NEWS

News archive 01-01-2007 - 10-07-2007
News archive 2006

19.08.10

‘WORKING OUT OF COUNTRY BROADENS MINDS’

Karamagi says working outside the country broadens minds

REPRESENTING UGANDA ABROAD

By Shamilla Kara

KENYA-based Humphrey Karamagi views the time he has spent out of Uganda as a good experience building process and not a loss.

“Working out of Uganda gives one a broader perspective on how to practically manage the common problems affecting us,” says the medical officer who hopes to return and work in country’s health system.

“This is the best way I can play my part in building my country,” says Karamagi who works as a health economics and health systems advisor for the World Health Organisation in Kenya.

His work involves guidance and advice to the country’s health sector on all aspects relating to management of the health system.

These areas include management of service delivery, human resources, information, financing, medical products, and health governance.

“I work to develop tools, processes and systems to manage these different health system investment areas, to ensure they are producing the best possible health results the country can attain.”

Karamagi’s career
Even though the work he is doing is not what he planned for from the beginning, Karamagi says some basic issues that guided him to where he currently is.

“I didn’t feel I was best placed for a downstream health function, waiting for people to fall sick and then focus on managing their illnesses,” says Karamagi, who has a Bachelor of Medicine and Bachelor of Surgery from Makerere University.

About his career, he says: “it represents an area of work I feel there are still a lot of challenges to overcome.”
Karamagi believes that his affinity to work that offers constant challenges naturally gravitated him into the public health arena, and specifically, into systems management.

He has a masters in health policy, planning and financing from the London School of Economics and a diploma from the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, in health policy, planning and financing.

After his first degree in Medicine, Karamagi got employed at Nsambya Hospital. A while later, he went for post-graduate studies.

When he returned, he sought employment at the Ministry of Health where his tutors had referred him to a senior officer they had worked with. The officer, Sam Okuonzi, who was the then head of the policy analysis unit, first told him two things which the medical officer says have guided him through his career. The first was not to look for a position.

“He said: “I don’t have one to give you. But if you are looking for work, I have a lot of that and can keep you very busy,” Karamagi says. The second was never to prioritise money in his career.

“I took up his advice and up to today, have not yet proved him wrong,” says Karamagi, who got employed at the unit.
He thereafter moved to the World Health Organisation (WHO) in Uganda as a policy and planning advisor from 2000. In 2003, he became the regional health economist for WHO’s eastern and southern Africa sub-regional team for immunisation.

At the end of 2005, he got recruited by the Kenya office of WHO as an international medical officer to date.

On his work ethics
Karamagi says he enjoys building ideas and concepts “with an open thinking and confident team that is not afraid to tear each other’s work apart.”

He also says he responds “very positively to ‘a pat on the back.’ Seeing a problem managed through a solution I provided or contributed to is a very strong motivator for me.”

His advice
“Focus on delivering good quality output in whatever you do, be it waitressing, singing in church or working as a member of Parliament. Then, be consistent and persistent in what you do. Everything else will eventually fall in line.”

skara@newvision.co.ug

18.08.10

TORORO POWER SUPPLY TO RISE TO 50MW

Museveni being led by Electro-Maxx officials at the launch of the plant in Tororo on Friday

By Ibrahim Kasita

UGANDA’S first local power producer, Electro-Maxx, has announced plans to double its electricity generation capacity in Tororo in the next two quarters, increasing cheap power supply on the national grid.

The 20MW thermal power plant, which can light Kampala, Mukono and Entebbe, burns heavy-fuel oil to produce electricity. It started operations in December but was officially launched by President Yoweri Museveni last week.

“We have started with 20MW but our target is that by close of the year we must be able to produce 50MW,” Patrick Bitature, the chairman said.

Uganda is in dire need for cheaper electricity to power its projected economic growth of 7% as the regional common market takes effect this week.
Hilary Onek, the energy minister, agreed that the plant capacity should increase to boost power supply and accessibility, create jobs, reduce poverty and improve the quality of life.

“We are authorising the investor (Electro-Maxx) to increase capacity to 50MW so that power outages are removed as well as complete rural electrification,” he said.

The heavy fuel oil plant comes at a time when Uganda is facing the highest electricity tariffs in the East Africa region, rendering the country’s goods and services uncompetitive as production costs escalate.

