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THE INDEPENDENT Issue 545
THE INDEPENDENT Issue 545
1000 deaths feared Doctors ‘need to talk Battle for gold: Weak legal regime What is behind Africa’s
in DR Congo Ebola early about dying fuelling rivalry amongst refineries crypto-phobia?
Issue No. 545 Nov 02 - 08, 2018 Ushs 5,000,Kshs 200, RwF 1,500, SDP 8
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Independent Publications Limited, Plot 82/84, Kanjokya Street, P. O. Box 3304, Kampala, Uganda Tel: +256-312-637-391/ 2/ 3/ 4 Fax: +256-312-637-396
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Nov 02 - 08, 2018
INBOX
Cover story
Can Museveni kick Mutebile,
Kasekende out of BoU?
4 The Week
29 Comments
60 FDC leaders quit FDC
for Muntu’s group Money in America’s midterm
elections: U.S. politics has
been corrupted by money,
9 The Last Word
gerrymandering and massive
Chasing the wind: Why the belief attempts at disenfranchisement
that Ugandans are angry because
youth lack jobs and other economic
36 Health
opportunities is mistaken
Sickness and death: Doctors
14 Analysis ‘need to start early conversation
with patients about dying’
1000 deaths feared in DR Congo Ebola : Uganda,
surrounding countries face increasing risk as Trump
blocks American experts
39 Arts & Culture
27 Business
What is beautiful exhibit:
Battle for gold: Weak legal regime Sekajugo’s artist inspired by
fueling rivalry amongst refineries prejudices around identity
STRATEGY & EDITORIAL DIRECTOR: Andrew M. Mwenda WRITERS:Ronald Musoke, Flavia Nassaka, Ian Katusiime,
MANAGING EDITOR: Joseph Were Agnes Nantaba, Julius Businge.
INVESTIGATIONS EDITOR: Haggai Matsiko DESIGN/LAYOUT: Sarah Ngororano
BUSINESS EDITOR: Isaac Khisa CARTOONIST: Harriet Jamwa
PHOTOGRAPHER: Jimmy Siya
PUBLISHER: Independent Publications Limited, Plot 82/84, Kanjokya Street, P. O. Box 3304, Kampala, Uganda
Tel: +256-312-637-391/ 2/ 3/ 4 | Fax: +256-312-637-396 E-mail: [email protected] | [email protected]
[email protected] | Website: www.independent.co.ug
Zakynthos, Greece:
A child examines the
damaged pier at the
port of Zakynthos
following an earthquake
off the island
Wellington, New
Zealand: The Duchess
of Sussex receives
a hongi, a traditional
Maori greeting, at
an official welcome
ceremony at
Government House in
Wellington
Former Crane Bank staff LDUs who have so Money World Bank gave
400 who are demanding terminal
benefits worth Shs48bn
6436 far been recruited
by the UPDF
$360m to 14 municipalities for a
four year project
WE ARE
that it is not possible to
deploy more prosecutors
in more than 40 established
HIRING!
courts. He said the low pay
of prosecutors makes it
hard to pay and retain high
quality staff. Chibita said
there is also need to provide Are you a Photo Journalist?
security to personnel We are looking for someone with
handling sensitive cases.
Amos Ngolobe, the deputy a great sense of imagination,
DPP while appearing before an eye for detail and a knack for
PAC over audit queries
raised by the Auditor
following news events.
General in his report for the
financial year ending June
2016, revealed that 400,377
cases were brought forward
at the start of that financial
year and another 130, 472
were accumulated by June
Justice Mike Chibita 2017. The prosecutors strike
(Pictured), the Director of last year worsened matters.
Public Prosecutions (DPP) Now in a new statutory
has written to the Minister instrument issued by
of Finance Matia Kasaija Principal Judge Yorokamu
over the low funding his Bamwine, the judiciary has Send CV to:
office receives worsening increased the number of
the case backlog crippling chief magisterial areas to E-mail: [email protected]
the judiciary. Chibita in 82 and those of Grade One Tel: +256-312-637-391/ 2/ 3/ 4
two letters one in April and Magistrate to 402.
the other in October, said
trodat
Seals within
Introducing in Uganda
30 min
Plot No.17,Shop No.NS 13/2 Madhvani Bldg, Nkrumah Road, Opp.Post Bank Kampala-Uganda | Tel:0754-262707,0757-777400 | Email:[email protected]
L
ast week, President Yoweri Mu- that number is down to less than 25%. In generate increased anger, anxiety and
seveni inaugurated a $600 milliom 2008, about 65% of the budget was going to social frustration. If the anger is insufficient
fertilizer and aluminum plant in recurrent expenses, today 60% of the budget to topple him, it is because Museveni has
Tororo. A few days before, he had goes to development. On such issues as life been less successful. Our country remains a
opened a new $150 million bridge over the expectancy, prevalence of malaria, child rural society dependent on agriculture, not
River Nile in Jinja. And a few days earlier and infant mortality, availability of drugs industry. If the last eight years has witness
he had been to Kapeka where he opened a in public hospitals, the quality of houses for growing public anger, it is because they
Chinese ceramics factory that will produce ordinary people and the gini-coefficient (the have been the most successful. Holding
40,000 square meters of floor and wall tiles measure of income distribution) there was many other factors constant, if Museveni
per day. Even a few days before that he been a lot of improvement in the ten last were to be more successful in transforma-
visited the $2 billion Karuma hydro elec- years. tion he would face a social revolution.
tricity project that will produce 600MW of I do not want to clog this column with Of course the claim that increasing pros-
electricity. statistics demonstrating quantitative and perity produces anger and frustration in the
There is a lot happening in our country qualitative improvements in the indicators masses does not hold in every society. There
that the priests of the new secular religion I have referred to above. I hope the reader are rare examples such as Singapore where
of development would cheer at. Yet there will trust that I am writing this on the basis increasing prosperity led to a broad con-
is widespread anger, social frustration, of hard data. Suffice it to say that on the sensus among elites in favour of the growth
and anxiety on social media and in streets. most critical indicators the Museveni gov- model. The same is happening in China
Many elite commentators say the Museveni ernment has done more in the last ten years today. But South Korea’s experience mir-
administration has gotten worse and is than it did in the first 22. Therefore, anyone rored that of most of Western Europe and
doing little or nothing. They argue that following this government’s performance the USA. In Africa, Ethiopia is the most suc-
people are angry because government has would refer to the period 2008 to 2018 as cessful state in promoting rapid economic
failed to deliver public goods and services its golden age. Yet for most elite Ugandans growth but is equally beset by constant pro-
and jobs. I hold the opposite view: that the online and on the street this is the worst tests. Rwanda is the second best performer
anger we see is because the government has period in Uganda’s history. Why? in Africa but has secured a broad elite con-
actually been very successful in promoting This brings me to the central argument sensus in favour of its growth ambitions.
economic and social change. of this column already highlighted in the Creating more economic opportunities
From the mid 1990s to the mid 2000s, I title – chasing the wind. It is a common will not cure widespread social frustration
was one of the critics of this government. belief (or assumption) among many ana- and anger in Uganda. The angriest critics
My quarry was poor investment in trans- lysts that economic prosperity leads to of Museveni are not ordinary peasants in
port and energy infrastructure plus wide- individual and public satisfaction with the the villages or even the much hyped unem-
spread corruption and incompetence, espe- government seen as responsible for it. Even ployed youth in towns. They are Ugandan
cially in the army. At the time most roads Museveni believes that creating more eco- professionals with jobs. The lesson is that
were in a state of disrepair with potholes nomic opportunities and jobs for the masses as growth picks apace, people go to schools
everywhere. Electricity was being rationed; would increase public confidence in and and urban areas where they are exposed
public sector employees were being paid support for his administration. Yet on the to the outside world. Their expectations
wages below subsistence; the army was contrary and historically, rapid economic and aspirations grow faster than the rate
full of ghosts and was procuring junk mili- improvement has produced anxiety, frus- at which the economy can produce oppor-
tary hardware, hospitals and schools were tration and anger among the public. tunities to satisfy them. It is the mismatch
missing, the cost of public administration For instance, the transition from back- between people’s expectations and available
(political patronage) was taking 20% of the ward, poor and feudal existence to modern, opportunities that leads to social frustration,
entire budget. affluent industrial nations in Western anger and anxiety.
Since 2008, the Museveni administration Europe was not smooth. It was accompa- As I have already noted with Singa-
embarked on a huge infrastructure-building nied by equally rapid growth in social frus- pore, China and Rwanda, it is possible for
program. Only 1,200km out of the 2,200Km trations and public anxiety leading to the economic transformation to be achieved
of paved roads that were in good condi- development of such ideologies and social without any major social upheaval. But
tion in 2008, today we have more than movements such as socialism, communism, this trajectory is rare and has only been
7,000km. From only 380MW of electricity in fascism, anarchism, nihilism, terrorism – seen in a few countries. For most of his-
2008, Uganda shall have over 2,000MW of (yes, terrorism was produced by capitalist tory, rapid social and economic change has
installed capacity by March next year when transformation in Western Europe). Indeed, produced anger and anxiety that Uganda is
Isimba and Karuma are completed. The it was in the struggle to stave off social unlikely to escape. In promoting economic
UPDF is today entirely different from the revolution at home that the European bour- prosperity in the hope of containing public
army Maj. Gen. James Kazini commanded geoisie sought colonies abroad. anger, Museveni is chasing the wind.
until his removal in 2003. The same applies to Uganda. The more
In 2008, Uganda was depending on successful Museveni’s administration is in [email protected]
donors for nearly 50% of her budget. Today transforming the country the more it would
By Haggai Matsiko
with the
Museveni’s contact, a trove of before a committee appointed by
documents purported to expose President Museveni to answer
negotiations
Kasekende’s wealth. There were also questions over a controversial
fears it would be a matter of time reshuffle he made in February, in
before documents exposing Mutebile which he ejected Bagyenda, Mutebile
too also emerge. repeated the same.
