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Age-limit debate Fight to control Muhakanizis lebrating

opportunists national drugs body fight for UTL Ce

Issue No. 489 Sept 29 - Oct 05 , 2017 Ushs 5,000,Kshs 200, RwF 1,500, SDP 8
Years

Age-limit Bill
scandal
The 4 fights frustrating Museveni

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Independent Publications Limited, Plot 82/84, Kanjokya Street, P. O. Box 3304, Kampala, Uganda
Tel: +256-312-637-391/ 2/ 3/ 4 | Fax: +256-312-637-396 | E-mail: editorial@independent.co.ug,
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 Issue No. 489 Sept 29 - Oct 05 , 2017

The Week The Last Word Analysis Business Arts &

Culture
4|Court warns Inside 14|Age limit debate 24|Uganda
police over Kaweesi disruption: What is in bold move
Musevenis life 35|Bark-cloth
murder suspects the country losing by to regulate gets artistic
presidency: focusing on it? supermarkets: break:Artists
Government
Why the drafting guidelines
experiment more
4|MP proposes with media on
bill to cater for removal of 16|Age-limit debate to deal with synthetic surfaces
opportunists:Why defaulting retail
Musevenis age limits the elders eye on
succession chains
may be the history shows this
best way to could plunge country
5|Protests as motion back into its dark 26|Muhakanizis
on age limit is get a peaceful past fight for UTL:
anticipated succession in Finance Minister, PS
39|Toyota
Muhakanizi says the
Uganda 21|Ibuka sues new move is to drive
ranked top motor
French bank over company
5|Museveni visits internet price cuts in
women murder Rwanda genocide the country
scene in Entebbe

STRATEGY & EDITORIAL DIRECTOR: Andrew M. Mwenda
MANAGING EDITOR: Joseph Were
INVESTIGATIONS EDITOR: Haggai Matsiko
BUSINESS EDITOR: Isaac Khisa
PHOTOGRAPHER: Jimmy Siya
WRITERS:Ronald Musoke, Flavia Nassaka, Ian Katusiime,
Agnes Nantaba, Agather Atuhaire, Julius Businge.
CARTOONIST: Harriet Jamwa
DESIGN/LAYOUT: Ronny Kahuma, Sarah Ngororano.

PUBLISHER: Independent Publications Limited, Plot 82/84, Kanjokya Street, P. O. Box 3304, Kampala, Uganda
Tel: +256-312-637-391/ 2/ 3/ 4 | Fax: +256-312-637-396 E-mail: editor@independent.co.ug | advertising@independent.co.ug
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2 Sept 29 - Oct 05 , 2017

 Offline

Police arresting on of
the DP youth that was
making their way to
parliament on Sept. 21
to listen to members
of parliament debt the
age limit bill. There was
very heavy deployment
around parliament
and in town for fear While we value diplomatic relations
that the public had
planned to riot over with all the countries of the world,
the removal of the age Uganda is not keen on taking
limit. INDEPENDENT/ unqualified lectures from foreign
JIMMY SIYA
agents, Ofwono Opondo, Government
spokesperson responding to criticism by US
Ambassador Malac

The President Yoweri

Kaguta Museveni
together with the
Chineese Ambassador
to Uganda, Zheng Zhu
Quiang shake hands
during the cutting of
cake at the dinner
party celebrating the
68th Anniversary of Hon Evelyn Anite should apologise
the Founding of the to all MPs for circulating a false list of
Peoples Republic of
China at Serena Hotel MPs supporting the age limit bill and
on Sept 25. also be suspended from Parliament for
eight years.Aruu County MP Odonga Otto

Kampala Metropolitan
Police Commander Frank
Mwesigwa, leading
Robert Kyagulanyi, (M)
MP Kyadondo East to
Entebbe International
Airport police post where
he was interrogated for Your legal bills are extremely huge
over five hour on his yet you have a whole directorate
return from New York of qualified lawyers. Why would
on Sept. 22. He was you hire an external lawyer to do a
questioned on issue of
inciting violence on the search on a property and transfer of
age limit bill and also lease?MP Abdul Katuntu Chairperson of
having intentions to COSASE in Parliament asking BOU
overthrow government.
INDEPENDENT/JIMMY SIYA

30 1000 1460
Police officers who Youths who could benefit from Ugandan students who could
are being probed over an income generating project study at universities on a
kidnaps, robbery funded by the European Union students loan scheme this year

Sept 29 - Oct 05 , 2017 3

The week
Court warns police over Kaweesi murder suspects Muntu puts party
The 23 suspects in police custody Carol Apiya told court that inquiries campaigns on hold
over the murder of former Police were still going on. The suspects have
spokesperson Felix Kaweesi could been on remand for five months and President of the
be freed if police does not speed the law stipulates that investigations opposition Forum
up investigations, Nakawa Chief into capital offences should be done by for Democratic
Magistrates Court warned the office of the state within six months to have the Change (FDC)
the DPP. Grade One Magistrate Noah suspects sent to the High Court for trial. party Gen. Mugisha
Sajjabi directed the police through the The magistrates remanded the suspects Muntu announced
DPP to conclude investigations in less until Oct 10. Kaweesi, his bodyguard on Sept.25 that he
than a month or else he will be forced and driver were gunned down on March is suspending his
to release the suspects. The magistrate 17 just a few metres outside the former campaigns to seek
issued the warning after State Attorney police spokesmans home. another term as
party president to Mugisha Muntu
join his colleagues
to stop the pro- In the campaigns
posed amendment for presidency,
of article 102 (b) of incumbent Muntu
the constitution that tussles out with
puts presidential former legislator
age limit between Patrick Amuriat,
35 and 75 years. Kawempe South
Muntu who warned legislator Mubarak
that changing the Munyagwa and
constitution poses two little known
an uncertain future contestants Dan
for the country that Matsiko and Moses
has suffered many Byamugisha.
years of turmoil.
Kaweesi murder suspects in court

Districts fail to MP proposes bill to cater for Musevenis succession.

spend Shs13bn Workers MP Sam Lyomoki posed removal of age limits and clerk of parliament.
who is in parliament on the for president showed him and Meanwhile another NRM
For yet another year, districts ruling National Resistance other colleagues in the party MP John Baptist Nambeshe
have failed to spend a total of Movement ticket has writ- that Museveni who has been representing Manjiya County
Shs13.9billion in another setback ten to the speaker seeking to in power for over 30 years is in Bududa district also wrote
to service delivery at the local introduce a new bill dubbed, not sure of what will happen to the speaker requesting to
government level. The funds the Museveni Succession, to him after leaving power. move a motion for leave of
released in the financial year Transition and Immunities Bill This bill will act as a guide and parliament to introduce a bill
2016/2017 were returned to the 2017. Lyomoki who intends guard to him, the legislator requiring a member of parlia-
National Treasury as per local to also introduce a bill on asserted while explaining the ment to relinquish his or her
government and financial regula- restoration of term limits said Sept.22 letter that had been seat once they are appointed
tions. Failure to spend the money the recent debate of the pro- copied to the deputy speaker ministers.
has been attributed to inadequate
manpower to implement planned
activities according to Civil
Society Budget Action Group
(CSBAG), an NGO that monitors
budget performance. It also said
that local governments get the
funds under strenuous conditions
which hamper their performance.
Some of the districts that returned
funds include Kibaale (Shs2.6bn),
Sembabule (Shs1.5bn), Kiboga
(Shs870m), Nakaseke (Shs718m)
and Kumi (Shs707m), among oth-
ers. Other reasons cited include
delayed requisition fir funds from
the ministry, failure to submit
detailed budget breakdowns, the
government was also blamed- the
breakdown of its online financial
integrated management system.
Opposition MPs jubilating after parliament was adjourned last week. INDEPENDENT/JIMMY SIYA

4 Sept 29 - Oct 05 , 2017


Protests as motion on age limit is anticipated
Security operatives
were on Sept.21 engaged
in running battles with
sections of the public
including opposition figures
and university students
as a motion proposing
the amendment of the
constitution to remove
presidential term limits was
expected to be tabled in
parliament.
While about five Makerere
university students were
arrested and others injured
DP President Norbert Mao displays some of the anti-age limit placards at parliament on Sept. 21. He was
briefly arrested. INDEPENDENT/JIMMY SIYA
in the scuffle, the Kampala
city mayor Erias Lukwago
was also briefly detained to
prevent him from executing
an alleged plan to match
from the city hall to the
city square with other city
leaders to campaign against
the move. Also arrested was
Democratic Party President
Norbert Mao who held
branded materials also
advocating against the same.
The police also went
ahead to cordon off offices
Dial *133 * 8#
of the Forum for Democratic
change (FDC) party to
prevent members from
petitioning the speaker
and staging an opposing
campaign at parliament, a
move that was condemned
by several party leaders
saying they had earlier
written to police as per the
requirement of the public
order management act to ask
them to provide security and
permission to go ahead with
their plan.
Sept 29 - Oct 05 , 2017
The week
Godber Tumushabe
CSOs searched,
Police cites illegal
money transfers
Two civil society organiza-
tions ActionAid Uganda locat-
ed in Kansanga and Great Lakes
Institute for Strategic Studies
(GLISS), a policy think tank in
Ntinda were on the evening
of Sept.20 sealed off and staff
barred from leaving as police
conducted a search.
According to the police,
ActionAid was suspected of
being used to transfer money
used in illegal activities.
But, both institutions have
been of recent engaged in debate
against lifting the age limit for
anyone wanting to stand for
presidency from the current
range of 35 to 75 years. Godber
Tumushabe, the brain behind
GLISS and member of the oppo-
sition FDC party said the move
is meant to frustrate their work
and threaten them from speak-
ing out.
However, the police had a
search warrant issued by Makin-
dye Chief Magistrates court.
*terms and conditions apply
5
The week

Trump issues travel ban on Chad, North Korea Speaker commissions

On Sept.24,US
President Donald Trump
issued a new travel ban.
for citizens of countries
entering the US.. Among
the countries affected are
Chad, North Korea and
Venezuela which Trump
says in a statement pose
an unacceptable danger
to the country as they
are insecure and have
poor cooperation with
US authorities. Others
affected include Yemen,
Syria, Somalia, Libya
and Iran.
Apart from the rest
that will suffer a total
ban, limited restrictions
were placed on
Venezuela.
International media
reports show that the
their security standards.
Trump administration
officials stressed that
the restrictions are
conditions-based, not
time-based, indicating
that significant
improvements by
countries could see them
delisted from the travel
ban.
The recent move saw
Sudan being removed
from the list of those
banned.
Donald Trump However, since the
majority of affected
decision was taken after countries by Trumps
an extensive review bans are Muslim, he has
of high-risk countries been widely criticized by
by the Department of human rights defenders
Homeland Security, for blocking Muslims
which were all given the from the country.
opportunity to improve
paper plant, calls for more
investment in research
Speaker of parlia- nation, she said
ment on Sept.22 wondering how
commissioned a much paper this
paper processing country would pro-
plant at the Uganda duce if all the stems
Industrial Research are put to use.
Institute in Nakawa. On his part, the
The paper which is Minister for Sci-
made out of banana ence, Technology
stems. and Innovation
When I was in Elioda Tumwesigye
China, I noticed that encouraged the pri-
every industry I vis- vate sector to build
ited had a research up on some of the
department. We projects initiated by
need to inject more the institute since
money and time in for them these are
research in order just pilot projects
to transform from that can be trans-
a market-based to formed into big
a producer-based business ventures.

Government abolishes Museveni visits women murder scene in Entebbe

revenue collection by As pressure over govern- new technology such as to be many questions sur-
private entities ment inaction over women DNA to investigate. We rounding the motive of
murders in Entebbe and shall also install CCTV cam- these women murderers,
During a Sept. 25 press conference, Nansana municipality was eras in major cities to ease latest information from
Minister for Kampala Beti Kamya heightening with some Police work, he said. police shows some are cases
announced that government has abolished groups opting for protests, Residents expressed wor- of sexual assault, domestic
privatization of revenue collection from the president made a spot ries that even after Police violence, ritual murders
operators of public vehicles to private check on one of the scenes boss Kale Kayihura and and family conflicts.
entities. The minister who also banned
in Katabi town council Henry Tumukunde the Meanwhile as part
parking fees and other informal levies
where a body of one of security minister pitched of short term solutions,
in public transport including stage
the women was found camp in the area and Nkumba University located
management and loading fees said these
dumped. Museveni who promised to crack down near Entebbe has had to
fees have been the cause of protests and
spoke to relatives of some the criminals murders adjust timing for its evening
disagreements in the industry.
The formal levies which are to be collected victims assured residents continued. By the time the lectures from the usual 9pm
by Kampala City Council Authority include that security in the area is to president visited the num- to allow students return
light omnibus license, medium omnibus, be enhanced to ensure that ber of women being killed home early since most of
passengers vehicles license and road users no more women are killed. under similar circumstances these crimes are anticipated
fees. Licenses on public service vehicles and Police has been using stood at 23 in just a space to be executed late in the
advance presumptive tax are to be charged backward methods. We are of about three months. night.
Uganda Revenue Authority as it has been. going to solve this using However while there seems

Rwanda files charges

against opposition leader
A statement issued by Rwanda police
on Sept.25 shows opposition leader Diane
Rwigara has been charged with offences
against state security and forgery. Rwigara
who expressed interest in standing against
President Paul Kagame in the recently
concluded elections was arrested on Sept.23
along with her mother and sister who are
charged with tax evasion. The 35year old
who says is a victim of political persecution
was earlier arrested on August 30 on
suspicions of tax evasion but released later. Museveni (wearing hat) with residents of Entebbe. INDEPENDENT/ JIMMY SIYA

6 Sept 29 - Oct 05 , 2017

 The week
Germanys Merkel gets fourth term with weakened mandate Govt closes contract
the vote and not very window for retired teachers
surprisingly, the far
right AfD notching 13%. Retired vocational instructors who
Analysts had stated that hope to cash in on new contracts
the election would be a will have to find new means to earn
test for Merkels open after the ministry of education said
door policy which saw a there will be no new contracts for
million refugees fleeing them. James Mugerwa, the assistant
wars in Syria enter commissioner vocational education
the country in 2015. said there is need to create jobs for
Merkel who assumed young graduates churned out every
office in 2005 told a year. Some of the instructors who
crowd of supporters in had clocked the retirement age of
Berlin that the outcome 55 had applied for contracts. He
was a result that was also asked principals of the various
not as good as we had vocations who are about to retire
Angela Merkel expected. As she starts to start grooming other people into
a fourth term, Merkel leadership. Mugerwa made the
Angela Merkel made in-roads into the and her government remarks at the Uganda Business
secured a fourth term German parliament for will have to deal with and Technical Examinations
as German Chancellor the first time. Merkels the presence of right Board stakeholders meeting in
after the Sept 24 election Christian Democratic wing extremists in the Ntinda. However some heads of
but with a weakened Union (CDU) got 33% German parliament who the institutions said they cannot
mandate as far-right of the vote, Social opposed her refugee groom leaders because there are no
party Alternative fr Democrats coming in policy from the onset. positions to take up in the structure.
Deutschland (AfD) second with 21% of

Doubts over mediation in Sudhir- BOU case

More than two weeks after
the Commercial Court advised
businessman Sudhir Ruparelia
and Bank of Uganda (BoU) to
seek an out of court settlement,
neither side is yet to make a
gesture on the issue. Justice
David Wangutusti advised the
two parties to seek mediation
saying the case would greatly
hurt one of them. The Shs397bn
fraud case has pitted the
former Crane Bank owner
Sudhir sharply against BoU,
who accuse him of illegally
transferring the banks land
titles to his other investments.
As a condition for the
mediation, Sudhir demanded
that BoU lawyers David
Mpanga and Timothy Masembe
recuse themselves from the
case. Meanwhile the Mediation
Registry at the Commercial
Court was yet to reach out to
the two parties by press time.

Sudhir Ruparelia

Sept 29 - Oct 05 , 2017 7

 Humor

DP president Norbert Mao arrived at Parliament in a T-shirt with the inscription MP Peter Sematimba was declared validly elected Busiro South MP on
Kogikwatako, when he insisted on entering Parliament he was lifted by security 18th September after DPs Stephen Ssekigozi failed to provide satisfactory
into a pick-up truck that drove to Kampala central Police Station. evidence of Sematimbas alleged forged academic credentials.

MP Ibrahim Abiriga was involved in a fist fight with MP Bernard Atiku, after accusing the Mp Atiku of
allegedly mobilising a group of a youth to attack him. To cool off MP Abiriga asked his water.