The prices are categorised as domestic, street lighting, commercial, and industrial consumers. Domestic consumers pay sh385 per unit.

Street lighting costs sh364 per unit, while commercial users pay sh358.
Medium industrial consumers part with sh333 per unit and large industries pay sh185.

However, in Kenya, consumers pay an equivalent of sh38 for the first 50 units.
Subsequent units cost between sh166 and sh345 each.

Consumers in Tanzania pay only sh52 per unit, while in Rwanda consumers are charged sh389 per unit.
However, the new plant will generate power at $14 cents compared to the current costs of power generation which is at $27 cents.

The increase in power supply will make local industries and small-and-medium enterprises more competitive, especially at the time of the anticipated commencement of the East African Community common market.

The project will also utilise the discovered crude oil in the Lake Albert basin, a move that will solve the rapid changes in the world fuel prices that have an adverse cash-flow impact on operations.

Analysts predict that the new plant is likely to spark off local investor interest in the power generation business which was lacking in the past and lower money that is paid to foreign independent power producers.

More than 50% of money Ugandans pay for electricity goes to foreigners and politically-correct individuals.

Independent Power Producers and Power Distribution Company are owned by foreigners and have in the past five years reaped billions of shillings from Uganda.

Among the foreign companies include Aggreko PLC, Eskom, Umeme, Jacobsen, Tronder among others.

Bitature, who owns the plant, thanked all the stakeholders in the energy sector that he said that enabled the project to take-off.

“I thank all those who supported this project mainly the Electricity Regulatory Authority, the energy ministry, the Bankers and Insurers,” he said.

“We expect to increase the capacity to 50MW by close of this year,” Bitature explained at the launch event.

08.07.10

BUSINESS CONFIDENCE RISES AS POLITICAL RISK WEIGHS IN

By Sylvia Juuko
Uganda’s economy is projected to grow by 6.2%
STABLE inflation and a robust financial sector has heightened business leaders’ confidence in Uganda’s economy during the first quarter of the year despite citing political instability as a major risk, a new poll has shown.

The latest Uganda business leaders’ confidence index by market research firm, Synovate, shows that confidence surged to 66.3% in February.

Confidence had plunged to a low of 47.9% in July last year when the effects of the global economic downturn were at its worst.

“Over half of the chief executive officers (CEOs) surveyed are optimistic about the performance of the economy in six months to come,” said Virginia Nkwanzi, the Synovate Uganda country manager, while presenting the results recently.

The index is a survey that collects information regarding business leaders’ perception towards the economy and is also conducted in Kenya, Tanzania and Ghana.

Uganda’s economy has been projected to grow by 6.2% this financial year and expected to expand to over 7% in the coming financial year.

Over 100 CEOs and directors of leading companies were targeted under the study that was held between February 1 and March 15.

Most business leaders are looking towards introduction of new products and services, cost cutting expansion in regional markets as the major drivers for growth in the next 12 months.

Nkwanzi notes that because of the global financial crisis, cost cutting was top on the list of strategies that business leaders focused on as a growth strategy.

Rwanda emerged the most favoured destination for expansion at 47%, owing to the improved business environment that has seen the country win accolades.

Other countries favoured for regional expansion included Burundi (35%), DRC (18%), Southern Sudan (12%), Tanzania (12%) Kenya (12%), Zanzibar (6%) and Mozambique also at (6%).

The quest for business expansion comes at a time when the East African Community’s common market’s protocol takes effect July 1, paving way for the free movement of labour, goods and services in the region with a total population of over 120 million.

The survey shows that the level of optimism was highest in the financial services (73.3%). Others include ICT/media/telecommunications (66.3%), services (63.5%), manufacturing (61.8%) hotel and tourism sector (61.1%) and agriculture (60.0%).

The findings show that the majority of the CEOs indicated competition and political instability as the major business risks.

“We have elections coming up next year, which affects optimism of business leaders, although there may not be any problems,” Nkwanzi noted.

Other risks included road and communication infrastructure, cheap imports, corruption, natural disasters, terrorism, lack of regulation and illicit trade.

The financial sector has witnessed expansion, which has, in turn, intensified competition as banks try to lure customers through new products and services.