Amongst others, the documents Among others, he told the
showed that as scrutiny intensified, committee, that senior bank officials
Kasekende transferred some of his were in the habit of hiding information
properties into the names of another from him.
person who will remain unnamed. Juma Kisaame, the Managing Director
They also revealed a host of companies of DFCU; the bank that acquired Crane Katuntu’s committee
he has shares in, his financial Bank. Then another set of documents Museveni convened the committee
transactions over the years, and those and reports have also emerged led by Abdul Katuntu, the chairman
of his wife Edith Kasekende. showing that DFCU is allegedly in of the parliamentary committee on
The Independent could not report trouble. Commissions, Statutory Authorities
about these documents earlier because Finally, there is the case of DFCU and State Enterprises (COSASE) after
it could not confirm their veracity. The instructing its lawyers to issue Rajiv the IGG indicated she was ready to
Independent has since confirmed that Ruparelia, the son of Sudhir, with probe the central bank. Museveni
these documents ended up at the door an intention to sue accusing him of preferred a quieter investigation. So
of the IGG and are at the core of her being behind a campaign to tarnish he tasked Katuntu’s committee to get
investigations. their name through a series of articles to the bottom the crisis around the
There is a pattern too. The leaked published online. reshuffle but keep BoU matters out of
documents all emerged after the take Rajiv, who has recently taken more the press.
over and sale of Crane Bank to DFCU. charge running his father’s empire, This came as a surprise to those who
The first set of documents, for has hit back. He has threatened to thought President Museveni would
example, showed that the former sue DFCU for allegedly abusing the attempt to salvage the reputation
Executive Director Banking customer-client confidentiality by of the central bank by taking action
Supervision, Justine Bagyenda who revealing some details he shared with against its feuding senior managers.
was directly in charge of the take over them as a client, to their lawyers and In any case, Museveni has failed to
and sale of Crane Bank, is wealthier later, the public in the intention to sue put a lid on the leaks to the press.
than previously known. This has raised shared publicly. It has emerged that while Mutebile
querries about the source of her wealth. The Sudhir’s family is clearly did not get into names when he met
There are also documents purporting not happy about the takeover of with the committee, insiders say he
to show the bank account details of their bank. But are they behind the was possibly referring to Bagyenda
well-being?
being happy.
The second problem is “valuation
neglect”. Valuing a life is a reflective activ-
ity that should not be reduced to feeling
happy or unhappy. Of course, Sen admits,
“it would be odd to claim that a person
And why happiness may be part of evaluating broken down by pain and misery is doing
very well”.
one’s well-being, but isn't the only element We should therefore not fully neglect
the importance of feeling well, but also
acknowledge it is not the only thing people
care about.
By Henry S. Richardson & Erik Schokkaert ible. But according to psychologists, hap- Together with Martha Nussbaum, Sen
O
piness and life satisfaction do not coincide. formulated an alternative: the capabil-
pinions differ on the definition Life satisfaction has a cognitive component ity approach, which stipulates that both
of well-being. Yet there’s a grow- – individuals have to step back to assess personal characteristics and social circum-
ing consensus that it cannot be their lives – while happiness reflects posi- stances affect what people can achieve with
reduced to material consumption tive and negative emotions that fluctuate. a given amount of resources.
and that other aspects of life, such as health A focus on positive and negative emo- Giving books to a person who cannot
and good social relations, are essential to tions can lead to understanding well-being read does not increase their well-being
being well. in an “hedonic” way, based in pleasure (probably the opposite), just as providing
Increasing well-being is generally accept- and the absence of pain. Looking instead them with a car does not increase mobility if
ed as one of the essential components of to individuals’ judgements about what is there are no decent roads.
social progress, but if different aspects of life worth seeking suggests a preference-based According to Sen, what the person man-
all contribute to well-being, can or should approach (a possibility we discuss below). ages to do or to be – such as being well-
we construct an overall measure of it? For People judge all sorts of different things to nourished or being able to appear in public
example, is “happiness” a good measure? be worth seeking. without shame – are what really matter for
Before we can begin to monitor social In other words, happiness may be an ele- well-being. Sen calls these achievements
progress in terms of well-being, we need ment in evaluating one’s well-being, but it is the “functionings” of the person. However,
more clarity on the concept itself. not the only one. he further claims that defining well-being
only in terms of functioning is insufficient,
Measuring happiness The capability approach because well-being also includes freedom.
One possibility is to use large opinion Nobel Prize winner Amartya Sen has His classic example involves the com-
surveys in which individuals answer simple pointed out that understanding well-being parison between two undernourished indi-
questions on their degree of happiness or on the basis of feelings of satisfaction, plea- viduals. The first person is poor and cannot
life satisfaction. These have revealed robust sure, or happiness have two problems. afford food; the second is wealthy but
patterns, confirming that economic growth The first he calls “physical-condition chooses to fast for religious reasons. While
has a weaker than expected effect on satis- neglect”. Human beings adapt at least par- they achieve the same level of nourishment,
faction, and that other aspects of life, such as tially to unfavourable situations, meaning they cannot be said to enjoy the same level
health and unemployment, are important. the poor and the sick can still be relatively of well-being.
These simple survey measures seem cred- happy. One striking study by a team of Bel- Therefore, Sen suggests that well-being
Health workers carry out the body of a patient with unconfirmed Ebola virus on August 22, 2018 in Mangina, near Beni, in the North Kivu province./AFP
O
risks, involving representatives from presence at all. A senior humanitarian
ne of the largest Ebola multiple government agencies and official not affiliated with the Trump
outbreaks in history shows departments. The review determined administration told Vox that he
no signs of slowing — and that CDC officials could not return to believed CDC experts were never in
the Trump administration areas where militant attacks threaten Beni.
has barred U.S. health experts security, including Beni. News outlets Another non-administration senior
who want to help at the outbreak’s first reported on Oct. 14 that the U.S. humanitarian official added that while
epicenter in the Democratic Republic had pulled out of the area. America has vehicles on the ground in
of Congo from traveling there. “It’s unprecedented that the CDC the city, they have gone unused.
Centers for Disease Control and expertise is not at the very center of “Those three armored U.S. Embassy
Prevention (CDC) officials were the response because that has been vehicles sitting in the UN parking lot
working in Beni; the city that’s ground the pattern for the other outbreaks,” in Beni for two months have never
zero for the outbreak in eastern DRC, Stephen Morrison, a global health moved,” the official said.
for a few days in late August and expert at the Center for Strategic and However, CDC officials insist in
early September. Experts say that is International Studies think tank in conversations with Vox that its experts
an unusually short period of time Washington, told Vox. “We have some did work in Beni.
for infectious disease responses. The people on CDC staff who are veterans The relatively tepid response from
CDC deployments usually last at least of almost two dozen outbreaks.” the U.S., at a time when the outbreak
four weeks, and many run for several Others who have been on the is spiraling, has former CDC officials
months. ground working to curb this Ebola and global health experts concerned.
But then the White House’s National outbreak, which had led to 251 cases “I do worry that in the worst-case
Security Council (NSC) coordinated and 127 deaths by Oct.26 and growing, scenario, we could have an outbreak
A group of Congolese look on as a suspected Ebola victim is picked up, on the road linking Beni to
Mangina, on August 23, 2018 in Beni, in the North Kivu province. /AFP
of tens of thousands of people,” said support the response.” But even before boils down to this: It’s a dangerous
Daniel Bausch, the director of the UK then, CDC’s involvement in eastern area, and no one wants to put U.S.
Public Health Rapid Support Team, DRC was uncharacteristically limited. officials in harm’s way.