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8 Sept 29 - Oct 05 , 2017 http://twitter.com/#!/ugandatalks www.facebook.com/TheIndependentMagazineUganda

Inside Musevenis life presidency
By Andrew M. Mwenda
Why the removal of age limits may be the best
way to get a peaceful succession in Uganda
T
here is consensus among Ugandan,
African, and even global elites that
presidents who rule for long make
peaceful succession impossible. This
informs the current debate on the attempt
by the NRM to amend the constitution
and remove the age limit so that President
Yoweri Museveni can run for the presidency
in 2021. After 31 years in power, allowing
Museveni to run in 2021 gives him a chance
to extend his rule to 40 years. This turns
Uganda from a republic to a monarchy.
The NRM party enjoys a huge majority
in parliament and our legislators are broke
and indebted. I suspect 90% would desire
Museveni to retire. However, over 350 out
of 436 MPs will vote for removing the age
limit. It is, therefore, nave to think noise
in mass and social media can decouple
his plans. And even though over 70% of
the country thinks the age limit should be
maintained, Museveni will most likely win
the 2021 elections.
I think Museveni should retire. This is not
because he has ruled for long or because
he is old. Lee Kuan Yew of Singapore ruled
for long and grew old in office yet retained
energy and dynamism. Museveni should
retire because, while he commands a lot of
power (more than any successor will ever
marshal), his policy ideas and management
ability cannot take Uganda to another level.
Put simply, he has too much power but
very little leadership left in him. Ugandas
tragedy is that his opponents are even
worse in both management credentials and
policy ideas.
But what does his presidency for life
portend for our desire for a peaceful
succession? Human affairs cannot be
subjected to a controlled experiment in
a laboratory. So it is difficult to see how
our actions today will shape outcomes
tomorrow. However, history is a very
good guide for us to make a reasonable
prediction. Thus, we need to look at the
character of NRM and compare it with
similar regimes across time and space.
NRM came to power after a protracted
armed struggle. Beginning small, it
challenged a state funded by donors and
backed up by 30,000 Tanzanian troops.
Without an international power to bankroll
it or a rear base where to hide when the
going got tough, it dismantled the state
The Last Word
from below. This demonstrated exceptional
organisational and leadership ability.
Therefore, the best way to predict the
future of NRM and Museveni is to look
at other groups that came to power
by similar means in Cuba, Vietnam,
China, Zimbabwe, Eritrea, North Korea,
Cambodia, former Soviet Union, Angola,
Mozambique, Nicaragua, Algeria, Ethiopia,
Rwanda and Guinea Bissau. This covers
all continents spanning 100 years from
the capture of power by the Bolsheviks
in Russia in 1917 to today. This history
provides considerable grist for our
intellectual speculation.
What are the major characteristics of
these movements? Note: the examples I
use here are not neat. There are exceptions,
divergences and even counter narratives.
But if I have to give an account of such a
broad process I will pick some common
thread or threads that run(s) through all of
them.
First, once they capture power and
consolidate in the first five years, these
movements never (or rarely) lose it. This
is because the nature of their struggle
gives them knowledge to penetrate society
deeply. They fuse the state and the party,
and politics with security from the lowest
level of the village to the apex of power.
Thus, even when they suffer prolonged
economic atrophy, as we have seen in
Zimbabwe, Cuba and North Korea, they
dont suffer political defeat. In Nicaragua
and Guinea Bissau these movements lost
power briefly but regained it and they hold
it today The Khme Rouge in Cambodia was
removed by the invasion of that country by
Vietnam. In Russia, the communist party
disbanded itself but its successors continue
to rule under a different guise.
The founding leader is always the political
head, ideological philosopher, and military
commander. Often he dies in office. (Fidel
Castrol in Cuba ruled for 49 years and
retired due to old age and poor health). In
all of them, power tends to be centralised
in the presidency and personalised in the
president, giving no hint of succession. Yet
whenever the founding leader dies, there
is a peaceful transition and the emergence
of collegial leadership Meles Zenawis
Ethiopia being the most recent example.
Thus, from this perspective, Uganda may
Opinion
be headed in that direction. Predictions
of chaos are not grounded in history. Of
course history is replete with black swans;
i.e. unexpected events. It is possible the
NRM can suffer political defeat especially
because it is the most liberal in this group.
Or Museveni may die in office and
bequeath chaos as different factions of NRM
vie for power. But history tells us that this is
least likely.
Indeed, it is not true that if one leader
hands over power peacefully to a
successor, future peaceful transitions will
follow automatically. Africa is filled with
examples of such well-intentioned actions
leading to tears. The first president of post-
independence Africa to concede electoral
defeat and peacefully hand over power was
Osman Daar of Somalia in 1967. Two years
later there was a coup and we know where
Somalia is today.
In Ghana (1969), Nigeria (1979) and
Mali (1992), militaries organised peaceful
transitions to democracy that lasted a few
years ending in military coups. Liberia
exemplifies the fragility of peaceful
transitions. From its founding in 1847 to
1980, it had 20 presidents with none of them
serving more than eight years or two terms
until William Tubman from 1944-1971.
Power kept changing from Independents to
Whigs to Republicans. But after 133 years of
peaceful transitions Liberia succumbed to a
military coup, prolonged civil war and state
collapse.
Now I am aware that my critics will
miss this argument and respond with ad
hominem attacks on me, claiming I have
been bribed by Museveni. As I wait for
the presidents cheque to come in, let me
suggest an even more controversial heresy.
Ideally, and sad as it is, Musevenis desire
to die in office may neither be avoidable nor
portend disaster. Instead it may be good
for Uganda. Ironically it is very possible
that if he attempts to conform to the
current consensus and organise a peaceful
transition when he is still alive, especially
for a movement made of the characteristics
I have discussed above, he may cause
tensions leading to instability.
amwenda@independent.co.ug
Sept 29 - Oct 05 , 2017 9
Cover story

Age-limit Bill
scandal
The 4 fights frustrating Museveni
By Haggai Matsiko
Finally, there was a proper fist fight in parliament on Sept.26 over
lifting the 75-year constitutional age limit to allow President Yoweri
Museveni to contest again in 2021. He will officially be 77 years old
by then and he will have been in power for 35 years. The kicking,
pulling of ties and jacket lapels, and hurling of chairs at each other
was the climax of an anticipated showdown between a motley bunch
of opposition MPs and the dominant ruling NRM party MPs.

10 Sept 29 - Oct 05 , 2017


S
peaker Rebecca Kadaga had
attempted to spring a surprise
on the MPs by delaying to the
last minute the inclusion of the
controversial age-limit Bill on
the Parliament Order Paper of
business. But the ruse flopped and she was
forced to shelve it for the second time.
Similar scenes on Sept.21 had led the
Deputy Speaker of Parliament to postpone
tabling of the controversial Bill. On that
day security forces; police and the army
deployed heavily around parliament and
surrounding environs. They arrested sev-
eral prominent opposition politicians in
morning swoops on their homes in scenes
that were condemned by many, including
the Uganda Human Rights Commission.
The offices of some non-governmental
organisationsGodber Tumushabes Great
Lakes Institute For Strategic Studies (GLISS)
and ActionAidwere also raided as police
accused them of fueling the anti-age limit
lifting tensions.
The U.S. embassy and the EU issued a
statement saying they were deeply con-
cerned about the arrests and actions target-
ing political activists. They said the events
tarnish the countrys image and appeared
designed to stifle the Ugandan peoples
right to free expression.
Deputy Speaker Oulanyah criticised the
siege of parliament by security forces which
was seen as reminiscent of the 1966 incident
when then-Prime Minister Milton Obote
deployed security forces around parliament
and MPs passed the so-called Pigeon-Hole
Constitution without reading it.
Magyezis nightmare
But the most affected person was pos-
sibly a little known MP Raphael Magyezi, of
Igara West constituency in Bushenyi, west-
ern Uganda.
Sept.21 was supposed to mark a turning
point for him. He had clawed his way to the
top of the pack of MPs from the ruling party
NRM who were clamouring to move the
motion to remove the presidential age limit
of 75 years from the constitution. Although
architects of the campaign deny it, the sole
purpose of the move is to let President
Museveni to run again.
Magyezi was also excited that some of
the nations top legal brains, city top lawyer
Kiryowa Kiwanuka and the presidents law-
yer son-in-law, Edwin Karugire had drafted
the Bill he was to move, insiders said.
The law firm of this duo is always central
in President Musevenis political machinery
when mobilisation drives and campaigns
need brains and ruling party candidates
need help with election petitions in the
courts. In 2016 they defended President
Museveni in a Supreme Court suit against
his election brought by former Prime Minis-
ter Amama Mbabazi, who had managed 1.4
President Museveni Raphael Magyezi
Up to
280
ing smoothly through parliament because
legislators have
already appended
their signatures to
a document meant
to show support for
his motion and the
resultant bill
percent in the elections.
With everything in place, it was obvious
to all that if Magyezi played the part well,
the reward could be big. They had seen it
before in 2014.
At the time, Evelyn Anite was a little
known Youth MP for northern Uganda. But
her turning point came on Sunday Febru-
ary 9, 2014, when she upstaged ruling party
stalwarts with a master stroke executed
with the ease of a practiced schemer. The
scene was a meeting of the NRM Caucus
at its Kyankwazi school of ideology and
then-powerful prime minister Amama
Mbabazi looked set to challenge President
Yoweri Museveni in a tussle to be the party
flag-bearer in the 2016 presidential election.
The atmosphere was tense. Then Anite
knelt dramatically and moved a simple
motion; that Museveni should be the sole
NRM candidate. She then upped the ante
by announcing that all MPs in favour
should sign on the motion. Mbabazi was
cornered and had no choice but to sign. A
few months after Museveni won re-election,
Anite was rewarded with a ministerial posi-
tion. Magyezi was possibly dreaming of
Cover story
Evelyn Anite
something similar.
He had the numbers on his side. Magyezi
and his co-schemers imagined the Bill sail-
the NRM has a 290-strong majority. Of
these, 288 had already been lobbied and
committed to support the move. The plan-
ners also had a majority of the over 50 Inde-
pendent MPs on their side. But just a week
earlier, they got another boost. The NRM
swept election for MPs in five new districts.
The five army representatives were also
expected to vote for the ruling party.
So Magyezis camp is working with
potentially 340 votes in the bag. Although
the additional five newly created districts
had expanded the number of legislators
from 429 to 434, winning the vote in parlia-
ment requires only a 2/3 majority or 289
votes. With support from 340 legislators, it
appears a cool 51 legislators will be a bonus.
Cabinet has also given Magyezi a green
light.
Up to 280 legislators have already
appended their signatures to a document
meant to show support for his motion and
the resultant bill.
But on Sept.20, he suffered a setback. He
was informed that his motion would not be
on the Order Paper for Parliamentary busi-
ness as had promised.
Oulanyah versus Kadaga
Reasons for the turnabout remain
unclear. According to one version, offered
by the Deputy Speaker Jacob Oulanyah,
the Office of the Speaker of Parliament had
not received Magyezis motion. Oulan-
yah, observers say, was playing his own
little tussle with Speaker Rebecca Kadaga.
According to this script, Oulanyah is this
time determined not to be Musevenis
delivery boy for lifting the age-limit.
Oulanyah reportedly understands the real
consequences of tampering with the con-
stitution. When he was still a member of
the opposition Uganda Peoples Congress
(UPC) party in 2005, he chaired the Legal
and Parliamentary committee, whose report
recommended the lifting of term limits. In
the election the following year, he lost his
Sept 29 - Oct 05 , 2017 11
Cover story
Omoro seat. He wants Kadaga to do the
heavy lifting but she was proving to be as
slippery as an eel. So Oulanyah was pos-
sibly happy to postpone business on the Bill
until Kadaga who claimed she needed time
to internalise it, was ready.
It was also rumoured that Kadaga was
knocking her head on the wall trying to
wiggle out of two other conundrums posed
by the age-limit debate. The first was a bid
to maintain consistency in her ruling. She
appeared cornered because the Bill to lift
the presidential age-limit is similar in ambi-
tion to one tabled earlier by another MP to
remove the age-limit on judges. Kadaga
ruled that it could wait for a comprehensive
constitutional reform Bill by the govern-
ment. Could she rule the same now?
Secondly, she was faced with a raft of
other constitutional amendments. MPs
Patrick Nsamba Oshabe (Kassanda North)
and Workers MP Sam Lyomoki want to
move motions of their own. Nsamba wants
government to urgently constitute the long-
awaited Constitutional Review Commis-
sion.
While Lyomoki wants to reinstate term
limits and also guarantees for President
Museveni that he wont be prosecuted. One
of Lyomokis bills is called The Museveni Police officers deployed at Parliament on Sept 26 as the age limit debate went on. Independent/Jimmy siya
Succession, Transition and Immunities bill,
2017. president because of the peoples mandate,
While Lyomoki claims he is motivated President Museveni who was playing on
by the desire to ensure smooth transition of the global stage when the first age-limit
power, NRM critics see his moves and those scuffles erupted in parliament (with other
of other legislators as intended to attract the world leaders at the annual UN general
attention of President Museveni by appear- conference in New York, USA), must have
ing to frustrate Magyezis. been frustrated about the ugly scenes
In this endeavor, Lyomoki and Nsamba making headlines on BBC and CNN from
are not alone. Several other legislators are back home: that he had deployed the army
planning motions to overwhelm parliament around parliament in a bid to force through
and possibly force concessions out of Presi- the lifting of the age limit.
Rebecca Kadaga Jacob Oulanyah
dent Museveni. The other international stories coming
By press time, two other legislators were out of Kampala must have been equally
planning to put in motions. One of the bills frustrating for Museveni that morning; that
was aimed at scrapping the constitutional Political Affairs and one of the key architects up to 21 women, one-at-a time- had been
provisions on minimum academic require- of the campaign to lift the age limit empha- murdered over three months without the
ments for all elective positions in the coun- sised to The Independent after the debacle. killer/s being caught, that a new rebel-group
try and the other to force MPs appointed to He said the main issue is not how often was claiming to have sprung up to fight
cabinet to first resign their parliamentary we should change presidents but how we him, and that the Ugandan economy was
seats. The pusher for the latter, legislator should ensure survival and forward move- in a shambles. Musevenis closest aides, the
John Baptist Nambeshe said his intention ment as a country. clergy, civil society, and academics, have
is to fully apply the concept of separation Age limit is a smaller aspect of that in the either counseled caution or out rightly told
of powers and put an end to situations like context of Uganda, he said, Globally there Museveni it is time to start packing. So
Magyezis proposal enjoying unfettered is no jurisdiction that has an upper age limit. how did Museveni get to this low point;
support from ministers. So how was Kada- It is an aberration. It shouldnt have been when he appears swallowed up in one crisis
ga to allow one Private Members Bill to lift part of the constitution. There should be no after the other?
the age limit and block the others? illusion, the mobilisation will continue; the
Oulanyah who was familiar with the age limit will be lifted. Transition politics
minefields, dodged one with a subtle but The skirmishes in parliament are a tem- According to many observers, the fight
significant technicality. He said while porary phenomenon, he said, The consti- over the age bill has to do with what is
Magyezi had submitted a `notice for the tution will be amended. being called the transition or how Musev-
motion, he had not submitted the motion Article 102 (b) will be lifted. The details eni who has been in power for 32 years goes
itself. With that he adjourned the House and are another matter. The struggle to lift the out sooner or later.
Magyezis dream of fortune was bruised term limits will be victorious. Those opposing limiting the age-limit say
but not apparently, punctured. In reality, Musevenis camp has suf- it is the last remaining defense in the 1995
It is a point David Mafabi, who is Presi- fered two major public relations disasters. Constitution of the fundamental principles,
dents Musevenis Private Secretary for After years of telling the world that he was including ensuring a smooth transition and

