UGANDA, GOVERNO PUNTA SU INVESTIMENTI DIASPORA
4 gennaio 2012

IN UGANDA LA SCUOLA PIU’ VICINA AI DISABILI
5 gennaio 2012

CHIUSI I CAMPI PROFUGHI NEL NORD, CIVILI TORNANO ALLE LORO CASE
9 gennaio 2012

430,000 P.7 LEAVERS TO GET FREE EDUCATION
11 january 2012

TASSI D’INTERESSE TROPPO ALTI, COMMERCIANTI IN SCIOPERO
11 gennaio 2012

OPERAZIONE “KAMPALA CITTA’ PULITA”
12 gennaio 2012

GENDER INEQUALITY STILL A CHALLENGE IN EDUCATION
16 january 2012

TASSI D’INTERESSE, DOPO SCIOPERO GOVERNO PROMETTE RIBASSI
17 gennaio 2012

UGANDA, COMPAGNIA BANDIERA AUMENTA VOLI
17 gennaio 2012

ACQUA CORRENTE E SICURA A 77% DEI CITTADINI UGANDESI
17 gennaio 2012

GIRLS STILL HINDERED BY HIGH DROPOUT RATE
19 january 2012

IN UGANDA 100 MLN PER POLO SANITARIO D’ECCELLENZA
23 gennaio 2012

4,000 KARIMOJONG WOMEN EMBRACE FAMILY PLANNING
24 january 2012

KITGUM HOSPITAL – A FACILITY FALLING APART
24 january 2012

NODDING DISEASE KILLS 200 CHILDREN IN NORTH UGANDA
25 january 2012

UGANDA, CRESCITA STIMATA A OLTRE IL 5%
31 gennaio 2012

UGANDA, GOVERNO PUNTA SU INVESTIMENTI DIASPORA
4 gennaio 2012
Il governo di Kampala ha allo studio un sistema in grado di attrarre gli investimenti degli ugandesi all’estero, che spesso esitano a destinare allo sviluppo della madrepatria le risorse accumulate in anni di lavoro fuori dai confini nazionali.
Il segretario permanente del ministero degli Esteri, ambasciatore James Mugume, ha spiegato in una dichiarazione pubblicata dai media locali, che il suo dicastero ha negoziato un prestito a fondo perduto da parte del Programma Onu per lo sviluppo, affinchè la Banca dell’Uganda possa svolgere uno studio sull’argomento, nella prospettiva del lancio di fondi obbligazionari internazionali da rendere particolarmente appetibili per la diaspora ugandese.
Musume ha anche detto che “sarà compito dell’Autorità ugandese per gli investimenti la ricerca e l’individuazione dei settori dell’economia nazionale più attraenti per gli investimenti degli emigrati“.
fonte www.agi.it

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IN UGANDA LA SCUOLA PIU’ VICINA AI DISABILI
5 gennaio 2012
Il sistema educativo ugandese sarà sempre più vicino a scolari e studenti disabili. Lo ha annunciato il ministero dell’Istruzione di Kampala, con un comunicato inviato ai media locali, nel quale si rileva che per la prima volta sono allo studio “programmi speciali per allievi speciali“. L’iniziativa tiene conto del fatto che in questo Paese solo il 2,2 per cento delle persone diversamente abili beneficia di una forma regolare di istruzione.
“Bambini e ragazzi disabili” si legge nella dichiarazione “necessitano di istruzione più di quanto non avvenga per il resto dei loro coetanei, che hanno la possibilità di trovare lavoro in un numero più vario di settori produttivi“. E’ stato fatto sapere che le misure che saranno presto annunciate dal governo prevedono, tra l’altro, un’assistenza mirata per ogni specifico handicap e la presenza di insegnanti di sostegno, che aiutino gli allievi a sviluppare al meglio talenti e capacità.
fonte www.agi.it

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CHIUSI I CAMPI PROFUGHI NEL NORD, CIVILI TORNANO ALLE LORO CASE
9 gennaio 2012
L’Agenzia delle Nazioni Unite per i rifugiati ha formalmente annunciato la fine della missione per l’assistenza agli sfollati nel nord Uganda, la maggior parte dei quali è tornata alle proprie case.
L’ufficio dell’organismo a Gulu è stato ufficialmente chiuso, riferisce una nota dell’organismo, dopo cinque anni di assistenza e protezione per circa due milioni di sfollati interni causati dalla guerriglia dell’Esercito di Liberazione del Signore (LRA) che ha raggiunto il picco dei suoi attacchi contro la popolazione Acholi, tra il 2000 e il 2005.
Negli anni in cui i ribelli di Joseph Kony razziavano e saccheggiavano i villaggi del Nord, ben 251 campi erano stati aperti in 11 diversi distretti settentrionali. Da allora, dopo il mancato accordo di un difficile negoziato di pace nel 2006, le operazioni dei ribelli LRA si sono spostate nei territori in Sud Sudan, Repubblica democratica del Congo e Centrafrica.
Oggi, contro il movimento, è in corso un’offensiva congiunta dei paesi africani coinvolti dal fenomeno, con il coordinamento di Stati Uniti e il finanziamento dell’Unione Europea.
fonte www.misna.org

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430,000 P.7 LEAVERS TO GET FREE EDUCATION
11 january 2012
The Government plans to offer free secondary education to 430,000 students under the Universal Secondary Education programme. The assistant commissioner for secondary education, Francis Agula, disclosed this during an exclusive interview with New Vision on Tuesday. This is about 80% of the 535,500 pupils who sat for last year’s PLE.
According to the USE requirements, students must score between aggregate 4 and 28 to be eligible for free secondary or vocational education. This means the remaining 103,000 students will miss out on the Government’s scholarships. However, such pupils can join private schools, or those aided by the Government but not under the free education scheme.
Agula said the Government has already made a provision for the 430,000 pupils who will be joining any of the USE schools or the vocational institutions. Today, there are about 690,000 students getting free secondary school education in the country.
The Government started free secondary education in 2007, almost 10 years after free primary education was introduced. In 2007, when the programme started, 161,396 students were enrolled. In 2008, 165,758 joined Senior One; another 160,113 in 2009, while 201,990 students joined in 2010.
Last year, 360,215 students were admitted under the free secondary education programme. With 430,000 students set to benefit from free post-primary education this year, it means the Government has increased the intake by 19%. Most of the students will be admitted to USE schools and the rest to vocational institutions for free education.
The new report shows that there are 1,641 schools implementing free secondary education up from 1,488 schools as per last year’s headcount. Of these, 902 are government-aided and 739 are privately owned under the public private partnership. Each student under the programme in private schools is allocated sh47,000 per term while those in Government-aided schools get sh41,000.
fonte www.newvision.co.ug – Conan Businge

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TASSI D’INTERESSE TROPPO ALTI, COMMERCIANTI IN SCIOPERO
11 gennaio 2012
È scesa in campo anche l’Università di Makerere, principale polo dell’istruzione superiore nel paese, per sostenere lo sciopero di imprenditori e negozianti contro gli alti tassi di interesse sui prestiti imposti dalle banche ugandesi, conseguenza di un’inflazione galoppante giunta a sfondare lo scorso mese di ottobre la soglia del 30%.
Il sindacato dei professori e lettori universitari ha diffuso un comunicato in cui denuncia “la complicità della Banca centrale ugandese” in quello che viene definito un vero e proprio “furto ai danni di cittadini e commercianti”. L’inflazione, ha sottolineato il portavoce degli insegnanti, “ha raggiunto tassi del 27% perché la Bcu ha finanziato le elezioni dello scorso anno e incoraggia la corruzione”.
Intanto a Kampala la maggior parte dei negozi e delle attività commerciali sta osservando a saracinesche chiuse il primo dei tre giorni di sciopero decretato dopo due giorni di incontri infruttuosi con rappresentanti del settore creditizio e del governo centrale. “Quello che lamentiamo non è tanto che alzino gli interessi, quanto che lo facciano anche su prestiti di vecchia data” ha spiegato Isa Ssekito, portavoce dell’associazione commercianti della terza economia della regione. Gli imprenditori hanno minacciato, entro i prossimi tre giorni, di ritirare i loro depositi dagli istituti di credito e di sospendere i versamenti sui rispettivi conti correnti.
Lo scorso anno, per far fronte a un’inflazione crescente e alla relativa svalutazione dello scellino ugandese, la Bcu ha alzato i tassi costringendo le banche ad aumentare a loro volta gli interessi sui prestiti, con la conseguenza di accrescere i costi delle attività commerciali.
Secondo la stampa locale, i tassi medi di interesse nelle banche commerciali sono passati dal 18-19%, nel luglio scorso, all’attuale 28-29%.
Negli ultimi mesi, il paese è stato teatro di manifestazioni e sit-in di protesta contro l’aumento esponenziale del costo della vita e dei generi di prima necessità, un fenomeno comune a tutta l’Africa orientale.
fonte www.misna.org

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OPERAZIONE “KAMPALA CITTA’ PULITA”
12 gennaio 2012
Le autorità ugandesi hanno lanciato una campagna con l’adozione di misure senza precedenti per migliorare le condizioni igieniche della capitale, Kampala.
Per rendere più agevole il raggiungimento dell’obiettivo è stato deciso anche di rispolverare una vecchia legge, emanata 11 anni fa, che prevede pene severe, tra cui la reclusione, per chi abbandona rifiuti in un luogo pubblico. A seconda della gravità del reato, potranno essere inflitti due mesi di reclusione, venti ore di servizio sociale o una multa pari a 16 dollari.
Il responsabile della comunicazione dell’Amministrazione comunale, Peter Kawaju, ha spiegato in conferenza stampa che per rendere più pulita la capitale “si è dovuto tirar fuori dal cassetto un’ordinanza del sindaco emanata 11 anni fa“. Gli effetti si sono fatti sentire subito e, nel giro di due settimane, oltre 50 persone sono state arrestate, tra cui anche il gestore di un noto albergo.
fonte www.agi.it

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GENDER INEQUALITY STILL A CHALLENGE IN EDUCATION
16 january 2012
Although much emphasis has been put on provision of education, little has been done to address causes of gender inequality, a new report has showed.
According to the situation analysis report of the Gender and Equity Responsiveness of the Pre-Primary and Secondary School levels, girls have continued to be disadvantaged compared to boys in all aspects of education access, participation and performance at both primary and secondary school levels-something that has limited their chances to grab opportunities in higher institutions of learning.
Girls have continued to be disadvantaged compared to the boys in all aspects of education access, participation and performance at both primary and secondary school levels, except at pre-primary level where there is gender equality in access.
According to Ministry of education records, the number of boys who joined tertiary institutions last year stood at 100,831 while girls were only 78,738-indicating a gap of 22,093.
The report says the much touted political commitment to bridge the gender gap in education had failed to translate into budget allocations and there was no robust records and information management system put in place to track progress and the impact of the interventions. “While indicators for gender equality and equity were defined in the policy, no targets were set. This makes it difficult to establish what needs to be done annually and therefore budget accordingly” says the seven-page report compiled by the ministry of Finance, Planning and Economic Development.
The report released in Kampala recently indicates that although the free primary education programme has significantly improved provision of education for both girls and boys, the overall indicators mask big district inequalities, especially for the Karamoja region where completion rates are still very low . “While the interventions are generally appropriate, there is a miss-match in the targeting -grant aiding was done in districts which had good access indicators like Wakiso, Luweero, and Jinja in 2009/10. This is because grant aiding was based on expressed need other than potential need” the report adds.
The report says the interventions recorded focus much more on the quality of education than gender and equity. “Only two intervations, infracture development and provision of furniture and other equipment may be regarded as equity interventions and therefore not much gender analysis was done at the secondary level” the report say. “Although performance at Uganda Certificate of Education exams has in the last two years been on average high at 95 percent of students passing with at least division four, there are however glaring gender and geographical imbalances with some districts having no female student passing in the first division.”
It says although there efforts to fund some specific activities to address gender and equity concerns, the funding has not been stable and actually suffered massive cuts in 2010/11 fiscal year. However, the report says the promotion of Business, Technical ,Vocational Education and Training (BTVET) has significantly increased the number and percentage share of girls enrolled in post -primary formal education, although there is still gender imbalances and negative social perceptions of BTVET programme.
According to the report causes of inequalities are mainly related to costs, early marriage and pregnancy and the perception that children are too young to attend school.
Two decades ago, government introduced the 1.5 Bonus Points Scheme at Makerere University for female students in addition to the female students’ individual examination scores under the affirmative action policy for women. This was done to increase the number of female undergraduate entrants into the university however there really still evidence that the problem is still bigger.
There is a growing campaign to have the scheme scrapped, saying it has already achieved its target and boys now seem to be the ones being marginalised.
fonte http://allafrica.com – Al-Mahdi Ssenkabirwa

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TASSI D’INTERESSE, DOPO SCIOPERO GOVERNO PROMETTE RIBASSI
17 gennaio 2012
Con la promessa di individuare entro cinque giorni “misure appropriate” per ridurre i tassi di interesse applicati dalle banche, il presidente Yoweri Museveni ha raggiunto un compromesso con i commercianti e gli imprenditori protagonisti di uno sciopero che la settimana scorsa aveva paralizzato Kampala.
Durante un incontro presso la sede dell’associazione di categoria Kampala City Traders Association (Kacita), ieri il capo dello Stato ha annunciato che la Banca centrale dell’Uganda avrà cinque giorni per valutare “misure appropriate” per “venire in aiuto” ai commercianti.
Lo sciopero, concluso ieri, aveva determinato la chiusura di negozi ed esercizi commerciali sia a Kampala che in alcune città minori. All’origine dell’iniziativa di protesta c’è un forte aumento dei tassi di interesse applicati dalle banche nell’ambito di una politica monetaria restrittiva, tesa a contrastare un’inflazione che a dicembre ha raggiunto il 27% su base annua.
I tassi applicati dalla Banca centrale, decisivi per la definizione delle condizioni dei prestiti degli istituti commerciali, sono aumentati nell’arco di sei mesi dal 13 al 23%.
fonte www.misna.org

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UGANDA, COMPAGNIA BANDIERA AUMENTA VOLI
17 gennaio 2012
La compagnia di bandiera di Kampala, Air Uganda, è in fase di espansione e ha aumentato la frequenza dei voli verso varie destinazioni in tutta l’Africa orientale.
In un comunicato emesso dalla sede centrale del vettore, si rileva che i voli giornalieri Nairobi-Entebbe saranno portati presto da due a tre nei fine settimana “per soddisfare la domanda crescente della clientela”. Inoltre, Air Uganda ha recentemente aumentato anche i voli giornalieri Juba-Entebbe e ha ripreso quelli diretti tra Zanzibar e Mombasa.
La compagnia ugandese attualmente copre cinque destinazioni in Africa orientale e nei 12 mesi conclusisi a ottobre, secondo quanto si legge in una dichiarazione dell’ufficio stampa, “ha messo a segno un aumento del 17 per cento del traffico passeggeri, nonostante l’aumento delle tariffe”.
fonte www.agi.it

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ACQUA CORRENTE E SICURA A 77% DEI CITTADINI UGANDESI
17 gennaio 2012
La vita di milioni di ugandesi è destinata a cambiare di molto, e in meglio, nel giro dei prossimi quattro anni. Il governo di Kampala, la capitale della nazione, ha deciso di continuare e accelerare i progetti per garantire, entro il 2016, l’accesso all’acqua potabile ad altri 2,4 milioni di ugandesi che vivono in migliaia di comunità rurali su tutto il territorio nazionale.
Per il 2012 l’esecutivo ha stanziato, grazie alla collaborazione della Banca africana di sviluppo (Afdb), un’altra settantina di milioni di dollari, che vanno ad aggiungersi ai finanziamenti spesi negli anni precedenti che hanno portato al 65% dei cittadini il diritto a disporre di acqua corrente e sana.
Entro il 2016 l’Uganda conta di incrementare ulteriormente questo tasso fino al 77% della popolazione complessiva, per arrivare poi alla totalità negli anni immediatamente successivi.
fonte www.agi.it

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GIRLS STILL HINDERED BY HIGH DROPOUT RATE
19 january 2012
While girls continued to show great competiveness against boys in Primary Leaving Examinations results released yesterday, high levels of dropouts emerged as a major challenge. Failure to complete and inability to compete or access to education opportunities are the major challenge.
A report on regional free education tracking by the group Uwezo released last year found that 68 per cent of pupils who enroll in Primary One drop out before Primary Seven. That was a six per cent jump from 75 per cent for the previous year. Releasing results yesterday, Education Minister Jessica Alupo said dropouts remain the biggest challenge to realizing benefits of free Universal Education in Uganda.
Gender balance. “Gender Balance is crucial to increase equal opportunities, there is no meaningful development if the girls are left behind” Ms Alupo said. “We are looking at increasing the number of school inspectors so that we can have a ratio of one inspector to at least 40 schools.”
The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization in their April 2010 report, ranked Uganda with the highest rate of school dropouts in East Africa with only 25 per cent of enrolled students for Primary One completing Primary Seven country wide. The Ministry of Education conquers with these findings.
In yesterday’s released results , for instance, of the 535,933 students who registered for the Primary Leaving Exams, 19, 917 did not sit, majority of whom were girls. Ministry of Education attributes the high school drop outs rates to early pregnancy, early marriage and elopement of tender aged girls (12-14) in various communities in the country but could not verify which districts and regions had the highest rate of school dropouts.
The problem. The problem, according to Ms Alupo, is the lack of law enforcement at the local levels to see that girl children remain in school. This role is supposed to be played by district inspectors. Ms Alupo also said she is going to look at priorities of District Local Governments which seem to sideline recruitment of schools inspectors yet the ministry allocates substantial money to cater for education.
The Executive Secretary to the Ministry of Education, Mr Mathew Bukenya, said the rate of school dropout is even more puzzling as the years go by. “The situation is sad, there is a research going on to find out while these girls get pregnant and engage in early marriages but my view is that we parents are not taking care of the children as much as we should” Mr Bukenya said.
The few girls who manage to complete their exams, however, performed better than the boys, a reassurance Ms Alupo said the country should capitalize on in order to achieve complete gender balance in literacy in the country.
fonte www.monitor.co.ug – Flavia Lanyero

