WE SHOULD SERVE OUR COUNTRY JANET MUSEVENI

EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW WE SHOULD SERVE OUR COUNTRY- JANET MUSEVENI Moses Sserwanga interviewed Mrs. Janet Museveni ,the Minister of Karamoja and MP for Ruhaama constituency to get her views about transforming a hitherto isolated ,neglected karamoja region and what motivates her to serve in her various roles. Below are excerpts of the interview conducted at State House Nakasero . 1. Ques : Hon.Minister it’s a year since you were appointed a full minister in charge of Karamoja by President Yoweri Museveni. What are the major challenges you have confronted in your concerted effort to develop the region and how have you overcome those challenges? First Lady :The major challenges we have met since I started my work were; first the state of hopelessness among the people. The people had sort of given up hope -to ever improve their lot and that alone made it difficult to have anything done in Karamoja. They didn’t believe anymore that anything could possibly be done to make their lives better. Secondly the poverty levels were very high that drove the population to resort to stealing cattle which was the only source of wealth they know. In time they got into trade in guns and small arms which brought the security situation into a full blown war. Therefore, nobody wanted to go to work in Karamoja either in Local Government administration or to take contracts on road network or education or Health sector. Therefore everything bad resulted into another and the situation was as bad as it could be. Since I started working there, with God’s help we have worked with UPDF and Police to try to re- establish sanity in the region. The President, Yoweri Museveni had already launched the Disarmament exercise which was ongoing and we brought on board the elders of Karamoja to help in the sensitization of communities on peace and how important maintaining it really is for the rest of the work to begin. I am happy to tell you now that peace is 90% normalized in Karamoja. Even though we still get some thefts here and there of one or two cows, perhaps of household items such as plates, cups, jerrycans and basins etc but major cattle rustling and loss of life will soon be a thing of the past. Because of that, its becoming relatively easy for people to go to Karamoja to work. The Local Governments are now recruiting civil servants. In Education we are building classrooms, In the Health sector we are training nurses and midwives and slowly we think those problems which were roadblocks to development are getting tackled and serious work is being done in every sector. 2. I was in Karamoja recently compiling information about government performance that was published in the Local Government handbook . The Karamoja local leaders I interviewed were generally grateful for your service to the region . What motivates you to offer leadership in transforming a region which has until the NRM regime, been neglected for so long? I’m motivated to work in Karamoja because I know that Uganda is my homeland. It’s the only home I have on the face of the globe. And it’s my duty -just like I believe that it’s a duty of every Ugandan to improve every part of Uganda. We must work to ensure that Uganda can become an interesting place to visit instead of us admiring other countries and thinking that our own country is not interesting, it’s not developed. If we don’t do that work ourselves, Uganda will never become better. Besides, those countries we look at and admire have been beautified by their own people. So it’s up to us to work and ensure that Uganda becomes better and that means every part of Uganda, every corner of Uganda- so that the next generation which will come after us will find a better place to live and work. And the fact that Karamoja has been isolated and left behind makes me know somebody has to be willing to take the lead because, it needs our support. So if there is anything that I can do to make Karamoja a better place then I must do it and that’s what motivates me. 3. What do you consider to be the major problem that has impeded development in Karamoja for all this long and what are your recommendations to resolve this problem in the long term? The problems that I have highlighted above . People looked at those problems and thought they could not be solved . But this government was determined to change every part of Uganda and give our people a chance to prosper and that’s why we have also tackled the problems of Karamoja. As you can see, with God’s help, Karamoja has changed and it’s going to give a chance to the children of Karamoja to become proud of where they come from and to also know that they are part of Uganda. But it will take dedication, determination and a lot of hard work. I think Karamoja is on the way to change for ever and it will not be referred to as that place which is unreachable or inaccessible and hard to reach. Yes. We shall continue to have some challenges but as we continue to build on the foundation we have laid -I think Karamoja will become a better place. If you think about building a house you must always start with a foundation. We have now put in place that foundation and on it we continue to build every year. And that’s how every nation develops. When you know that you have a strong foundation ; you know you have security , that people have food , you know they have water for their animals and that they can live and work- then every year you improve on what you are doing and life continues to get better. 