Global Voices » Uganda

Uganda: Netizens React To President's Address On Oil

James Propa — Sat, 11 Feb 2012 12:46:54 +0000

The president of Uganda Yoweeri Kaguta Museveni appeared before parliament on February 10, 2012 to brief the nation about the power shortages and oil exploration in Lake Albert. Museveni announced the discovery of oil in 2006 after many years of exploration.

Museveni defended the government decision to sign oil agreements and grant a further license to Tullow oil despite a Parliamentary resolution against any more oil licenses. He said that the oil agreements are to benefit Uganda. He added that the two licenses given to Tullow Oil Exploration Company were to compensate for the time lost in the oil debate.

Map of oil fields in Lake Albert area in Uganda. Photo courtesy of tullowoil.com.

Immediately after his address, Ugandan netizens started discussing it on various social media platoforms. On Twitter, tweeps used hashtags #Museveni, #OilDebate, #Uganda among others.

@Haggae advised:

@Haggae: Becoz oil prices will soon drop Ugandans shld not delay & miss an opportunity of sellin @ a higher price, really Mr.#Museveni?? #oildebate

He added:

@Haggae: #Museveni's speech was as hollow as only convincing #MPs to avoid what he thinks is a ‘mistake of delayin #oilproductn‘#oildebate, #Uganda

@Loyce09 was pessimistic:

@Loyce09: #Uganda is already a sold property, in a few years citizens will also be sold#oildebate

@RosebellK thought that Uganda as a country will not benefit:

@RosebellK: So Oil co.s will take 74 % + of 26 remaining Kaguta and company will take about 90 % #Uganda will b left with nothing. #oildebate

She told Museveni that 2012 is not 1985 when he was about to take power:

@RosebellK: Kwonka #Museveni Kaguta of #Ugandahas no shame!! #Uganda don't need to hear yo rhetoric of feeling like yo back in 1985. Its 2012 dude!!!

Yoweri Museveni with Ugandan MPS at Parliament. Photo courtesy of ugpulse.com.

@andykristian wanted to know if the oil agreements are valid:

@andykristian: Any lawyers in the house? Did #Museveniand Government break the law in signing oil agreements? Are the signed agreements valid? #OilDebate

He warned of oil curse:

@andykristian: #Museveni, stop manipulating us - #Ugandans. You will bring the Oil Curse on US! Just Leave Government, We Beg You Please!!!#OilDebate

@pmagelah argued that Museveni should have consulted MPs before signing the agreements:

@pmagelah: I find it so problematic the the president ignored parliament, then came 2inform them why, instead of 1st consulting them#OilDebate

@DavidTumusiime asked:

@DavidTumusiime: SO…there was a rush to sign #Tullow oil deal quickly bse…? #oildebate12

@gothrockstar80 urged the government to develop the agricultural sector first:

@gothrockstar80: 80% of Ugandans R in the agricultural industry.We should develop that sector and leave this oil BS #oildebate12#Uganda#oildebate#Tullow

On Facebook, Tugumenawe Athanazius wrote:

Uganda sucks.How cn a prezdent present a report full of mistakes to th nation in parliament n he lso confesses????!!!!!!!!!!

Uganda: What Lies Beneath the Cloak of Exclusivity?

Ndesanjo Macha — Mon, 06 Feb 2012 18:35:14 +0000

When some expats in Uganda decided to form a Facebook group called ‘Mzungus in Uganda', they probably did not know that they were about to stir up controversy and a heated online debate. Mzungu is a term commonly used in southern, central and eastern Africa to mean a white person.

This is the group's description:

This is a group for all the Mzungus living in Kampala…to share your likes, dislikes, advice or interesting (or boring) stuff….

On January 16, 2012 Facebook user Lindsey Kukunda shared a discussion thread from the group under with a question, “What lies beneath the cloaks of exclusivity?”:

So this is a post from the facebook page ‘Mzungus in Uganda'. The moderator starts off the post. Read and enjoy.

The group moderator, Adam Williams, started the discussion with a question about membership:

Downtown Kampala, Uganda. Photo courtesy of Andrew Regan released under Creative Commons (CC BY-SA 3.0)

I'm getting at least 50 requests every day for Ugandans to join Muzungus in Uganda group. What should I do?

This forum is supposed to be a place for expats, living in Uganda (hence the name of the page) to share their views along with hints and tips etc etc. If I had accepted every request from a non-muzungu in Uganda this page would have 15,000 members of which 1,000 would actually be muzungus in Uganda. Any thoughts?

Chelsea Jaccard said Ugandans cannot join the group:

it might sound terrible, but I say no…

Jamie Strickland agreed:

we need to keep it just expats for its purpose to be served

Sophie Bremner said:

Difficult - maybe you could request wannabe members to write a short message to you explaining why they are interested? There could be some transnational Ugandans / expats with Ugandan heritage & therefore Ugandan names who have the same interests as others in joining this group. Also, there could be some professional Ugandans who are interested in the odd job opportunity that comes up. I recommended my ex-research assistant join this page, for example, in case any requests came through for researchers looking for staff… Tough one…

Adam Williams wrote again:

The most common thing I get is “Please can you help me find a muzungu girlfriend / boyfriend?”

Marie Wiesenmaid suggested a lottery system to allow 3 non-expats per week:

U'r right, that is a tough one… sometimes the expats here are looking for things or information that only Ugandas can give.. or can give BETTER.
Don't know.. maybe some kind of lottery? Say 3 non-expats (I hate the word mzungu!) per week? Or 5 in a month? Something like that?

Richard Kennair said the group is simply for expats:

My thought is that it is a Muzungu page. How is anyone supposed to ‘vet' people if there are so many requests? I know it sounds like profiling - but its a site for expats.

Christian Douti left a comment in French:

Ohhh la … c'est quoi la question deja ? le truc je crois c'est quoi un expat selon votre entendement… c'est etre blanc de peau ou quoi… personnellement j'ai eu un mal fou a me faire accepter sur cette page…Alors je suis noir de peau mais expatrier ici…car je suis pas ougandais mais je bosse ici pour des compagnies, ong et institutions. Si expate c'est etre blanc alors cette page friserait le racisme…sinon bon vent ….