“and complete destabilisation of an The CDC said its director, Robert “This highly insecure environment
already unstable region.” Redfield, was in Beni for one day, makes this response extremely
This is an “unprecedented” response while other staff were there for only challenging and can complicate public
— in a bad way “several days.” health activities,” a State Department
Tom Frieden, the former head of Redfield has reportedly told a official told a journalist.
the CDC who responded to the Ebola journalist that he wants CDC officials Some experts agree. There are
outbreak in West Africa from 2014 to on the ground in the DRC’s eastern intensifying attacks by a militant
2016, said that “it’s unusual” and “not region to help with the outbreak group in the area, J. Peter Pham, an
optimal” for CDC experts not to work response, but that he was overruled by Africa expert at the Atlantic Council
at the outbreak’s epicenter. security concerns. in Washington, said. Just a few days
Others agree: The DRC health “The (Ebola responders are) at an earlier, 15 people were slaughtered in
workers and others who are on the enormous disadvantage by not having an attack there.
ground fighting the Ebola outbreak the expertise the CDC has on the “U.S. personnel are especially
“are not winning the game,” Morrison ground,” he said, adding that he’d vulnerable,” Pham said, because in the
said. “They need to have every be “happy” to travel there himself to event of an emergency, there are few
player they can get on the field that is help. U.S. troops or equipment in the area to
competent, experienced, and able to As of today, the CDC has only 18 help. And relations between the DRC
fix these problems.” staff deployed abroad to help with government and the U.S. have not
The outbreak started in July and the Ebola response, and not all of been warm lately.
has worsened in recent weeks, after a them are even in the DRC (outside of ACAPS, an independent group
spate of violent attacks on civilians by the outbreak’s epicenter) — they are that ranks humanitarian access in
Congolese rebels temporarily halted spread out in Uganda, Rwanda, South countries, calls the DRC “nearly
the public health response. Sudan, and Switzerland as well. inaccessible,” along with a handful
A CDC spokesperson said its staff The CDC wants to be in Beni. The of other countries including Libya,
has been in Kinshasa, 1,000 miles away administration says it’s too risky. Afghanistan, and Somalia. That’s
from the outbreak zone, since early The argument to keep American just one level below the worst global
September, “where they continue to health officials out of eastern DRC ranking of “inaccessible.”
Comment on the recent torture means the state is under siege, is not
incidences of torture including DP’s
They are mindful functioning properly and this is not
T
Yusuf Kawooya. by accident, but by design. We started
he recent arbitrary arrests
of Yusuf Kawooya and
of the existing expressing our discomfort with the
arbitrariness in the maintenance of
subsequent treatment is a legal framework; law and order some time ago when
clear indication of a growing
culture of impunity in the conduct of especially ever we expressed disappointment with
the militarisation of the police; the
state affairs. Not only does it speak
volumes about the lack of respect
since we enacted army deals with enemies of the state
and the police is supposed to protect
for human dignity but it also shows the Prohibition people but when the two roles are
the lack of professionalism in the
law enforcement system. Like many Against Torture mixed up, the lines of responsibility
are lost. We expressed discomfort in
other previous ones, it is becoming
increasingly difficult to apportion
Act 2012 where the continued emergency of militia
groups like Kifeesi, Boda-boda 2010
responsibility and blame. While some one is held and as of now, you can’t know who is
may put the blame to CMI, SFC, police
or any other security organ, none individually liable exactly arresting people. Other times,
people have complained about police
of them comes out to clearly claim having many uniforms which makes
responsibility. This mix up indicates it hard to apportion responsibility
a country that is characterised by a and hold them accountable. The
democratic backlash; that the state creation of crime preventers who are
institutions now abdicate their now being deployed as reserve force
responsibility of being guardians of and just recently LDU’s which were
the law and become abusers of the created much earlier and proved
law creates a sense of hopelessness a problem. The state is using fear
in the population and leads to as an instrument of management
increasing cases of disappearance of state affairs that if you dissent
and killings which can’t be explained. then you must be mindful of the
That leaves the duty of the state to consequences. So no one can argue
protect people and their property that the state is inept or has no
hanging because when all these capacity. For instance, when it
senseless murders occur, it just comes to dispersing an opposition
rally, they are very fast and
AfricellUG @AfricellUG
I
everyone rode bicycles Oxfordshire.
n 1944, Evangeline Sarah Nyendwoha, When she graduated in June 1954, she
might not have imagined it, but she became east Africa’s first female graduate.
was about to make a move that would And she returned home by boat so that she
change her life and that of many women could take her bicycle with her. She recalled
in Uganda. At the time, she was a 19-year that in Hoima there was a festival for about
old student at the prestigious King’s Col- a week. She also recalled riding her bicycle
lege Budo. She had joined the school from as her father took her to visit relatives.
Budo Junior when she was 13 years old. In Then she began teaching at Gayaza
1944, she was in the last of her six years and School, Uganda’s oldest girls’ secondary
possibly unsure of her next move. The only school, and another legend around her life
institution of higher learning then; Maker- was born. It is said she realised that, as a
ere College admitted only male students. woman, she was to earn less that her male
And to reaffirm its point, its motto was counterparts. And she protested, arguing
simply “Let Us be Men”. So Nyendwoha that she deserved equal pay for equal work.
considered herself locked out. When that failed, she offered to teach with-
Despite offering only post-school cer- out pay; as a volunteer teacher. Her protest
tificates and no degrees, 22-year old Mak- reached the wife of the colonial governor,
erere College was regarded the center for Ms Anne Cohen, who intervened and she
higher education in all of the east African started to receive equal salary with men.
region; which comprised pre-independence Her stay at Gayaza was short as in 1958
Uganda, Kenya, and then-Tanganyika (now she was appointed to Uganda’s legislative
Tanzania). council, as parliament was known then. She
Nyendwoha was possibly bitter that, for recalled that she immediately introduced a
her gender, she could not join this presti- to leave. So, for the sake of others, she private members’ Bill on equal pay for men
gious institution which was later to morph reportedly submitted and left the sciences and women.
into present day Makerere University Kam- section for the humanities where she stud- That same year, she married Tanzanian
pala. But change was coming. ied history, geography and English. She Prof. Sam Joseph Ntiro, a renowned artist
In 1945 the Makerere College motto was also did teaching practice at her alma mater, and one of the founders of the Margaret
suddenly changed to “We build for the King’s College Budo and Kyebambe Girls Trowel School of Fine Art, Makerere Uni-
future”. It went on to admit its first female School. versity. Joseph Ntiro went on to become
students. Among the six was Nyendwoha. However, in an interview in November Tanganyika’s High Commissioner to Britain
This girl from Hoima in the Bunyoro 2012 with the Financial Times newspaper and Nyendwoha returned to Britain. Her
kingdom of western Uganda was surely titled `First Person: Sarah Ntiro’ she said husband was a commissioner from 1961-64.
born lucky. Her parents; Erasto B. Nyend- simply that one of her teachers suggested They had two sons.
woha Akiiki and Jane Nsungwa Nyendwo- that academically the course at Makerere When she returned to Uganda, she joined
ha, were teachers, which meant they were was not stretching her enough, and that the civil service in the Ministry of Education
relatively educated, affluent, and liberal. At she should go to university. Of course, that from 1965- 1967and was instrumental in
a time when girls were only good for mar- meant going abroad, as there was no uni- starting the Teaching Service Commission.
rying, Nyendwoha’s parents found nothing versity in Uganda then. She was advised to She also worked for Makerere University.
odd about sending their two children; a boy apply to Oxford University, was admitted, Her life’s work, however, was devoted
and girl to school. A bright child, she easily and in 1951 started a history degree at St to fighting for equality for women. She
excelled and was admitted to King’s Col- Anne’s College, Oxford. founded many organisations to support
lege Budo which had only started admitting She explained that she chose to study women. She became an inspiration and
girls five years earlier in 1933. She stayed areas that she felt had some bearing on mentor for many girls and women and won
there for six years starting 1938. Then in her life back home. She studied England’s man accolades for it. In 2000 the Forum for
1945, another barrier against women was agricultural revolution because she came African Women Educationalists – Uganda
torn down and she joined Makerere College from an agricultural area and the French (FAWEU) started the Dr. Sarah Ntiro
to train as a teacher. revolution because she was proud of com- Lecture and Award Event to celebrate her
A story is often told about how she ing from Bunyoro Kingdom, and wanted to achievements.
preferred to train as a math teacher; since know why “anyone would be mad enough “I’d still like every woman to know that
that was her favourite subject, but she was to overthrow their king”. She also studied you can fight any battle, if it’s worth listen-
rejected by a British tutor who considered English settlement in America to under- ing to,” she said in the 2012 FT interview.
her better suited for “female subjects” like stand what inspired the settlers to make She might have been born to the right
knitting and tailoring. that dangerous journey across the Atlantic parents at the right time, but she also was a
According to that story, the tutor refused Ocean. warrior for women’s rights.
to teach the class when the teenager refused But, she said, the other big new thing she
W
hat does it cost to silence a country like Mexico, where cartel crime nationals suspected of gross human rights
muckraking reporter? In the goes unreported in huge swaths of the violations. Canada enacted its own Mag-
Philippines, officials needed country. Brave reporters who have refused nitsky law in October 2017, while Estonia,
just $250 in 2011 to buy the to be cowed have paid with their lives, and Lithuania, Latvia, and the United Kingdom
services of a journalist-slaying gunman. In cartel-linked killings have had the intended have introduced similar measures.