4. As Minister for Karamoja Affairs, what has been your contribution to the development of that region, what is the impact so far and what pertinent challenges remain? I believe you hear about the pastoralist life-style of Karamoja but pastoralism is not synonymous with nomadism. The nomadic way of life has not only been about the Karamojong. There were many cultures in this country that had that same lifestyle in the past. And Kiruhura district in particular had a similar culture – the people lived a nomadic life. They were purely cattle keepers also but they changed. They settled down. They built homes, they send their children to school ,they grow food and they changed the breed of cattle they keep so now they have diary animals and along with them they have milk to sell for income and their life has changed forever. Now they are aspiring for modern farming which is what happens in all other parts of the world. Karamoja therefore, can also change and that’s what we hope to see in future. Now if the Karamojong have pasture and water for their animals and safe water for their own domestic use; they don’t have to roam around to get those resources. In the past they were justified to move in search of pastures for their animals and water in the dry seasons and being fed by World Food Programme and other agencies and there was no way they could settle down in one place. But now there are valley dams which have been built to provide water for animals and boreholes to supply clean water for domestic use. We are also working with the Ministry of Agriculture to train veterinary doctors who will be available to treat animals; we are also working with them to grow their own food. So we think that now the people of Karamoja have no reason to move around. They can now settle down, allow the children to get education. In time they can even learn the modern methods of saving hay for their animals in the dry season instead of burning it down. So that animals can be assured of pastures all the year round, and that way communities will prosper. We are also piloting on a project to build modern manyattas (small permanent houses). These do provide secure dwelling places for the people. Instead of the grass thatched where thieves would enter at leisure now the Karamojong know that really in order to talk about peace, recovery and development (PRDP) then they too need to be able to sleep at night in peace without anticipating some night time raid and loss of life. The Karamojong are excited about building these homes that cement their hope that truly peace has come at last and come to stay. So we think that’s the way to go. And don’t forget the movement government’s strategy of prosperity is all encompassing. It includes all parts of the country, all cultures of Uganda. Every human being has that human need to lead a decent life. And of course it takes a lot of hard work. It takes time but if we all work towards that goal, we believe that all our people can prosper and that’s what we are doing in Karamoja. 5. How would you describe your working relationship with the leadership in Karamoja especially the MPs about the Karamoja development strategy? Our working relationship is good. You may have one out of ten members of Parliament who is unreliable, undependable or erratic. But the nine out of ten are good people. We are cooperating. We know that we are all called to serve and we are doing exactly that. 6 .There are also some claims from the general public that the region is over subscribed- in terms of the government development programmmes because of your position and that some of the money being channeled for development activities in the region has been stolen by government officials –what’s your take on that? I think that is not true. People don’t know that Karamoja is a big region. Many people who have not been to Karamoja think that it’s just one district. Karamoja region has seven districts and we spilt the little resources we get in all the seven districts. We have had if you like, some affirmative action from our development partners. They are also building on the government efforts to develop Karamoja. But when people see so many people going to Karamoja to help with the development work we are undertaking, they think it’s oversubscribed - but that’s not true. We must always acknowledge that Karamoja is coming from way way back in time and in order for Karamoja to come close to where the rest of Uganda is , it requires affirmative action in every sector. And so, I’am grateful if we can have additional resources but it’s not so much more than elsewhere. And Ugandans should really begin to wish Karamoja all the blessing it can get because it deserves it. And about Government officials stealing some of the money, yes of course even in Karamoja the cancer of corruption is there but we are fighting it just as we are doing everywhere. 7.How would you describe the efforts of the government in which you serve towards improvement of maternal health to meet the recommendations of the Millennium Development Goals? I know that we still have many challenges in that area of maternal health. But I also know that a lot of work is going on and a lot of campaign is being made to help women in rural areas have health facilities where they can deliver their babies, to have antenatal care, have more midwives and sufficient doctors etc. . So it is true that we still have these challenges in our pursuit for better services but we are working on it. 8.The people I talked to in the region were particularly happy about your personal -down to earth involvement in addressing issues that directly affect the ordinary wanainchi –such as provision of safe water – we now have dams in the region and mobile education learning clinics – in your view how long will some of these government interventions bridge the development gap between Karamoja and the rest of the country? I think it will take us maybe a decade to get to a level where we can compete with the rest of Uganda or to be at the average level with the rest of the country. Because as we speak, the poverty levels are still very high in Karamoja. The nutrition levels are very low, malnutrition levels are very high. The sanitation levels are very poor and so we still have a lot of work to do. And some distance to go before we can catch up with the rest of the country. 