12 Sept 29 - Oct 05 , 2017


avoiding a repeat of Ugandas history of
political and constitutional instability.
They see the proposed amendment as the
final nail in the coffin of democratic consti-
tutionalism.
Museveni has not come out to state his
position on the drive against the age limit
but whatever he says, it is likely to be a flip
flop on his earlier position. Previously, he
is on record saying he would not seek re-
election beyond 75. When asked whether he
would ever consider running after clocking
75 years, Museveni answered: absolutely
not.
Recently, however, as the debate caught
momentum, he wavered, at one point say-
ing there was no medical explanation show-
ing that a 75-year old is incapable.
Museveni is now 73 years old and
despite being in apparent good health is
no longer as deft and nimble as he would
love to be. The loyal cadres with who he
came to power in 1986 are equally age
devastated. Among his 77 ministers, less
than ten are in his age bracket. The num-
ber includes his wife, Janet Museveni, the
Prime Minister Ruhakana Rugunda, the
Deputy PM, Kirunda Kivejinja, another
Deputy PM Moses Ali, the Justice Minister
Kahinda Otafiire, Gender Janat Mukwaya,
Security Henry Tumukunde, and Minister
without Portfolio Abdul Nadduli. Their
average age is 65. Most are over 70 years
old.
This is in total contrast with parliament,
where the average age is possibly 40.To
this group, even if Museveni is struggling
to cling on to power; he represents the
past and not the future. They know that
they may lift the age limit for him now
but nature is inevitably taking its course.
But many of them also notice one thing;
that up until now Museveni has always
needed them for one thing; to sanitize his
stay in power by amending the necessary
laws. Lifting the age limit removes the last
hurdle for Museveni to stay in power for
life. So they are determined to wring the
most in money terms out of him.
President Museveni has, in a way,
encouraged the culture of `votes for cash.
Its now the norm that whenever parlia-
ment has to pass a major Bill, Musevenis
office gives ruling party MPs money to
go and consult their constituents. In
2005, when the Presidential Two-Term
Limit was removed from the constitu-
tion so that Museveni could run for more
terms, each MP got Shs5 million under the
arrangement. In 2015, the MPs got US$1.5
million to consult on Musevenis sole can-
didature motion. Now they expect more.
Some people who claim to be informed
say the MPs have told Museveni that they
each want up to Shs300 million. Accord-
ing to this informant, the MPs claim that
since up to 75% of Ugandans oppose the
removal of the age limit, according to
an Afrobarometer survey, many of them
might be thrown out of parliament in 2021
for passing it. So they want to be compen-
sated now.
But the Museveni money has created
another problem for Museveni. It has led to
a springing up of numerous lobby groups,
with each claiming to be the best placed to
deliver the vote. For this, they claim money
from Museveni.
Insiders say the State House team,
which initially appeared at the forefront
of the campaign had planned to clandes-
tinely first mobilise the legislators one on
one. Some of the architects in this team
included; Lt.Col. Micheal Katungi, who
coordinates Musevenis party office; Molly
Kamukama, President Musevenis Princi-
ple Private Secretary (PPS) ; David Mafabi,
the Presidents Private Assistant for Politi-
cal Affairs and Stephen Othieno, a personal
assistant to the presidents son, Muhoozi
Kainerugaba, among others. This group
worked by organizing meetings with
groups of influencers; including MPs.
But as the project gained momentum,
NRM backbenchers on the Parliamentary
Commission, including; Peter Ogwang,
who was also part of the State House team
meetings, Arinaitwe Rwakajara and Robina
Nabbanja appear to have grabbed the deal
and run with it.
The first sign of trouble from this group
surfaced at a meeting they hurriedly called.
Many NRM MPs rushed into the meeting
because it was pushed as an NRM caucus
meeting. Some of the MPs were, however,
Cover story
taken aback when the attendance list on
which they had appended signatures was
not, in fact, an attendance list but a list
showing MPs who purportedly support of
the removal of the age limit.
A source intimated to The Independent that
Nabanja even cornered some of the legisla-
tors who she found at one of the hotels in
Nakasero which has become the centre of
mobilization for the age limit project, and
made them sign. It was the `Anite ambush
II. Once again, any MP who protested
risked being exposed as anti- Museveni, an
offence carrying heavy penalties in NRM.
Related to this, another fight emerged in
cabinet exposing warring camps in Musev-
enis executive team. Once again Anite was
at the centre. After the Sept.21 fiasco in
which Magyezi failed to table his Bill and
a red-bandana brigade of opposition MPs
danced with joy at parliament for having
defeated the NRM, Anite, Government
Chief Whip Ruth Nankabirwa, and Minister
of State for Tourism, Godfrey Kiwanda,
convened a quick damage control press
conference. But this too quickly turned ugly
because the main take away was Anites
bragging that the army is on our side.
Anites statement was interpreted as a
threat to unleash the army to harass oppo-
nents of the campaign.
In cabinet she attempted to defend her
statements by claiming that having led the
sole candidature campaign successfully in
2014, she knew what tricks to deploy in this
campaign too. But some colleagues took
issues with that.
An insider told The Independent that the
fight against Anite among ministers was
not just over the age limit. Apparently, there
are long running divisions and jostling over
being the most influential. Some fights are
over personal issues but it is also clear that
Musevenis current ministers are a bunch of
doves with a few hawks like Anite.
From Vice President Edward Ssekandi,
to Prime Minister Ruhakana Rugunda,
Government Chief Whip, Ruth Nank-
abirwa, and other influential old timers like
Adolf Mwesigye (Defense), Matia Kasaija
(Finance), Tom Butime (Local government),
Ephraim Kamuntu (Tourism), Kahinda
Otafire (Justice), and more, the standard
conduct is more of cooing than purring. But
then come the Anites, Henry Tumukunde,
Frank Tumwebaze, Abdul Nadduli, Janat
Mukwaya, Beti Kamya and others among
the newer crop, and more sharp tongues
and raised voices erupt. This group rarely
works as a team with each pushing their
own agenda. The result is a divided, inef-
ficient group where the vitriolic juniors tend
to push the mild seniors out of the way and
Museveni is left to fire-fight from crisis to
crisis. Observers say on top of opposition
from critics, Magyezis proposed bill also
appeared caught up in this mess.
Sept 29 - Oct 05 , 2017 13
NEWS ANALYSIS
Opposition MPs wearing red ribbons jubilate outside Parliament after the Deputy Speaker adjourned the House on Sept 21.
Age limit debate disruption
What is the country losing by focusing on it?
By Julius Businge
I
s the ongoing debate on Article 102 (b)
of the Constitution to lift the Presidential
age limit the most important issue
MPs and the government should be
focusing on? Are there no other biting
socio-economic matters that should take
priority?
Supporters of lifting the age-limit so
President Yoweri Museveni can stay in
power say it is the most important. But
opposition politicians, diplomatic enti-
ties and Civil Society and more say it
is diverting the country from tackling
social and economic issues.
It [age limit debate] is a misplaced
priority; it serves a purpose of political
instability, Livingstone Sewanyana,
the executive director of Foundation
for Human Rights Initiative (FHRI)
told The Independent on Sept.22 a day
after the country witnessed age limit ter-
ror unleashed by security forces in and
around Parliament, on major streets in
Kampala, rural towns, universities like
Makerere, and at homes of key opposi-
14 Sept 29 - Oct 05 , 2017
tion politicians.
President Yoweri Museveni, who is
seen as an immediate beneficiary of age
limit removal, was away attending the
72nd United Nations General Assembly
(UNGA) in New York.
Sewanyana said that legislators and
government should now be focusing on
issues like a stimulus plan for private
investment, revamping the economy
through agriculture policies aimed at
boosting production and productivity,
industrialization, and job creation.
Other urgent issues, he said, include
stimulating vocational training for
unskilled Ugandans, ensuring peace and
security, fighting poverty, land grab-
bing and corruption, boosting standards
in education and health sector, fighting
environmental destruction and organis-
ing free and fair elections.
He said lifting age limit has no basis
at the moment because it was not
among the 10 electoral reform recom-
mendations that the Supreme Court
suggested to the government for action
in the Amama Mbabazi 2016 Presiden-
Independent/Jimmy siya
tial Election Petition.
Article 102(b) must be left intact;
life presidency is a dangerous proj-
ect, Sewanyana said, adding, Presi-
dent Museveni has had a fair share on
Uganda; it is time for him to prepare the
country for other leaders. Meanwhile,
Sewanyana commented on two major
issues that have arisen from the age limit
debate. One is polices siege mounted on
Non- Governmental Organizations like
ActionAid, and Great Lakes Institute for
Strategic Studies (GLISS) on suspicion
they were funding those against the
age limit debate. He said it was illegal
because the police did not involve the
National Bureau for NGOs which moni-
tors NGO work by law. He said police
failed to allow peaceful and organised
processions of different groups including
students, political parties, and others to
take place, which he said violates fun-
damental human rights and freedoms
of expression. He said the involvement
of students in acts against lifting of the
age limit is a manifestation that politics
and governance cannot be delinked from

development agenda and that students
are not contented that the government is
not creating opportunities for people to
develop.
What is the use of people studying and
paying school fees when they cant get
jobs, he asked.
Meanwhile, Kakungulu Mayambala, a
senior lecturer at Makerere Universitys
School of Law told The Independent on
Sept. 22 the government through cabinet
should try to use good judgement when
prioritizing Bills for debate in Parliament.
Mayambala, who was part of a group
of Makerere University Law Dons that
presented alternative views in the Amama
Mbabazi Presidential Election Petition of
2016, said the age limit debate is an elec-
tion related matter and could be discussed
alongside the electoral reforms that were
given by the Supreme Court in 2016.
He said even Speaker of Parliament
Rebecca Kadaga once directed that it is
best to have one comprehensive set of bills
or reforms to discuss as opposed to bring-
ing one at a time.
Mayambala said the government should
not forget to deal with other issues like
insecurity (referring to the murder of
women in Entebbe and Nansana) and act-
ing on government initiated investigation
reports like the one of Abel Rwendeire on
Makerere that was submitted but has nev-
er received attention from government.
Mayambala also said students and other
groups of people have a right to protest
and match without police and other secu-
rity organs of the state interfering. He
said universities world over are politically
awakened by events of the day in their
country.
Normal government business
But government officials are adamant;
they are focusing on the right priorities.
Parliamentary business today and
tomorrow is not about age limit; there are
other businesses going, said Frank Tum-
webaze, a cabinet minister for Information
Technology and Communications and NRM
Some of the unresolved Supreme Court electoral reforms that
need urgent attention before the two year period elapse
 Amend the law to extend the filing and
determination period of Presidential peti-
tions to 60 days to enable concerned parties
and court to adequately prepare and pres-
ent their case
 Enactment of a law to bar the involvement
of public servants from meddling in elec-
tions.
 Amend the law to provide for punishment
of those media managers and houses who
refuse to grant equal airtime to all presi-
NEWS ANALYSIS
MP for Kibale East constituency.
He told The Independent on Sept. 21 that Issues that Parliament
those saying that Parliament and government
is missing priorities are being diversionary. and government
When asked to explain how the ongoing
age limit debate helps Uganda to overcome
should be working on
corruption, revamp a bad economy and other
problems, Tumwebaze said:
All issues you are suffering from stem from
leadership; the chaos in your history as Uganda  Finding killers of 21 women
was not out of corruption, not out of cancer, it [murdered] in Entebbe and
was leadership. Good leaders promote good Nansana by end of Sept. 21
policies, good policies stimulate development,  Identifying killers of former
bad policies come from bad leaders and bad AIGP Andrew Felix Kaweesi
policies stink for development.  Finding killers of Muslim
He added: If you dont resolve leadership clerics
and governance questions all the other prob-  Dealing with unending land
lems that rotate around that will remain. grabbing cases
 Fighting high corruption levels
in government
 Punishing lazy public servants
 Acting on various government
investigation reports
 Dealing with lavish
If you dont resolve
government spending and
redirecting resources to key
leadership and service sectors education,
health
governance questions  Prioritising agriculture
revolution for food security
all the other problems 
and economic prosperity
Prioritizing vocational training
that rotate around that for job creation
will remain
Revamping a weakening
economy (GDP printed at
below 5% for last five years
compared to over 6% growth
years earlier - by attracting FDI,
increasing exports through
market research, improving
production standards and
more)
 Planning for oil boom
optimism
 Dealing with climate change
issues by stopping encroachers
of forest reserves and swamps,
game parks and reserves
 Stimulating tourism to earn
foreign exchange
 Fighting poverty
 Ending early marriages and
school dropouts
 Promoting equal opportunities

for all
Keeping peace and security
 Monitoring government
dential candidates. In the 2016 presidential projects to ensure efficiency
election petition, Mbabazi accused the  Grooming young leaders in
state-run Uganda Broadcasting Corpora- socio-political and economic
tion (UBC) for not giving equal opportu- space
nity and airtime to all political candidates  Promoting innovations in ICT
 Amend the law to make it permissible for and other sectors
the AG to be one of the respondents in the  Allowing people to exercise
presidential election on grounds that there freedom of speech, expression
are certain issues that need the response of  Enhancing accountability and
the AG. transparency in government
Sept 29 - Oct 05 , 2017 15
news analysis

Age-limit debate opportunists

Why the elders eye on history shows this could
plunge country back into its dark past
By Flavia Nassaka
Zachary Olum watched the proceedings of the Sept.21 plenary on his couch in his living room at his
quiet spacious home in Naguru, a high-end Kampala suburb. Thanks to the live televised coverage
of most local TV stations, he watched most of the events; from the scuffle between security opera-
tives and members of the opposition to press conferences by different groups. It was as tense as
Olum would have expected it to be over the motion to amend article 102 (b) of the constitution to lift
the presidential age limit from the current 75 years.

O
lum, a Democratic Party historical
and former member of the Na-
tional Resistance Council, says the
deployment around parliament
took him back to the days when he had just
got his first job in civil service as an agricul-
ture officer. The deployment at the time was
similar and the reason was almost the same.
It was 1966 and then Prime Minister Mil-
ton Obote wanted to consolidate himself in
power after storming the palace and driving
out the Kabaka who was president.
There was a lot of anxiety. Already
Obote had fallen out with Buganda that
had earlier given all their 21 seats to UPC.
That day when the constitution was to be
amended Idi Amin the commander with
his army surrounded parliament and the
majority UPC passed the 1966 constitution,
Olum recalls.
He says that the pigeonhole constitu-
tion was then distributed to MPs and
debate started very fast even as four
members Boniface Byanyima, Alexander
Latim , Obonyo and Martin Okello stood
and spoke against it - warning that it was
undemocratic. Nobody listened. They were
determined to change.
Now, Kassanda South legislator Simeo
Nsubuga can be put in the same league as
the legislators of the 60s by Olum.
On Sept.21 he was at parliament by 8am
in preparation for plenary scheduled for

Arua Municipality MP Ibrahim Abiriga receiving shoes as a gift from President Museveni. Analysts say the age limit debate is dominated by opportunists.

16 Sept 29 - Oct 05 , 2017


five hours later. With his signature yellow
tie, Nsubuga who has been accused of
benching for a ministerial position banked
on the fact that he was not breaking any
law in supporting lifting the age limit. The
question should be whether we are mandat-
ed to do so, he told journalists and assured
them that 300 MPs had signed in support of
introducing the private members bill.
Deputy Attorney General Mwesigwa
Rukutana was also in support. The reason
he told The Independent is that at the time
when they were coming up with the con-
stitution people thought at the age of 75, a
person is frail and no longer has the vigor
to lead a nation, a thing he opposed in 1994
in the Constituent Assembly. He says he
knew there are exceptions of people below
30 and are politically mature whereas oth-
ers are above 75 and are still as vibrant as
they were while still younger. For him, if
people have a good leader, they shouldnt
be kicked out merely because of age.
But opposition to lifting the age-limit is
equally determined. They include some
MPs in the ruling NRM. Legislators like
Alex Ruhunda are warning President
Museveni to resist the temptation of listen-
ing to short term opportunistic individuals
that are pushing for removal of age limit.
He says by leaving the constitution intact,
the party would have a chance to plan for
succession and that the legacy of Museveni
will remain intact like that of Tanzanias
Mwalimu Julius Nyerere who built strong
systems that have made political transitions
in the country less chaotic.
I pray that we stop being overzealous to
make a fundamental mistake that will cre-
ate a huge political and security problem for
our country, Ruhunda says.
When The Independent spoke to him on
Sept.23, Olum who was in parliament for 20
years 1986 to 2006 was already convinced
that parliament would pass the Bill allow-
ing President Museveni to extend his rule.
The Igara West legislator Raphael Magyezi
had not even yet been allowed to take leave
from parliament to prepare the Bill. So how
could Olum be so sure?
I know Museveni. He will not say a
thing but money will exchange hands. He
will keep quiet and push through his hang-
ers on, he said. He added that Musevenis
biggest challenge now are his hangers on
who wouldnt dare raise a finger against
him even when they see him straying
because they are benefitting.
Olum speaks of how politicians use such
happenings to push their own selfish agen-
das under the guise of working for a good
cause.
A fellow former legislator, Dan Wandera
Ogalo agrees. The constitutional lawyer
told The Independent on Sept.22 that there
was nothing extraordinary about a parlia-
ment sitting to amend the constitution. He
said the problem is many MPs are deter-
mined to grab it as an opportunity to show
their loyalty to Museveni. Ogalo said this
could be the reason why some credible
persons as far as Ugandas political history
is concerned have chosen to stay away from
the debate.
The age-limit debate speaks volumes
about how political transitions in some
African countries are handled in the era of
political opportunism. Museveni, observers
say, has become like leaders in Africa who
become hesitant to leave power on their
own and instead they resort to bribery, frus-
tration and intimidation in order to survive
politically. They also resort to coming up
with laws that appear to protect them.
Many observers say, for instance, in
pushing for a 73-year old President Musev-
eni who has already been in power for more
than 30 years, his handlers are considering
him being president for life.
Museveni started flip-flopping way back.
While writing his 1996 manifesto, he prom-
ised not to seek another term after that.
He said this against the advice of his then
loyal minister Bidandi Ssali. Now, Bidandi
is unwilling to comment on the topic. He
told The Independent on Sept.21 that he has
retired from politics and does not want
to take part in what he termed as current
wars.
But it is on record that Bidandi cautioned
Museveni against putting promises in writ-
ing. Perhaps he was aware that it is hard for
an African president to keep such a prom-
ise. In 2001, Museveni promised again that
it would be his last term only to come back.
This time, in 2003, it was then- Prime Min-
ister Amama Mbabazi holding the mantle
for the kick out term limits campaign. By
2005, people were being convinced not to let
go of a good leader because of mere term
limits.
At that time, Olum who was a member of
parliament said money exchanged hands as
colleagues frequented MOSA Courts Hotel
news analysis
in Nakasero to cut deals on how to garner
support for the initiative. When the time to
vote on it came, only 55 voted against.
The age limit deal seems to be taking a
similar form as unconfirmed information
shows members are still bargaining on how
much they are to earn once the bill makes
it to parliament. Some are said to have
already set their price at Shs300 million.
But Museveni is said to be holding on to his
purse.
Rtd Major Rubaramira Ruranga, the war
veteran who had walked out of the NRM in
2001 claiming Museveni had gone against
what they had agreed, only to return in
2013, says the Age-limit Bill and the debate
are testing the patience of Ugandans.
He says it is because politicians are selfish
and parties cannot be as strong as the indi-
viduals behind them.
Parties dont have capacity of telling
their members that you cant do this.
The problem with Africa is we get there
by chance and not the reality of how things
happen, he says, its the reason why lead-
ers speak of democracy they cant practice.
Political analysts like Prof. Sabiti Makara
say it is now survival for the fittest with
everyone trying to see a way to gain either
politically or economically from the age-
limit Bill.
Thats how Museveni likes it, he says,
adding that it would be nave of anyone to
think that both advocates against and for
age limit are doing it for the people.
According to the Makerere University-
based lecturer, the president can easily
rule for life through buying his stay and
ensuring those opposed to his rule stay
disorganised and making those loyal to him
too comfortable or too scared to change goal
posts.
Its because of this that many observers
believe that political transition in Uganda is
likely to result only when Museveni dies or
is removed from office by a coup. Each of
these options can have extremely destabiliz-
ing consequences for the country, he says.
Olum and Makara fear that what is
currently happening could easily plunge
the country back to the chaotic past as the
ordinary person will be left desperate and a
mere spark will cause war.
Makara says: Those people who put
in place these limits wanted to make sure
that there are checks and balances and
those that say there are no such limits in the
developed world like the U.S. should also
know we are running completely different
systems. Theirs were developed over time.
With no limits, how will oppressed people
get their power back yet the electoral pro-
cess is already flawed?
As the push and pull continues over
the Bill, some people say Museveni
should be thinking about how he leaves
a legacy of peaceful transition and not
how he clings on.
Sept 29 - Oct 05 , 2017 17
news analysis