The sector has also been characterised by an increase in service providers, introduction of new services, mergers and buyouts.

Increased competition has also been registered in the telecommunications sector that has now moved the battle to pricing and expansion into mobile money transfer services.

This explains why business leaders considered competition as the main risk to their businesses.

Regionally, Kenya’s business leaders had the highest level of optimism at 68.6%, followed by Ghana’s at 68.3%.

Tanzania’s business leaders’ confidence was reported at 60.7%.

07.07.10

MUTEBILE TIPS BANKS ON RISK MANAGEMENT

By Vision Reporter

TUMUSIIME Mutebile, the central bank governor, has urged banks to continuously strengthen and improve their risk management to match the changing technological advancements in the financial sector.

“It’s clear that technological innovation comes along with associated risks. It’s important that the board and senior management continue to strengthen and improve risk management systems in order to mitigate attendant risks associated with Internet banking,” he said.

Mutebile was launching Bank of Baroda’s new e-banking service dubbed Baroda-Connect in Kampala last week.

He advised the bank management to train and elevate the scrutiny of employees of the bank. “This increased technological innovation will call for strengthening internal controls and training staff to minimise any gaps so as to preserve the bank’s capital and contribute to promoting a sound financial sector,” he said.

Mutebile said the bank’s new product was in line with the central bank’s commitment to promote a regulatory environment that supports innovation, soundness and stability of the financial sector.

This article can be found on-line at: http://www.newvision.co.ug/D/8/220/722703

27.04.10

ISRAELI INTERNET PROVIDER ENTERS UGANDA

Publication date: Sunday, 18th April, 2010

By David Mugabe

FORIS Telecom, a new telecoms firm, will this month launch internet services to Kampala, the chief executive officer has said.

“Our services are set to be the best in the market. Most homes do not have internet access owing to the high prices. We will change that,” Moshe Mitz said.

Mitz, in an e-mail interview, said they would focus on quick and cheap services initially in Kampala.

He added that Foris would use the mobile Wimax technology extended to end - users through a portable, instant connection device.

The technology Foris intends to apply is largely about data or internet protocol. Many of the service providers in the market use GSM which is for both data and voice.

If Foris brings a lower pricing structure, it will further spur competition in a market where pricing is the most debated issue.

26.04.10

FARMERS URGED TO ADOPT ORGANIC FARMING

Publication date: Sunday, 18th April, 2010

By Emojong Osere

UGANDA has the potential to reap from the booming global agricultural market if entrepreneurs adopt organic farming.

“Let us focus on the use of organic fertilisers and minimise the use of synthetic soil additives which limit the sustenance of soil fertility,” Charles Rusoke, a consultant at AgroCare Services, said at a conference held at Makerere University in Kampala last week.

“Trends in the global market are changing so fast that we cannot hold on to conventional agricultural practices,” Rusoke said.

Organic agriculture is a farming practice that minimises the use of industrially-made fertilisers and pesticides and encourages the consumption of locally- made plant additives like manure.

Current international trade trends highlight a shift in demand for conventionally or synthetic fertiliser-produced products to organically produced ones.

Experts at the conference called on Ugandans to certify themselves as organic farmers and contribute to the country’s return to the path of favourable balance of payments by agricultural boosting export volumes.

Moses Muwanga, the managing director of the National Organic Agricultural Movement of Uganda, said the increase in demand for organic products offers Uganda a chance to return to global trade competitiveness.

“Organic markets are the drivers for rural development in Uganda.”

“The market for organics is growing fast in some products like cotton, processed fruits and natural ingredients. These offer a premium price that smallholders organised into groups and export companies can benefit from,” Muwanga said.

Statistics from the trade ministry indicate an average growth of market for organics at 15% in Europe and 20% in the US. This points potentiality for the East African economy to increase its trade receipts since the two regions remain the country’s closest trading partners.

The world market for organic products is estimated to be above $60b (about sh126 trillion).

“Organic farming will offer price premiums to exporters and smallholder farmers resulting into increased incomes and improved livelihoods,” Muwanga added.

Some of the organic crops Uganda deals in include fresh pineapples, apples, passion fruits, ginger, sesame, cotton, vanilla and mangoes.

Despite the economic opportunities, limited efforts have been made to market the concept among smallholder farmers.