9.What strategies does government have for ensuring the development of the girl child , women and other vulnerable groups through affirmative action in Karamoja region ? Well, education in Karamoja has not been successful because of the nomadic way of life. Children could not go to school in the past. But even now, children cannot easily go to school even when we have Universal Primary and Secondary Education. In Karamoja, given the high level of poverty, children couldn’t get the basic requirements from their families like uniforms; scholastic materials to enable them go to school. It’s been a challenge to them. And if they attempted to go to school they could not stay there for long. So what we have decided to do, is to try out a pilot project with some schools both primary and secondary. We are turning them into boarding schools and equipping them with the basic requirements like uniforms , beddings and scholastic materials and anything else that a student would ideally need both from their parents and the schools. We believe this approach to education in Karamoja will empower children to go to school and stay there. And this program is for both boys and girls. So we are going to pilot it and see how it works and if it’s successful we shall then spread it out to the rest of the region. 9.Can you share with the rest of the country how in this relatively short period of time you have managed to create a positive impact in transforming the lives of the people of Karamoja? We prayed as if there was no other option . We worked extremely hard and we involved all the stakeholders in the region. A combination of those three has helped us reach to a level where people are noticing the positive change in Karamoja region. 10 .What do you have to say about the development partners who have stood by us to ensure pacification and improving the welfare of the people of Karamoja? Our partners in development –those who work along side us , I salute them. I salute them on behalf of our people and government . And I tell them that we are building a global village in today’s world . I encourage them to continue with their support to create a positive impact in our communities. 11.In which ways has your involvement in active politics shaped your vision for Uganda? Do you see the country differently from the way you saw it before seeking political office? When I joined active politics I confirmed my suspicion that Uganda is not as poor as some people wanted us to believe. If we can be honest and we put all the resources we have to right use, our country would be far in terms of development. 12.What legacy do you want to leave once you are out of public life? (how do you want to be remembered?) I want to be remembered as someone who made a difference in people’s lives wherever I served. That’s my prayer. 13.And how do you balance your four major roles as minister , Member of Parliament , First Lady and your extended family ? That’s a good question. I Plan for all that I do. I always have a programme for my week’s work in order to ensure efficiency in any role I am called upon to play: I strictly keep to that programme and I always leave the weekends out for my family. Even though I know that I cannot seriously say that I have sufficient time to distribute around but then who does? 14.Your last word ? God bless you. But wait, we must thank God that He has given us the energy and life to serve our country. I thank you for the work you are doing to provide positive information for the people of Uganda to know the good things happening in their country. I think this is a calling for all of us. Your generation and the next ones; you must seize this unique opportunity to serve your country -to make it a better place for all Ugandans. THANK YOU msserwanga@gmail.com

SERVICE TO MY COUNTRY

SERVICE TO MY COUNTRY Back in the day, I was embedded with the then most feared Uganda People’s Defence Force (UPDF) fighting unit –the battle hardened , crack mobile, 3rd battalion, commanded by the late (RIP) Major Sula Ssemakula “Suicide” . I covered the Allied Democratic Forces (ADF) rebellion in western Uganda for four years (1996-2000) and there were battles fought in kyaka , Fort Portal ,Bunyangabu, Buryaha, in the then vast Kabarole district;to Kamwenge to Mbarara to Kanungu and then the mountainous areas of Kasese and Bundibugyo; to Hoima , Masindi, Mubende and Kibale. We ended up in Eastern DRC Congo where we encountered the bloody battles of Kisangani mojja and Kisangani mbirri. The rebels attacked katojo prisons in Fort Portal ,killed and released prisoners, attacked and killed close to 100 students at Kichwamba Technical Institute in Kabarole, cut off Bundibugyo , Bwera and Mponde border areas . They maimed , rapped ,defiled women and girls and killed hundreds of innocent civilians- raiding villages and displacing hundreds of thousands of people. But they (rebels)were still defeated. The war on the Ugandan side ended around 2000 and I headed back to my employer- The New Vision’s headquarters in the Capital Kampala and was appointed Editor in charge of rural news. I later went on to serve in the same capacity at the Daily Monitor . I also edited the Saturday and Sunday Monitor (2004-2010) after the ‘big walk out at NV’ in May 2004 (which changed the media landscape in Uganda forever) led by Conrad Nkutu and JB Wasswa, who became the Managing Director and Managing Editor at the Monitor (that equally important institution for free , independent private media), respectively. We were the first ‘outsiders’ to serve at Daily Monitor after the founders ,Wafula Ogutu, David Balikowa, Kevin Aliro, Richard Tebere,Charles Onyango Obbo and Jimmy Serugo were bought out by the Nation group,(that is another rich long story to be told another day.) I would like to recognize the following Afandes among others , ( named not necessarily in order of seniority ) who participated in the fight to end the ADF rebellion and allowed me the freedom to tell the story the way I saw it at the battle field. Afande Yoweri Kaguta Museveni, Afande Maj.Sula Ssemakula Suicide (RIP), I directly worked under his command, Afande Jet Mwebaze (RIP) was the first senior UPDF commander to take me to the war frontline, Afande Katumba Wamala, afande Salim Saleh, Afande Charles Angina, afande James Kazini (RIP), Afande Nobel Mayombo (RIP), Afande Kahinda Otafiire, afande Nathan Mugisha, afande Muhanga, Afande David Kaboyo, afande Richard Edyegu (he suffered severe injuries and his leg was amputated after he was hit by a landmine at the Kasese officers mess), afande Stephen Masiga (RIP), Afande Charles Owor ( oba where he?), afande Walter Ochola (RIP), afande Balikudembe Kileju (headed the then PPU now in private practice), afande Abbas Byakagaba (now commanding the Oil Police protection unit he was then regional police special branch