UgandAbout – settembre 2011

Entro la fine dell’anno saranno avviati in tutte le regioni dell’Uganda dei corsi di formazione annuali sulle più moderne tecniche dell’edilizia, ai quali si stima potranno partecipare oltre 10.000 giovani.
L’iniziativa è stata promossa e sarà gestita in partenariato tra la società indiana di macchinari e materiali da costruzione Hydraform Technologies International e Rural-Urban Mutual Investments (Rumi), un organismo locale che si propone di sviluppare l’imprenditoria giovanile.
Il direttore di Rumi, Harrison Busingye, ha precisato in conferenza stampa che i corsi “saranno incentrati principalmente sulle tecniche relative alla costruzione di alloggi economici” e che “ai partecipanti saranno successivamente offerte prospettive di impiego nell’ambito dei progetti che la società indiana gestisce in Uganda“.
fonte www.agi.it

Torna a inizio pagina

IN ARRIVO TRENI PER PENDOLARI A KAMPALA
31 agosto 2011

Le Ferrovie della Rift Valley, che gestiscono la linea che collega l’Uganda al Kenya, avvieranno presto dei servizi per soddisfare le esigenze dei pendolari che per raggiungere il posto di lavoro si spostano quotidianamente tra la capitale ugandese, Kampala, e i vari centri del suo entroterra.
Il responsabile operativo delle ferrovie, Peter Owollo, ha dichiarato ai media locali che il servizio sarà attuato dapprima sulla tratta Kampala-Namanye, da cui i viaggiatori possono raggiungere anche la Business School della Makerere University, il più grande Ateneo del Paese. “Il servizio sarà attivo – ha precisato Owollo – dal lunedì al venerdì, a eccezione della zona di Jinja, in cui vi saranno corse anche nel fine settimana“.
fonte www.agi.it

Torna a inizio pagina

DA SETTEMBRE IN UGANDA PREPARATIVI PER DIGITALE TERRESTRE
31 agosto 2011

A settembre l’Uganda si avvierà sulla strada del digitale terrestre. Un percorso lungo il quale, ha annunciato il dirigente della locale Commissione per le Comunicazioni Fred Otunnu, gli ugandesi saranno assistiti dall’Unione internazionale delle telecomunicazioni. I tecnici di quest’ultima, ha aggiunto Otunnu, “effettueranno studi e sopralluoghi su tutto il territorio nazionale, in modo che il passaggio dall’analogico al digitale possa avvenire senza ritardi“.
Nel 2006 l’Unione Internazionale delle Telecomunicazioni stabilì che tutti i Paesi del pianeta sarebbero dovuti passare al digitale entro il 2015.
fonte www.agi.it

Torna a inizio pagina

MAKERERE UNIVERSITY CLOSED
1 september 2011

Makerere University has been closed indefinitely following a lecturers’ and students’ strike last week. The lecturers snubbed appeals from the University management and Council to return to duty; prompting the Council chairman Dr. Charles Wana-Etyem to announce the closure of the University.
Students are expected to vacate the premises in the next six hours. “We are going to escort all students out of the University premises. International students will receive their transport refund back home” Wana said. “In the meantime, international students, the disabled and those from the College of Health Sciences who were initially studying will be housed in one hall at the University campus“.
The staff are demanding for the swift release of their sh16.7b pension funds from the national insurance corporation (NIC) on top of a salary increment of sh8m for the lowest paid members of the academic staff. The sh16.7b accumulated between July 1996 and 2005, when the company operated a deposit administration plan (DAP) for the university’s pension scheme.
A recent report by the Auditor General indicates that NIC owes Makerere sh26.9b, twice higher than both the corporation and the university were earlier quoting. However, the lectures and other staff were angered by NIC’s continued claim that it had a balance of only sh3.7b. Besides, the staff also want the University Council to stop contributing the 40% to their wage bill.
fonte www.allafrica.com – Conan Businge and Andrew Ssenyonga

Torna a inizio pagina

A KAMPALA BANDITE MANIFESTAZIONI A SOSTEGNO DELLA ‘PRIMAVERA ARABA’
2 settembre 2011

Le autorità di Kampala hanno impedito lo svolgersi di una manifestazione per celebrare il rovesciamento dei regimi nel Nord Africa, sostenendo che avrebbe potuto degenerare in “incitamento alla violenza”.
La dimostrazione, convocata dagli ‘Attivisti per il cambiamento’, era stata pubblicizzata attraverso la distribuzione di volantini in cui si suggeriva che anche il presidente Yoweri Museveni, dopo lunghi anni di governo, dovesse abbandonare il potere.
I volantini mostravano la foto dei leader di Tunisia, Libia ed Egitto, accanto a quella di Museveni, ininterrottamente alla guida del paese dal 1986, indicato come “il prossimo” sulla lista.
Dalla rielezione del presidente per un quarto mandato, lo scorso febbraio, l’Uganda è diventato teatro di manifestazioni di protesta guidate dall’opposizione che denuncia inoltre l’aumento del costo della vita e le difficoltà crescenti per ampie fasce della popolazione. Le mobilitazioni hanno portato ad arresti e all’uccisione di almeno 9 manifestanti nell’aprile scorso.
Dal canto suo, Museveni ha sollevato critiche sull’intervento armato della Nato in Libia e invitato i ribelli al dialogo con Gheddafi. Come diversi altri paesi africani l’Uganda si rifiuta di riconoscere il Consiglio nazionale di transizione di Bengasi come legittimo rappresentante del popolo libico.
fonte www.misna.org

Torna a inizio pagina

TEACHERS MUST AVOID CORPORAL PUNISHMENT
5 september 2011

It is clearly known that all sorts of corporal punishments were officially by banned by the government because of their far-reaching effects. However, it is surprising that a number of schools still use corporal punishment as a means of instilling discipline.
Some students have fallen victim of corporal punishments hence, denying them their primary hope of reaping the fruits of education. For example they have suffered scarring, a loss of sense and even death. There are some teachers who react with a bewildered sense that really portrays a bitter detachment from their responsibility of providing education, which has inestimable value.
I do not think corporal punishments are part of that inestimable value and that those punishments can make life meaningful on the side of the students. In most cases, intentions are easily betrayed by actions. It may be true that the teacher is very much concerned with the discipline of the students, thus devising ways of disciplining. But, the action taken on the students can betray the teacher’s intentions.
Psychological theorem of learning emphasise the importance of creating a conducive environment for learning to be carried out both effectively and efficiently. For example Skinner’s uses of instrumental conditioning or operant learning emphasise the use of reward but not punishment.
Corporal punishments should be completely avoided because they do not only destroy the learning process due to their causing of negative psychological arousal (emotional effects), as both the teacher and a student are always emotionally unstable, but also provoke aggressive behaviour because it makes a victim angry, thus becoming hostile.
In most cases, the victim of corporal punishment may even decide to fight back, which can put both the teacher’s status and role in dilemma. Truly speaking, it is not good to have a conviction that, an African child should be brought up the African way by tickling him/her where his/her ears are.
Conclusively, written information is shared first by elites who are capable of reading. I therefore feel duty-bound as a teacher to share this situation of increasing corporal punishments with all those who have a mind to act against the trend.
fonte www.monitor.co.ug – Francis Kasibante

Torna a inizio pagina

BANK OF UGANDA INCREASES LENDING RATE TO 16%
6 september 2011

The Bank of Uganda has increased its lending rate to 16 per cent from 14 per cent in August, signaling a further increase in interest rates by local commercial banks by 2 percentage points.
“With this further increase in the Central Bank Rate (CBR), we expect lending rates to be adjusted upwards. I don’t want to dictate to commercial banks but we expect a response” Dr Louis Kasekende, the deputy governor Bank of Uganda said at a press conference in Kampala on Tuesday. Dr Kasekende said, the increase has been made to counter the double digit inflation -the general rise in prices of goods and services, in the economy. “We are tightening because we are worried this inflation is still high” Dr Kasekende said.
Uganda’s inflation rose to 21.4 per cent last month from 18.7per cent in July on the back of rising food and fuel prices as well as the depreciation of the shilling against the dollar. BoU targets an inflation rate of 5 per cent per annum. Following an increase in the CBR from 13 per cent in July to 14 per cent in August, commercial banks increased their lowest lending rates from as low as 19 per cent to as high as 22 per cent.
Some of the banks that immediately responded to the BoU move include; Stanbic Bank, Barclays Bank, and Tropical Bank. Dr. Adam Mugume, the director for research said, the tighter monetary policy is targeted at the private sector. “It’s not that the Central Bank is trying to hurt the private sector but helping it by trying to limit effects like inflation which could hurt them” he said at the press conference. To the consumers he said “Tighter monetary policy means: reduce consumption and increase savings.”
fonte www.monitor.co.ug – Walter Wafula