So.. what is the question again ? The issue is what is an expat according to you..is it about being white ? Personally, I am having a hard time being accepted on this page
I am black but I am also an expat since I am not from Uganda but I am here to work for companies, NGOs and institutions. If expat is about being white then this page is borderline racist…if that is not the case, then never mind.

Chelsea Jaccard Allan wrote:

I think you've significantly overreacted here. The name of the page is muzungus in Uganda, the goal is for foreigners here to share tips, information, etc. It doesn't say Uganda information group, in which case of course it would be welcome to all. If 5,000 Ugandans joined this page and started sharing messages back and forth, the INTENT of the page would be lost completely. This is not a page to just share what's on your mind, as the one you suggest, and I hope it doesn't become one. I come here to find out where gas is, about a new restaurant that's come in, to buy something when someone's moving etc. Sorry if this has offended you, I'm sure that was no one's intent.

But who is a ‘mzungu”?, Sophie Bremner wondered:

Aha… but look at how Ugandans differentiate… my (African) husband was called ‘Muzungu' in our area of KLA because people thought he was African-American, and I (pasty Anglo-Saxon type) was called ‘muhindi'…!

Jennifer Eringaard disagreed with the idea of excluding Ugandans:

In my opinion it is rather small-minded to limit this group to ‘muzungus only'. Of course those with the white bf/gf motivations should be left out but already in many occasions have Ugandans provided good tips on this page. The name of this group ‘Muzungus in Uganda' to me indicates a target group, not a colonial-type ‘ownership' ruling out all others. One would hope we'd grown past all that….In my opinion, the page is great as it is right now, i.e. mixed.

Kari Mathisen asked:

My husband is an Ugandan citizen, would your suggestion mean I can be here but he can't?? Difficult to segregate I think.

She added:

Or maybe I don't qualify to be here either as I do not class myself as an expat nor a muzungu, having lived in Uganda for the last 30 years!

Eric Walford thought that membership should be open but certain types of content should not be allowed:

we should not restrict who should join but list the type of post that will be accepted,i.e. no personal ads etc. After all when you want a plumber or mechanic etc are you not looking for anyone including Ugandans etc to fulfil you wish. We are all one community living together irrelevant of tribe or colour with a common goal!!

Richard Davies disagreed saying that the group should remain ‘Mzungus in Uganda':

but what i like about here is if you want a plumber or a mechanic, people here recomend you one which you know is reliable and is not going to take advantage, steal ur petrol, over charge you for parts etc! I think it should stay Muzungus in Uganda… like the group name suggests.

Desta Abraham argued that excluding Uganda would be discriminatory:

The group should be open to anyone irrespective of nationality. The point of the group is to help people connect/obtain advice/assistance of a service and yes sometime inform people of activities that are of a social variety. If anybody(expat or not) abuses the purpose of the group then kick them out. But to be exclusionary because someone's name sounds “local” (which by the way I am an American citizen of Eritrean origin with an Eritrean name) is discriminatory and small minded. Anybody from anywhere can tell you where to buy LPG when there is a shortage or that a new sushi restaurant opened up or that something is going on at the National Theatre. A group that excludes on such a basis would be unacceptable in The US or Europe so why behave in such a way in Uganda?

The moderator of the group, Adam Williams, decided to clarify further:

There are millions of pages and groups on facebook and they are for specific target markets. I certainly wouldn't join a group set up for lesbians in Pakistan just because I live in Pakistan and wanted to see what they were saying. I'm not a lesbian. This group was set up for expatriates living in Uganda and, personally, if you're not an expatriate living in Uganda then why join the group? There are other groups, of which I am also members, such as trade links uganda with 35,000 other members all selling things in Uganada. This group isn't for that. I started this group for a purpose and that purpose needs to continue and I'm sorry if you and others may be offended by that but you are very welcome to start your own group and if I feel I am not someone who fits the bill of that group then I certainly wouldn't ask to join it - why would I? The best suggestion, if you're offended by this comment is to leave the group as maybe it's not for you.

He added:

Two men on bodaboda (popular motorbike-taxis) in Uganda. Photo courtesy of Daryona released under Creative Commons (CC BY-SA 3.0)

And just to add… I don't think that by having a forum we are attempting to segregate ourselves!! It's simply a group for like minded individuals to come together to share ideas and views. As I have said before… there are many groups, such as a group of Arsenal supporters, all from London, now living in New York. They want to discuss football together as only they know how. They certainly don't want a bunch of New York Giants fans joining their group telling them that they are being racist as they are keeping themselves to themselves. NO. This is only one aspect of their lives that they want to remain that way. I'm sure these Arsenal fans live in New York for a reason, work with Americans, have American friends, eat apple pie, go to baseball games and love their lives in America. But they still want to connect with other Arsenal supporters now and again as only they know how to connect. I would never join that group. It's for them and I certainly wouldn't be offended that they set it up.

Jessica Snow supported Adam's arguments:

Adam/All, we are faced daily with the Ugandans/African mentality (not saying this is BAD at all, it is our way of life) but it is nice to know that we have a group facing the same challenges and issues as all of the other expats (or Muzungus). This group is a support system or crutch. I would appreciate if we could keep the group as it is, much like Claire states, so I don't get friend requests or proposals because I am a member. I joined save the Mabira Forest to try and help……I was scolded by locals for my suggestions and had at least 30 friend requests from making my opinions. I would much prefer not to have to endure that again. This group has saved my a$$ several times, but to extend it beyond is only going to cause confusion on what we share or need. I am not biased, I choose to live in Africa, but I will have to remove myself if this goes further.

She added:

And if you are offended by this group, that is so helpful and informative, then delete it from your facebook.