Slovakia, Ján Kuciak and his fiancée were effect of silencing others. In fact, most Mex- But enacting a law is not the same as
killed in February for about $80,000. ican journalists can instinctively identify using it. With the exception of several indi-
For corrupt politicians and crime bosses, “zones of silence” where democracy and viduals implicated in the 2004 murder of
neither sum is significant. The cost to transparency perish. Forbes editor Paul Klebnikov in Moscow,
democracy, however, is immeasurable. In 2013, the United Nations sought to Magnitsky-type laws have not been widely
Every year, more journalists are murdered bring global attention to the problem by deployed in the defense of journalists. Gov-
because of their reporting than die in war making November 2 the annual Interna- ernments committed to upholding democ-
zones. Since 1992, when the Committee to tional Day to End Impunity for Crimes racy should not hesitate to use the tools at
Protect Journalists (CPJ) began compiling Against Journalists. My organisation sup- their disposal to protect those who risk their
data, 1,324 journalists have been killed on ports this effort with our yearly Global lives defending free speech. Governments
the job, and 849 of them were executed for Impunity Index, which shows that democ- in Europe, in particular, have a responsi-
their work. But in nearly 90% of these mur- racies like Mexico, Brazil, India, Pakistan, bility to ensure that national and EU-level
ders, the people who ordered the attacks and the Philippines consistently fail to con- commitments are upheld.
escaped justice. On the rare occasion that a vict journalists’ killers. Press-freedom organisations can also
full investigation was conducted, only low- Journalists know that democracy and a do more to end impunity. In Mexico, for
level associates were ensnared. The big fish free press are mutually dependent, and example, CPJ worked with reporters and
usually got away. that when reporters are silenced, embezzle- advocacy groups to lobby the national
The problem is not confined to countries ment, extortion, and environmental crimes government to treat attacks on journal-
in the Global South. October 16 marked one increase. And while many are fighting back, ists as federal offenses – and to bypass
year since Daphne Caruana Galizia, a Mal- they could use some help. state-level law enforcement agencies when
tese journalist investigating corruption, was One of the most promising weapons in the corruption is suspected. The federal gov-
killed by a car bomb just minutes after filing struggle against impunity is sanctions. Since ernment responded by creating the Special
a story that seemed to forecast her death. 2016, the Global Magnitsky Human Rights Prosecutor for Attention to Crimes Against
Three men have been charged with her Accountability Act in the United States Freedom of Expression (FEADLE).
assassination, but the masterminds remain has authorized the US president to impose Still, a lack of funding for the prosecutor’s
at large. visa bans and freeze the assets of foreign office is threatening to reverse its modest
Similarly, Slovakia – like Malta a Euro- gains. The incoming government of Presi-
pean Union country – has failed to deliver dent-elect Andrés Manuel López Obrador
justice in the brutal murder of Kuciak and can tackle the impunity problem, but only if
his fiancée, Martina Kušnírová, at their FEADLE is fully resourced.
home near Bratislava. Although police have As governments dither, journalists are
made arrests in the case, not all of the orga-
nizers – who presumably did not want him One of defending themselves the best way they
know how: with journalism. The collective
digging into allegations of mafia activity in
the country – have been found. the most response to the deaths of Caruana Galizia
and Kuciak illustrates this well. Both were
And while Saudi Arabia has now
admitted that the journalist and Washington
promising members of international investigative
networks, and today, those groups are
Post columnist Jamal Khashoggi was killed
in the Kingdom’s consulate in Istanbul, the
weapons in following the leads and finishing the stories
that murder interrupted. The message
ongoing investigation of the case is equally the struggle to would-be assassins is simple: killing
against
unlikely to lead to the prosecution of all reporters will not kill the story.
those responsible for his disappearance.
Impunity in such cases is a cancer on
accountability and democracy. Reporters impunity is Robert Mahoney is Deputy Executive Director
need the rule of law to work effectively.
When law enforcement and the judiciary
sanctions of the Committee to Protect Journalists.
A
ll eyes are on the United States as come a long history of collusion with the and ensuring access to quality education
November’s Congressional elec- right, from President Bill Clinton’s capital – without the chokehold of student debt
tions approach. The outcome will gains tax cut (which enriched the top that so many graduates currently face
answer many alarming questions 1%) and financial market deregulation – and decent health care, regardless of
raised two years ago, when Donald Trump (which helped bring on the Great Reces- pre-existing medical conditions. They call
won the presidential election. sion), to the 2008 bank bailout (which for affordable housing and a secure retire-
Will the U.S. electorate declare that offered too little to displaced workers and ment in which the elderly are not preyed
Trump is not what America is about? homeowners facing foreclosure). Over the on by an avaricious financial sector. And
Will voters renounce his racism, last quarter-century, the party has some- they seek a more dynamic, competitive,
misogyny, nativism, and protectionism? times seemed more focused on winning and fair-market economy by curbing the
Will they say that his “America First” the support of those who live on capital excesses of market power, financialisation,
rejection of the international rule of law gains than those who live on wages. and globalisation, and by strengthening
is not what the U.S. stands for? Or will Many stay-at-home voters complain that workers’ bargaining power.
they make it clear that Trump’s win was the Democrats are relying on attacks on These perquisites of a middle-class life
not a historical accident resulting from Trump, rather than putting forward a real are attainable. They were affordable a
a Republican primary process that pro- alternative. half-century ago, when the country was
duced a flawed nominee and a Demo- The thirst for a different kind of con- substantially poorer than it is today; and
cratic primary process that produced tender is evident in voter support for they are affordable now. In fact, neither
Trump’s ideal opponent? progressive candidates like former presi- America’s economy nor its democracy
As America’s future hangs in the bal- dential candidate Senator Bernie Sanders can afford not to bolster the middle class.
ance, impassioned debates about what and New York’s 28-year-old Alexandria Government policies and programs –
caused the 2016 outcome are more than Ocasio-Cortez, who recently defeated including public options for health insur-
academic. At stake is how the Democratic the fourth-ranking Democrat in the U.S. ance, supplementary retirement benefits,
Party – and similar parties of the left in House of Representatives in a party pri- or mortgages – are crucial to realising this
Europe – should position themselves to mary. vision.
win the most votes. Should they lean Progressives like Sanders and Ocasio- I am encouraged by the outpouring of
toward the center or focus on mobilising Cortez have managed to present an support for these progressive proposals
young, progressive, and enthusiastic new- attractive message to the voters whom and the political leaders who support
comers? Democrats must mobilise to win. They them. In a normal democracy, these ideas
There are good reasons to believe that seek to restore access to a middle-class life would, I am confident, prevail. But U.S.
the latter course is more likely to bring by providing decent, well-paying jobs, politics has been corrupted by money,
electoral success and stymie the dangers reestablishing a sense of financial security, gerrymandering and massive attempts at
posed by Trump. disenfranchisement. The 2017 tax bill was
American voter turnout is abysmal, and nothing short of a bribe to corporations
worse in non-presidential-election years.
In 2010, just 41.8% of the electorate voted. In 2010, just and the wealthy to pour their financial
resources into the 2018 election. Statistics
In 2014, only 36.7% of eligible voters cast
ballots, according to data from the United 41.8% of the show that money matters enormously in
American politics.
States Elections Project. Democratic
turnout is even worse, although it appears
electorate Even with a flawed democracy –
including a concerted effort to prevent
to be on the upswing this election cycle.
People often say they don’t vote because
voted. In 2014, some from voting – the power of the
American electorate matters. We will
they think it makes no difference: the two only 36.7% of soon find out whether it matters more
eligible voters
parties are as similar as Tweedledee and than the money flowing into the Repub-
Tweedledum. Trump has shown that’s lican Party’s coffers. America’s political
not true. The Republicans who aban-
doned all pretense of fiscal rectitude and cast ballots, and economic future, and most likely the
peace and prosperity of the entire world,
voted last year for a massive tax cut for
billionaires and corporations have shown
according to depends on the answer.
I
n August 2018, jurors in California, crops grown worldwide are engineered soil and air samples. In Uganda, several
USA, ruled that Roundup, a popular to tolerate being sprayed with glyphosate farmers are using various chemicals to kill
weed killer, was responsible for Mr. herbicides. The idea behind such crops weeds on their farms. Are they safe for
Dewayne Johnson’s terminal cancer is to simplify weed control for farmers. agricultural use? Are they a health hazard
illness. A former groundskeeper, Johnson The farmer could douse the entire field to our food chain? As a matter of impor-
was awarded US$289 million in damages with glyphosate herbicide, killing all tance we need to reflect on the toxicity
for Monsanto’s failure to warn a ground- weeds without killing the crop. In this of glyphosate in food to assess whether
skeeper that Monsanto’s weed killer, case Mr. Johnson developed a severe and foods sprayed with herbicides containing
Roundup, might cause cancer. Jurors fatal form of non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma glyphosate are safe to consume.