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IN UGANDA 100 MLN PER POLO SANITARIO D’ECCELLENZA
23 gennaio 2012
Non solo cliniche, ambulatori e campagne di vaccinazioni. La nuova frontiera della sanità africana prevede anche la costruzione di centri di eccellenza, almeno a livello continentale.
E’ questo uno degli obiettivi del ministero della Salute ugandese che con 100 milioni di dollari, garantiti in gran parte della Banca africana di sviluppo (Afdb), rivedrà l’intera filosofia del Mulago Hospital, il più grande ospedale e il più importante Policlinico universitario, non solo della capitale Kampala, ma dell’intera nazione.
La nuova struttura, rivista dalle fondamenta, aspira a essere, nelle intenzioni del governo locale, una struttura sanitaria di eccellenza e un polo di primaria importanza per la formazione di medici e studenti di tutte le principali discipline sanitarie. Il nuovo Mulago Hospital si candida anche a essere un polo di attrazione per gli aspiranti dottori delle altre nazioni dell’Africa centro-orientale.
Con i 100 milioni di dollari stanziati dall’esecutivo, inoltre, si prevede di finanziare altri progetti sanitari che complessivamente creeranno 600 posti di lavoro e interesseranno tre milioni di persone, il 10 per cento circa della popolazione complessiva dell’Uganda.
fonte www.agi.it

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4,000 KARIMOJONG WOMEN EMBRACE FAMILY PLANNING
24 january 2012
At least 4,000 women in Karamoja have been enrolled for family planning to help households improve their livelihoods.
Officials from Maries Stopes, an NGO working in collaboration with the Ministry of Health on reproductive health issues in the sub-region, said the response is positive. Dr Charles Nuwagaba, the medical officer implementing the reproductive health programme, said the 4,000 women have been enrolled in Moroto, Nakapiripirit, Amudat, Napak, Abim, Kotido and Kaabong districts since October 2011.
Dr Nuwagaba said 65 per cent of the enrolled women are taking long term methods of three to five years and 25 per cent are taking up short-term methods of three to four months while 10 per cent are going for the permanent method of birth control. “When we began the programme, it was not easy to convince families to adopt family planning because they thought it is all about stopping people from producing. But when we educated them about the programme, many embraced it” he said.
Dr Nuwagaba said people in the region were insisting that they were used to their traditional way of family planning where by husbands would keep away from home once the woman gave birth and returned when the child has grown. Ms Clementine Nangiro, a mother of seven, described the new method as a good move. She said: “We didn’t have enough information about family planning but now it is better.”
fonte http://allafrica.com -  Steven Ariong

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KITGUM HOSPITAL – A FACILITY FALLING APART
24 january 2012
Michael Abola, 14, is a miserable boy. Seated on his hospital bed, he is in pain and a stench emanates from severe wounds on his legs. The wounds, which stretch from the toes to the knees, are undressed and have become an eyesore to the other patients sharing the ward with him.
This is in Kitgum Hospital, Kitgum district in northern Uganda, lying on the South Sudan border. Abola is epileptic, and during one of the attacks, he fell in the fire and got burnt. He badly needed surgery and he was taken to hospital. However, at that time, the hospital had only one doctor and there was no specialist for surgery.
Some time back, they recruited two more doctors, but there was still no specialist for surgery. “He had to wait because there were some specialists coming from Lacor Hospital in Gulu, for a one-day clinic” says Suzan Awuete, a nursing assistant at the hospital, who is also the head of the surgical ward that would, under normal circumstances, be headed by a doctor. Later, the Lacor Hospital specialists worked on Abola, but not much has changed. He is writhing in pain and looks resigned to fate.
Supplies and staffing. Kitgum Hospital lacks essential equipment and supplies, and the infrastructure is inadequate. Peter Bezy Omoya, the senior administrator, says the hospital, which serves over 300,000 people who come from as far as South Sudan and Karamoja, faces staffing shortages. The hospital has only three doctors, out of the 12 recommended by the health ministry and does not have specialists.
In the surgical ward, they are supposed to have a general surgeon and a specialist surgeon to work on patients. However, they do not have any of these, so patients suffer.
Until recently, the hospital did not have a doctor for its huge maternity wing that delivers over 20 babies per day. According to Christine Atube, a midwife, they could not carryout C-sections and many women had to be referred to the nearest St. Joseph Hospital or Gulu Hospital. “However, by the time they are attended to, it is either delayed labour or they die” explains Atube. She adds that whereas there are supposed to be over 40 midwives, the hospital has only 15, many of whom have to attend to other departments.
The maternity wing is supposed to have over six midwives, but they have only two. Atube observes that due to this shortage, most staff work for longer hours, yet they earn very little. She says midwives are also rarely promoted, and this has affected their morale. She also notes that there are no allowances for breakfast, lunch or accommodation, so they have to meet all these costs.
Kitgum Hospital also lacks equipment like a dental chair. Omoya says the one they had broke down and has not been repaired for years due to lack of spares. That aside, the hospital lacks a dental surgeon. Omanya adds that it is hard to work on patients with dental problems, although lower level cadres have been trained to help. He says the hospital is full of junior staff, with nursing officers making up the bigger percentage of workers.
However, he says the junior officers cannot help much because they have limited skills. For example, they cannot work on people with bone problems, carryout C-sections or operations.
Infrastructure. The hospital is full of dilapidated structures, including the intensive care unit and the mortuary that stands right in the heart of the hospital. The walls are peeling off and some parts are leaking. The staff houses are also not enough, yet they are not in good state. The toilets are also dilapidated and dirty, and most of them have filled up.
Power crisis. Omoya explains that the hospital gets less than sh257m per month and this is supposed to carry out repairs, pay allowances for staff field visits, service vehicles and run the generator. “It is also supposed to pay the huge electricity bill. So, by the end of the day, we have no money to carry out repairs. This is a tall order, so we can only do what we can” adds Omoya. He says the hospital requires over sh2b annually to run efficiently, but this is just a dream.
Kitgum Hospital, like any other government facility, gets power from the national grid. However, because of the incessant loadshedding, they have to rely on the generator, yet they cannot afford fuel most of the time. When this happens, it means they cannot light the hospital, so they resort to candles. They cannot also run their fridges, so the medicine goes bad. The two ambulances given to the hospital have also been grounded because they cannot afford to buy fuel.
In fact, some patients complain that they are sometimes asked to buy fuel. Omoya explains that while many ordinary people think they have everything to help them, in reality they are operating on a very small budget, with inadequate staffing. “Our work is to help our people, but we can only do this within our means. I know they expect a lot from us, but the conditions are very difficult here” he says. Omoya observes that most hospital beds are broken and need repair.
They also lack mattresses and blankets. He says most of the beds are 30 years old and others are as old as the hospital itself, which was built in 1948. According to the Uganda Bureau of Statistics, most of the people in Kitgum are poor, with over 70% of them living on a dollar a day. So, they rely on the hospital for everything, including medication and beddings.
Machines One thing the hospital is proud of is their X-ray and ultra sound scan machines that still function. Although they have failed to get a specialist to operate the machines, they have trained a low-level cadre to help. The facility is also proud of its beautiful compound that is well-trimmed.
Unlike other hospitals that complain of lack of drugs and supplies, the hospital is well-stocked with drugs, including ARVs. According to Omoya, the hospital also has enough sanitary supplies such as gloves and bandages. On the day I visited the facility, it was a Sunday, but most of the staff were attending to patients, something that is rare in many other facilities I have visited.
fonte http://allafrica.com – Frederick Womakuyu

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NODDING DISEASE KILLS 200 CHILDREN IN NORTH UGANDA
25 january 2012
Over 200 children have so far died of the mysterious Nodding disease in northern Uganda where it broke out three years ago. The Ministry of Health reported early this month that it had recorded 66 deaths as a result of the disease. The number has since more than tripled.
The ministry on Tuesday also announced that the number of children infected with the disease had also risen to over 3,000 from 2,000 that was reported at the beginning of this year.
In an interview with New Vision, the commissioner for health services, Dr. Anthony Mbonye, said they were investigating reports that the disease that has been concentrated in Kitgum, Lamwo and Pader districts has spread to Lira and the surrounding areas.
Mbonye added that in Tumangu sub-county in Kitgum, almost every household has at least a child suffering from the disease, whose cure has not been established yet. Recent studies into the disease by the health ministry and the Centre for Disease Control did not indicate any conclusive causes of the Nodding disease which first broke out in 2009.
Food-triggered attack. The disease causes seizures and the victim becomes physically and mentally stunted, resulting into blindness and death. Health officials say the attacks are triggered by food. The seizure begins when the affected person begins to eat. They start nodding with uncoordinated hand movements, so they fail to get food into the mouth. The odd causes of the disease have forced some parents to avoid feeding their children. Reports indicated that some parents were tying the affected children to trees to control the uncoordinated hand movements.
Nodding disease or nodding syndrome is little known. It is said to have first emerged in Sudan in the 1980s. The director general of health services, Dr. Jane Aceng, told journalists at the Media Centre in Kampala that the ministry was offering treatment to the affected people due to the lack of a definite cure to the disease. She admitted that not all causes of diseases are known. Aceng was responding to queries about what the ministry has been treating since they do not know the exact cause and treatment of the disease. But she explained that initial studies had linked the disease to epilepsy and malnutrition.
Commissioner for clinical services Dr. Jacinto Amandua said those affected by the disease were receiving treatment for epilepsy, malnutrition, convulsions, seizures, Vitamin A deficiencies and worms. The health ministry disclosed that it has developed a comprehensive emergency response plan to tackle the increasing cases of Nodding disease.
fonte http://allafrica.com – Pascal Kwesiga

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UGANDA, CRESCITA STIMATA A OLTRE IL 5%
31 gennaio 2012
Un rapporto delle Nazioni Unite, intitolato ‘Situazione economica mondiale e prospettive per il 2012′, indica che quest’anno l’economia ugandese “continuerà a crescere nonostante le sfide che si profilano all’orizzonte“. Nel documento si rileva che il prodotto interno lordo, grazie soprattutto agli investimenti effettuati nel comparto energetico, “crescerà quest’anno del 5,1 per cento per portarsi l’anno successivo al 6,3“. Per quanto riguarda la situazione occupazionale, però, la disoccupazione “continuerà a creare problemi, con riflessi su una fascia sociale relativamente estesa, nonostante la crescita sostenuta dell’economia nazionale“.
fonte www.agi.it

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Cambio valuta: in data 30/01/2012 1 dollaro USA è pari a 2340 scellini ugandesi, 1 Euro è pari a 3071,8336 scellini ugandesi

In Uganda vi aspettano Padre John e i suoi bimbi ...

L’idea iniziale di questo viaggio è arrivata proprio da un gruppetto di suoi amici: “L’occasione è importante, che bello se si potesse celebrarla tutti insieme!”

Allora ci siamo detti: “Perché non estendere l’invito a tutti i nostri volontari, amici e sostenitori? Sicuramente farebbe piacere anche a loro essere vicini a Padre John in un giorno per lui tanto speciale, visitare i luoghi dell’impegno missionario in Uganda … e approfittarne per vedere ‘dal vivo’ cosa facciamo giù a Kampala e conoscere le migliaia di bambini, uomini e donne che anche grazie a loro stiamo aiutando a costruirsi un futuro”

Detto fatto: alcuni di voi avranno sentito la proposta del viaggio alla festa del 27 novembre a Pavia, altri avranno ricevuto proprio in questi giorni l’invito a casa. E per chi ci segue principalmente attraverso il blog? Ecco che il mio articolo di oggi arriva a colmare questa lacuna!

Qui di seguito trovate il gustoso programma del viaggio. Se vi interessa non dovete far altro che chiamarci allo 0382 467742 o scriverci a info@italiauganda.it :

Giovedì 12: partenza da Milano o Roma e arrivo a Kampala

Venerdì 13: visita ad alcuni nostri progetti: asilo di Bbiina, distribuzione pasti alla scuola St. James, Scuola Bishop Cipriano Kihangire (scuola primaria e scuola superiore)…

Sabato 14: visita a Jinja, per raggiungere le “mitiche” sorgenti del Nilo, e alle rapide di Bujagali, immersi in un verdeggiante panorama di piantagioni di tè e canna da zucchero

Domenica 15: S. Messa e celebrazione del 50esimo di sacerdozio di Padre John, con festeggiamenti comunitari in Parrocchia.

Lunedì 16: partenza per Gulu, nel Nord Uganda, e visita della cittadina: cattedrale, cimitero dei confratelli comboniani di Padre John … Pernottamento a Gulu.

Martedì 17: visita ad Awach e ai tipici villaggi di capanne africane (preparatevi perché molto probabilmente questa sarà la giornata più toccante ed emozionante del viaggio!) e pernottamento a Gulu.

Mercoledì 18: safari nel Parco Nazionale delle Murchison Falls. In serata rientro a Kampala.

Giovedì 19: visita della città di Kampala

Venerdì 20: giornata dedicata alla conclusione della visita ai nostri progetti

... e tante bellezze naturalistiche!

Sabato 21: ultime compere in mercatini locali

Domenica 22: partenza di Kampala e rientro a Milano o Roma

Cosa ne dite? Non è una proposta da cogliere al volo??

Chiamateci o scriveteci, sia per dare la vostra adesione sia per richiedere tutte le informazioni aggiuntive che qui, per mancanza di spazio, non sono riuscita a scrivervi (costi, pernottamenti, visti, vaccinazioni…).

Le iscrizioni sono aperte fino al 15 di febbraio! Non perdete tempo!!

PRIVATE OR GOVERNMENT; IS THE FEES YOU ARE PAYING WORTH IT?
5 december 2011

UGANDA SHILLING GAINS MORE AGAINST DOLLAR
5 december 2011

UGANDA, LIGHTS OUT FOR HEALTHCARE IN WEST NILE 0
12 december 2011

ANCHE L’EUROPA NELLA COALIZIONE CONTRO RIBELLI UGANDESI
13 dicembre 2011

PROFUGHI RUANDESI CONTRO ‘CLAUSOLA DI CESSAZIONE’
14 dicembre 2011

MINISTRO UGANDESE SI DIMETTE PER CORRUZIONE
16 dicembre 2011

UGANDA: GOVERNMENT TO REDUCE MATERNAL MORTALITY BY 50 PERCENT
18 december 2011

UGANDA PROMOSSA DALLA LONELY PLANET
20 dicembre 2011

UGANDA, IN CRESCITA EXPORT STIMATO CACAO NEL 2012 (12%)
28 dicembre 2011

It is this time of the year when people review their plans to see how much has been achieved, failed on and what can be done in the new year. To parents, it is a time when they decide whether their children should join a day-care, start school through pre-primary to primary and other levels of education depending on the age.
There are many things to consider here which demand a lot of planning and at this moment with concentration on how to meet an extra cost.
John Ntege, a father of two, has had to tour majority of the primary schools around Kampala to find a school which his son will join next year after he graduated from his pre-primary school. But this errand has not been easy for him. He has had to move from school to school for a vacancy, not because his son doesn’t have the brains, but because his pockets are not favoured by the demands in these schools.
As he says, no school has asked for less than Shs600, 000 as tuition. Never mind that this has nothing to do with scholastic materials, uniform, daily transportation of the child to and from school plus the meals. If his son is to use any of the school shuttles, the range has been between Shs400,000 to Shs600,000 extra per term. He describes the circumstance as “ridiculous”.
“What schools are demanding is outrageous. I can’t pay more than what I earn. Yet, I need their service. But to think that I am paying for a primary child more than what it costs a university student is more than ridiculous. The government is seated, watching. Think of an average Ugandan failing to provide basics to their family?” Mr Ntege explains.
With only Shs1m per month as take home after 30days of work, this will not even be enough to meet his son’s school expenses in a term. John spends Shs450, 000 on rent monthly, has to pay medical, water and electricity bills.
On why he does not try his luck in one of the government’s Universal Primary Schools (UPE) where it is expected to be free, at least from the burden of paying fees, Mr Ntege cannot stand it. He says; “Have you heard that any of those policy makers take their children to any of the schools implementing free education? Why don’t they champion a cause they promote as good? Because they know what is missing in those schools so they take their children to other schools.”
It is reason you will find that many private schools have come up even with the introduction of UPE 15 years later. The beginning was a blow to the private sector with many investors fearing for the worst. But as it turned out, it is a venture for many business people today.
But Mr Patrick Kaboyo, the coordinator of the Coalition of Uganda Private Schools has asked government to put a regulatory framework for private schools to stop them from hiking tuition fees. He urges that many private school proprietors have missed the link in providing the service and are taking advantage of parents and increasing fees anytime including in the middle of a term because there is no policy to oversee that the public is not exploited.
“Parents are getting circulars from schools every time to either increase fees or asking money for trips. We want government to put a framework to prevent private schools from hiking school fees. It is abnormal for a parent to pay a tune of Shs700, 000 per term for a child in pre-primary” Mr Kaboyo says.
The debate around how much should a primary, secondary and university student pay has been on for some time. In some cases keeping a pupil in school is more expensive than maintaining a university student. A parent for example with a child at Kampala Junior parts with Shs620,000 for fees every term and depending on an activity the child participates in per term, there is an extra cost like swimming is charged Shs50,000, French lessons (Shs40,000), ballet (Shs120,000), Art (Shs20, 000) and if the child is to use the school bus for transport another Shs680,000 will be paid.
However, these are co-curricular activities which according to Ministry of Education are part of the curriculum and should not be charged separately from school dues.
But the question is how many Ugandans can meet these costs in private schools where for instance Uwezo an organisation that seeks to establish primary children competencies in basic skills by involving both the school and community learning of the child has indicated in its reports that pupils’ literacy and numeracy skills are better than those in government-aided schools?
How do UPE schools survive with Shs6,000 government pays per term per child?
Is it that private investors are cheating the public or government is giving a low deal to its citizens?
A mini survey by this paper shows that Kabojja PS charges Shs640,000, Hillside PS (Shs500,000), Greenhill (Shs600,000), and Sir Apolo Kaggwa PS (Shs705,000). Dr Yusuf Nsubuga, the director basic education in Education ministry in an interview at the 18th sector performance review said for any school to increase fees, it must seek for permission from the ministry.
However, because it is a private investment, he adds that the schools meet most of the expenses like payment of teacher salaries, infrastructure development and instructional materials, it is difficult for them to control their financial management other than the quality of education they are providing to the learners. But parents insist that its government’s mandate to ensure learners get quality education and the means should be favourable for all citizens to access.
fonte www.monitor.co.ug - Patience Ahimbisibwe