Jillian Larsen Okello observed that life is too complex to try to fit people into neat categories:

I wholeheartedly agree with Eric Walford & Desta Abraham. This inclusion/exclusion is impossible - how could you possibly determine if someone ‘belongs' or they don't? Life is simply much too rich and complex to try to fit anyone into neat categories. Anyone of any nationality should be able to join the group, and I would welcome and encourage Ugandan participants. As Eric suggested, a simple list of posting rules that apply to everyone equally would resolve any concerns there might be.

Adam Williams wrote:

But there are other groups! This is not the only group on facebook. How about a group for Hindus in Paris. Should Christians in Beijing be welcome to join it?

Ray Clague Ray Clague argued that the word ‘mzungus” is too narrow:

Adam - Like i said before just change the name to expats in Uganda!! so any expat “Mzungu” or not can feel welcome.. if like you say its a forum for expats then say so clearly.. MZungu means white does it not? arent asians welcome , are turks Mzungus? african american, black english? change the name .. feels a bit right wing at the moment.. i personally know many expats ( whites ones) that wont join because of the name…ps arent there already a few ugandan as members? im sure ive seen a few post comments from ugandans.. or are they ok cos “we know them” “there one of us” .. later mate.. got to admit debates on this site ( cant even bring my self to say the name) are never dull…………..EXPATS in Uganda….people what do you think?

Jillian Larsen Okello wanted to know who is an expat:

I don't think it is necessarily so simple or easy to identify what you are referring to as ‘expats'. Does that mean you also exclude backpackers or tourists who ask to join and are just travelling through? How about visiting students or researchers? Journalists on short assignment? The Ugandan spouse of an expat? How about Ugandans who have lived or studied or grown up in the US? How about Kenyans from just across the border?

Uganda: The Plight of Urban Poor

Ndesanjo Macha — Thu, 02 Feb 2012 17:42:47 +0000

Rosebell discusses the plight of urban poor in Kampala, Uganda: “Right in the middle of down town Kampala is a slum called Kisenyi. It’s a place with a mix of many language spoken in Uganda, Eastern Congo, Tanzania, Rwanda, Kenya, Somalia and Ethiopia. The roughest Kampala neighbourhood I have ever been.”

Uganda: Controversy Over King of Buganda's Child Out of Wedlock

Rosebell Kagumire — Thu, 19 Jan 2012 16:24:23 +0000

On Tuesday January 17, 2012 the Buganda kingdom in Uganda announced the birth of a second son of their King (Kabaka), Ronald Muwenda Mutebi II.

The officials captured the attention of Ugandans even more when they revealed that the child was born in July last year. The announcement which has sparked controversy and mixed reactions only referred to the mother of the child by her clan name ‘Nseenene' (grasshopper).

The boy’s name is Richard Ssemakookiro. The King already had a son, Prince Jjunju Ssuuna Kiweewa. The new child is the fifth born. The controversy arose because the King duly wed in church in 1999 to Slyvia Nagginda, the Nabagereka (the Queen) of Buganda.

The Kabaka of Buganda Ronald Muwenda Mutebi with new born prince. Photo source: the official Buganda Kingdom website.

Ugandans took to social media to react to the news, some pointing to the obvious adultery while others arguing that the King has right to do whatever he wants. One sarcastic tweet in Luganda made rounds about Kabaka not using condoms:

@StoneAtwine: Ekyebeyi kya beyi, Kabaka tayambala condomu.

What is pricey is pricey. (You can't really bargain over quality). – Kabaka can’t wear a condom.

King on the sexual network?

There’s a popular advertisement currently running in Uganda. The advertisement tells people to “Get off the Sexual Network” (having more than one partner) to reduce the risk of getting HIV. So when the news of the King's son from another woman broke many tweeps like @pmagelah said it was evident that the King is on the sexual network:

@pmagelah: the flip side of #Buganda's new prince is that Someone is on the SEXUAL NETWORK and worse still hasn't used protection

Although Uganda is considered a model for Africa in the fight against HIV and AIDS, the disease has had immense consequences in the country. The government and civil society are desperately looking for new ways to put across HIV prevention messages. Public figures such as the King of Buganda are important part of the struggle against the disease.

Showing the deep-rooted and widespread acceptance of polygamy in Uganda, @pkahill says the King can get whatever woman he wants in his Kingdom:

@pkahill: The Kabaka of buganda, he is above all other things except God. He is the king, he can have what ever woman he wants it #buganda #swaziland

Discussing the subject on Facebook, Richard Kavuma asks:

TO DECLARE OR NOT TO DECLARE?
So, the palace of Buganda has announced that the Kabaka fathered a child outside wedlock. I am wondering what is more interesting: Is it the fact that it happened? Or is it the fact that the palace announced it? We have heard of presidents in East African countries who have this or that mistress or children but officially this is either never discussed or it is denied. Still, it is intriguing why Mengo announced this one. Was it a damage-managing exercise?

Who is to blame? @EdrisKisambira says it is the elite Baganda women (women from the Buganda Kingdom):

@EdrisKisambira: Seriously why the fuss about the #Kabaka? Its elite Baganda women who are kicking up a storm where there shouldn't be any @tragicanon u also

Other tweets touched on the uncomfortable position Queen Nagginda finds herself in. Nagginda and the King have one daughter together and four other children are for the Kabaka. Many arguments condemning the King center around the fact that the King married in church and that having a child out out of wedlock shows that he was breaking marriage vows. This indicates conflict between what is culturally practiced and what is religiously accepted in Uganda.

@Asinja advises the Queen:

@Asinja: When u marry a king u don't take the good things alone but even the negative ones, the royal lineage had to be saved

Another tweep says:

@jmwebaze: @primagaba @mugumya who cares abt the mama, the kingdom has a prince! LOL

Patience Akumu wonders how the Queen is supposed to feel:

I wonder how the Nnaabagereka is supposed to feel. She is the wife after all. But he ups and has a son with another woman. Once again our value comes down to our child bearing abilities (Or is it son-bearing abilities?). Onc.e again culture communicates to women that they can be ‘demoted' if they do not meet their man's every whim. I have a lot of respect for Nagginda (a very proactive Queen). But what is she supposed to do in such a situation? What is she supposed to tell the thousands of girl children who look up to her after this ‘announcement'?