Origins of the earth

T
By Ethan Siegel

he Universe began not

with a whimper, but with a
bang! At least, thats what
youre commonly told: the
Universe and everything in
What then if Big bang wasnt
it came into existence at the
moment of the Big Bang. Space, time,
the beginning, after all?
and all the matter and energy within
began from a singular point, and then
expanded and cooled, giving rise over
billions of years to the atoms, stars, gal-
axies, and clusters of galaxies spread
out across the billions of light years
that make up our observable Universe.
Its a compelling, beautiful picture that
explains so much of what we see, from
the present large-scale structure of the
Universes two trillion galaxies to the
leftover glow of radiation permeating
all of existence. Unfortunately, its also
wrong, and scientists have known this
for almost 40 years.
The idea of the Big Bang first came
about back in the 1920s and 1930s.
When we looked out at distant galax-
ies, we discovered something peculiar:
the farther away from us they were,
the faster they appeared to be receding
from us. According to the predictions
of Einsteins General Relativity, a static
Universe would be gravitationally
unstable; everything needed to either
be moving away from one another or
collapsing towards one another if the
fabric of space obeyed his laws. The
observation of this apparent reces-
sion taught us that the Universe was
expanding today, and if things are get-
ting farther apart as time goes on, it In an
In an inflating Universe, inflating
theres Universe,
energy theres
inherent energy inherent to space
to space
means they were closer together in the
distant past.
An expanding Universe doesnt just tinue to go back, youll find: stood to represent the origin of space
mean that things get farther apart as  A time where it was too hot to form and time. This was the ultimate idea of
time goes on, it also means that the atomic nuclei, where the radiation the Big Bang.
light existing in the Universe stretches was so hot that any bound protons- Of course, everything except that last
in wavelength as we travel forward and-neutrons would be blasted point has been confirmed to be true!
in time. Since wavelength determines apart. Weve created quark-gluon plasmas in
energy (shorter is more energetic), that  A time where matter and antimat- the lab; weve created matter-antimatter
means the Universe cools as we age, ter pairs could spontaneously form, pairs; weve done the calculations
and hence things were hotter in the as the Universe is so energetic that for which light elements should form
past. Extrapolate this back far enough, pairs of particles/antiparticles can and in what abundances during the
and youll come to a time where every- spontaneously be created. early stages of the Universe, made the
thing was so hot that not even neutral  A time where individual protons measurements, and found that they
atoms could form. If this picture were and neutrons break down into a match with the Big Bangs predic-
correct, we should see a leftover glow quark-gluon plasma, as the temper- tions. Coming forward even farther,
of radiation today, in all directions, atures and densities are so high that weve measured the fluctuations in
that had cooled to just a few degrees the Universe becomes denser than the cosmic microwave background
above absolute zero. The discovery of the inside of an atomic nucleus. and seen how gravitationally bound
this Cosmic Microwave Background in  And finally, a time where the den- structures like stars and galaxies form
1964 by Arno Penzias and Bob Wilson sity and temperature rise to infinite and grow. Everywhere we look, we
was a breathtaking confirmation of the values, as all the matter and energy find a tremendous agreement between
Big Bang. in the Universe are contained with- theory and observation. The Big Bang
Its tempting, therefore, to keep in a single point: a singularity. looks like a winner. Except, that is, in a
extrapolating backwards in time, to This very final point this singular- few regards. Three specific things you
when the Universe was even hotter, ity that represents where the laws of would expect from the Big Bang didnt
denser, and more compact. If you con- physics break down also is under- happen. In particular:

18 Sept 29 - Oct 05 , 2017


The quantum fluctuations inherent to space, stretched across
If you look farther and farther away, you also look farther
 The Universe doesnt have different
temperatures in different direc-
tions, even though an area billions
of light-years away in one direc-
tion never had time (since the Big
Bang) to interact with or exchange
information with an area billions
of light-years in the opposite direc-
tion.
 The Universe doesnt have a mea-
surable spatial curvature thats
different from zero, even though
a Universe thats perfectly spa-
tially flat requires a perfect balance
between the initial expansion and
the matter-and-radiation density.
 The Universe doesnt have any left-
over ultra-high-energy relics from
the earliest times, even though the
temperatures that would create
these relics should have existed if
the Universe were arbitrarily hot.
Theorists thinking about these prob-
lems started thinking of alternatives
to a singularity to the Big Bang, and
If we were able
to measure the
fluctuations in
the Big Bangs
leftover glow, and
they exhibited
a particular
pattern consistent
with inflations
predictions, that
would be a smoking
gun for inflation.
rather of what could recreate that hot,
dense, expanding, cooling state while
avoiding these problems. In December
of 1979, Alan Guth hit upon a solution.
news analysis
Instead of an arbitrarily hot, dense
state, the Universe could have begun
from a state where there was no matter,
no radiation, no antimatter, no neu-
trinos, and no particles at all. All the
energy present in the Universe would
rather be bound up in the fabric of
space itself: a form of vacuum energy,
which causes the Universe to expand
at an exponential rate. In this cosmic
state, quantum fluctuations would
still exist, and so as space expanded,
these fluctuations would get stretched
across the Universe, creating regions
with slightly-more or slightly-less than
average energy densities. And finally,
when this phase of the Universe this
period of inflation came to an end,
that energy would get converted into
matter-and-radiation, creating the hot,
dense state synonymous with the Big
Bang.
This was regarded as a compelling-
but-speculative idea, but there was a
way to test it. If we were able to mea-
sure the fluctuations in the Big Bangs
leftover glow, and they exhibited a
particular pattern consistent with
inflations predictions, that would be
a smoking gun for inflation. Fur-
thermore, those fluctuations would
have to be very small in magnitude:
small enough that the Universe could
never have reached the temperatures
necessary to create high-energy relics,
and much smaller than the tempera-
tures and densities where space and
time would appear to emerge from a
singularity. In the 1990s, 2000s, and
then again in the 2010s, we measured
those fluctuations in detail, and found
exactly that.
The conclusion was inescapable:
the hot Big Bang definitely happened,
but doesnt extend to go all the way
back to an arbitrarily hot and dense
state. Instead, the very early Universe
underwent a period of time where all
of the energy that would go into the
matter and radiation present today was
instead bound up in the fabric of space
itself. That period, known as cosmic
inflation, came to an end and gave rise
to the hot Big Bang, but never created
an arbitrarily hot, dense state, nor did
it create a singularity. What happened
prior to inflation or whether infla-
tion was eternal to the past is still an
open question, but one thing is for cer-
tain: the Big Bang is not the beginning
of the Universe!
Astrophysicist and author Ethan Siegel
is the founder and primary writer of
`Starts With A Bang! He wrote books like;
Treknology and Beyond The Galaxy.
Sept 29 - Oct 05 , 2017 19
Rwanda
Nigerian inflight operator sells
its stake in Rwanda operation
Nigerias leading airline catering service provider, Newrest ASL Nigeria Plc, has divested its stake in
its Rwandan subsidiary; ASL Rwanda Ltd. In a Sept.22 notice to the Nigerian Stock Exchange (NSE),
the board of directors of Newrest ASL informed its shareholders and other stakeholders that ASL
Rwanda ceased to be its subsidiary following the sale of all shares it had in the Kigali-based company.
N
o details of the
transactions
were divulged
at this point but
in the notice, Newrest
ASL, sought to reassure
its shareholders that the
move was in line with the
furtherance of the strategic
objective of the company.
The board of
directors will continue
to seek opportunities for
investment in the long term
interest of its stakeholders,
it said.
Newrest ASL expanded
to Rwanda in 2014. At
the time, it was called the
Airline Services & Logistics
(ASL) Plc and targeted
offering its services to the
oil and gas catering and
in-flight catering. It was
granted a 15 year exclusive
concession to build a new
catering facility in Kigali as
a joint venture between ASL
Nigeria and RwandAir.
In October 2015,
however, the government
of Rwanda announced a
major restructuring of the
management of the aviation
industry sector to make it
leaner, more efficient, and
competitive.
A major part of the
restructuring involved
forming a new company;
the Aviation, Travel, and
Logistics Ltd (ATL) to
handle ground logistics,
freight, cargo, and charter
services, and more.
The new company
was divided into five
subsidiaries, including
20 Sept 29 - Oct 05 , 2017
By Independent Team
RwandaAir, the national
carrier, the Hospitality
and Travel Management
Ltd, the Rwanda Airports
Management Ltd, Akagera
Aviation, and the National
Logistics Company. The
Nigerian company kept
its in-flight and corporate
catering business.
But under the new
arrangement, Rwanda
Airports Management Ltd
handles the commercial
activities at airports. This
includes engineering and
infrastructure development,
concessions, and retail
and air-hub operation
businesses.
The ticketing services,
hotels, restaurants, bar, and
transit lounge operations,
and events and conferences,
catering facilities and
VIP Lounges at Kigali
and logistics services to
tours, car rentals fell
to the Hospitality and
Travel Management Ltd
subsidiary. RwandAir
retained passenger, cargo,
technical and ground
airport handling while
Akagera Aviation is in
charge of training, tourism,
and charter services.
The National Logistics
Company deals with
freight handling and
forwarding, ground freight,
warehousing and cargo
facility management.
ASL Nigeria rebranded
as Newrest ASL Nigeria
in January 2017 in a
name switch was at
the time seen as a bid
to align it more closely
with its parent company,
Newrest (Schweiz) AG, an
investment management
firm based in Genf,
Switzerland. At the time,
it employed 510 staff
and catered to 600 flight
handlings per month in two
major airports in Lagos and
Abuja.
It provided in-flight
International Airport.
Its ASL Oil and Gas
Logistics provided catering
the oil and gas industry in
Africas largest economy.
As of 2015, Newrest ASL
Nigeria recorded revenues
of N4.55 billion and a loss-
after-tax of N57.26 million.
Newrest ASL Nigeria Plc
describes itself as the de
facto leader in Sub Saharan
Africa for airline catering
and hospitality services,
supplying over 1.5 million
meals every year.
It was established in 1996
to provide catering and
related services to airlines
operating within the
Nigerian aviation industry.
The company operates
international standard
inflight catering facilities,
lounges and restaurants at
the Murtala Muhammed
International Airport, Lagos
and the Nnamdi Azikwe
International Airport,
Abuja. It has clients like
Iberia, Qatar Airways,
British Airways, RwandAir,
EgyptAir, Emirates, Air
France, Lufthansa, Kenya
Airways, Delta Airlines and
Continental Airlines.

By Agencies
Frances largest bank, BNP
Paribas, faces accusations from
three NGOs which on Sept.21
announced filing legal action
against it for alleged complicity
in genocide, war crimes and
crimes against humanity during
the 1994 genocide against the
Tutsi in Rwanda.
T
he probe, which does not imply any
guilt, will be led by three investigat-
ing magistrates after a complaint
against BNP was filed this summer
by three French civil society organisations,
according to a spokesman for the prosecu-
tor.
According to reports from Paris, the suit
details indicate that Banque Nationale de
Paris (BNP), as the bank was known before
it merged in 2000 with Paribas to become
BNP Paribas, participated in financing
the purchase of 80 tonnes of arms that
served to perpetrate the genocide despite
the fact, it claims, that the bank could not
have doubted the genocidal intentions of
the authorities of the country for which
it authorized the transfer of funds. The
groups note that a United Nations arms
embargo was in effect at the time.
The genocide against the Tutsi claimed
800,000 lives, between April and July 1994.
The three NGOs leading the charge
are Sherpa, an anti-corruption group that
defends victims of economic crimes, Ibuka
France, an association that defends survi-
vors of the genocide, and the Collective of
Civil Parties for Rwanda (CPCR), a group
based in France that pursues claims against
genocide suspects. Sherpa earned headlines
recently when it filed a lawsuit against the
Swiss-French cement giant LafargeHolcim
alleging the company financed Islamic State
group in Syria.
In their complaint against BNP, the
NGOs claim the bank authorised two
transfers of funds [totalling more than $1.3
million] on June 14 and 16, 1994, from the
account that the National Bank of Rwanda
held with BNP towards an account at the
Swiss bank UBP held under the name of
Willem Tertius Ehlers. The groups com-
plaint says Ehlers, a South African national
and former secretary to South African lead-
er P.W. Botha, owned an arms brokerage
firm called Delta Aero at the time.
The suit claims Ehlers and Rwandan
Hutu colonel Thoneste Bagosora conclud-
ed an arms sale in the Seychelles on the day
after the second transfer of funds. It says the
weapons were officially purchased by Zaire,
as the Democratic Republic of Congo was
Ibuka sues French bank
over Rwanda genocide
then known, but with two Rwandans in the
delegation that travelled to the Seychelles.
The groups cite testimony given by Bagoso-
ra himself before the International Criminal
Tribunal for Rwanda describing the transfer
of weapons from the Seychelles to Goma,
on Zaires border with Rwanda, and then
into Rwanda.
Bagosora, now 70, is serving a 35-year
sentence for crimes against humanity in
connection with the genocide.
For its part, BNP said in an emailed state-
ment to the Financial Times newspaper:
This is a mechanical and compulsory step
in a complaint of this type. It is not in any
way a new development. This relates to a
topic which dates back to 1994.
BNP Paribas has not received the com-
plaint which was announced in the media.
And so we have no knowledge of the sub-
stance of the complaint. Given these condi-
tions, it is not possible for us to comment in
further detail.
This in no way constitutes a new devel-
opment, a BNP spokeswoman said.
BNP Paribas has yet to respond to the
substance of the allegations. We have
learned through the media about a lawsuit
being filed, a BNP Paribas spokesperson
told news agencies on Sept.21. At this time,
we do not have sufficient information about
it to enable us to comment on it.
Meanwhile, according the same report
in the French press, a separate complaint
was filed on Sept.20 against X, or persons
unknown in the French legal parlance, for
complicity in genocide and complicity in
crimes against humanity during the Rwan-
Rwanda
dan genocide by Survie, a French group that
denounces all forms of French neo-colonial
intervention in Africa.
Survie wants an inquiry to be opened.
There are strong suspicions about the
involvement of French politicians and
military personnel in the cooperation with
the Rwandan government before, during
and after the genocide, said Safya Akorri,
Survies lawyer, according to Le Parisien,
which alongside Radio France broke the
news about the complaint. It is up to the
judiciary, and not civil society, to help in
understanding their role and establishing
possible penal responsibility.
Survie had filed a prior complaint that
was dismissed last fall.
In the latest issue of the French quarterly
XXI, editor-in-chief Patrick de Saint-Exu-
pry looks at similar allegations as relayed
by an unnamed civil servant who had
access to still-classified French archives from
the time. Saint-Exuprys piece accuses the
Elyse Palace of ordering the re-armament
of Hutu authorities in the wake of the geno-
cide. His source claims a memo to that effect
was signed by Hubert Vdrine, the palaces
secretary general at the time under late
Socialist president Franois Mitterrand.
For more than 20 years, associations,
historians, the French judiciary have been
asking for access to these archives. For 20
years, these archives have rested, ferocious-
ly protected, Saint-Exupry told FRANCE
24s French language Journal de lAfrique.
So it obviously begs the question today of
the opening of these archives and I believe
that today is the issue.
Sept 29 - Oct 05 , 2017 21
World Tourism Day 2017:
Sustainable tourism -
a tool for development
O
By Our Reporter
n Sept.27, the
world celebrat-
ed World Tour-
ism Day under
the theme,
Sustainable
tourisma tool for develop-
ment. The day is observed by
the UN and is commemorated
around the world with the
tourism community, including
travellers, the private sector,
governments and civil society
joining in the celebration.
In its 2017 resolution, the
UN recognized the important
role of sustainable tourism as
a positive instrument towards
the eradication of poverty, the
protection of the environment,
the improvement of quality of
life and the economic empow-
erment of women and youth
and its contribution to the three
dimensions of sustainable
development (ecological, social
and economic).
The tourism sector has
remained one of the fastest
growing economic sectors
around the world. Worldwide,
the sector accounts for 10% of
GDP and 7% of total exports,
also considering that 1 out of
11 jobs are in tourism.
This is one of the reasons
why the Uganda government
has identified and prioritized
the tourism sector as a primary
growth sector in the National
Development Plan and Vision
2040. Tourism experts say,
if well funded, the industry
has the potential to contribute
about $12 billion annually.
The World Tourism Organi-
zations 2016 statistics shows
the number of international
tourist arrivals is around 1.2
billion and by 2030 that num-
ber will rise to 1.8 billion.
Tourism therefore occupies an
important place in the econo-
mies of individual states and in
policies that focus on inclusive
development and environmen-
tal sustainability globally.
Speaking ahead of the global
celebrations, Taleb Rifai, the
UNWTO Secretary General
said what is important now
is how to enable this power-
ful global transformative
forcethe 1.8 billion opportu-
nities to contribute to make
this world a better place and to
advance sustainable develop-
ment in all its three pillars.
This years official celebra-
tions were held in Qatar with
the main events structured
around two sessions: Tour-
ism as a driver of economic
growth, and Tourism and the
Planet: committed to a greener
future.
A high level think-tank
was also conducted with the
aim of opening the debate on
the potential of the sector to
enhance cultural preservation
and mutual understanding.
In Uganda, the Lake Victoria
district of Kalangala hosted
the national celebrations with
several activities targeting the
youth, politicians, students,
sportsmen and the general
public.
 Bank of Uganda

Bank of Uganda currency:

A celebration of Ugandas history,
culture and natural resources

I
n May 2010, Bank of Uganda issued a new series of currency notes
underpinned by two themes: Gifted by Nature and Uganda
through the times. The themes also depict Ugandas material
culture. In this regard, Uganda through the times highlights
the countrys unique history through the various monuments
that signify important events like the Independence monument,
Key to success monument located at Kyambogo University, Nyero rock
paintings in Ngora district, Centenary Monument at the Centenary Park,
the Stride monument (CHOGM) outside Parliament, Source of the Nile
monument in Njeru and WWI&II monuments located at the Constitu-
tional Square.
On the other hand, the Gifted by Nature theme depicts a plethora
of beauty of the natural endowments. These range from the distinctive
wildlife to the majestic mountain sceneries, gentle rolling hills that are
covered with green lush rainforests and vegetation in the south, central
and western regions as well as the flat savanna plains in the north and
north eastern regions. The natural resources comprise of; the source of
the Nile, Bwindi tropical rain forest, Ndali Crater Lake as well as wild-
life like the Silver Back mountain gorilla, the Uganda kob, weaver birds
and Tilapia fish. The countrys wealth of cultural heritage is seen in
the people with their rich cultures which are as diverse as her land-
scapes. Ugandas material culture is depicted by the mat patterns on
each banknote, in the map of Uganda, Karimojong headgear, pots and
drums.
The banknotes were designed in accordance with the need to comply
with international practices and to beat forgeries. Notably, Uganda was
the first country in Africa to introduce the ultra-modern colour shifting
security feature called (SPARK). It was also the first time that Ugandas
bank notes were atheistically designed by indigenous artistes. This makes
the banknotes truly Ugandan. As such, these banknotes were recognised
for excellence in harmonising aesthetics with security features and won
the 2011 best New Banknote Series Award and the 50,000 Shilling note,
won the Best New banknote award at the International Association of
Currency Affairs (IACA) conference. This is the first and only time that a
Central Bank has won both the Best New series award and the Best New
Banknote award voted or by the International Banknote Society.
The coins that are currently in circulation are in denominations of 1,
2, 5, 10, 50, 100, 200, 500 and the UGX1, 000 issued to commemorate 50
year of independence of the Republic of Uganda. The Bank issued sev-
eral commemorative coins and one commemorative banknote to mark
international events. The only commemorative banknote that BoU has
issued is CHOGM UGX 10,000 banknote which was printed to commem-
orate the hosting of the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting
(CHOGM) by Uganda in November 2007. The UGX 10,000 banknote
started circulating on the 19th of November 2007 in celebration of this
event and was demonetized in 2013.