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UGANDA SHILLING GAINS MORE AGAINST DOLLAR
5 december 2011

The Uganda shilling has rallied against the dollar on the back of an upsurge in inflows from Ugandans living abroad and offshore investors seeking to purchase attractive government debt at an auction on Wednesday. The central bank of east Africa’s third largest economy is expected to conduct a 95 billion shillings ($37.62 million) Treasury bond auction on Wednesday. The two-year bond has a coupon rate of 10 percent.
At 0748 GMT commercial banks in Kampala quoted the local currency at 2,495/2,505 against the U.S. currency, stronger than Friday’s close of 2,520/2,530.
“The debt is very attractive and we’re seeing a huge interest from offshore investors” said Ahmed Kalule, a Treasury dealer at Bank of Africa. “So inflows from these investors plus those from Ugandans overseas coming for Christmas are meeting very low demand in the market and the shilling is drawing energy from that.”
Bank of Uganda (BoU), which launched an aggressive round of monetary policy tightening in July, left its benchmark Central Bank Rate (CBR) for December unchanged at 23 percent last week from November. The bank’s decision followed the release of the country’s Consumer Price Index (CPI) data showing Uganda’s headline inflation slowed to 29 percent year-on-year in November from the previous month’s 30.4 percent.
Kalule said the shilling, which hit its all time low of 2,901 on Sep. 23, was finding its support and resistance levels at 2,480 and 2,560 levels respectively. “Market sentiment still points toward a further appreciation of the unit (shilling) as the market continues to witness low customer appetite for the dollar and expected dollar conversions from NGOs” said a market report from Stanbic Bank Uganda.
The shilling has recovered 13.8 percent of its value against the dollar since its Sep. 23 record low but it’s still 6.4 percent down against the dollar in the year to date.
fonte http://allafrica.com

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UGANDA, LIGHTS OUT FOR HEALTHCARE IN WEST NILE 0
12 december 2011

Increased fatalities, patients paying to fuel their own ambulances, cancelled surgical operations, 11km journeys just to sterilize equipment – such are the symptoms of a healthcare crisis in Uganda’s West Nile region caused by weeks of power blackouts, according to parliamentarians and medical staff.
“People were really dying [during blackouts]” said Gilbert Olanya, a member of the Parliamentary Social Services Committee, which visited the region recently and described the crisis there as “unique” in Uganda.
The region’s referral hospital in the town of Arua, 430km northwest of Kampala, serves a catchment population of more than 2.8 million people across eight districts, and many others in neighbouring South Sudan and the Democratic Republic of Congo. The region is not connected to the national grid and ever since the main generator run by the town’s sole power supplier, West Nile Rural Electrification Company Ltd (WENRECo), broke down in September, the hospital’s acting director Emmanuel Odar says the facility has reached a low point.
Residents are so unhappy with WENRECo they have called for its 20-year contract – due to end in 2023 – to be revoked, according to local media reports. “We don’t know why the WENRECo people are here – they are doing us a very big disservice” said Sam Wadri, of the Arua council. “We have been affected severely” Odar said. “Sometimes, we even have to cancel the [operating] theatre list.” He explained that because of the blackouts, staff sometimes took instruments to be sterilized at a private hospital in Kuluva – 11km away – which has its own small hydro-electric power plant.
Arua hospital has a back-up diesel generator but in the absence of WENRECO-supplied electricity, this has consumed a three-month allocation of fuel in a single month. “So how we survive the other two months, it’s a very big challenge” Odar said. “If you have exhausted your budget, then you stay in darkness.”
While the Ministry of Health has promised to subsidize fuel for four hospitals elsewhere in Uganda to compensate for national grid blackouts, its permanent secretary, Asuman Lukwago, said he had been unaware of the extent of power outages in West Nile. “But we are able to help them at any time they are in a critical crisis – if the hospital is in a crisis and needs help tomorrow, we can help” he said.
Such help would be welcomed by Arua resident Linda Mutambi, who remembers a doctor having to stitch her up in the dark when power failed during a Caesarean section about a year ago. The stitches had to be removed and re-sewn. Now expecting her third child, the thought of returning to hospital makes her apprehensive. “I always fear. I always think that now I’m pregnant again, what am I going to do? They are going to take me to the theatre again. I’m just imagining again power going off for me, that’s what is always in my mind.”
The parliamentary committee’s lead researcher, Josephine Watera, said there was no doubt that maternal deaths had risen because of the blackouts, even if chronic under-reporting of such fatalities meant accurate data was unavailable. “The situation is very bad. After going into the field, our eyes are open” she said. She said the health centre in Yumbe, another West Nile town, had been effectively shut down as it had no water, no generator, and a broken solar panel. Patients who have been paying for already short supplies are now faced with fuelling their own ambulances, Watera said.
Local discontent with WENRECo stems not only from its frequent blackouts – despite a pledge to deliver 18-24 hours of electricity a day – but also the delayed completion of 3.5MW hydro-power plant in Nyagak, which was supposed to go online in 2006. As an interim measure, the company operates two small generators in West Nile, but locals say these provide electricity for just two hours a day.
Angelo Izama, director of local energy think-tank Fanaka Kwawote, told IRIN the delays at Nyagak were symptomatic of a failing national procurement process. “Regulators of any variety in Uganda tend to be weaker than the entities that they regulate. So companies that are involved, foreign or local – really project immense influence over the procedures of procurement” Izama said.
Only 10 percent of Ugandans have access to electricity. In rural areas the proportion is 3 percent.
fonte www.afronline.org

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ANCHE L’EUROPA NELLA COALIZIONE CONTRO RIBELLI UGANDESI
13 dicembre 2011

L’Unione Europea finanzierà la costruzione di una base logistica che favorisca attività militari e di intelligence nell’ambito delle operazioni di contrasto all’Esercito di Resistenza del Signore (LRA) nell’Africa centro-orientale. A rendere noto l’allargamento al ‘vecchio continente’ della coalizione di cui fanno già parte Uganda, Sud Sudan, Centrafrica, Repubblica democratica del Congo e Stati Uniti è il ministro della Difesa di Kampala, Kryspus Kiyonga, che riferisce di un finanziamento “per oltre un milione di dollari”.
Al termine di sopralluoghi effettuati in diverse zone di confine, territori di difficile accesso in cui l’LRA è più attivo, i militari statunitensi dispiegati il mese scorso dall’amministrazione americana hanno individuato infatti la località di Nzara, nell’ovest del Sud Sudan, e Obbo, in Centrafrica, per l’insediamento di due basi permanenti di coordinamento e addestramento delle truppe africane.
La scorsa settimana – riferisce la stampa ugandese – si è conclusa ad Entebbe, vicino Kampala, una sessione di addestramento nel corso della quale le truppe hanno ricevuto in dotazione nuovi equipaggiamenti per la lotta contro la guerriglia. All’addestramento, condotto dai militari americani, ne seguiranno altri nei paesi limitrofi dove è attiva la ribellione guidata da Joseph Kony.
Il rinnovato interesse da parte dell’Unione Africana, che ha di recente lanciato un’iniziativa regionale contro il fenomeno LRA, si inserisce nell’ambito di un programma approvato lo scorso anno dal presidente americano Barack Obama per il ‘Disarmo e la riqualificazione del Nord Uganda’. Sulla base di una richiesta del Congresso, il governo di Washington ha inviato nella regione africana un centinaio di uomini dei corpi speciali incaricati di coordinare le operazioni contro i ribelli.
fonte www.misna.org

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PROFUGHI RUANDESI CONTRO ‘CLAUSOLA DI CESSAZIONE’
14 dicembre 2011

“Non vogliamo perdere i nostri diritti alla protezione in quanto rifugiati”: è il messaggio della petizione, a nome dei circa 17.000 profughi ruandesi in Uganda, indirizzata all’Alto commissario dell’Onu per i rifugiati Antonio Guterres.
La missiva è motivata dalla ‘clausola di cessazione’ annunciata dall’Alto commissariato dell’Onu per i rifugiati (Unhcr/Acnur) e caldeggiata dal presidente ruandese Paul Kagame. Una clausola che, se entrerà in vigore il 31 dicembre come previsto, comporterà la fine della protezione internazionale finora concessa ai profughi e potrebbe preludere a rimpatri forzati.
Nella petizione dei profughi e richiedenti asilo ruandesi, trasmessa alla MISNA dai promotori del Fahamu, piattaforma di sensibilizzazione sui diritti dei rifugiati, si denuncia un clima di oppressione e di assenza di libertà nel Rwanda del presidente Paul Kagame. “Coloro che sono già tornati non hanno trovato nulla per aiutare la loro reintegrazione. Alcuni di loro sono stati perseguitati, persino torturati, altri sono scomparsi, forse prelevati dai servizi di sicurezza. In alcuni casi i profughi sono tornati indietro” si legge nella petizione, un documento dettagliato di 90 pagine. In Uganda, denunciano i profughi “siamo vittime di discriminazioni a causa della nostra origine e delle problematiche irrisolte legate alla nostra situazione”.
Secondo i promotori della missiva, l’omicidio del giornalista ruandese Charles Ingabire, ucciso in Uganda nella notte tra il 31 novembre e il 1° dicembre scorso, è un chiaro esempio e una diretta conseguenza della clausola di cessazione. Il nome di Ingabire fa parte di un elenco di altri 18 profughi ruandesi uccisi, alcuni dei quali dalla polizia ugandese, altri da agenti ruandesi, dal 2010 tra la comunità rifugiata in Uganda.
Il nodo dei profughi in Uganda risale all’epoca del genocidio ruandese del 1994, quando furono sterminati tra 500.000 e 800.000 tutsi da milizie estremiste hutu, e scapparono civili di entrambe le comunità.
Negli anni successivi, dopo l’arrivo al potere della ribellione che mise fine ai massacri, guidata da Kagame e da un nucleo di ruandesi provenienti dall’estero, altri profughi hanno scelto la via dell’esilio.

fonte www.misna.org

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MINISTRO UGANDESE SI DIMETTE PER CORRUZIONE
16 dicembre 2011
Nessuno lo aveva mai fatto in Uganda, e solo pochi altri nel resto dell’Africa: dimettersi da ministro per un’accusa di corruzione.
Il record appartiene a Kabakumba Masiko, ministra per i Rapporti con la Presidenza, finita nella tempesta per un episodio di “appropriazione indebita”. Masiko è accusata di aver sottratto, quando tre anni fa era ministro dell’Informazione, apparecchiature della Ubc-Uganda broadcasting corporation (la ‘Rai ugandese’) e di essersele portate a casa sua, nel proprio collegio, 250 chilometri a sud della capitale, Kampala. “Ho fiducia nei giudici e mi dimetto per permettere che le indagini su di me siano condotte nel massimo della trasparenza” ha detto ai giornalisti increduli durante una conferenza stampa.
In Uganda, come nella maggior parte dei Paesi del continente, la corruzione è endemica e diffusa a ogni livello. Raramente i potenti di turno vengono condannati per questo tipo di reato, mentre molto spesso politici in vista finiscono nel mirino della giustizia nell’ambito dello scontro politico tra fazioni rivali.
fonte www.agi.it

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UGANDA: GOVERNMENT TO REDUCE MATERNAL MORTALITY BY 50 PERCENT
18 december 2011

The Ministry of Health has partnered with civil society organisations to launch a fresh campaign to fight infant and maternal mortality in the country. The campaign dubbed, ‘Everyone is Me’ is expected to bring to the fore mothers and childhealth issues not only at policy level but also create awareness among Ugandans, who are expected to play a role in saving lives.
“By the time you go to bed, 16 mothers and 121 babies will have died today. The campaign values everyone child, and believes that everyone has a role to play in lowering the current high maternal, newborn and child deaths in Uganda” Save the Children Uganda country director Peter Nkhonjera told journalists in Kampala on Friday.
The campaign will focus on giving out 1,000 childbirth kit to community health centres and also ensure that trained health workers are available in the centres. The Assistant Commissioner of Child Health in the Ministry of Health, Dr Jesca Nsungwa Sabiiti, said the ministry has embarked on training 6,000 midwives over the next four years aimed at reducing the alarming rates of maternal and infant mortality in the country.
“The ‘Everyone is Me’ campaign is in line with attaining the Millennium Development Goals, among which includes initiatives to reduce maternal mortality by three-quarters and child mortality by two-thirds” Dr Sabiiti said. “We are already running a test site model in Kabarole, Kibale, Kyenjojo and Kamwenge districts to realign our resource with stakeholders to see if we can reduce these deaths. After we have assessed the viability, shall role it to other districts” she added.
Mr Nkhonjera said the five-year campaign will focus on soliciting “hand-raiser” actions for policy change, popular mobilisation, programming redirection and resource mobilisation for maternal, newborn and child healthcare.
The campaign is being implemented in partnership with The White Ribbon Alliance, Unicef and the United Nations Population Fund.
According to the 2006 Uganda Demographic and Health Survey, some 6,000 women die annually during pregnancy, during childbirth or due to complications that arise shortly after. The survey also indicates that 44,500 newborn babies die within the first 28 days of life, while about 184,000 children do not live to see their fifth birthday.
fonte http://allafrica.com – Stephen Wandera

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UGANDA PROMOSSA DALLA LONELY PLANET
20 dicembre 2011
Più visibilità per il turismo ugandese. Con questo obiettivo le autorità di Kampala hanno avviato una campagna promozionale a 360 gradi per innescare una spirale positiva che porti allo sviluppo di un settore dotato di grandi potenzialità.
Motore e fulcro della campagna saranno le rappresentanze diplomatiche di Kampala all’estero, i cui organici, assicurano i responsabili del settore. saranno opportunamente rafforzati. Coordinata dall’Autorità per le Aree protette e dall’Autorità dell’Aviazione civile, l’iniziativa si avvantaggia anche del sostegno di Lonely Planet, la casa editrice britannica di guide turistiche diffuse in tutto il mondo, che per il 2012 ha assegnato proprio all’Uganda il titolo di destinazione prioritaria a livello mondiale.
Per dare più consistenza alla campagna, il ministro del Turismo, Ephraim Kamuntu, ha recentemente ribadito la “necessità di una ripresa” dell’attività di Uganda Airlines perché “uno sviluppo efficace del turismo non può prescindere da una compagnia di bandiera“.
fonte www.agi.it

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UGANDA, IN CRESCITA EXPORT STIMATO CACAO NEL 2012 (12%)
28 dicembre 2011
La messa a frutto di nuove piante, con il conseguente aumento della produzione, porterà alla crescita del 12 per cento l’export di cacao dall’Uganda nella stagione 2011-2012.
La stima è stata fatta in un intervento ad un convegno sul futuro del comparto da John Muwanga Musisi, responsabile del settore per lo sviluppo del caffè e del tè presso il ministero dell’Agricoltura di Kampala. Musisi ha previsto che l’anno prossimo la produzione toccherà le 18.000 tonnellate contro le 16.478 di quest’anno.
Una performance, ha precisato, “che porterà gli introiti a 55 milioni di dollari contro i 52,7 realizzati quest’anno. L’aumento della produzione sarà soprattutto il risultato dell’ampliamento della superficie dei terreni destinati a tale coltura, perchè sono sempre più numerosi gli agricoltori che si dedicano alla coltivazione del cacao e ciò avrà sicuramente un impatto positivo sull’export“.
fonte www.agi.it

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Cambio valuta: in data 02/01/2012 1 dollaro USA è pari a 2485 scellini ugandesi, 1 Euro è pari a 3195,0123 scellini ugandesi

Ecco la sua testimonianza:

Padre John scherza con i bimbi alla S.Messa di Natale

Amici di Italia-Uganda… buone feste!… in questo momento mi trovo a Kampala, nella missione di Padre John. Devo confessarvi una cosa: quando Greta mi ha chiesto di raccontarvi il Natale ugandese ho accettato con entusiasmo; ma poi mi sono chiesto… “come faccio, io che ho sempre passato tutte le feste in Italia a scrivere di un Natale completamente diverso? Sarò bravo nel descrivere le differenze?”

Di Natali nenza neve ne abbiamo avuti molti anche noi, quindi nessun problema. Molto meno facile narrare di un Natale passato all’equatore con 30° all’ombra…

Prendete queste mie poche righe così, pensando che siano solo semplici riflessioni.

Innanzitutto l’euforia collettiva. Anche gli adulti qui hanno lo stesso entusiasmo dei bambini: salutano tutti, anche gli sconosciuti, rivolgendo costantemente gli auguri. E poi hanno una luce negli occhi che sprizza autentica gioia interiore. La luce che manca rispetto alle nostre luminarie di Natale è trasmessa direttamente da loro…

I piccoli scartano le caramelle distribuite da Padre John e dai volontari

La S. Messa di mezzanotte è stata molto sentita e suggestiva. I canti, a cui partecipano veramente tutti i fedeli della gremitissima chiesa, veramente emozionanti: eh aimè, non ho potuto fare a meno di constatare che Gesù è accettato in modo unico e assoluto dalle persone semplici e umili, proprio come avvenne poco più di 2000 anni fa… il materialismo dei regali è praticamente assente, ma la gioia della festa è ugualmente grande. Carinissimi i tanti bambini assiepati attorno all’altare; alcuni di loro, dopo aver prestato la massima attenzione, sono sprofondati in un sonno innocente, adagiandosi su di ogni gradino, sporgenza, spigolo, mostrando gomiti contro guance, teste all’indietro, bocche aperte: uno spettacolo indescrivibile vederli così!

Dopo la S. Messa, tutti in missione per festeggiare: pandoro a volontà e brindisi collettivo, con la presenza di padre John, stanchissimo dopo l’estenuante giornata ma come al solito “roccioso” nel sostenere con una parola, una carezza sulla testa, un saluto, ciascuno dei suoi numerosi “figli”. A lui è andato anche il ringraziamento del concelebrante per la sua lunga vita a contatto con i poveri dell’Uganda. E’ seguito un lunghissimo, commovente applauso…

Penso che non sarà il mio unico Natale ugandese…
Giampaolo

Grazie Giampaolo per questa bellissima testimonianza. Ogni altra parola sarebbe superflua.