commander western Uganda ), afande shaban Bantaliza, afande Abbey Kisubi, afende Andew Muzira, afande Maj. Kibowa, afande , maj.Kawesi, afande Muhesi, afande Tumukunde. I also salute comrades in the journalism profession who joined me to carry the story forward but first to my editors at the time, again NOT in order of seniority : William Pike, Sam Serwanga, Hellen Mukiibi, Ben Ochan, JB Wasswa, John Kakande, Ikebesi Ocole Omoding ,Barbra Kaija, Paul Nsereko (RIP), Robinnah Basalirwa, Adyeri Kanyeihe, Ben Opolt, Wange M,Joacim Buwembo, Ben Bella , Epaja Ejelu, Rosemary Kemigisha and Rev Sam Adido . And the war reporters and editors ; Grace Matsiko NV, Emmy Aliro NV , DM ‘s Kevin Aliro, (RIP) ,Richard Tebere (RIP) of the Maama and Baba Pajero fame, Photo journalists, Arthur Kintu ( you remember when the mambas were first deployed to Bundibugyo and we took and survived an RPG enemy fire), Cranmer Mugerwa (RIP), James Akena ,Peter Busomoke, Jimmy Adriko, Linda Nabusayi (you remember moving in the ‘bufallo’ in the chilly Bundibugyo mountains), John B Nzijah, John Twaite, Michael Karugaba (RIP), Kagyenda Apuuli ,BBC’s Anna Bozello, and Hassan Ali of the then BBC swahilli service (RIP). Just like Afandes, Masiga, Edyegu and many others, I too, carry scars from injuries I suffered on my left hand while on duty. We were ambushed by the rebels at a place called Sempaya just before the hot springs in Bundibugyo a few weeks into the war. We lost a couple of gallant fighters and a number were injured . But all the same, I wish every youth in this country can have the rare privilege to serve in our armed forces and show positive results for their service. That will be Patriotism at its Best. In the days to come ,I will share some of the pictures and stories which were published from the war frontline in The New Vision ,nearly 20 years ago. I also want to be inspired by comrades, Joachim Buwembo (Punishing the Messenger), Charles Onyango Obbo (Economic Gangsters: Corruption, Violence, And The Poverty,) Julius Mucunguzi ( the Story of Keeping Hope Alive) and write a book about my four years experience as a war reporter or better still, serving my country as a journalist for the last 20 years. MOSES PAUL SSERWANGA Esq. MEDIA, DEVELOPMENT COMMUNICATION CONSULTANT , TRAINER AND ADVOCATE OF THE HIGH COURT OF UGANDA msserwanga@gmail.com

THE VALUE OF NEWSPAPERS

THE VALUE OF NEWSPAPERS Some good insights about journalism and press media from my Former boss who encouarged me and gave me all the support i needed in my formative career years as a journalist. He sent me to the war frontline too- Mr. William Pike; Mr William Pike, CEO of The Star Publications in Nairobi, gave the keynote address at the inaugural Uganda National Journalism Awards. He focused on the value of newspapers in setting the agenda, defining society and recording history, and the importance of upholding the basic tenets of good journalism. “As most of you know, I run the Star newspaper in Kenya which we started in 2007 with some Kenya shareholders. However I am also the managing director of Capital Radio in Uganda which Patrick Quarcoo and I started with local shareholders in 1993. In 2000, Patrick moved to Nairobi to start Kiss FM and start our Kenyan operations. So we have done both print and electronic media, but today I will focus primarily on print because that is where, I believe, media faces its greatest challenge. I started in journalism in 1978 working on small magazines. In those days pages were made up using phototypesetting, and then plates were produced using films from ‘process cameras’. Only the printing press today is recognisable. Now we design pages on screen and output them straight to plate. The staff from Uganda Times, who I found when I came to the New Vision in 1986, harked back to an even older era – the use of hot metal to create the typefaces and blocks for the press. The New Vision even had a redundant hot metal typesetter that we sold for scrap a few years later. We have lived through a technological revolution in the last 25 years. And that revolution is not over yet. Why are newspapers important? They help us work towards the truth. There is a protocol that we follow of reporters collecting news and then being cross-checked by sub-editors and editors. That protocol is not followed on the Internet which is now the main alternative source for news, where any blogger or writer can present his or her version of events that may be true or false. We do not know. Look at the stories around the disappearance of the Malaysian Airlines plane. Probably it is under the Indian Ocean, but there are also sorts of conspiracies theories online, that the plane was hijacked by the USA and flown to Diego Garcia, etc. Those Internet stories are just opinion. The same applies to citizen journalism. Stories submitted by citizens can be a great contribution, but they only become truly valuable when they have been examined and checked by editors to confirm them, or contextualise them by attributing the source. But if a story is in the Monitor or New Vision, we assume that it is true, or likely to be true, because it is has been validated by a process, by the editors. That is important because political and social debate will be based on agreed facts that eventually some consensus will be reached. It is also important because it provides a historical record, a factual record to which future analysts can refer. For instance, recently Henry Gombya has published in his internet site, The London Evening Post, so-called confirmation that Salim Saleh ordered the killing of Andrew Kayiira in 1987. He quoted an unnamed NRA officer as his source. But in reality this is a one man story. The story has not been interrogated by anybody. How true is it? If you go back to file copies of the newspapers of the day, you will discover many mysteries that are not mentioned by Gombya. In particular, Gombya, by his own admission, had large bundles of money on his bed at the time. And he managed to escape over the gate after the attackers came to the house and killed Kayiira. At the time, the general view was that dissident members of Kayiira’s UFM were responsible. What someone now needs to do is to go back to those newspapers from 1987 and look at