundreds of times faster than skilled
artisans could do, and thus consumed lots of
raw materials in a given time. Additionally,
they required lots of energy and water
supply to run.
Thus, factories sprouted up in areas
along navigable rivers, and preferably close
to sources of fuel. Machines could not tire
like human artisans. They could therefore
run 24/7 if required.
Although they replaced skilled artisans,
they still needed people to operate them
in shifts, but this time two kinds of labour
were required: the unskilled – to do routine
repetitive and manual work and the more
skilled, to supervise the former, manage
the production lines, and maintain the
machines.
Thus, the revolution had both qualitative
and quantitative effects on labour
requirements, which led to massive rural
to urban migration and rapid development
of cities.
From its epicentre in England around
1760, spreading throughout Great Britain,
the revolution reached continental Europe
and had spread to America, Russia,
Australia and Japan by the end of the 19th
century. In the 20th century, it reached

South East Asia, India and China. Today,
it manifests itself to different degrees, and
in different forms, in the Middle East and
in some developing countries of South
America.
We can thus observe that approximately
three centuries or 10-15 generations
later, it is only on the African continent,
particularly in the region south of the
Sahara that the revolution has not yet
spread to significant levels except in
isolated centres of modernity in cities like
Cape Town, Johannesburg, Lagos and
Nairobi.
Yet this is not to say sub-Sahara Africa
has not experienced the effects of the
revolution. Initially, it did – as a supplier of
slave labour to the Caribbean islands and
the Americas to grow sugar cane, cotton
and tobacco for the raw material-thirsty
British factories in the infamous triangular
trade.
Later, in the last quarter of the 19th
century, as the revolution spread to
continental Europe, the steep step change
and exponential increase of demand of raw
materials meant that their supply chain had
to be shortened and made even cheaper.
Moreover, Great Britain had at that time
already enforced a world-wide stoppage of
slave shipments across the oceans.
Thus, at Europe’s 1884 Berlin Conference,
the initially slave-supplying Africa was
parcelled out to industrialising Europe
principally to supply both old and
emerging factories with raw materials.
Sub-Sahara African societies, therefore,
forcibly became part of Europe’s industrial
revolution supply chain principally at its
lowest value end; growing cotton, tobacco,
tea, coffee, cocoa, rubber, etc.; products
Africans had never needed for their own
survival and wellbeing.
The higher end of the Industrial
revolution value chain was realised in
Europe. It provided massive employment
and greatly improved European standards
of living. More importantly, as the
revolution spread to other continents,
especially in North America and Japan, it
sparked an exponential multiplier effect
in scientific discoveries, engineering
innovations, creativity, and technological,
manufacturing and marketing
breakthroughs. In these developments,
it metamorphosed through different
overlapping stages. So far, four of such
stages can be identified whether in terms of
time or of energy sourcing or of countries
joining the main activity of manufacturing.
Table 1 summarises this metamorphosis.
It is seen from Table 1 that sub-Sahara
Africa is yet to significantly participate in
the industrial revolution at higher value
levels. But many current discussions at
government levels and in universities
gravitate about the continent joining the
revolution as a significant beneficiary at
news analysis
The four stages of the Industrial Revolution
Stage No. and Countries joining Main defining activities in the stage Energy sourcing and Participation by sub-Sahara
period transformation Africa
1. 1750-1850 Britain leads;
Belgium, Germany,
Cloth making ceases to be a home-
based, cottage industry done by skilled
Water and Steam power are
unleashed to replace horses.
Africa supplies slave labour on
plantations in the West Indies
USA, France follow hands. It is now done by a series of Iron replaces timber as main and America as part of Britain’s
later invented machines in factories. engineering material; Coal triangular trade
replaces charcoal as fuel and
as primary source of iron ore
reductant.
2. 1850 -1914 Portugal, Spain, Communication is revolutionised Electricity is discovered. Steam Africa supplies low value
Italy, Australia, through steam powered locomotives power plants powered by agricultural raw materials to
Soviet Union and extensive railway networks. coal, and by petrochemical colonising European powers.
and Japan join. Telephony comes on the scene; oils generate electricity. Steel A small elite group of Africans
Germany and USA
overtake Britain
Advances in chemistry lead to fertiliser
and pharmaceutical factories
replaces Iron as the main
engineering material. The
forms to nucleate captive
markets for products from
as world leaders internal combustion engine factories in respective colonial
in inventions and comes on the scene, and the powers.
manufacturing automobile revolution begins.
Manned flight starts.
3.1914 – 1970 Brazil, Korea,
Turkey, Iran, Israel,
Analog and digital electronics in
industrial controls. Robotics comes on
Fossil fuels bloom. Nuclear
energy comes of age. Fuel cells
Africa’s supplies of raw
materials diversify to include
South Africa join. the scene. Industrial Engineering and appear. Photovoltaic electricity minerals, crude oil, and
USA emerges as Management come of age. Computers finds use in space missions. flowers. A few agricultural
supreme leader are introduced. Space race and a produce-processing factories
in engineering
innovation, followed
cold war between the two world super
powers get going.
begin to appear in some
politically independent
by the Soviet Union. countries. Multinational
manufacturing companies from
former colonial powers begin
to appear.
4.1970 to date China, India, United
Arab Emirates join.
China sets up millions of cottage
manufacturing centres, lifting over
Renewable energy sources
of energy begin to enter the
Africa continues to supply
raw materials, this time to
China takes lead 700 Million people out of poverty. extended supply chain energy an enlarged manufacturing
as the world’s No. 1 India re-industrialises, this time using mix. New engineering materials world that includes China
manufacturing and machinery, and uses internet and in form of composites, Nano- and India. Consumption
civil engineering satellite communication to service materials and genetically trends shift to goods and
construction centre. manufacturing centres in more engineered biomaterials gain engineering services provided
advanced countries. Supply chains significance. by China. Some multinational
integration using internet begins. companies from previous
colonising countries wind up
manufacturing in some of the
African countries.
sizeable middle class components within
less than a generation. Is this realistic? Were
it to be possible, what would be needed to
facilitate it? And if not possible, what is it
that needs to be done by some countries to
move faster towards the realisation? This
series of articles addresses these questions
by examining how representative countries
in column 2 of Table 1 managed to join the
level 4, alongside China and India. There is revolution. In the next part, we therefore
talk of ‘leapfrogging’ all the other stages, in look at factors that favoured and/or caused
transforming largely subsistence peasantry the revolution in these countries, and then
populations to modern industrial ones with draw lessons for Africa.
Dec. 06 - 12 2019 19
comment
By Dr. Brian Sserunjogi
2019 Movable Property Act
Reasons why its benefits, including boosting SME
access to credit, are likely to be derailed
M
icro, Small and Medium
Enterprises (MSMEs) form
a vital component of the
private sector for Uganda’s
economy. They remain a key contrib-
utor to employment creation, innova-
tion, revenue generation and economic
growth. Despite their importance in
the national economic development,
MSMEs in Uganda face a number of
business constraints. Key among con-
straints is lack of adequate and cheap
credit for business growth and expan-
sion.
According to the World Bank’s Ease
of Doing Business report 2019, Ugan-
da’s registered a low rank of 73 out of
100 on the obtaining credit indicator
compared to its East African counter-
parts, Kenya (90) and Rwanda (95).
Difficulties in obtaining credit for
MSMEs in Uganda are worsened due to
the inability of these businesses to pro-
vide the collateral required by banks,
mainly land and buildings.
In order to lessen the burden of pro-
viding immovable collateral (land and
buildings) by MSMEs to lenders, gov-
ernment, in June 2019, repealed and
replaced the Chattels Securities Act No.
7 of 2014 with the Security Interest in
Movable Property Act 2019. The new
law provides for use of movable prop-
erty as collateral to access credit.
The coming into force of this law
came with the establishment of an
online/ electronic movable property
register of security interests. To any
lender, a reliable collateral registry
eliminates the risk that a borrower
uses the same movable property as
collateral to secure other loans without
the knowledge of the lender. Thus the
register is proof of interest in the prop-
erty and priority of payment in event
that the property is sold off to meet
loan obligations. It is also a means of
notification to keep track of all secu-
rity interests tied to an asset or to an
individual borrower. The new law
allows for an array of movable prop-
erty such as household items, livestock,
farm produce, farm harvest, motor
vehicles, accounts receivables and
20 Dec. 06 - 12 2019
farm machinery among others to be
used as collateral for obtaining a loan
from banks, microfinance institutions,
leasing companies, credit institutions,
registered money lenders and foreign
companies.
While the reform is a step in the right
direction, its benefits are likely to be
derailed due to a number of reasons.
First, while the reform should be
accompanied with a sound financial
education and awareness campaigns,
many of the MSMEs in Uganda are
not aware of the change in the rules
and how to benefit from the reform.
Second, in spite of the fact that finan-
cial institutions require collateral to
minimise default risk, they still lend
against cash flows which normally
require credible credit history substan-
tiated by sufficient financial records.
Unfortunately for Uganda, most
MSMEs have only thin or non-existent
credit history, insufficient proof of
profitability, market fluctuation, and
long production cycles which create
unique risks for lenders. To mitigate
these risks, financial institutions are
likely to continue demanding for
immovable collateral.
Third, the Act defines collateral in
Given the value
of movable
collateral
depreciates
rapidly, an
efficient system
to enforce
contracts
between lenders
and borrowers
needs to be in
place
a broader sense as all sorts of mov-
able property, tangible and intangible
that are subject to a security interest.
This definition enables lenders and
borrowers to determine the form of
collateral to register a security interest.
While this wide definition grants both
parties greater flexibility to agree on
terms that are acceptable to both of
them. In practice, financial institu-
tions routinely accept fewer forms of
collateral than the law permits. Evi-
dence from other countries such as
Nigeria shows that while collateral in
the country is defined as tangible and
intangible movable property, where
movable properties are assets (tangible
or intangible) other than real property.
In reality, only cars plus other fixed
assets are accepted depending on the
value of the loan. Given this broad
definition, lenders in Uganda are likely
to choose which collateral to advance
credit. This might render the reform
ineffective.
Finally, given the fact that the value
of movable collateral depreciates rap-
idly over time, an efficient system
to enforce contracts between lenders
and borrowers needs to be in place if
the reform is to bear any fruit. This
is because if financial institutions are
uncertain regarding the protection of
property rights and the quick enforce-
ability of contracts, they are likely to
adopt more conservative measures to
limit exposure resulting into higher
costs for borrowers. According to the
2019 World Bank’s Ease of Doing Busi-
ness report, it takes 490 days to enforce
a contract in Uganda. This is compara-
tively higher than Rwanda’s 230 days.
Therefore, for the reform to be fruitful
the court system in Uganda needs to
become more efficient to entice finan-
cial institutions to secure loans with
moveable property.
Dr. Brian Sserunjogi is a Research Fellow
at Economic Policy Research Centre