Torna a inizio pagina

MUKONO GETS DISEASE RESISTANT COFFEE
6 september 2011

Coffee farmers in Mukono district can now benefit from the development of eight coffee species that are resistant to pests and diseases. The species have been developed at Kituza village in Nakisunga sub-county in Mukono with the help of Uganda coffee development authority, Kyagulanyi coffee, the NAADS programme and Café Africa. The species were exhibited on Thursday at Nakifuma sub-county in a coffee exhibition.
The co-coordinator of Mukono District Farmers Association, Silver Nganda, said one of the species is a clone type from Robasta coffee. He added that besides being resistant to diseases and pests, the species also grow faster. He said farmers can start harvesting when the plants are about one and half to two years. Other species take three to four years to mature. “These types of coffee grow faster, have good yields and can be harvested in a shorter period. They are also farmer-friendly because a farmer can use compost manure without fertilisers and still harvests big” he said.
Mukono sub-regional coffee co-coordinator Charles Nkungwa said the development of these species was aimed at rejuvenating the growing of coffee as a poverty eradication initiative as it was the case in the district. He added that farmers were also taught how to prune the coffee plants for proper growth and use of good fertiliser and diseases control to have the best quality of coffee and get better prices.
Farmers who attended the exhibition welcomed the new species, saying coffee was one of the most paying cash crops. They disclosed that they abandoned the crop after pests and diseases destroyed it, yet most of them could not afford pest control.
While officiating at the exhibition, Mukono LC5 chairperson Francis Lukooya Mukoome said the district would join the initiative of reviving coffee growing by establishing plant clinics in every sub-county. He said three clinics had already been established at Nakifuma, Ntunda and Ntenjeru sub-counties. He urged local leaders in to district to encourage farmers to grow coffee.
fonte www.newvision.co.ug - Justine Kirabo

Torna a inizio pagina

TEACHERS BACK TO CLASS
7 september 2011

Several teachers in schools in Kampala have reported to work, although many of their colleagues are still divided whether to join their strike over low pay. According to a survey conducted by the ‘New Vision’, most teachers in several schools in Makindye division appeared in classes and taught while others in neighbouring schools were present but declined to conduct lessons.
At Kitebi Primary School, the teachers turned up in class and taught while the headteacher moved around supervising them. However, the pupils’ turn up was low.
At Police Children’s school in Nsambya, most pupils had settled down for classes but teachers were not teaching them. However, some teachers in some of the classes were teaching and the situation appeared normal.
In Nakawa and Central divisions, teachers turned up at school but did not teach. Most of them were seen seated outside the classrooms.
At Kiswa Primary School, the teachers appeared for class but refused to teach. Edward Etim, Primary Five pupil said that they had not attended class since new term opened on Monday.
At Bat valley Primary School, pupils were playing outside the classrooms. They said the school management had told them to study half-day.
At Police Children’s school in Ntinda and Kalinabili S.S, teachers declined to teach classrooms and pupils were seen playing during normal class time.
At Kitante Hill School, all the teachers were in classes doing their Beginning of Term exams that will last for a week. Christine Mayanja, the school’s deputy Headteacher claimed that participating in the strike would give their competitors a chance to surpass them.
At City High School and Kampala City Council Primary School in Kamwokya, teachers also reported to duty and conducted lessons.
In Lubaga division, most teachers had resumed teaching. The teachers, however, appealed to the Government to increase their pay. At Kitebi secondary school, students had started their beginning of exams under the supervision of their teachers.
Meanwhile, the Uganda National Teachers’ Union (UNATU) chairperson, Teopista Mayanja maintained that the teachers would only call off their strike after the government has met their demands. She accused the government of failing to address the causes of the strike and warned that failure to provide adequate solutions to the crisis would make the situation worse.
“It is unfortunate that Government has not been able to manage the on-going negotiations with UNATU even when they knew we were entering into a critical term of the year which has led to the current confusion and uncertainty in which our schools are” she said in a press statement. “Such intimidating statements are uncalled for and only serve to make a bad situation worse. We equally condemn the selective victimization, harassment and intimidation of individuals over a collective action” Mayanja said. She said the teachers were ready to call off the industrial action if the government stopped harassing them, allowed ongoing proposals by Parliament to find money to increase their salaries.
They also want the government to set up an employment agency to handle negotiations over their demands. The Government has threatened to sack those teachers who fail to report to their duty stations for third term. Several government officials were deployed by government to oversee the opening of the third term, after teachers announced that they would not call off their strike over their demands.
The teachers are demanding 100% salary increase which, once approved, will allow the lowest paid teacher to earn sh546,000. The Government promised a gradual salary increase starting with 44% in the next financial year but the teachers rejected it.
fonte www.newvision.co.ug - Taddeo Bwambale, Brian Mayanja, Saudha Nakadama & Florence Nakaayi

Torna a inizio pagina

TEACHERS DEFY GOVERNMENT ORDER, CONTINUE WITH STRIKE
8 september 2011

An interesting trend seemed to be emerging yesterday as a strike by teachers in public school entered its third day. While all regions reported pressure from government agents to make teachers resume work, a ‘Daily Monitor’ survey indicated that teachers in the east and north remained more defiant while those in the west and central seemed to have bowed to the pressure.
In most schools, apart from central and some pockets of western Uganda and Teso, the situation by yesterday was as it were on Monday; no teachers in class and where they reported, they were not teaching. The turn up of pupils continued to dwindle.
Mr Patrick Kaboyo, the executive director of Uganda Private School Teachers’ Association, said the strong stance taken by teachers in the north and east could be indicative of the different economic conditions in the regions. In his analysis, those hardest hit are also the toughest, ready to withstand the demands of the industrial action and intimidation while those that have been less hard hit tend to be more vulnerable.
“Unlike the north and east, it is in central where people have not been hit so hard by the economic crisis. In a situation where most decision makers come from the west, they cannot fully take part in the strike because it has a patronage and a political link to them. It is in places where the economic crisis has hit most that the teachers will get the pace for the strike.” Defiant teachers in eastern and northern region that ‘Daily Monitor’ talked to scoffed at government’s deployment of state agents and political leaders to monitor their activities, with teachers in Karamoja advising Prime Minister Amama Mbabazi to save the intimidation and commanding voice for the army.
“(The) prime minister should know that teachers are technically trained, they can be in the class but absent” said a teacher at Namalu Secondary School. The teacher, whose identity has been withheld to protect him, said the teachers’ problem needs to be solved intellectually and not ‘militarily.’
Mr Peter Luzige, the chairman of secondary head teachers of Karamoja, said he held over three meetings with teachers, pleading with them to teach but has failed to convince them. “We have realised that government is financially constrained but amid the crisis at least something should be done” he said. Some educationists questioned the zeal with which government has reacted to enforcing teaching, apparently oblivious of the realities of the school system and behaviour of many public schools.
With the teacher turn up in Gulu still low, District Inspector of Schools Robinson Oboth said it was not fair for the government to judge the level of the strike in the first week of the term because it is a culture that serious teaching normally begins in the second week. In Amuru District, most teachers reportedly started teaching although the number of pupils remains low.
In Ankole and Kigezi sub-regions, teachers were in schools and were seen to be teaching but a teacher speaking on condition of anonymity said they were simply passing time. “We just came here to give exams and not to teach” he said.
In Rukungiri District, just like in Ntungamo, most primary and secondary school teachers were not teaching although they had reported to school. Three schools: Immaculate Heart, Nyakibale, Kinyasano Girls School and Makobore High School were the only ones teaching.
In Bunyoro, Tooro and the greater Rwenzori regions teachers continued to report for duty as they grumbled quietly against the government’s directive to resume teaching. Resident district commissioners, chief administrative officials and other government officials continued to monitor teaching as required by a directive by premier Mbabazi.
In Kibaale, the deputy Chief Administrative Officer, Mr Vincent Kyaligonza, said the district had registered 98 per cent turn up of teachers so far. In Kasese, although many teachers reported for duty, there was hardly any teaching at the sampled schools due to the very poor turn up of pupils.
The Uganda Private School Teachers’ Association yesterday condemned government’s expenditure on state agents in the bid to force teachers to teach instead of using the resources to ease the teachers’ pay demands. “We recommend that the investment made to pay fuel, airtime, meals and any allowances to RDCs and their escorts, District Internal Security Officers and their aides to visit schools should be redirected to contributing the resources to pay teachers’ salaries” said Mr Kaboyo during a press conference in Kampala.
fonte www.monitor.co.ug – Isaac Imaka, Abdu Kiyaga, Steven Ariong, Richard Otim, James Eriku, Jacky Adure, Hudson Apunyo, Joseph Mazige, Paul Aruho, Robert Muhereza, Perez Rumanzi, Brenda Kashaki & Paul