ANCORA TANTI AUGURI DI UN FELICE 2012 A TUTTI VOI!!

UGANDA INFLATION HITS 28.3 PERCENT
1 october 2011

CLIMATE CHANGE MITIGATION IN OUR CITIES – DON’T IGNORE THE URBAN POOR
3 october 2011

ADULT EDUCATION: HOW TO CATCH UP ON TIME YOU LOST
3 october 2011

MORE THAN 1,000 DISPLACED FAMILIES STILL STUCK IN CAMPS
6 october 2011

AT SCHOOL IN A BAD ECONOMY
10 october 2011

UGANDA, 18 MILA BAMBINI VITTIME DI ABUSI
10 ottobre 2011

MAKERERE UNIVERSITY STUDENTS DECRY POOR LIVING CONDITIONS
11 october 2011

TANGENTI DAI PETROLIERI, GOVERNO SOTTO ACCUSA
12 ottobre 2011

ATTIVISTA UGANDESE PER I DIRITTI LGBT RICEVE IMPORTANTE PREMIO SUI DIRITTI UMANI
14 ottobre 2011

BREVI DALL’UGANDA
17 ottobre 2011

IN UGANDA SBARCANO SOLDATI USA PER LA GUERRA CONTRO L’LRA
17 ottobre 2011

NON SOLO LRA NEL MIRINO DEGLI AMERICANI
19 ottobre 2011

UGANDA, BANCA CENTRALE PREVEDE CALO INFLAZIONE
18 october 2011

IMPROVING TRAFFIC SEES GROWTH IN UGANDA’S AIRLINE BUSINESS
21 october 2011

GOVERNMENT, PRIVATE SECTOR DISCUSS STATE OF UGANDA’S ECONOMY
21 october 2011

WAKISO, INFANT AND MATERNAL MORTALITY RATE HIGHEST
24 october 2011

ESPONENTE DI OPPOSIZIONE BESIGYE AGLI ARRESTI DOMICILIARI
25 ottobre 2011

UGANDA’S POPULATION TO HIT 100M IN 2050
27 october 2011

Annual headline inflation hit 28.3% at the end of September, the highest since January 1993, due to shortage in food supply and the continued depreciation of the shilling, the Uganda Bureau of Statistics (UBOS) has said.
The inflation figure, which excludes education data, shows a 6.9% jump in the general price level, from 21.4% at the end of August, to increase the chances of a higher Central Bank Rate for the month of October.
“During September, food prices went up by 8.4% due to reduced supplies to the market. Non-food prices rose by 5.9% due to higher prices of charcoal, firewood, local brew (waragi and malwa) and scholastic materials” Chris Mukiza, the UBOS director for macro-economic statistics, said. “Prices of some imported goods, especially second-hand and new clothing, household items and pharmaceutical products went up due to the continued depreciation of the shilling” he noted.
Mukiza said upcountry towns of Arua, Masaka, Jinja and Gulu are experiencing annual higher inflation rates of 38%, 32.2%, 31.8% and 31.7%, respectively. Prices of matooke, sugar, irish potatoes, cassava, pineapples, avocado, tomatoes, cabbage, green pepper, meat, chicken, eggs, cooking oil, fish and bread went up in most areas in September.
fonte www.allafrica.com

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CLIMATE CHANGE MITIGATION IN OUR CITIES – DON’T IGNORE THE URBAN POOR
3 october 2011

The urban poor in developing countries will be hardest hit by the impacts of climate change, says a new report by UN-Habitat on cities and climate change. This is not because the urban-poor are most responsible for high greenhouse emissions; in fact, it is quite the opposite. The report shows there is an inverse relationship between those most responsible for greenhouse emissions and those who suffer most from its impacts.
In Uganda, the lack of basic services and infrastructure in the country’s slums compound these impacts. Severe flooding and landslides caused by heavy rain have long plagued the urban-poor, whose affordability constraints force them to settle on vulnerable land.
In the coming years, heavy precipitation events are very likely to occur more frequently and with greater severity according to the report. Residents of Uganda’s slums are not strangers to this phenomenon, which disrupts and destroys business, makes roads impassable, decimates homes, overwhelms sanitation systems and spur outbreaks of cholera, malaria, dysentery, and diarrhea.
During heavy downpours, many of Kampala’s slums look as though they have been hit by a Tsunami. Roads turn into raging rivers and cars, people, loose structures and property are washed away. In many, pit latrines are swept away by flash floods, spreading disease throughout the settlements. Throughout the country’s slums, homes and businesses are severely damaged during rainy periods, necessitating partial rebuilding multiple times per year. The asset stripping this presents for the urban-poor is crippling.
This World Habitat Day, Ugandans should not ignore the vital role of the urban-poor, who constitute 60 per cent of the nation’s urban population. When the urban-poor are organized and sensitized about climate change, they can play a central role in mitigating its impact upon their environment.
Indeed, about 38,000 Ugandan slum dwellers in six urban centers – Kampala, Arua, Jinja, Mbale, Mbarara, and Kabale – are doing just that through small but scalable slum upgrading activities. These responsible citizens are members of a growing social movement known as the Uganda Slum Dwellers Federation – a network of 343 community groups that save daily, work in partnership with local authorities, and mobilize their members to improve living conditions in slums.
Among the committees found in each community group is a Health and Hygiene Committee. Throughout the country, these committees mobilize members, and even the wider community, to dispose of waste thoughtfully and work with local authorities on municipal-wide initiatives.
The impact of community-led initiatives such as Keep Mbale Clean, make a visible difference in some of the largest slums, and greatly mitigate the risk of flooding by clearing drainages and encouraging residents to keep them litter-free. Environmental conservation is also enhanced when groups such as the Federation train communities in solid waste management skills.
Among the best practices instituted by the Federation are community projects that make briquettes from organic waste, that recycle plastic waste, and reuse discarded materials to make crafts. In Jinja, the Federation is using innovative soil compressed interlocking brick technology to construct quality and weather resistant houses for members.
The technology being employed eliminates the need for massive quantities of scarce timber for brick-firing. It is the Federation members themselves who do the construction, acquiring marketable skills in eco-friendly building technology. In addition, the Federation collects invaluable information during citywide enumerations (community-run censuses) about waste management practices and sanitation services in each of its cities of operation.
Once processed, the Federation works with local authorities to see that this data informs interventions in their settlements. Such information means the Federation can assist local authorities to generate targeted and efficient strategies for climate change mitigation that can be jointly implemented with local communities.
Sustainable and scalable mitigation strategies are possible in Uganda if the urban majority is organized and respected as a legitimate partner in this most urgent endeavor.
fonte www.allafrica.com - Skye Dobson

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ADULT EDUCATION: HOW TO CATCH UP ON TIME YOU LOST
3 october 2011

Getting formal education right from childhood may look a luxury to some people but many regret when opportunities pass them by in later years after they have missed certain steps they can’t compensate for. While many mourn their miss quietly, some, especially those who attain some level of economic and social success find themselves at odd with their social status but often think of themselves as misfits as the shadow of lack of academic papers hover over their success.
Foreshadowing - Those who choose a life of politics have borne the brunt of those early missed opportunities as they have seen doors slammed shut in their faces or their otherwise flourishing careers brought to a sudden halt.
The most traumatized however remain those who discover later in life that their current situation is largely to blame on opportunities they missed earlier. It is partly for this reason that adult education is suddenly becoming a major business in Kampala and other urban centers. Adult training centers are teeming with eager learners hoping to recapture a part of what they missed if not to tap into new opportunities, at least compensate and restore battered egos.
“I have been facing a lot of difficulties in communicating with my customers who do not understand Luganda and I have to interact with them in English. So, that is the reason I am in this place” says Richard Senyondwa, a 35-year-old student of Kampala Adult School, who chose to take to class, as the value of education becomes real to many people.
Agnes Nabbanja, a matooke vendor in St. Balikuddembe Market, is studying to be able to earn an income of her own in future. Ms Nabanjja says she prefers to pay Shs150, 000 per term in such a specialized centre, than joining a regular Universal Secondary Education School, for fear of embarrassment. In the classroom, which accommodates up to 50 students, the mature men and women recite word by word as their instructor, using a rudimentary pointer, points at what they are supposed to read.
Al Hussein Mohammed, a 40-year-old from Somalia, is aiming to get the education that he missed when wars raged in his country. He is currently achieving this advancement in education at Makerere Day and Evening Adult Class (MAECCA). “I have got an invitation from my brother in the US but all documents are in English which I do not understand” he explains.
Another student, Mr Ephraim Sekidde, who missed formal education due to economic deficiencies, joined the adult school to grasp opportunities for further education in order to update professional competencies required by the working world. “I had dropped out in primary level” he recalls. “But now since I have got money and a job, I need to upgrade my education status and CV as well.”
Originally for foreigners - James Baluku, proprietor of Kampala Adult School, says that the school was established two years ago to assist foreigners, mostly Rwandese, whose country shifted from French to English-speaking, as well as to combat high illiteracy levels. Mr Bakulu says: “We wanted to help everybody to learn this language [English] because it is like the Anglophone world is winning over the Francophone and if a person does not know English they feel like they have been left out somehow.”
In most of the schools, the beginning adults are given simple English sentence-construction lessons and after a period of a year, the students are free to leave school and continue with their businesses. But Ms Grace Nakintu, the director Nakivubo Settlement Continental School of Primary Education and Computing, says due to commitments at home, most of the students are rarely in class. “It is the biggest challenge we are facing because you can be conducting a lesson and one gets a call that there are problems at home. He simply walks out of the class and you cannot stop him” she says.
Two of Ms Nakintu’s students have since climbed the education ladder higher and are pursuing diploma courses at Makerere University Business School. Laban Kabuye, the head teacher at the centre says the classes can be as big as 100. The study programme is shorter compared to the regular school time table. Most of the classes are conducted in the evening, and the school day is only three hours.
Only this year, Ms Nakintu says 25 of out 350 students at the school, are set to sit their Primary Leaving Exams while 32 will sit for Uganda Certificate of Education. At MAECCA however, adults are passed into a fully-fledged education programme, similar to the typical Ugandan education system. Although similar, the adult version takes a shorter time in comparison due to the age of the students; it is thought students at advanced ages do not have the same dexterity as their younger counterparts, according to Henry Bantariza, an administrator at the school.
“Since most of these people come to class after work, they are tired and what we do is to only teach them for two hours” Bantriza told Daily Monitor. “We make each level of education shorter by two years, and one year for ‘A-Level’“. Ephraim recalls gaining these skills as quite life-changing: “A year ago, I could not even switch on a computer” he says. “I did not know how to send e-mail or access the internet, yet at my work place, everyone was given a computer and they expected us to own e-mail accounts to enable us to communicate easily.”
Employment demands – Mr Bantariza, the administrator at MAECCA, explained that demand for computer literacy forced the school to include computer studies due to the tension resulting from employers demanding computer skills, even though employees did not possess these abilities. The adult education sector, commonly referred to as the Literacy and Basic Education (LIBE) by the Ministry of Education, is also facing various hitches, especially for the private proprietors who have predominantly established the schools on their own.
James, at Kampala Adult School, says students often do not complete the courses because their target is to learn basic English. Additionally, they abandon their studies before clearing all the school fees, which affects the school’s operations.
According to the educator, “Some of these people are stubborn and do not want to comply with us because they think we are younger and should not tell them what to do, but we have designed rules and regulations to which they must adhere.”
fonte www.allafrica.com - Skye Dobson

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MORE THAN 1,000 DISPLACED FAMILIES STILL STUCK IN CAMPS
6 october 2011

Much as the government announced in 2006 that it was safe for internally displaced persons (IDPs) in northern Uganda to return to their villages, several vulnerable people including the elderly, child-headed families and widows have failed to leave the satellite camps.
Statistics from aid agencies indicate that at least 1,000 households in Lango sub-region are embroiled in a number of struggles ranging from lack of manpower to build houses in their respective villages and land wrangles. Majority of the stuck families attribute their woes to abandonment by their able-bodied relatives as they relocate to their villages.
Ms Grace Atoo, 35, a widow with 11 children in Opimo Village, Barlonyo Sub- county in Lira District, said she lacks money to build a house in her village, adding that providing food and school fees for her children is also becoming difficult. Mr Simon Odongo, an 83-year resident of Ariongomele Village, said he came to Bala Stock Farm Village in 2003 when insecurity was at its peak, but has not been able to return because he has been waiting for the government to fulfill its promise of providing iron sheets. “They promised to give us iron sheets and ox-ploughs to enable us resettle, but up to now there are no signs of the pledges” Mr Odongo said.
Mr David Ojuka, a former chairman of Bala IDP camp in Lira, estimates that the area still has about 280 households that have not received their packages from the government. He asked President Museveni to fulfill his pledge if he is to get votes in 2016 polls. Railway A Division chairman George Awio, said many people in the camps have become destitute, daily relying on hand outs from friends and relatives while others resort to begging.
The Resident District Commissioner in Dokolo, Mr Ben Anyama, however, refuted the claims, saying “Our next target is resettlement and it is a process. It cannot be done in a day. We have been giving out iron sheets, drilling boreholes and giving out farm inputs to those returning to their villages.” Mr Anyama added that those claiming the government has failed to fulfill its promises to war victims were looking at money rather than what was designed to resettle them. “People should not expect cash, but they can be given iron sheets and farm inputs” he said.
fonte www.allafrica.com - Emmanuel Opio & Bill Oketch

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AT SCHOOL IN A BAD ECONOMY
10 october 2011

Figures released by the Uganda National Bureau of Statistics a month ago indicated that the inflation rate rose to 28.3 per cent in August, from 6 per cent in January this year. Three weeks into the third and last term of the UNEB school calendar, the ‘Daily Monitor’ spoke to a number of school heads to find out how they are coping with the current inflation.
Fuelled by rising food and transport costs, we wanted to find out what special arrangements, if any, have been implemented to deal with a crisis whose containment seems to elude policy makers. The budget for the first term usually gives a rough idea of what will be spent in other terms. This year, however, given the galloping inflation, schools have had to scale back on some activities, eliminate others and as a last resort increase school fees for some.
Expensive food - Rising food costs a 50kg bag of posho cost Shs100,000 at the beginning of the year; now it costs Shs175,000 have forced schools to cut back on other expenses to maintain their menu and reduce the potions served. Mr Bharat Manek, the principal of the privately owned Lohana Schools, told us that they have tried to maintain their menu although at a higher cost. The schools usually buy fresh vegetables, cassava and matooke to be used throughout the coming week on Saturdays. But whereas this cost between Shs600,000 and Shs700,000 at the beginning of the year, it now costs Shs1,100,000.
At Kololo High School, they have been forced to eliminate some food from their menu and serve only the basics. Rice is out whereas fish and beef, which were served three times a week, are now served once. It is a USE school so only A-Level students eat at school. Namilyango College, meanwhile, has decreased the potions it serves at mealtimes, Mr Gerald Muguluma, the head teacher, told this paper. Other activities and plans, meanwhile, have been shelved.
At Namilyango, they have had to reduce on the number of student outings. Club activities, which usually involve social functions at other schools have suffered the brunt of budget cuts whereas academic trips and sports engagements have been unaffected. At Lohana, money that had been allocated to the purchase of new textbooks has instead been diverted to food.
The acquisition of new laboratory equipment for their secondary section has also been pushed to next year as the school struggles to keep its menu the same as before. The recent primary school teachers’ strike was provoked by the rising prices against meagre salaries and we were interested in finding out how teachers were coping. Private schools said they could not raise salaries without increasing fees. And the two private schools we visited, Caltec Academy and Lohana, said they had not raised fees because such decisions are usually taken at the end of the school, taking effect in the next school year. Caltec has instead added a transport allowance to teachers’ salaries, while at Lohana, the salary has remained constant. Increasing fees in government schools requires government approval and at the moment, this is not forthcoming. In any case, however, few schools have explored that option.
Mr Muguluma told ‘Daily Monitor’ that some parents have been inquiring if the school plans to raise fees and have expressed willingness to pay the extra fees but this is not on the table yet. It will need approval by the Board of Governors and government and even then, it is being mooted for next year if the economic situation does not improve.
Dark future - Actually, the same sentiment was expressed at all the other schools; should the economic situation remain the same or become worse, schools will have no option but increase their tuition for the coming academic year. Meanwhile, the government has maintained the USE grant it pays to schools under the policy.
To cope, other activities had to be cut. Kololo High School, for example, reduced termly tests from three to two, scrapping the mid-term test. This is due to the increase in stationary prices; a dream of duplicating papers that cost Shs80,500 at the beginning of the first term now costs Shs15,000. A number of schools have increased fees, especially for candidate classes who are subjected to more tests than usual in the third term.
Mr Manek said his school has had to admit a number of new students this term and when he asked the parents why they were transferring their students at such an unusual time, they said it was because of unexpected increases in fees.
A number of parents ‘Daily Monitor’ spoke to as they lined up to pay fees in banks around the city said their children’s schools had raised fees. Parents whose children’s schools had maintained their fees don’t expect such luck next term however, especially if current economic trends persist. And, like the school heads told this paper, they are right.
fonte www.monitor.co.ug – Raymond Mpubani

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UGANDA, 18 MILA BAMBINI VITTIME DI ABUSI
10 ottobre 2011

Almeno 18.000 bambini sarebbero vittime di abusi sessuali in Uganda, 12.000 in più rispetto all’ultimo rapporto stilato sei anni fa.
Lo studio, pubblicato sulla edizione online di Africa Review, è stato condotto dall’Uganda Youth Development Link (Uydl) in 10 distretti del paese, nel febbraio scorso. Secondo il rapporto, le giovani vittime di sesso a pagamento hanno dai 13 ai 14 anni, e il fenomeno prende piede anche nelle scuole.
fonte www.ansa.it

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MAKERERE UNIVERSITY STUDENTS DECRY POOR LIVING CONDITIONS
11 october 2011