By Werner Hoyer
Power of green public finance
Investors and rating agencies fear potential “stranded
assets,” such as oil and gas, becoming obsolete
P
olicymakers and pundits have been
wringing their hands over the crises
afflicting the European Union,
arguing that it is falling behind in
confronting major threats to its long-term
survival. Yet on the issue of climate change,
nothing could be further from the truth. In
mid-November, EU member states demon-
strated that they can unite behind a shared
vision of a low-carbon future. And European
institutions are already leading the fight
against climate change at the global level.
Among these, the European Investment
Bank will now be playing an even greater
role as an instrument for decarbonising the
economy and limiting global warming to
well below 2°C above pre-industrial levels.
Climate change is the top political issue
of our time. Scientists estimate that if we
remain on our current path, we will experi-
ence global warming of 3-4°C by the end of
the century, at which point large portions of
the planet will be uninhabitable. Coupled
with demographic growth, the impact on
human welfare and migration flows would
be catastrophic. Carbon emissions reached
a record high in 2018, indicating that we
urgently need to step up our response.
The transition to a low-carbon economy
will not be possible without massive invest-
ment. But scarce public resources will not
be nearly enough to fund them. Instead, we
need to leverage public money to mobilise
private capital. The new European Commis-
sion under President Ursula von der Leyen
understands this. In pursuing a European
Green Deal, von der Leyen has asked the EIB
to become the financial engine of the low-
carbon transition.
To that end, the EIB will use its financing
to mobilise more than $1 trillion for invest-
ments in climate action and environmental
sustainability over the next decade, while
increasing the share of climate investment
in its overall financing portfolio to 50% by
2025. At the end of 2020, its entire financing
will be aligned with the goals of the 2015
Paris climate accord, and one year later its
financing for projects relying solely on fossil
fuels will end. Going forward, the bank will
be committed to the most ambitious climate
investment strategy of any public financial
institution in the world.
Rather than simply following the financial
markets, public financial institutions must
lead them, by creating investment channels
into the green technologies of the future –
from floating wind farms and new forms of
tidal-energy production to better batteries
and more efficient buildings. Public banks
must go to where private capital is still reluc-
tant to go, as the EIB has already demon-
strated in the offshore-wind sector.
Besides, there is a clear business rationale
for prioritising green finance. Investors and
rating agencies are increasingly scrutinising
investment portfolios for potential “stranded
assets,” such as oil and gas projects that will
become obsolete as more renewable-energy
technologies become commercially viable.
Many existing fossil-fuel projects already
have shorter life spans than was previously
expected, and financial portfolios that rely
heavily on such assets will increasingly be at
risk of devaluation.
With some governments abandoning pre-
vious commitments to reduce emissions, one
might think that the global effort to tackle cli-
mate change is losing steam. But we should
not underestimate the power of financial
pressure to effect change, nor can we ignore
the determination of local governments and
the private sector to act where national gov-
ernment have not.
Climate
policies can
be perfectly
designed, but
if they leave
communities
behind, they
will invite a
backlash and
are likely fail
Dec. 06 - 12 2019
comment
Nonetheless, to get and keep all govern-
ments on board, the low-carbon transition
must be inclusive. While countries with over
90% of the EIB’s capital voted in favor of the
new energy lending policy, some countries
did vote against it. They have legitimate con-
cerns about the economic implications for
their constituents. We cannot ignore the posi-
tion of countries that depend on fossil fuels
like coal, and that see increased natural-gas
production as a transition fuel. Rather, we
must help them accelerate that transition, by
ensuring that the process is just and fair. The
EIB, for example, has agreed to extend the
deadline (until the end of 2021) for its sup-
port of gas projects already under appraisal.
As we have seen in recent years, climate
policies can be perfectly designed, but if
they leave communities behind, they will
invite a backlash and likely fail. Right now,
at least ten EU member states face specific
energy-investment challenges that cannot be
ignored.
To help them find a way forward, the EIB
will be working closely with the European
Commission and the new “Just Transition
Fund,” including advisory support.
A properly managed green transition
will offer more than enough economic
opportunities for everyone in the energy
sector – from generation to transmission and
distribution as well as storage. In addition,
the need for low-carbon technologies for
the mobility and energy-intensive industrial
sectors will create more opportunities for
innovative businesses.
New participants are entering the market,
consumers are becoming more active, and
civil-society organizations are mobilizing. By
shaping markets and guiding private invest-
ment toward the sectors that will ensure a
just and fair transition for everyone, the EIB
looks forward to demonstrating how much
can be achieved through the leverage of
public finance.
Werner Hoyer is President of the European
Investment Bank.
Copyright: Project Syndicate, 2019.
www.project-syndicate.org
21
comment
By Stephen Kasaija
Government grants for elderly
80 years is not the fixed cut off age for the Social Assistance
Grants for Empowerment as it can go down to 60 years
O
ver the last few months,
there have been a number of
public comments regarding
the modality for the national
roll out of the Senior Citizens Grant
(under the Social Assistance Grants for
Empowerment-SAGE).
Particularly, the requirement that for
persons to be enrolled on the SAGE
Programme, they must be 80 years and
above, and need to be registered and
have a national ID has raised some
anxiety. The other (non-controversial)
requirement is that to benefit
from SAGE, older persons should
not already be receiving another
government pension.
This discussion needs to be put in
context.
The public should understand that
80 years and above is not the final age
for eligibility, rather it is the initial
eligibility age. Eventually the eligibility
age is intended to come down to 65
(or 60 for Karamoja). Secondly, it is
important to realise that the decision
to set the age at 80 years is data based.
Evidence from the National ID register
(NIRA) shows that there are 266, 257
people who are 80 years and above in
Uganda’s population.
The argument for the roll out of
the Senior Citizens Grant (SCG) this
financial year is, therefore, to start with
those 80 years old and above (plus the
over 190,000 persons who are already
benefit from the Programme). The age
threshold will then be brought down
gradually over the next few years.
For example, based on the resources
available, the eligibility age could
reduce to 75 or 70 in the next financial
year, and then progressively be further
reduced.
The decision to have an initial
eligibility age of 80 years was arrived
at following a consultative process
that involved the Committee of
Parliament on Gender, Labour &
Social Development; the Ministry of
Gender, Labour & Social Development
(MGLSD) and the Ministry of Finance,
Planning & Economic Development
(MoFPED).
22 Dec. 06 - 12 2019
Many might recall that the issue
of rolling out the grants to reach all
districts had been brought before the
Floor of Parliament several times, and
there have been calls from different
quarters in the country to challenge the
MGLSD to “stop segregating” through
“piloting” the grants in some districts,
but instead roll them out to cover all
older persons, in all districts. In fact,
the MGLSD was summoned before
the Equal Opportunities Commission
on account of allegedly practicing
segregation by covering some older
persons with the grant, and leaving
out others. The Speaker of Parliament
referred the issue to the Committee (on
Gender, Labour & Social Development)
to work with all the stakeholders to
propose a way forward on the matter.
The Committee led by the Hon. Alex
Ndeezi undertook wide consultations
with MoFPED, MGLSD, and even
travelled to districts to talk to older
persons, and other stakeholders. In its
report to Parliament, the Committee
took cognizance of the limited
fiscal space on account of the many
commitments that Government has.
Concurrently, the Committee observed
that the impacts of, and the demand
for, the Senior Citizens Grants around
the country was too compelling to be
The
Committee
considered
different
options
for the
eligibility
age, each
with its
budget
implication
ignored.
The Committee, therefore,
recommended that the grants be
rolled out to all districts in the country
starting this Financial Year (2019/20),
to people who are 80 years and above
and that the eligibility age be gradually
reduced to 65 years (60 in the case of
Karamoja), within three years. Cabinet
concurred with this recommendation.
The Equal Opportunities Commission
in its judgement said, a gradual roll out
with plans to cover all older persons,
did not tantamount to segregation.
The Committee considered different
options for the eligibility age, each
with its budget implication. The
Committee deemed that in the current
circumstances, it is better to start at 80
years and above. The argument should
therefore be on hastening the gradual
lowering of the eligibility age, rather
than focusing on the current age.
On the national ID requirement,
we need to agree as a country that
it is important to start developing
working civil registries. With all the
current challenges, it is important that
a Programme like SAGE is based on
the national ID- because it is ideally
a Programme based on a births and
deaths registry. We therefore, should
encourage older persons who have not
yet registered or those whose details
were wrongly captured, to follow the
legitimate processes to register/rectify
their data so that they are captured for
SAGE. Again, the discussion should
not be whether or not to use the
national ID, rather it should be how
to ease the process of older persons
accessing the registration process
or correcting their information. The
MGLSD is working with NIRA to deal
with this issue.
Stephen Kasaija is the Head, Expanding
Social Protection Programme, Programme
Management Unit, (ESP/PMU), Ministry
of Gender, Labour & Social Development

Africa sets terms at
climate change meet
Civil society calls for action as COP 25 kicks off in Madrid
By Isaiah Esipisu
D
uring the 25th round of climate
change negotiations starting
Dec.02 in Madrid, Spain, African
civil society organisations called
on governments from both developing and
developed nations to play their promised
roles in combating climate change.
“We’re fatigued by COP (Conference of
Parties) jamborees which have become a
ritual every year,” said Dr Mithika Mwenda
of the Pan Africa Climate Justice Alliance
(PACJA); an umbrella organisation that
brings together over 1,000 African climate
and environment civil society organisations.
“We know the science is clear about the
level (in which) we need to act, yet we pro-
crastinate and prevaricate while maintaining
our profligate lifestyles,” he told IPS in an
interview.
The 25th United Nations Framework Con-
vention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) Con-
ference of Parties (COP 25) comes a week
after the U.N. Environment Programme
(UNEP) released a report warning that
unless global greenhouse gas emissions fall
by 7.6 percent each year between 2020 and
2030, the world will miss the opportunity to
get on track towards the 1.5°C temperature
goal of the Paris Agreement.
The Paris Agreement is an agreement
reached at the 21st Conference of the Par-
ties (COP 21) in Paris, France, where the
world’s nations undertook a determined
course to reduce climate change. Among the
commitments was to reduce the increase in
global temperatures. The annual Emissions
Gap Report, which was released on Nov. 26
warns that even if all current unconditional
commitments under the Paris Agreement are
implemented, temperatures are expected to
rise by 3.2°C, bringing even wider-ranging
and more destructive climate impacts.
“Any slight change in global temperatures
can have a devastating effect on millions
of livelihoods, and could expose people to
life-threatening heat waves, water shortages
and coastal flooding,” said Dr Mohammed
Said, a climate change research scientist
based in Kenya.
According to his research in Kenya’s Arid
and Semi-Arid regions, people in counties
that experienced increased temperatures in
the past 50 years have suffered significant
loss of livelihoods with some having to
change their lifestyles altogether.
Secretary General Antonio Guterres and Executive Secretary Patricia Espinosa on Day 1 of COP25 in Madrid.
“In Turkana County for example, the tem-
peratures increased by 1.8°C, and as a result,
the cattle population declined by 60 percent,
and now residents have been forced to turn
to more resilient camels, goats and sheep,”
he told IPS.
It is the same situation all over the world.
A study published in `Nature Climate
Change’ points out that if global warming
causes a rise of 1.5°C or 2°C, then there will
be extremely hot summers across Australia,
more frequent drought conditions and more
frequent heat leading to bleaching of the
Great Barrier Reef.
Another study by the United Kingdom’s
Met Office reveals that the changing climate
will make heat waves a common phenome-
na worldwide and even intense in the U.K.
In Africa, climate change has caused
flooding, drought, change in the distribution
of rainfall, and the drying up of rivers. It
has affected agriculture, food security and
human health. And it has also led to conflicts
over resources, impacting national security
in various countries.
In Kenya, residents of West Pokot County
are currently grappling with the deaths of
50 people who were recently buried alive by
landslides following heavy rainfall that con-
tinues to pound the East African region.
According to the Kenya Meteorological
Department, the above-normal rainfall
has been caused by sea surface tempera-
ture anomalies in the Indian, Atlantic and
Pacific Oceans caused by global warming.
Floods in the region, which have already
displaced hundreds of households and have
swept away bridges, roads and property,
are expected to continue for the next three
weeks, according to the meteorological
focus.
Dec. 06 - 12 2019
news analysis
However, Mwenda believes that all is not
lost. He notes that though the Nationally
Determined Commitments (NDCs) are inad-
equate to lead to emission levels required
by science and justice, there is still hope that
momentum building on their implementa-
tion won’t be compromised.
“We will not be tired of telling our leaders
that the future generations will judge them
harshly as they have failed to rise to the
occasion even when science is very clear that
we have exceeded planetary boundaries,”
he said.
In order to address climate change ade-
quately, civil society is also calling for a ded-
icated financial mechanism to be established
in Madrid to support Loss and Damage with
a clear agreement on new sources of finance.
During the 19th round of negotiations
in Poland, the COP established the War-
saw International Mechanism (WIM) for
Loss and Damage associated with Climate
Change Impacts (Loss and Damage Mecha-
nism), to address loss and damage associat-
ed with impacts of climate change, including
extreme events and slow onset events, in
developing countries that are particularly
vulnerable to the adverse effects of climate
change.
“As we head to Madrid, we expect that
all countries will endeavour to deliver on
ambitious commitments in climate finance,
especially in regard to loss and damage,
strong national targets, and clear rules on
trading emissions between countries,” said
Robert Bakiika, the Executive Director of
EMLI Bwaise Facility, a Ugandan NGO and
one of the admitted observer organisations
at the UNFCCC.
Source: AllAfrica
23
news analysis
Do we ever really die online?
Social media is turning into a giant graveyard, with sometimes disturbing consequences. So what can we do to
keep control of our data after we’re gone? Kieran Yates looks at one of the great conundrums of the digital age
I
magine a future where your great,
great grandchildren are gathered
around a room flicking through web
pages projected into the air.
They’ve probably got holograms of
their favourite artists playing in the
background as they pore over your
social media history, trying to piece
together who their great, great grandpar-
ent was via archaic “Twitter” and “Insta-
gram” posts.
How much of you is left in this digital
world after you’ve ceased to exist in the
real one? And how much of it is really
up to you?
‘Digital death’ is one of the biggest
challenges facing the tech community,
one that flags up a myriad of logisti-
cal, ethical and cultural questions that
designers, academics, archivists and
even will writers are working to figure
out. Where does our data go when we’re
gone? Who gets our Bitcoins? Should
our social media accounts be preserved
when we die, or shut down?
Back in 2010, writer Nikesh Shukla
was mourning the sudden passing of his
mother. Before him and his sister had
resolved how to gently break the news to
the family, the moment had been broad-
casted by his uncle via a short Facebook
status, simply reading: ‘RIP sis’.
“Overnight, my mum’s Facebook
24 Dec. 06 - 12 2019
account kind of became a shrine,” he
says. “People were leaving messages of
condolences without really knowing the
details. It was making me and my sister
really upset so we thought, ‘Right, we’d
better kill my mum on Facebook’.
“So we did: we deleted her, but not
before finding out her digital footprint
was harder to get rid of than we thought.
Working out the processes was really
difficult, and all this before we’d even
had a death certificate issued.”
Prompted by distressed users like
Shukla, Facebook trialed different ways
to crack the conundrum of death on its
platform.
First, in 2010, it introduced a feature
which allowed you to ‘memorialise’ a
page - essentially freezing the person’s
profile so that it can’t be changed, but,
depending on privacy settings, could still
be commented on (the alternative was to
request to remove the page altogether).
Precedent cases soon showed this to be
an imperfect solution. The case of British
woman Hollie Gazzard was particularly
notable. In 2015, the 20-year-old was
tragically murdered by her boyfriend,
of whom she had posted pictures which
were still visible on her profile page -
pulled in automatically by Facebook’s
algorithm - a whole year after her death.
After initially refusing to take them
down, Facebook eventually bowed
to public pressure and petitions and
deleted the photos. While this appears
to show the company is prepared to
respond – albeit slowly – to real world
anomalies, it’s worth noting it still con-
tinues to resolve such issues on a case-
by-case basis with no guarantee over
how long it will take.
After the Gazzard case, Facebook
introduced their newest feature which
allows users to pick a ‘legacy contact’:
someone to manage your account after
you pass away. After you’re gone,
they’re able to do things like pin a post
on your timeline, respond to new friend
requests and update your profile pic-
ture - but won’t be able to post as you
or see your messages. (You can do this
by clicking Settings, Manage Account,
and then selecting the ‘legacy contact’
option. The person you elect will then be
sent an automatic message reading: “Hi
xx, Facebook now lets people choose a
legacy contact to manage their account
if something happens to them…As you
know me well and I trust you, I chose
you. Please let me know if you want to
talk about this”).
If, later, your friend chooses to absolve
themselves of the responsibility of keep-
ing your flame alive on Facebook, they
can request to have your account deleted