Data from AgroCare Services indicate that between 2007 and 2008, Uganda’s acreage under organic agriculture declined by 17.8% from 220,000 to 180,700 respectively.

23.04.10

REGIONAL RAILWAY SET FOR MAY

By David Mugabe
and Agencies

THE $900b railway project to connect all the major cities in East Africa will start in May, reports have indicated.

Media reports from Ethiopia, quoting the East African Community officials, said feasibility studies for the project that will link south Sudan’s Juba, with Kenya, Uganda, Ethiopia and northern Sudan, would start next month.

The project is expected to build 15 new railway lines, connecting at least seven countries.

But a senior official in the Rift Valley Railways concession in Uganda told The New Vision that no regional railway project was set to kick off in May.

“All those are just plans, which are not concrete and very far from realisation,” said the expert.

The expert said most of the planned railway projects face the challenge of funding, adding that the most realistic one was the Mombasa-Kampala railway.

“That one (Mombasa-Kampala) is going to be done. The presidents of Kenya and Uganda have resolved to work on it urgently,” said the source.

Both ministers in charge of transport were not available for comment as their cell phones were switched off. A secretary in John Nasasira’s office said the minister was out of office.

In the EAC railway line, Ethiopia and Kenya would have two railway branches, connecting them with Sudan, according to the reports.

The first railway line will connect Addis Ababa with the Kenyan northern border town of Garissa, while the other will connect another Kenyan coastal town, Lamu, to Juba through Garissa.

Kostelo Garang, an adviser to the president of the Government of southern Sudan and the director general of the project, is quoted as having said the project would open job opportunities to more than 5,000 people in the south.

Across Africa, railway lines have largely failed to take off, apart from Morocco, Egypt, Zambia and South Africa.

It is argued that the lack of a functioning railway system across Africa is one of the great economic tragedies of the continent that is endowed with high-value, but bulky resources, ranging from minerals to agricultural produce. Because of this, sub-Saharan African countries have remained uncompetitive.

If completed, the East African railways project will activate economic, social and political development on the continent, with further huge potential to spur trade across the vast region.

20.04.10

TEA EARNINGS HIT SH184B RECORD

By David Ssempijja

Uganda earned $92m (about sh184b) from tea last year, sh4b above projection. Over 50 million kilogrammes were sold during the period, which was the highest amount of sales recorded by the country, according to George Ssekitooleko, the Uganda Tea Association (UTA) executive secretary.

He said the record performance positions the tea sub-sector among the most profitable businesses in the agricultural sector.

“Tea growing and exporting are the most profitable agricultural enterprises,” he said, adding that they had projected $90m revenue from tea sales.

According to the association, 45,680 tonnes were produced in 2008, of which 42,384 were exported, earning the country $76m as opposed to $59m earned from 43,636 tonnes in 2007.

Ssekitooleko was optimistic that the output would continue increasing because last year’s performance will inspire more people to join the industry at different production chains.

The association brings together organised tea growers, processors, traders and exporters and is responsible for close to 100% of the country’s tea exports.

Uganda has on average exported about 40,000 tonnes of tea annually over the last four years, according to the association. The tea industry employs about 68,000 people, supporting more than 500,000 dependants.

It spends over sh30b in salaries and wages and pays over sh8b in various taxes annually, Ssekitoleko said in an interview. Uganda is the world’s 13th largest tea producer, according to the United Nations, and the third leading tea exporter in east and central Africa after Kenya and Malawi.

Kenya accounts for about 66% of the tea produced by the regional bloc. Other countries active in tea business in the region include Tanzania, Rwanda, Burundi, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Ethiopia, Mozambique and Zambia.

Uganda has earned an annual average of $62m over the past three years from tea, making it the nation’s third largest foreign exchange earner.

The sector boasts of 12 tea processing and exporting companies, operating 21 processing factories, four of which are owned by smallholders, that is Igara, Kayonza, Mabale and Mpanga tea factories.

Ssekitooleko, however, noted that although the sector was booming, it had a lot of challenges like weather vagaries, high costs for inputs, high electricity tariffs, low levels of local tea demand (4-5%), lack of locally-conducted tea research and poor infrastructure.

Over 90% of the region’s processed and graded tea is sold at the Mombasa auction market.