Torna a inizio pagina

MAKERERE STUDENT LEADERS ARRESTED
12 september 2011

Fourteen Makerere University student guild leaders were last evening released from police custody after being rounded up at the entrance to the main campus earlier in the day for staging a sit-down and hunger strike in protest over the continued closure of the institution.
Armed police arrested the group led by guild president Denis Onekalit and detained them at Wandegeya Police Station where they were subjected to six hours of questioning. Police spokesperson Judith Nabakooba said the student leaders were released on bond, pending investigations into “unlawful assembly”.
The university was closed on September 1 after lecturers’ laid down their tools, demanding salary increment and refund of Shs16.7 billion that insurance firm National Insurance Cooperation (NIC) owes them. The guild leaders are part of the few students – including the disabled, foreign and health sciences students, who were allowed to remain on the campus after it was closed.
Both the guild president and deputy represent the students on the university council.
Yesterday, the guild leaders after addressing journalists, where they accused the university management and government of delaying the process of reopening the university, proceeded to stage their strike that prematurely ended with their arrest. “We have vowed not to eat or drink as a sign of dissatisfaction until the university is opened” said Mr Onekalit.
But before the threat could be implemented, police swung into action, arresting the students, bundling them on to a pick-up truck before driving them to Wandegeya Police Station. Later, the Kampala Metropolitan Police Commander, Mr Felix Kaweesi, wrote to the student leaders, warning them against further strikes. “Holding a strike is likely to incite the students who are still living in the environs of the university and this will automatically lead to breach of peace” Mr Kaweesi wrote.
As if the aborted hunger strike was not enough, the student leaders who were left behind as part of the university council engagement for a way forward were last night directed to vacate campus for “failure to serve the purpose for which they had been left at the university”. “We had left them behind because we thought they could be part of other stakeholders but if they have resorted to striking, then it means we are going to start running battles with them and this in the eyes of council it is not good.” said Mr Cyriako Kabagambe, the dean of students.
Students defiant - The students, however, vowed not to move an inch. “We are going to resist because the university council passed the resolution for us to be left behind. If they want us out, the council must first convene and pass a new resolution” said Ms Doreene Nyanjura, the guild vice president.
It is not yet clear, when the government will re-open the university. Education Minister Jessica Alupo without giving specifics said last evening the government will soon communicate its position, after a Cabinet resolution. “We are looking forward to presenting our memo to Cabinet to agree on a final position” she said. President Museveni was last evening set to meet the academic staff association leaders to find a way forward.
fonte www.monitor.co.ug – Abdu Kiyaga

Torna a inizio pagina

SEPTEMBER TO HAVE HEAVIEST RAINFALL, EXPERTS SOUND ALARM
12 september 2011

The second rainy season started unusually early, but more than else, experts have warned of disasters as the seasonal rainfall outlook for September to December predicts above normal rains in some parts of the country.
The weather outlook, released by the Department of Meteorology last week, shows that lightning, strong and gusty winds as well as episodic flash floods might be experienced in some areas, putting lives of both humans and livestock at risk. Mr Michael Nkalubo, the acting commissioner for meteorology, said other disasters may arise from possible landslides mostly in mountainous areas of western, south-western and eastern Uganda.
“Therefore, appropriate measures should be taken to avoid loss of life and destruction of infrastructure and property” Mr Nkalubo said in the statement. He said the findings were made during the 29th Climate Outlook Forum (COF29) for the Greater Horn of Africa (GHA) in Entebbe on September 1 to 3.
Based on the trends of the ongoing weather patterns, it was observed that there will be an increased likelihood of above-normal rain in southern, central, Lake Victoria basin, and eastern Uganda. The new forecast, however, comes at a time when floods triggered off by heavy rains have destroyed several homesteads, food crops and infrastructure in many parts of the country. Late last month, at least 30 people were killed in a mudslides in Bulambuli District.
Government recently warned that hundreds of families in eastern region risk starvation in the next four months after crops rotted following floods that left soils water-logged.
September to December is the second major rainfall season in Uganda. During the same period, Mr Nkalubo said some parts of the country will receive relatively low rainfall, which will not enable people to wipe out the drought impacts that have persisted in few isolated areas for several months.
Transport sector is also likely to be affected as roads would be cut off by intense rainfall and water-borne diseases such as cholera and typhoid may emerge across the country. Scientists say the rains are expected to improve agricultural activities and enhance food securuty. They advised farmers to make use of the season to optimise crop yield through appropriate land-use management.
Meteorologists also predicated the coming rains to enhance the levels of water in the rivers and lakes hence rising levels of water in dams for more energy generation.
fonte www.monitor.co.ug – Joseph Miti

Torna a inizio pagina

TEACHERS SUSPEND STRIKE AGAIN
12 september 2011

Teachers under their umbrella organisation, Uganda National Teachers’ Union (UNATU), have decided to return to classes to enable negotiations between them and government to go on smoothly.
UNATU Vice Chairperson David Tweheyo announced yesterday that “We discussed and agreed to suspend the strike because we are waiting for government communication as soon as possible”. Mr Tweheyo said the strike has been partly suspended because this is a crucial term for the students.
However, Education Minister Jessica Alupo said the ministry is yet to get a formal communication from the teachers’ leaders. “It is really a good gesture. Our doors for negotiations have never been closed and we will continue to ensure we reach a final decision” Ms Alupo told ‘Daily Monitor’ during a telephone interview yesterday.
The suspension of the strike comes only a week after Prime Minister Amama Mbabazi warned teachers that if any of them fails to report to class within seven days after third term commences, their names would be scrapped off the government payroll on grounds of having absconded from duty and they will immediately be replaced with temporary teachers.
Over the past week, numerous government schools countrywide have not had classes and where the teachers appeared, tests were given to pupils but did not remain to supervise the tests while in other schools, pupils took over the teaching role in the absence of the instructors. This is the second time the UNATU has suspended the strike over pending government negotiations. Students and pupils are expected to sit for their final examinations within two months.
fonte www.monitor.co.ug – Abdu Kiyaga

Torna a inizio pagina

BLOOD INFECTIONS, A SILENT KILLER IN NEWBORN BABIES
12 september 2011

Finela Asiimwe, a first-time mother, had made arrangements to deliver from a main hospital, but things did not go as the 26-year-old had planned. “Labour began in the middle of the night and I could not find transport to the hospital. My mother called in a midwife to help” she recalls. A week later, the baby developed a fever, became irritable and refused to breastfeed. When Asiimwe took the baby to hospital, it was diagnosed with septicemia. Much as the baby was put on treatment, it died.
Dr. Sabrina-Bakera Kitaka, a paediatrician at Mulago Hospital, describes septicemia as an infection resulting from bacteria growing in a newborn baby’s blood stream before it is one-month-old.
According to an analysis of the 2007 newborn health report, 31% of deaths in newborn babies in Uganda are due to infections. A study conducted between June and August, 2011, revealed that the prevalence of neonatal sepsis in Mulago Hospital is 37.5%, with a mortality of 18.8%.
Signs and symptoms – Dr Jessca Nakibuka, a paediatrician in Mulago Hospital, notes that a baby with blood infection has a grossly high fever, general body weakness, rapid breathing, sleeps a lot, refuses to breastfeed, is irritable and cries uncontrollably. In addition, septicemia may be detected by symptoms of intestinal infection, for example, vomiting and diarrhoea.
Causes – According to the 2007 newborn health report, poor care practices take the lead in increasing the risk of infections. Kitaka cites situations where a mother has an infection in the birth canal. Another cause could be the use of unsterile equipment. Dr. Jolly Nankunda, a neonatologist at Mulago special care unit, adds that poor umbilical cord care such as mothers using cow dung and other cultural practices, for example, the use of ekyogero could expose the baby to infection. Sharing bathing material with the newborn baby also put it at risk of infection.
Who is at risk? - Nankunda explains that all newborn babies are prone to blood infections, but premature babies are at a higher risk because their defence mechanism is not fully developed. In addition, children born with HIV are susceptible to severe blood infection. Also, if a mother is not immunised against tetanus, the chances of the baby getting neonatal tetanus are high.
Diagnosis - Kitaka notes that a sepsis screen is done to confirm the presence of neonatal septicemia. Blood culture, umbilical swab, urinalysis and sometimes a lumber puncture (removing spinal cord fluid) may also be done.
Treatment – Nakibuka says once a child is confirmed to have septicemia, it should be started on treatment immediately. The baby is admitted for a minimum of 10 days and put on intravenous antibiotic.
Prevention - Nankunda advises mothers and caretakers to minimise the number of people who come in contact with the baby. Those who do so should wash their hands with soap and water to avoid transfer of infections to the baby. There is need to observe a clean environment during childbirth and when caring for the baby. Expectant mothers should attend antenatal care, as well as get immunised.
fonte www.allafrica.com