- or you can give that order to Facebook
directly yourself (automated message:
“Please confirm that you want your
account to be deleted after your death.
Once someone lets us know that you’ve
passed away, all of your info, photos and
posts will be permanently removed from
Facebook and no one will be able to see
your Profile again”).
Despite this provision, Facebook’s
extremely long terms and conditions
state clearly: ‘There is no provision that
expressly terminates the contractual
agreement between Facebook and a user
who dies’.
It’s a similar story at the other giants
of our online life. Google does not have
a termination provision in their terms
either, but it does have a similar ‘legacy
contact’ system – they encourage you to
nominate an ‘account trustee’ who acts
much the same. Snapchat does not allow
this, opting to simply make your account
inactive with time. Twitter, conversely,
won’t let anyone access your account in
the event of your death, though the net-
work will work with relatives to “deac-
tivate” or delete your account - if they
provide a death certificate.
People want holograms of themselves
at their funeral, and to splice their DNA
with a tree
Beyond the bureaucracy of how dying
is processed online comes the question
of how the digital world is reshaping the
way in which we view death itself.
Dr Stacey Pitsillides is a lecturer in
Design at the University of Greenwich,
and her PHD explores the impact of dig-
ital death with particular reference to the
work of psychologist Elaine Kasket, who
interviewed hundreds of people for her
upcoming book `All The Ghost In The
Machine’ which is about the emotional
impact of death in digital spaces.
“A cultural shift has taken place where
people have begun not just talking about
the dead, but actually quite viscerally, to
the dead” says Pitsillides.
“Kasket found through her research
that more and more people are leaving
comments on walls rather than visiting
gravestones.
“For them, profile pages are not only
manifestations of a dead person, but
offer a more tangible connection with
them. They believe they are being ‘heard’
by the person they are grieving.”
Pitsillides herself first became inter-
ested in the subject after noticing visual
representations of death in online games
like Second Life, Eve Online and World
of Warcraft.
“The first experience I had was with a
Japanese man saying he wanted to bury
his cat” she recalls. “No-one was willing
to give this creature a proper memorial,
and because he couldn’t find a place in
the real world to honour this animal he
felt very close to, he turned to the virtual
world and created this online pet ceme-
tery instead.
“He ended up turning it into a busi-
ness, selling grave plots and virtual flow-
ers and candles to people. So a personal
representation of grief became a commu-
nal representation. It showed the kind of
grassroots creativity that is happening
around the issue.”
‘Digital Death Day’ is an annual event
in California started in 2010 by a small
group of academics, entrepreneurs,
prominent Second Life community mem-
bers, lawyers, computer scientists and
funeral directors. Today, over 200 people
converge to forecast trends and look for
design solutions to death.
“We discuss everything from Google
and digital account management to
studies by international scholars,” says
Pitsillides.
“The aim is to talk in an open way
about how online death is affecting our
industry, the ethical questions it throws
up and what people might want in the
real world.”
In 2016, Pitsillides curated an installa-
tion where she and others asked people
in real life how they wanted to die.
Dec. 06 - 12 2019
news analysis
“Ideas ranged from people having
holograms of themselves at their funeral
to having their DNA spliced with a tree
so they can be part of that and grow for-
ever,” she says.
What happens to my iTunes
collection? Can I pass it on?
These creative ideas are fun to consid-
er, but what about the concrete logistics?
What about the questions surrounding
life and finance management in a world
that is changing so fast, asking who will
get your Bitcoins and access your Twitter
might soon be as important as who will
inherit your ISA?
Fidel Beauhill is a Bristol-based will
writer and advocate for encouraging
people to speak about the logistics of
death. His conference, titled ‘You’re All
Going To Die’, offers useful advice on
how to manage your affairs learned first-
hand from his day job – something that
increasingly involves matters of digital
legacy.
I tell him of a conversation I had with
my family, inspired by researching this
article, about Facebook’s aforementioned
‘legacy contact’ solution. We have con-
flicting positions: my mum tells me she
would want to delete all my accounts,
while my sister would want to keep my
profile alive as a memorial ground (a
2013 YouGov survey found that 45% of
18-24 year-olds would prefer their pro-
files to remain online, while only 25% of
over 55s felt the same). Is this something
families are starting to talk about?
“It’s not a conversation that happens
before people die... but it’s an argument
happening more and more after people
die” says Beauhill. “Unfortunately, the
assets and the way these things are han-
dled are down to the terms and condi-
tions of the platform that you’ve signed
up for, which don’t always have a duty
of care.”
These terms and condition aren’t
exactly designed to be easily understood
by users - something Mark Zuckerberg’s
recent senate hearings touched upon in
no uncertain terms. Facebook’s Terms
and Conditions - also known as the
‘Statement of Rights and Responsibilities
and the Data Use Policy’ - consists of
over 14,000 words and is updated regu-
larly, leaving most users with scant hope
of understanding exactly what rights
they or their families have in the event
of death. Often, it’s not the answer they
want to hear.
“One thing I’ve been asked about a
lot by my clients recently is iTunes and
Audible,” he says. “Some of them have
made significant investments in their
music library and it means a lot to them.
They ask: what happens to my iTunes
25
NEWS ANALYSIS
account? What happens to my music and
my books? Can I pass them on?
“Unfortunately, I often have to deliver
bad news. Because with Apple, the stuff
you buy is only licensed by you, not
owned, so effectively when you die it
just disappears.”
I ask him if I could feasibly write into
my will that I want my mum to take over
my social media account even though
strictly, this is against the rules (section
4.8 of your contract with Facebook says
clearly that ‘Password sharing is prohib-
ited and users are also prohibited from
letting anyone else access their account’).
It’s important to note the difference
to a legacy contact here – a password
exchange would mean that your inbox
messages can be read and they could
post as you (or more sinisterly, Catfish
your life after your death).
“You could,” says Beauhill, “but it
wouldn’t necessarily be legally binding.
It would be a request, because you don’t
have that power to grant full access yet...
but these are questions for the future.
“Conversations around cryptocurrency
like Bitcoins are starting to happen too,”
he says. “How that will be dealt with
will be interesting to see, because there
is a myriad of platforms and digital
wallets. That’s a financial asset, so that’s This might be the moment to start companies to try and harvest it. But what
something that can be passed on to other thinking about how Artificial Intelligence about the social and cultural argument
family members in theory, but there isn’t can be applied in this context. Facebook, for what to do with our data?
a real legal precedent for Bitcoins yet”. of course, already curates video Perhaps the most progressive way
Beauhill maintains these things montages about your life that fails to to think about social media is as a
are cultural too - and there is another pick up on stuff you posted sarcastically, great, sprawling human archive of our
conversation around how different while Twitter shows you tweets in case historical moment. The way we interact,
communities openly discuss death and you ‘missed’ them based on what it the evolution of language online, how
the logistics around it. thinks you want to see. Despite our we respond to the big news stories of
“Perhaps that will evolve when best attempts to curate obituaries for our time – is there a case for saying
fingerprint technology does so that you ourselves, it might ultimately, be the this should all be preserved for history
might have a video call and all three put algorithms that have the final say about scholars of the future to look back on
their thumbs on at the same time,” he who we were. and learn from? That, for a generation
says, “but for now, preparation is key. In 2017 a journalist called James with statistically less to ‘leave behind’
My first bit of advice is to write a list Vlahos created the ‘Dadbot’ by using than those before in the way of home
of what accounts you’ve got, because hours of recorded conversations to ownership, wealth and land, our data
family members rarely know what reanimate and ‘interact’ with his father may be our most valuable legacy?
online bank accounts or libraries you after he’d died. He transcribed 91,970 Looking at digital death in this way,
have.” words of audio and using AI technology the pithy or earnest tweets we send,
called PullString. Through FB messenger the Instagram pictures we post and our
Maybe our data is our greatest legacy the bot can hold conversations and Facebook status updates could all, in
Even if we were to settle upon a occasionally play recordings of his dad’s time, become tiny breadcrumbs that
reliable system for ‘passing on’ control songs and jokes, mirroring real FB chats allow future generations – or just those
of our digital lives, applying real-world (many brands already use this kind of great, great grandchildren - to piece
solutions to these digital challenges technology in their online customer together who we once were.
might not always work. Electing services). Whether or not we can really ‘die’ in
someone to be your legacy heir makes This idea presents one of the most a digital space remains a conundrum,
sense in that it mirrors what we do pressing ethical questions of modern but what is clear is that by using small,
already, but what about the fallibility of life: do we have a right to privacy after logistical steps like storing passwords,
humans? death? The most obvious and instinctive electing legacy contacts in our wills and
Pitsillides, for one, remains sceptical. reaction is: yes, of course we do. Our even taking steps to archive our data,
“What happens when you fall out with data is ours, and ours alone. But post we can try and take back some control of
that person, or when that person dies the Cambridge Analytica scandal, does how we exist in the matrix: a small break
themselves?” she asks. “We need to take anyone really believe this? The lines of from obsessing about how we’re viewed
these things into account if we want a data ownership are increasingly blurry in the present to consider how we want
social media that actually works when and we know there are huge commercial to be remembered after we’re gone.
we die.” - or even political - incentives for