Independence monument Source of the Nile Source of the

Nyero rock paintings Savannah grass lands Nyero rock artwork Uganda kob
(This appears on all notes) monument River Nile Neck ornament Tilapia fish

WW1 and 2 memorial Rwenzori mountain Basket pattern Weaver bird Key to success Sipi falls Pots Banana plant
Monument ranges monument

Centenary Chogm monument: Bwindi tropical rain Sheilds Mountain Gorilla

Ndali crater lake Drums Long Horned bull
Monument "The stride" forest

Plot 37/45 Kampala Road, P.O. Box 7120 Kampala, Fax: (+256-414) 233818 | General Lines: (+256-414) 258441/6, 258061/6, 0312-392000 or 0417-302000
Website: www.bou.or.ug E-mail address: info@bou.or.ug
 Uganda in bold move to
regulate supermarkets
Government drafting guidelines to
deal with defaulting retail chains
S
By Julius Businge
upermarkets in Uganda have
made it a habit not to pay or
delay payments to suppliers of
goods and services in time but
that will soon come to an end
once the governments pro-
posed measures are implemented.
Speaking to The Independent in an exclu-
sive on Sept.20, the Permanent Secretary in
the Ministry of Trade Industry and Coop-
eratives, Julius Onen, said the government
is concerned with the increasing number of
24 Sept 29 - Oct 05 , 2017
complaints from supermarket suppliers of
either non-payment or delayed payment.
For that, Onen said, the trade ministry
is drafting a number of measures dubbed
Supermarket Guidelines under the Trade
Licensing Act of Uganda to aid suppliers
with legal basis to demand payments.
Our plan is to have them submitted
to Cabinet for approval in December this
yearand shared with the public, he said.
One key highlight of the regulations,
Onen, said is that suppliers would be paid
in 30 days for some goods supplied and
services rendered especially food and
related items and for others (goods) paid in
60 days.
This, he said, is to create a favorable busi-
ness environment for supermarkets and
suppliers of goods and services to transact
business in a way that enhance their growth
but also that of their suppliers.
This planned measure comes on the back
of regional supermarkets Nakumatt and
Uchumi owing billions of shillings to
Ugandan suppliers and with no clear indi-
cation on whether the debts will be paid.
For instance, Uchumi Supermarket,
exited the Ugandan market in 2015 and it is

yet to clear about Shs10bn debt it owes to
the local suppliers, according to the trade
ministry.
A similar situation appear to be catching
up with the suppliers of Nakumatt Super-
market as the retail chain seem to be exiting
the local market without paying suppliers
billions of shillings.
So far, the Kenyan-based retail chain,
which started operations in Uganda in June
2009, has shutdown various stores includ-
ing Acacia Mall, Village Mall, Bugolobi,
Victoria Mall and Katwe out of the nine
retail chains it had in the country citing
hardships in financial flows.
Uganda Revenue Authority (URA) recent-
ly auctioned perishable goods for Nakumatt
Oasis Mall outlet as one way of collecting
part of about Shs 300 million in tax arrears.
Vincent Seruma, URAs assistant com-
missioner for corporate affairs told The
Independent on Sept. 22 that they welcome
the proposed measures adding that it is the
only way of creating confidence in parties
involved in retail chain business.
He, however, said URA has halted auc-
tioning of non-perishable goods for Naku-
matt Holdings until that time they realise
that ongoing discussions with the company
officials are not yielding anything.
It is not always our intention to auc-
tion or sell taxpayers property to get taxes,
he said, We engage and engage; selling is
always the last option.
But this challenge is not only happening
in Uganda as similar issues are being held in
the neighbouring Kenya.
Recently, the Kenyan government
unveiled The National Trade Policy which
aims at introducing regulations to police the
retail sector, including giving guidelines on
access to trade information and unfair com-
petition.
Kenyan trade officials say that dominance
of big retailers has created an unfair com-
petition to smaller suppliers and worsened
the debt burden for major retailers such as
Nakumatt and Uchumi that is recorded in
the region of Ksh 48 billion.
In their policy, the ad hoc committee set
up by the Industrialisation Ministry to look
into the issue of delayed payments last year
recommended the setting upof a regulatory
body to protect suppliers from exploitative
retailers.
It would also support smaller retailers
who have suffered under the dominance of
larger players who give price advantages
and undercut them, especially in small
towns.
Local supermarkets yet to be engaged
William Kakuru, the general manager for
Capital Shoppers Ntinda branch, a local
retail chain with four outlets in Kampala
told The Independent on Sept. 23 that they
have not been consulted by the trade min-
istry on the planned guidelines.
Julius Onen Mubaraka Nkuutu
However, he said as local supermarket
captains, they welcome the government
policies that support business growth.
Suppliers want to be paid on time,
Kakuru said, adding, If they say that
suppliers have to be paid in 60 or 90 days
that will be good for them [suppliers]; we
are ready to respect the guidelines.
He said Capital Shoppers work closely
with its suppliers and pays them on
time, a scenario that has seen them out of
troubles similar to those of Uchumi and
Nakumatt.
Kakuru said the planned guidelines
should look at closing gaps in standardi-
sation of goods, formalisation of busi-
nesses and capacity enhancement by
suppliers.
Speaking on behalf of affected suppli-
ers, Mubaraka Nkuutu Kirunda, the act-
ing executive director at Uganda Manu-
facturers Association (UMA) told The
Independent on Sept. 23 that the looming
supermarket guidelines are welcome and
should be put in place soonest.
We have been demanding for them for
years now and we have not seen them; it
is good they are talking about them now,
he said.
Facts about supermarket chains
Uchumi owes Ugandan suppliers up
to Shs 10 billion
Uchumi exited Uganda in October
2015, closing five branches, and
leaving 800 employees in tears
Nakumatt Holdings owes billions
of shillings to Ugandan suppliers;
in 2013 it reported a consolidated
turnover of more than US$650
million (about Shs2.3 trillion),
representing growth of up to 120%
from the US$200 million (about
Shs718b) which it had posted in 2006
business
Nkuutu said they are engaging the
trade ministry to ensure that an indepen-
dent law is put in place instead of guide-
lines alone.
But Onen said enacting a law would
take long because it would involve Parlia-
ment.
Nkuutu said that many suppliers
including Ugachick Limited and other
members of UMA that have previously
supplied Uchumi and Nakumatt have
had cash flow problems because of the
unpaid debts. He said their prayer is that
his members get paid.
He said implementation of the guide-
lines would complement the Buy Uganda
Build Uganda (BUBU) policy and ulti-
mately boost growth of locally manufac-
tured goods, create jobs and wealth of the
population.
Guidelines should be designed in a
manner that does not hurt anyone; both
supermarkets and suppliers need to
grow, he said.
Meanwhile, in separate interviews with
The Independent, Augustus Nuwagaba
from REEV Consult International Limited
and Isaac Nkote, a senior economics lec-
turer from Makerere University Business
School (MUBS) said new legal and regula-
tory frameworks to guide business opera-
tions are welcome but will only achieve
results when the economy gets better and
peoples disposable incomes are grow-
ing to support struggling businesses like
supermarkets.
They also said the businesses need
to practice good corporate governance
principles, hire good managers, mini-
mise costs and negotiate with suppli-
ers on payments in addition to looking
for capital to invest, expand, innovate
and remain afloat.
Nakumatt owes URA close to Shs
300million in taxes
According to Johannesburg-based
rating agency - Global Credit
Ratings, Nakumatts debt has grown
from UShs159.8 billion (Ksh4.7b)
in 2012 to UShs612 billion (Ksh18
billion) in the first half of 2017
As of December 2015, Nakumatt
had close to 65 stores Kenya (46),
Uganda (9), Rwanda (3), Tanzania
(5) and Burundi (1)
Sept 29 - Oct 05 , 2017 25
business
Muhakanizis
fight for UTL
Finance Minister, PS
Muhakanizi says the new
move is to drive internet
price cuts in the country
By Isaac Khisa
Uganda governments new plan to procure
all mobile and fixed telephony communica-
tion services as well as internet from Ugan-
da Telecom Limited (UTL) at a lower price
is to trigger a price cut of these services,
according to the Permanent Secretary in the
Ministry of Finance, Planning and Economic
Development, Keith Muhakanizi.
M
uhakanizi, who is now
embroiled in a battle
with the Ministry of
Information, Communi-
cation and Technology
over a directive for the
government entities to use only UTL ser-
vices, told The Independent in an interview,
that the decision is intended to ensure that
the price of telecommunication services
especially internet reflects that of its neigh-
bouring countries Kenya, Tanzania and
Rwanda.
What I am fighting is for the govern-
ment to buy internet services at a lower
price and also ensure that the service pro-
viders (in this country) brings down the
price of internet, he said, I will fight this
war and I will win.
He said internet service providers in
Uganda are currently charging clients as
high as US$300 per megabit per second per
month yet their counterparts in the region
are charging below US$100 per megabit
per second per month.
I think theres something wrong (in this
country) and that is the war Iam fighting,
he added, If NITA wants us to buy their
26 Sept 29 - Oct 05 , 2017
UTL business centre in Kampala
internet, let them lower their prices and
there will be no need for us to go to UTL.
At the moment, the Ugandan govern-
ment buys its internet services through the
National Information Technology Authority
(NITA) at US$190 per megabit per second
per month, according to the Authoritys
Executive Director, James Saaka.
He, however, said they are ready to hold
talks with the finance ministry on how to
lower their price of internet and possibly
partner with UTL.
Muhakanizi says UTL has agreed to
connect all the ministries, departments and
agencies at US$100 per megabit per second
per month.
Muhakanizis directive
In a letter dated Sept. 14, Muhakan-
izi directed all Government Ministries,
Departments and Agencies (MDAs) to
procure mobile phone services including
internet from UTL.
He also instructed all government enti-
ties that still owe UTL money to clear the
outstanding amounts immediately, failure
of which they will not receive funds for the
second quarter of FY 2017/18 until the pay-
ments are made.
The new move, he says, aims to help
revamp the struggling telecom firm but
also provide internet service to govern-
ment and the general public at a lower
price. It is also hoped that this will drive a
surge in the countrys internet penetration.
Muhakanizi could not state the amount
of money that the government spends
annually on the telecom services including
internet.
But this development has not gone well
with Frank Tumwebaze, the minister for
ICT.
In a letter dated Sep.19 to Ruhakana
Rugunda, the prime minister, Tumwebaze
says the new directive does not usurp the
mandate of his ministry which is in charge
of implementing the broadband strategy
among other aspects of ICT development
in addition to reversing the cabinet deci-
sion made in 2012 recommending the use
of the National Backbone Infrastructure
(NBI) for all government internet under the
management of the NITA-U.
While I welcome the proposal of the
Ministry of Finance and UTL, promising to
offer internet services at a much lower cost,

we need to scientifically examine how this
will be achieved and sustained given the
fact that UTL as an already licensed opera-
tor in the market is not yet offering the
same, he said.
He says his ministry would have
expected to receive a proposal from their
counterparts in the finance ministry and
UTL demonstrating how the telecom firm
will offer cheaper internet services sustain-
ably below what government is currently
getting from NBI.
He says if the proposal is found convinc-
ing, a possible partnership between NITA-
U and UTL would be explored to build
synergies and deliver cheaper internet but
not to jeopardise NBI already in existence.
So far, NITA-U has connected internet
to 237 MDAs through the backbone, of
which 141 MDA sites are fully utilising the
services (Internet, Data Links and IFMS)
through the backbone.
UTLs old troubles
Muhakanizis latest fight comes nearly
six months since the government took
over the affairs and management of
UTL with immediate effect after UCom,
a subsidiary of Lap Green Network of
Frank Tumwebaze Keith Muhakanizi
Libya, which is the majority shareholder
announced that it will not avail any more
funds to the telecom firm.
LAP Green, a Libyan government
firm, owns a 69 % stake in UTL with the
Uganda government holding the remain-
ing 31 % stake.
But as companies that are owed mil-
lions of shillings threatened to sue the
telecom firm, the government placed it
under receivership in April to keep it in
operation.
Since 2007, UTLs performance has
been characterised by heavy indebted-
business
ness, decline in market share and losses
as a result of inadequate investment,
competitive pressure, dilapidated net-
work and governance challenges.
The situation worsened when the UN
imposed sanctions on the Libyan assets
at the height of political turmoil in the
African state in 2011, affecting capital
inflow to the company.
Though UCOM resumed control of
the company two years later following
lifting of international sanctions against
Libya, Libyan Post, Telecommunica-
tions & IT Holding Company (LPTIC),
the parent company of UCOM, was
not able to inject more capital into the
company citing disagreement with the
Ugandan government.
According to LIPTICs proposed
turnaround plan, the Ugandan govern-
ment was to convert the debt it owes to
UTL into LPTIC equity.
Also, the government was to accept
to erase the liabilities for actuarial
amounts of pensions which exceeded
the statutory contributions of 10% for
the companys former workers during
the time of privatisation arguing that
these additional liabilities were never
for UTL but for the government under
the privatisation law.
Agreeing on these two issues was
to enable shareholders raise about
US$48million through the sale of towers
and funding from the LPTIC to revamp
UTL.
The money involved was said to be
about Shs18 billion owed to UTL and
its portion of 31% of the US$48 million
capital call under the LPTIC-proposed
salvage plan.
Meanwhile, UTL has been sinking
from the dominant position of major
player in the nascent privatised telecom
sector, to relegation as a cash-strapped
company operating decadent 2G and
3G technology with the government as
its main client.
The telecoms strength was in the
fixed line connection to government
ministries, departments and agencies,
with a significant fibre infrastructure
and wireless broadband facilities.
It has been unable to upgrade its tech-
nology to match competitors operating
latest 4G technology, a scenario that has
forced a mass exodus of its customers to
rival networks. This has led to a decline
in companys clients from about 2 mil-
lion in the 2000s to around 700,000 at the
moment.
It now remains to be seen whether
Muhakanis latest fight will yield tan-
gible results and lift UTLs fortunes to
join a line of few successful state-owned
enterprises.
Sept 29 - Oct 05 , 2017 27
 Transport
Cooperatives
Ubers operational license
Cooperatives laws need to be reviewed-UCA in London at stake
Cooperatives in As Ugandans con- days to appeal against
Uganda are in need of a tinue to use Uber as one TfLs decision and can
new law to protect and means of transport, their continue to operate
make them more e effi- counterparts in London, while any appeals were
cient, according to Ivan UK where the transport ongoing. Ubers general
Asiimwe, the secretary mode is popular are manager in London Tom
general of Uganda not sure of whether the Elvidge said they would
Cooperative Alliance. service will be available defend the livelihoods of
Asiimwe, who was in the near future. On all those drivers, and the
speaking during the Sept. 22, BBC reported consumer choice of mil-
UCAs 50th Annual that Uber would not be lions of Londoners who
General Meeting held issued a new private hire use their app in courts of
at Grand Imperial licence after the Trans- law. According to BBC
Hotel on Sep 22, noted port for London (TfL) some 3.5 million passen-
that the available laws accused the company of gers and 40,000 drivers
enacted in 1991 are too not being fit and proper use the Uber app in Lon-
old and do not fit in the to hold a London private don. It operates in more
current financial laws. Ivan Asiimwe the General Secretary Uganda comparative hire operator licence on than 600 cities around
For example section alliance. Independent Photo /Jimmy siya the grounds of public the world, including
73 of the cooperative safety and security impli- more than 40 towns and
act of 1991 talks about is long and unfavour- He also asked gov- cations. TfLs concerns, cities in the UK.
settling loans, disputes able, he said. ernment to give priority according to BBC include
through arbitration That is why we are to cooperatives espe- Ubers approach to car-
before going to court appealing to the con- cially when awarding rying out background
which has led many cerned parties to revise contracts. Currently, checks on drivers and
cooperatives to lose the available laws and Uganda has more than reporting serious crimi-
money in bad loans make new ones that 18,000 cooperatives nal offences. Ubers cur-
because the process of will enable cooperatives countrywide rent licence would run
recovering the money perform better. until Sept. 30. It had 21

Telecom Banking

MTN innovation Credit Reference Bureau firm goes online

awards are back Metropole Uganda Ltd, a credit reference
bureau services provider, is set to unveil an
banks to determine whether one qualifies
for a loan. Customers subscribing for the