Angry female Makerere University students residing in Complex Hall Tuesday morning went on strike over the continuous pitiable living conditions in the hall. The students were striking over lack of piped water, lack of constant electricity supply, poor sanitation and poor hygiene in the hall which houses only female students. Other reasons included foul stench emanating from the toilets, overcrowded rooms, poor quality meals and a leaking roof among many.
The students also demanded the immediate resignation of the contemporary hall warden, Akullu Laurah saying she was extremely uncooperative. “We want a new warden now” chanted the fuming ladies. What began as an emergency general assembly called by the student leaders of the hall at 7:00pm at the hall’s parking yard almost turned violent when the warden refused to address the emotional students and locked-up herself in her office prompting some students to threaten to beat her up.
However, at around 8:00 am, the dean of students, Cyriaco Kabagambe came to the rescue of the scared warden, who swiftly re-emerged from her hideout. The dean then addressed the students and promised to address their issues immediately saying by 6pm yesterday the students would have water and power.
Nonetheless, he pledged to work on the administrative issues later. He also promised to get the hall re-roofed immediately further admitting the shortage of rooms in the hall saying at one point all rooms in complex hall were single. On the quality of food, the dean pledged to improve it further advising the hall to adopt the squatting toilets instead of the sitting ones saying the squatting ones are easy to maintain and clean than the sitting ones.
The intervention of the dean eventually calmed the students. However, the students vowed to continue with the strike if the dean did not fulfil his promises.
fonte www.allafrica.com - Innocent Anguyo Alia

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TANGENTI DAI PETROLIERI, GOVERNO SOTTO ACCUSA
12 ottobre 2011

Moratoria sugli accordi nel settore petrolifero e richiesta di dimissioni del capo del governo e del ministro degli Esteri: sono i punti fondamentali di una risoluzione approvata dal parlamento dell’Uganda dopo le rivelazioni su presunte tangenti versate ad alti funzionari dalla società inglese Tullow Oil.
In un dossier presentato ai deputati ieri il capo del governo Amama Mbabazi e il ministro degli Esteri Sam Kutesa sono accusati di aver intascato tangenti per decine di milioni di euro in cambio di misure favorevoli a Tullow Oil, una società che quest’anno ha rilevato concessioni su tre giacimenti di idrocarburi nel bacino del Lago Alberto.
La risoluzione, approvata anche con il voto di deputati del partito del presidente Yoweri Museveni, vincola nuovi accordi con le società petrolifere all’entrata in vigore di una legge quadro che regolamenti il settore. A essere bloccata è anche una possibile vendita delle concessioni di Tullow Oil alla francese Total e alla cinese Cnooc, in discussione da mesi.
Oggi il voto del parlamento è sulle prime pagine di molti quotidiani di Kampala. Secondo ‘The Monitor’, un giornale di opposizione, Museveni potrebbe tenere una conferenza stampa oggi pomeriggio.
fonte www.misna.org

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ATTIVISTA UGANDESE PER I DIRITTI LGBT RICEVE IMPORTANTE PREMIO SUI DIRITTI UMANI
14 ottobre 2011

Nel corso di una cerimonia svoltasi a Ginevra il 13 ottobre, Kasha Jacqueline Nabagesera ha ricevuto il prestigioso premio Martin Ennals per i difensori dei diritti umani. Kasha Jacqueline Nabagesera è la fondatrice e la direttrice esecutiva di ‘Freedom and Roam Uganda’, un’organizzazione non governativa che difende e promuove i diritti delle persone lesbiche, gay, bisessuali e transgender.
“Questo premio è un riconoscimento all’incredibile coraggio mostrato da Kasha Jacqueline Nabagesera in un contesto di profonda discriminazione e violenza contro le persone Lgbt nel suo paese” – ha dichiarato Michelle Kagari, vicedirettrice di Amnesty International per l’Africa. La comunità Lgbt ugandese sta affrontando una situazione estremamente difficile. Amnesty International continua a ricevere segnalazioni di arresti arbitrari, detenzioni illegali, maltrattamenti e torture per ragioni unicamente legate all’orientamento sessuale e all’identità di genere. Le leggi ugandesi considerano l’omosessualità un reato penale punibile anche con l’ergastolo. Tentativi di introdurre la pena capitale per il reato di omosessualità aggravata sono stati per il momento respinti grazie alla mobilitazione delle attiviste e degli attivisti locali e delle organizzazioni internazionali per i diritti umani.
Il 26 gennaio di quest’anno l’attivista per i diritti dei gay David Kato è stato assassinato dopo che il quotidiano ugandese ‘Rolling Stone’ aveva pubblicato la lista dei 100 ‘più importanti’ omosessuali del paese, invitando i lettori a impiccarli. Anche il nome di Kasha Jacqueline Nabagesera era nell’elenco. “Ho dedicato la mia vita a lottare apertamente per i diritti dei gay in Uganda ed ecco il prezzo che mi viene fatto pagare: mi cacciano da una casa all’altra, il mio ufficio è stato chiuso, non posso più camminare tranquillamente in strada e mi hanno aggredito” – raccontava nei mesi scorsi Kasha Jacqueline Nabagesera ad Amnesty International.
Nonostante queste intimidazioni e minacce, Kasha Jacqueline Nabagesera continua a perorare la causa dei diritti delle persone Lgbt, in pubblico e attraverso i mezzi d’informazione, sia in Uganda che all’estero. Il premio Martin Ennals, intitolato alla memoria dell’ex Segretario generale di Amnesty International e giunto alla ventesima edizione, viene conferito da dieci organizzazioni per i diritti umani a colui o colei che, nell’anno in corso, ha svolto un’azione coraggiosa ed efficace in difesa dei diritti umani.
fonte www.amnesty.it

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BREVI DALL’UGANDA
17 ottobre 2011

È stata dispersa dalle forze dell’ordine di Kampala, la manifestazione degli oppositori tornati in piazza per una protesta ‘walk-to-work’ contro il carovita e l’aumento dell’inflazione. La polizia, hanno riferito alcuni testimoni, è intervenuta con idranti e gas lacrimogeni contro alcune centinaia di attivisti, arrestando alcuni degli organizzatori.
Ieri il presidente Yoweri Museveni aveva ammonito i manifestanti e minacciato ‘tolleranza zero’ contro chi fosse sceso in piazza oggi, giorno degli esami nelle scuole secondarie.
fonte www.misna.org

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IN UGANDA SBARCANO SOLDATI USA PER LA GUERRA CONTRO L’LRA
17 ottobre 2011

Gli Stati Uniti hanno inviato i primi cento militari in Africa centrale, per contrastare i ribelli dell’Esercito di resistenza del Signore (LRA). Pur essendo armati fino ai denti, i soldati Usa sono ufficialmente in Africa solo per assistere.
A precisarlo sono i presidenti di Stati Uniti e Uganda, che pochi giorni dopo il dispiegamento dei soldati, hanno insistito nel dire che hanno solo compiti di assistenza. Ieri a Kampala Yoweri Museveni ha assicurato che i militari giunti in Uganda la settimana scorsa dovrebbero essere definiti “personale” e non “soldati“. In una lettera inviata al Congresso Usa venerdì, Barack Obama aveva sostenuto che “i consiglieri combatteranno le forze dell’LRA soltanto se costretti a difendersi“.
Secondo il presidente statunitense, l’assistenza degli Stati Uniti si estenderà dall’Uganda alla Repubblica democratica del Congo, al Centrafrica e al Sud Sudan, i paesi dove l’Esercito di Resistenza del Signore ha progressivamente spostato il baricentro delle sue incursioni. L’invio dei militari è consentito da una legge del 2010 sul sostegno politico ed economico ai paesi africani minacciati dall’LRA.
Secondo stime della Ong Usa ‘Resolve’, dal dicembre 2009 i ribelli dell’Esercito di resistenza del Signore hanno ucciso 944 civili ed effettuato 1723 rapimenti.
fonte http://it.peacereporter.net

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NON SOLO LRA NEL MIRINO DEGLI AMERICANI
19 ottobre 2011

“Un maggiore impegno internazionale è un fatto positivo ma ci si chiede se un’escalation militare sia una soluzione” dice alla MISNA padre John Ashworth, un consulente del Consiglio ecumenico delle Chiese con un’esperienza trentennale in Sudan.
Alcune organizzazioni non governative hanno sostenuto che l’arrivo in Africa centrale di unità speciali statunitensi incaricate di garantire assistenza nella lotta contro i ribelli dell’Esercito di Resistenza del Signore (LRA) sia il segno di una nuova consapevolezza a livello internazionale. I piani americani stanno però alimentando anche timori e sospetti.
“I bombardamenti dei Mig ugandesi peggiorarono solo le cose” dice alla MISNA padre Franco Barin, un missionario comboniano che si trovava nella regione congolese di Dungu tra il 25 e il 29 dicembre 2008, quando le incursioni dell’LRA fecero più di 400 vittime. Secondo il missionario, l’offensiva avviata pochi giorni prima dagli eserciti di Congo, Uganda e Sud Sudan ebbe l’effetto di disperdere i ribelli guidati da Joseph Kony e rendere ancora più imprevedibili le loro incursioni.
L’organizzazione non governativa americana ‘Resolve’ calcola che soltanto dalla fine del 2009 l’LRA sia responsabile dell’uccisione di 944 civili e del rapimento di 1723 persone. Il raggio d’azione dei ribelli si è progressivamente spostato dall’Uganda settentrionale verso il nord-est del Congo, il Sud Sudan e la Repubblica centrafricana. Sono i paesi dove dovrebbero operare i 100 “consiglieri militari” giunti mercoledì a Kampala, equipaggiati per combattere e sostenuti da “personale esperto di intelligence, comunicazioni e logistica”. Secondo il presidente Barack Obama, l’Esercito di resistenza del Signore “continua a commettere atrocità che hanno conseguenze sproporzionate sulla sicurezza a livello regionale”.
Le stime sulla consistenza numerica dell’LRA variano da alcune migliaia di combattenti a poche centinaia, anche perché è spesso difficile distinguere una colonna di ribelli da un gruppo di disertori. Gli spostamenti degli uomini di Kony potrebbero essere seguiti grazie alle tracce lasciate dai telefoni satellitari che portano sempre con sé e devono poter ricaricare. Un precedente c’è, l’uccisione del guerrigliero angolano Jonas Savimbi, ma non tutti credono all’approccio muscolare. Secondo padre Ashworth, bisogna puntare su “negoziati e maggior protezione e assistenza umanitaria” alle popolazioni colpite.
L’arrivo delle unità speciali ha seguito di alcuni anni quello dei 17 consiglieri “anti-terrorismo” inviati dall’amministrazione di George Bush. Dal 2008, soprattutto dopo l’approvazione di una legge del Congresso l’anno scorso, gli Stati Uniti hanno stanziato a beneficio degli eserciti africani impegnati nel contrasto all’LRA circa 33 milioni di dollari. Stando agli ufficiali di Kampala, la settimana scorsa Kony sarebbe sfuggito d’un soffio alla cattura nei pressi della cittadina centrafricana di Ndjema. Vero o no, resta il fatto che gli americani posizionano i loro militari tra il petrolio del Lago Alberto e la cassiterite dei giacimenti congolesi. “Gli Stati Uniti hanno legami storici con Uganda e Sud Sudan – sottolinea padre Barin – ma guardano oltre”.
fonte www.misna.org

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UGANDA, BANCA CENTRALE PREVEDE CALO INFLAZIONE
18 october 2011

La Banca centrale dell’Uganda prevede per il 2012 un raffreddamento delle tensioni inflazionistiche, che in questo Paese hanno un tasso a due cifre.
In un intervento alla cerimonia per la consegna dei diplomi dell’Istituto per i servizi bancari e finanziari, il Governatore dell’istituto di emissione, Emmanuel Tumusiime Mutebile, ha detto che “è già cominciato il calo dei prezzi delle derrate alimentari che, insieme con la svalutazione della moneta locale, sono state tra le cause principali dell’aumento dei prezzi“. Questo Paese dell’Africa orientale ha registrato ad agosto un tasso di inflazione su base annua del 28,3 per cento, contro il 21,8 del mese precedente.
fonte www.misna.org

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IMPROVING TRAFFIC SEES GROWTH IN UGANDA’S AIRLINE BUSINESS
21 october 2011

Uganda’s skies have continued to attract attention of international airlines as they seek to tap into the country’s growing passenger traffic resulting from increasing investor numbers coming to explore investment opportunities, especially in the oil sector. Gulf Air, Bahrain’s national carrier, yesterday announced it’s re-launch of flights Entebbe effective December, coming on the back of Qatar Airways’ recent announcement to enter into Uganda’s airline business.
The continued dominance of East Africa’s airline business by Kenya Airways, and the lack of strong competition against KQ has among other factors built confidence among established international airlines to venture in the region so as to tap into the growing passenger traffic.
Mr Karim Makhlouf, the Gulf Air chief commercial officer, told a news conference in Kampala yesterday that the re-launch is part of the airline’s strategy to expand to diverse and niche locations beyond Middle East and Bahrain in a bid to spur investment, trade and leisure travel between the two countries.
Providing an alternative – The re-launch of the airline’s flights to Entebbe, will give Ugandan travellers another alternative airline to the Middle East, Europe and Asian destinations. Ugandans currently fly to business destinations in Europe and Middle East using mostly Emirates, Kenya Airways, British Airways and KLM. “Gulf Air has made considerable changes to its service portfolio and I believe this new route will be a success for both passengers and cargo operations as we seek to serve the underserved markets” Mr Makhlouf said. He added the Entebbe route, the fifth on the African continent for the airline, will present commercial and tourism opportunities for investors, entrepreneurs and business people from both markets.
Gulf Air suspended services to Entebbe 8 years ago, saying it was undergoing restructuring to enhance the efficiency and attractiveness of its operations but has now come back after realising that Uganda is a growing market with a lot of potential.
Qatar Airways, a Doha-based airline is expected to commence daily flights between Doha and Entebbe and to the rest of the world on in November.
fonte www.monitor.co.ug – Faridah Kulabako

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GOVERNMENT, PRIVATE SECTOR DISCUSS STATE OF UGANDA’S ECONOMY
21 october 2011

In a landmark dialogue held yesterday, government officials and a cross section of senior business personalities discussed serious challenges facing the economy, with the Central Bank insisting on tackling consumer demand while private players agonised over the effects of hard times on their businesses. The dialogue, tagged ‘CEO Summit Agenda October 2011′ was held at Serena Hotel featured presentations from the International Monetary Fund (IMF), leading economists and chief executives of prominent firms.
While the IMF appears bullish about Uganda’s economic forecast, with projections of more than 5 per cent this year alongside stable budget deficits in spite of suffering the highest inflation rate in East Africa, the government and the private sector are visibly shaken by prevailing conditions. Bank of Uganda (BoU) on one hand, admits serious concerns about rising prices that saw headline inflation hit 28.3 per cent last month, but calls for drastic monetary actions to protect long term growth, however, business executives argue such actions have suffocated their operations and rendered survival difficult.
Aggressive policy actions by BoU have led to sharp hikes in the inflation targeting rate, known as Central Bank Rate (CBR) that has shot up to 20 per cent, triggering further increases in banks’ lending rates that are currently averaging at 25 per cent a situation that local executives feel is likely to accelerate collapse of many businesses due to excessive borrowing costs.
“With inflation at 28.3 per cent and growth in private sector credit in the region of 45 per cent, we believe it is necessary to curb aggregate demand and bring down inflation in order to protect long term growth” said Dr Louis Kasekende, deputy governor at BoU.
In contrast, private sector executives lamented that BoU’s tight stance that has accelerated interest rates has clearly compounded their nightmares, coupled with high inflation, a falling shilling and higher costs of operation driven by load shedding. Manufacturers for instance, are confronted with declining sales, increased production costs and cheap imports that are outcompeting local goods, according to Emmanuel Katongole, chief executive officer of Quality Chemicals Industries.
fonte www.monitor.co.ug – Bernard Busulwa

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WAKISO, INFANT AND MATERNAL MORTALITY RATE HIGHEST
24 october 2011

Wakiso District has the highest infant and maternal mortality rates in the country although it’s an urban area, where health services can be easily accessible, an official has said.
Ms Jesca Nsungwa Sabiiti, the assistant commissioner for child health at the Ministry of Health, also revealed that the district currently leads in cases of malnutrition in the country. “It is absurd that Wakiso, an urban area neighbouring Kampala (Uganda’s capital city) is leading in mortality rate and malnutrition” Ms Sabiiti said.
She made the remarks during the opening of the Nurture Africa Paediatric Medical Centre in Nansana Town Council at the weekend. Infant and maternal deaths, Ms Sabiiti said, are caused by HIV/Aids, malaria, malnutrition and other diseases triggered by HIV/Aids. She encouraged the centre to sign a memorandum of understating with the district so that it can be assisted by the latter in procurement of drugs and human resource.
The centre, which was constructed with the help from the government of Ireland, will provide free healthcare to the most vulnerable children in Wakiso.
Mr James Kimbowa, the Nurture Africa country director, said over 2,000 vulnerable children will access primary service care at the centre. He said about 200 children living with HIV/Aids will also access full treatment at the centre. “We are committed to contribute towards the health and development of the most vulnerable children to enable them become positive influences on societies” he said.
fonte www.allafrica.com - Joseph Miti

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ESPONENTE DI OPPOSIZIONE BESIGYE AGLI ARRESTI DOMICILIARI
25 ottobre 2011

Il capo del Forum democratico per il cambiamento (Fdc) Kizza Besigye rimarrà agli arresti domiciliari fino a quando prometterà di non partecipare più alle manifestazioni di piazza che, negli ultimi mesi “hanno macchiato l’immagine del paese agli occhi dell’opinione pubblica”. Lo ha reso noto la polizia di Kampala dopo aver fermato l’esponente di opposizione che si recava, questa mattina, all’ennesima protesta ‘walk to work’ organizzata dal partito per protestare contro il carovita e chiedere le dimissioni del presidente Yoweri Museveni.
Besigye era confinato nella sua abitazione di Kasangati, alla periferia di Kampala, dal 18 ottobre scorso senza nessuna ‘accusa’ formale. “Riguadagnarsi la libertà di movimento dipenderà solo da lui e dalla sua capacità di giudizio” ha detto la portavoce della polizia Judith Nabakoba, aggiungendo che “dovrà prima promettere di astenersi dal partecipare ad attività violente e tese a minacciare l’ordine sociale”.
Diversi membri dell’opposizione – secondo la stampa ugandese – sarebbero stati arrestati negli ultimi giorni dopo aver partecipato alle manifestazioni che, nella loro forma più recente, prevedono che i partecipanti blocchino il traffico abbandonando per strada autoveicoli e motociclette.
Per la terza volta consecutiva Besigye ha perso, nel febbraio scorso, le elezioni presidenziali alle quali si era candidato contro Museveni, al potere da 25 anni. Il blocco di opposizione ha rigettato i risultati delle urne denunciando frodi elettorali.
fonte www.misna.org