26 Dec. 06 - 12 2019

Cybercrime in East Africa
By Mercy Muendo
E
ast Africa attracts millions of tourists
every year. Over the past 10 years, its
earnings from tourism have doubled.
Compared to the rest of Africa, the
region is experiencing healthy economic
growth. This makes it a promising invest-
ment destination.
Factors like regional tourism, movement
of workers and technology development
have catalysed East African integration and
cross-border banking.
Many cross-border banks originate from
Kenya with branches across the region. One
example is Kenya’s Equity Bank, which
relies heavily on digital technology. The
digital space has many positive attributes
but the threat of cybercrime and insecurity is
prevalent.
Uganda lost Shs42 million to cybercrime
in 2017. In 2018, Rwanda lost Rwf6 billion. In
Kenya, between April and June 2019 alone,
the country experienced 26.6 million cyber
threats. Across the region, with the increase
of digital banking, financial institutions have
become targets. These institutions are
attractive to cyber criminals because they
hold the biggest cash reserves. Africa’s
digital infrastructure is ill-equipped
to manage the continent’s growing
cyber-security risk. Equity is a pioneer in
online and mobile banking with technol-
ogy that merges banking and telephony.
However, it recently suffered a cyber-at-
tack. Last month, Rwandan authorities
arrested a cybercrime syndicate compris-
ing eight Kenyans, three Rwandans, and
a Ugandan. The syndicate had attempt-
ed to hack into the Equity Bank system.
The group has been involved in similar
attacks in Kenya and Uganda.
Early in the year, Kenya’s director of crim-
inal investigation issued warrants of arrest
against 130 suspected hackers and fraudsters
for alleged banking fraud.
These incidents show that financial losses
to cyber insecurity are a growing threat to
East Africa’s economy.
Cybercrime occurs through the use of
computers, computer technology or the
internet. It often results in identity theft, theft
of money, sale of contraband, cyber stalking
or disruption of operations.
Within East Africa, Kenya, Rwanda and
Uganda are taking steps to manage the
huge cybercrime risk. But the cyber-attack
on Equity Bank is proof that these countries
need to do more to protect their financial
institutions from massive losses going for-
ward.
The African Union’s Convention on Cyber
Security and Personal Data Protection is
East Africa’s overarching policy guideline
on cybercrime. It was adopted by member
states in 2014. The Convention is similar to
the Council of Europe’s Cyber Crime Con-
vention which established a cyber security
on the European continent.
Rwanda signed the Convention earlier
this year, but it’s the only East African coun-
try to have done so.
The Convention requires member states
to share responsibility by instituting cyber
security measures that consider the correla-
tion between data protection and cyber-
crime. These measures will keep data safe
from cyber criminals and preempt its misuse
by third parties. It also encourages the estab-
lishment of national computer emergency
response teams.
There is also a provision on mutual legal
assistance. This allows for member states to
share intelligence and collaborate on inves-
tigations. Even though Uganda and Kenya
aren’t yet signatories, they have nevertheless
been establishing legal and policy frame-
works provided for under the convention.
Rwanda is doing so too, and as a signatory is
one step ahead.
In 2015, Rwanda came up with a nation-
al cyber security policy that established a
National Computer Security and Response
Centre. The centre detects, prevents and
responds to cyber security threats. And in
2016, the Regulatory Board of Rwanda Util-
ities rolled out network security regulations
to protect the privacy of subscribers. They
also empower the government to regulate
and monitor internet operators and service
providers.
The country also has a National Cyber
Contingency Plan to handle cyber crises.
Further, Rwanda’s telecom network secu-
rity regulations require service providers
to secure their services by protecting their
infrastructure. Every service provider must
be licensed and must guarantee the con-
fidentiality and integrity of their services.
They must also set up incident management
teams. These teams work with the gov-
ernment to manage cyber security threats
Dec. 06 - 12 2019
news analysis
effectively. Additionally, Rwanda passed an
information and communication technology
law in 2016. This contains provisions on
computer misuse and cybercrime which
criminalise unauthorised access to data.
The country has managed to build the
foundations of a strong regulatory frame-
work. It has also taken measures to raise
awareness around cyber security. In fact, in
the attack on Equity Bank, the authorities
acted on a tip from members of the public.
In 2014, Kenya launched its National
Cyber Security Strategy to raise cyber secu-
rity awareness and equip Kenya’s workforce
to address cyber security needs.
In line with this strategy, Kenya amended
its information and communications law to
criminalise unauthorised access to computer
data. Kenya has also set up a national com-
puter incident response coordination centre
to consolidate key cyber infrastructure and
create pathways for regional and interna-
tional partnership.
Generally, Kenya has a robust cyber
security policy which includes a legal and
regulatory framework. The result has been
that impending cyber attacks are discovered
before massive damage is done and ongo-
ing attacks are rapidly arrested.
Uganda has legislation to protect cyber
security. This includes the Computer Mis-
use Act which ensures the safety and securi-
ty of electronic transactions and information
systems, and the Regulation of Interception
of Communications Act to monitor suspi-
cious communications. It also has a national
computer emergency response team.
This regulatory framework is similar to
those in Kenya and Rwanda. But in addi-
tion, Uganda has a National Information
and Technology Authority that provides
technical support and cyber security train-
ing. It also regulates standards and utilisa-
tion of information technology in both the
public and private sectors. These measures
have boosted the countries’ cyber security
strategy.
While Uganda has these measures in
place, Kenya and Rwanda are two of the top
three cyber secure countries in Africa.
Moving ahead
Kenya, Uganda, and Rwanda have taken
solid steps to harmonise cybersecurity pro-
cesses, data protection, and collaborative
prosecution and investigation measures.
They have criminalised cybercrime and
established frameworks to manage cyber
attacks. International cooperation within the
region has also enhanced cyber security.
Mercy Muendo is a Lecturer, Information
Technology and the Law, Daystar University
Source: theconversation
27
Cipla sinks into Shs14.5bn loss
Pharmaceutical firm hopes to recover in second half of the year
C
By Isaac Khisa
ipla Quality Chemicals In-
dustries Ltd has recorded a
decline in profit since it was
listed on the Uganda Securities
Exchange a year ago but its
managers are now pinning its
growth prospects on the increased drug ca-
pacity for the so-called third party demand.’
Financial results released on Dec.02 show
that Cipla recorded a Shs14.5bn loss for the
past six months ending Sept.30, down from
a Shs3.3bn net profit recorded during the
same period last year.
Management has attributed the fall in
profit to reduced gross margins, impairment
allowances, interest expenses and increased
amortisation and depreciation charges.
The firm’s gross margin reduced from
Shs32.8bn to Shs23.7bn while finance costs
increased from Shs84million to Shs1.98bn
during the same period under review.
On the other hand, amortisation and
depreciation charges increased from Shs
2.55bn to Shs2.95bn. The shareholders will,
therefore, not receive interim dividends.
Cipla’s share price has dropped from
Shs265 during the Initial Public Offer to
around Shs127 per share since most of the
private investors sold their shares. Last year,
Cipla recorded a sharp drop in net profit
from Shs44.6bn to Shs6.8bn.
But the firm’s top executives – executive
chairman, Emmanuel Katongole and CEO
Nevin Bradford, noted in a joint statement
28 Dec. 06 - 12 2019
that business is expected to be better in the
second half of this year as Global Fund busi-
ness rebounds. “Based on the current visi-
bility and run rates in the funder business,
we expect continued acceleration from this
revenue stream into the second half which
will support strong growth compared to last
year,” the firm said. “Along with the Presi-
dent’s Malaria Initiative (PMI) and the ramp
up of capacity in the fourth quarter to cater
for the third party demand, we are confident
we will meet our internal expectations and
deliver strong growth in the second half
and for a full year, despite a reduction in the
Government of Zambia business.”
Cipla was awarded the USA’s PMI con-
tract last year to manufacture and supply
malaria treatments (Artemether Lumefan-
trine) to African countries including Rwanda
and those outside Africa such as Myanmar
which receives medicines funded by PMI.
The firm’s executives said the profit
enhancement will also be delivered in the
second half of this year though it is predi-
cated on the Zambia payment plan being
realised and no further provision required
going forward.
Re-aligned reporting to IFRS 9
Cipla, for the first time, made an impair-
ment allowance in line with the International
Financial Reporting Standards 9 (IFRS9) in
its books relating to government receivables
due to the length of time taken to collect
receivables from the Zambian government.
The firm said it had to consider impair-
ment allowance as a result of Zambia’s
delayed debt repayment to conform to the
new financial reporting standards.
“The company remains committed to its
supply agreement with the Zambian gov-
ernment, and we continue to have positive
engagement as we work towards an agreed
payment plan,” the firm said.
Cipla was listed on the USE in September
2018, becoming the first pharmaceutical
company to list on the stock market in East
Africa. The firm focuses primarily on the
production of the World Health Organiza-
tion (WHO) pre-qualified first-line treat-
ments for HIV/AIDS and Malaria.
It also manufactures the two first-line
WHO recommended therapies for Hepatitis
B, and obtained regulatory approval for the
new first line triple combination ARV thera-
py for men, tenofovir lamivudine dolutegra-
vir, from Uganda’s National Drug Authority
in January this year.
In addition to its WHO prequalification,
Cipla has been approved by national regu-
latory bodies in 14 African countries includ-
ing, Kenya, Rwanda, Tanzania, Namibia,
Ivory Coast, Zambia, Zimbabwe, Angola,
and South Sudan. During the first half of
this year, the drug maker hosted regulatory
inspections from WHO, the East African
Community and Zazibona, the regulatory
grouping of the Southern African states.
Cipla has also completed a capacity
enhancement project that has increased its
monthly output capacity by 30% to approxi-
mately 130 million tablets per month.