what were the agreed facts at the time, and to look at where they confirm or contradict Gombya’s new version of events. I believe that objective analysis of all the information will show that there is a large element of wishful thinking in Gombya’s account. Another area where it would pay to investigate past copies of newspapers is the war in the north. There are versions where academics or politicians claim this or that happened, or provoked following events. But there is an amazing amount of detail in the papers of the time, from reporters who were on the ground, including the New Vision’s late great Caroline Lamwaka, and who were close to what happened. I get annoyed reading academic treatises where there are assumptions about what happened in the past, where the writer has clearly not gone back to the newspaper archives. Someone should do that for the war in the north. Newspapers set the news agenda. Electronic media and the Internet how have greater reach but newspapers drive the news agenda (for stories other than straight news stories). It is the deep stories in print - investigations, exposes, analyses - that very often are followed up in the TV or radio news, or in discussions by bloggers. I personally don’t think newspapers will disappear completely. They provide a format where information is easily accessible. They provide in-depth news and analysis. Longer articles can be read more easily on paper than online, according to research at Columbia University. Anne Nelson tested her students and found they remembered and absorbed more from reading the same article on paper than online. Internet stories also tend to be very brief. The mindset of the Internet is brief. For in-depth stories, we will still need newspapers. But in a world of immediate, short, digital information, newspapers will become a miniroty product, read mainly by the intelligentsia, opinion leaders who are willing to pay for a more in-depth news product. That’s why the Star’s slogan is Smart People Read the Star – we are trying to position ourselves to be that thinking person’s paper in ten years time. The digital age We are now in the digital age. The highest Average Daily Sale of the New Vision was just under 40,000 for the 1996 election. Now I think it is around 30,000. We are in the electronic age and the newspaper is not the first place to turn to get your news. A huge problem with newspapers is the cost of physical distribution. The Star is a small newspaper in Kenya but it still costs us USh 180 million per month to transport it around the country. The world still needs verified, factual news stories. But that checking process costs money. The Star has a readership of its daily print newspaper of about 300,000 people, but it has over 1 million unique visitors online. Our advertising income in the print paper is around Ush1.2 billion per month, our advertising revenue on the Internet site is around Sh10 million per month. This is unworkable. The print paper is paying for the huge free readership of the Internet. At some point Internet readers must start paying for content. This conundrum is destroying newspapers around the world, although in Africa we are probably 10 years behind the digital wave and we have time to find the solution. Probably that solution is some kind of micro-charging for each story that is read. Conclusion Get a strong online news site Keep your print product going, and keep it full of quality content that readers will be prepared to pay for. We are living in a super-fast age. Keep your stories concise and full of information. People don’t have time to waste. Above all, KEEP THE FAITH. Keep producing detailed factual stories that have been cross-checked and balanced with both sides. Remember you are creating history. You are defining society. Unless journalists perform this vital task, society will lose its self-awareness, its consciousness, its sense of direction.”

MAYUGE FARMERS NOW PRODUCING FOR THE MARKET

MAYUGE FARMERS NOW PRODUCING FOR THE MARKET By Moses Sserwanga It’s been a long journey for the farmers of the remote district of Mayuge . They have had to withstand big challenges that included among others poor seed varieties, gender based violence due to mistrust among family members, poor farming methods, effects of climate challenge and the cheating middlemen who pay farmers low prices for their farm produce. Now organized in a growing farmers’ association, the Mayuge farmers who were hitherto, largely producing for the homesteads are now engaging in large scale farming and realizing positive results of their hard earned labour. They have since formed the Mayuge District Farmers Association, (MDFA) which has grown from a membership of 500 in 2000 to 20,000 to-date. Mr. Paul Ojikan the Coordinator of the Mayuga District Farmers Association who is also the Chairman of the National Soya bean Network the Association says that that the registered members work in 666 groups with 30 members each in eight sub-counties of Malongo, Kityerera, Imanyiro, Bukaboli, Buwaya, Busakira ,Kigandalo, and Mpungwe. Originally formed to provide agricultural advisory services to improve food security at household levels for the members, MDFA has now organized smallholder farmers into marketing groups which are producing cash crops for particular markets. Two main crops, particularly the soya bean and maize were promoted for large scale commercial farming after a baseline survey which was conducted in 2007. “ When farmers improved food security at the household level there was a surplus which required markets and thus the need to engage in farming as a business. But at the time, farmers faced challenges of limited access to; improved seeds , regular agricultural advisory services , lack of quality assurance facilities and reliable sustainable market for their farm produce and regular access to market information, “ Ojikan explains . So we sought for partners to help address the challenges which were hindering farmers’ productivity. “That’s why the leadership of Mayuge District Farmers’ Association made a decision to seek for support from aBi-Trust which last year gave the Association an additional Shs. 444m grant to work on maize production, value addition and collective marketing . On