Torna a inizio pagina

TWO KAMPALA BOMB SUSPECTS GUILTY
13 september 2011

Two of the 14 Al Shabab suspects, Mohamoud Mugisha and Edris Nsubuga, on Tuesday pleaded guilty to participating in the July 11, 2010 Kampala bombings.
Mugisha, 25, told the High Court trial judge Alfonse Owiny-Dollo that he conspired with Al Shabab leaders in different countries including Somalia, Kenya and Uganda to commit acts of terrorism. Nsubuga, 31, who first put up his hand and he was allowed to talk to his lawyer, Alex Bashasha, told the court that he had wanted to plead guilty the previous day, but he felt intimidated by the reactions from his co-accused men. “My lord, I have now decided to change my plea of not guilty to guilty on the three counts of terrorism.” he told the court.
However, after the judge had asked him whether he had been coerced or influenced by anyone, Nsubuga, who was speaking fluent English, maintained that he had decided on his own to plead guilty. The judge again assured him of the court’s protection and emphasized that he should never have been intimidated or coerced into pleading guilty.
A total of 76 people perished in the two incidents that occurred at Kyaddondo Rugby Club and the Ethiopian Village Restaurant in Kampala. The third bomb that had been planted at the Makindye House on the same day was defused before it exploded.
Nsubuga took plead to each of the three terrorism charges as the judge read them out and explained to him what the meant. It was stated that Nsubuga and those in court together with others still at large, the day in question at Kyadondo Rugby Club, Nakawa and at the Ethiopian village in Makindye Division in Kampala District, with intent to influence the Government of Uganda or intimidate the public and for political, religious, social or economic aim, without due regard to safety for others, intentionally and unlawfully discharged explosives with intent to cause death and serious bodily injuries.
It was also stated that on the same day, Nsubuga and the others in court and those still at large, at the Ethiopian Village Restaurant, Kisugu in Makindye Division, Kampala District, with intent to influence the Government or intimidate the public or sections of the public and; for political, religious, social or economic aim, without due regard to the safety of others or property intentionally and unlawfully delivered and discharged an explosive into the Ethiopian Village Restaurant with intent to cause death and serious bodily injuries or extensive destruction likely or actually result into major economic loss.
The judge also read a third count involving the Makindye House where he placed an ex[plosive with intent to cause death and serious bodily injury, or extensive destruction likely to or actually result into major economic loss.
fonte www.allafrica.com - Hillary Nsambu, Edward Anyoli and Andate Okanya

Torna a inizio pagina

UGANDA AMONG WORST PLACES FOR SICK CHILD
14 september 2011

A new index by 'Save the Children' has ranked Uganda amongst the worst countries for a child to fall sick. Uganda is ranked 145 out of the 161 countries surveyed, only 15 places higher than the worst countries Chad and Somalia. The index not only measures how many health workers there are in Uganda but also their reach and impact. It also tracks the proportion of children who receive regular vaccinations and mothers who have access to life-saving emergency care at birth.
In Uganda, one woman in 25 will die in pregnancy or childbirth, and each year 44,000 newborn babies die in the first month of life. The new analysis shows that children living in the bottom 20 countries like Uganda - which fall below the WHO minimum threshold of just over two health workers for every thousand people - are five times more likely to die than those further up the index like Switzerland, Finland, Ireland, Norway and Belarus.
Neighbouring Tanzania ranked 135, Rwanda 121, Burundi 139 while Kenya ranked 140 just one position shy of making it to the worst countries. What this means is that millions of children in Uganda as other countries that rank in the bottom die because of lack of skilled health workers. The organisation highlights a global shortage of over 3.5 million doctors, nurses, midwives and community health workers. Without them, no vaccine can be administered, no life-saving drugs prescribed and no woman can be given expert care during her childbirth. Illnesses such as pneumonia and diarrhoea, which are easily treated, become deadly.
The report says ensuring that a health worker is within reach, and is trained, equipped and supported, is crucial to the achievement of Millennium Development Goals 4 and 5. Health workers are also vital for addressing MDG 6, non-communicable diseases, and other important health and development issues. "A child's survival depends on where he or she is born in the world. No mother should have to watch helplessly as her child grows sick and dies, simply because there is no one trained to help. World leaders must tackle the health worker shortage and realise that failing to invest in health workers will cost lives. Even the poorest countries in Africa can make real progress if they stick to their pledge of investing 15% of their budgets in health." Ben Phillips, of 'Save the Children', says.
Half of the mothers surveyed in Uganda said health centres are too far; so, they stay home with their sick children. Midwives are being attacked on their way home from work at night, citing lack of housing near health centres.
Justine Chebet, a mother of 10 from Kapchorwa district, pits the best anecdote for this study. At 36, she already has 10 children and delivered each at the back of her house, in the garden or by the roadside. The nearest hospital, Kapchorwa, from her village in Chema sub-county, is 20 kilometres away. Not only does she deliver from home, she does not take her children to hospital because while it is far away, they do not have clothes to wear to the hospital. Little wonder that she doesn't know her children are malnourished and could be suffering from kwashiorkor. She thinks it is normal and a trait in her children because, to her, they all look the same and have always been so since birth.
The report recommends interventions carried out by countries such as Malawi and Nepal who saw a need in improving the lives of mothers and their babies.
Malawi launched the Emergency Human Resource Programme between 2004 and 2009 that increased the number of health workers by 53% and saved 13,000 lives. The country topped up their health workers' salaries by 50%, recruited additional staff, trained more nurses and doctors and developed health-management information systems to monitor and evaluate human resource capacity.
In Nepal, 48,000 female health volunteers were trained in newborn care, including resuscitation and skin-to-skin care for premature or underweight babies. Although volunteers are not medically qualified, they have been trained to identify the danger signs of serious infections that are leading causes of newborn deaths in Nepal.
With the report,' Save the Children' is lobbying world leaders at this year's annual UN meeting this month to end the health worker crisis. "Rich nations must step up their funding of health, especially as there is two thirds shortfall of what is needed globally. The commitment of developing countries is crucial." the report says.
In 2001 countries across Africa pledged to spend 15% of their national budgets on healthcare - but only eight have done so. Uganda spends only 9% of its budget on health, most of which is donor funded by US, UK and other countries. 'Save the Children' wants to lobby governments, donors and partners to recruit more health workers with appropriate skills to cover the existing gap of 3.5 million across the world.There is also a need to recruit at least another one million community health workers and 350,000 midwives. There is a shortage of 28,000 health workers in Uganda.
The organisation also wants governments to make better use of existing health workers to reach the most vulnerable children, improve salaries of health workers and deliver more funding for healthcare, and in a more effective way.
fonte www.allafrica.com - Shifa Mwesigye