French companies keen on
partnering with Ugandan firms
By Ronald Musoke
F
ollowing a series of high-level meet-
ings with President Yoweri Musev-
eni and local business executives,
Momar Nguer who recently led a
business delegation of top French executives
to Uganda declared the mission a success.
The 25-member delegation recently
travelled to Kampala under their MEDEF
umbrella (Mouvement des Enterprises de
France), a French business association which
brings together close to 170,000 French
companies to explore opportunities in road
and internet backbone infrastructure, phar-
maceuticals, oil and gas, telecoms and credit
finance, among others.
Nguer who is the chairman of MEDEF’s
Eastern Africa Business Council and
also sits on French oil major, Total’s
executive committee, told local journalists
in a debriefing session at the French
ambassador’s residence in Kampala on
Nov.26 that French companies are “eager
to build long-term partnerships with their
Ugandan counterparts.”
“We know that French companies will
never know better the local environment
than our Ugandan counterparts,” Nguer
said, “We are humble enough to know that
and we are humble enough to want to build
upon the knowledge that our Ugandan
counterparts may have.”
Among the French business leaders
who travelled to Kampala were those
from Airbus Helicopters, a helicopter
manufacturing firm, Thalès, an aeronautic,
space, defence and security firm, Société
Générale, a banking and financial services
giant, Ponticelli Frères, a construction and
maintenance firm that has interest in the oil
and gas sector, Sogea Satom, a construction
and public works firm and Bolloré Transport
& Logistics, a logistics company which is
already well-established in Uganda.
Others included; Suez International
which has interest in water and waste
management, Ragni SAS (public lighting
and solar street lighting), Vinci Concessions
(construction and maintenance for
infrastructure and public network projects),
Omexom Major Projects (electricity
production and transmission), Laboratoires
Servier (pharmaceuticals), Crédit Agricole
Corporate and Investment Bank (banking
and financial services) and Meridiam
(investment and asset management).
Over the course of two days, the business
Momar Nguer (L) listens to Pierrre Jessua, the General Manager of
Total E&P Uganda Ltd during the cocktail party.   COURTESY PHOTO
executives met and exchanged ideas with
top government officials in the ministries
of trade and industry, tourism, energy and
minerals, agriculture and foreign affairs.
They also met with executives from the
Uganda Revenue Authority, Uganda
Investment Authority and the National
Planning Authority.
Several French companies already have
long established businesses in the country
including French oil major, Total, which is
leading the country’s oil commercialization
project. According to information from
the French Embassy in Uganda, there
are close to 35 French companies doing
business in various sectors including oil
and gas, infrastructure development, travel,
insurance with a combined investment value
of over US$ 1bn. These employ about 18,000
people.
Noting the ever-growing diplomatic
and business relations between France and
Uganda, Nguer said the French companies
want to have a strong base in Uganda
because of the friendly business climate that
exists.
“The business relations between Uganda
and France are very good yet neither France
nor Uganda is happy with the volume of
business we are doing together,” Nguer said,
“We can do much more in terms of French
business and we can do much more in terms
of exporting Ugandan goods to France.”
Evelyn Anite, the Minister of State
for finance in charge of investment and
privatization encouraged the French
companies to seize the opportunity and
invest in Uganda. She said the French
companies would find it profitable to invest
Dec. 06 - 12 2019
business
in Uganda thanks to the country’s security,
employable cheap labour and free land and
the ease with which it is for investors to
repatriate their profit.
“You will be able to make a lot of profit
within a short time but also be able to
repatriate it,” Anite said.
Talking more broadly about the French
government’s policy change towards Africa,
Jules Armand Aniambossou, the French
Ambassador to Uganda, said trade between
France and most of the African continent
is not sufficient and this is something the
French government intends to rectify.
“We could do better by working with
all the African continent to transform the
resources of the continent to create wealth
and share it with the Africans,” he said,
“This is what France wants to do in Africa
and this is the spirit with which the MEDEF
delegation has come to Uganda.”
Sam Kuteesa, the Minister for Foreign
Affairs who was the Chief Guest at the
cocktail organized for the MEDEF delegation
thanked them for the “enthusiasm” they
have shown in investing in Uganda. He
said the delegation’s visit demonstrates the
confidence of the French private sector in the
French-Ugandan partnership.
Going forward, Nguer said he will soon
meet with the Ugandan ambassador to
France to follow-up on the promises the
Ugandan government officials made.
Thereafter, he said, they will meet every
three-six months.
“Ultimately, French companies are inter-
ested in building long-term partnerships
with Ugandans,” Nguer said.
29
business
Digital finance opportunities
Expert views on future of economies that
are fast embracing new technologies
By Julius Businge
T
he future performance of business-
es and economies world over will
largely be determined by how fast
governments put in place strong and
relevant infrastructure to aid innovation and
investments.
This is a view that Aiaze Mitha, a digital
finance expert based in France told The Inde-
pendent on the sidelines of a workshop on
data and digital economy organized by the
United Nations Capital Development Fund
(UNCDF) at Mestil Hotel in Kampala on
Nov. 27.
The workshop brought together banks,
telecom players, and other FinTechs and
policy makers. Mitha said increasingly,
access and availability of data has potential
to unlock the economy and create opportu-
nities such as jobs.
“For anything related to economic perfor-
mance and social performance in relation to
sustainable development goals [no poverty,
no hunger, access to better health and edu-
cation] you can only achieve them when you
are able to measure progress,” he said.
He said data is increasingly allowing play-
ers in many economies to measure progress
and know economic, livelihood and access
to finance gaps.
He said data is also uncovering new mar-
kets and opportunities such as digital lend-
ing, mobile money, insurance, health and
education services for businesses to exploit
and thrive.
“The more data there is, the more you are
also able to direct resources,” he said.
For instance, he said the availability of
data is helping businesses to design business
30 Dec. 06 - 12 2019
Key facts and digital
figures (source; UNCDF)
 The world has a total of 866 million
registered mobile money accounts
(representing a 20% increase from
2017); it is operational in 90 coun-
tries
 $1.3bn is processed daily by mobile
money industry
 A typical active mobile money cus-
tomer moves $206 per month
 Solar Home Systems (SHS) pur-
chased digitally on credit are paid
for over 12-36 months
 Customers put down $10-30
deposit to acquire SHS; they make
monthly payments of $8-20
models to serve different types of communi-
ties. The challenge, however, he said is that
most data is locked and is not accessible or is
hidden, hindering the fast growth of techno-
logical innovations that would have tangible
impact on the economy.
Already, Mitha said, digital tools world
over are allowing businesses and govern-
ments to reach lower income segments at a
lower cost. To deepen this progress, he said
there is need for blended financing or access
to more affordable capital to spur social
impact and inclusion for all.
The other issue that he shared was on reg-
ulation. He said technology is running ahead
of governments because they are emerging
fast and daily. He suggests that governments
must create institutional and technology
arrangements for better communication
between regulators and private sector.
Innovators and regulators should meet on
a regular basis to look at what is new and
what changes should be made in the current
regulation.
He also said there has to be exchange
programs between regulators of different
countries to support businesses that are
now operating in one global economy.
“Creating these learning circles and plat-
forms across regulators and regions can fill
the gap and best address the challenges at
hand,” he said.
For instance, he said Africa took lead in
developing mobile money solution and
financing of solar home devices – which
means there are lessons other continents
can pick from Africa or even add features to
what is already running.
He also said solutions to increasing wider
mass market adoption of innovations, con-
nectivity and related costs, access to data
and cheaper smartphones must be found to
spur technological developments. Financial
literacy is also key for the people to use these
digital services.
The governments, he said, must also
support innovation and business growth
by putting in place supporting e-commerce
infrastructure like bandwidth and other
incentives.
Businesses also need to study their market
very well and offer what the people need at
affordable prices.
Building partnerships with other players
is important to finding niche and other mar-
ket opportunities.
“For a fast growing digital economy, there
are opportunities for businesses to make
money, create new markets and provide
access to larger markets locally and interna-
tionally,” he said.
Chris Lukolyo, the digital country lead
at UNCDF said an open digital payment
ecosystem will allow various stakeholders
to easily leverage data and payment func-
tionalities to develop innovative digital ser-
vice-offerings which will in turn contribute
to the achievement of the Sustainable Devel-
opment Goals.
He said this is key in ensuring that the
most vulnerable communities are not left out
in the digital transformation process.
“UNCDF will continue to work with the
government and the private sector to pro-
mote an inclusive digital economy and fast-
track universal access to life transforming
digital services,” Lukolyo added.

Optimism as Uganda prepares
to host Africa tourism expo
Private sector players, UTB optimistic about sealing deals
By Julius Businge
T
our operators and other companies
investing in Uganda’s tourism
sector are optimistic that the up-
coming 5th annual Pearl of Africa
Tourism Expo (POATE 2020) will help seal
deals with regional operators.
The expo, which will be hosted by
Uganda Tourism Board (UTB) from Feb.4-
6 at the Speke Resort Munyonyo comes as
Uganda strives to position itself as a pre-
mier tourist destination.
The event will bring together regional
and international tour operators, travel
agents, destination agencies and various
players in the tourism industry to network
and facilitate tourism business.
UTB officials told journalists on Nov.27
in Kampala that POATE 2020 will inte-
grate Business to Business (B2B) and Busi-
ness to Consumer (B2C) event format.
It will run under the theme “inspir-
ing high value engagement to promote
intra-Africa travel for leisure, business and
adventure”.
The event will also raise Uganda’s pro-
file as a preferred destination in the region
and internationally.
Godfrey Kiwanda, the state minister for
Tourism Wildlife and Antiquities said the
expo is an important platform for tour-
ism players in Uganda to showcase their
abilities and market the country’s tourist
attractions.
“We need to style up and get our mar-
ket share,” Kiwanda said. “We need to
connect with the right people.”
Kiwanda said with the revival of the
Uganda Airlines, regional connectivity is
now easier especially for tourists.
Lilly Ajarova, the UTB chief executive
officer, said that POATE is one of the key
strategies for the promotion of Uganda’s
tourism in the region and across the world.
She said the expo will facilitate key
linkages through hosted buyers between
tourists and domestic tour operators.
Ajarova added that the expo will also
allow Uganda to showcase directly to var-
ious groups of hosted buyers who play a
key role in the increment of visitor arrivals.
The hosted buyers will include tour
agents, travel media, hoteliers. Over 70
hosted buyers are expected from Uganda’s
key source markets such as Africa, North
America, Canada, UK, Germany, Switzer-
land, among others.
The first two days of the event will con-
stitute seminars and workshops, business
to business meetings and conferences
while the last day will be open to the pub-
lic for business to consumer engagements.
Pearl Horeau, the President of the Ugan-
da Tourism Association said the expo will
present an exciting opportunity for private
sector players to network and develop
their tourism and travel businesses.
“As private sector, we are positive about
the potential business that POATE will
business
bring to Uganda,” Horeau said.
She added that the focus on the African
market is a step in the right direction as the
continent provides a number of opportu-
nities for intra-travel trade evidenced by
the number of African tourist coming to
Uganda and other countries.
Latest data from the tourism ministry
shows that Uganda recorded a 7.4%
increase in international tourist arrivals
from 1.4 million in 2017 to 1.5million owed
to increased marketing activities within
and abroad. Subsequently, direct revenue
from international tourism rose from
US$1.45bn to $1.6 billion during the same
period under review.
The biggest number of tourist arrivals to
Uganda in 2018 was from Africa. The top
ten sources of tourist arrivals into Uganda
made up about 82% of the total arrivals.
Kenya and Rwanda combined record-
ed 55% of all tourist arrivals in 2018. The
other top ten markets were Tanzania (7%),
United States of America (4%), Democratic
Republic of Congo (3%), Burundi (3%),
South Sudan (3%), India (3%), United
Kingdom (2%), and South Africa (2%).
Quick facts
POATE is a tourism and travel trade
exhibition which brings together regional
and international tour operators, travel
agents, destination agencies and various
players in the tourism trade to network
and facilitate tourism business.
Dec. 06 - 12 2019 31
 Executive Style
UEDCL ready to take on Umeme’s role
What is the significance
of UEDCL to Uganda’s
U
electricity sector?
EDCL is 100%
owned by the
government and
its mandate is in
the electricity distribution.
We entered into a con-
cession with the private
investor - Umeme and
our main role is to ensure
that the private investor
maintains a very sound
electricity distribution
network. We monitor how
investors are investing
into the network to ensure
that the government gets
the benefit out of the con-
cession. UEDCL is also
distributing electricity in
61 districts mainly in rural
areas where Umeme is not
extending the electricity
services.
What is your experience
with Umeme when it
comes to handling the elec-
tricity distribution network?
We are working as a
team (Electricity Regulato-
ry Authority, Umeme, and
UEDCL). Customer numbers
have increased, energy losses
are reducing, and investment
in the network is ongoing.
Nevertheless there is more
work to be done because the
amount of money needed
in the distribution network
is much more than what is
already invested. Recall, the
more you invest, the more
money you will need to
recover in the tariff. We are
pleading to government to
start investing in the network
by giving startup capital to
companies in the electricity
sector or allow government
institutions in the sector to
borrow and invest. Borrowing
rates for government institu-
tions are fairly low and this
could lead to a lower tariff for
power consumers.
What is your general assess-
ment of Uganda’s electricity
32
distribution network?
The network has improved.
We are operating overhead
networks (lines passing in
space), especially in urban
centres. However, the world
has gone into underground
electricity networks for
safety and reliability. Some
places like in Kampala have
underground cables, keep-
ing electricity distribution
stable. This is something we
shall advocate for in future.
The only challenge for the
underground network is the
high cost of the establishment
involved.
In 2017, you inherited
Ferdisult Engineering Ser-
vices territories which they
claimed were making 100%
losses. Any update on this?
Power availability and
efficiency has been restored.
We replaced all the failed 45
transformers and energy loss-
es have dropped from 34% to
20% in those areas (Nyendo,
Masaka, Kyotera, Mutuku-
la, Lugaaga, Kitu; Kyenjojo,
Dec. 06 - 12 2019
Paul
Mwesigwa
has served
as Managing
Director for
Uganda
Electricity
Distribution
Company
Limited
(UEDCL) for
slightly over
six months
now. He
spoke to The
Independent’s
Julius
Businge about
the firm’s
operations and
opportunities
that lies ahead.
Kagadi, Kabwoya, Biiso and
part of Hoima district; others
are Kihihi, Kanungu, and
Kisoro). Umeme isn’t operat-
ing in these areas.
Any other milestones?
We are the stabilizer of
power distribution in Ugan-
da. When private distributors
know that there is a right
government body that has
the ability and the right gov-
ernance in place to do what
they do, they style up. We
have seen that the bargaining
power of the government
with these private distribu-
tors has significantly gone
up because they know if they
misbehave, the government
will bring in a substitute that
can do better than them. We
manage and operate a pow-
er plant at Lugogo. We buy
poles from the people. We
have encouraged people to
plant forests and many have
benefited. We have export-
ed poles to the EAC region.
Our poles are electronically
tracked from the pole plant
up to the final destina-
tion. We are planning
to set up three state of
the art pole production
lines in Busunju on a
75 acre of land. We are
encouraging people to
form savings and credit
cooperative societies so
that they can plant for-
ests which will serve the
pole plant.
How are you resolving
land and property com-
pensations?
We normally ensure
we have funds to com-
pensate the affected per-
sons prior to undertak-
ing any project. Current-
ly, we have the Achwa
hydropower issue where
devaluation process has
delayed. However, that
is going to be resolved
soon.
What other opportuni-
ties does UEDCL create for
Uganda’s economy?
We have 341 employees.
We have 44 sub-offices in the
country. We have indirect
jobs and are good taxpayers
besides powering rural areas
from boarder to boarder.
How ready are you to take
over the distribution and
supply of electricity business
in the event that Umeme’s
license is not renewed?
We understand that the
negotiations between Umeme
and the government are going
on. Whether their contract is
renewed or not, we are ready
to take on any challenge that
will come on our way.
Your view about the future
of power distribution net-
work in Uganda?
In the next 10 years, most
sub-counties and villages
will have power. That means
our distribution network will
have to continue growing and
being robust.
 business
TELECOM TRADE