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UGANDA’S POPULATION TO HIT 100M IN 2050
27 october 2011

Uganda, with its high fertility ratio of about 7 children per family, is likely to see its population rise to 103.2 million by 2050, latest projections indicate.
Government released the projections yesterday while launching a report that assesses the state of the country’s population, with a pledge that it is keeping a keener eye on the implications of Uganda’s high growth rate. The announcement coincides with the timing of a global report, which shows that the world population will hit the seven billion mark on Monday.
The State of Uganda Population Report 2011, launched in Kampala yesterday alongside the State of the World Population Report 2011, paints a picture of a country whose rapidly rising population could have “negative impacts” for its per capita economic growth. Throughout most of that time, the majority of Uganda’s population is likely to be young – leaving a perpetually huge weight of dependence on a small number of productive Ugandans.
Currently, according to the 120-page report, some 69 per cent of Uganda’s population is under 24 years of age. However, in a speech read by Finance Minister Maria Kiwanuka, Prime Minister Amama Mbabazi noted that the “government regards population as a crucial resource that can be harnessed for national development.”
Estimates published in the report, whose focus this year was on reproductive health, show that if Uganda succeeded in reducing its population growth rate from the current 3.2 per cent to 2.4 per cent in the medium term, the country’s annual growth of per capita GDP could rise by between 0.5- 0.6 per cent.
Fertility – “If we additionally consider the impact of the population dynamics such a reduction would entail, per capita economic growth could increase by between 1.4 and 3.0 percentage points per annum as long as Uganda would be in the phase of the ‘demographic gift’ with falling population growth but still substantial labour force growth” it adds. The report also adds that Uganda has an unusually large discrepancy in fertility between the highly educated (3.9) and the women with low education (7.8), which it says makes Uganda’s poor prone to being caught in a poverty trap which keeps poverty high, widens inequality and reduces economic growth.
In its analysis of the impact of population growth on resources, the report says more than 80 per cent of Ugandans rely directly upon land, agriculture, and fishing for their livelihoods, but environmental indicators reveal trends of degrading agricultural lands, soil erosion, deforestation, drainage of wetlands, loss of bio-diversity, reduced range land capacity, and increased pollution.
The report also indicates that the growth of urban populations throughout Uganda is placing particular stress on municipalities that already lack the infrastructure to meet current water and sanitation needs. “In these urban areas, flooding, poorly constructed latrines, and the resultant run-off of solid waste contaminate water ways and further exacerbate diarrheal disease outbreaks. As such if the trend persists, there shall be several challenges to future growth and structural transformation unless serious measures are taken to convert it into a population dividend” explains the report, which adds that even in densely populated Kampala, 85 per cent of households rely on pit latrines.
Comparing Uganda’s socio-economic indicators with those of other countries in Africa and Asia that have lower population growth rates, the report says Uganda’s high population growth rate exacerbates poverty and constrains the household’s and the government’s efforts to provide quality social services such as education and health. “The problem with a fast-growing population is not the growth itself, but “rapid, unplanned growth” concludes the report. “It is conceded that growth is a natural process that guarantees continuity of existence of living things. However, the process of growth is determined by important variables, which include; age structure, sex and distribution. The decisions and policies we make today, and the options available to young people, will ultimately determine the quality of the population in 2050.”
In his statement, however, Mr Mbabazi said the government is now closely monitoring the country’s population trends “not only in numbers but also in terms of what implications such numbers mean to the provision of services such as health, education, housing, food, [and] employment.”
fonte www.monitor.co.ug – Benon Herbert Oluka

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Cambio valuta: in data 02/11/2011 1 dollaro USA è pari a 2610 scellini ugandesi, 1 Euro è pari a 3596,3194 scellini ugandesi

IN UGANDA CORSI DI FORMAZIONE PER 10.000 GIOVANI
30 agosto 2011

IN ARRIVO TRENI PER PENDOLARI A KAMPALA
31 agosto 2011

DA SETTEMBRE IN UGANDA PREPARATIVI PER DIGITALE TERRESTRE
31 agosto 2011

MAKERERE UNIVERSITY CLOSED
1 september 2011

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

TEACHERS MUST AVOID CORPORAL PUNISHMENT
5 september 2011

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

MUKONO GETS DISEASE RESISTANT COFFEE
6 september 2011

TEACHERS BACK TO CLASS
7 september 2011

TEACHERS DEFY GOVERNMENT ORDER, CONTINUE WITH STRIKE
8 september 2011

MAKERERE STUDENT LEADERS ARRESTED
12 september 2011

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

TEACHERS SUSPEND STRIKE AGAIN
12 september 2011

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

TWO KAMPALA BOMB SUSPECTS GUILTY
13 september 2011

UGANDA AMONG WORST PLACES FOR SICK CHILD
14 september 2011

CITIZENS STILL POOR AT SEX EDUCATION
14 september 2011

HEPATITIS HITS GULU AND KITGUM
15 september 2011

TOURISM SOON TO BE REVIVED IN NORTHERN UGANDA
15 september 2011

ATTENTATI DI KAMPALA, PRONUNCIATE PRIME DUE SENTENZE
16 settembre 2011

WHY GOVERNMENT FAILED TO INCREASE TEACHERS’ SALARY
19 september 2011

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

UGANDA’S CHILD MORTALITY RATE DROPS
19 september 2011

FENOMENO LAND GRABBING: SCANDALO RISORSE SCIPPATE
22 settembre 2011

UGANDA E TANZANIA RAFFORZANO RELAZIONI BILATERALI
23 settembre 2011

MAKERERE UNIVERSITY RE-OPENS
26 september 2011

AFRICA, CHI HA PAURA DI FACEBOOK
26 settembre 2011

UGANDA, IN 10 ANNI MORTALITA’ AIDS SCESA DEL 30%
26 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

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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

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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

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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

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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

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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

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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

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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

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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

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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

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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

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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

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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

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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

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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

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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

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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

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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

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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

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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

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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

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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

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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

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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

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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

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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

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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

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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

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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

L'esterno della scuola appena tinteggiata

Qualche mese fa vi ho raccontato della Parriet School, che ora si chiama Bishop Cipriano Kihangire Primary School. Questa scuola elementare di Luzira rischiava di chiudere e finire all’asta, lasciando i bimbi che la frequentavano in mezzo a una strada, ma grazie alle vostre donazioni e alle firme per il 5 per Mille dello scorso anno, insieme a Padre John abbiamo potuto rilevarla e riaprirla.

Il nuovo muro di cinta

Vi avevo lasciati descrivendovi i lavori di ristrutturazione iniziati da poco e necessari per mettere in sicurezza le strutture…ma soprattutto i bambini! Siamo partiti con gli interventi più indispensabili, per esempio abbiamo rifatto i controsoffitti e risistemato il muro di cinta e lo abbiamo costruito ex novo nelle parti dove prima non c’era…pensate ai rischi per i circa 150 bimbi che la notte dormivano a scuola!!

Ebbene, oggi sono felice di dirvi che approfittando della sospensione delle lezioni per le vacanze estive abbiamo finito di tinteggiare i muri esterni di tutti gli edifici con le aule e gli uffici, e con questi ultimi lavori abbiamo quasi terminato la risistemazione delle strutture principali.

Le bambine nel loro dormitorio

Speriamo di poter iniziare presto anche i rifacimenti dei bagni (che sono fatiscenti, per quanto abbiano su tutti i muri degli “affreschi” molto colorati e divertenti che insegnano ai bambini come usare la toilette!!) e la costruzione di dormitori più spaziosi sul retro della scuola. Voi stessi potete rendervi conto dalla foto di come gli attuali dormitori siano ormai super-affollati, oltre che cadenti…e avere stanze più spaziose significherebbe poter dare a tanti altri bambini, che magari vivono lontani, la possibilità di vivere qui e quindi di andare a scuola.

Certo, l’impegno necessario è molto: ma in tanti hanno già accolto il nostro appello e ci hanno dato una mano per ristrutturare la scuola, e sono sicura che in molti altri ancora risponderanno nelle prossime settimane. A tutti loro, a tutti voi, va il mio grazie più sincero…ma soprattutto quello di tutti i bimbi e le bimbe che ci aiuterete ad aiutare!

Relax durante il viaggio per Kampala

La giornata è grigia e piovigginosa, un po’ come i miei pensieri. Il programma della mattinata prevede un giro a Kampala per l’ultimo shopping, mentre nel pomeriggio dovremo sistemare altre cose: acquistare i maglioni della scuola superiore (i miei compagni di viaggio se ne sono innamorati e hanno deciso che devono averne uno), finire di pianificare la permanenza dei tre (fortunati!) che rimarranno qui ancora qualche giorno, richiedere ad Angela altre bamboline per i nostri banchetti, cambiare gli scellini rimasti in Euro …

Durante lo shopping ci coglie un temporale improvviso, almeno nella sua violenza. Ci rintaniamo ciascuno in qualche negozio, aspettando che smetta. Nel tornare alla missione rimaniamo completamente imbottigliati nel traffico: per un’intera ora non riusciamo a muoverci di un metro. Arriviamo a Luzira all’una e mezza, giusto in tempo per il pranzo.

Poi si tratta di fare le valigie, finire di scambiarci le foto, scendere alla scuola per i maglioni. All’inizio Nelson, il responsabile della contabilità, non capisce perché gli stiamo chiedendo le divise della scuola, ma alla fine si rivelerà gentilissimo e sarà proprio lui a portarci il maglione mancante direttamente in missione, poco prima di cena. Mi lascia anche il suo biglietto da visita, dicendo di chiamarlo per qualsiasi altra necessità.

Tornata in missione trovo Molly che mi aspetta; ha un regalo per me e Simona, mia collega e amica in Italia: un casco di banane per ciascuna, con un profumo da far girare la testa. Peccato che non vedrò Simona fino a settembre, e che comunque siano troppo mature per essere messe in valigia, a meno di non voler fare una marmellata mista con i vestiti!! Le lascerò a Okello per i suoi bimbi … eh sì devo ammetterlo, ho un debole per il piccolo Giovanni!!

Trovandomi già negli uffici, approfitto del fatto che Padre John sia solo per andare a parlargli un po’: come al solito è oberato di cose da fare, di pensieri importanti, di dubbi su come risolvere mille difficoltà. Però trova il tempo per me … e anche per raccontare qualche barzelletta a me e a Ronald, che ci aiuta ad alleggerire la tensione della partenza. E’ davvero unico!!

Arrivederci anche dai bimbi dell'Uganda!

Dopo il rosario Padre John fa un discorso prima ai ragazzi della missione in inglese (dice che domani partiremo, ci ringrazia per quello che abbiamo fatto e che spera continueremo a fare per aiutarli) e poi a noi in italiano. Ci spiega perchè il momento del rosario è così importante per lui e per tutti i ragazzi presenti, un’opportunità di condivisione, di fare qualcosa di buono insieme, di capire che non tutto è dovuto. Sa che alcuni di noi non sono credenti ma riesce comunque a parlare ai nostri cuori.

Io devo ancora finire la valigia, la cena termina alle 22 e meno di un’ora dopo dovremmo partire … ma ancora mi dilungo a parlare con le ragazze, con i miei compagni di viaggio, con Padre John. La richiudo al volo mentre Okello ha già caricato gli altri bagagli e inizia a scalpitare in cortile. Odio gli addii, e soprattutto mi commuovono sempre. Stasera però riesco a non piangere mentre saluto e abbraccio ad una ad una tutte le persone che hanno reso queste due settimane così speciali, perchè in cuor mio so che non è un addio, ma solo un arrivederci. Spero a presto.

SARA’ AMMODERNATO GRANDE OSPEDALE DI KAMPALA
28 luglio 2011

FONDI PER DARE PIU’ ILLUMINAZIONE A ZONE RURALI
3 agosto 2011

SCOPERTO CRANIO SCIMMIA DI 20 MILIONI DI ANNI
8 agosto 2011

PUBLIC LIBRARIES RELEVANT FOR EXCELLENCE
8 august 2011

RIVISTE AL RIALZO STIME PRODUZIONE CAFFE’ (+12%)
10 agosto 2011

BLOCCATO L’EXPORT DI ZUCCHERO
11 agosto 2011

E’ NATA UNA NUOVA RADIO E SI CHIAMA ‘XFM’
11 agosto 2011

BANANA GROWTH UP 2.7 PERCENT
15 august 2011

NATION STARTS ENERGY AND CLIMATE EDUCATION TOUR
15 august 2011

ERITREA, ROMPERE L’ISOLAMENTO
17 agosto 2011

LA TENSIONE RIMANE ALTA
18 agosto 2011

SHILLING CONTINUES SLIDE TO THE U.S. DOLLAR
20 august 2011

KAMPALA IS AMONG CHEAPEST WORLD CITIES
22 august 2011

DOCTORS, NURSES TO GET SALARY RISE
22 august 2011

UN SMS CONTRO LA MALARIA: CURE MIGLIORI NEL 24% DEI CASI
22 agosto 2011

MAKERERE UNIVERSITY LECTURERS STRIKE OVER POOR PAY
23 august 2011

RITIRATO DL SU PENA DI MORTE PER OMOSESSUALI
24 agosto 2011

EBOLA, SCOPERTA UNA MICROMOLECOLA IN GRADO DI BLOCCARE L’ACCESSO AL VIRUS
25 agosto 2011

CEMENT PRICES HIT SHS30,000
25 august 2011

UGANDA-ERITREA, PIU’ INTENSA LA COOPERAZIONE BILATERALE
26 agosto 2011

BREVE DALL’UGANDA
29 agosto 2011

La Banca africana per lo Sviluppo (AfDB) ha erogato all’Uganda un prestito per un valore complessivo di 463 milioni di dollari, da destinare allo sviluppo dei settori sanitario, idrico e delle infrastrutture.
In un intervento a una cerimonia pubblica, il rappresentante dell’AfDB a Kampala, Patrick Simiyu Khaemba, ha detto che i fondi “serviranno al finanziamento, nel prossimo triennio, di settori cruciali per l’economia” di questo Paese dell’Africa orientale.
Tra i progetti in programma, l’ammodernamento dei centri sanitari di Kawempe e Kirundu e del più grande ospedale del Paese, situato nella parte settentrionale della capitale, Kampala.
fonte www.agi.it

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FONDI PER DARE PIU’ ILLUMINAZIONE A ZONE RURALI
3 agosto 2011

Il governo dell’Uganda, in collaborazione con enti istituzionali internazionali, ha stanziato 20 milioni di dollari per aumentare l’accesso all’elettricità nelle zone rurali del Paese.
Si insisterà maggiormente, spiegano i tecnici del governo di Kampala, sull’estensione della rete di trasmissione elettrica e sulla costruzione di microcentrali in diversi punti del territorio nazionale.
Al termine dei lavori dei progetti fin qui presentati si prevede che oltre 15mila abitazioni saranno dotate di corrente elettrica, per un totale di 100mila ugandesi destinati a cambiare vita. L’inadeguatezza del sistema energetico ugandese costa ogni anno al Paese una mancata crescita in termini di Prodotto interno lodro (Pil) di circa 2 punti percentuali.
fonte www.agi.it

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SCOPERTO CRANIO SCIMMIA DI 20 MILIONI DI ANNI
8 agosto 2011

Una squadra di paleontologi ugandesi e francesi ha annunciato di aver scoperto nel nord dell’Uganda il cranio di una scimmia risalente a venti milioni di anni, che potrebbe fornire notizie utili sulla storia evolutiva in questa parte del mondo.
Il paleontologo del ‘College de France’ di Parigi, Martin Pickford, ha detto in conferenza stampa che “si tratta della prima volta che si scopre il cranio completo di una grande scimmia di quest’epoca“. Lo studioso ha aggiunto che quello scoperto è “un fossile molto importante, capace di dare all’Uganda un posto di rilievo nelle ricerche in questo settore“.
Il cranio appartiene a un maschio di scimmia Ugandapithecus Major, ritenuto un lontano cugino delle grandi scimmie che tuttora popolano questo Paese dell’Africa orientale.
fonte www.agi.it

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PUBLIC LIBRARIES RELEVANT FOR EXCELLENCE
8 august 2011

