News analysis Health Business

Why Museveni might Homosexuality not Rent in Kampala’s city

not sign new KCCA law Genetic, says study centre remain stable

Issue No. 588 Sept. 06 - 12 2019 Ushs 5,000,Kshs 200, RwF 1,500, SDP 8

Colours of violence
in 2021 elections
It’ll be bloody if
yellow, red clash

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Sept. 06 - 12 2019 1
inbox

Issue No. 588 Sept. 06 - 12 2019

News analysis Business Health Arts Motoring

Cover story
Colours of violence in 2021 elections
It’ll be bloody if yellow, red clash

5 The Week
30 Comments
Cheptegei wins gold in IAAF
championship in Zurich Africa needs traditional media:
The democratic nature of social-
media platforms is their strength
9 The Last Word
but it’s a major flaw on fake news
From king to emperor: What the
politics of People Power tells us
about the nature of government
32 Health
they will preside over
Fake pneumonia drug
14 Analysis on sale: WHO warns of
falsified Augmentin
Why Museveni might not sign new KCCA
law: Stage set for battle with Lukwago

35 Arts & Culture

27 Business
Uganda Airlines’ revival: Artist
Rent in Kampala’s city centre casts a critical eye on ambiguity
remain stable: Future real estate
developments hinge on the newly
passed Landlord-Tenant Bill

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

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2 Sept. 06 - 12 2019
 inbox

“If you are coming to join People

Power, leave your political party,
religion, tribe in your house,
come focused on getting back our
freedom that has been taken by
the dictator, President Museveni,”
People Power leader Bobi Wine told
Kenyan businessman, Eng Victor Kotera (front L) launches the Jopadhola Community
Education and Scholarship Trust at Makerere University on Aug.31. The Fund will be used to
politicians while launching the symbol
support education and entrepreneurship in Tororo District.  INDEPENDENT/ ALFRED OCHWO for People Power

US Ambassador to
Uganda, Deborah
Malac shares
light moment
with Education
Minister, Janet
Kataha Museveni
(seated) during the
education sector
review conference
held at Hotel “No place is too far right now. Please
Africana on Aug. inform your friends that Uganda
28.  INDEPENDENT/
ALFRED OCHWO Airlines is back in the skies.” Speaker
Rebecca Kadaga addressing a UNAA
convention in the U.S.

State Minister for Primary

Education, Rosemary
Sseninde, announce the
second National Primary
Teachers’ Conference to
be held at St. Lawrence
London College, in
Wakiso District on Sept.
5-7th. The conference
will be graced by
President Museveni and
“I believe that addressing these issues
Education minister, Janet will allow us have a genetic engineering
Museveni.   INDEPENDENT/ law that is pro-science, prop-people and
ALFRED OCHWO
pro-development.”President Museveni in a
letter rejecting the GMO Bill for the second time

Medals Uganda won New Cardinals Health workers in Kampala

8 at the All Africa
Games in Morocco
13 named by Pope
Francis
95% who don’t wash hands
according to a WaterAid study

Sept. 06 - 12 2019 3
week
Father of slain social worker Maria Nagirinya raps police over conduct
Anthony Lubowa, father of murdered social
worker Maria Nagirinya Gateni, said police were
unhelpful when he reported the matter to two police
stations; Natete and Old Kampala. “The officer at
Natete was just relaxing while the ones at Old Kam-
pala said the CCTV footage had not been working
for the past three weeks,” said Lubowa. He described
his daughter as a friendly and interesting young per-
son. “I am perturbed that someone opted to kill her
using a hammer,” Lubowa said. Meanwhile Police
say joint investigations by International Security
Organisation (ISO), Chieftaincy of Military Intelli-
gence (CMI) and the Police have resulted into the
arrest of five suspects in connection with the murder
of Nagirinya and her driver Ronald Kitayimbwa.
The bodies of the two were discovered on Aug. 30 at
Nakitutuli village near the Mukono-Kayunga road.
Nagirinya and Kitayimbwa were reported missing
two days earlier after they were kidnapped just
outside her home in Lungujja, a Kampala suburb.
Nagirinya was laid to rest in Kibuye on Sept.1 while
Kitayimbwa was buried in Masaka on the same day.

The road ahead for new

Archbishop Steven Kaziimba
Church of Uganda Archbishop-elect Ste-
ven Samuel Mugalu Kaziimba will have to
deal with the interplay between the church
and state when he officially takes over on
March 1, 2020. He has been elected at a time
when there are increasing cases of kidnaps,
murders and torture of political opposition
figures. Kaziimba’s task ahead is even more
daunting with less than two years to the
2021 general elections that have created a
charged political atmosphere. As head of the
Protestant church, Kaziimba will be under
pressure to speak out on corruption, police
brutality and harassment of those in the
opposition. Politicians often use the church
as a campaign platform in election season
and all eyes will be on Archbsihop Kaziimba
when election season sets in. The other issues
in the church Kaziimba will be tasked with
addressing are the rise of Pentecostal church-
es which are eating into mainstream Chris-
tian churches, the grabbing of land belong-
ing to the church, moral decadence among
church leaders involving illicit sexual affairs.
The absence of a female bishop in Church of
Uganda is something modern Christians will
throw at Kaziimba who has been described
as a unifying figure. Many will also wait
to see how the new prelate will handle the
combustible issue of homosexuality, an issue
on which his predecessors were outspoken
about. The 57-year-old Bishop from Mityana
Diocese trounced Bishop Sheldon Mwesig-
wa of Ankole Diocese with 26 to 12 votes.
The House of Bishops said the election of the
ninth Arhcbishop was peaceful and should
be a template for the 2021 elections.
Cheptegei wins gold in IAAF championship in Zurich
Uganda’s golden boy
Joshua Cheptegei added to
his impressive medal haul
when he ran a personal
best in 12:57:41 to scoop
gold in the 5000m race at
the IAAF Diamond League
Championship final. The
feat comes with a $50,000
cash prize. Cheptegei won
gold at the World Cross
Country championship in
March this year. In 2018, he
Tony Elumelu tells Japan to support new entrepreneurs
Africa’s popular investor,
Tony O. Elumelu urged
the government of Japan to
invest 5% of its $50billion
commitment to Africa in
empowering African entre-
preneurs. He was delivering
a speech before global lead-
ers at the 7th Tokyo Interna-
tional Conference on African
Development (TICAD) in
Yokohama, Japan on Aug.29.
At TICAD 2016 in Kenya,
Japan pledged $30billion for
Africa. This year it increased
this to $50 billion. He said
that by just investing 5% in
Africa’s new generation of
entrepreneurs following his
won gold in the 5000 metre
race at the Commonwealth
games. Cheptegei is now
preparing for the World
Championship in Doha,
Qatar starting Sept.27 lasting
to Oct 6 where he will take
part in the 10,000m race. The
Kapchorwa-born star has
continually improved his
performance and now he is
arguably Uganda’s best ath-
lete on the track. “In Doha
Foundation’s robust, proven
model of getting capital
directly to those best placed
to catalyse growth and cre-
ate real impact, it is possible
to touch 500,000 lives, across
the 54 African countries and
broaden markets. This, he
added would facilitate job
creation, improve income
per capita, and laying the
I will not compete in the 5k
but the 10k. Winning the
gold medal there would be
special because I have never
won a track gold at World
Championships. I planned
this race and I expected to
win. I will train in the moun-
tains of Uganda until Doha
and the good thing is that
my coach will be there, too,”
the 22-year-old star said.
key foundation for political
and economic stability. He
outlined the three key pillars
of a bold and transformative
structure – investment in
infrastructure, partnership
with the African private
sector and investment
in Africa’s youth. In the
last five years, the Tony
Elumelu Foundation has
assisted over 7,500 African
entrepreneurs across every
African country, with seed
capital, capacity building,
mentorship and networking
opportunities through its
$100million Entrepreneur-
ship Programme. 

4 Sept. 06 - 12 2019
 week
Twebaze World Intellectual Government tightens squeeze on NGOs
Property President Minister for internal affairs Obiga Kania
declined to extend a validation deadline for
the period of one month could only cater to the
registration of 1000 NGOs. Kania rejecting the
Bemanya Twebaze was elected NGOs despite several requests from NGO NGO’s entreaties said validation is only filling
President of the World Intellectual heads. The validation process commenced on a form which should not be a complicated
Property Organization (WIPO) Advi- Aug. 4 and ended on Sept.7, however NGO process. It is the first time since 1989 that gov-
sory Committee on Enforcement bosses the period of time was too short for them ernment is carrying out a validation exercise
at its 14th session held in Geneva, to verify their status and fulfill other technical for NGOs. In the last six months, there has been
Switzerland on Sept. 2. The Registrar requirements. In a dialogue between the min- a crackdown on NGOs with accusations from
General of Uganda Registration Ser- istry of internal affairs and NGOs at Kampala government of being pro-opposition and repre-
vices Bureau (URSB) will be assisted Serena Hotel, Richard Sewakiryanga, the exec- senting interests of foreign governments.
by Elizabeth Jones of the UK IPO utive director of the National NGO Forum said
Copyright and Enforcement Direc-
torate and Ray Meloni, Director of
Distinctive Signs of the National Insti- Museveni asks for pro-people MPs vow to visit
tute for the Defense of Copyright and
Intellectual Property of Peru. Twebaze legislation in GMO Bill safe houses
formerly served as the President For the second time in two years, President Museveni Members of Parliament on the
of Paris Union Assembly of WIPO. rejected the National Biotechnology and Biosafety Bill Human Rights Committee dis-
This election is a major milestone for 2012 urging legislators to put the concerns of ordinary agreed sharply with minister for
Uganda and has come at a time when Ugandans at the heart of legislation. The bill commonly defence Gen. Elly Tumwine over
Uganda has enhanced protection and known as the GMO Bill seeks to provide a regulatory safe houses in the country. MPs
enforcement of intellectual property framework for safe development and application of bio- kicked Tumwine out of the com-
rights. In his acceptance speech after technology, research development and release of genet- mittee hearing after he told them
the election, Twebaze said “Enforce- ically modified organisms. Museveni in a letter to the they cannot access houses run by
ment is a key aspect in promoting Speaker of Parliament said the law should allow scientists Internal Security Organisation
innovation and creativity in member to carry out research and make scientific breakthroughs (ISO). Kawempe North MP Latif
states and thus the need to balance that at the same time safeguard the ecology and diversify Ssebagala asked Tumwine why
enforcement of intellectual property that nature bestowed on Uganda while also protecting Ugandans are being detained
with members’ development priori- the interests of ordinary Ugandans. The President said and tortured in the safe hous-
ties”. Twebaze expressed appreciation the bill in its current form promotes commercial interests es. The minister was adamant
to the Director General of WIPO Fran- which endangers the livelihoods of poor farmers, whom and refused to answer most of
cis Gurry for the technical assistance he represents. The Speaker Rebecca Kadaga said Parlia- the MPs questions although he
extended to member states in build- ment may invoke Article 91 (6) (b) of the constitution to acknowledged the existence of
ing respect for intellectual property. make the Bill law after it is rejected by the President twice. the safe houses. “They are used to
coordinate clandestine intelligence
Malaria kills 147 in Agago district operations,” he told MPs. Howev-
er MPs insisted that the committee
had the powers to visit any securi-
Agago district in northern Uganda is nets. The other reason cited was the sharing ty installation in the country. MPs
grappling with a malaria epidemic that has of drugs by sick children with their siblings Robert Kyagulanyi and Angelline
seen the malaria prevalence rate shoot from which causes malaria resistance. As a result, Osegge said Tumwine was disre-
17%-95% in the last three months, according Occite said the district has recorded 147 specting the committee and urged
to the district’s malaria expert, Joseph Occite. malaria deaths in the last three months. their colleagues to kick him out of
Anti-malarial drug stock-outs have caused The district in the Acholi sub-region has no the committee. Safe houses have
panic as eight out of every ten people have district hospital relying on health centres been used for a longtime in the
tested positive for malaria. Occite told and support from development partners NRM regime to allegedly torture
journalists that the malaria upsurge is partly like World Vision. Supplies from National people especially those perceived
attributed to people abandoning mosquito Medical Stores delay for a week. to be regime opponents.

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Sept. 06 - 12 2019 5
week
Refugees, host communities tension could lead to conflict- report
A study by International
Refugee Rights Initiative (IRRI)
between December 2018 and
May 2019 among 470 refugees
and host communities in Arua,
Adjumani and Lamwo shows
that the tension between the
two groups could escalate into
broader conflict if not properly
addressed. Refugees complained
that they are often denied
access to firewood and grass
for thatched roofs by their host
communities. In turn host com-
munities accused the refugees of
not seeking their consent when
it came to use of some of some
natural resources. Refugees had
started making bricks and char-
coal to complement the assis-
tance given to them. IRRI notes
in its report that the fight over
land and some of the natural
resources which is causing envi-
ronmental degradation is esca-
lating rapidly in refugee-hosting
districts. The report notes that
investments in tree planting
and fuel alternatives are not
6 Sept. 06 - 12 2019
West Nile refugees
sufficient for de-escalation. IRRI
recommends to government that
efforts by local leaders to have
dialogue were commendable
but there is need for long term,
intensive action to address the
issue head on. The high number
of South Sudanese refugees has
put a strain on the land plots
allocated to them, not mention-
ing the rocky and infertile nature
of the soil. “Refugees thus con-
clude agreements, often infor-
mally, with host community
members to work on their land
in exchange for, often monetary,
compensation,” the report states.
Refugees and their hosts are
also competing for jobs from the
several international NGOs. Res-
idents say they should be given
first priority for jobs form NGOs.
Inter community tensions, exac-
erbated by presence of individu-
als involved in the South Sudan
conflict was also a powder keg
in refugee settlements. With the
insecurity in the neighboring
South Sudan, IRRI notes that a
lot of caution and monitoring
needs to be done by the Uganda
government in cross-border
movements. The report con-
cludes, “In sum, despite overall
good relations, there are many
pressure points in refugee host-
ing areas in northern Uganda
which could escalate into serious
conflict either between refugee
and host communities, or within
the refugee community.”
Government
borrows Shs400bn
for irrigation
The Parliamentary committee
on National Economy approved
a request by government to
borrow Shs416billion from the
U.K. for the construction of a
solar-powered irrigation and
water supply system project.
Appearing before the committee
to defend the loan, state minister
for finance David Bahati said 920
unit projects of a water supply
system will be set up all over the
country to scale up agricultural
production given it contributes
21% to the GDP. Bahati was
accompanied by the permanent
secretary in the ministry of water
and environment Alfred Okidi.
MPs on the committee were
worried about loan absorption, a
repayment plan and the imple-
mentation. Other concerns were
the criteria for selecting the bene-
ficiaries of the project.
Humour Did you know?
U.S. can deny you visa over
your friends social media

As if growing up on social media wasn’t

President Yoweri Museveni rejects minimum wage law
bad enough, making sure you don’t have
anything that might harm your future, it
appears you may have to look out for what
your friends are saying too.
There have been reports of people being
denied entry into the U.S. for received
WhatsApp messages and social media
posts made by friends, in what the legal
and policy director of the American-Arab
Anti-Discrimination Committee (ADC)
has called “the new normal”. Others have
been deported for pictures and messages
forwarded to them by a friend, with the
ADC saying that the FBI was even sent
to deal with one person because of a
WhatsApp message received from a friend.
In June the State Department brought in
new rules that mean nearly all applicants
for U.S. visas have to submit their social
media details on a list of social media
platforms including Twitter, Facebook, and
Instagram.
The security minister Elly Tumwine has asked Parliament to come to terms and live with safe houses
A Palestinian teenager who was admitted
to Harvard says he was denied entry
into the U.S. by officials after they looked
through the social media posts made by
his friends. Ismail B. Ajjawi, 17, has been
awarded a undergraduate scholarship
by US non-profit AMIDEAST and was
due to begin his studies on September 3.
Upon arrival at Boston Logan International
Airport last Friday, he was detained by
immigration officers, who searched through
his phone and laptop for around five hours.
“The idea that Ajjawi should be
prevented from taking his place at Harvard
because of his own political speech would
be alarming; that he should be denied this
opportunity based on the speech of others is
downright lawless,” Summer Lopez, senior
director of Free Expression Programs at
PEN America, said in a statement.
Source: IFL Science
Maj General Kasirye Gwanga has launched a struggle to protect and preserve the environment in Mityana.