@serugo thinks the King's new born is not an important issue. He does not want the news to distract Ugandans from discussing the state of economy and the country:

@serugo: Buganda “crown prince” yet another red herring? Focus people! It's 26 years since the 10-point programme became NRM's 10 plagues.

Mugumya wonders why the identity of the mother has not been revealed. In the beginning of his post he notes that the announcement was made on the Internet:

1. The announcement was made on a website and not on radio or with the sounding of drums. This is significant because I believe it’s designed to show that the old kingdom is now a modern entity.

Although the Buganda Kingdom wants to show that it is a modern entity, its treatment of women is old-fashioned:

The Kingdom PR machine is definitely positioning the kingdom as a modern entity but its treatment of women is still appalling. I know many people will be silent on this issue, fearful of angering their Baganda friends. But this needs to be said. The kingdom might be now modern but its treatment of women is still as old, as old-fashioned and as terrible and abhorring and as despicable as during the days of stone age.

Now don’t tell me about culture when you are using the internet to make an announcement so important to the future of the Kingdom. The Kingdom needs to go with the times but currently they have no regard for the mother of the young Prince, she gets no recognition other than that she comes from the Nsenene clan. She has no face, no name. She’s just an object of desire for the King. and that makes my stomach turn.

Africa: ICTs for Refugees and Displaced Persons

Onnik Krikorian — Sun, 08 Jan 2012 17:11:09 +0000

In recent weeks Global Voices has presented to its readers more examples of how citizen media is used to amplify the voices of refugees and displaced people. However, while blogs and social networking sites clearly have a role to play in empowering marginalized groups, so too do ICTs in general.

MobileActive, for example, is encouraged by the potential for mobile phones to allow refugees to not only remain in contact with loved ones, but to also more easily locate them. Attention is especially drawn to a special issue of Forced Migration Review which takes an in-depth look at the use of ICTs in this context.

Refugees in Uganda are using SMS and cellphones to reconnect with family members and close friends. Photo via MobileActive

Refugees often experience a compound trauma: The situation that caused them to flee in the first place, as well as the fact that many families become separated during migration. For refugee's health and well-being and ability to resettle, it is vital to know the whereabouts of relatives, their safety, and their ability to remain in contact. Today, mobile phones are the most important technology for refugees to find relatives and remain in contact.

The Forced Migration Review Issue 38, The Technology Issue covers technologies for refugees in particular. Two chapters shine a light on the use of mobile phones among refugees, as well as some of the problems with this tech to find and contact family member such as issues of security, and accessibility.

Deputy UN High Commissioner for Refugees T Alexander Aleinikoff provides an introduction to the special issue:

Superficially at least, today’s refugee camps do not appear significantly different from those that existed 30 or 40 years ago. Modernisation seems to have passed them by. But upon a closer look, it becomes apparent that things are changing.

Today, refugees and IDPs in the poorest of countries often have access to a mobile phone and are able to watch satellite TV. Internet cafés have sprung up in some settlements, the hardware purchased by refugee entrepreneurs or donated by humanitarian organisations such as UNHCR. And aid agencies themselves are increasingly making use of advanced technology: geographic information systems, Skype, biometric databases and Google Earth, to give just a few examples.

In one article, the example of a tracing project implemented by the Refugee Consortium of Kenya (RCK) in cooperation with Refugees United (RU) is highlighted:

In 1991 Ahmed Hassan Osman* fled the conflict in Somalia, leaving his family in Kismayu, and made his way to Kenya in search of asylum. Ahmed lived for a while in Ifo refugee camp before being resettled to Colorado in the US where he was granted full US citizenship.

In 1992, his cousin Abdulahi Sheikh arrived in Kenya in search of support. Granted refugee status, Abdulahi ended up in Dagahaley camp in Dadaab. He believed Ahmed was either in Dadaab or had been there but his efforts to find him were unsuccessful and he soon gave up hope of ever finding him. In fact, Abdulahi believed Ahmed had gone back to Somalia.

In early 2011 RCK employed Abdulahi to assist the RU project in Dagahaley refugee camp. Abdulahi registered with the tracing project and began a search for missing loved ones. Coming across a name that was familiar, he contacted the person through the RU message system. When he received a reply he realised that, after 20 years of separation and search, he had found his beloved cousin. They exchanged phone numbers and Ahmed called, breaking 20 years of silence. Today, the two keep in touch regularly and both Abdulahi and Ahmed continue to search for more friends and family members.

Of course, as MobileActive also stresses, some problems with local infrastructure remain an obstacle to the widespread adoption of such systems:

In some areas of Africa, there is no telecommunications coverage. Workshop participants commented that where it does exist, phone connections are regularly cut off, and some of them had also experienced intrusion in communication such as crossed lines. The strength of the network signal overseas is weak, and the lack of a reliable or steady source of electricity in a recipient’s country can be a major problem, although this varies by region. Growth of populations in some areas weakens network strength, due to the drain on power. Individuals may also have difficulty accessing electricity to charge their mobile phones.

[…]

Finding the best technology to use for different family members can be difficult, particularly if they themselves are displaced, because of factors such as the variety of available services, whether the family member could afford them and whether they have the skills to use them. One participant observed that the majority of their family members overseas needed to access communication technology through others. One participant described the difficulties she had in contacting her husband in a camp. She sent money to him to buy a phone but other people in the camp would also use it leaving her often waiting for hours to get in touch.

Cheap options such as email, voice-over-internet or instant messaging may not be accessible or affordable, and access to the internet in Africa is very expensive. Furthermore, displaced family members overseas may not know how to use these facilities.

From providing refugees with access to information on health and educational opportunities to using Facebook, Gmail Chat and Skype to maintain connections with family members and friends across geographical divides, the issue provides a comprehensive overview of how ICTs are being used.