09.09.09

Farmers to get sh875m from chilli

Caeser Okello, a chilli farmer and Acam inspecting chilli on driers

By Robert Okodia

CHILLI growing has turned the fortunes of peasant farmers in the Lango and Acholi sub-regions. The areas previously renown for cotton growing, started commercial chilli growing after farmers’ got disappointed with buyers and cooperative societies.

The crop has high demand in the two regions. Caeser Okello, a farmer from Ajeri-jeri parish, Ngai sub-county in Oyam district, said he expects to earn about sh20m this season from his 10-acre chilli garden.

“The first season I planted chilli, I got sh1.6m, but now I am earning about sh15m per season from my garden,” said another farmer.

The crop is being promoted by North East Chilli Producers Association (NECPA) in the two sub-regions.

They expect to get about 250 tonnes of Uganda’s red eye chilli and long kayen, a newly introduced variety.

The chilli growing areas in Lango include Ngai and Otwal sub-counties in Oyam and Abako, Barr and Amac sub-counties in Lira.

Others are Puranga in Pader and most parts of Kitgum in Acholi sub-region.

Hellen Acam, the NECPA executive director, said farmers in Lango and Acholi were expecting an income of about sh875m this season in chilli sales.

She added that the organisation would partner with the Stability for Peace and Reconciliation in Northern Uganda project to buy all the chilli produced in the two sub-regions.

“With this support, we intend to be a leading exporter of chilli in Africa come 2015,” she said. She added that the project would increase the production of quality chilli, increase access to market and economic cooperation between Lango and Acholi.

08.09.09

New beer hits market

By Patrick Jaramogi

NILE Breweries, the makers of Nile Special and Club beers, have launchced a new brand of beer called Nile Gold Crystal Malt larger. Juliet Nabwire, the media relations officer, said Nile Gold was the first beer in Uganda created from crystal barley malt.

“We are targeting the youth aged between 25 and 35 years, the successful, ambitious and professionals,” she said at the media launch at Kabira Country Club in Kampala recently.

Moses Musisi, the firm’sbrew master, said they had spent months investigating the beer. “This was the pinnacle of quality that we wanted to give to Ugandans. It is made right here in Uganda,” he said.

20.08.09

Russia eyes education

Museveni with Russian foreign minister Sergey Lavrov

THE?Russian foreign minister has said his country wants to cooperate in developing the education, science and technology sectors in Uganda.

Sergey Lavrov was yesterday meeting President Yoweri Museveni currently on a working visit to Moscow.

Museveni and Lavrov discussed how to strengthen bilateral cooperation between the two countries, according to a release from State House.

Lovrov said Museveni’s visit would strengthen the ties between the former Soviet Union and East Africa in general.

He said he would encourage investors from the Russia to invest in Uganda and in East Africa through its regional economic blocs.

The minister said Uganda uses a lot of Russian equipment in different areas like agriculture and the army.

He encouraged the country to have direct contacts with Russia in order to avoid third parties. This, he said, would enable proper management, quality supplies and accountability.

Museveni said Uganda has some Russian investments in cotton and other agro-processing areas, but invited more Russians to invest in the country.

The President invited his Russian counterpart Dmitry Medvedev to visit Uganda.

The meeting was attended by the ministers of foreign affairs, Sam Kuteesa, energy and mineral development, Hilary Onek and of State for defence, Lt. Gen. Jeje Odongo.

Uganda’s team included the ambassador to Moscow, Dr. Moses Ebuk, his deputy Samuel Sekajja and the President’s principal private secretary, Amelia Kyambadde.

19.08.09

President Yoweri Museveni is paying an Official Visit to Moscow-Russia.

President Y.Museveni with Mr. Alexander Makorenko at Vnukovo airport,Moscow. The President is in Russia on an official working visit. 18.08.2009

President Yoweri Museveni is paying an Official Visit to Moscow-Russia. During the visit which started on the 18th August 2009, he will meet with government leaders and hold discussions with the Russian Business Community and investors.

11.08.09

Price levels fall further

By David Mugabe

THE overall price level of goods and services dropped to 11.6% in July compared to 12.3% registered in June.