Sept. 06 - 12 2019

Inbox
Letters are
welcome !
The Editor welcomes short and
concise letters from our esteemed
readers on topical issues. Please
send them to:
The Editor, The Independent
Publications Ltd,
P.O Box 3304,
Plot 82/84 Kanjokya St,
Kamwokya.
Kampala,Uganda.
Email: editor@independent.co.ug
Don’t malice circumcision
Refer to: “Growing number of Ugandan
men opting out of circumcision” (The Inde-
pendent online sept.02). A man getting cir-
cumcised is entirely an informed choice and
if you really don’t want to carry it out, it’s
not an achievement neither is it a crime. But
there are people out there willing to carry it
out, so stop infecting them with your mali-
cious mentality.
Moses Barigye
Circumcision is not
forced on anyone
Refer to: “Growing number of Ugan-
dan men opting out of circumcision” (The
Independent online sept.02). I don’t think
circumcision is forced on anyone. It’s just
one of the ways that have proved to be
effective in reducing the spread of HIV. It’s
advice which you can take or leave. Just like
condoms, no one can force you to use them.
It’s your life and it’s you to decide. But you
shouldn’t discourage others.
Ibrahim Ahmed Luyombya
I regret the day I
was circumcised
Refer to: “Growing number of Ugandan
men opting out of circumcision” (The Inde-
pendent online sept.02). I regret the day I
was circumcised. I think the promoters of
this act are not well informed or else have
personal benefits.
Benson Bariyo
8 Sept. 06 - 12 2019
Follow us on Twitter @
http://twitter.com/#!/ugandatalks
Follow us on Facebook @
www.facebook.com/TheIndependentMagazineUganda
Why do HIV/circumcision advocates advise using condoms?
Refer to: “Growing num-
ber of Ugandan men opting
out of circumcision” (The
Independent online sept.02).
Claiming that circumcision
prevents a health problem is
a compulsion of circumcised
men to have done to others
what was done to them.
Historically, this compulsion
has led to over 200 potential
health claims for circumci-
sion. All have been refuted.
Thirteen national and
international organisations
recommend against circum-
cision. Search “circumcision
information summary” to
learn why.
The foreskin has various
functions that contribute to
sexual experience for both
partners. It contains thou-
sands of nerves and expands
I would pay year’s
salary not to be
circumcised
Refer to: “Growing
number of Ugandan
men opting out of
circumcision” (The
Independent online
sept.02). Good for them. I
would pay a year’s salary
rather than be circumcised
or have my son
circumcised. Why would
I want the most sensitive
and pleasurable parts cut
off? That little bit of skin
makes a big difference (it’s
not just there to protect
the glans). Around two
thirds of the world’s men
(including 88% of the
world’s non-Muslim men)
never get circumcised.
Mark
News analysis Health Business
Behind Sudhir Deaths from MTN revenue Banks, telecoms
win over BOU C-section grows 30.5% battle for accolade
Issue No. 587 August. 30 - Sept. 05 2019
Ushs 5,000,Kshs 200, RwF 1,500, SDP 8
Museveni
Kagame
tension
What to look out
for next
www.independent.co.ug
sensitivity. Cutting it off circumcised to prevent one
is like cutting off a thumb HIV infection.
believing the hand will work Authorities that cite the
better. Search “functions of studies have other agendas
the foreskin.” including political and
Many professionals have financial. Research shows
criticised studies that claim that circumcision causes
that circumcision reduces physical, sexual, and psy-
HIV transmission. The chological harm. This harm
investigators did not seek to is ignored by circumcision
determine the source of the advocates. Other methods
HIV infections during their to prevent HIV transmission
studies. They assumed all (condoms and sterilizing
infections were heterosexu- medical instruments) are
ally transmitted. Many HIV much more effective, much
infections in Africa are trans- cheaper, and much less
mitted by contaminated invasive. Even HIV/circum-
injections and surgical pro- cision studies advise using
cedures. The absolute rate of condoms. With condoms
HIV transmission reduction circumcision adds no benefit
is only 1.3%, not the claimed to HIV prevention.
60%. Even if the claim were Ronald Goldman, PhD
true, based on the studies,
about 60 men had to be
Stop HIV without
inflicting torture
Refer to: “Growing number of Ugandan men opt-
ing out of circumcision” (The Independent online
sept.02). It is quite difficult to know exactly the right
way because circumcision existed before the HIV/aids
scourge as a religious and cultural practice among
many communities in the world. But the contradiction
is even the circumcised lot have equally perished in
greater numbers from the fangs of the scourge. So let
other alternatives which do not inflict any form of tor-
ture be used like use condoms, abstinence etc.
Okello Daniel opio
Let people enjoy their
freedom of expression
Refer to: “Heavy security deployment as Bobi Wine,
Besigye head to Hoima”. Let people enjoy their free-
dom of expression by expressing their rights in the
country. But whenever it is the ruling party there is less
security deployment. Now that it is another party, they
open their muscle. We shall not get tired.
Gabriel Palaanda

From king to emperor
By Andrew M. Mwenda
What the politics of People Power tells us about
the nature of government they will preside over
P
eople Power is the most trending
political cult in Uganda. They are
angry at the corruption of President
Yoweri Museveni and his National
Resistance Movement (NRM) government.
While its followers carry a deep sense of
victimhood, they are not resigned but
energised. They want to get Museveni out of
power – but what for? To that later!
The cult has a large following across
Uganda’s urban social groups: young
professionals, students, unemployed youth,
boda boda riders, hawkers, taxi touts,
lumpens (bayaye) and some respectable
intellectuals. But for the most part, cult
members are high on emotion and short on
public policy, loud in rhetoric but lacking
in organisation. While most organisations
would see this as a handicap, People Power
cult members see this as a virtue. Why?
It is because the cult does not seek power
for high ideals or ideological goals. For all its
self-righteousness, it seeks power primarily
to give its supporters a chance at official
loot. They are energised because they see
the removal of Museveni as an opportunity
get a chance at the trough. We see this in
how they conceptualise political power.
They think anyone who supports Museveni/
government has been paid; there exists no
ideological, historical, ethnic, religious or
even emotional support for government.
If I share any sympathy for (and agreement
with) People Power, it is that they are asking
for something fundamental i.e. we need
to give a chance to another ethno-regional
or even demographic coalition to come to
power and “loot” on behalf of its followers.
That is all People Power offers. What I am
not sure about is whether in their greed, cult
leaders would pick a leaf from Museveni
i.e. always ensure a continually growing
economy to pay for increasing patronage
demands.
NRM came to power promising to fight
corruption but Museveni has presided over
the most corrupt government in Uganda’s
history. Museveni, however, is a much more
sophisticated individual. He has some belief
that the pursuit of power, while involving
exchange of money, can also be motivated
by high ideals and broader ideological goals.
It is this nuance that is missing in the People
Power cult.
I no longer hold the utopian belief in the
virtues of term limits on presidents as a key
The Last Word
to democracy and accountable government
in a poor country. However, I am inclined
to believe that governments, especially in
ethnically fragmented societies like ours,
need to change regularly. Presidential term
limits are needed to ensure regular change
of power. When a president retires, the new
one should come from a different ethnic
region. This way, ethnic elites can rotate at
the trough, thereby ensuring an equitable
distribution of opportunities “for loot” and
most likely, political stability.
The fatigue and anger we see in Uganda
towards Museveni is largely because of a
deep-seated grievance that “Westerners”
have been at the trough too long. Other
ethnic regions need their turn too. Therefore,
the best solution for Uganda (as a federation
of ethnicities) is to rotate power among
them. Many intellectuals would be horrified
at my suggestion that patronage and
clientelism (otherwise called corruption) is
the real basis for order in poor countries and
without it, the state could easily disintegrate.
But this is largely because they are naïve and
idealistic.
Museveni has ruled with the same
corruption and patronage as Mobutu of
former Zaire. However, he has done this
while sustaining an impressing rate of
economic and, therefore, revenue growth.
This has allowed him to continually build
the institutional capacity of the state and
meet the demands for more patronage
and a bit of welfare. By not sustaining
economic growth, Mobutu ate the hen that
was supposed to lay the golden egg of state
consolidation. Museveni has demonstrated
that patronage and clientelism (corruption)
are not necessarily injurious to state building
but are an important accompaniment to it.
In his essay “Finishing off with the Idea of
the Third World, The Concept of the Political
Trajectory” Jean Francois Bayart argues that
politics must be understood as a moment in
a very long-term story. This can be a story
of a civilization, of a culture and of a system
of inequalities. Out of a people’s experience
of this past, a past involving external and
endogenous forces, people construct various
“discursive genres” through which politics
is understood and participated in. Bayart
gives examples of such genres as the British
system of representative government and
civil liberties, Islamic thought, etc.
In Uganda, and indeed across most of
Sept. 06 - 12 2019
opinion
Sub Sahara Africa, the “discursive genre”
about political power is “eating.” From
inception, the colonial economy was built
as an integral part of politics – economic
resources flowed to those with power. The
benefits of modernity (jobs as chiefs, civil
servants, teachers, etc. or allocation of land
and trading licenses) went to those who
collaborated with the colonial state.
Thus control of state power became a
means of controlling economic resources
and in turn control of economic resources
became a means of reproducing power
through neo-patrimonial networks. African
elites did not fight for independence to
dismantle the colonial state but to inherit
its privileges. Listening to them, it becomes
clear that People Power is the embodiment
of this popular expectation. Given power,
it would reproduce exactly what Museveni
has presided over – massive corruption
and patronage – but most likely (and sadly)
without his finesse.
We have a rich history from which to
draw such a conclusion. In 2002, Kenyans
voted Daniel arap Moi’s KANU out of office
because of its massive corruption. The new
president, Mwai Kibaki, even appointed
the indefatigable John Githongo as
ombudsman. Githongo had been a leading
anti corruption campaigner working with
Transparency International – at one time I
worked under him as a consultant. Under
Kibaki, corruption skyrocketed. Within two
years, Githongo had run to exile because the
“looting mafia” was closing in to kill him.
If Kenyans thought this was it, today they
find the corruption of the Uhuru Kenyatta
government to surpass everything they have
witnessed before.
This is the story of Zambia, Malawi,
Nigeria, Ghana, Senegal, Benin, DRC,
etc. Change of power, whether violent
or peaceful, has led to more, not less
corruption. The lesson is simple but
fundamental: corruption is the way the
system works, not the way it fails. People
Power supporters accuse anyone who
defends Museveni/government of being
paid. This is because their “discursive genre”
of politics is the cash nexus. Give them
power and cash in politics will cease to be
king and become emperor.
amwenda@independent.co.ug
9
cover story

Colours of violence
in 2021 elections
It’ll be bloody if
yellow, red clash

Baker Kasumba’s hands were nailed together with the ‘offending’ yellow NRM beret

10 Sept. 06 - 12 2019

Opposition MPs who identify with the People Power group march in Arua town ahead of the Arua Municipality by-election last year year
W
By Ronald Musoke
hat to wear in Uganda.’
That is a common
briefing topic for visitors
to Uganda. Some of
them are told not to wear
black or blue garments
– because they attract disease carrying tsetse
flies. Recent events, however, show that
residents might also need to be careful what
colour they wear. Yellow and red, it appears;
need to be worn with caution as the country
heads into the 2021 general elections.
Baker Kasumba says he is paying a high
price for wearing the wrong colour as a
recent gruesome photo on social media
shows. The shocking photo which surfaced
on Aug.29 shows the young man, who police
later identified as Baker Kasumba, 21, on a
hospital bed, with two six-inch nails sunk
into his palms.
Kasumba says his attackers were
punishing him for wearing a yellow outfit
– the colour of the ruling party, NRM. He
says he was wearing a yellow beret, which
his attackers nailed together with his palms.
These claims could not be independently
verified because Kasumba is being kept
away from the media by officials of NRM.
Until this incident, red has been the
colour inviting trouble on those who wear
such outfits. In one incident 27 pupils of
Winterland Primary School in Kyebando,
their two teachers and ten security guards,
including plain cloth police personnel
accompanying them were attacked and
beaten at an event at Nkumba University
in Entebbe municipality. Their crime was
wearing their red uniform or costumes.
Then the parliament of Uganda banned
red ribbons. In another case, the RDC of
Lamwo District in northern Uganda, James
Nabinson Kidega, ordered police to arrest
anyone wearing red. Kidega said red attire
is linked to combative conduct, inciting
violence and lawlessness.
Recently, in August, the police banned
party colours from court rooms after a
magistrate in Kampala was attacked.
Many people were arrested, most of them
wearing blue shirts which is associated with
opposition political party—the Forum for
Democratic Change (FDC). But the ensuing
condemnation centred on the red colour
of the People Power political grouping led
by rising political star, Robert Ssentamu
Kyagulanyi aka Bobi Wine (MP Kyadondo
East).
In another incident, in October last year,
police raided and searched the home of
Edith Byanyima, sister-in-law to Dr. Kizza
Sept. 06 - 12 2019
cover story
Besigye following intelligence information
that “illicit materials” were going to be
used to incite violence. After four hours of
searching, police confiscated over 20 red
napkins which, according to Edith, were
used as teaching aides for girls who were
learning how to knit.
‘We have been saying this’
But it is the recent attack on Kasumba
which has raised most attention on how
the colours people wear are becoming a
political issue. Police and politicians have
condemned the attack.
“It is wrong for anyone to be injured for
wearing colours of their favourite political
party and it is wrong for anyone to be
attacked for their political beliefs,” said Joel
Ssenyonyi, the spokesperson of the People
Power group in an interview with The
Independent on Aug.30.
He said People Power condemns the
attack and added: “This is what we have
all along been saying; that People Power
members are not criminals. Wearing a red
or yellow beret is not a crime. Whoever did
this should be arrested and prosecuted in the
courts of law.”
Justine Kasule Lumumba, the Secretary
General of NRM visited Kasumba on
Aug.30 and pledged NRM’s support in
11
cover story
President Museveni is received by his yellow-wearing supporters during the 2016 presidential election campaigns
form of paying his medical bills. He was
immediately transferred from Mulago
Hospital to a secret safe place because “he
was still being trailed by his attackers.”
“We shall not accept this kind of political
intimidation and whoever did it should
desist from it,” a Kampala Metropolitan
Police statement signed by spokesperson,
Patrick Onyango said, “Uganda is a free
country, where everyone is allowed to
express his or her political affiliation.”
Some NRM party supporters were quick
to blame the opposition for the attack.
This was a quick reversal to an incident
that happened in July when opposition
politicians blamed the government for
murdering one of their own—a young
man known as Zigy Wyne. The police
later showed CCTV footage to prove Zigy
Wyne died from injuries he sustained in a
motorcycle accident.
Speaking from his bed in Mulago
National Referral Hospital before he was
whisked into hiding, Kasumba said he was
walking from work on the evening of Aug.28
when two men attacked him. He said the
men hit him on the head before “crucifying”
him. He said he worked at a shopping
arcade called Jesco which is part of Ham
Shopping Centre in downtown Kampala.
According to Kampala Metropolitan
Police, before Kasumba was attacked, three
days earlier, on Aug.25, an unidentified man
“approached him at his work place and
confronted him to stop supporting NRM
and President Museveni.”
It still remains unclear whether Kasumba
was a flamboyant NRM supporter in
12 Sept. 06 - 12 2019
downtown Kampala, an area packed
with thousands of traders in several high-
rise shopping arcades selling all sorts of
merchandise.
Many political commentators say the
attack on Kasumba is probably a hint about
how violent the 2021 general election might
turn out to be unless Ugandans sober up.
Prepare for violence
Kasumba’s ordeal came just days after the
Women’s Democracy Network Uganda and
the Innovation for Democratic Engagement
and Action released a report last month
predicting that the 2021 general election will
be the most violent ever in Uganda.
The report titled, “Early warning signs
for violence in Uganda’s 2021 elections and
structures and strategies for mitigation”
found that 83% of people surveyed in 13
districts across the country feared violence
will be ‘unprecedented’ in the next election.
Perry Aritua, the executive director of
Women’s Democracy Network-Uganda told
The Independent on Aug.30 that people do not
want to listen to each other as long as they
come from different political groups. In the
survey, political intolerance stood at 32.6%.
“Those interviewed (for the survey) said
the major tool to be used for violence is word
of mouth but when you connect words
to intolerance, then you get a recipe for
disaster.”
Aritua blames political leaders who, she
says, are not doing enough to diffuse the
tension that is building ahead of the 2021
election.
Most of the tension appears to be between
the yellow colour (for the ruling National
Resistance Movement) and red, for the
People Power Movement.
The red colour took on new meaning
in Uganda’s politics during the debate in
Parliament on the Age Limit Bill, 2017. MPs
who opposed the bill adopted the red colour
to symbolize their resistance to the removal
of the presidential age limit.
The Bill was overwhelmingly passed
by 317 NRM-leaning MPs against the 97
for the opposition. But that did not end
the opposition MPs from associating with
the colour red. In recent by-elections and
other political events, the colour has been a
unifying factor for politicians pushing the
“People Power” agenda.
There are other colours; blue for the
Forum for Democratic Change and white
and green for DP. But there have been fewer
incidents around them; possibly because
they are more commonly won by members
of the public. It could also be because DP
has generally pursued peaceful politics and,
although former FDC president, Rtd Col.
Kizza Besigye has shown a militant streak
and tactics, the party has remained peaceful.
The emergence of the People Power
group, which rose to prominence after
battling security forces in Parliament in a
fight that left property destroyed and many
of them arrested, has raised the likelihood of
nation-wide violence.
People Power was blamed for violence
in the Arua by-election that left President
Yoweri Museveni’s convoy attacked by a
rally crowd. Museveni’s security said a rear
window of one of the cars in his convoy