Torna a inizio pagina

CITIZENS STILL POOR AT SEX EDUCATION
14 september 2011

Ugandan children stand a risk of making wrong choices when it comes to sex because they lack education.
According to a report, Protecting the Next Generation in Uganda: New Evidence on Adolescent Sexual and Reproductive Health Needs, published by Guttmacher Institute in 2008, only 33.8% girls and 22% boys aged between 12 and 14 have received sex education in school. At home, 71% girls and 64% boys had never talked with parents about sex-related matters, according to the 2004 National Survey of Adolescents.
As a result, Uganda's teenage pregnancy rate continues to be high, at 25%. A teenager that gives birth is not only likely to drop out of school but also have a big number of children. Uganda's fertility rate stands at 6.7 children per woman (as of 2006) and according to a presentation by Dr Gideon Rutaremwa of Makerere University's Department of Population Studies, if these fertility rates do not drop by 2037, Uganda will not achieve the middle income status that she wants.
In addition, Uganda will spend Shs 57.2bn on education. In the health sector, the country would have to spend $2.5bn annually. Given this state of affairs, the German Foundation for World Population (DSW) considers it important to give sex education to children aged between 10 and 14.
Under the Young Adolescent Project (YAP), teachers in 10 primary schools were trained to offer sex education to the 10 to14-year-olds. "Children at this age are in transition to adulthood and it is important to educate them so that they do not become like their parents." James Kotzsch, country director of DSW says. The added advantage of targeting children at this age is that many are still in school; so, a wider population is reached.
Figures show that school enrolment drops at secondary level. Janet Jackson, UNFPA's country representative, says research has shown that teenagers who are given sex education are more likely to make the right choices. This was at DSW's Open Day held at their offices in Lubowa on September 8.
When pupils of St. Joseph Primary School Wakiso performed a skit on the Open Day that demonstrated their deep understanding of sexually transmitted diseases (STDs), HIV and their bodies, they lent credence to Jackson's claims that sex education goes a long way in ensuring that a large number of children make the right choices when informed.
fonte www.allafrica.com - Diana Nabiruma

Torna a inizio pagina

HEPATITIS HITS GULU AND KITGUM
15 september 2011

A more dangerous type of hepatitis has broken out in Kitgum and Gulu, Parliament has heard.
Kitgum district Woman MP Beatrice Anywar said 12 cases of Hepatitis B had been confirmed at St. Joseph's Hospital, Lacor. She said the patients were from Kitgum town council, Muchuni and Adelang. Hepatitis B is an infectious illness caused by the hepatitis B virus which affects the liver and causes an inflammation called hepatitis, according to information on Wikipedia.
About a quarter of the world's population, over two billion people, have been infected with the hepatitis B virus. This includes 350 million chronic carriers of the virus. Transmission of the hepatitis B is done through exposure to infectious blood or body fluids such as semen and vaginal fluids of infected people. Other risk factors include working in a healthcare setting, blood transfusions, dialysis, acupuncture, tattooing and extended overseas travel. The infection is preventable by vaccination.
Infection at birth is a major route of infection in developing countries. Anywar named Acholi, Karamoja and Lango as the regions suspected to be harbouring the virus. She was concerned about the lack of reagents for testing and appealed to the Government to provide the reagents.
Anywar urged the Ministry of Health to provide Parliament with a statement on the spread of the disease and the steps being taken to fight it, a request to which health state minister Richard Nduhuura obliged.
Gulu Woman MP Betty Aol Ocan said the disease was also reported in Gulu where seven people had died. Mbarara Municipality MP Medard Bitekyerezo said western Uganda was also affected. "It means the whole country is under attack." he said.
fonte www.allafrica.com - Joyce Namutebi and Mary Karugaba

Torna a inizio pagina

TOURISM SOON TO BE REVIVED IN NORTHERN UGANDA
15 september 2011

Following the end of the insurgency in northern Uganda, tourism activities are to be revived. "The potential of tourism in this region is enormous" says Edwin Muzahura, the spokesperson of the Uganda Tourism Board (UTB). "We are preparing activities expected to rekindle the rich and diverse culture after 20 years of insurgency."
UTB plans to harness cultural properties and historical sites including internally displaced peoples camps. Other attractions being prepared for tourism operations are cultural and historical sites such as Fort Patiko, Wadelai, Aruu Falls in parts of northern Uganda. Also trails have taking tourists to explore areas of historical significance such as Samuel Baker, Luo migrations into northern Uganda have been constructed. Another trail will lead tourists to the birth place of 1972 Olympic Gold Medalist John Akibua (R.I.P) in Abako village, Lira district.
A brochure to be used as a promotional material for the sites and trails will be distributed locally and internationally. It will be distributed to embassies, Government departments, corporate entities and international entry points. Muzahura was speaking ahead of the activities organised to commemorate the UN World Tourism Day on September 27. Gulu will host the national celebrations under the theme 'Celebration of Tourism's role in linking together the cultures of the world through travel'.
"The activities to celebrate World tourism day in Gulu is an opportunity to tell the world that the war is over and showcase what northern Uganda offers." said Muzahura. "It will also help to spread the benefits of tourism to northern Uganda."
Queen Elizabeth National Park in western Uganda is the most visited national park yet Murchiosn Falls National Park is bigger and has a diversity of attractions, according to Muzahura. UTB has teamed up with Mahali Africa Consult, a local firm based in Kampala and Purongo, Nwoya district to organise a weeklong activities starting September 23 in Gulu. On September 23 and 24, the Gulu community will be mobilised to undertake a cleanup and marking of Zebra crossings.
The cultural and historical sites will be officially designated as tourism destinations. A four day exhibition from September 24-27 will follow and national celebrities like Angela Katatumba, Jackie Chandiru and Kora Award nominee who is also a tourism ambassador Susan Kerunen are expected to perform. The aim, according to UTB is to celebrate the revival of the lost art and cultural forms, traditional wear, dance, merchandise, folklore from west Nile, Luo, Karamojong to Nubian. The celebrations will reach a climax with a band match past through Gulu and a corporate dinner at the new boma hotel where local artists will perform.
"Uganda is rich not only in biological diversity, but also in cultures." said Amos Wekesa, the President of Uganda Tourism Association. "Northern Uganda had been forgotten. With the return of peace to northern Uganda, it is now possible to go to any part of the country."
fonte www.allafrica.com - Gerald Tenywa

Torna a inizio pagina

ATTENTATI DI KAMPALA, PRONUNCIATE PRIME DUE SENTENZE
16 settembre 2011

Venticinque anni di carcere per l’ugandese Edris Nsubuga, riconosciuto colpevole di atti terroristici, e cinque anni per il suo connazionale Muhamoud Mugisha che ha collaborato con lui. Si tratta delle prime due sentenze pronunciate oggi dall’Alta Corte di Kampala in relazione ai tre attentati perpetrati l’11 luglio 2010 nella capitale ugandese e nei quali 76 persone furono uccise.
Nsubuga è scampato alla pena capitale per essersi da subito dichiarato colpevole. Al momento del pronunciamento della sentenza il giudice Alfonse Owiny-Dollo ha dichiarato che “i rimpianti espressi dall’imputato sono sinceri ma ciò non toglie che era lucido in tutto quello che ha fatto”.
Il giorno degli attentati, che hanno colpito due locali dove la gente seguiva in televisione la finale dei Mondiali di calcio in Sudafrica, Nsubuga ha scortato uno dei kamikaze sul luogo prescelto e azionato l’ordigno a distanza.
Dal canto suo Mugisha, che all’uscita dal carcere rimarrà per altri cinque anni sotto sorveglianza giudiziaria, ha confessato di aver combattuto con i ribelli ‘shebab’ ('giovani’) in Somalia e di averli aiutati ad organizzare gli attentati di Kampala. Nella sua rivendicazione la ribellione somala spiegò di volersi vendicare per la partecipazione di soldati ugandesi alla missione dell’Unione africana in Somalia (Amisom), a sostegno del governo di transizione federale (Tfg) di Mogadiscio.
Il processo di altri 12 imputati, che si sono dichiarati non colpevoli, riprenderà il 15 novembre.
fonte www.misna.org