T
he MTN Innovation Awards that
recognize digital innovation in
the country are back. The tele-
com firm called for entries for
the awards of 2017 on Sep 22 seeking to
recognize both mobile and web-based
applications developed by Ugandans in
at least seven categories.
The entries are to be made online on
www.mtn.co.ug/innovationawards and
will be closed on Oct. 6, 2017.
Olivier Prentout, the chief marketing
officer at MTN Uganda said the awards
are aimed at recognising and promoting
local innovation as part of the firms vision
to lead the delivery of a bold, new digital
world for its customers and the commu-
nities where it operates. Technology is
becoming an enabler in almost every sector
of Ugandas economy, he said. The win-
ners of this years competition will be rec-
ognized at the Awards Gala to be held on
November 8, 2017, with each category win-
ner getting S$3,000. This is the second edi-
tion of the MTN Innovation Awards since
2015 where eight projects were awarded for
their outstanding contribution to society.
online service that will enable borrowers mobile-based credit reports, Metropol said,
check their credit ratings via mobile phones. will be charged a one-off fee, according to
Credit rating reports normally profiles BusinessDaily. Metropol was established
borrowers and their abilities to pay back in Kenya in 1996 and entered the Ugandan
debt and are therefore used by commercial market in 2015.
Trade
UMA trade fair set for October 3-10
ing platform for multi-sectoral goods and
services from within and outside the East
African region. The fair that has been
a consistent business partner for many
companies and organisations over the
past 24 years will run under the theme:
UGITF 2017 Transforming the Economy
through Industrialization.
This years exhibition will feature more
than 20 special events including; semi-
nars, exhibition parades and networking
cocktails.
The annual Uganda International The main sectors to participate in the
Trade Fair organised by Uganda Manu- exhibition includes; agricultural products,
facturers Association (UMA) is this year food and beverages, textiles, garments
celebrating its Silver Jubilee from October and yarns, manufacturing equipment,
3- 10 at the show grounds in Lugogo. building materials, among others.
The Fair offers an international market-

28 Sept 29 - Oct 05 , 2017

 Executive Style
Clean Cooking initiative targets
Ugandan households with clean energy
What are the key elements
in your management
I
philosophy?
take management from
a hands-on engagement
as opposed to scholarly
perspective. To achieve
this, I ensure that there are
fully functional structures,
systems and strategies in
place to enable me execute
my role as a manager.
In modern management,
interacting through an open
door policy with the team is
very crucial.
What is your assessment
of the adoption of clean
energy in Uganda?
Statistics show that 90 %
of the countrys population
still use traditional cooking
means (firewood) compared
to the small percentage
that has partially embraced
improved way of cooking
in the line of LPG gas
and improved stoves.
However, we have made
some strides in the area
of standardization and
certification policy. This is
almost taking off, thanks
to the Uganda National
Bureau of Standards
(UNBS) and the Ministry
of Energy and Mineral
Development. This is
aimed at ensuring that
stoves produced pass the
test of (energy) efficiency,
eco-friendliness and meet
international standards.
UNACC also works to
support and steer efforts
towards reduction of
demand on biomass energy
resources. How far have
you gone with executing
this mandate?
We are continuing with
training and capacity
building of manufacturers
of improved cooking stoves.
This is aimed at enabling
them not only to have the
craftsmanship but also
we have benchmarked
with countries like Brazil
where specialization has
really worked; we are
trying to harness who
does what and where. We
are looking at this sector
being harnessed through
identifying the strength of
each person.
What about the UNACC
market development and
Fumbalive campaigns?
Those are avenues that
we are taking on because
they send messages better
to the grassroots. To be
able to communicate
effectively to the rural
community, we take it
through drama and we
Alfred Kusiima is the national coordinator hope we shall realize the
of the Uganda National Alliance on Clean intended goal.
Cooking (UNACC), a membership-based Since 2015, UNACC
association that supports and steers efforts has been holding clean
cooking forums. What
towards reduction in demand for biomass impact have these created
energy resources in Uganda. He spoke to on increasing access to
clean energy?
The Independents Agnes E. Nantaba about We have realized a
promoting clean and efficient cooking solutions. reduction in reliance on
traditional cook stoves.
For instance, through a
consultative workshop in
let them know that the could be in terms of the Mbarara District recently,
market requires a particular dynamics of not doing it as one of the schools reduced
product that works as a a business or not meeting its consumption of firewood
solution to a problem. requirements. As for our by half to three trucks per
traditional culture, many term. We also see more
What are some of the would ask how practical it households embracing clean
challenges, if any, that is to prepare food using gas energy.
are hampering access to but we shall endeavour to
modern and clean energy break it down. What is your projection
services amongst the of UNACC operations in
population? How can the government Uganda in the next few
Through our interactions and other stakeholders years?
with the community, help to promote clean Our target is to get about
it has been brought to cooking solutions? five million Ugandan
our attention that these We are already working households adopt clean and
alternatives remain very with over ten ministerial efficient cooking solutions
expensive and inaccessible. committees and other and fuels by 2020. Although
But also, many of the stakeholders to break down this may not come easily,
manufacturers are the barriers. With regards to we are very positive that
operating on a small scale. the issue of standardization we can achieve that with
It is therefore important and the role of other sector the various strategies and
to look into what they players particularly in systems put in place.
are not doing right. This the chain of production,
Sept 29 - Oct 05 , 2017 29
Business
Airtel eyes bigger market
with 4G internet
By Julius Businge of 4G internet comes a few

A
months after the telco partnered
irtel Uganda has with two other international
become the latest companies Facebook and BCS
telecom firm in the to build a total of 766.8 kilome-
country to unveil 4G ters of optical fibre network for
LTE internet, in a move seen Northern Uganda to improve
as following the footstep of its internet connectivity in the
main rivals such as MTN and region, signalling data as the
Orange Uganda. This new tech- next growth frontier for telecom
nology will offer faster internet firms.
to customers. Speaking at the launch, Frank
The firms Managing Direc- Tumwebaze, the minister for
City Oil Directors Hassan Mohammed (2R) and Kyidi joined by Daniel tor, V.G Somasekhar, said they Information, Communication
Ogongo, (2L) Stanbic Bank Head of marketing and communications have upgraded 530 3G sites to and Technology and National
and the Vice president FUBA Nasser Serunjoji, (L) during the launch of 4G across the country, with 404 Guidance said telecom firms
the Oilers FUBA Zone 5 club championship partners. Stanbic bank has dotted in the central region. need to upscale their innova-
contributed Shs100 million. INDEPENDENT/JIMMY SIYA However, he declined tions and offer cheaper data
to divulge the information solutions to customers.
with regard to the amount of The future of telecoms is in
investment in the new technol- data; just like water and elec-
ogy. Speed, accessibility and tricity data must be affordable,
affordability is everything, Tumwebaze said. For you to
Somasekhar said, adding that survive, the question is how
the new technology is meant competitive are you in data.
to enhance fast internet-based According to the companys
activities such as video confer- financial results for the year
encing and mobile web access. ended December 2016, data
Customers intending to together with value added
join the 4G technology will be services including voice mail,
required to visit Airtel Uganda phone back-up and postpaid
service canters to swap their bill payment recorded a sharp
current 2G and 3G at no cost. increase in revenue from
The firm has close to 10 million Shs169.6 billion in 2015 to
subscribers compared with Shs306.28billion driven mainly
MTNs 11.2million. The launch by increase in data usage.
MTNs Chief Marketing Officer, Olivier Prentout, (M) cuts a cake with Sheraton
Kampala Hotel staff Jacqueline Nalubega (R) and Joselyn Ngiine (L) as Sheraton
Hotel celebrates 50 years. Sheraton is currently rewarding its customers both
corporate companies and individuals who share photos of Sheraton memories on
the hotels social media platform. INDEPENDENT/JIMMY SIYA Weekly share price movement (Sep 22)
Security Sep 22 Sep 15 Movement
BATU 30000 30000 00
BOBU 110 110 00
CENT 1,426 1,460 -2.33
DFCU 750 754 -0.53
EABL 8,593 8,708 -1.32
EBL 1,392 1,364 2.05
JHL 16,699 16,751 0.31
KA 162 159 1.89
KCB 1,496 1,469 1.84
NIC 11 12 -8.33
NMG 3,931 3,917 0.36
NVL 538 538 00
SBU 27 27 00
UCHM 132 135 -2.22
Airtel MD Somasekhar V.G (L) and Vivo Energy MD Gilbert Assi unveil the
Shell-Airtel Money promotion at Shell Bugolobi on Sept. 19. Vivo Energy UCL 15 15 7.14
Uganda has announced a partnership with Airtel Uganda to provide Airtel UMEME 450 451 -0.22
Money services to its customers at Shell service stations across the ALSI -- -- --
country. INDEPENDENT/JIMMY SIYA

30 Sept 29 - Oct 05 , 2017


By Mordecai Kurz
Negative side of IT
It is improving the lives of many but its monopoly
power is also fueling wealth and income inequality
F
or more than 30 years in advanced
economies, particularly the United
States, wealth and income inequality
have increased, real (inflation-
adjusted) wages have risen slowly, and re-
tirees have faced declining interest rates on
savings. This has occurred while corporate
profits and stock prices have risen sharply.
Now, research I have conducted shows that
these changes were primarily caused by the
rise in modern information technology (IT).
IT has impacted the economy in myriad
ways; the computer, the Internet, and
mobile technology have transformed
media, online retailing, the pharmaceu-
tical industry, and countless other con-
sumer-related services. IT has improved
life enormously.
But, by enabling the rise of monopoly
power, and by facilitating barriers to
entry, the growth of IT has also had
major negative economic, social, and
political side effects, including the prolif-
eration of fake news.
For starters, the very structure of the
IT sector allows for the formation of
monopoly power. IT has improved the
processing, storage, and transmission
of data, and IT innovators are the sole
owners of major information chan-
nels that they actively work to prevent
competitors from using. IT firms could
defend their monopoly power through
patents or by copyrighting intellec-
tual property. But these routes require
making trade secrets public. So, for stra-
tegic reasons, many firms forego legal
protections, and consolidate a dominant
market position by issuing ongoing
software updates that, by default, serve
as barriers that are difficult for
competitors to breach. When
potential new technologies Monopolies Rising
Share of monopoly wealth in total stock-market values
emerge, bigger firms often
acquire their challengers, either 100%
to develop the competing tech- 80%
nologies on their own, or to sup-
press them. 60%
Once an innovative firm estab- 40%
lishes platform dominance, size
becomes an advantage. Because
20%
the cost of processing and 0%
storing information has declined
1985 86 87 88 89 90 91 92 93 94 95 96 97 98 99 2000 01 02 03 04 05 06 07 08 09
in recent years, a firm with a size
-20%
advantage has smaller operating -40%
costs, and profits rise rapidly as Source: Author's calculations
the number of users multiplies (Google
and Facebook are good examples). These
cost and economies-of-scale advantages
are almost impossible for competitors to
overcome.
In addition, because these firms derive
their power from information, their posi-
tions are enhanced by their ability to use
their customers private information as
a strategic asset. Indeed, many IT plat-
forms are not producers in the traditional
sense; they are public utilities that enable
coordination and information-sharing
among users in diverse fields. In short, IT
enables the creation of barriers to market
entry, and then encourages leading firms
to become further entrenched. With
the pace of IT innovation increasing,
monopoly power is also rising.
In a recent paper measuring the eco-
nomic effects of monopoly power, I
approximated normal levels above
which profits or stock values are not
purely chance events, but rather reflec-
tive of monopoly power. With these
levels, I measured the monopoly com-
ponent of total stock values what I call
monopoly wealth and of monopoly
profits or rent. I then sought to determine
how monopoly wealth and rent have
evolved.
The figure below shows monopoly
wealth as a percentage of total stock-
market value between 1985 and 2015. As
the data show, there was no monopoly
wealth in the 1980s. But as the IT industry
developed, monopoly wealth rose dra-
matically; it reached 82% of total stock-
market value equivalent to some $23.8
trillion in December 2015. This is the
10
COMMENT
extra wealth gained by rising monopoly
power, and it is continuing to grow.
To put in perspective the percentage of
monopoly wealth, consider the related
sharp rise in corporate leverage. In 1960,
the percentage of all real corporate assets
financed by debt was less than 20%. By
2015, that share had risen to about 80%,
meaning that most capital held by public
corporations today is owned and traded
by bondholders. In other words, inves-
tors have agreed to finance corporate
debt by using monopoly wealth as collat-
eral, and most trading in the stock market
can therefore be thought of as traded
ownership of monopoly wealth.
As the table below shows, nine of the
ten firms with the largest monopoly
wealth in December 2015 are IT-related,
focusing on mobile communications,
social media, online retailing, and drugs.
Similarly, most monopoly wealth among
the top 100 firms, is being created by
companies transformed by IT.
Income created by firms with monopoly
power is divided into three types: labour
income, normal interest income paid to
capital, and monopoly profits. The data
show that in the 1970s and early 1980s,
monopoly profits were negligible. But
since 1984, the share of monopoly profits
has risen steadily; it reached 23% of total
income produced by American corpora-
tions in 2015. This means that during the
three decades before 2015, monopoly power
caused the combined shares of wages and
normal interest on capital to decline by 23%.
Rising productivity and capital accu-
mulation increases wages and capital
income, but monopoly power reduces
these income shares. This
partly explains why, during
the 1985-2015 period, wages
exhibited sluggish growth
and retirees faced declining
interest rates on their sav-
ings.
Why, then, has rising
monopoly power in the IT
sector caused income and
wealth to concentrate in
fewer hands, leading to an
increase in personal income
11 12 13 14 2015
and wealth inequality?
One part of the answer is
Project Syndicate that rising monopoly power
Sept 29 - Oct 05 , 2017 31
COMMENT

By Paola Subacchi
Reform IMF/
World Bank
The Bretton Woods institutions
must align representation with
increased corporate profits and sharply countries relative importance
boosted stock prices, which produced gains
that were enjoyed by a small population of
stockholders and corporate management.

But, given that many IT entrepreneurs were
young at the start of their careers, with
limited ownership of stocks, a more refined
explanation is needed.
Since the 1980s, IT innovations have large-
ly been software-based, giving young inno-
vators an advantage. Additionally, proof of
concept studies are typically inexpensive
for software innovations (except in pharma-
ceuticals); with modest capital, IT innovators
can test ideas without surrendering a major
share of their stock. As a result, successful
IT innovations have concentrated wealth in
fewer and often younger hands.
This was not true in the twentieth century,
when major innovations in leading sectors
such as automobiles required large invest-
ments of risk capital. With more investors
needed, the wealth created was distributed
more broadly.
The negative side effects of IT are not
well understood, and public discussion
of how to regulate the sector is urgently
needed. Three considerations are critical.
First, because most technology-based
monopoly power does not violate existing
antitrust laws, regulating IT will require
new measures to weaken monopolies.
New concepts of the public interest are
also needed for regulating new public
information channels such as social
networks. Second, standard views of
business income and wealth taxation
will need to be adapted to account for
IT firms monopoly power. And, third,
laws intended to protect private informa-
tion should be reevaluated to ensure that
IT companies are unable to profit from
exploiting and manipulating it.
Above all, the public must develop a
deeper understanding of the economic
effects of IT, particularly how technolo-
gies that have improved the lives of so
many are enriching the lives of so few.
Mordecai Kurz is Professor of Economics,
Emeritus, at Stanford University.
Copyright: Project Syndicate, 2017.
www.project-syndicate.org
T
his October, the International
Monetary Fund and the World
Bank will hold their annual
conference. It cant be busi-
ness as usual.
To remain legitimate, effective, and
accountable, the Bretton Woods institu-
tions, established in the very different
world of 1944, must align representa-
tion with countries relative economic
weight and systemic importance.
What about a scenario where
emerging economies, led by China,
decide to replace, rather than reshape,
todays institutions?
Already, China has spearheaded the
creation of two multilateral develop-
ment banks the Asian Infrastructure
Investment Bank and the New Devel-
opment Bank. Chinas initiatives have
fewer resources than the World Bank,
but they are big enough to finance sig-
nificant infrastructure projects.
In addition, regional facilities have
been put together to provide sup-
port at times of financial distress. The
Chiang Mai Initiative pools the foreign-
exchange reserves of the ASEAN+3
countries approximately $240 billion.
And BRICS countries can rely on a
Contingency Reserve Arrangement
of approximately $100 billion. These
facilities would help with occasional
liquidity crunches rather than offering
a more extensive financial safety net
which remains the IMFs prerogative.
But this facility can be expanded if nec-
essary.
To respond to the need to reform the
Bretton Woods institutions an Emi-
nent Persons Group on Global Finan-
cial Governance was set up last April.
This group is to make recommenda-
tions on reforming the world econo-
mys institutional structure, but it has
only until next years IMF/World Bank
conference to build a firm consensus.
Any attempt to reform the global
Trump has made
clear his distaste
for multilateral
institutions, and he
has been explicit
that the US should no
longer bankroll the
provision of global
public goods
economic order might clash with the
USs rethinking of its own involvement
in world affairs. Trump has made clear
his distaste for multilateral institutions,
and he has been explicit that the US
should no longer bankroll the provi-
sion of global public goods. An attack
on financial multilateralism would deal
a massive blow to the global economic
order.
But partial US disengagement need
not spell disaster. A year is probably
not long enough to deal with the dis-
ruption that a reluctant hegemon may
create, but it might reveal the scale of
that disruption, and the capability of
other stakeholders to adapt.
Paola Subacchi is Research Director of
International Economics at Chatham
House and Professor of Economics at the
University of Bologna.
Copyright: Project Syndicate, 2017.
www.project-syndicate.org