found that Monsanto acted with “malice” while working as a school groundskeeper, As members of parliament continue
and that its weed killers Roundup and repeatedly spraying with large quanti- to deliberate on the National Biosafety
the professional grade version RangerPro ties of Monsanto’s Roundup and other Bill 2017 to address the concerns raised
contributed “substantially” to Johnson’s glyphosate herbicide brands. by the President of Uganda, The pre-
terminal illness. Monsanto said it would This case is a massive precedent for cautionary principle should be followed
appeal the decision. Monsanto Vice thousands of other cases in the USA as the guiding principle of our law as
President, Scott Partridge, stated: “To- against the world’s largest agrochem- enshrined in the Cartagena Protocol
day’s decision does not change the fact ical company. Another trial is set for to which Uganda is a signatory. The
that more than 800 scientific studies and October where more than 450 lawsuits principle implies that there is a social
reviews—and conclusions by the U.S. are pending in U.S. District Court in San responsibility to protect the public from
Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), Francisco, filed by people alleging that exposure to harm. We need to ensure that
the U.S. National Institutes of Health and exposure to Roundup herbicide caused a strict liability is clearly stipulated in our
regulatory authorities around the world— them or their loved ones to develop non- law indicating that whoever introduces a
support the fact that glyphosate does not Hodgkin lymphoma, and that Monsanto GMO, or any other chemical, should be
cause cancer, and did not cause Mr. John- covered up the risks. held strictly liable for any damage caused.
son’s cancer,” Increasingly there is growing evidence This will ensure that the big multinational
Bayer, a German Agro chemical com- linking the use of glyphosate weed killer companies are held accountable for the
pany, recently acquired Monsanto for to a range of health problems and dis- public health and other risks caused by
US$ 63 billion. Both Bayer and Monsanto eases. According to statistics available, their products and supplies.
are major global manufacturers of agro- glyphosate is used around the globe The Uganda National Bureau of Stan-
chemicals and seeds, including genetically (an estimated 826kg a year). It has been dards (UNBS) should endeavor to ensure
modified (GM) seed. The merged entity noted that glyphosate residues are com- that roundup, or any other Glyphosate-
will be the world’s largest supplier by monly found in food, water supplies, in containing herbicide, is not allowed in
sales of both seeds and pesticides, con- our markets. Perhaps cancer ailments are
trolling up to 30 percent of the world’s on the increase in Uganda partly because
commercial seed markets and 24 percent we are exposed to many carcinogenic
of the world’s pesticide markets. In 2015, substances: in this case efforts should be
In Uganda,
the World Health Organisation (WHO’s) made to investigate most-consumed prod-
International Agency for Research for ucts on the Ugandan market to establish
several
Cancer released a hazard statement their possible carcinogenic contents.
that found glyphosate to be “probably In light of the verdict of the Johnson
farmers are
carcinogenic to humans”. In December case, it is imperative that the controversy
2017, the United States Environmental surrounding glyphosate becomes the
Protection Agency released a draft human basis of discussion for deeper conversa-
health risk assessment that concluded that
“glyphosate is not likely to be carcino-
using various tion about future direction of Uganda’s
agriculture system. We need to shift from
genic to humans.” Monsanto claims that
several scientific studies have been done
chemicals to chemical input intensive weed manage-
ment to Agroecology methodologies.
proving that roundup does not cause
cancer.
kill weeds on Agroecology is gaining interest world-
wide as an effective answer to climate
However, according to the evidence
produced in the Johnson case and internal
their farms change and interrelated challenges facing
food systems.
emails between Monsanto scientists, it
was acknowledged that roundup – the The writer is a Research Fellow with
glyphosate weed killer that Monsanto Advocates Coalition for Development and
sells, does cause damage. Glyphosate is Environment (ACODE) b.ntambirweki@
the world’s most used active ingredient acode-u.org
in herbicides. Genetically modified (GM)
E
By Julius Businge only impractical but also cumbersome. operations in Uganda in 2015, it has been
“We want to have a system which is declaring every single gold export and
xecutives at the East Africa’s more practical, cheaper and is easy for that Uganda Revenue Authority captures
largest refinery, Africa Gold African miners to operate,” he told The all the statistics that are also accessible at
Refinery are nervous about Independent. the Bank of Uganda.
the future of the country’s A source that understands the inner She said AGR has paid over
precious industry. workings of the Entebbe based refinery Shs1.8billion as tax to URA – which
The firm’s Chief Executive told The Independent that AGR business includes 18% VAT, PAYE, import duties,
Officer, Alain Goetz, said during the 2018 might not be sustainable if smuggling withholding tax, infrastructure levy,
Mineral Wealth Conference in Kampala and related irregular gold activities are excise duty, domestic VAT, environmental
that the fears emanates from smuggling not stopped. levy, motor vehicle registration and
and exports of raw gold, a situation that The source said for many decades, local taxes. And that the company also
could threaten formalized businesses gold has been trafficked directly out of employs 85 local workers who have been
such as theirs. the region via several gold market hubs, trained in gold trade by experts from
He said the government’s initiative of particularly to the Middle East due to Dubai and Europe.
mineral certification that comes out of the poorly considered fiscal regimes for This development comes barely three
Great Lakes region such as gold is not small-scale producers and traders and years since AGR opened its US$23million
8,691
gold without paying the 5% royalties.” found guilty, revoking their license and
The source said that there should be other penalties as provided for in the laws
refinery accreditation initiatives which will be applied.
certify gold and silver refinery regulated kilograms Kateshumbwa, however, said the two
by Bank of Uganda or other government of gold, valued at new refineries are ideally sparking a
US$339.09
entities. business rivalry with AGR given that gold
The source adds that the refinery is a scarce raw material.
million
company must also comply with He said having many refineries in the
international standards and strict criteria sector would help in fighting informality
prior to getting any related licenses as which has seen government lose billions
well as ensuring that the companies add were exported of taxes and Ugandans losing out on jobs.
value to the precious commodity. Don Binyina, the executive director at
Back in 2014, President Yoweri Africa Centre for Energy and Mineral
Museveni said during the 3rd Mineral Policy (ACEMP) told The Independent
Wealth Conference in Kampala that that these fights are happening
value-addition was the only pathway to exports its gold through Bullion Refinery partly because of the absence of the
job creation. for reasons that are known to them. comprehensive law to guide on mining,
“You should always bear this in mind, refining and exporting of gold.
add value to minerals so that we get more Tough law, audit in offing He said that the new mining policy
jobs as well as build technical capacity Robert Kasande, the permanent that was cleared by Cabinet in July this
and a strong base for the economy,” he secretary for the Ministry of Energy year would help to minimize the current
said then. and Mineral Development told The rivalry.
However, the absence of a law or Independent that they are reviewing the He also supports the idea of licensing
policy banning exports of this precious 2003 Mining Act to include value addition more gold refineries in the country as
commodity has seen traders export on all raw materials including gold as one way of fueling competition in the
unprocessed gold, leaving the country to measure to stop raw gold exports. sector, creating new jobs and taxes to
only reap peanuts. Asked to explain reports about government, and dealing with the issue of
Whereas AGR claims to refine gold to companies exporting raw gold and not gold smuggling.
99.99% for export and meets the other paying the legal 5% royalties, Kasande Data from Bank of Uganda shows
stringent requirements, sources in the said it was the responsibility of URA. that gold exports recorded an increase
industry claim Simba Gold Refinery and However, Dicksons Kateshumbwa, in earnings by US$36million to
Bullion Gold Refinery are refining only the Uganda Revenue Authority Assistant US$340million in 2016 compared with the
at 94%. Commissioner for Customs said the previous year even as the country was
Although The Independent could not Mining Act 2003 mandates the ministry of not known as a big gold exporter. This
get hold of the two companies, scanty energy to collect royalties. was good news because gold became
information on Bullion Refinery website The 2016/2017 Auditor General’s report Uganda’s second largest export good after
states that ‘it is Ugandan company revealed that gold exports recorded by coffee.
and employs Ugandan personnel in all the directorate of geological surveys and Therefore, any move by government to
technical processes to ensure a beneficial mines in the ministry of energy were fight smuggling and other irregular trade
transfer of skills and technology.” not tallying with ones declared by the of the mineral would yield more tangible
It is not clear where Simba refinery Uganda Revenue Authority – that means economic benefits.
operates from though sources said it officials have to wakeup.
By Allen Choruma from being a mere digital token into a exchange control circumventions,
A
digitised asset with an economic value. terrorism financing and other criminal
s the use of cryptocurrencies That is to say, users can earn it, store it, activities fuelling illicit financial
gains momentum, African trade it, transfer it, and sell it. transactions. While some of these
central banks, gripped by African central banks by and large do concerns are genuine, others tend to be
crypto-phobia, are pressing not recognise cryptocurrencies as money, rhetorical and hyperbolic, as traditional
panic buttons, with some taking the easy mediums of exchange or legal tender. financial systems are also fraught with
way out by banning the use and trading But this is not only unique to Africa as similar risks.
in cryptocurrencies in their territories. similar patterns are being experienced Gripped by crypto-phobia, African
What are they afraid of? African in other parts of the world, especially central banks have convulsed, issuing a
Business Magazines’ Allen Choruma developing countries. plethora of warnings against the use of
writes. In Europe and the US, central cryptocurrencies while others have gone
Cryptocurrencies, also known as banks have generally cautioned, but to extremes, outright banning trading
virtual currencies, are a digital medium not banned, the use of or trading in in them – an easier way out of what
of exchange, which is unlike our normal cryptocurrencies. Although trading they perceive as the ‘crypto-quagmire’.
fiat currency that exists in the form in cryptocurrencies in Africa has not According to a March 31, 2018 public
of physical bank notes or coins, or spread widely to people at the bottom notice issued by Adikwu Igoche,
commodity money, backed by gold or of the pyramid, their use is spiralling Manager, Research Development at
other precious stones. upward like a whirlwind in tandem with Nigeria Deposit Insurance Corporation
The blockchain digital technology is ICT technological advancements, high (NDIC), cryptocurrencies are not
as vital to cryptocurrencies as the central mobile penetration, growth in literacy, recognised as currency in Nigeria as
nervous system is to humans. Blockchain and financial inclusion and consumer they do not belong to the category of
uses cryptography to create (mine) sophistication. currencies or coins issued by the Central
and store units, secure transactions, African central banks link Bank of Nigeria (CBN).
transfer tokens and effect payments. cryptocurrencies to price volatility, Similar announcements were issued by
These processes metamorphose a crypto fraud, money laundering, tax evasion, Uganda’s Central Bank during the Africa
W
story in Uganda? play in a clean and safe
e have been environment. Regulation
growing should protect the buyer
because of our and the seller. Laws
best prices regarding data protection
in the market. We offer for the consumer are
convenience by delivering coming and we hope
products to customers. We government will ensure
guarantee our products – that whoever goes to the
the quality is good and we internet plays by the rules.
deal in genuine products.