was smashed with stones. The driver of the
leader of the People Power group was shot
dead in reprisal attacks by the security.
President Museveni in one of the
public missives he published in the media
following the Arua Municipality by-election
said the opposition forces who attacked his
convoy were wearing red colours.
“This group has been putting on red to
signify their intention to shed blood, and
they have been putting on Army red berets
to signify their intention of using military
means,” he said. He added that the security
forces have ignored “those threatening
signals” but not anymore.
Many politicians and their supporters
have been swelling the ranks of the People
Power group. Many believe state inspired
violence during elections must be met with
organised civilian resistance.
Changing role of colour
Uganda’s political parties have
traditionally had official colours. According
to the Electoral Commission, Uganda has
29 registered political parties and each has
unique symbols and colours to ease voter
recognition during elections and create
harmonious party co-existence.
Colours have meant almost nothing
in everyday life as many FDC die-hards
routinely wear yellow and many NRM
stalwarts easily wear red. But that is
changing.
Many people, especially at public
functions, are emulating the late NRM
legislator, Col. Ibrahim Abiriga (then-MP
for Arua Municipality) who became the best
example of how politicians use party colours
to show allegiance.
Abiriga was unapologetic about the colour
yellow. He was a self-proclaimed diehard
supporter of President Museveni and the
NRM. He even got the moniker “yellow
man.”
Abiriga confessed to The Independent in
2017 that his wardrobe is predominantly
yellow; his suits, shirts, shoes, hats, socks
and even undergarments.
“Everything on me has to at least have
yellow if it is not fully yellow,” he said, “The
plate I use, the cups, my bed is yellow, house
and everything must be yellow.”
Abiriga who was two years into his first
term as a Member of Parliament for Arua
Municipality in northwestern Uganda died
in a hail of bullets on June 8, last year, as he
was returning to his home in Kawanda. The
election to replace him was the most violent.
The trend of associating politics with
colour of dress is growing, sometimes with
negative outcomes if not violence. A retired
diplomat who teaches at Uganda Martyrs
University in Kampala recently rudely
found out how things can go if one wears
the ‘wrong’ colour.
The diplomat who requested not to be
named said as he was reporting to work on
the weekend of Aug.24, he realised that one
of his car tyres was getting flat and branched
to a garage in the Rubaga area in the western
division of Kampala city to get it fixed.
However, there was a small problem.
He was caught unawares as the garage
attendants he expected to fix his car,
remained glued to their seats. Instead the
young men sneered at the old man rudely.
He read the non-verbal cue and drove
away. He was wearing a cream shirt that the
youthful mechanics probably considered too
“yellow.”
Political analysts have told The Independent
that the 2021 general election will probably
be one of the most colourful elections
Uganda has ever held with yellow and red
being the most dominant colours.
Dr. Patrick Wakida, the executive director
of the Kampala-based polling firm Research
World International told The Independent
recently that there is a sign of growing
It is not that
people are
tired of the
colour yellow;
it is just the
growing
level of
intolerance
in the country
opposition to NRM.
“That is why if you see people being
stopped from wearing certain colours,
you should know that the pressure on the
ruling government is growing,” Wakida
said, “When they see people wearing red
gathering in large numbers, they perceive
that as a threat to the ruling party.
Wakida said people join political parties
out of conviction, fear, or because they
have seen the other political group gaining
popularity and as such they would want to
be a part of that group.
Colour has always been a delicate matter
in Ugandan politics. The late Mayor of
Kampala City, John Ssebana Kizito, who
was a DP youth winger and later president
general told The Observer in 2011 about how
a minister in President Obote’s government
chased away a civil servant who had turned-
up wearing a green shirt at a government
Sept. 06 - 12 2019
cover story
function. The official colour of Obote’s
Uganda Peoples Congress (UPC) party is
red.
“There were so many such little fights at
the time,” said Ssebana. The emphasis was
on “little fights.”
In 2009, at the launch of electoral reforms
by the opposition in the Parliament Gardens,
the Electoral Commission Chairperson
Badru Kiggundu was put on the spot
when Dr. Kizza Besigye remarked that all
guests had turned up in “their colours”
including Kiggundu. The EC boss whom the
opposition often accused of favouring NRM
was decked in a yellow tie.
Mwambutsya Ndebesa, a political
historian based at Makerere University says
the use of colour in competitive politics is an
important tool for political parties to portray
their ideals and connotations. But in Uganda
colours play a crucial practical role.
“Considering that the majority of the
population is still peasantry with low levels
of education, you don’t expect Ugandans
to identify parties based on programmes or
ideology,” Ndebesa told local broadcaster,
NTVU, early this year, “In the absence of
political ideology and programmes, what
simplifies and creates meaning for political
parties are colours.”
Aritua who did the study predicting
violence says politicians need to tell their
supporters that colours are mere means to
differentiate one party from another.
“It is important that politicians take charge
and inform their followers about the need to
co-exist.”
Theodore Ssekikubo (MP Lwemiyaga,
NRM) told The Independent on Aug.31 that
nailing the young man is wrong and shows
growing extremism and criminality around
the country.
“It is not that people are tired of the
colour yellow; it is just the growing level
of intolerance in the country. Yellow is an
embodiment of a particular political group
in this country and this boy happened to be
wearing this colour perceived to belong to
this political group.”
“Whether NRM was using red, black or
blue, it would not have made any difference.
It is the intolerance and criminality that
is being used in the name of politics. This
must be fought by all political leaders in the
country.”
“Tolerance is a cardinal principle in a
democratic society,” said opposition MP
and People Power firebrand Muhammad
Muwanga Kivumbi (MP Butambala, DP)
“I may not like yellow but I cannot hold
it against a person. Society shouldn’t be
pushed to the level of intolerance because it
can breed war.”
“Leaders must ensure that at all times,
tolerance is exercised. So many people are
victims of circumstances; some of them
support an oppressive regime because they
need to survive,” he told The Independent.
13
NEWS ANALYSIS
GSMA Ecosystem Accelerator Tech Hubs Landscape Report 2018
Africa’s future is innovation
rather than industrialisation
The continent must also overcome significant
hurdles if it is to grab the 4IR opportunity
By Agencies
A
frica has taken three significant
steps in recent months on its
journey to a stronger economic
future.
In March, the African Union launched
the African Continental Free Trade Area
(AfCFTA). This landmark agreement
aims to create a single market expected
to generate a combined GDP of more
than $3.4 trillion and benefit over 1 billion
people.
In April, the South African government
announced the launch of a new Affiliate
Centre of the World Economic Forum’s
Centre for the Fourth Industrial Revolution
(C4IR).
The Centre will act as a focal point
for dialogue and co-operation on the
challenges and opportunities presented by
advanced technologies, which are merging
our physical, digital and biological worlds.
These include a number of tools that,
combined, will disrupt Africa’s dominant
agricultural, extractive and manufacturing
14 Sept. 06 - 12 2019
industries, offering the continent an
unparalleled opportunity to transform and
thrive.
And the World Economic Forum
has just launched the Africa Growth
Platform, an initiative aimed at helping
startup enterprises grow and compete
internationally. With early-stage
entrepreneurial activity 13% higher than
the global average, Africa is well placed to
get startups off the ground, but it also has
a higher-than-average failure rate due to
insufficient support and infrastructure. The
Africa Growth Platform will bring together
governments, investors and businesses
to help startups thrive and become
sustainable.
These are important steps forward.
Because despite recent economic growth,
Africa remains subject to lingering
challenges–including inequality, relatively
poor agricultural productivity and
significant youth unemployment. It is also
about to witness a population explosion,
with 2.4 billion people expected to call
the continent home by 2050. Job creation
is essential, and the Fourth Industrial
Revolution (4IR) - underpinned by
forward-looking trade agreements and
support systems for entrepreneurs - has the
potential to supply much of that demand.
Africa’s digital revolution
Africa has definitely grasped the promise
of the 4IR. More than 400 tech hubs have
sprung up across the continent, with
Lagos, Nairobi and Cape Town emerging
as internationally recognised technology
centers. These cities now host thousands
of startups, along with the incubators,
accelerators, innovation hubs, maker
spaces, technology parks and co-working
spaces that support them.
Notable successes include the mobile
lending app Branch International, which
recently raised $170 million in one of the
largest funding rounds achieved by an
Africa-focused startup, and a billion-dollar
IPO for Jumia, the largest e-commerce
company on the continent and the first
African tech startup to be listed on the New
York Stock Exchange. Elsewhere, pockets of

Advanced technologies predicted to disrupt industry in Africa/ A.T. Kearney, 2019
proactive government policy, like Tunisia’s
Startup Act, are helping foster this culture
of innovation.
Efforts like these will become
increasingly important to help a hyper-
connected and entrepreneurial youth
population on its way to a digital future.
However, with one or two exceptions, these
initiatives are largely being driven at a city
or enterprise level, rather than an integrated
national level, to Africa’s detriment overall.
One illustration of this can be found in
the World Economic Forum’s Readiness
for the Future of Production Report 2018,
which analyzed countries’ preparedness to
capitalise on emerging technologies.
Of the 25 African countries assessed,
22 were classified as having a low level of
readiness for the future, due to lack of the
necessary enabling conditions. Beyond tech
platforms and innovation capacity, these
include a robust institutional framework,
the right skills and talent, the ability
to attract global trade and investment,
availability of sustainable resources and a
thriving demand environment.
Although the Middle East and North
Africa region fared better on average than
sub-Saharan Africa, readiness across each
driver varies considerably by country,
indicating the absence of co-operative
action. As we have seen from other global
tech hubs from Bengaluru to Berlin, Beijing
to Boston, this spurs the chances of success
even more than the technology itself.
Policy, regulation, finance, infrastructure,
education and talent must all come together
in an innovation ecosystem focused on
an integrated agenda and propelled by
unconstrained collaboration.
How Africa can grab the 4IR
opportunity
The continent must also overcome
significant hurdles if it is to grab the 4IR
opportunity and become the global hotbed
of innovation. Three ingredients are key to
making that grab:
Definitively tackling the digital
hygiene gaps
The single basic requirement for any
tech center is access to cutting-edge digital
connectivity, which has come in leaps and
bounds across Africa as mobile adoption
has accelerated. However, many “last mile”
or even “last 50 meters” connectivity gaps
remain, the allocation of licensed spectrum
is sporadic, and government-driven internet
shutdowns continue to plague countries
like Somalia and Ethiopia. What’s more,
reliable access to energy, clean water and
other resources is not a given, while digital
Sept. 06 - 12 2019
NEWS ANALYSIS
tools do not completely remove the need for
effective road systems and transportation
links.
Gaining useful, actionable insights
from the data glut
It’s become common to refer to data
as “the new oil,” and in one sense, it is.
According to research, the big data analytics
market is set to reach $103 billion by 2023,
and it’s estimated that every person will
generate 1.7 megabytes in just one second
by 2020. On the other hand, data is nothing
like oil because it’s not a finite resource. Far
from it. This presents an opportunity for
Africa, if it can turn the forthcoming glut
of bits and bytes into useful, actionable
insights that can be accessed and shared
easily. To do this, cross-continental
policies and standards for the generation,
regulation, use and management of
data will need to be developed–a not
inconsiderable task.
Building the new skills needed –
against the clock
As already mentioned, machinery on its
own isn’t enough to succeed in the 4IR–you
also need to know how to run it. Africa is
by no means alone in facing a potential gap
here, not only in the specialist technical
skills required to work with emerging
technologies, but also in the complementary
capabilities to help people adapt to an
ever-changing job market. It’s necessary
to fast-track moves to skill and reskill the
future and existing workforce, making sure
adjustments are addressed early within
the education ecosystem and refined on an
ongoing basis through further education and
life-long learning.
The need for an innovation
ecosystem
To do all of this effectively, today’s
fragmented efforts must be turned into
a cohesive approach. Institutions like the
African Union and Africa50 along with the
Africa Growth Platform and the C4IR have
sown the seeds for pan-African collaboration
and investment, but more public-private
partnerships are essential. The World Bank
suggests the comparative success of certain
African tech clusters can be attributed to the
establishment of “organic, multi-stakeholder
ecosystems” and that these are more
effective than initiatives led by government,
the private sector or academia alone.
If Africa can develop these clusters
further and create an integrated innovation
ecosystem to tackle the 4IR, it stands to
supercharge its economies, its societies and
the livelihoods of millions.
This article is part of the World Economic
Forum on Africa
15
news analysis
By Gyagenda Semakula Zikusooka
I
woke up at 3:30am on Wednesday,
August 28, 2019 and made up to be
able to catch my flight to Nairobi. My
only reason for this trip was to be one
of the very first commercial travelers of the
revamped Uganda Airlines; a day after it
took to the skies on its official launch to the
same destination.
This is indisputably the first commercial
flight in two decades as the national carrier
embarks on a long journey to register its
presence among global competitors.
I fumbled with the online booking
system which was really unfriendly and
I could not easily complete my booking. I
called the airline offices. The response was
instant. I gave them a tick. I gladly gave my
feedback and also made some suggestions.
I thought I should be a contributor and
not a cynic; especially if the love for your
country is not prompted and conditional.
The unfriendly system eventually gave
me a reservation confirmation; QRDHVR.
I again called the office to ask for easier
and quicker payment options. They were
several and I chose the cash option. I went
to the airline office at the airport and paid
US$277.20 (Shs1,053,000).
Just before departure on Wednesday
morning, I went to the same office where
I enquired from a staff who introduced
herself as Rosemary, how many we were.
She joyfully and with a very big smile said
16 Sept. 06 - 12 2019
On Uganda Airlines
first commercial flight
My experience
“you are seven onboard.”
I imagined who the other six patriotic
comrades were! I didn’t ask whether I
was the first or seventh passenger to get
booked but this was not important. I also
learnt later that one of us was booked to fly
jambojet but missed the flight and found
solace at UR. KQ must have felt terrible
here but thank God for the misfortune that
enabled a countryman to be written in
history and a memoir worth the tale. He
made it to the list of the infamous eight.
The excitement started as the airline staff
at the check-in counters became so ecstatic
and elated to see us. As I approached the
counters, the first passengers that I jolted
into were Usher Wilson Owere; NOTU
Chairman General and his wife Evelyn.
My excitement took another turn
because Owere and I are alumni of Tororo
College (TC). I joked about it; that TC is
“in things”! The feeling was like that of a
first time traveler. But yes, we were first
time travelers on the mighty Uganda
Airlines’ commercial flights. We were led
through the immigration to Gate Number
2 for boarding where we found the other
passengers. None of us looked at the other
the way we do the usual strange passengers
in transit. We were all smiles at each other.
Everybody seemed surprised at seeing the
other. The surprise to my eyes was Alon
Mwesigwa and Oliver Nakatudde both
journalists working with Uganda Radio
Network. They too were surprised to see
another journalist who they thought was
on official duty. In affirmation, I told them
my day’s duty was to show solidarity by
supporting my own carrier and exhibit
patriotism.
We were led to the CRJ900 Bombardier
flight UR202. My intuition immediately
drove me into a search on and beneath the
seats just to be sure that there are no rats on
board. There was none and I predict there
will never be any. The beautiful interior and

the newness of the aircraft consumed part
of me for some moments. How I wish we
can jealously guard and maintain it in that
shape.
The seventy-six seating capacity aircraft
has twelve business class seats that were
not booked for this flight. All the eight
passengers were booked in economy
class. We were welcomed on board by
flight attendants Kasemire Roni, Johnson
Mugume and flight purser (chief flight
attendant) Asiimwe Neema. As is the
aviation tradition, we heeded to the usual
flight instructions in very clear and audible
English by one of the crew members shortly
before take-off.
As a Pan Africanist, I did not miss any
of my cherished native languages for the
first time. I was gratified and contented
with the instructions in English. I only
wish they could integrate Kiswahili for us
East Africans because the on board safety
cards and other writings in the aircraft are
bi-lingual.
Captain Charles Karabarinde assisted
by First Officer Denis Chotum shortly
taxied to the run way at 6:05am. History
was recorded at 6:13am when the tires of
the CRJ900 got off the run way at take-
off. The other crew members were First
Officers Tina Drazu and Cheboy Rashid
who were on flight in training and carrying
out observations. The passengers onboard
included Workers’ leader Usher Wilson
Owere, his wife Evelyn, Emmanuel Kwezi
Tabaaro, businessmen Joseph Kasigazi and
Peter Ssenkungu and journalists Gyagenda
Semakula, Alon Mwesigwa and Oliver
Nakatudde who all paid for their return air
tickets.
The usually short air trip to Nairobi was
smooth with a tail push. We were served
with the expected Ugandan cuisine of Jesa
yoghurt, Wavah water; specifically bottled
for Uganda Airlines, bread, coffee, fruit
salads and Lato butter. The teabags and
juices (Pick n Peel) were the Kenyan brands
on board. I did not probe into why we did
not have Mukwano, Kayonza or Uganda
Tea or our own Cheers of Delight Uganda.
As a stakeholder and now supporter of
the carrier, I will request to know why these
did not merit. Nevertheless, this could not
kill our experience and joy of being the first
fliers at an altitude of 33,000ft high.
The smooth touch-down at exactly
7am aroused an equivocal applause from
the passengers on this historic maiden
commercial flight that touched the ground
five minutes ahead of its scheduled landing
at Jomo Kenyatta International Airport.
Businessman Kasigazi in a very loud voice
announced, “Bombadier has arrived.”
We were all thrilled and clapped to
show how excited we were. The crew too
could not hide their excitement for this
achievement. The next voice we heard was
from the cockpit when the pilot announced
to us the welcome custom of a water salute
that happens whenever a plane is making
a maiden flight at a particular airport. It
happened as we slowly taxied on the run
way. Another memorable experience!
As news started going out to the
now waking up social media jacks of all
trades; lambastes, criticism and abuses to
everybody and everyone; including the
innocent passengers crept into space.
One called us insane for flying the Pearl.
Another prophesied that eight is the biggest
number that this airline will ever record.
Others wondered how and why the airline
would fly for only eight million shillings!
This reminded me of the story of Coca Cola
which is the most recognised object in the
world. It is really a tall order to imagine that
UR is the next Coca Cola but why would
we wish it away on its maiden flight? How
was Virgin Atlantic born?
Richard Branson started his Virgin
Atlantic after getting stuck in Puerto Rico
while trying to get to the British Virgin
He hired a
plane and
borrowed a
blackboard
and as a joke,
he wrote Virgin
Airlines on
the top of the
blackboard,
$39 one way to
BVI
Islands. His flight was cancelled because
they didn’t have enough passengers to
warrant the flight. He hired a plane and
borrowed a blackboard and as a joke, he
wrote Virgin Airlines on the top of the
blackboard, $39 one way to BVI. He went
out round all the passengers who had
been bounced and lined them up on his
first plane. What could not warrant one
flight was what Branson needed to start his
own airline. What could have happened
if Branson was like some Ugandans and
he had cast his dream into the deepest
pit because of social media deriders and
satirists?
On arrival at JKIA, some ground and
immigration staff were shocked that we
were not staff of Uganda Airlines. They
could not imagine that we were passengers
Sept. 06 - 12 2019
news analysis
just like others that were also arriving
and transiting. One asked me whether I
had really paid for my ticket. I gave him
evidence. He was surprised. I knew we
were up for something beyond what the
eyes can see.
We checked out and spent the rest of the
day in Nairobi as we waited for our return
trip later in the evening. Yes, there was
some visible drama in the evening. The first
instance was tossing us to which terminal
to access for check in. We managed all these
huddles and checked in. Our flight UR205
was scheduled and we could see it on the
screens. When we got to boarding Gate 5 at
21:30hrs, nobody seemed to know what to
do with us.
The UR staff excitement had already
faded into oblivion. One spoke to the other
in Luo and punctuated their talk with the
usual Kenyan Kiswahili. They could not
imagine that any of us knew what they
were saying. I surprised them when I
responded in Kiswahili.
I got aroused when she said that the
plane had flown back with passengers on
it. I knew who that plane had come for
and we were all eagerly waiting for the
return experience. I told her that none of the
passengers had gone because we were all
just before her.
She rudely said “I don’t work for
Uganda Airlines.” I insisted that we were
6 passengers and that we were all still
waiting. At about 22:30, we were led by a
ground staff through the emergency exit to
the van that drove us to the eagerly waiting
UR205 vessel. We were I, Alon Mwesigwa,
Oliver Nakatudde, Kwezi Tabaaro and two
other passengers Fred Byabashaija and
Makayi Wakooba who is a flight instructor
at Wilson Airport.
The crew members were Capt.
Emmanuel Mutebi who was assisted by
Capt. Michael Etyang as the FO. The flight
purser was Mugabi Daniel and attendants
Musoke William and Annette Tinka. In
observation were Capt. Fred Kint and FO
Ivan Massa. There was also a lady engineer
Neka who we were told was passing out
the cabin crew. The flight was equally
smooth and touched the ground at exactly
23:58hrs.
If only the abettors of impunity and
corruption and those who only rant and
fight for their clansmen and tribesmen
whenever found guilty should stop and
value this as a national asset for Uganda
and Ugandans, its position in the market
is a reality. Uganda Airlines should study
Chan Kim and Renée Mauborgne’s `Blue
Ocean Strategy’.
I am proud to be in the annals of Uganda
Airlines as one of their first cash clients.
Let’s fly the Crane to the Pearl of Africa!
Gyagenda Semakula is a PR/Journalist
17
news analysis
Homosexuality not
Genetic, says study
Lokodo pleased, LGBTs say
study misunderstood
By Patricia Akankwatsa &Agencies
U
ganda’s Minister for Ethics and
Integrity Fr. Simon Lokodo has
welcomed results of a recent
massive study that shows that
the so-called ‘gay gene’ is a total myth.
“Of course there is no person born
gay,” said Lokodo who has been in the
lead in the crusade against homosexuality
in Uganda.
Lokodo added: “Since it has been prov-
en by scientists, we are going to persecute
every one of them who is pretending to
be normal”.
Uganda has been in the spotlight on
gay rights since President Yoweri Musev-
eni in February 2014 signed into law a
18 Sept. 06 - 12 2019
bill toughening penalties for gay people
following tough debate and threats of
economic sanction from America and the
West. The law Museveni signed crimina-
lises acts of homosexuality with sentences
of s life imprisonment for acts of “aggra-
vated homosexuality”. It also criminalises
the “promotion “of homosexuality” by
LGBTQ activists.
One of the central points of contention
was whether some people are genetically
predisposed to be gay or homosexuality
is lifestyle choice. Most of those in favour
of gay persecution favoured the view that
homosexuality is a lifestyle choice while
those opposed said it was genetic.
The search for the precise genetic basis
for sexual orientation was the motivation
for the study whose results were pub-
lished in the journal `Science’ on Aug.31.
The study was done by an international
group of scientists working with 23and-
Me, a personal genomics firm.
Instead of finding the single gene
responsible for homosexuality, the study
says all human sexual orientation appears
to be influenced by a complex mix of
genetic and environmental influenc-
es. That’s also the case for many other
human traits, such as height.
“It’s effectively impossible to predict an
individual’s sexual behavior from their
genome,” study co-author Ben Neale, a
statistical geneticist at the Broad Institute
of MIT and Harvard, told Live Science.
Richard Lusimba of Sexual Minorities