Torna a inizio pagina

WHY GOVERNMENT FAILED TO INCREASE TEACHERS’ SALARY
19 september 2011

The government cannot find money, in the current budget to enhance teachers’ salaries by the 100 per cent they demanded. “If the government enhances teachers’ salaries, what about other civil servants; the national cake is small...” These are the default arguments government officials have given in response to the teachers’ demands.
Parliament’s budget committee even took an expensive residential retreat in Entebbe to do some number crunching but in addition to Shs30million added to the deficit column of an already overstretched budget, there was still no money. An inter-ministerial committee appointed earlier for the same purpose returned the same answer.
It leaves three major questions; were the teachers, through the Uganda National Teacher’s Union (Unatu) being unreasonable in their demands?
Is the government honestly cash strapped to find money for them or is it being simply insensitive to their plight?
Leader of the Opposition in Parliament, Nathan Nandala Mafabi, says the Opposition’s proposal for a 50 per cent enhancement would require some Shs360b and questions if the government can find Shs190b in supplementary allocations to the presidency regardless of whether it is through State House or the Office of the President’s budget, why not for the people entrusted with the future of the country’s children whose demand would require only about an extra half on top of what the President is taking?
Was it right for the government, amid cries from across the country to help out the teachers, to insist on the opposite and were the reasons convincing? Now that the teachers yielded to government’s intimidation and psychological coercion techniques, will the pupils in the different government schools get quality education? “The teachers’ approach of striking was a viable action to express their grievances; they are not like soldiers who are privileged to go to battle well equipped with weapons ready to crush opponents.” says TNS Research International Country Director, Dr Patrick Wakida.
Avalanche fears - The government’s reason not to increase teacher’s salaries by a single percentage, even when Parliament had got about shs50b in irrelevant proposed expenditures in different ministerial policy statements, was that the move would set a precedent for other civil servants to rise up in arms asking for higher pay. But the different civil servants have benefits that teachers do not access; nurses for example are entitled to a lunch allowance and soldiers, policemen and Prisons warders are exempt from taxes, receive a free set of uniform, which they wear almost daily on duty and are provided a free casket and its transport home in case of death. These categories also have some accommodation, however inadequate. “Since the government was able to increase the salaries of other leaders, like RDC’S then it should be able to look at the teachers complaints.” says Mr Wakida.
Out of darkness - “The current economic situation is so harsh, teachers have been so silent in the past not displaying their problems. But since they are now out of the darkness that had blinded them, it would have been good if the government had taken a positive move.” Critics say the Prime Minister’s threats that government will hire supplementary teachers if the registered ones refused to take the meager pay was a sign of undemocratic and absolute leadership, which should be regretted by the government.
Mr Amama Mbabazi, argued that the impact of the demand of the teachers would translate into about Shs1 trillion for teachers’ salaries only (excluding other public sector workers). If the government was to pay all public sector workers at the level of the teachers’ demand, most of the government revenue Shs6.5t would be spent on payment of salaries, foregoing the country’s development programmes such as roads, electricity, health , UPE and USE.
The government opposed recommendations made by the opposition of close to savings worth Shs522b, opting instead to present a Shs14b supplementary budget request for State House even before the budget could be passed. Mr Mathias Mulocho Magino, a veteran educationist and currently the Director of Math at Tripoma Education Consultants, agrees with the government. He says that for the teachers to present a serious case, the budget of the teachers’ salary should have started at the grass roots so that it could be included in the national budget. “This exclusion makes it difficult to make an immediate increase on demand.” Mr Magino said.
This put the government in a dilemma, and with the current Global inflation all governments are poor. Uganda’s budget is 30 per cent financed by donor countries, which have also experienced inflation, so it is best for teachers to wait for their increase in the next financial year, Mr Magino argues. However, the teachers’ action of putting down tools is unethical they are trained to live exemplary lives basing on their code of conduct, the educationist adds.
fonte www.monitor.co.ug - Isaac Imaka & Betty Ndagire

Torna a inizio pagina

IN ONE OF THE UGANDA POOREST VILLAGES, NEW FARMING TECHNIQUES HELP VILLAGERS RAISE INCOMES AND SPIRITS
19 september 2011

Katine is one of the poorest villages in the district of Soroti, in north eastern Uganda. For the 25,000 people living in Katine, their livelihood depends on cultivating cassava, ground nuts, millet, and sweet potatoes. Many farmers are not growing enough crops to sell and can't afford to spend money on education or medication.
In 2007, the 'African Medical and Research Foundation' (AMREF) partnered with the Guardian newspaper and Barclays Bank to establish a four year long project aimed at improving the overall livelihood of villagers in Katine. When the project began, malaria was responsible for nearly a quarter of deaths in the village, and 57.7 percent of children under five had malaria. And most villagers did not have enough money to get health services or buy malaria medication. Malnutrition and stunted growth were also common - most villagers ate only one meal a day and their diets lacked protein. Food insecurity also impacted education - because many students had to leave school to help their family farm or take care of siblings while their parents farmed, the dropout rate was 19 percent for boys and 22 percent for girls.
To address the root causes of health and education problems, AMREF worked with farmers to increase their incomes so that they could afford to send their kids to school and protect their families from disease. The project identified a number of challenges that farmers in Katine face, including sporadic rainfall resulting from the effects of climate change, poor soil fertility, the lack of crop diversity, and the need to increase farmer's access to markets. These challenges lead to both economic insecurities and problems with villagers' diets.
To increase farm productivity, AMREF worked with CARE and Farm-Africa to provide technical support to farmers. They set up farming schools to train villagers to improve soil fertility, conserve water, and control pests. Techniques that farmers learned included integrated pest management and digging water channels to capture water for agricultural use. Farmers also learned how to grow different crops together in order to increase crop yield.
Through this technique, known as intercropping, farmers learned to plant legumes with rice, helping increases oil fertility by enriching the soil with nitrogen. It is estimated that the training program will directly help 2,000 households. Farmers also set up a farming cooperative that combined 66 rural innovation groups into the Katine Joint Framers Association (KAJOFA). The cooperation worked with government agencies, including the 'National Agriculture Advisory Service', to help farmers grow new varieties of crops, including drought resistant cassava, which helped villagers survive when the region experienced a famine in 2009. AMREF also helped farmers sell their products.
They established a produce store located on a road that connects Uganda to Sudan. Farmers also gained support from village saving and loans groups that were established to help villagers save their money. Through these groups, farmers received money to help them purchase agricultural inputs including machines and fertilizers. Lastly, in order to ensure the safety of livestock, a drug store was set up to supply cattle herders with medication for their cattle.
By helping farmers increase productivity, AMREF has helped villagers in Katine start working towards a better future. Villagers have already experienced changes in their quality of health and education as a result of greater income stability. Finishing its final year, the project has helped to immunize more than 15,500 children against diseases and the percentage of children under five who have contracted malaria has dropped to 54.9 percent.
Additionally, school enrollment has gone up. Agriculture has also been integrated into the curriculum - 6,000 trees and citrus seedlings were provided to schools for them to teach students about growing fruit. The fruit from the trees also provides students with nutrition during the school day. Students believe that the fruit tree program is helping "when I am hungry, I feel like I want to go to sleep" explains Patricia Asio, a primary school student in Katine. "It is a big difference to have food." Patricia concludes.
fonte www.allafrica.com - Graham Salinger, a research interns for the Nourishing the Planet project

Torna a inizio pagina

UGANDA'S CHILD MORTALITY RATE DROPS
19 september 2011

Uganda is one of the few countries in Sub-Saharan Africa making significant progress in reducing child mortality, the latest report from UNICEF shows.
The report titled ‘Levels & Trends in Child Mortality Report 2011’ analyzes progress made by countries globally in achieving millennium development goal 4 of reducing child mortality by two-thirds by 2015. The report covers a ten year period, between 1990 and 2010.
According to the report, the infant mortality rate, which measures child deaths before the age of one, improved to 99 deaths per 1000 live births in 2010, from 175 deaths per 1,000 live births in 1990. Uganda’s MDG4 target is 58 by 2015. The under-five mortality rate, which measures child deaths before the age of five, declined from 106 to 63 deaths per 1,000 live births during the same period. Child mortality in Uganda reduced at a rate of 2.8% annually during the period, the report shows.
The report further shows a reduction in the number of children under the age of five from 143,000 in 1990 to 141,000 in 2010. However, the number of reported deaths of under-five children increased from 88,000 to 92,000 over the period. The neonatal mortality rate (rate at which newly born babies die within 28 days) dropped from 36 per 1,000 live births in 1990 to 26 in 2010. However, more neonatal deaths were recorded over the same period, with 39,000 in 2010 compared to 31,000 in 1990, the report shows.
Of the five East African counterparts, Tanzania had fastest reduction rate of child mortality at 3.6% annually, followed by Uganda and Rwanda.
Tanzania’s under-five mortality rate improved from 155 per 1,000 live births in 1990 to 76 in 2010, while the infant mortality rate dropped from 95 per 1,000 live births to 50 over the same period.
Rwanda’s under-five mortality rate improved from 163 per 1,000 live births in 1990 to 91 in 2010, while the infant mortality rate dropped from 99 per 1,000 live births to 59 over the same period. It’s average annual reduction rate 2.9%.
The under-five child mortality rate in Kenya’s improved from 99 per 1,000 live births in 1990 to 85 in 2010, while infant mortality rate dropped from 6 4 per 1,000 live births to 55 in 2010. Kenya’s annual reduction rate was at 0.8%.
Burundi’s under-five mortality rate improved from 183 per 1,000 live births in 1990 to 142 in 2010, while the infant mortality rate dropped from 110 per 1,000 live births to 88 over the same period. It’s average annual reduction rate 1.3%.
Overall, the report shows substantial progress in achieving MDG 4. It indicates that the number of under-five deaths worldwide declined from more than 12 million in 1990 to 7.6 million in 2010. About 21,000 children under the age of five died every day in 2010, down from about 33,000 in 1990, the report states. It also shows that the biggest reductions were in child mortality in Niger, Malawi, Liberia, Timor-Leste and Sierra Leone.
fonte www.newvision.co.ug - Taddeo Bwambale