We also allow customers What should consumers
to pay after receiving the expect from Jumia’s black
product and allow them to Friday starting Nov.16 –
return the product in seven Dec.7?
days in case they are not Black Friday is the
comfortable with it. biggest online sale of
the year. We negotiate
What is your assessment of thousands of deals for our
e-commerce in Uganda and customers. We have up
the region at the moment? to 80% discounts on over
E-commerce is on the 1000 products. This is the
upswing evidenced by Ron Kawamara is Jumia Uganda’s new only time that you find the
many companies coming on Chief Executive Officer. He spoke to The best prices in Uganda in a
the market – Uber, Taxify, short period of time. We
SafeBoda and others. This
Independent’s Julius Businge about his negotiate with importers,
is the time for e-commerce strategy and related online developments. manufacturers, distributors
in Uganda. People are to achieve this. We hope to
using technology to get generate Shs17.5bn in terms
convenience. of economic activity during
In the U.S and Europe, turning around fortunes of as a business? that period.
internet business makes up Jumia Uganda? Internet is still expensive
15% of the overall economy I want to make sure that for many of our customers Going forward, what is your
but in Uganda and most we continue to have the best and as a result, many of them reading of e-commerce and
African countries, internet prices, the widest range of find it expensive to reach us Jumia’s business in Uganda?
or e-commerce makes up products and to give our online and we lose on those In the next 5-10 years,
less than 1% of the economy, customers the best experience sales. That is the biggest Jumia will be a household
which means 99% of trade by delivering on time. challenge. name that will be known for
is still happening offline. good quality, best prices and
But the opportunity is here, How positive has been So how should relevant with happiest customers. We
companies are making your business to Uganda’s players go about driving believe internet technology
money, customers are economy? down the cost of the is a great equaliser and can
buying, businesses are selling We employ hundreds of internet? allow us offer people the
and internet is becoming people directly and several I must admit that internet value that people who are not
cheaper and more affordable. indirectly. We have our prices are reducing but not online canot get. E-commerce
This is the good time for business partners – hotels, fast enough. Government is no longer the future, it is
e-commerce. sellers, restaurants who are can help reduce it faster by here with us.
making a lot of revenue investing in infrastructure.
How has a slowing economy through this alternative line There are many people who In executing your roles, what
affected online business in of revenue. For customers, don’t understand that a defines your leadership
recent years? they are able to save money lot of fiber has been laid in traits?
Despite the economy and use savings to do other Kampala and that they can I try to understand people.
being tough, Jumia has been development things. In connect to it. There needs I invest time to understand
growing steadily. Obviously addition, we train young to be an education on the the inner person and through
if the economy was better, leaders – for instance, benefits of using the internet that I am able to get the best
we would even have a more Uber and Taxify managing and how affordable it is out of people. I understand
positive story. We are part directors have all been becoming day-by-day. my team; I know their fears
and partial of the Ugandan trained at Jumia. and I know what it takes to
experience. What is your position on manage them.
How are you dealing with regulating e-commerce in
What is your strategy for the challenges that you face this country?
T
he Kenya Revenue stations risk penalties for non- officials will be using undercov-
Authority now wants compliance to the requirement er purchase agents to determine
oil marketers to issue which most marketers believe is non-compliant dealers who will
electronic tax register logistically strenuous owing to then face appropriate penalties.
receipts to motorists fuelling at the high number of transactions The dealers, however, said
their stations following the sign- taking place in petrol stations. they should be exempted from
ing of the Finance Bill, which Judith Njagi, the chief man- the hustle since petroleum is a
loaded 8 percent Value Added ager for domestic taxes at KRA highly regulated product whose
Tax on petroleum products, ac- told petroleum dealers during a sales are easy to track through
cording to the country’s media. stakeholder engagement forum the pump and supply chain.
The taxman says petrol in Nairobi that the Authority
TRADE TELECOM
A
end of a meeting co-hosted
by the African Export-Import irtel Uganda has put
Bank (Afreximbank) and the on the market a mobile
African Union Commission, telephone it describes
said PAFTRAC would enhance as 4G for its Ugandan
African private sector participa- customers. Officials said the mo-
tion and galvanize the views of bile phone cost is Shs200, 000.
the African private sector, main- The gadget comes with value
streaming them into trade and back to the customer of 15GB of
investment policy making. data amounting to Shs90, 000,
The African Union Commis- a 4G SIM card, one year war-
sioner for Trade and Industry, ranty, 200SMS working for Airtel
Amb. Albert Muchanga, who customers and Shs500 worth of
President Museveni (in a hat )with members of the private sector in Kampala. COURTESY /PHOTO co-chaired a meeting with Prof. airtime.
A
Benedict Oramah, the president The company’s Chief Com-
frica’s leading private tion of the African Continental Afreximbank, said PAFTRAC mercial Officer, Amit Kapur,
sector institutions and Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) and was an important stepping- said on Oct.22 that they expect
corporates have estab- enhance African private sec- stone towards the establishment the new mobile gadget to
lished a Pan-African tor participation in trade and of the African Business Council improve people’s lives through
Private Sector Trade and Invest- investment policy formulation, provided for under the AfCFTA e-commerce, education and
ment Committee (PAFTRAC) to including trade negotiations. Framework. Continental free financial inclusion.
serve as an advocacy platform A communique issued in trade is expected to take effect
to support the implementa- Addis Ababa on Oct. 18 at the next year.
BANKING TELECOM
C O
n Oct. 25, to reduce existing debt
entenary Bank in partnership addresses,” he said. Airtel Af- of about $5 billion and
with MasterCard and M-KO- M-KOPA’s life-changing products rica Ltd, a grow its Africa opera-
PA Solar has unveiled Quick combine lights, mobile phone charg- subsidiary tions.
Response (QR) payment ing, radios, smart phones, TVs and of India’s Bharti Airtel “The transaction
technology to enable customers con- fridges. Ltd, said it raised $1.25 will help us further
veniently pay for the solar services. To connect to M-KOPA and start billion from six global leverage our balance
Centenary Bank’s Managing to build their credit history, custom- investors including sheet and boost our
Director, Fabian Kasi, said the tripar- ers pay a deposit and then small SoftBank Group Corp, capacity to upgrade
tite partnership shall enhancing the daily payments towards electricity Warburg Pincus LLC networks, expand
bank’s efforts towards promoting the that are usually less than what they and Temasek Hold- coverage in different
use of clean and safe energy by its would have spent on kerosene, ings (Private) Ltd. markets and achieve
customers in the various communi- candles and batteries over the same The firm said the rapid growth of Airtel
ties. period of time. fundraising, through Money across our
“The mode of payment is an This comes as data from the Unit- a primary equity issu- operations,” Raghu-
affordable solution for our custom- ed States Agency for International ance, now values the nath Mandava, chief
ers, many of whom live in rural areas Development shows that Uganda telecommunications executive of Bharti
with little or no access to electricity has one of the lowest electrification company at us $4.4 bil- Airtel’s Africa unit,
and other necessities including struc- rates in Africa, at 22 percent as at the lion and will be used said in a statement.
tured financing which this campaign end of last year.
KQ opens E. African
skies to United States
By Isaac Khisa & Agencies Kenya Airways has dedi-
T
cated two Dreamliner aircraft
he newly unveiled Ke- to the daily non-stop flights on
nya Airways non-stop the Nairobi to New York route
daily flights between made up of a night flight from
Nairobi and New York Nairobi and a mid-day return
is set to open up the East Afri- flight from New York. The car-
can skies to the United States, rier takes 15 hours to connect
making a milestone develop- the two destinations, down
ment in travel and tourism from 17-28 hours using other
business in the region. carriers with connecting flights
The carrier’s long-awaited through their hubs.
inaugural flight was unveiled This new development
on October 28 at 11: PM a is expected to reduce over-
board 234 passengers, becom- reliance on foreign carriers to
ing the third African carrier to bring US visitors to the Eastern
Kenya’s Foreign Affairs Cabinet Secretary Monica Juma flags off Kenya enter the US skies directly from and Central African states
Airways’ first ever direct flight to New York, USA, at the Jomo Kenyatta their hubs. through their hubs outside the
International Airport on October 29, 2018. Courtesy Photo. Ethiopian Airlines and South region.