32 Sept 29 - Oct 05 , 2017

Fight to control national drugs body
Executive Director Kusemererwas troubles raise questions
about why NDAs top job has always been controversial
I
By Flavia Nassaka
talk to you as who? asked Donna
Asiimwe Kusemererwa before deny-
ing the Independent an interview ap-
pointment. The Executive Director at
National Drug Authority was prob-
ably still getting to terms with a High
Court ruling made a day before. On Sept.12,
Justice Stephen Musota of the civil division
of High court had declared her appointment
to the drug bodys top job null and void and
also barred her from acting in the position
of secretary to the authority.
A declaration that the position of the
Executive Director in which the 2nd respon-
dent (Ms Kusemererwa) was appointed
was/is nonexistent and contrary to Section
54(2) of the National Drug Authority Act
Cap 206. An order of Mandamus do issue
directing the Authority of the National Drug
Authority (the 1st Respondent) to advertise
the vacant position of secretary within 60
days from the day of this ruling including
weekends and public holidays, read the
judgment in part.
This ruling followed an application
challenging the legality of this position
by a member of her staff, one Florence
Nakachwa, after Kusemererwa attempted
to terminate her contract as the head of
Drug Assessment and Registration earlier in
March.
When the Independent visited the offices
based on Lumumba Avenue in Kampala on
Sept.13, it was telling. Neither Kusemererwa
nor Nakachwa, or even Fredrick Sekyaana;
whose job is basically to speak for the orga-
nization, wanted to say a thing. In search
for answers we spoke to Board Chairman
Medard Bitekyerezo and he wants Kuseme-
rerwa in office. We are appealing for this
ruling to be overturned. I like this woman
(Kusemererwa) because she doesnt eat
government money, the former Mbarara
municipality legislator said. Then he lunged
into a tale of intrigue and fraud within the
body. People here are fighting us because
we dont entertain thieves. We know people
here who are conniving with importers to
bring in fake drugs and repackage them.
Bitekyerezo, who is just six months old in
the new position, said that during his time
as the chairman of the Parliamentary Health
Committee, he realized the industry was
the people she sought to fire will remain
at their job and Chairman Bitekyerezo will
have another fight on his hands.
But, this is not a new happening at NDA.
When Kusemererwa joined NDA, her pre-
decessor Dr. Gordon Katende Sematiko,
had been kicked out prematurely a year
before. When the Independent spoke to him,
he was still disgruntled. He alleged he had
been framed and kicked out unfairly.
I was suspended to give way for inves-
tigations but a few days later I received
another letter signed by the chairman that I
had been dismissed with immediate effect.
I wasnt given chance to explain myself, he
said. Sematiko with other two colleagues
were fired over alleged abuse of office. He
allegedly without permission from the
Donna Asiimwe Kusemererwa board transferred US$ 5million (then Shs14
billion) from the official authority account in
full of tactical quacks. So he came in with
Standard Chartered Bank to an unauthor-
a new approach to cleanse the organiza-
ized fixed deposit account in Orient Bank.
tion and restore its credibility. To do this he
Sematiko who maintains that he pos-
says he needs a professional and excellent
sesses minutes and audio recordings of the
manager.
board meeting that authorized him to open
In an earlier interview, he had told the
up a new fixed deposit account, accuses the
Independent, People here are not given tar-
board of using that as an excuse to get rid of
gets and I am now telling them that they will
him so that they could get their favorite can-
have targets and if they go into intrigue and
didate in the position.
dont deliver results, we will fire them and
I had informed the board that we had a
bring in those who are able to work.
surplus and suggested we save it on a fixed
Nakachwa was probably one of the first
deposit account to earn the authority some
victims of the new method of work. Her
interest. They agreed and I have evidence,
performance was appraised and in a Mar.17
he says.
letter signed by Kusemererwa her contract
Before all this happened in 2011, Sema-
was terminated. On June 06, another top
tikos confirmation as the new Executive
employee Mark Kamanzi, the Head of
Secretary of the authority also did not come
Legal Services was fired. Both refused to
easily. He had been blocked by then Minister
leave office and have since run to court to
Christine Ondoa who fired the entire board
block their dismissal citing due process; that
of 20 members that had appointed him.
they were never given reason or a chance to
The board consists of members from major
explain themselves.
health institutions in the country; for instance
Nakachwa went ahead to challenge the
a representative from Mulago National
way her boss was appointed noting that
Referral Hospital, one from the pharmaceuti-
apart from the fact that the post is non- exis-
cal society of Uganda, Ministry of Health,
tent, the human resource manual which
Uganda AIDS Commission, National Che-
provides for advertising the position before
motherapeutic laboratory, a legal advisor,
appointment was also not followed. In her
Joint medical stores, national medical stores,
application, she noted the tax payer will be
representative of the herbalists and medi-
losing Shs30million per month in salary pay-
cal students. It was until 2013, after being
ment for a ghost occupant.
summoned by the parliamentary committee
If the bodys appeal is not successful and
on Commissions, Statutory Authorities and
Kusemererwa walks out of the door, the
State Enterprises (COSASE) to explain why
pharmacist and former director at the Joint
he was occupying the office illegally without
Medical Stores will have worked for just a
a confirmation letter from the board, that his
year of her five years contract. Meanwhile,
Sept 29 - Oct 05 , 2017 33
health
appointment was formalized.
The accusations and counter accusations
of intrigue and in fighting among people in
these top positions at NDA date from as far
back as 2002 when then Executive Secretary
Dr. John Lule and retired dentist Dr. William
Nganwa who was board chairman were
arrested over alleged abuse of office. They
were accused of permitting illegal importa-
tion and local distribution of anti-malarial
drugs from a blacklisted pharmaceutical
factory in Ningbo, China. The controversy
at the authority came when the top officials
were immediately allowed to go back to the
job by then-Health Minister Jim Muhwezi
even when investigations were still ongoing
contrary to the Pharmaceutical Society of
Uganda (PSU) standing orders that provide
for interdiction of any administrator being
investigated. Many accused Muhwezi of
allowing the two back on the job because
Nganwa was his relative.
However, as NDA appears to be
embroiled in endless fights, scandals, and
accusations and counter accusations, it
appears critical to investigate where the
source of the problem is. Importing and
distributing drugs across the whole country
involves big money and big deals. Why does
anyone who gets in this position get into
some kind of trouble? Isnt this derailing this
critical organization? Already several Audi-
tor Generals reports have punched holes in
their work as they have found pharmacies
operating illegally without licenses.
Cissy Kagaba the Executive Director Anti-
Corruption Coalition Uganda (ACCU) says
whats happening at the drugs body is a
reflection of what is happening in other gov-
ernment departments and agencies; they
are always in intrigue and power struggles
instead of getting committed to their work.
Kagaba, who says unless genuine com-
mitment is demonstrated and not the usual
rhetoric, such occurrences will continue.
The victim of whats happening is the
ordinary and vulnerable Ugandan who will
continue receiving poor services and tak-
ing fake drugs as the regulators continue to
fight, she says.
Kagaba adds: We also cannot rule out
the power and influence of syndicates and
mafias if its true that she (Kusemererwa)
had started stepping on peoples toes, by
probably cleansing the institution of graft.
They can easily pull her out if she is getting
in their way. Established in 1993, NDA
is mandated to ensure the availability,
at all times, of essential, efficacious and
cost-effective drugs to the population as a
means of providing satisfactory healthcare
and safeguarding the appropriate use of
drugs. But, for many years, stories told
about the authority have been of bribery,
poor performance, corruption scandals
and abuse of office yet the authority has
crucial roles of regulating pharmacies and
drug shops, controlling importation and
exportation of pharmaceuticals.
34 Sept 29 - Oct 05 , 2017
Showering twice daily?
If answer is yes, then here is why you
could be doing more harm than good
By Independent Team
Y
ou finally have an excuse for not
showering every day. Just inform the
haters that youre looking after your
microbiome. Then explain to any be-
mused looks that it refers to the collection of
microbes that live in and on your body. Obvi-
ously. Far from cause of disease, these gross-
sounding little friends actually help to keep
you alive and well, they even help to keep
your immune system and heart functioning
correctly. Studies show that a daily shower
with shampoo and soap strips a persons hair
and skin of its good microbes.
One study even linked disruption of your
microbiome to acne. Thankfully, even going
to the extreme of giving up showering com-
pletely doesnt necessarily mean youll reek.
One man, James Hamblin, who quit show-
ering in an experiment, revealed that he was
an oily, smell beast at first, but he soon felt
able to go out in public again without a liberal
coating of deodorant. He wrote: After a
while, the idea goes, your ecosystem reaches a
steady state, and you stop smelling bad.
I mean, you dont smell like rosewater
or Axe Body Spray, but you dont smell like
B.O., either. You just smell like a person.
There is no official guidance on how often
you should shower to make sure your micro-
biome is healthy and you smell fresh.
But Professor Stephen Schumack, President
of the Australasian College of Dermatologists
points out other reasons that you should only
shower when you need to.
He told a newspaper: Its only in the last
fifty to sixty years (since the advent of bath-
rooms with showers) that the idea of a daily
shower has become commonplace.
The pressure to do that is actually social
pressure rather than actual need.
Its become popular because of the social
need to smell good. But its only the glands in
your armpit and groin that pro-
duce body odour. Theyre not
all over the body. He added that
showering daily is probably not
the way to go. Over-showering
causes defatting of the skin - get-
ting rid of the natural body oils
we produce to protect the skin
cells. This can actually damage
them making them more per-
meable to bacteria or viruses.
How often you should shower
depends on various factors, like
perspiration and skin type.
We tend to believe the more
we shower, the cleaner we
are. We vigorously lather up our bodies with
soap to kill any germs lingering on our skin,
but rinsing off every day could lead to more
bacteria than we started with. So, how often
should we actually shower? The answer:
It depends. Those of us who work strenu-
ous labour-intensive jobs, live in hot, humid
areas, or exercise should shower daily. Its not
about body odour, but the perspiration left
behind on our skin that provides the breed-
ing ground for bacteria to grow. Excess oil
can clog the pores, leading to facial and body
acne, or acne-like red bumps and pustules.
However, regular bathing can be harmful to
the body if we dont perspire much. It dries
the skin, which can open gaps for infection-
causing germs to slip through. Frequent bath-
ing while our skin is already dry may increase
the odds of developing a weaker immune
system because it strips the skin of natural oils
while disrupting the skins immune system-
supporting bacteria. Theres no clear-cut
difference between a shower or bath, though
baths are more gentle for people who have
skin conditions like dermatitis and eczema.
People think theyre showering for
hygiene or to be cleaner, but bacteriologically,
thats not the case. Dr. Elaine Larson, an
infectious disease expert and associate dean
for research at Columbia University School
of Nursing told TIME magazine. Larson has
found antibacterial soaps and cleaning prod-
ucts we use in our homes arent any better
than plain old soap at lowering the risk for
infectious diseases. Moreover, scrubbing and
exfoliating doesnt do much to our skin.
So, whats the ideal shower frequency?
Doctors say when it comes to our health,
once or twice a week is recommended. How-
ever, we can shower daily and not lather our
whole bodies. Focusing on areas that produce
pungent smells, like our pitts, butt, and geni-
tals is a better alternative for those who like to
shower more frequently.
Washing our hands and
clothes will help remove the
dead skin cells and grime
that our bodies accumulate
without us suffering an ill
health effects. However, the
chemistry of each persons
skin is different; including
our scalp, so showering
everyday may not be as
dangerous to some as it is to
others. Relatively speaking,
if youre in good health, skip-
ping a shower every once in a
while wont do any harm.
 ART | BOOKS | SOCIETY | TRAVEL | CULTURE
Bark-cloth gets
artistic break
Artists experiment more with
media on synthetic surfaces
B
By Dominic Muwanguzi
ark-cloth has become global
as part of a trend that has
seen organic fabric featur-
ing on European fashion
runaways. In international
art festivals the showcase
of artwork integrated with bark-cloth has
prompted positive criticism for artists like
Sanaa Gateja and Xenson at the PIASA art
festival and Johannesburg Art fair.
In academia, lecturers like Dr. Venny
Nakazibwe of Margaret Trowell School
of Industrial and Fine Art Makerere, have
conducted research on the subject of bark-
cloth as part of their doctoral thesis (PhD),
while Tusiime Mathias and Fred Mutebi
Kato are experimenting with major innova-
tions on the material.
Now a show on barkcloth is on at AKA
Gallery in Kampala featuring
some of the prominent barkcloth
artists like Yakuze Ivan, Lubega
Felix and Nakisanze Sarah.
They are showcasing art inte-
grated with the fabric and other
media like hardwood, metal,
and synthetic fabrics. Yakuzes
figurative artworks laced with
bark-cloth and found objects, spe-
cifically, metal debris and house-
hold items, suggest a social com-
mentary on themes like recycling,
humanity, and women empower-
ment. The artists employment of
bark-cloth as a primary canvas
for his work instead of the syn-
thetic material illustrates the
experimental nature of his work,
inviting audiences to engage with
the artwork in a deeper way;
appreciating the visual aesthet-
ics and cultural relevance of the
bark-cloth.
This experimental
approach is also evident
in Lubegas installations
of hardwood, metal, sisal
and bark-cloth. The untitled
series of artwork, in abstract
style, offer the audience a
visual inquiry into the rela-
tionship between the con-
temporary and traditional,
the fusion of organic and
synthetic material into one
artwork and preserving and integrating
hardwood in its natural form. The evident
use of battered wood- a recurring theme
in his art-partly illustrates the appreciation
and exploration of elements like depth
and form that are evident with hardwood
sculptures, while on the other hand, it can
be interpreted as a potential tool of inter-
rupting the thought process of the public
with the unusual leading
to a deeper appreciation of
the art.
The technique of not
titling the artwork suggests
the artists motive of com-
municating the process of
creating the artwork rather
than conveying a particular
message.
Besides the bark-cloth
theme, other artists in the
exhibit work with metal to
construct installations or
sculptures that explore and
interrogate the subject of
experimentation while tack-
ling issues of power and
authority, unity and human
anatomy.
John Odochs sculptural
figures; sculpted from cast-
ed metal, convey the artists
exploration of the human
figure in the context of beauty and shape,
while employing these figures as a symbol
of diverse social and cultural practices.
`The Thumb Pianist, Pipe-smoker and
`Elegant Lady images are evidence of
figurative representation. In the same man-
ner, Peter Mafabis installations created
from wires (metal) highlight a metaphori-
cal demonstration of the political-social
aspects of day to day life. `The glory of
Leadership is an installation of a group
of ants moving upwards a tree trunk. The
insect in the lead has a golden enamel
coat symbolising the splendor associated
with being in-charge. The strength of this
artwork lies in its simplicity where the art-
ist uses wires to construct his objects. This
medium is familiar with young children
who use it to create imaginative objects to
play with.
This exhibit reflects the diverse artistic
exploration of artists in the context of stu-
dio skills and experimentation. Through
such works like integrating bark-cloth with
synthetic media or employing sculptures
as figurative imagery of day to day life
experiences, the artists are enable to inspire
their contemporaries into innovations as
much as tackle issues that affect them on a
day to day basis.
Other exhibitors are Nakisanze Sarah,
Ronex and Paul Kintu. The exhibition is
showing at AKA gallery, located on Buko-
to Street, Kamwokya.
Sept 29 - Oct 05 , 2017 35
Profile
Monalisa Umutoni; the self-
taught top makeup artist
By Agnes E Nantaba
M
onalisa Umutoni, popu-
larly known as Mona
Faces, is a self-taught
Ugandan make-up artist
and among the biggest talents. At
25 years, Umutoni has worked with
celebrated Ugandan women and
fashion stars. She is fascinated by art
and beauty, which she built upon
with the help of numerous YouTube
tutorials, and practice on friends
and family. I have been an artiste
all my life although I didnt know
that makeup could be something to
do professionally; especially in this
country even when I had always
been drawn to it, she says.
Umutoni took baby steps in art
with her father, Robert Ndagige
(RIP), who was an artist. She learnt
to sketch at an early age while at
Buganda Road Primary School and it
became natural to her that she would
be an artist. She recalls, as a child,
playing with her mother, Lillian
Umurisas lipstick and eye liner. Her
father didnt like it.
Umutoni entered the fashion
world during her Senior Six vaca-
tion. It was her passion to dress
women in beautiful and matching
outfits that got her the job. Umutoni
soon revealed her makeup skills
which her colleagues admired.
They wanted me to do the same
for them but even then, I didnt see a
future in makeup because there were
no professional makeup artistes,
said Umutoni, Even society didnt
look at it as a job or profession. At
Makerere University Business School
(MUBS) where she pursued a Bach-
elors degree in Office and Informa-
tion Management, she pushed her
make-up skills on friends and study
mates. When pictures were posted
on social media platforms, excite-
ment always followed.
Among one of the followers was
a photographer who sold an idea
of doing a photo shoot in a way to
market his photography work. This
meant sourcing more jewelry, make-
up items as her close associates acted
36 Sept 29 - Oct 05 , 2017
as dummies for trials. The postings
fetched a big following as people
started making bookings for events
and photo shoots.
And through her involvement in
various projects, including Kampala
Fashion Week, editorial shoots and
bridal entourages, Monas Facebook
following quickly grew from 200 to
2000. Today, Mona Faces is a house-
hold name, with over 63,000 follow-
ers and a newly launched YouTube
channel. In February of 2016, Mona
opened a make-up studio in Kise-
menti, Kampalas number one life-
style destination.
She describes her high point as
being able to pull off the master
class with 25 students. She is not
afraid of sharing her skills.
The goal behind is to bless other
people with my talent and thats the
direction that I am going, she says.
Several people have been attracted,
including genuine makeup distribu-
tors, as women and men increas-
ingly love to look good. Umutoni
says, Makeup enhances what you
already have and at the end of the
day makes you feel good. How-
ever, the makeup star does not
recommend wearing a full face of
makeup daily because it makes the
skin tired and yet it must protect
the inner parts of the body, for
instance, from direct heat.
She maintains this
should be done
at least once
or twice in
a week.