its part the association had to contribute shs. 160M for a piece of land where a maize mill and offices will be erected to add value to the farmers crop and coordinate the activities of MDFA, respectively , “ Ojikan said. With aBi-Trust ‘s support, , major interventions were put in place which included among others , access to improved seeds, agricultural advisory services, market information from NARO which were distributed at the group level. Extension field were also recruited to mobilise and train farmers in agronomic and post harvest handling practices . Marketing committees of 5 people were set up in each group to carry out market research so that farmers get a fair price for the agricultural produce. This offered a good opportunity for the farmers to bargain for a good price. . Between 2007-2013, at least 5,130 tons of soya beans were produced and sold by the members of the Mayuge District Farmers Association. Farmers have since been encouraged to grow maize on a large scale because the huge demand for the grain on the market. But as farmers of Mayuge engaged in large sale farming, challenges emerged which needed immediate solutions to maintain a good maize value chain. Other benefits from the aBi-Trust grant to the farmers of Mayuge include, training in agronomy, use of improved high yield maize and soya bean seeds, modern farming practices and proper utilization of farm inputs such as fertilizers and pesticides. The association has also set up demonstration sites at group levels for farmers to appreciate and apply new farming technologies and methods that will help boost soya beans and maize production. Along the maize and soya bean value chain, with the interventions supported by aBiTrust, Ojikan said the farmers have also been trained in gender related concepts where families, plan together, budget together, farm together and share the proceeds of their farm produce together. “Through the gender project , women have been given an opportunity to participate productively in agriculture to benefit both themselves and their respective families. The old traditional practices where women were neglected or their contribution to farming was not recognised are now being abandoned to ensure equality, transparency and accountability at the family level. This has greatly improved relations, reduced tensions and gender based violence and as a result boosted production and family incomes. With support from aBi-Trust and savings of the association Ojikan said that the association has acquired, computers, 3 motorcycles, digital camera, 300 tumplines , 7 moisture meters, 4 standard weighing scales, 10 driers among others. Demonstration centers have been set up where high yielding seeds are multiplied and 80% of the improved seed varieties re-distributed to farmers. Because there is increased farm produce, MDFA has had to link farmers to better markets by providing information about prices for agricultural produce on a regular basis. “ We collaborate with market service providers like Fit- Uganda, farm Gain and Agrinet to get accurate information about the prevailing market prices. This helps farmers to sell their produce at the right price and cut out the cheating middlemen,” Ojikan explains. MDFA is also emphasizing on quality assurance which involves , getting the right seeds, engaging in better farming practices and post harvest handling to ensure quality crop yields for better rewarding markets for farmers products. Indeed, MDFA has put in place structures where Community Change Agents (CCAs) who double as marketing committee members provide farmers with information on the prevailing market prices on a regular basis. Village Saving and Loan Associations , (VSLA) have also been set up to promote the culture of saving and investment among farmers. There are now 300 VSLA in Mayuge where members save and loan to each other to increase farm production. They farmers also collectively market their produce at established bulking centers and as a result have a better bargaining power which fetches them better prices Again, aBi-Trust’s support has come in handy here , with the VSLA members being trained in financial literacy on how to keep records . Each VSLA is given ledger books, a stamp, inkpad and passbooks to keep proper accounts. Through the Mainstreaming Gender in Soya Bean Value Chain project, families are trained to work Together and realize and appreciate the role of women, youths and men in sustainable agricultural production with a focus on farming as a business. But all is not rosy for the farmers of Mayuge. They still face big challenges like the effects of climate change which results in prolonged drought,. The cheating middlemen still exist and the many sugarcane plantations are a threat to food security in Mayuge. The writer is a Media and development Communications Consultant and Advocate of the High Court of Uganda mssewranga@gmail.com

Youth and Women engage in agricultural entrepreneurship in post conflict Northern Uganda

The youth and women are a critical mass for social and economic development and in the war torn northern Uganda, they are leading the recovery efforts to rebuild communities that were destroyed during the 20 year civil unrest. In the remote sub counties of Kwera and Kangai in Dokolo districtthe YouthSocial Work Association (YSA) a Ugandan Non Governmental Organization is working with 2,000 households to empower youth and women to increase their agricultural business competitiveness . The organization which was founded in 2005, according to Mr. William Osal (28), the Project Officer, promotes the welfare of children and youth . YSA is currently operating in the districts of Gulu, Pader Dokolo, Bushenyi with it’s head office in Kampala. In the 2008, YSA started working with Orphans and other vulnerable children (OVC) in Dokolo district with a focus on core programme areas of education, health, child protection, Social economic support, food and nutrition as well as care and support. Osal says YSA has since distributed goats, provided household care items, uniforms and scholastic materials to orphans and other war affected children . Training of caregivers for abandoned children was also carried out. “ While offering these services we noted that