Uganda says the research is going to be
misconceived because everyone is now
jumping to conclusions.
“This research focused on one side and
if you look at things, there is no specific
gene for being straight either. People who
have always argued from this angle are
the ones making conclusions but there is
no conclusive degree to all this,”Lusimba
says.
The belief that there is a “gay gene”
was born around 1993 when studies by
American geneticist, author, and film-
maker Dean Hamer and others indicated
a link between the Xq28 marker and male
sexual orientation.
The latest study says, however, there
is no individual gene alone that makes a
person gay, lesbian or bisexual; instead,
thousands of genes likely influence sexual
orientation
The study used what is called a
genome-wide association study (GWAS)
on 408,995 individuals in the UK Biobank,
a British health resource, and 68,527
American 23andMe users—all of whom
remained anonymous and consented to
the study.
A GWAS involves scanning a person’s
DNA for tiny variations in the genetic
code that correlate with a given trait. The
participants were divided on the basis of
whether they answered yes or no to the
question “Have you ever had sex with
someone of the same sex?”
Across human societies and in both
sexes, between 2% and 10% of people
report engaging in sex with a member
of the same sex, either exclusively or in
addition to sex with a member of the
opposite sex, the researchers said.
The biological factors that contribute to
sexual orientation are largely unknown,
but many scientists suspect that genetics
plays a role, given that same-sex sexual
behavior appears to run in families and is
seen more often in identical twins than in
fraternal twins.
But a precise genetic basis for sexual
orientation has been elusive, largely
because scientists previously had relative-
ly small groups of volunteers to investi-
gate.
“Because it is a controversial topic,
funding has historically been limited and
recruitment of participants was difficult,”
study co-author FahSathirapongsasuti, a
senior scientist and computational biolo-
gist at the genetic testing company 23and-
Me, told Live Science. Same-sex orientation
remains criminalised in more than 70
countries, some with the death penalty,
often stifling those willing to disclose
such personal information.
The new study, however, included
a much larger number of participants,
making the results more statistically reli-
able than those of the previous, smaller
studies.
In the largest genetic study of sexual
orientation to date, scientists studied a
group of about 470,000 volunteers in the
United Kingdom and the United States
who reported on whether they had ever
engaged in same-sex sexual behavior.
They relied on genetic data from the
UK Biobank (a long-term health and
genetics study running in the United
Kingdom) and 23andMe, as well as
responses to surveys asking questions
about sexual identity, attraction, fantasies
and behavior.
“To give you a sense of the scale of the
data, this is approximately 100-times-
fold bigger than previous studies on this
topic,” study lead author Andrea Ganna,
a researcher at the Institute for Molecu-
lar Medicine in Finland, Massachusetts
General Hospital and Harvard Medical
School, told Live Science. The researchers
could not find any one gene linked with
same-sex sexual behavior. Five genetic
The researchers
suggested that
genes may play a
different role in
same-sex behavior
in males versus
females because of
biological factors,
such as levels of
testosterone and
estrogen
variants did appear significantly linked to
sexual orientation, and thousands more
also seemed involved to a lesser extent.
In the end, the scientists could not find
any genetic patterns that could be used,
in any way, to identify a person’s sexual
orientation. Instead, the predisposition to
same-sex sexual behavior appeared influ-
enced by a complex mix of genetic and
environmental influences. That’s also the
case for many other human traits, such as
height.
“It’s effectively impossible to predict an
individual’s sexual behavior from their
genome,” study co-author Ben Neale, a
statistical geneticist at the Broad Institute
of MIT and Harvard, told Live Science.
However, the finding that there’s no
single gay gene does not mean that sexual
Sept. 06 - 12 2019
news analysis
orientation is not genetic or biological,
and is therefore a lifestyle choice.
“This is wrong,” study co-author Bren-
dan Zietsch, a geneticist at the University
of Queensland in Australia, told Live Sci-
ence. “We find that there are many, many
genes that predispose one to same-sex
sexual behavior. Each of them individu-
ally has a very small effect, but together
they have a substantial effect.
“Another possible misinterpretation
is to think that if same-sex preference
is genetically influenced, it must there-
fore be totally genetically determined,”
Zietsch added. “That is not true. Genet-
ically identical individuals — twins —
often have different sexual orientations.
We know there are non-genetic influences
as well, but we don’t understand these
well, and our study does not say anything
about them.”
However, some of the genetic variants
identified in the massive study “could
hint at some biological pathways that
may be involved in same-sex sexual
behavior,” Ganna said. “So one variant,
for instance, was located in a stretch of
DNA that houses several genes related to
the sense of smell. So, we know that smell
has a strong tie to sexual attraction, but its
links to sexual behaviors are not clear.”
In addition, genes seemed to have
greater influence on same-sex sexual
behavior in men than in women, Ganna
said.
The researchers suggested that genes
may play a different role in same-sex
behavior in males versus females because
of biological factors, such as levels of
testosterone and estrogen. Other factors,
such as gendered social norms regarding
the number of sexual partners females
should have, could make women less
comfortable accurately reporting their
sexual behavior. That, in turn, could skew
the results.
Despite the study’s large sample size,
the findings are still limited because the
researchers analysed only populations
with European ancestry from Western,
high-income countries. The data also
came primarily from older individuals,
who mostly lived under stricter social
norms and legislative regulations than
today’s. It’s possible that younger people,
who often grew up under a more per-
missive society, might feel more free to
engage in more same-sex sexual behavior
than older individuals with similar genet-
ic makeups. So the findings might not be
as applicable across the age spectrum, the
authors noted.
The scientists detailed their findings in
the Aug. 30 issue of the journal Science.
They also created a website to communi-
cate the results of their study.
Source: livescience
19
news analysis
Why Museveni might
not sign new KCCA law
Stage set for battle with Lukwago
By Julius Businge & Julian Sabiiti
K
CCA officials and Kampala
district MPs are anxious about
whether President Yoweri
Museveni will assent to the
Kampala Capital City Authority
(Amendment) Bill, 2019 that parliament
has passed.
The anxiety is partly because of
the timing; the President has recently
thrown back a number of passed Bills
to Parliament.
The other reason is the law itself; it
appears to give the Lord Mayor, the
opposition stalwart Erias Lukwago,
more powers – something the President
might not approve.
“It is a good bill,” Jesca Ababiku,
the Adjumani Woman MP who is
also the Chairperson of the Committee
on Presidential Affairs that drafted the
Bill told The Independent on Sept.03.
She added: “As Parliament, we are
20 Sept. 06 - 12 2019
done with our part. The legal team
of Parliament has to refine it before
sending it to him [Museveni].”
Asked whether she thought the
President would buy the bill, Ababiku
said: “Whether the President assents
to it or not, that is beyond my
prerogative.”
The new Bill grants the lord mayor
the responsibility of managing the
budget of the authority and somewhat
reduces the Executive Director (ED) to
offering technical assistance to the lord
mayor.
The law being amended had
weakened the elected lord mayor’s
office by creating a powerful office
of Executive Director and buffering
it with a Minister for Kampala all
appointed by the President.
By altering the powers of the Lord
Mayor, the ED, and the Minister, the
Bill aims to avoid turf conflicts that
have plagued KCCA for almost 10
years. At the back of the chaos lies
Museveni’s wish to wrestle control of
the city’s political leadership from the
opposition, represented by Lukwago.
The Bill proposes the creation of an
executive committee appointed by the
lord mayor from amongst councilors.
The committee would initiate key
issues for legislation by councilors.
It further gives the lord mayor the
authority to appoint his deputy and
two other supporting members to serve
with him on a full-time basis.
It also proposes a ‘State of the City’
address by the lord mayor to be held
annually as an update to the public on
the state of affairs.
Based on this, it is clear President
Museveni will not like the reversal of
power.
But the Bill has other changes that
could compensate for that loss and
convince Museveni to assent to it on
the balance.
According to the MPs that supported
the bill, it is expected to bring order in
the city by creating working harmony
between the authority’s three wings –
political, technical, and executive.
Lukwago, the Lord Mayor enjoys
popular support from Kampala
voters. The Minister for Kampala,
who currently is Beti Kamya was
appointed by President Museveni.
The ED, who is currently Andrew
Kitaka, is a technical civil servant.
Kitaka is more laid back than his
predecessor, the all-powerful
break-and- build Jenifer Musisi,
but it remains clear that all three
offices lay claim to running the
city.
Targeting Lukwago
The Bill started as a means of
targeting and clipping the clout
of the current Lord Mayor, Erias
Lukwago. After failing on two
counts to kick him out in a universal
adult suffrage election and
in the courts of law, a
section of MPs from
Museveni’s ruling
National Resistance
Movement (NRM)
party devised a

reform of the KCCA Act to get the
mayor elected by division councilors
from among themselves. Their
calculation would base on the NRM
having the most division councilors.
Another proposal aimed at getting
a law that clearly stipulates that the
lord mayor is not the political head
of KCCA. There were also plans of
creating a Metropolitan Authority to
handle some city operations.
Some observers argued some of
these clauses would further rouse
fights between the lord mayor, ED, and
Minister for Kampala.
After the passing of the Bill in
Parliament, observers had thought
it would usher in a good working
relationship between Lukwago and
Kamya.
But this may not be the case.
Personal disagreements and egos
appear to be still at play.
In separate interviews moments
after the passing of the Bill, Lukwago
and Kamya expressed divergent
interpretations of it.
“The ministry of Kampala, I must
state categorically, is redundant and
should have been scrapped,” Lukwago
said.
On whether the Bill benefits the
people, Lukwago said, that if their
[people] will is not upheld, they will
take another decision on what to do
next.
He said the office of Minister for
Kampala is not necessary and has
‘no status’ and that the management
hierarchy puts the ‘top position’ of
Kampala as Lord Mayor.
Kamya clothes her claws in being
soft spoken. She said she believes the
Bill achieves its main objective; to
separate the office of the lord mayor
from the council.
She said contrary to Lukwago’s
assertions, the power of the minister
remains intact under Section 79 of the
Kampala Capital City Authority Act of
2010.
“The power is to veto decisions of
the Lord Mayor and of the Council if
they are in conflict with the aspirations
of the central government,” she said.
Faced with the renewed turf fight,
Ababiku [the Adjumani Woman MP]
told The Independent in a separate
interview that running a city is not
about demonstrating authority or
power; it is about promoting good
policies to spur development.
“The Bill has just separated the
executive and the council power,”
Ababiku said, “You cannot have
the president chairing Parliament
meetings; the lord mayor cannot be the
same person to serve as the speaker.
There are issues to do with conflict of
interest.”
She said the Bill did not target
anyone and was drafted to provide
opportunities for city management.
“We did not look at individuals,
we looked at the positions,” she said
and added that ensuring that the lord
Sept. 06 - 12 2019
news analysis
mayor does not chair KCCA council
meetings was deliberate.
“How would the lord mayor check
himself as chair of council?” she asked.
Under the proposal, the KCCA
Council will now be chaired by a
speaker.
The Lord Mayor’s only hope of
influencing legislation will be through
the roundabout executive committee
appointed by him.
Ababiku says this means the lord
mayor and his executive committee
will remain influential in legislation.
This is possible as of now given that
there are more opposition councilors at
City Hall than those hailing from the
ruling NRM.
On the Kampala Minister portfolio,
Ababiku said that it is an important
position since the person in charge
reports directly to Cabinet.
“You do not want to see the local
government minister stretching his arm
to Kampala that has specific issues to
manage,” she said.
The Bill comes at a time the city
authority appears to have gained
capacity to do major development
projects, collect revenue, and enforce
ordinances. But problems of service
delivery linger in the areas of health
and sanitation, vending on the streets,
operation of city markets, unplanned
construction of commercial buildings,
growing idle population, poor roads,
illegal taxi and bodaboda stages,
cases of theft and vandalism of city
21
NEWS ANALYSIS
infrastructure. Most of these are
worsened by budgetary constraints
and political paralysis. The Bill is
seen as a potential tool for solving
these problems.
Amin Tamale Kiggundu, an
urban planning expert and head of
Architecture and Physical Planning
department at Makerere University
told The Independent that balancing
politics is part of the technical work
for KCCA.
He said that people’s participation
in city activities is only possible
through elected leaders.
“You cannot separate politics from
city management,” he said, “It is
very difficult to know where politics
starts and ends in our country.”
What is necessary, Kiggundu said,
is to have those in politics become
mature, decent and follow the law
in place while offering services to
the people.
He said officials at City Hall
must always consult the people of
Kampala on what they want to see
their city look like and implement
policies that promote social
transformation.
Going forward, Kiggundu said
that both the political and technical
wing of KCCA must invest more
time in understanding the changing
economic needs of the people
of Kampala given that space is
shrinking in favour of those who
have and not those who do not have.
Opportunities in pipeline
Lukwago had a difficult time
dealing with Musisi but sources
at City Hall say his working
relationship with the acting ED
(Kitaka) is more cordial.
When asked to comment on
whether disagreements between
the political and technical wing was
hindering city development, Peter
Kaujju, the spokesperson for KCCA
said, KCCA is a technical body and
does not engage in any politics.
He said the authority has a good
working relationship with the
various stakeholders.
“We have periodical meetings and
we submit weekly reports to the
Minister of Kampala. We also report
to the authority meetings chaired by
the Mayor,” he said.
Meanwhile, Kaujju said that the
authority continues to build on
the achievements recorded during
Jennifer Musisi’ time as ED.
“Things are flowing smoothly,”
Kaujju said, “A leader worth her
salt put in place systems which are
22 Sept. 06 - 12 2019
running even after she left,” he said.
Latif Ssebagala, the Kawempe
North Member of Parliament who
has expressed interest for running
for Kampala Mayor told The
Independent that the Bill tries to
give equal powers to all city wing
managers.
He said that the Bill provides an
opportunity for the Lord Mayor and
Council Members to legislate and
pass resolutions which would be
carried and submitted to cabinet by
the Kampala Minister to the Cabinet
for consideration.
He also said removing the
lord mayor as speaker clears the
irregularity of having him/her with
double and conflicting roles.
Ssebagala also said having
speakers of council at division level
empowers them to contribute to city
development.
Ssebagala said that personal
quarrels in the city management
have to be avoided.
“Let everybody play their role;
functions of each official are clear,”
he told The Independent, “Conflicts
among them will delay service
delivery in Kampala.”
Why Kampala matters
Kampala is an important area
on the map of Uganda. According
to the 2014 National Population
and Housing Census, its day time
population was at four million while
its resident population was at 1.5
million people.
By 2050, its population is
projected to hit 12 million, according
to a recent World Bank Report. The
city takes the largest percentage of
economic activities that happen in
the country daily.
In 2018, a report published on
March 20 by a global entity, Mercer
ranked Kampala as the best city to
live in East Africa. It was placed at
position 172, 14 places ahead of its
neighbor Nairobi (186) and Kigali
was ranked the third best city to
live in, with a global position of
190 on the Mercer. Dar es Salaam,
Tanzania’s commercial city was
ranked 199 out of 230 cities in the
world.
Another 2017 Ease of Settling
in Index report by ‘Expat Insider’,
a Munich-based human resource
consultancy firm, ranked Uganda
the eighth best country in the
world for expatriates to settle in.
This survey was carried out in 65
countries.
Powers of Lord Mayor, Minister and Executive
director provided in the KCCA Act 2010
Lord Mayor
 To be the political head of the Capital City
 Preside over all meetings of the Authority
 Perform ceremonial functions and civic func-
tions
 Host foreign and local dignitaries
 Head the authority in developing strategies
and programmes for the development of the
capital city
 Monitor the administration of the capital city
 Provide guidance to the division adminis-
trations
Note that; the lord mayor shall in the perfor-
mance of his or her functions be answerable to
the authority and the minister.
Executive director
 To be the head of the public service in the
authority and to head the administration of
the authority including divisions and wards
 To be the accounting officer of the authority
 To be responsible for the management of all
public funds of the authority and account-
able to Parliament
 To be responsible for coordination and
implementation of national and council poli-
cies, laws, regulations, byelaws, programmes
and projects
 To advise the mayor and authority on gov-
ernment policy
 To present the annual budget to the authority
 Advise the authority on technical, admin-
istrative and legal matters pertaining to the
management of the authority
 Oversee the delivery of quality services to
the population within the capital city and
take remedial action where service delivery
standards are below the expected minimum
standards
 To be the custodian of all the assets and
records of the authority
Minister roles
 To vary or rescind any decision of the
authority which is in contravention of any
law or government policy, with the approval
of cabinet
 To institute a commission of inquiry to
inquire into the matter he/she consider to be
of a grave nature
 To receive and take appropriate action on
reports submitted by the mayor, executive
director or a commission of inquiry
 To oversee the performance of the authority
and make an annual report to Parliament
 The Minister shall have general powers to
give directives on policy and general devel-
opment of the capital city and the authority
shall comply with the directives.
 The Minister may veto decisions taken by
the authority which appear to the minister
to be illegal and where the authority fails
to perform any of its duties, the Minister
may by writing, direct the authority to
carry out those duties.