African Airways are the only President Uhuru Kenyatta
other African carriers that have said that the new route will
been granted Category One open up Kenya to the rest of
permit to access the US skies. the world.
RwandAir, which has sub- “These flights are set to pro-
mitted application to directly vide a seamless experience for
fly to the United States, still business and leisure travellers
awaits approval from the US alike. It will allow the world to
Federal Aviation Administra- taste Kenya’s diverse cultures
tion. Kenya Airways first flight and hospitality,” he said.
between JKIA in Nairobi and The carrier, which flies 53
the JF Kennedy International destinations, 45 in Africa,
Airport comes more than a charges Shs 3.3milion return
year since the US Federal ticket for an economy class
Aviation Administration gave and Shs 9.6million for a
Kenya the Category One rating business class between two
in February 2017. destinations.
Airtel Uganda MD VG Somasekhar (2nd R), Buganda Prime Minister,
Peter Mayiga (R) and the Buganda King, Ronald Muwenda Mutebi (L)
hands over a trophy to Ssingo FC for emerging winners of this year’s
Masaza Cup 18 final on October 27. Ssingo FC edged out Buddo FC
during the finals held at Namboole Stadium. Courtesy Photo.
B
that we wanted to understand better. faster-dividing cells, but not for slower cells,
rain cancers are fortunately rare which mainly use fats as their source of
tumours in adults. Nevertheless, Feeding on fats and sugars energy. In experimental models, we could
the most common type of brain In a recent study, we compared glioblas- show that withholding sugars affects only
cancer, glioblastoma, is incurable toma cells and how fast they divided. And the faster-dividing cells. Conversely, in
and almost always lethal. Because of the we saw that there were remarkable differ- experiments where we blocked the metabo-
lack of effective therapies, the average sur- ences in the division rate of these tumour lism of slower-dividing cells, their faster
vival with glioblastoma is only 15 months. cells. counterparts continued to grow unchecked.
US senator, John McCain suffered from this This led us to classify glioblastoma cells When we combined treatments to stop both
form of tumour, as did former British MP into faster-dividing and slower-dividing faster and slower dividing cells in experi-
Tessa Jowell, who was outspoken about the cancer cells and we investigated these mental models, we found that this was most
need for more experimental treatments. further. Intuitively, we expected faster- effective to stop the tumours from growing.
Finding new and more effective thera- dividing cells to be more aggressive, as they In our study, we also identified a certain
pies for glioblastoma is very difficult for cause a tumour to grow more rapidly. But transport protein for fatty acids that is spe-
many reasons. Glioblastoma cells can move surprisingly, we found that glioblastoma cific to slower-dividing glioblastoma cells.
far away from the main tumour into the cells that are dividing slower were more An important question arising from our
healthy brain, which makes complete surgi- likely to resist chemotherapy. work is whether this transport protein car-
cal removal of the cancer impossible. These Likewise, slower cells were more likely to ries specific types of fatty acids into these
cancers are typically also very resistant to move away from the main tumour, making tumour cells, and if this can be stopped for
current drugs and radiation therapy. As a them harder to remove surgically. Genetic future therapies of glioblastoma. We used
result, glioblastomas usually regrow after signatures of these slower cells resemble sig- an experimental drug to block this transport
treatment, and these “recurrent” tumours natures of “recurrent” glioblastoma, which protein, which was effective in our models
tend to resist all efforts to treat them and indicates that slower cells may in fact be the in combination with treatments targeting
ultimately cause the patient’s demise. ones that cause tumours to regrow. faster dividing cells.
The so-called “blood-brain barrier” pre- Interestingly, the genetic signatures of It is too early to tell whether this drug
vents many anti-cancer drugs that work “recurrent” glioblastomas and slower divid- could one day be effective in the clinic, but
well in other organs from entering the brain ing glioblastoma cells were similar and based on our findings, it seems a question
in the first place. This severely limits the revealed an increased dependence on fats that is worth exploring.
number of drugs that can be applied. Glio- for energy consumption of these tumours.
blastomas are also very dissimilar between Since the 1920s it has been hypothesised Florian Siebzehnrubl is a Research Fellow,
patients, and no genes are known that are that cancers predominantly rely on a less European Cancer Stem Cell Research
mutated in all glioblastomas. Even within effective way than normal cells of using Institute, Cardiff University
a tumour in a single patient, there are large sugars for their energy support. This is Source: theconversation.com
differences in the tumour cells themselves. known as the Warburg effect.
What is
beautiful
exhibit
Sekajugo’s
artist inspired
by prejudices
around identity
E
By Dominic Muwanguzi
F
collision from occurring
or a car to be in the first place. Stability
considered safe for control is required on all
your car?
passengers, it must new vehicles, and many
be able to perform vehicles now have a
well in accident avoidance reversing camera.
and maximally protect In addition to these
them in case of accidents; mandated technologies,
especially collisions and
roll-overs. This means the
The five factors to consider many automakers are
voluntarily pursuing
car must have effective improved safety by
driving and collision In a collision involving a naturally, typically found in offering features such as
avoidance technologies; large vehicle and a small more expensive vehicles. forward collision warning,
including braking systems, vehicle, the large vehicle automatic emergency
lights, and roof crush wins. It is just the laws of Low center of gravity is braking, lane departure
strength. physics. But remember that better warning and prevention,
Many countries have heavier vehicles also tend to blind-spot warning, and
agencies to measures consume more fuel. By this point, you must rear cross-traffic alert
vehicle safety against be thinking that if a heavier systems.
standards. In South Africa, Newer is better and newer vehicle is safest, Beyond the issues
it is the Automobile During the past 20 years, then it must be a big truck discussed above, you need
Association. Generally, it car companies have made or SUV. However, another to properly maintain your
advisable when considering significant advancements factor in vehicle safety vehicle for optimum safety.
the safety of a car, to check in vehicle architecture that you must consider: Bald tires, broken lights,
out its crash-test rating design. From engineering roll-over resistance, shows dirty windows, and fading
done by a reputable agency crumple zones and crash- that might not be the case. brakes can all contribute to
such as America’s Insurance energy dispersion paths to Rollover accidents can increased likelihood for loss
Institute for Highway employing high-strength happen due to sudden of control and a collision.
Safety (IIHS). and ultra-high-strength steering inputs, sliding on Choosing proper seating
Generally, however, steel in specific areas, wet roads or colliding with and mirror positions is
and in addition to those new cars are much safer another vehicle, pavement, important, too. If you sit
ratings, you can look at than they were a decade or curb. Each of these low and reclined, it is hard
three primary factors to ago. Furthermore, newer situations is different, but to see out. Your side mirrors
determine how safe a car is. vehicles typically include given equal circumstances, should show just a little
These are vehicle weight, safety features that can help a vehicle with a lower bit of your own vehicle
vehicle center of gravity, you to avoid an accident center of gravity is less for orientation purposes.
and safety equipment. in the first place. Vehicle likely to flip over than a Otherwise, they ought to
architecture or structure vehicle with a higher center be positioned for as wide a
Heavier is better is what lies beneath its of gravity. That means the view of your blind spots as
The heavier your vehicle exterior skin. Most vehicles taller a vehicle sits off the is possible.
is, the better it will protect use steel for this structure, ground; the more likely it is Finally, it should go
you in a collision. Crash- though other materials, to roll-over following a loss without saying that driving
test ratings for a given such as aluminum and of control. when you are drunk, high,
vehicle are valid when carbon fiber, may also be Modern vehicles are sleepy, or distracted is a
compared to other vehicles employed. These more increasingly equipped with bad idea. Nothing good
of a similar size and weight. expensive materials are, safety technologies that comes of that.
Jeep
Jeep Grand Grand Cherokee
Cherokee
0783 614 601 / 0753 614 601 [email protected] www.spearmotors.co.ug
0783 614 601 / 0753 614 601 [email protected] www.spearmotors.co.ug
S
her afro-soul with a fusion of African instru- that Musisi began her professional music
hifah Musisi is a fashion designer, ments like addungu (arched harp), akogo journey. Her father, who has since passed
singer, guitarist, and songwriter (thumb piano), drums and more which she on, paid for the studio session to record
with an eye for the unique mixes into her music. Her latest song a song that she had written for her sister
and unusual. Her ‘Ebilowozo’ in which she sings and spouse reflecting how true love comes
music genre; afro- about longing for true love is from a far. It was publicly unveiled on their
soul, is a fusion of quite big. wedding in 2011. This was followed by two
contemporary, In fashion, she con- tough years of attempting to win audience
centrates on urban acceptance and recognition.
African fused “My kind of genre was a bit new to the
together under music audience but I had to keep in there,”
Marisha designs. says Musisi.
And she has big She has since written all her music selec-
dreams. tion with over 12 songs on two albums.