Torna a inizio pagina

FENOMENO LAND GRABBING: SCANDALO RISORSE SCIPPATE
22 settembre 2011

Pianure fertili, fonti, pascoli, boschi: sono questi i beni di cui gli Stati e le multinazionali cominciano a fare incetta nell'era della scarsità di risorse. Le potenze nascenti non conquistano più le terre con gli eserciti, le comprano sottraendole ai disperati troppo poveri per opporsi al potere della finanza.
La nuova corsa all'oro si chiama 'land grabbing' e in 10 anni ha virtualmente delocalizzato un territorio grande più di sette volte l'Italia: 227 milioni di ettari hanno cambiato padrone. La terra è sempre lì, ma i suoi frutti vanno altrove, finiscono in buona parte nei forzieri dei paesi che hanno fatto cassa con l'inquinamento e ora si attrezzano per sopravvivere in un pianeta esausto.
I numeri sono contenuti nel rapporto Land and Power curato da Oxfam, l'associazione che in questi giorni sta lanciando vuna raccolta di fondi, via sms, per il Corno d'Africa 3. Non tutti i 227 milioni di ettari sono sicuramente classificabili come land grabbing, ma dietro le acquisizioni di terreni, caratterizzate quasi sempre da una scarsa trasparenza, si cela spesso questo fenomeno.
Oxfam ha analizzato circa 1.100 accordi relativi all'acquisizione di 67 milioni di ettari: il 50% delle compravendite sono avvenute in Africa e coprono un'area quasi pari alla superficie della Germania.
La ricerca è stata condotta sul campo, visitando i luoghi e raccogliendo testimonianze e racconti. Racconti come quello di Christine Longoli, una degli oltre 20 mila ugandesi che hanno denunciato di essere stati costretti ad abbandonare le loro case per far posto alle piantagioni estensive: "Ricordo la mia terra, tre acri di caffè, tanti alberi, mangrovie e avogado. Avevo le mucche, le api. Mi avevano dato anche un premio come agricoltore modello. Ora non ho più nulla, sono la più povera tra i poveri". O come quella di Lokuda Losil, 60 anni e 30 acri, sempre in Uganda: "Gli uomini della New Forest Company sono venuti e hanno cominciato distruggere i raccolti e a demolire le case ordinando di andarcene. Picchiavano la gente che non riusciva a scappare".
La New Forests Company, una società britannica che ha ottenuto ampi riconoscimenti da parte del governo ugandese e dichiara di seguire rigorosi codici di comportamento, smentisce le accuse, ma il rapporto riferisce di migliaia di testimonianze sulle violenze subite da parte dei contadini, sull'arresto dei leader delle comunità locali, sulla distruzione di scuole e strutture sociali. E l'Uganda non è un caso isolato: con quasi 3 miliardi di persone che vivono in aree in cui non c'è acqua a sufficienza, chi può accaparra frammenti di natura.
In Honduras, la Bajo Aguan Valley, una delle regioni più fertili, a meta degli anni Settanta era stata affidata a 54 cooperative. Negli ultimi dieci anni un'escalation di violenze mirata a concentrare le proprietà terriere nelle mani di pochi latifondisti è culminata, nell'ottobre del 2010, con l'assassinio di 36 contadini e la militarizzazione dell'area.
In Guatemala, dove il 78 per cento dei terreni è di proprietà dell'8 per cento degli agricoltori, la spinta a moltiplicare la produzione di biocarburanti ha portato a triplicare l'area destinata alla palma da olio espellendo i contadini che lavoravano la terra per coltivare cibo per la propria sopravvivenza. Nel marzo 2011, 800 famiglie sono state costrette ad abbandonare le loro comunità nella Polochic Valley. Si calcola che entro il 2050 la produzione di olio da palma raddoppierà a livello globale portando a un'estensione delle coltivazioni su un territorio grande 6 volte l'Olanda.
Nell'Amazzonia peruviana sono in corso più di 50 megaprogetti energetici. Le concessioni per lo sfruttamento del petrolio e del gas coprono il 70 per cento del territorio amazzonico; più di 10 milioni di ettari sono stati assegnati all'uso minerario; quasi 8 milioni di ettari sono stati dati alle società che trasformano gli alberi in parquet.
Nel Sudan del Sud tra il 2007 e il 2010 società straniere, governi e singoli individui hanno preso il controllo di 2,6 milioni di ettari di terreno da destinare ad agricoltura, biofuel, legname: l'area, grande quanto il Rwanda, rappresenta il 10 per cento del paese.
In Indonesia, nel distretto di Tayan Hulu, la pressione per convincere i contadini a cedere i terreni ha portato nel 2007 a proteste con blocchi stradali e arresti. Il tentativo di espandere ulteriormente la coltivazione della palma da olio sta creando problemi in tutto il paese.
"Il numero senza precedenti delle compravendite e la crescente competizione per la terra sta avvenendo sulla pelle dei più poveri del mondo. In questa nuova corsa all'oro, gli investitori ignorano i diritti delle comunità locali", dichiara Francesco Petrelli, presidente di Oxfam Italia. "Lo scandalo è che l'80% delle terre accaparrate rimane inutilizzato. Questa nuova corsa all'oro si intensificherà nel futuro, a causa della crescente domanda di cibo, dei cambiamenti climatici, della scarsità d'acqua e dell'incremento della produzione di biocarburanti".
fonte www.repubblica.it - Antonio Cianciullo

Torna a inizio pagina

UGANDA E TANZANIA RAFFORZANO RELAZIONI BILATERALI
23 settembre 2011

I due Paesi costruiranno una centrale energetica da 16 MW per sfruttare le acque del fiume Kagera che segna il confine tra i due Stati.
La capacità installata sarà suddivisa in parte uguali da immettere nelle rispettive reti di trasmissione elettrica, in parte da costruire di sana pianta nelle zone vicine alla futura centrale. Il progetto include anche opere per portare elettricità in due città che sorgono oltre i rispettivi confini.
L'accordo siglato dai governi, al di là dell'importanza per le ricadute sulle comunità coinvolte, segna una conferma delle buone relazioni tra Uganda e Tanzania, e costituisce un altro esempio sulla strada della collaborazione internazionale per lo sfruttamento congiunto delle risorse naturali che si trovano nelle regioni di confine.
fonte www.agi.it

Torna a inizio pagina

MAKERERE UNIVERSITY RE-OPENS
26 september 2011

After three weeks of a forced holiday, Makerere University students started reporting to campus yesterday amidst joy and speculation about how the semester will be run.
“I am grateful we are back but I am scared lecturers might go on strike towards exams if the agreement is not adhered to which can bring chaos within campus” Shijinga Inviolata, a Journalism and Communications student and a resident of Complex Hall, told Daily Monitor. While Petra Nalutaaya a Social Sciences student said: “It’s a shame that the university closed for this long. Being a state university, we expected better but all the same I am excited we are getting back, I was tired of the abrupt holiday.”
The Vice Chancellor, Prof. Venasius Baryamureeba was quoted in 'Sunday Vision' yesterday as saying students should brace themselves for an extended semester of up to January 14 from the initial December 17 and a short holiday of two weeks instead of the usual one month. Prof. Baryamureeba also said the exam period will be shortened due to limited lecture rooms which he said could be solved by using facilities of schools which where students have gone on holiday.
The institution’s spokesperson, Ms Rita Namisango, assured students that all units of courses will be covered this semester. However, she said the semester will be extended after the Senate meet. “All the lost time will be compensated. But the duration of extension will be determined by the Senate when they sit next week” Ms Namisango said during a telephone interview yesterday.
The re-opening of university was announced on Friday after lecturers and support staff called off their strike.
fonte www.monitor.co.ug - Abdu Kiyaga