Although the price of foodstuffs went up as tough weather conditions tore the country, the core prices of other food and economic essentials like fuel, sugar, cement, matooke, Irish potatoes, beans and maize flour dipped further.

Releasing the annual headline inflation on Friday, Mathews Sewanyana, the director of macro-economics at the Uganda Bureau of Statistics (UBOS), said the impact of drought on food production and supply remained the main driver for July.

“The increase in food prices is mainly due to the reduced supply to the markets.

The monthly headline inflation rate for July rose further by 0.5% compared to a 0.3% increase in June,” said Sewanyana.

Adverse weather conditions that ravaged large sections of the country mostly affected agriculture, which is Uganda’s mainstay. Fruits and vegetables like mangoes, tangerine, pineapples, tomatoes, cabbage, chicken, fish and carrots, took the hardest knock from the drought.

On the contrary, the price of matooke, which ripen faster during the dry season, went down as market supply increased.

“Milk prices have gone up substantially due to low supply of grass and water on the other hand,” said Vincent Nsubuga, the UBOS principal statistician. But against this variation in prices, food inflation dropped to 19.4% in July from 21.6% in June.

The price of construction materials like cement and paint also dropped for the first time in several months.

“From March, the price of cement has been increasing but they just started coming down because of lower production and transport costs,” said Sewanyana. This is partly attributed to a decline in fuel prices.

The price and quantity of millet has also dipped with reports indicating that upland rice has become more lucrative and upcountry farmers are opting to plant more of rice.

A bumper harvest from the eastern region also helped cut down prices further.

10.08.09

Agriculture ministry launches new sh2.49 trillion strategy

By Ronald Kalyango

THE agriculture stakeholders’ forum to spearhead implementation of a development strategy and investment plan to boost the sector has been launched.

The five-year strategy to run from 2009 to 2015, seeks to increase the sector’s growth from the current 2.6% to 6% annually. The strategy, which was launched by Hope Mwesigye, the agriculture minister at the Imperial Royale Hotel in Kampala over the weekend, will cost sh2.49 trillion.

Agriculture production and productivity programmes will be allocated 64% of the funds, 23.7% for improved market access, 7.8% for the sector’s enabling environment and 3.9% for institutional strengthening.

Mwesigye said under the strategy, each farm household will be required to adopt enterprises which can fetch them a gross income of sh20m annually.

“When we get the funds and support farmers, I am sure we shall achieve our strategy objectives,” said Mwesigye.

She, however, regretted that over the years, production of crops like cotton, bananas and cassava have been decreasing.

Rice, maize, millet, sorghum, tea, livestock and milk on the other hand have recorded significant increases. Mwesigye said between 2004 and 2008, maize output increased from about 1.1 million metric tonnes to 1.3 million and rice from 121,000 metric tones to 162,000.

Banana output fell from 9.7 million metric tonnes to 9.4 and cassava fell from 5.5 million metric tonnes to 5.1.

08.08.09

Ugandan parks receive 70,000 visitors

Written by AGGREY NSHEKANABO   

KAMPALA, UGANDA––About 70,000 tourists have visited Uganda's national parks and game reserves in the first four months of 2009.
This was revealed recently by Geofrey Masaba, the Business Development Manager of the Uganda Wildlife Authority (UWA) in Kampala last week. Masaba said Murchison Falls and Queen Elizabeth national parks are the top destinations for both local and foreign tourists with Kidepo National Park being the least visited destination.
"It is not true that we have ignored local tourism. In fact, our nationals and foreign residents dominate the entries into our parks. We are both inward looking and outward looking in attracting tourists to visit these heritage destinations which we are proud to conserve," Masaba said.
He said that there is a growing trend of tourists visiting Uganda and hopes that by the end of the year, the figures will be much more impressive than last year or the year before. "In 2008, over 130,000 tourists visited our parks compared to over 120,000 tourists in the year 2007. We see an appreciation trend which we are excited about and we believe that by end of the year, we shall post impressive results," he added. Uganda has 12 national parks, with unique fauna and flora.

07.08.09

Presidents play journalism roles

Malaysian deputy premier Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin, presidents Museveni, Kikwete of Tanzania, Banda of Zambia, King Mswati of Swaziland, Zimbabwe’s Robert Mugabe, former malaysian premier Mahathir Mohamad, former Botswana leader Sir Ketumile Masire and Gen. Elly Tumwine launching the Smart Partnership peace hub in Munyonyo yesterday

By Henry Mukasa

THE on-going Smart Partnership Dialogue at Speke Resort Munyonyo yesterday had an unusual session where presidents and journalists exchanged roles.