In Uganda, it has been argued severally that a reading culture is almost nonexistent. Lots of reading materials are in place but only a fraction of the population have the interest to read.
This also accounts for the low sales of newspapers in the country. The public does not have a similarly strong association with public libraries. The use of the library can be of great help to learners and researchers as it provides a quiet reading environment (as a rule) and variety of book resources.
Allan Musoke, a Senior Four student at Sentah College in Mbarara District testifies on how helpful the library has been. “I was introduced to this library by a friend of mine when I was in Senior Three. I am inspired to read when I see other people reading. Since I was the only child in secondary at home, I spent most of my time playing around with my siblings in primary. However, with the library I am able to concentrate as reading is the reason everyone comes here, so I concentrate more.”
However, Rachael Ntegyereize, now a first year student at Mbarara University of Science and Technology, does not concur with Musoke. “In secondary school, public libraries were viewed as areas where students would show off. I had never liked reading from there because students always formed ‘cliques’ of their schools and gossiping on who dressed best and who has the best phone was the order of the day. So to clear this stress, I always stayed home where I concentrated more in my room” she says.
Security fears – “The only problem I had with public libraries was the poor security in most of these libraries. While it was meant for reading, some people came with different reasons. It is a common rule that users’ bags should be left outside” Ms Ntegyereize says.
Students that came with other purposes like stealing took this opportunity to take what did not belong to them. “On several occasions, I lost property at the library and I had to go through a lot of explaining to my parents on why I had ‘misplaced it’” Ms Jalia Nanziri, now working with a media company, memorizes.
Nevertheless, public libraries are key in improving a student’s mind set on different subjects. “With the state of schools in our country, most school libraries are not up to date, and so public libraries come in handy to supplement students’ learning given the various books in libraries” Ms Nanziri commends.
Mr Abdul Mutazindwa, the Director Education Standards in the Ministry of Education, says public libraries are one of the critical installations, “but I don’t know whether they qualify to be called public libraries.” He says these facilities are not re sourced and would be very effective if people knew about them. “Few people know that they exist.”
Mr Mutazindwa, who says he benefitted a lot from public libraries during his time at school, notes that the country has failed to promote reading. “The reading culture has been poor. The unfortunate part is that we have failed to outwit it. In our education system, we don’t start it early” Mr Mutazindwa explains.
The importance of a library - The library not only compliments the classroom study but also aids in research. It helps students with text books, parallel studies, reference books and periodicals; by providing a large number of bibliographic tools and up to date literature. However most of the public libraries in Uganda do not have the IT component as most of them have one or two computers with limited access to the internet.
Unlike in classroom academics, the internet facility is important in research work.
The public libraries are also short of proper book up dates. Some of them still have old, outdated books in their shelves as some depend on donations most times. “Our peak time is second term holidays when candidate classes are preparing to sit their final exams. Students come in large numbers and at times we cannot accommodate all of them because of the limited space and scarcity of books” Ms Nalubega notes.
If public libraries are going to invest limited resources into a marketing campaign to stay relevant in the information services field, then determining the likely effectiveness of the results is imperative.
fonte www.monitor.co.ug - By Joseph Mazige & Sheila Nduhukire

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RIVISTE AL RIALZO STIME PRODUZIONE CAFFE’ (+12%)
10 agosto 2011

L’Uganda, secondo produttore africano di caffè, ha rivisto al rialzo le stime per la raccolta 2010-11, grazie ai risultati migliori delle aspettative registrati nella regione sud-occidentale.
Lo ha reso noto l’Autorità per lo Sviluppo del caffè, la quale ha fatto sapere che a fine settembre, quando si prevede la fine della raccolta, saranno stati prodotti tra i 2,8 e i 2,9 milioni di sacchi di caffè da 60 chilogrammi, contro i 2,6 milioni previsti nello scorso aprile.
La fonte ha aggiunto che dallo scorso ottobre fino alla fine di luglio la produzione è cresciuta dell’8,7 per cento, rispetto allo stesso periodo dell’anno scorso, pari a 2,5 milioni di sacchi, contro i 2,3 milioni dell’annata 2009-10.
fonte www.agi.it

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BLOCCATO L’EXPORT DI ZUCCHERO
11 agosto 2011

Per fronteggiare un’imprevista penuria di zucchero, il presidente ugandese, Yovweri Museveni, ha annunciato il blocco delle esportazioni e la ripresa dell’import di questo bene di prima necessità. Il provvedimento, che avrà durata semestrale, servirà a bloccare il continuo aumento del prezzo sul mercato interno. Lo ha reso noto lo stesso Capo dello Stato, nel corso di un sopralluogo a due zuccherifici situati nelle province di Jinja e Buikwe.
Museveni ha precisato che l’esecutivo consentirà l’importazione di 40.000 tonnellate nei prossimi sei mesi e, nello stesso tempo, saranno bloccate le esportazioni dello stesso prodotto.
Nel 2010, l’Uganda ha esportato 275.000 tonnellate metriche di zucchero, mentre nel primo semestre di quest’anno ne ha destinate al mercato estero circa mezzo milione.
fonte www.agi.it

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E’ NATA UNA NUOVA RADIO E SI CHIAMA ‘XFM’
11 agosto 2011

Trasmette da pochi giorni ed ha già conquistato indici di ascolto da fare invidia alle emittenti storiche del panorama radiofonico ugandese.
La nuova radio ‘XFM’ è controllata dal Gruppo editoriale locale New Vision, attivo soprattutto nella carta stampata. La new entry dell’etere ugandese punta soprattutto sulle news e sulla musica più in voga nel continente, come il rythm & blues, l’afro-pop e l’hip hop.
Ai suoi microfoni, alcune tra le voci più popolari del panorama radiotelevisivo, strappate alla concorrenza con contratti ritenuti molto lucrosi.
fonte www.agi.it

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BANANA GROWTH UP 2.7 PERCENT
15 august 2011

Bananas locally known as matooke registered a 2.7% growth in the fiscal year 2010/2011. This remains the major food crop for Uganda followed by cassava and sweet potatoes.
According to Uganda’s financial year 2011/2012 budget analysis by Price waterhouse Coopers limited (PWC), the subsectors growth is attributed to the huge investments made in the agricultural sector during the fiscal year. “US $13 million funding by the World Bank in research targeting food crops, high value non staple foods and agro-biodiversity is evidence for focus on the sector” reads the report.
The report indicates that enhancement of agricultural production and productivity through investment in infrastructure and increased agricultural investment to more districts led to the growth of the sub sector.
The sector continues to grow with the focus on diversification of the agricultural export base and subsidization of interest rates in respect to lending to Small and Medium Enterprises (SME’s) through facilities like the Agricultural credit facility. However the analysis highlights the major challenges to the sector which if worked upon could lead to the rapid growth of the plantain sub sector and agriculture at large.
“Continued dependence on increasingly unpredictable weather pattern for crop production, low adoption of mechanized farming and failure to manage producer prices especially in periods of bumper harvest when demands outstrips supply depresses producer prices which the sector continues to face” a section of the report reads.
While addressing journalists in a media training workshop, Mr. Francis Kamulegeya the country senior partner with PWC said that the government however proposed to allocate Ushs437 billion to this sector an increase compared to the 2010/2011 allocation of Ushs 366 billion. “Government proposed a number of incentives to address the challenges that are within its control and these are expected to create a positive medium term impact on the sector” explained Kamulegeya.
In recognition of the predominantly manual nature of subsistence farming as well as the fact that most of the hoes used for tilling are imported, the report indicates that government proposed to reduce the import duty on hoes to 0% from 10%.
Kamulegeya highlighted areas that still require intervention to address challenges facing the sector. “Incentives to encourage mechanization, measures to boost the adoption of large scale commercial farming, incentives to encourage mechanization and ways of strengthening agricultural extension services provided by organizations such as NAADS remain unaddressed” Kamulegeya revealed.
fonte www.allafrica.com – Eriosi Nantaba

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NATION STARTS ENERGY AND CLIMATE EDUCATION TOUR
15 august 2011

Uganda has started an Energy and Climate Change awareness campaign for schools, aimed at raising a generation of an energy and environment conscious population. The campaign is dubbed ‘Energy Explorerz’. It targets students of primary, secondary and vocational level.
It is also intended to promote awareness on energy and climate change in a sustainable manner, make energy and climate change concepts appreciated and easy to understand among the young generation and promoting use of energy efficient technologies and practices as a wise option for energy and environment conservation.
The awareness campaign is supported by Uganda’s Ministry of Energy and Mineral Development in partnership with the GIZ promotion of Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency Programme (PREEEP). According to Uganda’s state minister for energy Mr. Simon D’Ujanga, the energy sector is one of the key sectors that have for a longtime been regarded as a complex and technical among the general public.
“The awareness levels on issues pertaining to energy are so low that very few people understand the meaning of the term ‘Energy.’ “The majority of them think that Energy means Electricity. This situation demonstrates a dire need to demystify Energy and educate the public about its significance in our daily lives, hence raising a population with an Energy efficient culture” explained D’Ujanga.
Uganda is among countries with the lowest access to modern energy services around the world. It meets more than 93% of its energy demand with biomass, 6% with fossil fuel combustion and only 1% with electricity from hydro and fuelled thermal power plants.
Throughout previous campaigns, the ministry of energy noted that many young people in Uganda do not know the role energy and the impact of climate change. “We believe that children are the future and that is why educating them is very important. We want to start at the grassroots levels since lack of awareness is an issue that needs to be tackled right from the root” added the minister.
Mr. Claus Dieter Duxmann the German Ambassador to Uganda said the two governments are in partnership to improve access to modern energy by the Ugandan population.
fonte www.allafrica.com – Paul Tentena

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ERITREA, ROMPERE L’ISOLAMENTO
17 agosto 2011

Il presidente eritreo Isaias Afeworki è giunto ieri a Kampala per una visita di stato di tre giorni. La sicurezza regionale sarà il tema principale di discussione tra Afeworki e il suo omologo ugandese Yoweri Museveni.
L’Eritrea è accusata da Etiopia e Gibuti di sostenere le milizie islamiche Shebab e di destabilizzare l’area. I due paesi dell’Africa Orientale avevano già chiesto alle Nazioni Unite di applicare sanzioni economiche contro il governo di Asmara. La stessa Uganda, che tiene il principale contingente di uomini in Somalia, aveva rivolto la stessa accusa. “Ci sono gravi accuse che l’Eritrea aiuti i ribelli Shehab a destabilizzare la regione del Corno d’Africa. Speriamo che il presidente Afewerki ci dia delle risposte soddisfacenti a riguardo” ha dichiarato James Mugume, segretario permanente del ministero esteri ugandese.
Recentemente il presidente governo federale transitorio (Tfg) Sharif Sheikh Ahmed ha chiesto al presidente Museveni a portare ulteriori 3.000 soldati in Somalia per rafforzare la distribuzione di aiuti alimentari e la pace a Mogadiscio.
Un rapporto delle Nazioni Unite pubblicato a fine luglio accusa apertamente l’Eritrea di sostenere miliziani Shebab e di sostenere vari gruppi ribelli in Gibuti, Sudan ed Etiopia come anche in Uganda con “supporto finanziario e logistico, addestramento e operazioni speciali di intelligence, violando la risoluzione dell’Onu 1907 (2009)”.
Asmara che è sotto embargo Onu, ha negato le accuse. Un altro elemento di discussione è la richiesta dell’Eritrea di ritornare nel blocco dell’ Autorità intergovernativa per lo sviluppo (Igad), dopo quattro anni di isolamento. Eritrea si ritirò dalla Igad nel 2007 per protesta contro l’intervento militare dell’Etiopia a sostegno del governo di transizione in Somalia.
fonte www.misna.org

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LA TENSIONE RIMANE ALTA
18 agosto 2011

La polizia ugandese ha usato cannoni ad acqua, gas lacrimogeni e colorante rosa contro i leader dell’opposizione e i loro sostenitori per disperdere una manifestazione in memoria delle 10 vittime morte durante le proteste antigovernative dell’aprile scorso. Dopo le schermaglie iniziali, la polizia ha permesso ai manifestanti di continuare la loro marcia in una zona diversa della capitale Kampala.
La manifestazione, mercoledì mattina, aveva attirato alcune centinaia di persone che volevano ricordare le vittime della protesta ‘Walk-to-work’ (vai al lavoro camminando). “Abbiamo organizzato una manifestazione per ricordare le persone morte durante le proteste dell’aprile scorso e anche per attirare l’attenzione del pubblico sulla situazione economica del Paese” ha detto Nandala Mafabi, parlamentare dell’opposizione.
Il portavoce della polizia, Ibin Ssenkumbi, ha sostenuto che le forze dell’ordine sono intervenute perché i parlamentari presenti avevano rotto un accordo stipulato in precedenza. Ssenkumbi si riferisce all’accordo di non organizzare manifestazioni nei centri commerciali ed industriali della capitale che era stato raggiunto alcuni mesi fa con le forze dell’opposizione.
Lo scorso aprile, per protestare il caro vita e la mancanza di protezioni sociali, centinaia di persone avevano aderito alla proposta di andare a lavorare a piedi, senza quindi usare il costoso servizio pubblico. La manifestazione fu repressa brutalmente per volere del governo. L’opposizione ha peraltro promesso di iniziare a breve una nuova serie di proteste contro il costo del cibo e l’aumento del presso dei carburanti.
Di fronte ad una inflazione che ha toccato il 19% quest’anno, il governo si difende facendo cadere la colpa sull’aumento del costo del petrolio – che l’Uganda deve importare attraverso il Kenya – e la siccità che ha colpito la regione.
L’opposizione fa notare che il governo ha però rifiutato di tagliare le tasse sui prodotti petroliferi, innescando così un inflazione alta e l’aumento del costo di produzione e distribuzione di molti prodotti locali.
fonte www.misna.org

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SHILLING CONTINUES SLIDE TO THE U.S. DOLLAR
20 august 2011

This week the shilling traded in a narrow range against the dollar of Shs2,775 to Shs2,800 with mild activity in the market.
The aggressive bids seen in the last couple of weeks seem to have disappeared despite the growing concerns about the global economy. Market confidence remains severely dented and the risk of sentiment is likely to remain elevated.
Next week the shilling could stay about the Shs2,760 to Shs2,800 range as the market keeps a close eye on the global developments concerning the US and EUR zone economies.
The cash markets are expected to remain short as the Central Bank issues treasury bills on August 24.
fonte www.allafrica.com

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KAMPALA IS AMONG CHEAPEST WORLD CITIES
22 august 2011

Kampala is one of the cheapest cities in Africa and the entire world to live for expatriates, a 2011 cost of living survey from Mercer, a leading human resource and financial consultancy firm has revealed.
Ranked at position 202 in the world, Kampala fares a lot better than Tanzania’s Dar-es-Salaam (ranked 187) and Kenya’s Nairobi (108). This gives the city an edge over its East African counterparts as an attraction for highly-skilled foreign labour. Regionally, Kampala ranks 40th, ahead of Dar-es-Salaam (36) and Nairobi (23) out of 43 surveyed African countries.
This development, according to some experts, could have been precipitated by the current economic trends that have seen the Uganda shilling depreciate against the dollar. “This means that people from foreign countries can purchase more goods for less money in Uganda” says Dr. Adam Mugume, the Bank of Uganda executive director for research function.
“With $100, one can purchase a lot more goods and services in Uganda than in other countries” he adds. This, Mugume says, is potentially good for the country “because more and more people are encouraged to come to Uganda, which boosts tourism and other sectors of the economy”.
According to the same survey, Luanda, the capital city of Angola is the most expensive city for expatriates across Africa and globally. It is followed by the Chadian capital Ndjamena, ranked number three and Gabon’s Libreville in the 12th position. The survey covers 214 cities across five continents and measures the comparative cost of over 200 items in each location, including housing, transport, food, clothing, household goods and entertainment.
New York is used as the base city against which all cities are compared. Currency movements are measured against the US dollar. The cost of housing — often the biggest expense for expatriates — plays an important part in determining where cities are placed. After Luanda, Ndjamena and Libreville, Africa’s most expensive cities are Victoria (13) in the Seychelles, Niamey (23) in Niger and Dakar (32) in Senegal. In South Africa, Johannesburg and Cape Town rank 151 and 171, respectively.
These findings defy the long held notion that cities in African nations are affordable, perhaps because of the less developed infrastructure and run down amenities. Nathalie Constantin-Métral, a senior researcher at Mercer, says this is not true. “We’ve seen demand increase for information on African cities from across the business spectrum, mining, fi nancial services, airlines, manufacturing, utilities and energy companies” she says.
This, she says, is because of the increasing cost of safe and secure living conditions, which many multi-national companies seek out for their expatriate employees “In some African cities, the cost of living, particularly, good, secure accommodation can be extraordinarily high.” This, she says, is generally the main reason why we fi nd so many African cities high up in the ranking.
At the bottom of the ranking, Addis Ababa (208) in Ethiopia is the cheapest African city, followed by Namibia’s Windhoek (205) and Botswana’s Gaborone (203). New entries in the top 10 list of the costliest cities in the world are Singapore (8), up from 11, and São Paulo (10), which has jumped 11 places since the 2010 ranking. Karachi (214) is ranked as the world’s least expensive city.
Recent world events, including natural disasters and political upheavals, have impacted the rankings for many regions through currency fluctuations, cost infl ation for goods and services and volatility in accommodation prices. Mercer’s is the world’s most comprehensive cost of living survey and is designed to help multinational companies and governments determine compensation allowances for their expatriate employees.
EXPERIENCES OF UGANDANS ABROAD
Dr. Augustine Nuwagaba, consultant – I lived in Geneva in the 1990s. It is one of the most expensive cities I ever lived in. Transport, accommodation and food was expensive. A plate of chicken and French fries cost $96 (about 250,000). Accommodation cost between $100 and $180 (sh260,000-sh460,000) per night. To cut costs, I and my colleagues appealed to the head of the Uganda Consulate in Geneva to help us out. I teamed with friends to share accommodation and cut costs. We also used trams for transport as opposed to expensive road transport. We used to go to neighbouring Germany to find cheaper food.
Cindy Sanyu, Musician - It is quite expensive living in London. While some of my trips were paid for, I have had to get money out of my pocket to go around and do shopping. Taxis cost an arm and leg. Imagine paying £12 (about sh48,000) for a short drive around town. I used to go shopping, but many items were extremely expensive. A nice pair of shoes cost over £25 (over sh100,000). Here, you can ¬ nd a nice one at much less than that. What I did to cut costs? I also stopped using taxis and resorted to going around by bus or train. I stopped going to expensive restaurants.
Navio, Hip Hop artiste – I lived in South Africa. I was a student there. Everything, from textbooks to transport, was annoyingly expensive. Food too was on the high side. So I got on to a hustlers meal — this consisted of bread and soft drinks like Pepsi. There is also something we called Bunny Chow (meet rolled up in bread). This meal was a nice way for us to save. I played in a provincial basketball team and worked at a café to supplement my income. I also used to do music so I had busy weekends working.
Dr. Lilian Nabulime, University lecturer – I lived in Newcastle, where I did my PhD. Accommodation cost about £2,000 every month. Food and transport was also very expensive. We needed warm clothing and other materials, but these too were very expensive. I had to ¬ nd accommodation near the university. This made it very easy for me to walk to class, instead of using a bus or taxi. I never ate in restaurants, because it was expensive there. I would instead buy food in bulk and slowly but carefully consume it to make sure it lasts long enough.
fonte www.newvision.co.ug - Stephen Ssenkaaba and agencies

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DOCTORS, NURSES TO GET SALARY RISE
22 august 2011