Torna a inizio pagina

AFRICA, CHI HA PAURA DI FACEBOOK
26 settembre 2011

La sentono arrivare e la temono, corrono ai ripari, tentano contromosse che spesso hanno la stessa efficacia degli scongiuri.
La 'Primavera araba' bussa alle porte di diversi autocrati africani, che dopo aver assistito al rovesciamento dei regimi di Tunisia, Egitto e Libia, temono di fare la stessa fine di Ben Ali, Mubarak e Gheddafi. E allora stringono la morsa, irrobustiscono la censura ma si trovano a dover combattere contro un nemico nuovo contro il quale le vecchie armi non bastano: i social network.
Fa riflettere ad esempio la sconfitta subita martedì dal vecchio Robert Mugabe, un tempo liberatore, oggi despota dello Zimbabwe. La corte di Bulawayo ha lasciato cadere il procedimento contro Vikhas Mavhudzi, un ragazzo colpevole di aver postato, lo scorso 13 febbraio, un messaggio sul profilo Facebook del principale oppositore di Mugabe, il premier Morgan Tsvangirai, in cui inneggiava alla rivoluzione egiziana.
Nulla di particolarmente eclatante, a dire il vero. Il testo diceva: "Sono sopraffatto dalla gioia, non so cosa dire signor Primo ministro. Quel che è successo sta mandando onde d'urto ai dittatori in tutto il mondo. Nessuna arma ma unità nello scopo". Mavhudzi era finito subito in carcere e c'era rimasto fino al 31 marzo, quando era stato liberato su cauzione. Ma l'accusa per lui era grave: sedizione. Il processo però continua per altre sei persone, accusate di aver dato vita ad una cospirazione per il semplice fatto di aver partecipato ad una lezione universitaria nella quale il docente, riferendosi alla caduta di Hosni Mubarak in Egitto, aveva chiesto: "Quali lezioni si possono trarre?".
Una lezione gli autocrati in questione l'hanno imparata: Facebook, Twitter e la rete in generale sono strumenti fenomenali e se ben usati possono mettere in serie difficoltà un regime, soprattutto perché si legano alla telefonia mobile e a cellulari spesso muniti di camera. Sono strumenti per coordinarsi, scambiare informazioni in tempo reale ma anche per documentare ciò che i governi potrebbero voler tacere.
Lo scorso aprile, ad esempio, il violento arresto del leader dell'opposizione ugandese, Kizza Besigye, fu documentato con una serie di scatti che finirono su internet immediatamente e contribuirono a far crescere la tensione fino a un livello di guardia.
Se, come il caso delle Zimbabwe dimostra, le leggi esistenti non sono un deterrente perché inutili, la lotta si sposta su un piano più tecnologico. Lo ha confermato di recente il numero uno del dipartimento commerciale di Mtn, gigante sudafricano della telefonia, operativo in 21 Paesi di Africa e Medio Oriente, ha ammesso di aver ricevuto pressioni da diversi governi perché chiudesse i principali social network. De Faria non ha fatto nomi, ma non è difficile capire di chi stesse parlando.
Dell'Uganda di Yoweri Museveni, il presidente che ha fatto arrestare Vicent Nzaramba, autore di un libro giudicato scomodo ('People Power. Battle the Mighty General'). Qui, non ci sono molte speculazioni da fare: due colossi della telefonia, internet provider come Warid Uganda Ltd e Uganda Telecom Ltd hanno bloccato l'accesso ai Twitter e Facebook più volte nei giorni più caldi delle marce contro carovita e disoccupazione (e contro Museveni) dell'iniziativa Walk to Work. La stessa Uganda Comunication Commission ha ammesso forti pressioni da parte degli apparati di sicurezza per chiudere i due network.
Lo stesso è accaduto in Senegal, in occasione delle proteste contro il presidente Abdoulaye Wade, in Swaziland, una delle ultime monarchie assolute al mondo, sull'orlo della bancarotta, in Camerun dove la presidenza di Paul Biya è piuttosto traballante e, lo scorso marzo, grazie a pressioni sull'Mtn, è stato bloccato l'accesso a Twitter dal cellulare.
Facebook in particolare fa molta paura per le percentuali di crescita dell'utenza che si registrano in Africa: è quasi ovunque, nel continente, il secondo sito per numero di accessi. Ma è la rete in generale a tenere in apprensioni i governi africani. In Ruanda è stato chiuso il sito 'Umuvugizi' e il suo editore condannato a due anni in contumacia per aver insultato il presidente Paul Kagame.
La lotta si fa dura e alcuni stati stanno investendo ingenti risorse nella repressione del dissenso on line. Lo ha detto chiaramente il 'Comitato per la protezione dei giornalisti' che a giugno ha organizzato un incontro in Sudafrica per discutere della situazione africana.
La reporter della Bbc Karen Allen, scrivendo dell'evento, si chiedeva se la crescente presenza cinese nel continente non comportasse anche un travaso dell'esperienza di Pechino in materia. Secondo la Allen, i casi di Sudan e Tanzania, i cui governi avevano fatto ricorso a Malware per entrare nei computer e controllarli, cancellando dati o modificandoli, sono piuttosto preoccupanti.
fonte http://it.peacereporter.net - Alberto Tundo

Torna a inizio pagina

UGANDA, IN 10 ANNI MORTALITA' AIDS SCESA DEL 30%
26 settembre 2011

Negli ultimi dieci anni la mortalità legata all'Aids è calata circa del 30 per cento in Uganda, passando da 75mila a 50mila decessi l'anno.
"Non sono dati di cui gioire", ha però osservato il ministro della Salute Zainab Akol, "del resto sono morti in un decennio almeno 600mila ugandesi a causa dell'Aids, tuttavia ci incoraggia e consola il fatto che assistiamo a una riduzione costante e significativa dei livelli di mortalità".
Per il ministro il contributo più significativo è arrivato dall'introduzione nel sistema sanitario nazionale della terapia antiretrovirale, che se non sopprime il virus Hiv ma ne blocca la proliferazione. Senza dimenticare i maggiori controlli cui viene sottoposta la popolazione a rischio e i programmi a tappeto per far conoscere la malattia e ridurne il contagio. "Molto ovviamente c'è da fare", ha concluso il ministro, "sia per curare i malati e ridurre ulteriormente la mortalità, sia per eliminare la diffusione della malattia".
Si stima che sono circa 1,2 milioni gli ugandesi che vivono con l'Aids, di questi solo 260mila sono trattati con terapia antiretrovirale. Ogni giorno 350 persone contraggono il virus dell'Hiv, il 76 per cento attraverso il contagio sessuale.
fonte www.agi.it

Torna a inizio pagina

Cambio valuta: in data 30/09/2011 1 dollaro USA è pari a 2860 scellini ugandesi, 1 Euro è pari a 3870,2937 scellini ugandesi

UgandAbout è un servizio dell'Associazione Italia Uganda Onlus a cura di Simona Meneghelli

Two Kampala Bomb Suspects Guilty

Tag:AIDS, child mortality rate, Gulu, Kampala, land grabbing, Makerere University, teachers' salary

This entry was posted on venerdì, settembre 30th, 2011 at 10:16 and is filed under UgandAbout. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. Both comments and pings are currently closed.

Categorie

Articoli Recenti

Commenti

Floriana PARIS su Gulu – Awach, 16 e 17 aprile 2012 – I ricordi, le promesse
Maria Carla Cavanna su Gulu – Awach, 16 e 17 aprile 2012 – I ricordi, le promesse
stefania su 15 aprile 2012 – 50 anni di sacerdozio
cinzia su 15 aprile 2012 – 50 anni di sacerdozio
Maria Carla Cavanna su 15 aprile 2012 – 50 anni di sacerdozio

Contattaci

Associazione
Italia Uganda
Onlus

Via Bona di Savoia 1A
27100 Pavia

tel/fax 0382 467742
email info@italiauganda.it

5,918

Cerca nel sito