Prime Minister Shinzo Abe speaks at a joint news conference Friday in Yokohama to
wrap up the Tokyo International Conference on African Development. | AFP-JIJI
Japan wants
sustainable Africa debt
TICAD closes with effort by Japan to differentiate
its African investment projects from China’s
By Agencies
A
three-day conference on African
development wrapped up on
Aug.03 in Yokohama by adopting
a 13-page joint declaration with 53
African countries touting Japan’s strategic
policy shift from government aid to promot-
ing private-sector investment.
But the policy papers and remarks by
Japanese officials suggested Tokyo was
pursuing an unofficial agenda at the Seventh
Tokyo International Conference on African
Development (TICAD7): how to differentiate
Japan’s economic cooperation from that of
China, which has long surpassed Japan as a
massive business investor in the continent’s
rapidly growing economies.
The Yokohama Declaration drafted by
Japan called for “quality infrastructure
investment,” which experts say is a veiled
criticism of Beijing infrastructure projects
that often come with high-interest loans and
are criticized as “debt-trap diplomacy.”
It also said the African leaders “take good
note of” Prime Minster Shinzo Abe’s Free
and Open Indo-Pacific initiative, which calls
for freedom of navigation and rules-based
order in the sea.
The initiative is widely seen as part of
Abe’s efforts to keep growing Chinese clout
in check, although Tokyo has officially
denied that characterisation.
Japanese diplomats claimed the African
participants in the 7th edition of TICAD
view Abe’s initiative, first revealed at the
previous TICAD meeting in 2016, “favor-
ably.”
Thus, for the Japanese version of the joint
declaration, Japanese officials translated the
phrase “take good note of” as kōiteki ni ryūi
suru, which roughly means “favorably take
note of.”
Japan’s efforts to differentiate itself from
China started long before TICAD 7, which
drew 42 African heads of state, presidents,
vice presidents and prime ministers.
To compete with Beijing on international
infrastructure projects, Tokyo has careful-
ly prepared and promoted the concept of
“quality infrastructure.”
At the G20 summit in Osaka in June,
Tokyo drafted a document calling for “qual-
ity infrastructure investment” and attached
it to the Osaka joint declaration that was
endorsed by the G20 leaders.
The paper urges the G20 countries, includ-
ing China, to attach importance to the fiscal
sustainability of a recipient country when
extending loans for infrastructure projects.
The Osaka declaration also urges member
countries to pay attention to transparency,
Sept. 06 - 12 2019
NEWS ANALYSIS
environmental friendliness, resilience against
natural disasters and social inclusiveness,
which observers say all may make Japan’s
pricier “quality” infrastructure projects more
competitive than those promoted by China.
“A country that is deeply indebted is a
country difficult for you to penetrate,” Abe
told Japanese and African business leaders at
the Aug.29 plenary session in Yokohama.
Abe then revealed a plan to dispatch
experts to 30 African countries to train local
officials in charge of sovereign debt and risk
management.
It may be rather ironic that Japan, which is
neck-deep in snowballing government debt,
has decided to teach African officials how
to manage the same. But a Japanese official
claimed that some African countries want
Japan to serve as “a counter-balance” against
China and to dispatch such fiscal experts
to them. At the same time, some Japanese
officials admitted that Tokyo can no longer
compete with China in terms of the amount
of funds funneled into the continent, which
is why they have started emphasising the
“quality” of its economic projects.
More than 3,700 Chinese firms are report-
edly doing business in Africa and about 1
million Chinese are living there, while Japa-
nese firms have offices at just 800 locations.
About 8,000 Japanese live in Africa.
23
NEWS ANALYSIS
Accelerating Africa’s
transformation
Japan, S.A and AFDB unveil priorities in technology at TICAD 7
By Agencies
S
cience, technology and innovation as
well as human resource development
are critical in Africa, a continent,
which has the biggest potential on
earth, Prime Minister Shinzo Abe said at the
Science and Technology in Society (STS) fo-
rum held on Aug.29 in Yokohama, as part of
Seventh Tokyo International Conference on
African Development (TICAD 7).
The Science and Technology in Society
forum (STS forum) is one of the largest and
most influential nonprofit organisations
established in 2004 by Koji Omi, a former
Japanese Minister of Finance. The Forum
aims at strengthening cooperation between
Japan and Africa in science, technology, and
innovation.
In his address, Prime Minister Abe also
noted the important role that science and
technology played in the history of Japan’s
modernisation.
The STS forum has successfully changed
global discourse on the role of science in
development.
In attendance were Yasutoshi Nishimura,
Deputy Chief Cabinet Secretary, President of
the Republic of South Africa Cyril Ramapho-
24 Sept. 06 - 12 2019
sa, Akinwumi Adesina, president of the Afri-
can Development Bank Group, Koji Omi,
founder and chairman of the STS forum, and
Asako Omi, member of Japan’s House of
Representatives.
South Africa endorsed the focus on
science, technology, and innovation as a
priority theme for TICAD 7, given its great
potential to accelerate African development
through mutually beneficial partnerships
with Japan, President Ramaphosa told par-
ticipants.
“The STS forum has successfully changed
global discourse on the role of science in
development, we seek the forum’s support
in changing the discourse on the role of Afri-
ca in science and innovation,” Ramaphosa
concluded.
Adesina shared insights on the Bank’s
work and support to train and develop the
next generation of scientists. Since 2005 the
Bank has provided financing of over $2 bil-
lion to support education, resulting in educa-
tional opportunities for 6 million students.
“We are proud of our investment in sup-
porting the establishment of the Regional
Center of Excellence in Kigali in conjunction
with the Carnegie Mellon University, which
is providing world-class Masters degree
training in ICT. I am delighted that all the
students that have graduated from the uni-
versity have 100% employment, including
setting up their businesses,” Adesina said in
his keynote remarks.
The Bank has supported the establishment
of ICT digital parks in Senegal and Cape
Verde and is working with the Rockefeller
Foundation, Microsoft, Facebook, LinkedIn
and Safaricom to establish coding centers in
several countries.
Adesina offered some key areas to priori-
tise in science and technology, including the
establishment of regional centers of excel-
lence; the urgent need to increase the share
of GDP devoted to science and technology
and close the gender gap in higher educa-
tion.
“Let’s be visionary. Let’s be bold. Let’s
support concrete initiatives to boost sci-
ence, technology, and innovation in Afri-
ca,” he concluded.
Ministers for Science and Technology,
Ambassadors, executives of international
and national Agencies and business in
Africa and Japan attended the Forum.
TICAD 7 rans from 28-30 August in Yoko-
hama, Japan.
Rent in Kampala’s city
centre remain stable
Future real estate developments hinge
on the newly passed Landlord-Tenant Bill
R
By Isaac Khisa
ent for office space in prime
locations in Kampala City has
remained stable for the past six
months.
Property agency firm,
Knight Frank has attributed
this to the increasing number of tenants
seeking rental properties out of the Central
Business District (CBD).
The firm said in its latest report that rent
has remained at $14.5 per square metre in
some properties over the same period under
review.
However, rental rates in the sub-urban
developments in the city have recorded an
increase of 4.6% from $21.81 to $ 22.86 per
square metre as tenants flee the city centre.
“This relates to secondary space in malls
achieving slightly higher rentals as con-
sumers continue to transition away from
CBD shopping into sub-urban malls, as
retailers seek to leverage on this trend by
opening stores in the malls, therefore creat-
ing demand for space and increasing rental
rates,” the report reads in part.
Similarly, rent for a 3-bedroom apartment re-
corded a 5% drop to $2,750 in the first half of
this year as supply outstripped demand.
The report says demand for modern
stand-alone houses in the prime residential
suburbs such as Nakasero, Naguru, Kololo,
Bugolobi and Mbuya also increased during
the same period under review.
However, 2- bedroom apartments record-
ed a 7% increase in rent to US$2,250 as
demand outstripped supply for singles and
double –bed room units.
Knight Frank report said overall Kampala
office market registered a 2% growth in
occupancy compared with the same period
in 2018 as a result of a 3% increase in occu-
pancy rates for Grade B+ buildings from 78%
to 81%.
“The increase in occupancy of Grade B+
properties is on account of tenants taking
advantage of a soft office market at present
to drive harder bargains for lower rentals,
particularly for less prime properties,” said
Knight Frank Uganda Managing Director,
Judy Rugasira.
She said other key drivers of office take-
up include good location and accessibility,
ample parking, space configuration and
functionality, professional property manage-
ment services as well as the quality of ser-
vices and facilities at the properties for rent.
Knight Frank recorded a 1% increase in
occupancy rates for Grade A properties from
92% registered in the first half of 2018 to 93%
in the same period of 2019.
But the addition of approximately 18,000
square metres of Grade A lettable space
during the first half of the year is expected to
have a negative impact on occupancy rates
for Grade A space in the second half of 2019
if existing supply does not meet demand, the
report says.
The property management firm said
approximately 11,000 metres square of
office space was leased in the first half of
this year, with legal services, logistics, tour
& travel and insurance firms accounting for
20%, 20%, 12% and 12% of the space leased,
respectively.
Occupancy rate to reduce
Knight Frank projects a 3%-5% reduction
in occupancy rates for Grade A office space
Sept. 06 - 12 2019
due to the addition of approximately 20, 000
square metres of lettable space based on the
average absorption rate of approximately
11,000 metres square in the past six months.
“However, we expect net rents and yields
to remain stable at an average of $15.5 per
square metres and 9.5% respectively. Core
drivers will continue to gravitate towards the
location and building amenities,” says the
report, adding that there is a likely increase
in demand for co-working space to pick up
given the increase in enquiries recorded for
serviced-offices during the past six months
predominantly from small-medium start-up
firms.
Similarly, Knight Frank projects a 2%
reduction in residential rents for apartments
for 3 bed room units as supply continues
to outstrip demand in the prime residential
suburbs.
However, the increase in inquires for
modern standalone houses registered in the
first half of this year is expected to push up
demand for the limited stock of these exist-
ing houses.
“This, in turn, is expected to positive-
ly impact house prices in the range of
5%-10%,” the report notes.
Going forward, Knight Frank anticipates
that the future investment in the real estate
development and leasing hinge on the reper-
cussions of the Landlord-Tenant bill if signed
into law in its current state.
“As a result, Knight Frank forecasts a
reduction in the intensity of leasing activity
and pipeline development completions in
the entire real estate sector as the bill in its
current form, which bans rental income
streams in US dollars will negatively impact
investors, landlords, and developers with
foreign currency debt,” states the report.
The report notes that the country’s real
estate industry as cited by Bank of Uganda
had an equivalent of approx. Shs 1.3 trillion
of debt in US dollars as of April 2019 that
investors, landlords, and developers could
struggle to repay if they are unable to gener-
ate foreign currency incomes.
25
business
Logistics firms tap
into oil opportunities
The firms are investing in staff,
information technology and standards
By Julius Businge
A
s Uganda slowly moves
towards commercial oil
production, companies in the
freight and logistics sector are
preparing their staff, investing heavily
in information technology as well as
standards to tap into the multi-billion
sector.
“Oil and gas is a big thing; it is going
to be big business; for us we are ready
and prepared,” Humphrey Asiimwe,
the general manager at Multilines
International Limited, a logistics
company told The Independent in an
interview.
Asiimwe said they have invested
heavily in training staff on matters
clearing and forwarding to be able to
serve in the sector and in the oil and gas.
The company is also embracing
partnerships by belonging in groups like
Uganda Freight Forwarders Association.
They have attained trade facilitation
status – the Authorised Economic
Operator (AEO) – from the URA to
facilitate faster clearing of goods.
They have also built strong information
technology systems to monitor goods in
transit to avoid any likely losses involved
in the trade. They have also continued
to maintain international standards by
acquiring ISO certifications.
Asiimwe is not alone. John Kutyabami,
the head of the East Africa Customs and
Freight Forwarding Practicing Certificate
(EACFFPC) told The Independent that they
are preparing sector workers for oil and
gas business through training and skills
development.
The programme (EACFFPC) is
designed to equip trainees with skills
and knowledge to enable them go
about their roles as customs agents. It
introduces trainees to the profession and
covers the basics of freight forwarding.
It also covers the management aspect
on issues of communication, planning,
time management, ethics and integrity as
essentials in sound business management.
A total of 5000 clearing and forwarding
staff from different logistics companies
26 Sept. 06 - 12 2019
have so far been trained since 2008 when
the programme started, according to
Kutyabami. The training programme
takes a maximum of one year.
EACFFPC is a joint training program
of the East Africa Revenue Authorities
and the national freight forwarding
associations affiliated to the Federation
of East African Freight Forwarders
Associations (FEAFFA).
“The good thing is that the big and
medium sized players in the freight
and logistics are all embracing the
programme,” Kutyabami said, “We are
preparing for all sectors that require
logistics services including oil and gas.”
He said so far the programme has
reduced errors and mistakes by 90%
that were being made in the process of
conducting industry transactions.
These revelations, among others, came
out during the second annual logistics
expo and conference in Kampala that
attracted close to 500 participants. It
happened from August 21-22.
It was held under the theme ‘innovative
and sustainable solutions for freight
logistics’.
Elly Karuhanga, a founding partner
of Kampala Associated Advocates
and chairman of Uganda Chamber of
Mines and Petroleum said over 50%
of the money that will be pumped in
the oil and gas will be earned by F&L
companies. Karuhanga previously
served as President of Oil Company,
Tullow Uganda.
Approximately $20bn is expected to be
invested in the oil and gas sector ahead
of production at around 2022-2023.
Uganda has crude oil reserves of 6.5
billion barrels, according to government
data.
“There is good business for you in the
next 30 years,” Karuhanga said, adding
that early preparation is key owed to
the fact that the oil and gas sector will
require over 2, 500 trucks and 2, 000
professional drivers to move goods and
people.
More opportunities will be in the
supply chain management, freight,
forwarding and customs clearing,