Ushahidi also gets a mention in relation to the 2010 earthquake in Haiti as well as in general as it pertains to conflict, disaster and refugees. Indeed, PBS' Idea Lab takes a look at an Al Jazeera and Ushahidi collaboration to connect and empower Somalis separated by conflict and famine:

Somalia Speaks is a collaboration between Souktel, a Palestinian-based organization providing SMS messaging services, Ushahidi, Al Jazeera, Crowdflower, and the African Diaspora Institute. “We wanted to find out the perspective of normal Somali citizens to tell us how the crisis has affected them and the Somali diaspora,” Al Jazeera's Soud Hyder said in an interview.

[…]

The goal of Somalia Speaks is to aggregate unheard voices from inside the region as well as from the Somalia diaspora by asking via text message: How has the Somalia Conflict affected your life? Responses are translated into English and plotted on a map. Since the launch, approximately 3,000 SMS messages have been received.

[…]

For Al Jazeera, Somalia Speaks is also a chance to test innovative mobile approaches to citizen media and news gathering.

In October 2010, MobileActive also profiled a mobile-based project implemented by Refugees United in Uganda with the support of Ericsson, UNHCR and the Omidyar Network, noting that one blog called it “the social network that is more important than Facebook.”

The Technology Issue by Forced Migration Review can be read online here.

Africa: Recapping Mighty African's 2011

Ndesanjo Macha — Thu, 05 Jan 2012 18:00:56 +0000

Mighty Africa blogs about his highlights and lowlights in 2011: “After 10 years in the USA, I returned home to Ghana. I abandoned my dream of going home with the US' money, the lure of creating impact in Ghana was too large. And I could make money doing it. The time had come.”

Africa: Startups in Africa 2011 and Beyond

Ndesanjo Macha — Wed, 04 Jan 2012 17:50:11 +0000

Erik believes that 2011 was a great year for startups in Africa: “The past few years have been about building an infrastructure that improves the chances of the technology startups in Africa to succeed. Seeing this buildout in action in 2011 was exciting, but it should be recognized for what it really was: a setup for 2012 and beyond.”

African Bloggers React To UNESCO's Admission Of Palestine

Patricia Worth — Sat, 03 Dec 2011 14:44:19 +0000

[All links lead to French language pages except when otherwise noted]

The admission of Palestine as a full member of UNESCO on 31 October 2011 has prompted an intense debate, with people taking very different stands. Africans from the continent as well as the diaspora have also taken an active part in the debate online. However, whether they agreed or disagreed with Palestine's admission to UNESCO, the different sides have often projected the debate onto the internal problems of their own countries.

UNESCO admits Palestine. Photo by Salaam Shalom on Flickr (CC BY-NC-SA 2.0)

The site ouestaf.com reveals which African countries abstained from voting:

Trois pays ouest africains figurent dans le lot des abstentionnistes : Côte d’Ivoire, Liberia, Togo. Ils constituent avec le Cameroun, l’Ouganda, la Zambie et le Rwanda les seuls pays africains à n’avoir pas voté en faveur de la résolution faisant de Palestine un Etat membre à part entière de l’Unesco.

Three West African countries figure among the non-voters: Ivory Coast, Liberia and Togo. With Cameroon, Uganda, Zambia and Rwanda, these three are the only African countries to have voted against the resolution to make Palestine a full member state of UNESCO.

Each of the countries that chose to abstain gave its official reasons, which bloggers then quickly tore apart. The site amaizo.info published an article giving valid reasons for most of the countries:

En réalité, ces pays ont en commun d’assurer une partie de leur sécurité rapprochée jusqu’au niveau des gardes présidentielles avec Israël sans compter les aides économiques.

Ces « neutralistes » se cachent derrière l’obligation de réserve au lieu d’expliquer qu’ils sont tous directement ou indirectement tributaires du soutien des pays qui ne veulent pas entendre parler d’un Etat Palestinien pour le moment. Nommons Israël, les Etats-Unis, le Canada et la Colombie, etc. La France a voté en faveur de l’adhésion de la Palestine à l’UNESCO, mais annonce qu’elle s’abstiendra au Conseil de Sécurité.

In reality, these countries have a common purpose in ensuring part of their security, up to the level of presidential guards, with Israel, not counting economic aid.

The ‘neutral ones' hide behind the duty to preserve secrecy, instead of explaining that they are all directly or indirectly dependent on the support of countries that, for the moment, don't want to hear about a Palestinian state. Just to name some: Israel, the United States, Canada, Colombia etc. France voted in favour of Palestine joining UNESCO, but announced that it would abstain from the Security Council.

Explaining the position of Ivory Coast, the only African country run by a Muslim president to have opted for abstention, S. Débailly writes in an article entitled “Palestine in UNESCO / Ivory Coast abstains from voting - Why Alassane Ouattara didn't say yes to Nicolas Sarkozy”, published by abidjan.net:

Une source au ministère d’Etat, ministère des Affaires étrangères reconnaît que la pression a été forte. Mais, ajoute-t-elle, elle est restée fidèle à sa nouvelle ligne de conduite dictée par la recherche de la paix par la négociation et la volonté de préserver les amitiés avec tous les Etats du monde. Un peu comme la philosophie diplomatique du père fondateur [Félix Houphouët-Boigny], à savoir : ‘’la Côte d’Ivoire, amie de tous, ennemie de personne’’.

A source in the state ministry, the Foreign Affairs ministry, acknowledges that the pressure has been strong. But, she adds, Ivory Coast has remained faithful to her new line of conduct dictated by the search for peace through negotiation and the desire to preserve friendships with all the world's governments. A bit like the diplomatic philosophy of the founding father (Félix Houphouët-Boigny), that is, “Ivory Coast, friend of all, enemy of no one”.