Monalisa Umutonis Liteside
Any three things we dont
M
know about you?
any people dont
know about my
whole relationship
with God because
of the industry that I operate in.
It is also because I dont have a
personal social media account as
its all business.
I am also a very shy per-
son and never thought that I
would be doing photo shoots or
express my views in a big audi-
ence but this job has given me
the confidence to express myself
as opposed to the former me
who wanted to keep a very low
profile.
What is your idea of perfect
happiness?
Doing what I love and help-
ing others. Even with what I do,
I aim to satisfy my clients with
a good service. You can never
get enough of an overly joyous
client.
What is your greatest fear?
Its surprising but I fear
change; most of us want things
to keep normal and yet they
ought to change. For instance,
there are new makeup trends
and much as change is scary, I
try to embrace it.
What is the trait you most de-
plore in yourself?
I am overly critical mostly
about myself. Even when I was
opening the studio, two years
ago, I was so concerned about
every detail to make it perfect.
What is the trait you most de-
plore in others?
Disrespect; I dont want such
people who think others are too
low for their presence or dont
deserve much.
Which living person do you
most admire?
There are so many things to
admire from different people.
However, I find myself admir-
ing people who are ambitious,
hardworking, and generous.
What is your greatest extrava-
gance?
The first thing that comes
to my mind is to give tithe but
as a human being, I may fail
sometimes. Its the one thing
that opened the doors for me.
Other than that I spend a lot on
makeup.
What is the greatest thing you
have ever done?
Every big thing that has set
me apart; I am grateful that I
started out as a makeup artiste
and decided to focus on it.
What is your current state of
mind?
Cool, calm, and happy
What do you consider the most
overrated virtue?
The whole thing about cor-
porate jobs is overrated. It starts
right away from school where
parents and teachers consider
those who are not academically
sound in certain disciplines
as failures yet they are good
elsewhere in terms of talent. I
believe that education will earn
you a living but talent will earn
you a fortune.
What does being powerful
mean to you?
Being powerful is when
someone comes from nothing
and builds a big empire. Such
people usually go through so
much that would bring them
down but choose to persist and
build a brand. Being powerful
also means aiming to lift others
On what occasion do you lie?
May be when I am running
late otherwise I dont think I
would tell a lie. I believe that
what you give is what you get.
What do you most dislike
about your appearance?
I used to have insecurities
about my looks but Ive learnt
to own and appreciate. I also
realized that what we consider
as insecurities are what most
people love us for.
Which living person do you
most despise?
Anyone who is disrespectful
and judgmental.
What is the quality you most
like in a man?
Being very ambitious and
having a personal relationship
with God.
What is the quality you most
like in a woman?
Respecting others and hav-
ing a personal relationship with
God.
What or who is the greatest
love of your life?
I loved my father even more
than I loved myself and some-
times I think thats why God
took him away from me. How-
ever, losing him taught me that
nothing is constant and from
them, I am not afraid of loss and
not any more attached to any
human being.
When and where were you
happiest?
Just recently, when I finally
pulled off the makeup master
class and it being a success was
just so good. Everything came
through as I had planned and
indeed I was very happy.
Which talent would you most
like to have?
It has always been clear to me
that I am an artist and its one
thing that I can do best. I can still
do something else around art
like fashion designing.
If you could change one thing
about yourself, what would it
be?
I am just happy the way I am.
What do you consider your
greatest achievement?
The makeup studio is one
of them but the master class
is another one. My overall
achievement is being in a posi-
tion where I can take care of my
family
Sept 29 - Oct 05 , 2017
Q&A
If you were to die and come
back as a person or a thing,
what would it be?
The personality in Beyonce;
she is very ambitious.
Where would you most like to
live?
I can never imagine myself
living in another country; Ugan-
dans are very hospitable people,
and I was born and raised here.
What do you regard as the low-
est depth of misery?
I cant say that I have been
through the lowest of suffering
but being homeless without
even a single coin or shilling is
unbearable. Even losing a parent
is one of the lowest moments
in life.
What is your favorite occupa-
tion?
I love to make people feel
beautiful.
What do you most value in
your friends?
Loyalty and ambition is
everything.
Who are your favorite writers?
I am not attached to any
writer.
Which historical figure do you
most identify with?
Pastor Joyce Meyer is my all
time favourite person and often
when I feel lost and need a sense
of direction, I find myself there
through her preaching. That
woman has spoken to me count-
less times.
What is your greatest regret?
I dont regret anything
because I believe that it was
Gods plan.
How would you like to die?
After leaving a legacy behind,
I can go in my sleep.
What is your motto?
You reap what you sow.
37
Youth mentors for BBC seniors?
What would you do if
you are a company making
content for 15-29-year olds
but your workforce has
only 0.1% aged under 30
years? That is the dilemma
BBC faces.
Yet it has to compete
with media companies like
Google, Amazon, Face-
book and Apple whose
founder bosses are all 30
or under. The result is that
BBC is failing to keep 16 to
34-year-olds interested in its
content.
Its Radio 1, which has
a target audience of 15 to
29-year-olds currently has
an average listener age of
Mugabe at UN stands up to
33. Research found that
BBC is perceived by young-
Giant Gold Goliath Trump
sters as too middle-aged
and too middle class. To
teach its senior staff to be
in touch with the younger
generation, BBC is giving
them young mentors to
advise them how to appeal
to audiences under 30.

From `Rocket man

`ElectroShoe that lets
women electrocute attacker
Sexual assault against women is a really big
problem as hardly a day goes by without a case
being reported in the media. Now an 18-year-old
teenage boy is trying to help women fight back
against aggressors by literally giving them the
shock of their life. Siddharth Mandala, a student
from Telengana, India has spent years working
on the ElectroShoe, a unique footwear that
electrocutes attackers by inflicting 0.1 Ampere of
electricity while also alerting police and family
members that the wearer is in danger. All the
wearer has to do is kick the perpetrator.
to `Dotard
President Donald Trump called
Kim Jong Un rocket man in an
address to world leaders at the
Annual UN Conference in New York
and the North Korean dictator leader
returned fire. Kim gave Trump a
nickname of his own that sent Amer- Zimbabwes President Robert Mugabe
icans scrambling for a dictionary.
I will surely and definitely
did not mince words at the United
Nations recently about Donald Trump,
tame the mentally deranged dotard mocking the US president as the Giant
with fire, Kim said in a statement Gold Goliath.
released by the North Korean gov- Addressing the UN General Assembly,
ernment Thursday. where reproaches of other leaders are
According to Merriam-Webster, generally less personal in tone, the
a dotard is a person in his or 93-year-old veteran leader took Trump to
her dotage, with dotage further task both on policy and appearance.
defined as a state or period of senile Some of us were, Mugabe said,
decay marked by decline of mental pausing for emphasis, embarrassed, if
poise and alertness. not frightened, by what appeared to be the
The statement caused the word return of the biblical Giant Gold Goliath.
dotard to trend on Twitter.

This man has 145 academic degrees!
You think obtaining years and has no plans were available to him in
an academic degree is a to stop studying any- university. He decided
daunting task? Try 145. time soon. to go back and seek a
Professor VN Parthiban, After his first degree, second degree. And
who teaches in Chennai, Parthiban felt enticed by then a third. And then
India, has obtained 145 all the amazing subjects 142 more.
degrees over the last 30 and areas of study that He has 3 Master of
Science degrees, 8 Mas-
ter of Law degrees, 8
Master of Commerce
degrees, 9 Master of
Business Administration
degrees, 10 Master of
Arts degrees, and 12 var-
ious research degrees!
When asked if there was
a subject that he did not
typically enjoy study-
ing, Parthiban answered
definitively with math-
ematics.
Uber kicked out of London?
London has plans of
kicking Uber out but
hundreds of thousands
of people have signed
a petition calling for
Transport for London to
reverse its decision not
to renew its licence.
The regulator says stands, more than 40,000
Uber is not fit and licensed drivers will be
proper to hold a put out of work and
London private hire millions of Londoners
operator licence on the will be deprived of a
grounds of public safe- convenient and afford-
ty and security implica- able form of transport.
tions. TfLs concerns
The ride-hailing app include Ubers approach
firm says it will appeal to carrying out back-
against TfLs decision. ground checks on driv-
Uber says if the ers and reporting seri-
regulators decision ous criminal offences.

38 Sept 29 - Oct 05 , 2017

 Toyota ranked top
motor company
By Independent Team & Agencies
Toyota has been ranked the top motor company in the annual BrandZ Top 100
Most Valuable Global Brands Study. This marks the ninth time that Toyota has
topped the automotive category in the reports 12-year history.

C
onducted by market research
firm Millward Brown, the study
lists values for the worlds largest
corporations by considering
brand saliency, taking into account how
brands resonate with buyers, and whether
they offer the benefit of different and
trendsetting products and features.
Along with being the top automotive
company Toyota ranked 30th overall
amongst all segments right between
Louis Vuitton and Walmart with a
brand value of $28.7-billion. BMW was
the second-highest ranked automotive
company in the survey with a brand value
of $24.5-billion, ahead of Mercedes-Benz
($23.5-billion), Ford ($13-billion), Honda
($12.1-billion), Nissan ($11.3-billion), and
Audi ($9.4-billion).
Technology giants Google
($245.6-billion), Apple ($234.7-billion),
Microsoft ($143.2-billion), Amazon
($139.3-billion) and Facebook
($129.8-billion) took the overall top five
places in this years survey.
Meanwhile, if you have ever wondered
which are the most googled car brands in
the world? British parts company Quickco
has just answered the question.
Toyota enjoys a dominant lead in a
ranking based on the number of countries
(74 in Toyotas case) rather than the
number of people who searched for that
particular brand.
Most Africa searched for Toyotas more
than any other brand and only South
Africans didnt get that memo as they
opted to type Mercedes-Benz into their
search engines, together with Namibia and
Botswana.
The rest of the southern African region
also had a premium German brand at
the top of their minds. It was BMW that
Lesotho, Swaziland and Zimbabwe
googled more than any other. BMW was
also second overall globally.
Interestingly, sensible brands dominated
in the rest of Africa, and the world for
that matter, with Hyundai, Honda and
Chevrolet completing the top five.
One glaring exception, though, were the
highly ambitious residents of Niger, where
Bugatti was the most googled brand.
There was hardly a great sense of
patriotism among many of the car-creating
countries, with Japan, South Korea and
Britain searching BMW, while the US and
China followed the Toyota herd.
Some of the European countries
took exception to that rule, with Volvo
dominating in Sweden, Renault in France,
BMW in Germany and Fiat in Italy. Very
patriotic of all of them, no doubt.
Bear in mind that this research did not
feature data from any search engine other
than Google, for what its worth.

Sept 29 - Oct 05 , 2017 39

Global comment
By Hannah Storm
Hazards behind the headlines
Never before has the role of journalism been so
important and never before has it been so risky
N
ot too long ago, the only journal-
ists working in conflict areas who
might be afforded protection
were those working for wealthy,
predominantly Western news organisations.
These journalists would attend expensive
courses run by former special forces per-
sonnel, who trained them to navigate hos-
tile environments. They would be furnished
with flak jackets and helmets, and given
first aid kits.
But journalists elsewhere have rarely
benefited from this culture of safety.
From Mexico and Brazil to Pakistan and
Somalia, journalists are often murdered
with impunity. And more often than not,
when the messenger is silenced, so is the
message.
For the last 15 years, the International
News Safety Institute has been collating
a list of journalists who have died on the
job. What we have found is shocking:
for every ten reporters killed, nine died
while on assignment in their home
country. Countless others have had to
abandon their homes, jobs, and coun-
tries; and those who do stay often live in
constant fear for their safety.
In places where corrupt regimes or
militant groups want to control the flow
of information, journalists have long had
to risk being kidnapped or killed. But
in recent years, this threat has become
so great that some countries are now
effectively no-go zones for international-
media organisations.
Western correspondents are aware of
these risks when they travel abroad to
cover active war zones. But now they
confront similar dangers at home. Wher-
ever journalists work whether online or
offline they need to be mindful of more
physical, psychological, and digital risks
than ever before.
Terrorist attacks have affected news
organisations, particularly in Europe, in
unexpected ways. Many of those who
arrived first at the scene of the Man-
chester Arena bombing or the massacre
at the Bataclan concert hall in Paris had
not received the physical training for
such eventualities, nor were they emo-
tionally prepared to cover stories where
40 Sept 29 - Oct 05 , 2017
they would be exposed to that degree of
trauma.
In response to these events, some
newsrooms have started preparing for
what they will do if a domestic terrorist
attack directly affects their operations.
Organisations including the BBC, the
Dutch public service broadcaster NOS,
and others across Europe have plans
in place for journalists responding to
incidents in their home cities or those
directly targeting their newsrooms.
Beyond bullets and bombs, journalists
also face increasing psychological threats
at home. In July, a report I co-authored
for the International News Safety Insti-
tute put a name to one such threat, a
phenomenon known as moral injury.
The report, published by the Reuters
Institute for the Study of Journalism at
the University of Oxford, examined the
impact of covering the recent refugee
crisis in Europe on members of the
media. Reporting on a traumatic story,
we found, can have a profound impact
on ones mental health.
Our research noted that feelings of guilt
and helplessness can be overwhelming
when events transgress personal moral
and ethical values or codes of conduct.
Western
correspondents
are aware of
these risks
when they
travel abroad
to cover active
war zones
To guard against the risks of moral
injury, we highlighted the importance of
education, explaining that, journalists
need to understand that this is the new
terrain, part of the mental landscape of
the profession. Our report also sug-
gested that organisations should look to
provide support to those who needed it,
bearing in mind that individuals respond
to and recover from trauma in different
ways.
In the US, journalists face another kind
of psychological threat: harassment
from their own government. Although
journalists are protected by the First
Amendment of the U.S. Constitution,
U.S. President Donald Trump has never-
theless used his social-media bully pulpit
to routinely vilify the entire news media.
Trumps disdain for free speech mirrors
that of authoritarian governments, from
Turkey to the Philippines, where journal-
ists have been arrested, imprisoned, and
harassed in record numbers.
Journalists are also increasingly vul-
nerable online, where anonymity has
created a culture of trolling and harass-
ment. Female journalists have had to
bear the brunt of digital attacks, which
can rapidly escalate into threats of sexual
violence. In response, many journalists
have abandoned social media, and others
have left the profession of journalism
altogether.
The world is a risky place for journal-
ists, which is precisely why we must do
everything that we can to protect them.
Never before has the role of journalism
been so important. In todays noisy, con-
fusing, multi-channel news landscape,
where fake news is sold as fact, we
need accountable, analytical, responsible
reporting more than ever.
A free press delivers truth, holds power
to account, and calls out threats to liberty
and justice. But the press can never be
free if its members are not kept safe.
Hannah Storm is Director of the
International News Safety Institute.
Copyright: Project Syndicate, 2017.
Celebrating


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should be put in
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hit Entebbe






















opens Malaba
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Shs 234 Bn brewery opens
INSIDE: Prof. Frederick Jjuko, Prof.Daniel Schydlowsky, Prof. John Ssali, Lawrence Kagwa, Mayanja Nkangi, Prof.
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Feb.24 1933 to
Shs 366
billion

Musevenis war within NRM

RWANDA: 37 men SUDAN: What are the COMMENT Prof. SPECIAL REPORT: SUDAN:INew BUSINESS: With RWANDA: SUDAN:Recent violence BUSINESS: Oct.13, 2014
accused of grenade implications for the Ian Buruma on Killed by the state currency still govt broke, oil Rwanda becomes in Abyei has potential Mobile money:
attacks are alleged ongoing stalemate in why Obama has at Kololo army base, shrouded in firms gain upper a Nyakatsiless to spark a wider north- So far so good,
FDLR agents Darfur? gotten it right buried in secret grave secrecy hand country south conflict but





 








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Supplement
Uganda Health system
strengthening project
scholarships

Tight budget
scheme

The challenge behind the 2012/13 numbers What next

Banks make for Afande
Lord Mayor huge profits Kaweesi?
Lukwago 


  
Police boss Kayihuras
The Field Commander 


 

brings common mans Crane Bank


 
approach to the city billion

Besigye pays the price

FDC leader unleashes powerful strategy against Museveni

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Can its economy NGOs providing basic Whistleblower is ritual of same wont shake the South Kordofan,
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ROAD TO 2016 NEWS ANALYSIS BUSINESS
Richard Byarugaba Dont BoU committed
spiraling birth rate? 90% of the country ring inside tax body on reducing NSSF politicise `The country Foreign
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EU to lead new UN
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TV wins
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INDEPENDENT
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SUPPLEMENT:

Kayihura sacks
BUJAGALI LINE

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2016
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Walk www.independent.co.ug
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Corruption in
RWANDA
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BUSINESS
NEWS ANALYSIS
Unwanted
INTERVIEW
Politics should
BUSINESS
In-flight catering
raise alarm over






to war
High costs threaten comes of age
low cost housing investors be a sacrifice -
F
C igh
Uganda business capital sector
Making resource
rich regions Dr Ian Clarke Wining but not winning, yet
orr ti
INTERVIEW:
Besigye wants to
RWANDA:
Is corruption on
SUDAN:
South Kordofans up ng
in Uga
nda 
 






American companies make?
inflows firm Rwanda targets medical tourism become food poor
ti
topple the govt - the rise in the EACs volatile governor on
Public anger greets Kabushenga cleanest country? vote
Museveni even
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closed, re-opened
From bitter rivals

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Kayihura, Kivejinja
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Makerere
Issue 295 copy peter new.indd 1 12/10/13 4:04 PM
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Inside Umeme




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Big regional trade boost
News analysis
Besigye gains in the east, 


 

Interview
WFP launches
Business
Low tea price EAC Top donor

bought Museveni sweeps the north related violence 
 

worries aid recipients

shares deal
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or stolen? pay and strikes



 


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Electricity sector


 






Politicians battle over  


Shs800 billion








Sejusas money, investor

 
 
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Unhoused
News analysis
Musevenis bread and bullets
Health
Unease as only cancer treatment
Business

 

ERA announces
Uganda outspends Kenya on military 
 


 
down Daily Monitor
choking banks experiment its bust generation 


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Besigye predicts: 




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Experts warn banks
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Uganda: Defense Kenya: Defense

Tinyefuza Fallout Jennifer
Musisi
expenditure 2011 expenditure 2011
US$1.02 billion. US$735 million.

Museveni intervenes in
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Behind the
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scenes at
By Andrew Mwenda
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Universitys Mr. Fix it
Prof. Ndiege seeks to reconcile an of the unequal in turf wars out terms of engagement
Muhairwes exit and Musisi 





Time to eat, travel less

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News analysis Health Business
Issue No. 294 December 06 - 12, 2013 Ushs 5000, Kshs 200, RwF 1500, SDP 8 Massacre on IGG Mulyagonja launches 
 


 
 





Masaka road 







 





 
  



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need to talk 














Experts warn of explosion if they dont 





 

  
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Eastern DR Congo
erupts again
Health
 


 

skin bleaches
Business
Stanbic Banks
  
 
Social
 
 



pounce
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Top lawyers reveal details
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over Karuma, Isimba






 

Muloni, Kabagambe

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AmAzing
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Years of telling a story