warehousing, transport and lifting
services and more.
However, Karuhanga revealed that
for companies to benefit from the sector,
they will have to comply with global
standards regarding environment, health
and safety.
Build capacity
Karuhanga said that as companies
prepare to benefit from the oil and gas
sector, they must get ready to comply
with local content laws, do enterprise
development, use locally produced goods
and services, transfer of knowledge and
technology, work on partnerships with
international freight and logistics firms.
“Guys, you have to be ready as the final
investment decision comes…its delay
was a blessing in disguise,” Karuhanga
said. “If FID happens tomorrow, Uganda
will benefit more than it would have
[benefited] yesterday,” he said.
He also told them to use services of
professional firms – audit firms, law
firms, and insurance companies if they
are to attract good deals from sector
players.
“Do not sign any agreement without a
lawyer…or a professional person in any
other field,” he said.
Enter other players
Meanwhile, other speakers were
equally inspiring and exposing
opportunities for freight and logistics
players at the conference.
Dicksons Kateshumbwa, the
commissioner for customs and current
chairperson of the World Customs
Organisation said that F&L is very critical
to people’s lives.
“…everything we have here is
transported from somewhere to
somewhere,” he said. In 2018 alone, he
said URA recorded and cleared 76, 400
containers for both imports and exports.
This represented a 15% increase from the
previous year.
He said that out of this total, 39%
originated from China, 16% in India
and 6% in United Arab Emirates. That is
money for F&L players.
However, he also stated that sector
players and government need to support
export promotion activities as most
containers return to exporting countries
half full or empty. He also said the
country registered a 10% growth in air
traffic.
He urged players to invest heavily
in digitisation and new technologies to
serve their clients faster as it is the case
with URA.
He said URA’s investment in
technology specifically the Single
Customs Territory is yielding results,
with 52% of customs revenue now
collected via this scheme. The target is to
reach 75% in the few years to come.
Moses Sabiiti, the country director
for TradeMark East Africa in Uganda
and South Sudan said the government
and private sector need to do more to
support F&L sector.
He said Uganda has a low ranking on
the Logistics Performance Index (LPI)
and received a score of 25.4 out of 100
overall for logistics risk, placing it 38th
out of 48 countries in the Sub-Saharan
Africa (SSA) region.
“Reduced vigour for regional
integration is indicative of the need
for the private sector to play a more
proactive role in building consensus,
sustaining political buy-in and
strengthening commitment to resolving
trade and investment issues in the East
African Community,” Sabiiti said.
He added: “Without sustained private
sector pressure and expanded advocacy
frameworks, the focus on integration
The programme
(EACFFPC) is
designed to
equip trainees
with skills and
knowledge
to enable
them go about
their roles
as customs
agents
and socio-economic development will
remain in the balance.”
TMEA has invested heavily in OSBP
and Sabiiti promised that more trade
facilitation support is coming to partly
support the L&F sector.
“Logistics represent a key factor in
improving Uganda’s competitiveness,
and is one of the most promising
breakout points,” he said.
In respect of economic growth, he
added, logistic activities directly serve
the goal of making the economy dynamic
primarily by increasing investments,
net exports and equalising the regional
imbalances in consumption.
Hussein Kiddedde, the chairperson of
Uganda Freight Forwarders Association
(UFFA) said the F&L conference was
Sept. 06 - 12 2019
business
one avenue to accelerate debate geared
towards improving skills development,
knowledge sharing, technology transfer
and innovations for sector players to be
able to serve the growing markets in the
region, Africa and the world in general
“We intend to align our views on
whatever is happening in the East
African Community and beyond so that
we can position freight logistics better,
to meet the dynamic demands of these
projects and opportunities,” Kiddedde
said.
“The readiness will only be achieved
through joint efforts of both private and
the public sectors. We must face the fact
that even with such an arrangement,
economic patriotism remains critical for
every nation,” he added.
Government’s view
Monica Ntege Azuba, the minister
of works and transport said the
government together with development
partners has put in place One Stop
Border Posts (OSBPs) to lower the cost
of clearing goods at border points of
Malaba, Busia, Mutukula, Mirama Hills
and others are under construction.
She said the government is
rehabilitating the country’s old railway
line and that funding negotiations for
the planned regional Standard Gauge
Railway (SGR) are nearing completion.
The other projects are the expansion
of Entebbe International Airport to deal
with the growing cargo and passenger
traffic, she said.
Azuba also said that a new airport at
Kabale in Hoima is being constructed
to support oil and gas sector and that
the government has revived Uganda
Airlines to further support growth of air
transport.
Facts and figures about F&L in
Uganda
 The sector comprises of trade and
transport infrastructure (roads,
railways, inland and marine port
facilities, storage and warehouse and
bonded facility operators; customs
and other border agencies; financial
services and ICT service providers
and infrastructure; and government.
 According to the World Bank, as
of 2016, imports of transport and
logistics services make up 55% of
Uganda’s total service imports while
Uganda’s transport and logistics
exports are only 3.7% of Uganda’s
total services exports.
 About 208,000 people are employed in
the sector in Uganda and the number
could rise to 522,000 by 2030.
27
business
Umeme records Shs61.2bn profit
Overall performance was hindered by a jump in tax expenses
By Isaac Khisa
A
nearly double growth in income tax
expense bullied Uganda’s electric-
ity distributor, Umeme, to record
a merely 0.3% growth in net profit
to Shs 61.2bn for the past six months ending
June.30.
The company’s tax expense to the Ugan-
da Revenue Authority increased from
Shs26.2bn to Shs51.8bn during the same
period under review.
Total revenue increased by 10.1% to
Shs816bn, driven by a 7% increase in elec-
tricity consumption. Gross profit increased
by 11.1% to Shs296bn on the account of
increased electricity sales.
Electricity sales recorded a 7% growth to
1,563GWh compared with the same period
last year owed to increased industrial and
grid connections.
Electricity sales to industrial customers –
who account for 68% of the total electricity
demand annually – increased by 10% to
1,057GWh.
As a result, the power distributor has not
recommended half year interim dividends
for the shareholders.
Meanwhile, the company continued to
implement the government’s Electricity Con-
nections Policy that took effect on November
2018, with the total grid connections increas-
ing by approx. 7.2% over the last six months.
Slightly more than 93,580 new connec-
tions were recorded during the period under
28 Sept. 06 - 12 2019
review leading to the total connection base
of 1.4million.
“The roll out of prepaid metering stands
at 82% of the domestic customers, contribut-
ing 26% of revenues from electricity sales,”
the company’s Board of Directors said.
Umeme started rolling out prepaid meter-
ing system in 2013 to increase efficiency in
revenue collection and reduce operational
costs.
However, energy losses increased from
16.7% to 16.9%, with the company saying
that continued reduction in energy losses
requires enhanced operational resources,
strengthening of the legal frameworks
against power theft to reduce commercial
losses, and continuous capital investments in
the distribution network to address inherent
technical losses.
“We are engaging ERA to continue sup-
porting our loss reduction strategy and ini-
Summary of results
Total revenue grew 10.1% to Shs
815.7bn
Energy sales grew 7% to 1,563 GWh
Cash generated Shs 106.6bn during
operations
Net profit grew 0.3% to Shs61.2bn
tiatives through provision of adequate oper-
ational resources and approval of urgently
required capital,” the company said.
The revenue collection decreased from
102% for the first half of 2018 to 98.7% for the
first half of this year.
On the other hand, its total assets
increased from Shs2.46trillion to Shs 2.56tril-
lion. Shareholders equity too increased from
Shs722bn to Shs779bn during the same peri-
od under review.
Debts and investments
The listed firm also repaid Shs64bn as part
of its long term debt, bringing its net debt
as at June.30 to Shs469bn compared with
Shs536bn at June.30, 2018.
With regard to future financing, the com-
pany said, it is in advanced discussions with
its lenders to secure funds to support its
medium term capital expenditure. However
securing this financial facility will depend
on how fast the government and the com-
pany go about the process of renewing its
[Umeme’s] concession which expires in 2025.
“If approved, the extension will enable
Umeme to mobilise and deploy the long
term capital that is necessary to expand the
distribution grid, to increase uptake of new
generation capacity and to ensure safe and
reliable supply to our customers,” company
officials said. They added that shareholders
and the public will be notified at an appro-
priate time soon.
 Executive Style
Liberty Life leads in risk mitigation
What has been your contri-
bution to Uganda’s econo-
W
my since 2006?
e pay roughly
over a billion
shillings a year
as tax to Ugan-
da Revenue Authority. We
have a staff contingent of
60 people. We underwrite
premiums totaling to about
Shs35bn a year. Liberty
stands for delivering finan-
cial freedom to individuals
and companies which is at
the epitome of what we are
trying to do. We are seen as
a big corporate risk under-
taker on both life and health.
We are the biggest payer
of life insurance claims in
Uganda. We also try to make
sure that people are compensat-
ed whenever they suffer a loss.
How does your new pro-
gramme dubbed “Mind My
Money financial literacy pro-
gramme” feed into your busi-
ness strategy?
This looks at issues like debt
and credit facility management,
risk protection, salary deduc-
tions and more. We are trying to
educate people on being finan-
cially sound and safe. Mind My
Money programme is encom-
passing our pillar of b\ringing
financial freedom to individuals.
We connect to our clients and
non-clients online and discuss
with them about financial mat-
ters. This programme fits in our
strategy of bringing financial
freedom.
Some experts in this area say
that the insurance market of
Uganda is saturated…how are
you able to grow amidst tight
competition?
With the advent of risk based
supervision, most companies
may be forced to actually merge
because there will be some addi-
tional capital required. Mergers
could come because some small
companies may not be able to
afford capital based on the type
of business they underwrite and
the type of risks they are cover-
ing. This is being experienced in
Kenya.
Wouldn’t that distort the mar-
ket?
It can help the market to
grow. With mergers you get
bigger. When you have bigger
capital you can take on bigger
risks as opposed to when you
are smaller.
Where do you stand in terms of
capital as Liberty?
The regulator did our assess-
ment and showed that we are
playing within the risk param-
eters of adequate capital. This is
because we have been running
on risk based capital internally
for many years being a multi-na-
tional.
Why should one go for your
products and not for any other
player?
People trust our brand. From
the past experience, people have
realised that we pay claims. We
do not have any complaints with
the regulator on this. We also
believe in not mis-selling. We
train our financial advisors to
explain well our products to our
clients before they sign them on.
Apart from mis-selling, as a
player, what other challenges
have you noted that the insur-
ance market in Uganda face?
Joseph
Almeida is
the managing
director for
Liberty Life
Assurance
Uganda
Limited. He
spoke to The
Independent’s
Julius
Businge
about their
business and
sector issues
We do not have adequate
incentives of certain products
and the tax regime is not entirely
helpful in organising us to be
able to sell effectively. In many
markets, governments put tax
incentives for companies to
sell certain types of products
because not only does govern-
ment benefit from increased
volumes of savings in terms of
indirect taxes but does when
companies grow and create jobs
and other opportunities.
But insurance penetration
remains a big headache in
Uganda?
That is why our ‘Mind My
Money’ initiative is such an
important thing. We are now
taking this to a different level
by educating people on fi-
nancial solutions so they take
appropriate actions to protect
themselves. One of the ave-
nues for them to achieve that is
buying insurance. That should
increase penetration.
How is the Uganda Agricultural
Insurance Scheme helping to
cure the penetration headache?
This is helping in arranging
adequate insurance cover for
agriculture. The government is
subsidising this segment and
bringing down costs. As Lib-
erty we do participate jointly
with other insurance players in
Sept. 06 - 12 2019
some covers that deal with
agriculture. This too will
increase penetration.
Some players still have
reservations regarding
separation of life and
general insurance. What is
your take?
It was a good move by
the regulator, and it is what
is happening worldwide.
Each arm of insurance in
the short and long term has
its own capital requirement
for the type of risks that are
being held. Putting them
together and holding them
under one risk capital is
dangerous.
How is your company benefit-
ing from government’s appetite
for investing in high profile
development projects?
With increased infrastructure
development like roads we
realise that it is now easier for
people to transport produce
from farms or producing cen-
tres to markets. That is making
traders think that there are risks
involved in their trade which
require insurance covers for
staff, vehicles and other parties
involved. Away from that,
we have built capacity and are
ready to work with the govern-
ment to implement the planned
National Health Insurance
Scheme.
As a manager, how do you de-
termine success for your staff?
Practical value added proposi-
tion for customers is what I look
out for in my staff. Whenever
they do not demonstrate that I
demonstrate it to them.
What picture do you have in
mind in about Liberty in the
next five years?
I want it to be a household
name in Uganda. With ‘Mind
My Money’ programme, I want
people to know that they are
safe and that Liberty has them
covered in terms of financial
freedom.
29
business
BANKING TELECOM

Stanchart recognized as digital bank Airtel crosses 100

O
n Aug.28 Standard dard Chartered Bank markets submitted by financial services million subscribers

Chartered Bank Ugan-
da said it had been
named the ‘Best Con-
sumer Digital Bank’ in Uganda
in 2019 by Global Finance. The
announcement of the winners
for the 2019 World’s Best Con-
sumer Digital Banking Africa
was recently made by Global
Finance, with seven other Stan-
BANKING
Stanbic commits to UNDP programme
across Africa being awarded
this prestigious title including
Botswana, Cote d’Ivoire, Ghana,
Nigeria, Tanzania, Kenya and
Zambia. The winners for the
Best Bank Awards are selected
with input from industry ana-
lysts, corporate executives and
technology experts. The Global
Finance editors also use entries
providers, as well as indepen-
dent research, to evaluate a
series of objective and subjective
factors. Moses Rutahigwa the
Head, Retail Banking at Stan-
dard Chartered Bank Uganda
said they were delighted with
this industry recognition and
were heavily investing in digital
systems of the bank.
A
irtel Africa, a
telecommunications
service provider
with operations
in 14 countries across
Africa announced on
Aug.28 that it had crossed
the 100 million customers
mark across its operations.
This puts the firm in one
of the top positions of
operators in Africa with the
largest number of active

S
tanbic Bank Uganda
has signed up to the
United Nations Devel-
opment Programme
Gender Equality Seal Certifi-
cation Programme for Public
and Private Enterprises. The
programme aims to ensure
those part of it work towards
reducing gender gaps and pro-
mote equality at the work place
and women’s economic em-
powerment, the bank’s officials
said on Aug.27. The programme
triggers innovations of gen-
der-appropriate products and
services and increasing customer
satisfaction. The bank will ben-
efit from this move by network-
ing with global companies that
have previously reaped benefits
of enrolling for the programme.
Stanbic’s Chief Executive,
Patrick Mweheire, said they
have already moved an extra
mile in line with this new
programme through fair and
unbiased hiring practices,
developing and implement-
ing enabling workplace
polices, and ensuring that
women have access to appropri-
ate development and leadership
opportunities. One such way
is through the ‘Ignite Women
Leadership programme’.
subscribers. Raghunath
Mandava, the Airtel Africa’s
CEO, said this achievement
is testament to the hard
work of their employees
and a clear reflection that
customers value their
network, service offerings
and customer experience.
“The positive momentum
we have seen in customer
acquisition, further
underpins our medium-term
aspirations for revenue and
profit growth,” he said.

CSR CSR

UBL in blood donation drive Barclays sinks Shs365million in University students

F B
rom September 2-7, Uganda Brewer-
ies Limited partnered with Uganda arclays Bank Ugan-
Blood Transfusion Services to run a da, a subsidiary of
six-day blood donation drive aimed Absa Group Lim-
at collecting 600 units of blood to boost the ited has awarded
National Blood Bank. The drive took place 25 academically but finan-
at six locations – Nakawa market, Uganda cially challenged university
Breweries Port bell, Kitintale market, Ham students with scholarships
Towers, Constitutional Square and Luzira worth Shs365million under
market. The company committed Shs5mil- its scholarship programme.
lion towards provision of logistical supplies The sponsorship covers
for this cause. “Our purpose is to celebrate all university costs for all
life everyday everywhere. This drive the years the beneficiaries
allows us to give someone out there a will be spending at their
chance to celebrate yet another day,” said respective universities doing
Catherine Khabure, the company’s hu- different courses.
man resources director. Speaking at the schol- Bazeyo (L) and Mahmood (R) standing with one of the beneficiaries
arship award event held
at Makerere University on there is no short cut.” He the Makerere University
Aug.28, the bank’s Manag- urged them to uphold indi- Vice Chancellor in charge
ing Director. Nazim Mah- vidual values of trust, truth of academics urged banks
mood. said the programme telling and honesty. Last through their umbrella body
is part of the group’s busi- year, the bank supported 44 Uganda Bankers Associa-
ness strategy for sharing students in various univer- tion to come up with more
growth opportunities with sities around the country. supporting programmes for
people in the markets where “The whole idea is about to the many needy but bright
UBL’s Catherine Khabure (Right) and UBTS they operate. He told the impact lives of people,” he students yarning to join uni-
officials during the launch of the campaign beneficiaries: “Work smart, said. Prof. William Bazeyo, versity education.

30 Sept. 06 - 12 2019
 business

Japan Desk to be opened

at ATI’s Nairobi office
By Isaac Khisa lishing the cooperation frame-

J
apanese companies
and investors in Africa
will now be in position
to secure risk mitiga-
tion services faster with the
planned set up of a Japan
Desk at the African Trade
Insurance agency in Nairobi.
This follows signing of
a MoU between ATI and
Japan’s three largest banks
Kiira Motors Corporation CEO, Paul Isaac Musasizi, inspects the and Nippon Export and
ongoing construction of Kiira Vehicle Factory plant in Jinja. The plant Investment Insurance (NEXI)
expects to have an initial installation capacity of 5000 vehicles per on the side-lines on the
annum.   INDEPENDENT/ ALFRED OCHWO recently concluded Tokyo
International Conference
of Africa’s Development
(TICAD7). ATI has a current
pipeline of over US$1 bn
worth of transactions from
Japanese banks.
John Lentaigne, the acting
CEO at ATI said they are
excited about the prospect of
providing greater levels of
risk mitigation to Japanese
companies and financiers, key
to unlocking even more Japa-
nese investments into Africa.
Atsuo Kuroda, the chairman
and CEO, (NEXI said estab-
work between NEXI and ATI
is one of the most fruitful
TICAD7 outcomes.
“We are very pleased to
announce that “Japan Desk”
will be set up in ATI, a rep-
utable multilateral financial
institution which has a great
track record to support Afri-
can projects so that Japanese
companies can obtain easy
access to the reliable risk mit-
igation solution provided by
ATI,” he said.
This development comes as
Japan views Africa as a strate-
gic investment destination that
will also provide an opportuni-
ty for Japanese companies and
investors to more effectively
capitalize on the current oppor-
tunities in the fastest growing
continent in the world.
ATI has provided insurance
to protect some of Japan’s
largest lenders against the risk
of sovereign default on trans-
actions that have collectively
brought close to US$1bn to
the continent over the last
three years.

Michael Wanyama, the Executive Director at the Higher Education

Student Financing Board releases the sixth round of the students’ loan
beneficiaries for the Academic Year 2019/2020 at the Board’s head office
in Kampala on Sept. 03.   INDEPENDENT/ ALFRED OCHWO

Weekly share price movement (August. 08)

Security August. 08 July.29 Movement
BATU 30,000 30000 00
BOBU 128 128 00
CENT 1,157 1,165 0.6
QCL 130 149 0.6
DFCU 650 650 00
EABL 7,243 7,143 1.4
EBL 1,446 1,446 00
JHL 13,261 13,183 0.6
KA 105 152 30.9
KCB 1,411 1,421 0.7
NIC 12 12 00
NMG 1,609 1,681 4.2
State Minister for Gender and Culture Affairs, Peace Regis Mutuuzo unveils the NVL 329 329 00
East African Community Arts and Culture Festival (JAMAFEST) to be held in Dar es SBU 29 29 00
Salaam, Tanzania, starting Sept. 21-28. Approximately 250 Ugandan exhibitors UCHM 12 12 00
are expected to showcase their products.  INDEPENDENT/ ALFRED OCHWO UCL 14 14 00
UMEME 297 299 0.6
ALSI -- -- --

Sept. 06 - 12 2019 31
Fake pneumonia drug on sale
WHO warns of falsified Augmentin
T
By Independent Reporter
he World Health
Organisation
(WHO) has warned
that fake versions
of the antibiotic
Augmentin have
been discovered in Uganda and
Kenya.
The genuine drug is sold
by GlaxoSmithKline but the
packaging of the falsified drugs
says it is manufactured by
SmithKline Beecham Ltd. The
manufacture date is August 2016
and expiry date is August 2019.
The batch number 786627 and is
in 14-count packs purporting to
contain 625mg tablets.
But WHO says it does not
contain the active ingredient
found in amoxicillin trihydrate
and potassium clavulanate
which is the base for the genuine
Augmentin manufactured by
GlaxoSmithKline.
Augmentin is an important
drug because WHO has it on its
list of essential medicines. It is a
commonly-used treatment for
bacterial infections. Last year,
the WHO issued a similar alert
after finding falsified versions of
the drug in Cameroon.
WHO says it was informed
by the Uganda National Drug
Authority that falsified Augmen-
tin had been discovered through
routine post marketing surveil-
lance on the quality of medical
products in the market. Sample
testing revealed none of the
expected active ingredients.
The National Drug Authority
on July 25 showed journalists in
Kampala several substandard
and counterfeit drugs that are
being circulated in the market,
including Augmentin. The other
were Postinor 2 (Levonogestre)
and Quinine Bisulphate.
Nasser Lubowa, the NDA
head of post-market surveillance
32 Sept. 06 - 12 2019
urged the public to be vigilant
when buying medicines and
report suspicious cases to
NDA.
Meanwhile, the Kenya
Pharmacy and Poisons Board
confirmed that the same batch
of falsified Augmentin had pre-
viously been found at patient
level in Kenya.
Augmentin (Amoxicillin/
clavulanate potassium) is a
prescription antibiotic used to
treat infections caused by bac-
teria. It belongs to the penicillin
class of antibiotics and contains
two drugs: amoxicillin and
clavulanic acid. This combina-
tion makes Augmentin work
against more types of bacteria
than antibiotics that contain
amoxicillin alone.
It is effective for treating
pneumonia, ear infections,
sinus infections, skin infec-
tions, and urinary tract
infections. It comes in three
forms, all of which are taken
by mouth: immediate-release
tablet, extended-release tablet,
and liquid suspension.
Augmentin is available in a
generic form as Amoxicillin/
clavulanate potassium.
According to a report in the
Business Standard newspaper
of India, the Delhi High Court
in June restrained a pharma
company called Anglo-French
Drugs and Industries Ltd
(AFDIL) from advertising or
marketing a drug which is
deceptively similar to Glaxo
Group’s Augmentin.
The court asked AFDIL not
to use or deal in any goods
with the same trade dress or
packaging which is deceptively
similar to Glaxo’s packaging or
any other deceptively variant.
The WHO said the falsified
drug found in Uganda and
Kenya is very similar in pack-
aging to the genuine drug sold
by GlaxoSmithKline.
In India, AFDIL had sought
to sell a similar drug adver-
tised and marketed under
the business mark ‘Anglom-
entin’ / ‘Anglomentin Duo’.
GlaxoSmithKline sells its med-
icine trademarked as ‘Augmen-
tin’ / ‘Augmentin Duo’.
Glaxo, in its suit, also sought
to restrain AFDIL from selling
or dealing with products and
services in packaging which is
deceptively similar to its green
and white product packaging,
trade dress and colour combina-
tion thus, amounting to passing
off the products as those of
Glaxo.
It said it got to know about
the defendant’s products in
June 2019 and the drugs of both
Glaxo and AFDIL were being
used for same diseases and have
same active ingredients.
The court noted that the
trademark being used by AFDIL
is deceptively similar to that
of Glaxo. It noted that Glaxo
adopted the trademark Aug-
mentin in 1967 whereas AFDIL
started using the trademark in or
around in 2019.