But Roch Tieh, a resident of Sétif in Morocco, commenting on that article, has quite a different explanation, more personal, for President Abdourahmane Dramane Ouattara (ADO):

Loin de partager l'avis de la plupart des frères qui sont intervenus sur ce sujet, j'ai une autre vision de la chose. Je risque de choquer certains, mais pour ceux qui me voient souvent prendre position pour ADO, je dirai ici (Sans en avoir la preuve) que le vote de notre Pays a été influencé, par la Première Dame (Que je respecte beaucoup). Elle serait d'origine Juive et donc comme le dit l'Agade: Ce qui Femme veut, DIEU le veut aussi. Notre Président a demandé que notre Pays s'abstienne, si on ne peut pas voter pour l'adhésion de la Palestine à l'Unesco, il faut rester neutre. C'est sage de sa part et il n'y a pas de Palabres inutiles à la maison.

Far from sharing the advice of most of the brothers who intervened on this subject, I have a different view of things. I risk shocking some people, but for those who see me often taking a stand for ADO, I will say here (without having any proof) that our country's vote was influenced by the First Lady (for whom I have a lot of respect). She would be of Jewish origin, thus as Agade says: What Woman wants, GOD also wants. Our president asked that our country abstain; if we cannot vote for Palestine to become a member of UNESCO, we must remain neutral. For his part, it's wise; there'll be no endless, useless discussions at home.

A story written by Alain Noah Awana of the journal Le Messager (The Messenger) on cameroon-info.net agrees with the previous analysis on why Cameroon also abstained:

Joint sur son téléphone portable alors qu'il se trouvait à Paris, le Pr. Messanga Nyamding donne les trois raisons qui, selon lui, ont poussé le Cameroun sur la voie de l'abstention….En filigrane, on peut comprendre que le pays a choisi la neutralité pour ne pas attirer les foudres de la communauté internationale, notamment celles des Etats-Unis. Deuxièmement, il se pourrait que le Cameroun ait voulu éviter de «frustrer» un pays ami. Là, le professeur parle d'Israël, qui était formellement opposé à l'admission de la Palestine à l'Unesco. «Le Cameroun a de très bonnes relations avec Israël, sur les plans économique et militaire. C'est un partenaire privilégié que nous n'avons pas voulu frustrer», argue-t-il. Enfin, et c'est la troisième raison, la position du Cameroun tient lieu du fait que c'est un pays très attaché aux groupes du tiers monde et des non alignés. «Nous avons donc choisi la voie du milieu, en attendant qu'il y ait visibilité. Et c'est d'ailleurs ce que le chef de l'Etat a toujours prôné», appuie-t-il.

Calling from his mobile phone while he was in Paris, Professor Messanga Nyamding gave three reasons which, according to him, drove Cameroon along the abstention path … It is implicit that we understand that this country chose neutrality in order not to attract angry responses from the international community, particularly the United States. Secondly, it might be that Cameroon wanted to avoid ‘frustrating' a friendly country. Here, the professor is talking about Israel, which was formally opposed to admitting Palestine to UNESCO. “Cameroon has very good relations with Israel, on economic and military levels. It's a special relationship that we don't want to trample on,” he argues. Finally, the third reason is that Cameroon's position is a substitute for the fact that it's a country that's very attached to third world and non-aligned groups. “So we have chosen the middle road, while waiting for things to become clearer. And this is, may I add, what the head of state has always advocated,” he insists.

These explanations don't seem to convince Massaknowall, who makes the following remarks in the comment section:

La garde rapprochée de Biya est formée par les israëliens ceci explique peut-être cela tout simplement

Biya's bodyguard is composed of Israelis; perhaps this might be a simpler explanation.

In a comment on a story by Justin Daboné, entitled “Palestine in UNESCO: Those American anti-democrats”, which appeared on the online site for L'Observateur Paalga in Burkina Faso, a reader named Osiris wrote, addressing President Obama:

vous devez user de votre influence pour amener les durs d' Israel à mettre un peu d'eau dans leurs vins§ beaucoup d'Israeliens ont payé de leur vie et idem pour les palestiniens ! Il est temps de donner un état à ce peuple.

You have to use your influence to bring the tough guys from Israel to put a little water in their wine. A lot of Israelis have paid with their life and ditto for the Palestinians! It's time to give this people a state.

Clive Chanda finds another reason for Zambia's abstention [en]:

… in 1991, several Jewish Rabbis, came to Zambia, and held a press conference at one of the top hotels in Lusaka, I forget which one. At this conference, they said that God Almighty had told them that there was a lost tribe of Jews in northern Zambia.

Another comment by Yambayamba published on zambianwatchdog.com draws conclusions [en] which sum up the point of view of many Africans:

Palestinians have suffered long enough. Telling Israel this truth does not mean, or should it ever be interpreted as being ANTI JEWISH. Good friends tell friends the truth. Sometimes truth is hard to hear, but it is the truth nonetheless. Because for how long are the Israelis going to sustain the current existing “status quo” between them and their neighbors, the Palestinians? The earlier they deal with this issue, the less physical and psychological damage it is going to cause to future generations in that part of the world.

Uganda: Soldiers for Peace or Oil?

Ndesanjo Macha — Wed, 02 Nov 2011 17:57:00 +0000

What to most Ugandans think about the deployment of US soldiers to Uganda to help stamp out the Lord’s Resistance Army?: “They think what they are actually here to do is secure for their country Uganda’s newly found oil.”

Uganda: LRA Survivor Bears Witness

Ndesanjo Macha — Thu, 20 Oct 2011 16:24:07 +0000

Lord's Resistance Army survivor in Uganda bears witness: “Evelyn Apoko survived the Lords Resistance Army [LRA]. Here she responds to those who are stupidly misinformed and who have criticised President Obama’s decision to deploy 100 US troops to try to end the LRA’s war and capture Joseph Kony.”

Uganda: Heartbroken Ugandans Discuss Failure to Make a Comeback to Continental Tournament

Rosebell Kagumire — Fri, 14 Oct 2011 15:25:44 +0000

Next year’s African Cup of Nations will be missing many giants in African soccer like Algeria, Egypt, Nigeria, Cameroon and South Africa but last weekend’s deciding match between Uganda and Kenya was much harder for Ugandans to take in.