Instead of being at the receiving end, President Yoweri Museveni and his fellow leaders from Tanzania, Swaziland, Zambia and Zimbabwe fired questions at the representatives of African media houses.

“Why are journalists always interested in telling bad stories about Africa as if there were no good stories to write about the continent?” asked Tanzanian President Jakaya Kikwete.

“By painting the bad image of the continent you stop the good story from being told.”
Daily Monitor’s Charles Mpagi said the role of the media was not to tell the excellencies how well their suits fitted but to bring out the ugly truths.

He pointed at the fact that most countries had better infrastructure and health services during the colonial times than today.

“Like President Museveni has said before, how could the colonialists build railways using buckets and forced labour, and we are not able to when we have earth-moving equipment?”

Museveni accused the media of specialising in “telling lies and writing about things they don’t know”.
Countering Mpagi’s statement, he noted that his sister, Dr. Violet Kajubiri, got polio in 1955 while his government has almost eradicated the disease.

“That young man said he was not there (during colonial days) but he heard. Why the lies? Or do you fear to be confronted with facts?” Museveni asked.

When Robert Mugabe of Zimbabwe raised his hand, prolonged applause filled the hall. Mugabe once again seized the opportunity to attack the Western media, which have criticised his handling of the economy and his political opponents.

“There are agencies like BBC, CNN. When you act as agents (correspondents) of those kinds of media, do you have the option of being impartial?” he asked.

“If they are pursuing a hostile attitude, do you protect the interests of Africa because you are Africans? Can you report truthfully or factually or do you fear losing your jobs.” He urged African journalists not to serve neo-colonialist or imperialist interests.

A journalist from Swaziland replied that every media house has an editorial policy. Professional journalists cannot divert from this policy unless the situation goes against prescribed media ethics.

Ahmed Kateregga of Bukedde noted that when Africa was getting bad publicity, information ministers met in Kampala in 1978 and resolved to form the Pan Africa News Agency, which is now dormant. He said even the national news agencies disappeared with privatisation.

King Mswati III of Swaziland wondered why the media do not cover the positive projects happening on the continent.

To which Stephen Asiimwe of the East Africa Business Week replied that the media report a lot of good things about Africa but they are not appreciated. Instead, he said, the media are reprimanded for the critical articles.

Zimbabwe’s deputy prime minister Tokozani Khupe asked bluntly why media reports are always “lopsided”. In response, Charlotte Ampaire of the Uganda Media Centre said the media are a two-way street and governments needed to be more open and accessible.
She referred to the UPDF which, as part of its plan to professionalise, created spokespersons who give prompt responses to media inquiries.

“You need to supply information to the media. Don’t treat them as adversaries but friends, they will be good to you,” she argued.

boss and moderator Robert Kabushenga wound up the debate by informing the leaders that the journalists would be sharper in the next session, adding that while answering, they were mindful of respecting the presidents.
Later in the day, Museveni declared part of Speke Resort Munyonyo a peace hub, where warring factions could meet and find a peaceful solution to their conflicts.
Museveni invited those in the crisis-hit Darfur region of Sudan to come for talks.

The President made the remarks after he and his counterparts officially launched the peace centre and committed themselves to non-aggression towards each other.

Museveni, together with the leaders of Tanzania, Zimbabwe, Zambia and Swaziland, as well as former Malaysian Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad and former Botswana President Sir Ketumile Masire, drew wooden spears and pierced the ground to mark their commitment.
“I want to declare this place a peace shrine,” Museveni said. “It can be used by the warring parties in Darfur even if they are not on our side politically. I hope the ICC will not ask us to arrest some people because they will be on neutral ground.”

Sudanese President Omar el-Bashir did not attend the conference after the ICC asked Uganda to arrest the indicted leader over war crimes in Darfur.

http://www.newvision.co.ug/D/8/12/689387
Basajja given sh4b for hospital Monday, 27th July, 2009

News archive 01-01-2007 - 10-07-2007
News archive 2006