Does HPV vaccination
cause infertility?
Study looking at 200,000 young women finds no correlation
By Agencies
H
uman
papillomavirus
(HPV) is the most
common sexually
transmitted infection (STI).
There are more than 100
Human papillomavirus
(HPV) types that are
transmitted sexually or via
any skin-to-skin contact in
the genital area.
Low-risk HPVs mainly
cause wart formation on the
genitals, anus, mouth, and
throat, whereas high-risk
HPVs, especially HPV 16
and HPV 18, are associated
with HPV-related cancers.
These viruses mainly affect
the squamous cells that form
the inner surface of various
genital organs, causing
a variety of HPV-related
cancers, such as cervical
cancer, anal cancer, penile
cancer, vaginal cancer, and
vulvar cancer.
After the initial approval
of HPV vaccine in 2006 by
the American Food and
Drug Authority (FDA),
there was public concern
regarding the safety of the
vaccine with particular
focus on whether it could
cause primary ovarian
insufficiency or premature
menopause. Too add to this
concern, in 2014 a medical
case report from Australia
was published reporting
three cases of unexplained
premature ovarian failure
in adolescent girls where an
adverse reaction to Gardasil
(HPV4) vaccination was
hypothesised as a possible
explanation.
New study
The author of a recent
study analysing the National
Health and Nutrition
Examination Survey data on
8 million American women
reported a correlation
between women who had
not had the vaccine and
pregnancy.
At least 60% of women
who did not receive HPV
vaccine became pregnant
at least once during the
survey period (2007 – 2014),
whereas only 35% of women
who received the vaccine
became pregnant. While the
authors concluded that in an
age group of 25 – 29 years,
HPV vaccinated women
are less likely to become
pregnant than women who
are not vaccinated, they
have been roundly criticised
for not taking into account
the vaccine coverage in
the respective age groups
during the study period.
Critics of the research have
also pointed out that if the
vaccine does affect fertility
then a similar correlation
would have been observed
in other countries with good
HPV vaccine coverage like
Australia and the United
Kingdom.
According to the data
collected by the Vaccine
Adverse Event Reporting
System database, there were
three reports of primary
ovarian insufficiency out
of 29 million doses of the
Gardasil 9 HPV vaccine
distributed in the United
states between December
2014 and December 2017.
All three were determined
to be hearsay reports,
meaning there was not
enough information to
confirm a medical diagnosis
of primary ovarian
insufficiency.
No correlation
The authors of recent
study looking at 200,000
young women who
received various adolescent
vaccines including
HPV vaccine found no
correlation between
HPV vaccination and
increased risk of primary
ovarian insufficiency. The
researchers calculated that
among 58,871 young women
who received HPV vaccine,
only one woman showed
the symptoms of primary
ovarian insufficiency,
suggesting that HPV vaccine
is unlikely to affect fertility
in young women.
Infection with HPV affects
reproductive health and
Sept. 06 - 12 2019
HEALTH
fertility in both men and
women. Particularly in
men, HPV negatively affects
various sperm parameters,
including motility. The
virus can also increase
trophoblastic cell death and
decrease the implantation
of trophoblastic cells in the
uterus. These factors can
potentially increase the risk
of miscarriage, premature
membrane rupture, or
spontaneous premature
delivery.
In women undergoing
intrauterine insemination,
infection with HPV is
associated with a lower
pregnancy rate. In these
circumstances it can be
considered that a vaccine
designed to prevent HPV
infection should improve
someone’s chances of having
a successful pregnancy.
There is currently no
reliable evidence that links
current or previous HPV
vaccines with fertility-
related problems. However,
given the questions raised
by the case reports and
recent academic controversy
around the way large
systematic reviews of
HPV vaccine safety are
conducted, it is clear that
further research is needed
to conclusively establish
whether there are any
grounds to associate HPV
vaccination with any
reduction in male or female
fertility.
It is important to
remember that a lot of
studies on vaccine outcome
reported that HPV vaccine
is both safe and highly
effective in preventing
cancer-causing infections.
33
comment
By Patrick Ajuna
Weakness of NSSF amendment Bill
The reforms the NSSF Act and Social Pension Schemes
need for alignment with comprehensive social protection
T
he National Social Security Fund
(NSSF) (Amendment Bill), 2019
presented in parliament recently has
generated mixed reactions from the
public on a number of issues of interest. This
prompted the government through the Min-
istry of Gender, Labour and Social Devel-
opment (MGLSD) to organise a Stakeholder
Consultative Breakfast Meeting on August
30 at Imperial Royale Hotel. The aim was to
harmonise positions on issues of concern.
The various groups that attended the
meeting were the Social Partners - represen-
tatives of Employers through their Umbrella
body - Federation of Uganda Employers
(FUE), workers unions - NOTU (National
Organisation of Trade Union) and COFTU
(Central Organisation of Free Trade Union),
government representatives from line minis-
tries and departments, Civil Society Organ-
isations (CSOs) and Development Partners,
among others.
Generally, the National Social Security
Fund (Amendment) Bill (2019) is a welcome
development given that the current National
Social Security Fund (NSSF) Act, Cap 222
has weaknesses in relation to the gover-
nance of the NSSF. The appointment of the
Managing Director and Deputy Managing
Director directly by the Minister without
consulting the board, limited membership
coverage, and limited number of benefits
offered to members, need rethinking.
Many countries in Africa; like Zambia,
Zimbabwe, Namibia, Liberia, Lesotho and
Malawi, are currently preoccupied with
the task of reforming their respective Social
Protection Systems. The aim is to increase
coverage in line with the 2030 Agenda for
Sustainable Development whose targets
have provided a renewed impetus for the
development of comprehensive social pro-
tection systems. The targets recognise the
contribution of social policies in addressing
the structural drivers of risk and in building
long-term resilience. There is also need to
implement preventive strategies towards
turning the mandatory savings into social
security benefits with guaranteed and reg-
ular cash transfers for contributors who
reach retirement age.
Therefore, the following general issues
should be addressed in the (NSSF) (Amend-
ment Bill) in addition to the specific issues
which will be presented to the authorities as
FUE Position Paper when the final consulta-
tion of our members on this Bill is finalised.
First, the appointment of the Managing
34 Sept. 06 - 12 2019
Director and Deputy Managing Director of
NSSF Board should be done in consultation
with the employers and the workers through
their representatives since they are the main
stakeholders of the fund as contributors, tax-
payers, and beneficiaries. Their involvement
would create and maintain a sound system
with efficiency and effective service delivery.
In line with the fore mentioned assertion,
Social Dialogue Consultation (Industrial and
National levels) Recommendation of 1960
(No. 113): Calls on member states to take “…
measures appropriate to national conditions
to promote effective consultation and co-op-
eration at the industrial and national levels
between public authorities and employers’
and workers’ organisations, as well as
between these organisations…). And further
states that “such consultation and co-opera-
tion should aim in particular at ensuring that
competent public authorities seek the views,
advice and assistance of employers’ and
workers’ organisations in an appropriate
manner, in respect of such matters as…the
establishment and functioning of national
bodies such as those responsible for social
security and welfare.…”. Similarly, the
choice of the representatives of employers
and workers to the NSSF Board should be
solely the task of their respective constituents
and not by the minister as the Bill suggests.
This will enable them to execute their man-
date in compliance with the ILO practice and
standards to avoid political patronage.
Second, the Employers and Workers
should have equal representation on the
NSSF Board. While it is true that NSSF is
workers’ money, the fact that employers
contribute two-thirds of this NSSF implies
that they have a big stake in the funds’ man-
agement, and therefore a justification for
equal representation to ensure value for their
(employers’) money.
Third, while NSSF was established majorly
to provide income security during old age,
serious injuries or death, majority of the
people consider NSSF to be a source of
investment funds for housing, business and
other purposes. That is why some are agi-
tating for midterm access to their mandatory
savings. Such a divergence in the objective
of the NSSF needs to be addressed with
clarity in the NSSF (Amendment) Act. Mass
sensitization and educational programmes
are needed for contributory social scheme(s)
to provide increased levels of protection;
including providing social insurance to the
beneficiaries against the worst shocks during
their times of incapacitation and vulnera-
bility.
Relatedly, since social protection is one
of the four pillars of Decent Work Agenda,
there is need for the inclusion of a section
in the NSSF Act that provides for regular
actuarial studies which would not only help
to give direction on how to transform NSSF
benefits into a social insurance scheme that
guarantees regular and predictable income
transfers to members in form of pension
but also, constant adjustment of benefits
levels in line with wage and price increases,
considering the fact that social protection is
a human right and therefore, it’s essential
to provide workers with freedom from fear
and insecurity.
When workers have a sense of security,
it helps them to concentrate on their jobs,
which increases their productivity levels
and incomes. Research has shown that a
provident fund paid to beneficiaries in lump
sum does not protect workers during old
age since such money is spent within the
first two years of retirement. Such actuarial
studies would help to guide investment
of the NSSF money into meaningful
businesses and prevent mismanagement
of workers’ savings. The Bill should also
provide for portability of savers benefits
when one changes jobs to another with
a different social security scheme. While
a person is at liberty to withdraw his/her
savings from NSSF should he/she gets a
job in the public service as per the current
regulations, it’s more complicated when
one moves from public service to the private
sector. Otherwise, if someone who has been
in public service for nine years decides
to join the private sector, he/she will lose
their benefits in the public Service Pension
Scheme (PSPS). Therefore, there is need for
legislations that provides for portability of a
person’s benefits from PSPS to NSSF account
and vice versa, and if one moves from or
to another country within the East African
Community. We need legislations capable
of appropriately shaping the retirement
security systems so that they can respond
to the prevailing demographic, economic,
and workforce trends. And such legislations
can only be arrived at through a tripartite
consultative system where the views of each
party are given equal consideration.
The writer works with Federation of Uganda
Employers in the department of policy and
research