there was a big gap in business competition and gender inequalities among the youth and women in the war affected areas . So we wrote a proposal to aBi Trust to secure funds to promote business competiveness among women and youth sunflower producers to attract better markets and reliable incomes, Osal flanked with fellow youth, John Baguma (24) and Cate Alumo (26), explains . He says that the vulnerable farmers had to be trained in agricultural production and product handling that sustains buyer needs in terms of quantity and quality. The abi Trust was accepted YSA proposal and in offered a grant of shs.400m aBi Trust support beaars fruits After securing the finacial support from aBi Trust YSA has since December 2012 trained 100 women and 20 youth groups in Kwera, Knagai and Agwata sub counties in Dokolo District. At least3,600 farmers from 100 women and 20 youth groups each with 30 members in 3 sub counties in Dokolo district have been equiped with technical skills in sunflower production and marketing to sustain threshold yield and quality crop production that is attractive to targeted buyers. The farmers are also organised in groups to improve marketing of sunflower through collective bargaining . Gender mainstreaming in 3,600 sunflower growing households for better utilization of proceeds from sunflower sales hence improved livelihood of both women and men has been undertaken. And with increased incomes at the family level ,the farmers have been encouraged to set up village Savings and Loans Associations to inculcate a culture of savings and investments to stir economic development in the rural areas. The farmers have embraced the VSLAs concept and Osla says that from 120 groups savings portfolio has grown from zero to shs.260m. “ This a remarkable achievement for us . Because the farmers are now in position to plan together and budget for their resources .men and women are working together which was not the case before ,” he says. Sharon Akello, an extension work says that gender relations have greatly improved following the introduction of gender training session in the communities .“ cases of gender related violence have substantially reduced and the people are happy to work together . We have also mobilized 100 and 20 new women and youth groups for support in sunflower value chain. Farmers have also been trainedin entrepreneurship, business development, negotiation skills, making of records and collective business plans“ akello stated. Because farmers are organised in groups , 480 pre-season planning meetings for timely and coordinated sunflower production operations have been held. The preseason planning meetings are helld once every year at the beginning of the first season per group. The farmers with support from aBiTrust ,have received 360 Kg of certified hybrid sunflower seeds from Mukwano company for planting in one acre demonstration gardens in each group and carry out the demonstration using farmer field school methodology. The demostration gardens help farmers to acquire skills and knowledge in sunflower agronomy, disease and pest control, post haverst handling produce management. Couples have also bee trained in 3,600 households to carry out joint planning and benefit sharing and gender roles in sunflower value chain. Farmers welcome aBi Trust support Syndrella Ebil (27) a member of the Oraibaing youth group said that the farmers have benefited alot from the trainings which have been extended to them by YSA with the support of aBi Trust We are now preacing the gospel of education because we can now save and take our children to school. Our farm yeilds have improved and everyone is happy because we are getting better income,“ she stated. Ebil’s comments were supported by those of Moses Otim(40) another member of the group who said that their group had mobilised savings of shs.2m and families were peacefully living togther. Achievements  Increased productivity using the improved hybrid sunflower seeds as opposed to the local hybbridie from 400kg per acre to 600kg per acre leading to increased income among farmers ie from 320,000= to 480,000= respectively.  Initiated and Promoted savings within groups and individuals up to the tune of 260,000,000= as saving portfolio.  There is a drastic reduction in the cases of domestic violence and improved gender relations due to intensive sensitisation carried out by gender change Agents. For example gender based violence cases have reduced from 30-340 cases to 5-10 cases reported in a month in three sub counties.  YSA registered 120 women and youth groups with the sub counties as viable enterprises. This has guaranteed for them support from other government interventions and development partners.  There is increased knowledge and skills in growing sunflower hence increase in production ie on average, individuals are now growing at least two acres compared to half or nothing before the intervention. Challenges  Sunflower as an enterprise is dominated by Mukwano as the supllier of seeds and a buyer of the proceeds, this tend to make framers adhere to unfair business terms offered especially pricing.  It is becomig extreamly difficult for the VSLA groups to manage thier saving portfolios as they continue growing. Therefore theirs need to set up Saccos that will help manage farmers’ savings better.  Unfavourable weather patternsresulting to poor harvest by farmers.  There is also problem of transporting the farmers produce to the nearest market. For the members of Oraibaing youth group the nearest market is in Kwangwata which is a long distance .  Women are also faced with the problem of accessing land due to traditional barriers. The writer is a development communications consultant, media trainer and advocate of the High Court of Uganda msserwanga@gmail.com

THE MEDICINES PROCUREMENT PROCESS AND QUALITY STANDARDS AT NMS