The were top of the table as they went into the final game with their neighbours Kenya and they needed a home win to seal their place, the first time they would have done so since 1978.

The expectations were high as Ugandans looked to their team The Cranes to break the 33 year jinx. Ugandans were looking to the stadium to show their nationalism and pride but the day before the match in Kampala, Uganda’s crucial striker and Scottish Premier league club Hearts player David Obua was controversially booted from the camp. Obua’s was ejected out of the national team after he refused to meet with President Museveni who had called on the team at their last training. The decision left many in disbelief.

That evening before the game Obua announced his resignation from the national team and pointed out the fact that Uganda government officials were not supportive of the game but they were only waiting for moments like these for photo opportunities. Before the President visited the Cranes camp, Uganda’s Prime Minister Amama Mbabazi and the First son Col. Muhoozi Kainerugaba had visited the team and pledged thousands of dollars.

For a whole week Ugandans used Twitter to share news and give morale to their team. The hashtags #UgandaCranes and #WeGo were used. On Saturday October 8, on the eve of the anniversary of their 49th independence, many Ugandans were in tears as their dream of making a comeback to the continent’s tournament were crashed after a nil-nil draw with Kenya. Kenyans had come to Uganda with little to lose and not much to gain.

Heart-broken Ugandan wearing Uganda Cranes jersey. Image courtesy of echwaluphotography.wordpress.com/.

The game also had edgy political issues as the Prime Minister of Kenya Raila Odinga was in attendance. The Kenyan fans kept on chanting Migingo, a disputed island on the border with Uganda in Lake Victoria.

@Maureenagena said that whoever would win would take Migingo Island:

Funny that `Whoever wins takes migingo Island` #wego #ugandacranes

Ugandans partly blamed their failure to score on the absence of Obua and the Federation of Uganda Football Association (FUFA) management. Ugandans were heartbroken and those who went to Twitter discussed the lost opportunity. @Elirri said unless Ugandan politics which acts as distraction is addressed, Uganda will not go for the continental tournament.

@joydoreenbiira said the problem internal wrangles within the national team management:

@obed247 #UgandaCranes has got internal wrangles that in one way or another were sprout by #ObuaSuspension #ItsTime2digDirt out #JustSaying

In the wake of the defeat a Facebook group called “THROW MULINDWA AND HIS GROUP OUT OF FUFA” was created calling for the resignation of the FUFA (Federation of Uganda Soccer Association) management. Members are also busy discussing the reasons why Uganda lost.
Mpiima M David said:

When you see a formerly party animal keep indoors, just know they have hanged their dancing shoes, Mulindwa has failed to deliver and we MUST get rid of him

Shawn Mubiru said that Football administrators in Uganda didn’t pay attention to the game but rather the money that politicians were giving them head of the game:

The administrators of football never thought about the game but the cash they made through abusing the process of ticketing and also the donation from individual political leaders. That is why team morale and togetherness was abused.

The focus shifted from qualification to how much each one will be getting at the end of the day. No wonder I hear one delegate was found selling tickets at the gate at 35k each!

Samuel W'Mugeni said Ugandan fans have two options:

Colleagues, the next General Assembly of FUFA comes in 2013, we therefore have two options, wait until 2013 to throw out Mulindwa and his group OR Find a SHORT CUT. Now what could that short cut be ????

Jose Irumba questioned the ejection of David Obua:

You image those goons didn't know that since 2006 Uganda Cranes has never scored a goal with out Obua on pitch.

Who bewitched them?:

Am reliably informed that the goons are organizing a press conference this afternoon during which they want to officially disband some professionals like Obua. I wonder who bewitched these clowns.

Uganda: Breaking a 33 Year Jinx

Ndesanjo Macha — Fri, 07 Oct 2011 14:04:14 +0000

Ugandans are anxiously waiting to make a comeback in African football: “Today, Kampala is very colourful. Lately it’s only this colourful on events like these. It’s two days before Uganda ‘celebrates’ it’s 49 years after independence but those years seem to mean nothing much this friday as Uganda plays Kenya tomorrow October 8. This game means so much for Ugandans. It has been 33 years we have have waited to make a come back to the African Nations Cup.”

Update on Global Voices Mentorship: Meet the Activists

Leila Nachawati Rego — Sat, 24 Sep 2011 07:01:03 +0000

For over a month, ten Global Voices bloggers have been working with activists from ten different countries as mentors of members of the new Blogger Swarm of Activista, the youth network of international development organization ActionAid. The mentorship focusses on blogging, networking and online capacity building.

Members of the Activista Blogger Swarm (pictured here) are each working with a Global Voices mentor

In a previous post we introduced all the participants, and now we would like to invite you to find out more about the activists involved, via the Activista Youtube channel. Here's Kodili, from Uganda, sharing why she became an activist, her motivations and her expectations of the Blogger Swarm project:

Follow the Swarm!

The Blogger Swarm aims to put youth at the forefront of the discussion about food and climate justice, the issues on which the activists involved are focusing their individual work and research.

With the help of Global Voices mentors they are working on their blogging skills while getting more comfortable with using digital tools for collaborative work and online networking. Here is a list of some of their latest blog posts:

Awa Njie (Gambia) | Overcoming global hunger and poverty - smallholder women farmers are the key players
David Habba (Nigeria) | “I will never be a farmer!”
Anajana Luitel (Nepal) | Is our education reproducing gender norms?
Benadette Chandia Kodili (Uganda) | Waste is wealth
Emilia Jomalinis (Brazil) | Try a kitchen garden
Hannah Moloney (Australia) | Hats Off to Small Farmers
Collins Odhiambo (Kenya) | Government's deaf ears to the hungry
Tina McPherson (Australia) | If you always do what you have always done, you WON'T always get what you have always got
Elly Ahimidiwe (Tanzania) | My father, the feminist
Afrin Chowdhury (Bangladesh) | Blogger Swarm and me
Loyiso Zweni (South Africa) | Why my friends do not want to be farmers

To stay updated subscribe to the Blogger Swarm blog or follow our mentors and mentees list on Twitter.