By Adewunmi Emoruwa
Africa needs traditional media
The democratic nature of social-media platforms
is their strength but it’s a major flaw on fake news
I
n June, Senegalese President Macky
Sall’s brother, Aliou Sall, resigned from
his post as the head of a state-run sav-
ings fund, following public outrage over
allegations (which he denies) that he was
involved in corrupt oil and gas deals. That
outrage was expressed via social media and
on the streets of Dakar. But it was investiga-
tive journalism, carried out by the BBC, that
triggered it; highlighting traditional media’s
enduring power to effect change.
While social-media platforms get a lot
of attention for their speed and acces-
sibility, a credible free press – which
does not simply parrot the official line
of governments or special interests, but
rather seeks the truth – remains essential
to strengthening accountability in places
where it can often be hard to find. And
independent investigative journalists
in Africa have often exposed high-level
corruption, abuse of power, and shady
business deals.
For example, in Kenya, a leading
local newspaper reported that Philip
Kinisu, former chairman of the Ethics
and Anti-Corruption Commission, had
received suspicious payments from the
National Youth Service. Further investiga-
tions into the NYS revealed more corrupt
deals, spurring Kenyans to take to the
streets in protest.
But those with power know how to fight
back – and they do not pull their punches.
As a result, in many African countries,
the free press is being compromised, sup-
pressed, and even dismantled.
The most extreme example of media
suppression in Africa is found in Eritrea,
where Reporters Without Borders esti-
mates that at least 11 journalists are lan-
guishing in prison. The country has only
one independent and non-partisan news
outlet – a radio station run by exiled jour-
nalists, based in Paris – and its signal is
often jammed.
But attacks on African news media’s
already-tenuous freedom are prolifer-
ating. They often come in the form of
violence against independent journalists.
Last year, two journalists in Nigeria were
assaulted by security operatives attached
to the president. In January, an under-
cover journalist in Ghana was fatally shot,
after a politician called for retribution
against him for publishing an exposé
on corruption in the country’s football
(soccer) leagues.
Governments also attempt to assert
control over media outlets, even if it
means shutting them down. In Tanzania,
President John Magufuli’s government
has suspended newspapers and banned
radio stations critical of his administra-
tion, using pretexts such as “sedition”
and “national security threats.” News
organisations have been pressured – in at
least one case, by armed men – to publish
stories favourable to the ruling elite.
Independent media are squeezed fur-
ther by chronic underfunding. Journalists
not only lack resources to support their
work; they are often so poorly compen-
sated that they become vulnerable to cor-
ruption themselves. In Nigeria, “brown
envelope journalism” – when reporters
are paid by individuals or organisations
to publish favorable stories – is common-
place.
Where independent media are silenced,
coerced, or captured, the public has few
options for gaining any information
beyond the narratives pushed by govern-
ments and special interests. Social-media
The most extreme
example of media
suppression in
Africa is found
in Eritrea, where
Reporters Without
Borders estimates
that at least 11
journalists are
languishing in
prison
Sept. 06 - 12 2019
comment
platforms can play a role, but their main
strength – their democratic nature – is
also their fatal flaw. They have proved
ideal for spreading fake news, which
taints public debate and erodes trust in
both facts and institutions.
This dynamic was on stark display
during Nigeria’s last election campaign.
Fake news stories – including the claim
that President Muhammadu Buhari had
died and been replaced by a lookalike –
went viral on social media. Millions of
Nigerians were convinced, with some
even carrying out killings in retaliation
for made-up violence. Recognising the
power of these stories, figures close to
political parties began to invent and cir-
culate claims that would benefit their can-
didates, severely distorting the election
campaign.
Independent traditional news outlets do
not just avoid this problem; they are the
key to addressing it, because only they
can credibly verify the news being circu-
lated on social media. That is why Face-
book and Google have collaborated with
traditional media organisations to combat
the spread of fake news on their plat-
forms in Nigeria, South Africa, Zambia,
Kenya, and Zimbabwe.
But if traditional independent media are
going to fulfill their essential role, they
need resources. In places where govern-
ments are placing constraints on press
freedom, Western donors should step up
to provide the necessary funding. Given
the importance of a credible free press to
both development and democracy, it is
undoubtedly a sound investment.
Adewunmi Emoruwa, an investor in African
media startups democratizing access to
information, including thescoopng.com and
The Election Network, is Lead Strategist at
Gatefield, a public strategy group.
Copyright: Project Syndicate, 2019.
35
comment
By Emmanuel Kwezi Tabaro
Uganda Airlines flies
So why are we still angry pessimists when we should
be re-imagining Uganda as a land of the possible?
A
t exactly 6:55am local time, the
maiden Uganda Airlines com-
mercial flight UR202 landed at the
Jomo Kenyatta Airport to a rousing
clap from the 8 passengers on board and a
signature water canon salute. After 18 years
in limbo the national carrier, now under a
new company name and IATA code (the
former Uganda Airlines flew under the code
QU), had taken to the skies again and with it
soared the hopes—if not doubts—of Ugan-
dans.
The change of name one hopes, will
bury the ghosts of the old Uganda Air-
lines once and for all. And there are
pointers the new airline management
wants to do things differently this time
around. For example, in hiring the expe-
rienced Ephraim Bagenda as CEO as
well as retention of experienced pilots
like Chief Pilot Michael Etyang, who
has flown the old Uganda Airlines,
AirUganda and Jetlink, and Charles
Karabarinde. Both pilots have a combined
50-plus years’ experience flying major
airlines in the region and continent.
On our return flight from Nairobi, I also
got to learn that some of the cabin crew
had previously worked with AirUganda
and had gone to work with other carriers
in the region following AirUganda’s
folding in 2014. This I found quite telling
about the airline’s ability to attract talent.
President Museveni who remarked in
April that he “was among the under-
takers who buried the old airline,” was
optimistic saying the national carrier’s
revival was a “historic moment” for all
Ugandans.
Yet, even with such an optimistic picture
painted, the national airline, like many
recent projects delivered by the govern-
ment of Uganda, finds itself having to
fend off negative press, not from outside,
but within Uganda.
Take for instance headlines by two
leading papers covering the Uganda
Airlines maiden commercial flight from
Entebbe to Nairobi. Uganda Airlines
earns Shs 8m from first commercial flight,
reported the Observer; while the Daily
Monitor had this to report: Uganda air-
lines first commercial flight had eight
passengers on board.
36 Sept. 06 - 12 2019
While the reporting was accurate, it fed
into I-told-you-so narratives by critics of
the national carrier who could not help
but latch onto the stories as proof of their
earlier warning that airlines were bad
businesses, or worse, that government of
Uganda cannot do business.
With such coverage, one wonders how
long the national carrier will fly before it
encounters the turbulence of our polar-
ised politics, scandal-loving press or dis-
missive public.
Permit me a slight detour before I return
to my argument.
The late Tanzanian Marxist scholar
and politician Abdul Rahman Babu is
reported to have once quipped in 1986
that the NRM revolution in Uganda was
“the most significant event” to have hap-
pened in Africa following Ghana’s inde-
pendence in 1957. For a man who rarely
minced his words, the statement is/was
quite loaded.
We now know from William Pike’s
recent memoirs that he too shared similar
sentiments, and so did many observers at
the time.
Sadly, Abdul Rahman Babu is now long
dead and we will never know his take on
the NRM “revolution” today. Pike is still
with us, and in the preface to his memoirs
one finds a telling caveat: the book should
be read as a “historical document”. What-
ever interpretation one makes of the state-
ment, one is led to temper their expecta-
tions of what came after the “revolution”.
In many ways, this is the crisis that
today’s Uganda has suffered since around
2005: the belief and optimism that the
country is capable of doing great things
has increasingly dissipated amongst our
citizenry (journalists, government offi-
cials, business community, etc.), replaced
by lethargy, pessimism and despondency.
Interesting enough, this pessimism
has an almost perfect correlation with
the country’s growth recovery since
around 2000. The more our capacity has
improved to pay nurses and teachers
better, build roads and bridges, improve
sanitation, etc., the angrier we seem to
have become that things “do not work”.
This pessimism is now even more ampli-
fied in the social media age; especially
among young Ugandans.
Developments like the revival of
Uganda Airlines, completion of Karuma
hydropower dam (the largest infrastruc-
tural undertaking in Uganda’s history),
building of the new Nile Bridge, a robust
network of national roads, among other
“physical” investments are therefore born
into this anger and pessimism today.
Other than rally us to embrace them as
achievements for Uganda—and part of
the fundamentals on which future growth
is premised—these “physical” invest-
ments are now opportunities for us to
vent our citizen anger.
Yet only 25 years ago there was a
Uganda that was less despondent, more
optimistic, albeit poorer. That country
was bold enough to lead the global fight
against HIVÁIDS, unbundle loss making
government enterprises, and slash the
numbers of an overbearing civil service,
reform that came at great risk to its polit-
ical class. It would also be among the
first countries in Africa to establish an
independent revenue authority (URA),
open up the Forex market, and when the
neighbourhood was in trouble in the last
decade, the first to send troops to far-
flung places like Central African Republic
and Somalia.
But today, majority of that country’s
population cannot believe their govern-
ment can effectively run an airline, treat
them in hospital when they fall sick, or
make the right decisions about their own
future. How did we get here?
That said, I believe the greatest chal-
lenge Uganda under Museveni faces
today is not the lack of enough “legacy”
projects—bridges, roads, dams, rail-
ways, and fly-overs—but a re-imagina-
tion of Uganda as a land of the possible,
and his government as a qualified mid-
wife to deliver such possibilities. Short
of that, as he promised in one of his
state of the nation addresses years ago,
the president may as well tarmac the
tongues of his critics. For they shall not
stop complaining.
The author is a socio-political commentator
based in Kampala
 ART | BOOKS | SOCIETY | TRAVEL | CULTURE
Uganda Airlines’ revival
Artist casts a critical eye on ambiguity
A
By Dominic Muwanguzi
lot has been said about the
revival of the Uganda Air-
lines; mostly how it is going to
change the economic fortunes
of the country through pro-
moting tourism and boosting
Uganda as a brand internationally. With
this, a greater section of the public is optimis-
tic that Uganda can now compete favourably
on the international scene.
Amidst this euphoria, Uganda artist Eria
Sane Nsubuga casts a critical eye on the
overwhelming expectations of the airline.
Before its revival, the national career had
been grounded for nearly twenty years as a
result of political corruption and misman-
agement. More so, its revitalisation comes
at the times when graft is at its peak in many
government institutions and several interna-
tional airlines are incurring increasing losses.
Sane questions the success of such a venture-
ironically with little planning from govern-
ment- at such a time. The work is contextu-
alised within a larger theme of the growing
appetite of African for things white people
consume. Such criticism for the national
career gains credibility with Sane’s adoption
of the name Uganda Airlines. He perceives
himself as the aircraft because of his ambig-
uous identity: a Ugandan artist living in the
United Kingdom. There is indistinctness
about his personality from the two places. In
Uganda his home country, living “abroad”
translates in being rich and able to afford
everything you want. In fact family and
friends will often approach you for handouts
because they believe you are successful. This
is contrary to the reality which is, you are
also struggling like them. This is similar to
the too many expectations Ugandans have
handed over to the national carrier. Addi-
tionally, Sane is confounded with the ques-
tion of belonging. Because he spends more
time in UK (Southampton) is he a UK citizen
or still Ugandan with little contacts at home?
On the other hand, living in a multi-national
space like the UK-not to mention the fre-
quent encounter with the growing white
nationalism – one’s identity as an African is
mostly likely to be compromised or disap-
pear. The artist constructs powerful visual
imagery in his art to convey such message of
uncertainty. He recurrently adopts the word
Uganda Airlines and the image of the aero-
Sept. 06 - 12 2019
plane in his collage prints as if to emphasize
its centrality to the larger subject of living in
the shadow of white people and the grow-
ing appetite for everything that is white by
Africans. In some artworks, his image is seen
sitting in the cockpit or the passengers’ cabin
to illustrate his relationship with the airline.
Though such connection between artist
and aircraft can be interpreted as ironic- a
dominant artistic parody in his art- the artist
is intent to draw the mind and eyes of the
public to the ambiguous topic of the Uganda
Airlines. Nonetheless, the artist’s childhood
memories of seeing airplanes- probably
one of them being Uganda Airlines- flying
over his home in Entebbe and drawing the
cockpit in the dust together with his siblings;
alongside dreaming one day to fly in it, con-
tribute to this authentic examination.
Sane’s censure of the rebirth of Uganda
Airlines is unmistakably relevant to the pub-
lic’s expectations from the national carrier. It
awakens important questions on its possible
successes or failures. As such, one may ask
the question if its revival was an honest
option or one prompted by selfish interests:
the desire to consume everything white in
these contemporary times?
37
Woman seeks divorce from husband who loved her too much
United Arab Emirates media recently turned me down,” the poor wom- The husband told stunned judges his
reported the almost-unfathomable case an reportedly told the court. “I was sole goal was to “be a perfect and kind
of a woman who decided to divorce choked by extreme love and affection. husband”. He told judges that one
her husband after a year of marriage, He even helped me clean the house. “I time, when she complained about his
because he loved her too much. She long for one day of dispute, but this weight, he went on a diet and started
told the Shariah court in Fujairah seems impossible with my romantic exercising. He even suffered a leg frac-
that she felt chocked by his love and husband who always forgave me and ture as a result. Court adjourned the
affection. “He never yelled at me or showered me with gifts,” she added. case to give them chance to reconcile.

Versace sells Trump angry as wife air kisses Trudeau

golden toilet brush with Donald, Melania was
holder for Shs3.6m photographed leaning away to
greet Trudeau with an air kiss.
Body language expert, Patti
It would brush holder Wood, believes the US President
appear to features a showed sign of “anger” during
be one of lid to ensure the greeting. She added:
the most the brush is “Melania’s making a decision
luxurious hidden from to do what we are seeing.
lavatory view, a stylish
She’s making a decision to do
accessories addition to
a seductive kiss while holding
imaginable. any home.”
hands with her husband, and
Versace is For those
that choice is affecting her
selling a feeling less
husband”. In photos, at least,
toilet brush flush, there is
holder, which an I Classici U.S. First Lady Melania at the G7 summit. Melania Melania and Trudeau ended up
is finished toilet brush Trump recently went viral for stood near Trudeau in a group looking like a Vogue ad while
in pure gold holder in her greeting towards Canadian photo at the event in Biarritz, Trump stared grimly in the
and features chrome and Prime Minister Justin Trudeau France. While holding hands background.
the designer gold for £675
brand’s classic
Medusa
(Approx. Shs3
million) and a Man sues mistress to recover $2m he willingly gave her
head, at £810 Superbe toilet
(Approx. roll holder for A Singapore-based problem is the young property his money back. Toh Eng
Shs3.6 £425 (Approx. businessman has attracted agent claims that the loan Tiah, the 55-year-old owner of
million). It is Shs2 million). some unwanted media was only a ruse to trick Toh’s several recycling businesses,
being sold on attention after it was reported wife into thinking he was became romantically involved
homeware that he sued his mistress in only loaning her money, but with 33-year-old property
website order to recover $2 million in fact it was a gift. However, agent Angelina Jiang even
Amara, which (Approx. Shs7.2 billion) he the businessman says the though Toh was married.
describes the allegedly loaned her. The loan was real and he wants
Superbe toilet
brush holder
as “stunning”. Journo in hot soup over Ramaphosa
Other
bathroom An Associate Press (AP) as well Justin Trudeau of
accessories journalist who tweeted a pic- Canada at the G7 Summit in
by Versace ture of world leaders among Biarritz, France.
include a them President Cyril Rama- Darlene you’re such an
toothbrush phosa but referred to him as embarrassment for not even
holder, soap “one unidentified leader” did trying to find out who the
dispenser and not know what hit her when black leader is. As a black
soap dish. South Africans responded to person I’m embarrassed for
The website her tweet. Darlene Superville, you. Also why call your-
says: “With whose profile states that she’s self a journalist if you can’t
a luxurious the White House reporter with the French president bother to do the basics,
gold finish, for AP, tweeted a picture of Emmanuel Macron, India’s twitted DumiGwebuEdits @
this toilet Ramaphosa in a group hug Prime Minister Narenda Modi dumigwebu and others.

38 Sept. 06 - 12 2019
Road accident victims
Where is the compensation from insurance companies?
By Independent Reporter
W
e begin with an extended
excerpt from former Minister
of Finance, Prof. Ezra Sabiti
Suruma’s 2014 book titled `Ad-
vancing the Ugandan Economy: A personal
Account’.
On page 159, he writes: In some accidents,
dozens of people died and many more were
injured. Of course the buses carried many
more than 100 passengers, even though they
had only 62 seats. Passengers sat on top of
each other while others travelled standing.
When an accident occurred, many of these
passengers were thrown all over the place
and the ensuing scenes were horrific.
On top of this, it was very difficult to
compel the insurance companies to pay.
The court system itself was slow and often
corrupt. So the bus owner could spend
months, or even years, trying to get the
insurance company to reimburse for losses.
On at least two occasions when KOMESA
buses overturned with much loss of life
and many injured, the insurance company
did not pay for repair of the buses or for
the treatment of the injured. Motor vehicle
insurance in Uganda appeared to be a rack-
et in which motor vehicle owners regularly
paid insurance companies premi-
ums but received noth-
ing in return.
The establishment of the Uganda Insur-
ance Commission under the Ministry of
Finance was intended to enforce a code of
conduct and ensure that policyholder rights
would be honoured. By 2010, however,
Uganda had still not succeeded in having
motor vehicle owners to perform regular
maintenance on their vehicles and insurance
companies to perform their duties under the
various policies they had sold. The refusal
by many insurance companies to meet their
contractual obligations placed many bus
operators at risk of losing their buses with-
out compensation if and when there was
an accident. At the same time, the behavior
of many insurance companies subjected
many bus passengers to unnecessary risk
of injury without just compensation. The
requirement to purchase `third party’ insur-
ance stickers, which the police enforced
ruthlessly throughout Uganda, was a virtual
donation to the insurance companies by the
vehicle owners. Consequently, while the
speed of public transportation and access
to virtually all parts of Uganda increased,
the safety of travel remained poor, and the
overall administrative structures to enforce
safety and insurance compensation did not
match the techno-
Sept. 06 - 12 2019
logical advances in that sector. End quote.
Fast-forward to 2019 and a quote from
President Yoweri Museveni when he visited
the scene of the Aug.18 gory fuel tanker acci-
dent that killed over 25 people and injured
many more in Kyambura village Rubirizi
district.
“What is the role of the Third Party insur-
ance, this is very absolute and many vehi-
cles are on the road without it but they are
carrying people,” Museveni told a gathered
crowd, “My responsibility is not to compen-
sate accident victims but to offer assistance
to the families, compensation must be done
by owners of the vehicles involved in acci-
dents.” He said all cars must have compre-
hensive Motor Third Party insurance.
Many motor vehicles on the road have
either Motor Vehicle Third Party Insurance
or Motor Comprehensive Insurance. The
bigger question is why insurance companies
hide and refuse to pay whenever a claim is
made. Are the YY Coaches buses that were
recently involved in accidents not insured?
What compensation has the insurer made?
Why should motor vehicle owners continue
donating free money to insurance compa-
nies as Prof. Suruma describes? The Uganda
Insurance Regulatory Authority needs to
give the public answers.
39
global comment
By Kaushik Basu
Corrupt anti-corruption campaigns
Endemic corruption can implicate even those who
would prefer to operate according to the law
T
he Amazon rainforest has been
burning for weeks. Yet Brazil’s right-
wing president, Jair Bolsonaro, mo-
bilised the armed forces to help con-
tain the fires only in the last few days – in the
face of European leaders’ threat to suspend a
major trade deal and the possibility of a far-
reaching boycott of Brazilian products. And
though the Bolsonaro government’s rollback
and weak enforcement of laws protecting
the Amazon are root causes of the crisis, en-
couraging ranchers to set fires to clear land
for agriculture, there has been no mention of
any policy change.
The crisis in the Amazon is a stark example
of the damage that can be done when gov-
ernments bow unequivocally to business
interests. It also highlights an increasingly
common phenomenon: the cynical manip-
ulation of anti-corruption efforts to under-
mine democracy and advance an authori-
tarian political agenda.
Some conservative economists argue that
corruption can be benign, or even benefi-
cial, as it enables economic actors to bypass
regulations, thereby enabling markets to
function more effectively. While there may
be instances of benign corruption, the truth
is that corruption corrodes markets, protects
incumbents from competitive challenges by
impeding the entry of new actors, destroys
the moral fabric of society, and stunts eco-
nomic development. Indeed, as Transpar-
ency International’s Corruption Perceptions
Index (CPI) shows, there is a strong inverse
correlation between development and cor-
ruption.
According to the latest CPI data, the
world’s least corrupt countries are Denmark
and New Zealand. Both have achieved
high standards of living. The world’s most
corrupt countries, by contrast, are Somalia,
South Sudan, and Syria – all poor and
mired in conflict. Ranked from least to most
corrupt, the United States is 22nd on the
180-country list; among major developing
and emerging economies, India is 78th,
China is 87th, Brazil is 105th, and Nigeria is
144th.
The data also suggest that the common
belief that corruption is hardwired in some
societies does not stand up to scrutiny. Cor-
ruption levels can and do change, at times
quite sharply. A couple of centuries ago,
corruption was rampant in countries like
40 Sept. 06 - 12 2019
the United Kingdom, which today ranks
11th on the CPI. And recent examples from
Asia show improvement can occur quickly.
Prior to self-government in 1959, Singapore
was beset by corruption; since 1995 (when
the CPI was introduced), it has consistently
ranked among Asia’s least corrupt coun-
tries. This year, it reached third place (tied
with Finland, Sweden, and Switzerland).
Likewise, Japan is 18th, and Hong Kong has
risen quickly to 14th place.
Addressing corruption is not always
straightforward. The connection between
corruption management and democratic
compromise is complex and not commonly
understood. This is the reason why many
leaders who have come to power with a
genuine interest in controlling corruption
have ended up nurturing cronyism and
damaging democracy instead.
That is what happened in Brazil last year,
when former President Luiz Inácio Lula
da Silva was jailed for corruption, not as an
honest attempt to build a more transparent
political system, but rather to exclude him
from the presidential election, which opinion
polls suggested he would win, thereby
enabling Bolsonaro’s victory.
Some political leaders take an even more
direct approach, launching a corruption
“purge” that targets rivals or critics for pros-
ecution. In countries that are rife with high-
level corruption, this is easy to do: leaders
The campaign
pursued by
Nigerian
President
Muhammadu
Buhari since his
election in 2015 is
widely viewed as
having targeted
opponents and
spared allies
can simply begin by taking aim at those who
challenge their authority. What starts as an
anti-corruption drive ends up as an instru-
ment of cronyism and media control. And
by creating a safe zone for loyalists, it often
ends up exacerbating corruption.
The campaign pursued by Nigerian Presi-
dent Muhammadu Buhari since his election
in 2015 is widely viewed as having targeted
opponents and spared allies. The same risks
exist in many other countries.
Corruption can implicate even those
who would prefer to operate according to
the law, especially in countries where it is
endemic. I was personally caught up in such
a situation in 1992, when leaving Moscow
after a five-day conference. The immigration
officer at the airport looked at my passport
and said grimly, “Your visa was for four
days. It expired yesterday.” Then, without
batting an eye, he asked for a $50 bribe.
Looking back, I marvel at my courage – I
bargained, and we settled on $5. But when
he stamped my passport, the thought struck
me that if someone was watching, I could be
arrested for bribing an officer. I panicked,
snatched my passport, and ran to my gate
without paying the bribe. To this day, I don’t
know whether my action was morally defen-
sible. I struck a contract and reneged on my
part. It is rare to feel guilty for not paying a
bribe, but I lived with that feeling for quite
some time.
But the mere fact that I was put in that
position shows just how easily corruption
can proliferate, especially in a context
where it is already an embedded part of
everyday life. In such cases, corrupt sys-
tems are vulnerable not just to corruption
itself, but also to politically motivated
“anti-corruption” initiatives that entrench
the power imbalances they are supposed
to overcome and facilitate the rise of
undemocratic regimes. The scale of the
devastation such manipulation can wreak
is evident in the Amazon today.
Kaushik Basu, former Chief Economist of
the World Bank and former Chief Economic
Adviser to the Government of India, is
Professor of Economics at Cornell University
and Nonresident Senior Fellow at the
Brookings Institution.
Copyright: Project Syndicate, 2019.
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