Africell unveils unbeatable Voice and Data bundles UAE holds trade and

A
fricell Uganda has investment forum in Uganda
unveiled a new

campaign dubbed
Newchapter, en-
abling customers to enjoy
affordable voice and data
offers countrywide.
Now customers will pay
only Shs 500 for a 20-minute
voice bundle for on-net calls
including two minutes for
off-net and Shs 750 for a
30-minute voice bundle that
includes a 3-minutes for off-
net calls.
For Shs 1,000 and Shs
2,000, customers will be
offered with a 50 and 150
minute voice bundles,
respectively. The offers
have also been extended to
the data bundles meant for
daily, weekly or monthly.
Africell Chief
Commercial Officer, Neeraj
BANKING
Afreximbank has disbursed $15 billion in Intra-African Trade
Africell Chief Commercial Officer, Neural Gala (L) and
Chief Executive Officer, Ziad Daoud.
Gala, said the telecom firm
is committed to improving
the experience of all its
customers, starting with
providing best value in
communication solutions.
‘As a digital company our
main purpose is to provide
an enabling environment
that will enhance our
customers to pursue their
goals,” he said.
“I therefore encourage all
our existing customers to
check our Voice and data
Unbetables on *133# and
*134# and start enjoying the
best value offers in town.”
The firm’s CEO Ziad
Daoud said connecting com-
munities is at the heart of the
Africell’s new chapter.
O
n Nov. 28, the United Arab Emir-
ates held a trade and business
forum at the Kampala Sheraton
Hotel in a bid to boost trade.
The forum, organised by the Sharjah
Chamber of Commerce attracted over 22
companies from UAE seeking for trade
opportunities in Uganda.
Abdullah Sultan Al Owais, the Chairman,
Sharjah Chamber of Commerce and Indus-
try (SCCI) said their mission to Uganda is
as result their on-going visits to the African
continent as part of the Sharjah Chamber’s
endeavours to reinforce its presence in the
emerging African markets and to step up
the volume of commercial, economic, and
investment cooperation.
“At present, the UAE comes third among
Uganda’s exporting countries with a value of
US $ 1.270 billion, while Ugandan exports to
the UAE amounted to the US $ 428 million,”
he said.
“This reflects the efforts exerted to bolster
this economic trend and trade openness
between the two sides by encouraging
investment in both countries,” he added.
Data from Bank of Uganda (BoU) shows

T
he African Export-Import Bank has
already disbursed $15 billion of the
$25 billion it committed in support
of intra-African trade under its cur-
rent five-year strategic plan, according to its
President, Prof. Benedict Oramah.
Confirming that the Bank was delivering
on the commitments it made in support of
the implementation of the African Conti-
nental Free Trade Agreement, Prof. Oramah
told the attendees at the opening of the
Africa 2019: Investment for Africa Forum
in Egypt’s New Capital City recently that
the funding was helping bridge the trade
finance gap in Africa. He added that Afrex-
imbank would soon commence the piloting
of a Pan-African Payment and Settlement
System which will allow cross-border trade
in Africa to be done in national currencies,
thereby addressing the issue of high cost of
payments.  Uganda (PSFU) encouraged the private sec-
Prof. Oramah also said that the Bank was
building a trade information portal, which
would be launched by year end, to improve
knowledge and access to critical trade infor-
mation across Africa and was developing
industrial parks across the continent.
that the top three countries exporting goods
and services to the country were China ($1
billion), India ($743 million), and The United
Arab Emirates ($644 million).
Mr Gideon Badagawa, the Executive
Director of the Private Sector Foundation
tor to leverage such opportunities to scale up
their business and forge partnerships with
companies from the UAE.
Vice President, Edward Ssekandi, encour-
aged UAE businesses to come and invest in
Uganda and take advantage of our substan-
tial and rapidly growing consumer market.

BEVERAGE INSURANCE

Kenyan insurer acquires Nova Insurance Company

NBL unveils Nile Special Stout
R
egional insurer, GA
Insurance has com-
pleted the purchase
of Nova Insurance
Company in Uganda, after
entering an agreement in
March 2019 to acquire 100%
of the issued share capital of
has operations in Tanzania,
said the deal underpins
GA Insurance’s efforts in
expanding its operations
across east Africa. “At GA
Insurance, we believe in
having a presence in east
Africa to cater for our clients’
the last decade. It will defi-
nitely scale up our insurance
business portfolio, where
customers will continue to
enjoy a wide range of insur-
ance solution via our east
Africa network,” he said.
“I believe the move will

B
eer Brewer, Nile Breweries Limited,
has unveiled its new brew, Nile
Special Stout, to the market.
The new beer join Nile Gold
Club lager, Nile Special lager, Castle
Lite, Eagle Lager and Eagle Extra in the
expanded product portfolio.
Nova Insurance. The acqui-
sition was completed on re-
ceipt of necessary regulatory
approvals from the Insur-
ance Regulatory Authority in
Kenya and in Uganda.
The company, which also
needs, such as their expan-
sion within the east African
region,” said Vijay Srivas-
tava, the group CEO. “This
acquisition is yet another
step in our group’s journey
of strategic acquisitions over
also help us penetrate the
Ugandan insurance market
further, while continuing to
deliver value to customers
through market-driven and
technology-enabled insur-
ance products.”

Dec. 06 - 12 2019 33
business

Insurance industry’s nine

month premiums raises 13.6%
By Isaac Khisa their premium s to a reinsurer

U
because they operate their own
ganda’s insurance health services.
industry has recorded With the exception of State-
a 13.6% increase in the wide and Nova insurance com-
gross written premi- panies, all the remaining 19 gen-
ums for the first nine months of eral insurance firms recorded a
this year to Shs748bn. surge in premiums.
The industry, which has expe- On the other hand, only
rienced numerous regulatory NIC Life insurance company
changes including implemen- recorded a drop in premiums
tation of cash and carry policy, out of the nine life insurance
is attributed to the positive eco- firms. This comes at the time the
nomic outlook owed to recovery industry is undergoing various
in the agriculture sector, sus- regulatory changes to strength-
Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Finance, Planning and Economic
Development, Keith Muhakanizi, release funds for the Second Quarter of tained growth in services, and en the industry as well attract
the Financial Year 2019/2020 on Nov.25. The government has earmarked the continued huge investment more customers.
Shs5trillion for the period.  INDEPENDENT /ALFRED OCHWO by the government into public Ibrahim Kaddunabi Lubega,
infrastructure. The industry’s the chief executive officer at the
non-life insurance premiums Insurance Regulatory Authority
increased from Shs452.6bn to of Uganda, said the performance
Shs 490bn while life written pre- shows that the industry is set to
miums increased from Shs150bn record a surge in premiums this
to Shs 199.57bn. Health Mem- year compared to 2018.
bership Organisations (HMOs), Last year, the country’s
which among others include insurance industry record-
International Air Ambulance, ed a 17.5% growth in gross
Case Medical Hospital and underwritten premiums to
St. Katherine Hospital, saw Shs856bn in 2018.
their gross written premiums Off this, non-life insurance
increase from Shs54bn to Shs companies recorded a 12%
57bn during the same period growth in premiums to Shs
under review. The reinsurance 569.9bn while life insurance
premiums ceded increased by business recorded a 28.6%
14% to Shs 239bn. However, the growth in premiums to Shs
five HMOs did not cede any of 216.9bn.
French Multinational Automobile Manufacturer, Renault, through their
authorized distributor in Uganda Victoria Motors Ltd, has introduced Renault
Trucks codenamed Safety+ Edition Trucks on to the Ugandan Market.
Launching the trucks at the Kampala Serena Hotel on Nov.25, Victoria
Motors Ltd’s Sales Manager, Dickson Mwesigwa, said the trucks come with
additional safety for the occupants.  INDEPENDENT /ALFRED OCHWO
Share price movement (Nov. 25)
Security Nov. 25 Sep.03 Movement
BATU 30,000 300 00
BOBU 125 130 3.8
CENT 1,075 1,037 3.6
QCL 127 130 2.3
DFCU 650 650 00
EABL 7,352 6,985 5.2
EBL 1,752 1,422 23.2
JHL 12,922 13,177 1.9
KA 104 89 16
KCB 1,790 1,430 25
NIC 11 12 8.3
NMG 1,450 1,356 6.9
NVL 321 325 1.2
SBU 24 24 00
(L-R) Brookside Marketing Manager, Vincent Omoth, Marketing Coordinator, UCHM 12 10 20
Monica Kulabako, Minister of Public Service, Wilson Muruli Mukasa, UCL 10 14 28
Brookside Sales Operations Assistant, Edgar Wadulo, and Customer
Service Officer, Ritah Bwiza pose with the Consumers Choice Awards 2019 UMEME 297 297 00
held at the Kampala Serena Hotel.  COURTESY PHOTO ALSI -- -- --