The salaries for doctors, nurses and all the senior health officials is to increase substantially, if the proposals made by the health ministry are approved. The monthly gross pay of the director general will shoot up from over sh2.14m to sh7.5m, according to figures presented to the social services committee by health minister Dr. Christine Ondoa on Friday.
A senior consultant will earn a gross salary of sh5m, from the current sh2.12m, while a medical offi cer (scale U4) will get sh1.6m compared to the current sh833,123. For a nursing assistant and other support staff (scale U8), the new salary would rise to sh500,000, from sh210,996. The minister said the proposals had been submitted to the public service ministry for consideration.
Ondoa had re-appeared before the committee together with the ministry’s permanent secretary, Dr. Asuman Lukwago, and other senior staff to respond to queries raised by MPs on the ministry’s budget for this fi nancial year. Lukwago told journalists that they had held discussions with the public service ministry over the issue.
The proposals, he said, would not be implemented this financial year. Committee chairman Dr. Sam Lyomoki said they had not yet agreed on where to get the money for the salary increment.
In comparison, a document circulated to the committee indicated that a medical offi cer in Uganda gets $354, while in Kenya they get $959, Tanzania $550, Rwanda $645 and South Africa $2,150. It also showed that a nurse/midwife in Uganda gets $107, in Kenya they get $335, Rwanda $419 and South Africa $1,200.
The MPs were also concerned about allowances of health workers and made suggestions on areas where budget cuts could be effected so that health workers can be retained.
Lyomoki pointed out that the MPs had asked the minister to do re-allocations in the budget and fi nd money for health workers, before she goes to the finance ministry to look for more money. “We are working with the ministry to undertake cuts in some areas in the ministry budget in order to find money for maintaining health workers” Lyomoki said.
The areas targeted include workshops, entertainment, buying of new vehicles, advertisement and travel abroad. “We want a functional health system, not white elephants” he added.
Lyomoki said an additional 5,000 health workers were required. He added that since there was new leadership in the ministry, “there should not be a mere change of guards, but a fundamental change”.
fonte www.newvision.co.ug - Joyce Namutebi

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UN SMS CONTRO LA MALARIA: CURE MIGLIORI NEL 24% DEI CASI
22 agosto 2011

In Africa un sms può salvare la vita e costare meno di un dottore. Sono i paradossi di un continente dove, in alcune aree, gli ammalati non hanno accesso a strutture sanitarie attrezzate e la semplice tecnologia di una pompa idrica è futuristica quanto può esserlo un’astronave, ma nel quale i cellulari hanno una diffusione non ancora capillare ma rapidissima.
Così il ‘Kenya Medical Research Institute’ (Kemry) ha deciso di sfruttare la telefonia mobile e gli sms per raggiungere più facilmente gli operatori sanitari delle aree più remote e aiutarli nel loro lavoro, un’iniziativa che ha avuto risultati sorprendenti, tanto da venire menzionata dalla prestigiosa rivista scientifica ‘The Lancet’.
Le indicazioni arrivate agli infermieri via sms sono infatti servite a trattare nel modo corretto il 24 per cento in più dei casi e si sono dimostrate più efficaci ed economici di corsi di aggiornamento o materiale cartaceo.
Per capire come un semplice sms mandato sul cellulare di un infermiere può contribuire a salvare una vita bisogna tener conto non soltanto dei mezzi limitati della sanità africana, ma anche delle sue caratteristiche, completamente diverse dalle nostre.
Ospedali, ambulatori, cliniche sono pochi e irraggiungibili per un’ampia parte della popolazione, perciò, quando è possibile, le strutture sanitarie istruiscono infermieri che si spostano di villaggio in villaggio creando degli ambulatori itineranti nei quali si fa prevenzione, si curano le malattie più comuni, vengono prestate le cure di primo soccorso e organizzati i trasferimenti degli ammalati più gravi negli ospedali.
Il lavoro degli infermieri a domicilio è gravoso, spesso intrapreso dopo corsi accurati e approfonditi quanto è possibile in Paesi nei quali i fondi destinati alla formazione del personale sanitario sono limitati o nulli. Il Kemry, struttura governativa che ha tra i suoi obiettivi proprio la formazione di questi profili professionali, ha perciò pensato a un metodo per poter seguire e aiutare gli infermieri kenyani anche dopo gli studi, avviando un servizio di sms per ricordare alcuni principi basilari delle terapie e delle procedure più comuni, come quelle antimalariche. Il successo dell’iniziativa è stato sorprendente, con un miglioramento del 24 per cento di casi di malaria trattati in modo corretto.
In pratica, il 24 per cento di vite salvate in più. È stato sufficiente inviare sui cellulari del personale sanitario sms del tipo “Raccomandate alle madri dei bambini affetti da malaria di finire tutte le dosi di medicina anche se il bambino si sente meglio dopo aver preso le prime!”, o altre indicazioni utili a ribadire quanto gli infermieri avevano studiato nei corsi professionali.
Agli sms ‘tecnici’ sono stati inframmezzati anche sms motivazionali, come “Un sorriso che farete, porterà sempre qualcosa di buono in cambio”, per rendere il servizio meno freddo e distaccato. Il costo degli sms è stato ampiamente ripagato dai risultati e si è dimostrato anche più economico dei mezzi usati di solito per l’aggiornamento professionale, quali corsi di sostegno o materiale cartaceo da distribuire nei centri sanitari distaccati.
Il costo di ogni sms in Kenya è inferiore a un centesimo di euro, ma i dati elaborati nello studio del ‘Kenya Medical Research Institute’, coadiuvato dallo ‘Oxford Biomedical Research Institute’, hanno indicato che – pur mandando messaggini per un totale di 39mila euro – la spesa per l’iniziativa è stata assai inferiore ai costi che sarebbero stati necessari per far viaggiare docenti nel Paese o inviare materiale per l’aggiornamento.
In ogni caso, gli sms si sono dimostrati di gran lunga più utili per i 119 infermieri che hanno visitato 2269 bambini affetti da malaria rispetto a corsi di aggiornamento o nuovi libri. E, tengono a sottolineare i ricercatori, le cose possono ancora migliorare, perché nei sei mesi successivi al monitoraggio di cui si riferisce nell’articolo pubblicato su ‘The Lancet’, gli sms sono diventati sempre più accurati e graditi.
fonte www.repubblica.it - Cristina Nadotti

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MAKERERE UNIVERSITY LECTURERS STRIKE OVER POOR PAY
23 august 2011

Makerere University lecturers have declared a sit down strike, starting today, over low pay. They want the Government to pay a Professor a salary equivalent to that of a Member of Parliament.
A Ugandan MP receives an average of sh15m monthly. The lecturers also want sh8m for teaching assistants, the entry level into teaching at the University.
However, State minister for higher education Dr. John Muyingo said Government will look into the lecturers grievances. The minister said they were in a meeting on Tuesday morning to forge a way forward.
The lecturers resolved to lay down their tools following a heated meeting convened by the Makerere University Academic Staff Association (MUASA) that lasted for over four hours. The MUASA chairperson, Prof Tanga Odoi said the lecturers would not teach until their demands are met. The strike will affect students who resumed for the new semester last week, and started their lecturers on Monday.
“We have agreed to lay down our tools until our demands are met by the Government” he said. He added: “We gave the Government three months to increase our salaries to help us cope with rising inflation, but we have not received any feedback.”
The lecturers also agreed not to conduct lecturers until the National Insurance Corporation (NIC) clears the sh16.7b it owes the University. The money reportedly accumulated between July 1996 and 2005, when the company operated a deposit administration plan (DAP) for the university’s pension scheme.
Odoi blamed the University Council for failing to liaise with NIC to resolve the matter, until he petitioned them to write to the insurance firm last week. The lecturers agreed to use their lawyers to place a caveat on sale of NIC properties, alleging fear that the insurance firm may wind up business without paying their savings.
They cited reports that NIC had not renewed its trading license.
fonte www.newvision.co.ug

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RITIRATO DL SU PENA DI MORTE PER OMOSESSUALI
24 agosto 2011

Il governo ugandese fa una parziale marcia indietro sulla presentazione in Parlamento di una proposta di legge per aggravare ulteriormente la condizione degli omosessuali, considerati, come in altre numerose nazioni africane, alla stregua dei peggiori criminali.
La riforma in cantiere dal 2009 prevedeva addirittura di offrire ai giudici la possibilità di condannare a morte i gay. L’opposizione di numerose associazioni per i diritti umani e il dissenso di sempre più larghi strati della popolazione ha portato il governo a ritirare il progetto.
David Bahati, l’architetto della riforma, non si dà per vinto: “Considerate le polemiche il governo ha fatto bene a frenare, del resto ci sono già numerose leggi in materia” dice Bahati alla stampa locale “ciò non toglie che è assolutamente necessario adottare misure più severe per garantire la moralità pubblica e proteggere la purezza della nostra società“.
fonte www.agi.it

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EBOLA, SCOPERTA UNA MICROMOLECOLA IN GRADO DI BLOCCARE L’ACCESSO AL VIRUS
25 agosto 2011

Studiosi statunitensi hanno identificato il meccanismo in grado di bloccare il virus Ebola e la strategia impiegata dal virus per attaccare le cellule umane.
Il virus dell’Ebola (EboV) è all’origine di micidiali focolai di infezione tra le popolazioni africane e purtroppo i casi di insorgenza sono in aumento. Finora non esiste alcun vaccino o terapia efficace per l’infezione e, nella ricerca di un’arma per combatterlo, i ricercatori del Brigham and Women’s Hospital (BWH) di Boston hanno utilizzato un robot sviluppato dai loro colleghi impegnati presso il ‘National small molecule screening laboratory’ della Harvard Medical School per esaminare decine di migliaia di campioni.
Nel corso della ricerca, gli studiosi hanno individuato una nuova micro-molecola derivata da benzilpiperazina adamantyl diamide che si è rivelata in grado di inibire l’ingresso di EboV in oltre il 99 per cento delle cellule. Ulteriori studi effettuati presso lo ‘United States Army Research Institute for Infectious Disease’, a Fort Detrick, nel Maryland, hanno verificato l’efficacia di questo inibitore di entrata del virus.
In particolare, essi hanno usato l’inibitore come sonda per studiare il percorso di infezione dell’EboV e hanno scoperto che l’obiettivo dell’inibitore è la proteina Niemann-Pick C1 (NPC1), il ‘cavallo di Troia’ attraverso il quale il virus attacca la membrana cellulare dell’organismo ospite. I risultati della ricerca verranno pubblicati domani sulla rivista Nature.
“Nel 2005 - ha spiegato James Cunningham, primo autore dello studio e ricercatore presso la Divisione di ematologia della BWH – abbiamo dimostrato che la digestione della glicoproteina sulla superficie delle particelle dell’EboV da parte della cellula ospite della proteasi catepsina B costituisce un passaggio fondamentale nell’infezione, ma avevamo intuito il coinvolgimento di altri fattori. Identificare l’inibitore dell’EboV ci ha portato alla scoperta che NPC1 è il condotto attraverso il quale il virus è in grado di infettare le membrane cellulari e ciò rappresenta una svolta per le nostre ricerche“.
In combinazione con gli esiti degli studi precedenti sulla struttura della glicoproteina del virus e sulla sua funzione, questi risultati indicano che l’infezione procede per passi successivi nel corso dei quali la catepsina B rimuove la parte superiore della glicoproteina dell’EboV ed espone la regione critica che si lega alla proteina NPC1 e consente l’ingresso delle particelle di EboV nelle cellule.
“I nostri risultati dimostrano che l’infezione di EboV ha caratteristiche in comune con altri virus patogeni tra cui l’Hiv e la Sars, i quali utilizzano anch’essi due proteine ospiti per avanzare nelle membrane cellulari e infettare le cellule ospiti“ ha detto Cunningham. “E ‘interessante notare che NPC1 è fondamentale per l’assorbimento del colesterolo nelle cellule, il che è un’indicazione di come il virus sfrutta processi cellulari normali per crescere e diffondersi. Le micro-molecole – ha concluso il ricercatore americano – connesse a NPC1, che inibiscono l’infezione di EboV, mostrano senz’altro il potenziale di essere trasformate in anti-virali“.
fonte www.repubblica.it

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CEMENT PRICES HIT SHS30,000
25 august 2011

As the high cost of sugar eases across the country, cement prices are heading up on the back of higher fuel prices and the weakening Shilling. The retail price of a 50-kilogramme bag of cement now costs between Shs29, 500 and Shs30,000 at several hardware stores such as Hardware World in Ntinda. While wholesale prices vary between Shs28,500 and Shs28,800 at stores like Kingstone Enterprises in Kampala.
Retail cement prices have risen by about Shs7,000 per bag since the beginning of the year undermining the construction of residential and commercial property.
Mr David Njoroge the general manager of Hima Cement, the largest producer of cement in Uganda, attributed the surge to the persistent rise in fuel prices and the 21 per cent depreciation of the local unit against the dollar since January 2011. “These put pressure on the cost of production, transportation and distribution of products which costs are then passed on to consumers where possible” Mr Njoroge said in an interview on Tuesday.
Fuel prices have gone up by almost a half since the beginning of year. For instance the cost of diesel has gone up to Shs3,450 per litre from Shs2,200 in January. A litre of petrol now costs as high Shs3, 850 at Shell gas stations compared to Shs2, 700 at the start of the year.
Oil marketers have attributed to the rise in international oil prices and the depreciation of the shilling which is exchanged for dollars to buy imports.
The shilling fell to 2,800 per dollar from 2, 300 at the start of the year. The inflationary pressures have eroded the benefit of lower prices that were brought about by the opening of a new factory by the company.
fonte www.allafrica.com

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UGANDA-ERITREA, PIU’ INTENSA LA COOPERAZIONE BILATERALE
26 agosto 2011

Uganda ed Eritrea hanno deciso di avviare una cooperazione bilaterale, definita “strategica” dai presidenti dei rispettivi Paesi, Yoweri Museveni e Isaias Afewerki, al termine di una visita di tre giorni compiuta da quest’ultimo a Kampala.
Nel corso della visita, che da alcuni osservatori e’ stata vista come un tentativo di porre fine all’isolamento internazionale di Asmara, Museveni si è impegnato a “fare il possibile per garantire la sicurezza” di entrambi i Paesi.
I due capi di Stato – che si erano già incontrati tre anni fa nella città costiera eritrea di Massaua – hanno deciso anche di “far fare un salto di qualità alle relazioni commerciali” bilaterali, soprattutto nei settori agroalimentare e dell’information Communication Technology.
fonte www.agi.it

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BREVE DALL’UGANDA
29 agosto 2011

Sono almeno 23 finora le vittime dello smottamento provocato dalle piogge torrenziali che hanno investito l’est del paese.
Operatori della Croce Rossa locale hanno recuperato 15 corpi e salvato due persone rimaste intrappolate nel fango nel villaggio di Mabono, distretto di Bulambuli, 270 chilometri a nord-est di Kampala. In un villaggio poco distante, fonti sanitarie hanno confermato la morte di altre otto persone.
fonte www.misna.org

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Cambio valuta: in data 31/08/2011 1 dollaro USA è pari a 2813,6499 scellini ugandesi, 1 Euro è pari a 4062,6276 scellini ugandesi

Luana in missione poco prima della Messa

Oggi è domenica, la seconda che trascorriamo qui in missione. Ci alziamo un po’ prima del solito perchè alle 8.30 c’è la Messa … che non possiamo perderci, se non vogliamo che l’ira di Padre John si abbatta su di noi!! In realtà però nessuno di noi se la perderebbe per nulla al mondo: la commozione che riesce a suscitare, in ogni sua fase, è davvero indescrivibile.

Poco dopo le 8.00, quando usciamo per andare in chiesa, il sole è già caldo e alto nel cielo. Per la prima volta dopo tre giorni stanotte non è piovuto e non c’è nessuna nuvola ad oscurare il cielo. La Messa dura quasi due ore ma tra i canti, le percussioni e le ‘battute’ di Padre John durante l’omelia, quasi non ce ne accorgiamo.

Per il pranzo abbiamo organizzato di andare con Ettore, nostro storico e instancabile volontario, al lago. Con noi ci sono anche Susan, una delle ragazze della missione, insegnante di computer durante il giorno e DJ di professione la sera, e John Rambo, ingegnere tuttofare oggi in veste di autista.

I marabù che riposano a pochi metri da noi

Ci portano in un resort ultra-elegante a Munyoyo: c’è proprio tutto, dal ristorante al maneggio alla piscina. E cercando meglio scommetto che troveremmo anche un campo da golf. Ci sentiamo un po’ in colpa di trovarci in un posto così di lusso, quando intorno a noi c’è tanta miseria, ma Ettore ci teneva tanto ad averci suoi ospiti! Inoltre, vivere questo contrasto ci aiuta ancora di più a capire il paese.

Ordiniamo tutti una gigantesca tilapia, un pesce che credo viva solo da queste parti e che mangiamo di gusto con le mani!! Dietro di noi, a pochi metri sul prato, ci sono giganteschi marabù, uccelli simili ad avvoltoi, che ci guardano con indifferenza. Camminano di qua e di là e ogni tanto si fermano a riposare. La cosa non mi lascia del tutto tranquilla.

Ettore e John Rambo, contenti per la bella giornata trascorsa insieme

Chiediamo 7 caffè e ci portano 7 teiere con almeno mezzo litro di caffè dentro ciascuna. Non si può dire che si tratti di espressi!

Al ritorno rimaniamo a chiacchierare con le donne in cortile e facciamo un altro po’ di shopping approfittando delle collane di Angela (anzi: delle collane che le donne di Kireka, una delle zone più povere di Kampala, lasciano ad Angela da vendere, nella speranza di racimolare qualche soldo per le loro famiglie). Decidiamo di regalare un braccialetto a ciascuna delle bambine e ragazze della missione: sono così felici quando glieli diamo che capiamo di avere fatto assolutamente la cosa giusta!!

Dopo cena organizziamo la gita di domani a Gulu: purtroppo non ci sarà Padre John, preso da tanti impegni, ma, a sorpresa, verrà con noi Apollonia, una donna di grande carisma che da giovane è stata aiutata da Padre John, è diventata insegnante, poi preside e ora che è in pensione ha deciso di tornare a vivere vicino a Padre John per aiutarlo con le scuole e i ragazzi.