“I refer to After the first album Musisi went
myself as a ahead to work on her second album that
world artiste is still running. About the same time she
because I want embarked on music professionally, Musisi
to be a world also joined Records Fashion School to better
star,” she says. her fashion and design skills. One year into
The bud- school, she opened her first fashion shop.
ding artist says Still, music remains her passion.
her musical gift “Music has surprised me and although
was spotted by it might take long to yield, you just need to
her parents who keep doing what you do and perfect it,” she
encouraged her says, “People love good work and when
to learn musical you have it, they will come to you”.
instruments like She says it is inspired by real life experi-
the guitar along- ences and the environment. She says she
side singing. Her spent her early years of life in Kapeeka-
father was a song Luweero district which she says had beauti-
writer. She was also ful scenery and playing in the neighbor-
encouraged by her hood was her favourite pastime.
best friend at the time, “My mother sent us all to the village to
a pianist. get an experience of the village life and we
Even at school, she would only visit her in Kampala,” she says.
studied music and Musisi is a middle child in a polygamous
excelled. family. She attended Kampala Nursery
School, Greenhill Academy, Kibuli Second-
ary School and Mulama Secondary School
back in the village.
Musisi says she is excited to be
part of Uganda’s music industry
at this time because “every-
one is growing creatively
as opposed to before
where almost every
musician was
treading along
the same
line”.
I
don’t know about you? of beautiful things that Being the first about doing.
am very humble and we can attend to if only Ugandan artiste invited
God fearing. I am we could lessen the time to take part in a big What is your marked
also a fighter who wasted on politics. government project characteristic?
always goes for my in Sudan. I am always I am too kind.
dreams and will never What does being happy on my birthday
stop until I achieve them. powerful mean to you? because it’s an indication What do you most value
You are only powerful of continuity as God adds in your friends?
What is your idea of after self-discovery another year to my life I value the difference
perfect happiness? and reaching a point of and to carry-on. that you can’t find in
Being around people contentment. It takes family.
with positive vibes. I like being contented with Which talent would you
people of positive energy what you have; little or most like to have? Who are your favorite
because everyone is too much. I like to take care writers?
fighting a battle and they of people; especially I don’t read too much
just need someone who On what occasion do children professionally
will encourage them to you lie? either as a nurse or Who is your hero of
push on. So many times; I don’t doctor. I wish I could fiction?
do it in a bad way or become one even if it’s I love how Julia
What is your greatest hurting so much. I have for just a day. Roberts acts and smiles
fear? lied about time many all the way. She is the one
I have acrophobia times but haven’t lied for Where would you most that brings out love so
(extreme fear of heights) things that bite me. like to live? well and affectionately.
There is no place like
What is the trait What do you most home; Uganda is rich, Which historical figure
you most deplore in dislike about your has good people and do you most identify
yourself? appearance? freedom. I like to live in with?
I get angry at the As a young girl, I Uganda, I want to learn from
smallest things. Small or always thought that my Michael Jackson; he
petty things put me off. gap in the teeth wasn’t What is your most always adjusted to
a blessing until it was treasured possession? anything to get where he
What is the trait you cleared when I travelled. My musical wanted to. The difference
most deplore in others? People appreciated me instruments; especially between me and his
Bad vibes; I just like and that has ceased to the guitar. Even in my personality is that I lack
people with good energy. happen. darkest times, it’s there the urge because I am a
to restore my hope. All little reserved but I wish
Which living person do Which living person do my music emanates from I could get to that urge.
you most admire? you most despise? its melody and tones. He never stopped even
I admire my family but I don’t despise. when he became weak.
the person that I have What do you regard
really looked up to is What is the quality you as the lowest depth of What is your greatest
Helen Folasade Adu CBE most like in a woman? misery? regret?
known professionally as God fearing, humble. Rape; I have heard of There are few things I
Sade Adu. I listen to her stories of rape. No one regret about; I feel that I
music and look up to her. What is the quality you should go through such should have done them
most like in a man? an experience because differently or acted a
What is your greatest God fearing, it comes with a lot of different way towards
extravagance? knowledge and trauma and other adverse something.
I like shopping guitars fulfillment of effects.
responsibility How would you like to
What is your current What is your favorite die?
state of mind? What or who is the occupation? At 100 years in my
I am happy greatest love of your Music is just taking sleep. `
life? a little longer to bring
What do you consider I Love my family and in the money than I What is your motto?
the most overrated friends. expected but I will be Stay humble, be motivated
virtue? patient until I get there and be good to all.
Everything to do with When and where were because it is one thing
C
hina’s use of trade and investment represents the bulk of trade with Egypt. most areas, the EPAs will actually hurt
links to expand its influence in Africa’s share of EU trade could intra-African trade, weakening trade
Africa is fueling growing concern increase even further, given the revenues and undermining trade-driven
in some European capitals. But, continent’s impressive economic industrialisation in Africa.
instead of complaining about China’s prospects. In 2000-2010, Africa achieved Some argue that the problem is more
activities, the European Union should be real annual GDP growth of 5.4%; that about timing, because the losses are
deepening its own engagement with the rate held strong at 3.3% in 2010-2015. likely to materialise immediately,
continent. Today, Africa remains the world’s and the possible benefits brought by
In recent years, the EU has been second-fastest-growing region, after increased access to the EU market will
actively seeking to secure new trade emerging and developing Asia. take longer to emerge. Given this, EPA
and investment opportunities around For Europe, Africa’s economic potential proponents argue, a special fund should
the world. As of July 2018, the EU was remains far from tapped. Spending by be established to compensate for some
engaged in negotiations for 21 free-trade households and businesses, estimated at of the short-term losses. But research
agreements. This includes talks initiated $4 trillion in 2015, is projected to reach suggests that the best way for Africa to
in the last seven years with six ASEAN $5.6 trillion by 2025, reflecting 3.5% avoid losses is to focus on strengthening
countries – Indonesia, Philippines, annual growth. Moreover, according the AfCFTA and let the EPAs die.
Malaysia, Singapore, Thailand, and to the McKinsey Global Institute, To be sure, the EU is also taking
Vietnam – which could pave the way for investment opportunities stemming from steps to help strengthen the AfCFTA. It
a future deal with the entire region. infrastructure demand in Africa will recently announced a sevenfold increase
The EU has also initiated talks with amount to at least $150 billion annually in assistance – from €7 million in 2014-
New Zealand and Australia. And it over the next decade. Africa is also 2017 to €50 million in 2018-2020 – for
recently concluded comprehensive home to strategic natural resources for institutional and technical support, as
free-trade agreements with Armenia, emerging low-carbon industries, and well as for data collection and analysis.
Canada, Japan, and Vietnam, as well as is well positioned to play a key role in But, as African Union leaders
a standalone investment agreement with renewable energy. confirmed at the AU-EU Summit in
China. Africa’s value as a trade and investment Abidjan, Côte d’Ivoire, last November,
But what about Africa? The continent’s partner is not news to Europe. Over they are eager for the relationship
trade with the EU is already massive: the last five years, the EU has been to mature beyond the traditional
together, African countries represent the negotiating with each of Africa’s sub- dependency model. Though progress
EU’s third-largest trading partner, after regions under the Economic Partnership has been made in this regard, the EU
the United States and China, accounting Agreements (EPAs) framework, with still largely sets the agenda and provides
for nearly 7% of total extra-EU trade the goal of eventually producing a free- financial assistance to implement it.
in goods, including 7% of imports and trade agreement between the EU and the If the EU is to seize the opportunities
8% of exports. And though the EU ran African, Caribbean, and Pacific Group of that Africa offers in a way that is
a persistent trade deficit with Africa States. mutually beneficial, it will need to work
in 2000-2014, it ran a €22 billion ($25.5 Yet, so far, only one EPA (with with the continent’s leaders to build
billion) surplus in 2015 and a €22.7 Southern Africa) has been ratified. a new kind of partnership that treats
billion surplus in 2016. Progress on the others has stagnated, African countries as equals. Simply put,
Africa’s trade with the EU is triple that owing largely to a lack of political the new EU-Africa relationship must be
of, say, Canada, which amounted to €94.7 enthusiasm. Africans have serious based on trade, not aid.
billion in 2016. With the Comprehensive concerns about how the EPAs would
Economic and Trade Agreement, annual affect their industrial development and Carlos Lopes is a professor at the Mandela
EU-Canada trade is expected to increase the African Continental Free Trade Area School of Public Governance at the
by at least 8%, or some €12 billion. But (AfCFTA), signed by almost all African University of Cape Town and High
that is still the equivalent of just half the countries last March. Uncertainty arising Representative of the African Union for
EU’s trade volume with Egypt alone. from Brexit has not helped matters. partnerships with Europe post-2020.
Similarly, the EU’s future free-trade African leaders are right to be
agreement with New Zealand agreement concerned. Though the EU claims that Copyright: Project Syndicate, 2018.
could increase bilateral trade by about the EPAs will buttress the AfCFTA, www.project-syndicate.org
36%, yet that increase would still amount preliminary research indicates that the
to less than half the volume of goods that trade gains brought by the EPAs, as
the EU now trades with Tunisia. In the negotiated, are likely to be concentrated
case of Australia, the expected increase on a few agricultural products – and to
of around one-third in trade volume exclude the least-developed countries. In
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