34 Dec. 06 - 12 2019
By Agencies
W
elcome to the holiday season—
that whirlwind of gift-giving
holidays, marketing blitzes,
holiday parties, and activities
galore that gains momentum through the
end of the year.
While this season is meant to bring feel-
ings of love and cheer, it’s also the harbinger
of holiday stress for many. In fact, according
to a poll conducted on this site, more than
80% of us find the holiday season to be
‘somewhat’ or ‘very’ stressful. What is it that
has us all so hot and bothered?
Doing too much
All things in moderation, as the saying
goes. The problem with the holiday season is
that we often experience too much of a good
thing. While stress itself is necessary for our
survival and zest for life (researchers call this
positive type of stress “eustress”), too much
stress has a negative impact on our health,
both mental and physical.
Eating, drinking, spending too much
An overabundance of parties and gift-giv-
ing occasions lead many people to eat, drink
and be merry—often to excess. The temp-
tation to overindulge in spending, rich des-
serts or alcohol can cause many people the
lasting stress of dealing with consequences
(debt, weight gain, memories of embarrass-
ing behavior) that can linger long after the
season is over. Also, in these more difficult
financial times, finding affordable gifts can
be stressful in itself, and carrying holiday
debt is a tradition that too many people
unwittingly bring on themselves, and the
stress that comes with it can last for months.
Too much togetherness
The holidays are a time when extended
families tend to gather. While this can be a
wonderful thing, even the most close-knit
families can overdose on togetherness, mak-
ing it hard for family members to maintain a
healthy balance between bonding and alone
time.
Not enough togetherness
For those who don’t have these family
issues, loneliness can be just as much of a
problem. As the world seems to be gathering
with family, those who rely more on friends
for support can feel deserted and alone.
Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD)
An often unrecognised problem that
comes with the holiday season is actually a
by-product of the seasons changing. Many
Holiday season stress
Managing the seemingly inevitable
people are affected to some degree by a type
of depression known as seasonal affective
disorder. It’s a subtle but very real condition
that can cast a pall over the whole season
and be a source of stress and unhappiness
during a time that people expect to feel just
the opposite.
Minimising holiday stress
The great thing about holiday stress is that
it’s predictable. Unlike many other types
of negative stress we encounter in life, we
know when holiday stress will begin and
end, and we can make plans to reduce the
amount of stress we experience and the neg-
ative impact it has on us.
Here are some tips you can try to help
reduce holiday stress before it begins so that
it remains at a positive level, rather than an
overwhelming one.
Set your priorities
Before you get overwhelmed by too many
activities, it’s important to decide what tra-
ditions offer the most positive impact and
eliminate superfluous activities. For exam-
ple, if you usually become overwhelmed by
a flurry of baking, shopping, sending cards,
visiting relatives and other activities that
leave you exhausted by January, you may
want to examine your priorities, pick a few
favourite activities and really enjoy them,
while skipping the rest.
Take shortcuts
If you can’t fathom the idea of skipping
out on sending cards, baking, seeing people,
and doing all of the stuff that usually runs
you ragged, you may do better including all
of these activities in your schedule, but on a
smaller scale.
Dec. 06 - 12 2019
Be smart with holiday eating
During the holidays, we may want to look
and feel great (especially if we’re around
people we don’t see often—we know that
this is how we’ll be remembered), but there
is so much temptation in the form of deli-
cious food and decadent desserts, and a
break from our regular routines—plus the
addition of emotional stress—can all add up
to overeating, emotional eating, and other
forms of unhealthy eating.
Change expectations for togetherness
With family and friends, it’s important
to be aware of your limitations. Think back
to previous years and try to pinpoint how
much togetherness you and your family can
take before feeling negative stress. Can you
limit the number of parties you attend or
throw or the time you spend at each? Can
you limit your time with family to a smaller
timeframe that will still feel special and joy-
ous, without draining you?
Set a schedule
Putting your plans on paper can show
you, in black and white, how realistic they
are. If you find a time management planner
and fill in the hours with your scheduled
activities, being realistic and including driv-
ing time and downtime, you will be able to
see if you’re trying to pack in too much.
Breathe
This sounds like a no-brainer, but some-
times we forget to take deep breaths and
really give our bodies the oxygen we need.
If you visualize that you are breathing in
serenity and breathing out stress, you will
find the positive effects of this exercise to be
even more pronounced.
Source:verywellmind.com
35
HEALTH
Fighting HIV and
AIDs in Uganda
Will PEPFAR and Global Fund continue to fund the fight?
A
By Patricia Akankwatsa
s the world commemorated
World AIDs Day, the big
question in Uganda was the
sustainability of the HIV and
AIDS response beyond the
year 2020.
Uganda’s experience has shown that
donor funding is not guaranteed, is unpre-
dictable, and is becoming less available.
Additionally, funding often comes with con-
ditions that may not be in accordance with
Uganda’s national goals.
Speaking at the Philly Lutaaya Memorial
Lecture held Nov. 29 in Kampala, Chris
Craft; the US Embassy country represen-
tative on HIV and AIDS, said that the US
is determined to continue supporting HIV
and AIDS programmes in the country but
no one can say that the commitment is open
ended.
“It depends on the politics. There has
been a debate on the possibility of the fund-
ing going down. It is uncertain,” Craft said.
Funding for Uganda’s current Nation-
al Strategic Plan (NSP) (2015/2016 to
2019/2020) is projected to require$3,647 mil-
lion. Care and treatment accounts for 55%
of this, prevention interventions accounts
for 23%, while social support and system
strengthening account for 4% and 18%
respectively.
The HIV response is funded through
Ugandan Ministry of Health national budget
allocations, as well as multilateral donations
such as the President’s Emergency Plan for
AIDS in Africa (PEPFAR) and the Global
Fund (GF) and other international funders.
Alex Coutinho; the former Executive
Director of the Infectious Diseases Institute
says that they are concerned that current
funding mechanism for HIV programs in
Uganda may be difficult to sustain and, as
service providers, they are keen to explore
ways in which to provide lifelong HIV care
to as many people living with HIV as possi-
ble. “Until such time as the Ugandan econ-
omy can support universal, state-supported,
comprehensive healthcare, bridging alterna-
tives must be considered,” he says.
How sustainability can be achieved
Dr. Karusa Kiragu the UNAIDS Country Direc-
tor in Uganda, suggests that a National Health
Insurance Scheme that integrates all avail-
36 Dec. 06 - 12 2019
able external, private and public providers
and financing agencies would create the
opportunity to reduce administrative costs,
create less fragmented full service provision
points, and provide the impetus for intro-
duction of comprehensive cross-subsidised
contributory financing for health in general
and HIV services in particular.
Stakeholders also say more efforts need to
be made by Uganda to increase their domes-
tic resource mobilisation.
“No country can give up on something
as fundamental as health by relying entirely
on external funding. That is why we came
up with a new paradigm for government to
increase domestic funding,” Craft adds.
In July 2014, the government passed a law
establishing the AIDS Trust Fund to mobi-
lize domestic resources for the national HIV
and AIDS response.
It is estimated the government will con-
tribute around USD $2 million each year
towards the AIDS Trust Fund through
money raised by taxing alcohol and bottled
water. However, as of 2016, regulations for
the Trust were still awaiting approval by
parliament.
However, Prof. Freddie Ssengooba from
the School of Public Health at Makerere
University says that sustainability should
not only look at the funding but also to make
sure of effective prevention to avoid new
infections.
“We need to engage the community;
especially the youth, and teach them sex
education as well as how to prevent HIV
infections,” he says.
Annual new infections are projected to
grow rapidly to around 340,500 in 2025 – up
from 52,000 in 2016.
“For Uganda’s severe HIV epidemic to be
reduced, a series of comprehensive health,
political and social strategies will need to be
implemented,” Ssengooba adds.
“We need to adopt a new model apart
from the test and treat because since the
donor funding future is not guaranteed, we
can’t risk new infections. We need over $600
million dollars and the government can only
raise $100 million. It is a big gap we cannot
fill,” he adds.
To reduce the impact of the epidemic
among people who inject drugs and men
who have sex with men in particular, both
political and cultural conditions need to be
redressed.
Wamala Florence Nambozo, the Woman
MP for Sironko District who is the chairper-
son of the Committee of HIV and AIDs in
parliament says they plan to bring punitive
laws that criminalise people from these
groups.
The HIV prevalence
In 2018, an estimated 1.4 million people
were living with HIV, and an estimated
23,000 Ugandans died of AIDS-related ill-
nesses. The epidemic is firmly established
in the general population. As of 2018, the
estimated HIV prevalence among adults
(aged 15 to 49) stood at 5.7%.Women are
disproportionately affected, with 8.8% of
adult women living with HIV compared to
4.3% of men.
Other groups particularly affected
by HIV in Uganda are sex workers,
young girls and adolescent women, men
who have sex with men, people who
inject drugs and people from Uganda’s
transient fishing communities.
There has been a gradual increase in
the number of people living with HIV
accessing treatment. In 2013, Uganda
reached a tipping point whereby the
number of new infections per year
was less than the number of people
beginning to receive antiretroviral
treatment.
However, as of 2018 around 27%
of adults living with HIV and 33% of
children living with HIV were still not
on treatment.
 ART | BOOKS | SOCIETY | TRAVEL | CULTURE
Kabbo Ka Muwala Exhibition at Makerere Art Gallery
50 years of Makerere gallery
Institute of Heritage Conservation and Restoration exhibits
T
By Dominic Muwanguzi
he tradition of mounting an art
exhibition in public space like a
gallery cannot be evoked with-
out citing the art activities of
Margaret Trowell, after whom
the Margaret Trowell School of
Industrial and Fine Art ( MTSIFA) at Mak-
erere University Kampala is named. She
installed the first art exhibition in Uganda
at Namirembe Synod Hall in 1937. The joint
exhibition included works by her students
during her initial year as an art teacher and
those of art students from Gayaza Secondary
School; later Gayaza High School.
That first initiative to expose art to the
public through an intermediary- the gallery-
opened up the popular practice of art exhi-
bitions we witness today in galleries across
Kampala. The Makerere Art Gallery, opened
in 1969, has since been part of this type of art
showcase. Founded by British art education-
ist Cecil Todd, its objective was to showcase
the work of art students and invite critical
discourse among the public- including the
student -artist himself on the art displayed.
This objective was also witnessed in the first
exhibition curated by Margaret Trowell. The
exhibit later traveled to the Royal Common-
wealth Society, London to interface with
another type of audience.
Today, Makerere Art Gallery is a vital
infrastructure in shaping the artistic destiny
of budding artists. It is a platform on which
students gain confidence in exposing their
art to the public whilst enlisting public secu-
rity in the subject of technical competence
and creativity. In this, a series of group
exhibitions for final year students have reg-
ularly been hosted at the space as a gesture
to prepare the student-artist for a life after
college.
A more interactive and critical showcase
of art at the space is the annual `Different But
One’ exhibition that features art lecturers at
the Margaret Trowell School of Industrial
and Fine Art. The group exhibition showcas-
es innovative art motivated by the academic
research and personal experiences of the art
teachers at the school. This approach is crit-
ical in the continuity of art production and
teaching outside the confines of the class-
room. It also bridges the gap between stu-
dent and teacher in the spheres of research,
innovation and originality.
Research as component of art teaching at
the university has been greatly enhanced
since the gallery was elevated to the status of
a fully-fledged site of extensive study. Now
referred to as Institute of Heritage Conserva-
tion and Research, after the overhaul of the
University education procedure in 2010, the
gallery is at the forefront of organising exhi-
bitions that are research oriented.
For example, the exhibition `Kabbo Ka
Muwala: The Girl’s Basket 2016’ hosted at
the gallery was conceived as an exploration
to the multifaceted nature of migration and
mobility in contemporary society. The title
was adopted from the Gganda culture where
during the traditional marriage ceremony
Dec. 06 - 12 2019
the bride returns to her parents’ with a bas-
ket full of gifts from her husband’s parents.
This gesture of adopting cultural norms and
practice into art production and later show-
cased to varied audiences echoed the idea
of integrating art and research (indigenous
culture) to create relevant and original art.
Similar artistic undertakings have been
staged at the gallery including the exhibition
`Art and Community 2015’. In this multi-
disciplinary presentation artist Mathias
Tusiime alongside a group of community
artists cum artisans and Prof. Andrew
Burton (Newcastle University) showcased
art created from the series of interactions
they had with the local communities in
the Kampala city suburbs of Mulago,
Kalerwe market, and Makerere- Kikoni.
The underlining concept of the exhibition
was to expand the idea of art research in the
context of the local community. In venturing
into this art exchange between the art school
and the immediate community, the artists’
objective was to blur the lines between what
everyone calls art and crafts.
The culture of research oriented art
exhibitions is vital in the process of art
learning and training. As the Makerere Art
gallery celebrates its 50th anniversary, it is
critical to foster the continuity of such an
academic undertaking. This will enable
the learners to have a comprehensive
understanding of the discipline during and
after their stay at the university.
37
 Russian cows use VR technology to produce more milk
RusMoloko , a cattle farm in Moscow’s link between a cow’s emotional state and of cow heads”. In case you’re wondering
Ramensky district has equipped its herd its daily milk yield. In the past, we’ve heard what the cows are looking at through
with specially-designed virtual reality (VR) of dairy farms playing soothing classical those headsets, they are beautifully field
headsets to increase their milk production. music for their cows in order to lower their simulations on a sunny day which farmers
The VR is believed to reduce the cows’ stress level and increase productivity. The presumably use to lower the animals’
anxiety. Research has shown that there is a VR is adapted for the “structural features stress on overcast or rainy days.