Thanks for supporting this initiative!

Uganda: Anti-Museveni Author Freed After Five Days

Rosebell Kagumire — Thu, 22 Sep 2011 08:12:11 +0000

The Ugandan government has freed the author of a book who was imprisoned for five days without access to his lawyers or family. Vincent Nzaramba’s little known book People Power, Battle the Mighty General called for a coup and a revolution in the country, thrusting the little known activist into the spotlight.

Many netizens have exchanged the publication via social media sites since police arrested Nzaramba on Saturday 17 September, 2011. During his arrest the police seized over 200 copies of the book.

Nzaramba is a former leader at Uganda’s oldest university, Makerere; he stood for a parliamentary seat in the February general elections and also runs a blog that features his views on how to stage a non-violent revolution. In his book Nzaramba calls for an uprising like the ones that engulfed the North African countries early this year and saw the demise of the regimes in Tunisia, Egypt and Libya.

Book cover: People Power, Battle the Mighty General

Uganda has experienced demonstrations in the last few months over the rising cost of living which saw ten people shot dead in the streets of Kampala in April and May. The government has increasingly made it difficult for opposition groups to hold rallies, the latest being an anti-Gaddafi demonstration.

Nzaramba’s book is only the latest to catch the government's eye. Last year the authorities tried to blocked Dr Olive Kobusingye's book The Correct Line, another anti-Museveni publication. President Museveni has been in power since 1986 and ‘life after Museveni' discussions are common in the national media and online forums.

Online reactions

A Facebook group was formed to call for Vincent Nzaramba’s release. Some on the group page called him a prisoner of conscience and over 800 people have joined in support.

Morris P'LORENG'A comments:

While we end the day, we should never forget Vincent Nzaramba who may be facing serious physical and psychological torture in the hands of the murderous NRM regime.

James William Mugeni indicates that the soft copies of the book are already accessible out of the city where the arrest took place:

Interseting [interesting] that online copies are a vailabe [available] we have then upcountry already.”THE MAN IS FINISHED”

Steven Mukuma emphasises what the Minister of Information told the press - that the police had used excessive force in the arrest of Nzaramba:

Yes i think thr ws excessive force imposed on vincent as rightly pt by karooro okurut ystdy. I dnt need 2 repeat wht sh said. So cn he pls enjoy constitutional rights en th rules of natural justice as any othr citizen?

Enx Nux says the arrest can only expose the weakness of the government:

its unfortunate but gud on the other hand as its the only way govt can display its cruck edges hence calling upon the ready on es to relieve them from burden. I get smile every de as govt continues to expose its lines off weakness but the same smile disappears if none is ready to unite 4 one ug. Let get focused & keep our ambitions high to rescue this country.

Nina Mbabazi wonders how the charge of inciting violence on Nzaramba can hold:

Nzaramba Vincent who has just been freed on bond, wrote a book that some have circulated on facebook and I can clearly see he hates M7s guts. But inciting violence? Did he call for the death of anyone Al Shabaab style? This must be the best publicity stunt for his book because most of us would not have read it.

Ugandan journalist Don Wanyama wonders on his Facebook page why the government is jittery about books given with the country’s poor reading culture; however, the book is available online which has made it easy for many social media users to access and read.

Uganda: LGBTI Human Rights Defender Receives Kennedy Award

Haute Haiku — Wed, 21 Sep 2011 08:37:39 +0000

Frank Mugisha, a Ugandan LGBTI (lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and intersex) human rights defender has been selected for the 2011 Robert F. Kennedy Human Rights Award. He has been commended for his work in the LGBTI community especially in Uganda. Mugisha is the Executive Director of Sexual Minorities Uganda (SMUG), an umbrella organisation that protects and recognises LGBTI people in the country.

Ugandan LGBTI activist, Frank Mugisha. Image taken from Twitter (@frankmugisha).

Frank Mugisha, a prominent young advocate for the rights of sexual minorities in Uganda, has been chosen to receive the prestigious Robert F. Kennedy Human Rights Award. Mr. Mugisha is the Executive Director of Sexual Minorities Uganda (SMUG), a leading organization of the lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and intersex (LGBTI) movement in the East African country.In Uganda, LGBTI organizations operate in a dangerously hostile climate, and Mr. Mugisha is one of the few openly gay LGBTI activists. As a spokesperson for the movement, he amplifies the voice of one of the most vulnerable groups in the country.

“Frank Mugisha's unbending advocacy for gay rights in Uganda in the face of deep-rooted homophobia is a testament to the indomitability of the human spirit,” said RFK Human Rights Award Judge Dean Makau Mutua, Professor of Law and Dean of the University at Buffalo Law School (SUNY).

The Robert F. Kennedy Center for Justice and Human Rights established the Award in 1984 to recognise activists and support authors and journalists working for the advancement of human rights:

The Robert F. Kennedy Human Rights Award was established in 1984 to honor courageous and innovative individuals striving for social justice throughout the world. Each year, the RFK Center awards an individual whose courageous activism is at the heart of the human rights movement and in the spirit of Robert Kennedy.

Frank Mugisha has significantly contributed to advancing gay rights in Uganda, a country which earlier this year has seen the proposal of the controversial anti-gay bill and the assault and murder of the late David Kato, another famous gay activist.

Mugisha runs Sexual Minority Uganda (SMUG), a gay center in capital Kampala comprised of two member organisations: Integrity Uganda, which tackles the crucial integration of identity and religion amongst LGBTI Ugandans, and Icebreakers Uganda, which focuses more on research and youth issues.

Our Vision: A liberated LGBTI people of Uganda.
Our mission: is to oversee and support member organizations to achieve their objectives aimed at LGBTI liberation.
As a coalition, we focus on advocacy and coordination of efforts by local and international bodies.

Mrs. Robert F. Kennedy and Senator John Kerry, Chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, will present Frank Mugisha with his award in Washington, D.C., on November 10.