Pope returns Jesus manger relic to Bethlehem

A fragment of believe the tiny piece
wood believed to of wood formed part
have formed part of the crib that Jesus
of Jesus’ manger is lay in after being
set to be returned to born. While most of
Bethlehem after more the wooden relic has
than 1,000 years in remained in Rome,
Europe. Pope Francis the return of the
ordered the return small fragment was
of the thumb-sized widely celebrated
relic from Rome’s by Christians in the
Basilica of Santa region. Earlier this
Maria Maggiore as year, the Pope he gave
a gift. The relic had some of the purported
Trump posts his head been in Rome since bone fragments of
copy on `Rocky’ body the 7th Century.
Officials said it would
Franciscan Church
of St Catherine, next
the Nativity, where
tradition says Jesus
Saint Peter to the
leader of the Eastern
now be kept in the to the Church of was born. Christians Orthodox Church.
President Donald Trump shared
a bold and bizarrely altered image
of himself on social media on Nov. Landlord promises `park views’, delivers `plastic lake’
27. It shows Trump’s head on the
body of boxer Rocky Balboa from A property developer in dential complex in central Chi- sha Shiji Yujing Real Estate
the iconic `Rocky’ franchise. The the Chinese city of Changsha na were less than impressed developers. One resident said
Trump-Rocky hybrid stands in a has been slammed by home- when they picked up their it was insulting to homebuy-
ring and wears the patriotic gear that buyers for deceiving them by keys earlier this week would ers’ IQs. This case has been
actor Sylvester Stallone, who played promising “high vegetation be an understatement. The described as a perfect exam-
Rocky, wore on the poster for Rocky cover” and “park views”, and pavement decoration does in ple of “cha bu duo”, which
III. Trump, 73, tweeted it out with delivering a public area cov- fact create the illusion of a lake translates as “close enough”,
no caption and many were unsure ered in a blue plastic material when seen from above, but an extensively documented
why the president was sharing the to look like a lake. To say that it’s not exactly what residents phenomenon closely tied to
digitally manipulated pic. homeowners in a new resi- were hoping for from Chang- modern Chinese culture.

Nigeria gets back its stolen bronze cockerel from UK Burna Boy unfollows
Cambridge University Royal African Company, everyone on Instagram
has agreed to return a which dealt in slaves. He Celebrated Nigerian singer, Burna Boy, has
bronze cockerel looted died in 1694. The college’s taken his fans by surprise after he reportedly
from Africa in the 19th unprecedented step unfollowed all his followers save for his lover
century. Known as a Benin follows a campaign by Steflon Don. The Afro-fusion singer is yet to
Bronze, it was snatched students against the ‘spoils give reasons for his strange behaviour on Insta-
by British colonial forces of war’. It will be one of the gram. The singer’s tough looks bellies his affec-
and donated to Jesus first bronzes to be returned tionate side and only those close to his heart
College in 1905 by the to Nigeria by a major might get to experience it from time to time.
father of a student. Rustat institution since thousands Among those said to have been unfollowed
was one of the college’s were stolen during an include his mum, celebrated singer Davido
largest benefactors and expedition in 1897. Stolen and the talented Wizkid. Him leaving out his
an investor in trading treasures worth billions are British girlfriend Steflon Don is an indication
operations, including the still out there somewhere. that the singer could be trying to be romantic.

38 Dec. 06 - 12 2019
 Long distance driving tips
Get to villa safely, this holiday season
By Motoring Guru
T
he holiday season is here and many
of us will want to spend it with our
loved ones in our rural home areas.
That means driving long journeys;
sometimes in hundreds of kilometres. That
can be testing; especially for new, first car 
drivers. But even experienced folks need to
be extra careful driving a car loaded with
passengers and gifts for the country folk.
Here we give tips on how to arrive safely.
 Ensure that the vehicle is in the right
condition. Is your service period still
current? Check the tyres for right
tread and ensure that the tyre pressure
matches the load and road condition.
Also check the brakes, the battery,
and lights. Don’t ignore the indicators.
Check all fluids and ensure they are at
proper levels. If you are in doubt, visit 
your mechanic a week or so before
a long journey. Plan your fuel well.
Unlike urban areas, rural areas have
very far flung fuel stations and the fuel
is sometimes of questionable quality
that could damage your engine. Ensure
you have your spare tyre, a First Aid 
box, jumper cables, and a flash light.
Ensure your phone is charged. Finally,
check you insurance sticker. Are you
still covered, if not renew before travel.
Remember comprehensive cover is best
but Third Party is mandatory.
Get enough sleep the night before
the journey. The safest thing to do
on the road is to stay awake at the
wheel. Hitting the road with a sleep
deficit means you will have problems
concentrating, be moody and easily
irritated which can result in road rage,
and get fatigued even if you start the
journey feeling alert. Ensure safety of
your passengers by getting them to
use their seat belts. Children should be
strapped properly in their child safety 
seats.
You know the `don’t drink and drive
rule’. What of the `never drink any
alcohol before your trip’ rule? It is
equally important. You could be an
experienced drinker who is not sizzled
easily but alcohol sometimes induces
sleepiness.
Dec. 06 - 12 2019
Don’t rush or be in a hurry. Allow
faster drivers to safely overtake. Even if
you don’t feel like it, stop at fun places
and grab a snack or see a local tourist
attraction. The fresh air, stretching,
and light fun will put you in the right
driving condition. This is highly
recommended when traveling with
children. Also devise some in-car games
that are age appropriate. Very young
kids get easily motion sick, bored,
hungry, and moody. So pack toys and
books. Music in the car helps with
older children. Also ensure they have
their iPads and other gizmos. Finally,
in case of any stop e.g. for potty, ensure
you park safely. Don’t pack on road
shoulders.
Don’t speed. It is a smart safety tip
but it also saves you money on gas.
In most cars it takes much less fuel
to drive at 80km an hour than it
does to drive at 100km. Also avoid
stopping suddenly and accelerating
quickly. Let your actions be gradual
depending on alertness to road
furniture, users, and conditions.
39
global comment
By Alexandra Borchardt
Democratic literacy saves democracy
Media and democratic literacy, including how the
democratic system works, needs to be expanded
D
epending on where you get
your news, your view of how
the impeachment inquiry into
US President Donald Trump is
unfolding may be very different from that
of your friends, relatives, or neighbours. You
may also think that any version of the story
that conflicts with yours is simply untrue.
This lack of consensus on basic facts – largely
a byproduct of social media – carries serious
risks, and not nearly enough is being done to
address it.
In recent years, the need to improve
“media literacy” has become a favourite
exhortation of those seeking to combat
misinformation in the digital age, especially
those who would prefer to do so without
tightening regulation of tech giants like
Facebook and Google. If people had enough
media savvy, the logic goes, they would be
able to separate the wheat from the chaff,
and quality journalism would prevail.
There is some truth to this. Just as it is
dangerous to drive in a place where you
don’t know the traffic laws, navigating
the new digital-media environment
safely – avoiding not only “fake news,”
but also threats like online harassment,
nonconsensual (“revenge”) porn, and hate
speech – requires knowledge and awareness.
Robust efforts to improve media literacy
globally are thus crucial. Free, credible, and
independent news media are a pillar of any
functioning democracy, essential to enable
voters to make informed decisions and to
hold elected leaders accountable. Given this,
media literacy must be pursued within a
broader campaign to improve democratic
literacy.
Since its invention in ancient Greece
more than 2,500 years ago, democracy has
depended on rules and institutions that
strike a balance between participation and
power. If the point was simply to enable
everyone to speak up, platforms like
Facebook and Twitter would be the pinnacle
of democracy, and popular movements
like the 2011 Arab Spring would naturally
produce functioning governments.
Instead, the objective is to create a system
of governance in which elected leaders bring
to bear their knowledge and experience,
in order to advance the interests of the
people. The rule of law and the separation
40 Dec. 06 - 12 2019
of powers, guaranteed by a system of checks
and balances, are vital to the functioning of
such a system. In short, mobilisation means
little without institutionalisation.
And yet, today, public institutions are
suffering from the same lack of trust as news
media. To some extent, this is warranted:
many governments have failed to meet their
citizens’ needs, and corruption is rampant.
This has fueled rising skepticism toward
democratic institutions, with people often
preferring ostensibly more egalitarian online
platforms, where everyone’s voice can be
heard.
The problem is that such platforms lack
the checks and balances that informed
decision-making demands. And, contrary
to the early expectations of some Internet
pioneers, those checks and balances will
not emerge organically. On the contrary,
tech companies’ algorithm-driven business
models all but preclude them, because they
amplify voices according to clicks and likes,
not value or veracity.
Populist politicians have taken advantage
of the lack of checks and balances to obtain
power, which they often use to please their
supporters, ignoring the needs of opponents
or minority groups. This type of majority
rule looks a lot like mob rule, with populist
leaders trying to overrule legislatures and
The problem
is that online
platforms lack
the checks
and balances
that informed
decision-
making
demands
courts to fulfill the desires – often shaped by
lies and propaganda – of their constituents.
British Prime Minister Boris Johnson’s recent
attempt to suspend Parliament, in order
minimise its ability to prevent a no-deal
Brexit, is a case in point.
In a democracy, all people must be able to
trust their leaders to uphold their rights and
protect their basic interests, regardless of
whom they voted for. They should be able
to go about their daily lives, confident that
public officials will dedicate their time and
energy to making informed decisions – and
that those who don’t will be checked and
balanced by the rest. Credible independent
media support this process.
In Johnson’s case, the judiciary fulfilled
its duty to check the executive. But with
every assault on democratic institutions,
accountability is weakened, people become
more disillusioned, and the legitimacy of
the system declines. Over time, this reduces
the incentive for talented people to work in
fields like journalism and politics, eroding
their effectiveness and legitimacy further.
Breaking this vicious circle requires the
rapid expansion of media and democratic
literacy, including how the system works
and who owns and shapes it. And yet,
as a forthcoming study by the Council of
Europe’s Expert Committee on Quality
Journalism in the Digital Age (on which
I served) shows, most existing media-
literacy programs are limited to teaching
schoolchildren how to use digital platforms
and understand news content. Very few
target older people (who are most in need),
explain who controls media and digital
infrastructure, or teach the mechanisms of
algorithmic choice.
Democracies all over the world are enduring a
stress test. If they are to pass, their institutional
underpinnings must be reinforced. That requires,
first and foremost, an understanding of what
those underpinnings are, why they matter, and
who is trying to dismantle them.
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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