THE MEDICINES PROCUREMENT PROCESS AND QUALITY STANDARDS AT NMS By Moses Sserwaga Chronic shortages of medical supplies were the mainstay in many government health facilities in the late 1980s and early 90s largely due to the mismanagement of funds that used to be disbursed to the districts to purchase medicines. The Ministry of Finance used to release funds directly to the districts to procure medicines and other medical supplies for government health facilities. But in many cases the medicines would not be purchased leading to shortages of drugs in hospitals and health centers. The government then took a decision to recentralize the procurement, storage and distribution of medical supplies when it set up the National Medical Stores, (NMS) on December 3rd 1993. Twenty years down the road, there has been remarkable progress in the availability of medicines in all government hospitals and health centers across the country. National Medical Stores (NMS) now procures a range of health commodities (about 2,400 items) using a stock list guided by government health facilities procurement plans. The individual facilities procurement plans are aggregated to form the NMS procurement Plan and subsequently the NMS stock list. The items procured include;Medicines, Hospital Sundries and Consumables, Hospital Equipments, Antiseptics & Disinfectants; Orthopaedic supplies; Laboratory and Diagnostic products, Hospital Stationary, Dental supplies, and Assorted stockless Inventory. National Medical Stores being a government body, procurement is regulated by the Public Procurement and Disposal of Assets Authority (PPDA).National Drug Authority(NDA) as the regulator for the quality of medicines and medical supplies in the country is also a key stakeholder in the procurement process. According to the Head of Procurement at the NMS, Mr. Natamba Alfred Turyahika, most of the medicines and medical supplies are goods in joint demand (e.g. injectable and syringe). NMS therefore puts measures in place to ensure that all the items are available at all times according to the facilities requirements. “Additionally, All the medicines we procure must be appropriately embossed to deter pilferage” he says. NMS has built a wide supplier base to ensure that the required items can easily be sourced to the satisfaction of the health facilities. The supply base consists of local pharmaceutical importers, local manufactures, international suppliers and manufacturers. The suppliers are identified through a rigorous prequalification exercise that is conducted after every three years. NMS has a fully fledged quality Assurance Department .The role of the Quality Assurance Department at NMS, is to work closely with the National Drug Authority to ensure that all medicines and medical supplies that have been manufactured locally or imported in Uganda are highly efficacious (i.e. of good quality), says Ms. Caroline Abalo,the Quality Assurance Officer. Quality Assurance Department is involved in the procurement process right from setting specifications for the items to be procured to the actual evaluation exercise. Ms. Caroline Abalo, the Quality Assurance Officer, said that NMS has strict quality control mechanisms to ensure that only medicines and medical supplies of high quality are purchased and distributed to government facilities for public consumption. Abalo assured Ugandans that NMS does not compromise on the quality of medical supplies it procures for government hospitals. “We take great care and we cannot put the lives of Ugandans in danger. We check and test everything we send out for public consumption we ensure total compliance to local and international set quality assurance standards,” She emphasized. According to the Head of Procurement, a number of innovations have been made to ensure that the requirements of the health facilities are met all the time. These include; • NMS advocated for separate regulations for procurement of medicines and medical supplies. The procurement laws have been amended to include separate regulations for procurement of medicines and medical supplies. This will go a long way in ensuring that procurements are concluded in time and medicines and medical supplies availed to the population • NMS enters into framework contracts for supply of medicines and medical supplies. These allow for quick flexibilities in case of changes in demands for the required items • Expansion of the suppler base to include international manufacturers and suppliers will enable NMS to procure good quality medicines and medical supplies and in the quantities required by NMS to satisfy the health needs of the Ugandan Population As NMS celebrates 20 years of existence, Alfred promises that NMS will continue to efficiently and effectively procure quality and affordable medicines and medical supplies for the Ugandan population and called upon all Ugandans to be vigilant and ensure that drugs and other medical supplies delivered at government hospitals and health centres are not sold to the public. He also appealed to the health workers to ensure that their needs are properly and timely communicated in form of procurement plans to enable NMS avail them in a timely manner. Writer is a communications, media and legal consultant msserwanga@gmail.com

A HISTORICAL PERCEPECTIVE OF UGANDA’S HEALTH SECTOR 1889-TODATE Achievements and setbacks

A HISTORICAL PERCEPECTIVE OF UGANDA’S HEALTH SECTOR 1889-TODATE Achievements and setbacks By Moses Sserwanga The health sector is primarily composed of institutions and resourcesdevoted to the healthcare of the people which include among others provision of safe water, sanitation, adequate food and diet, medical care and access to hospitals and drugs and protection of the environment. It’s important to note that while the period 1986 – 2013 has witnessed fundamental reforms and innovations in the health sector,the period 1889 – 1962 was characterized by the establishment of modern healthcare facilities under the British colonial rule; 1962 – 1970 was post-independence period which saw the consolidation and expansion of healthcare infrastructure and improvement to cater for a growing population, while the 1971 – 1986 period was a bloody scene of civil conflict, mismanagement and destruction of the state infrastructure and the health sector was not spared either . From 1986 to-date there has been marked economic, health sector reforms and innovations to mitigate the anarchy and destruction witnessed as a result of armed rebellions. It’s only recent that peace has been restored to western Uganda following the bloody rebellion of the Allied Democratic Forces (ADF); armed cattle rustling in Teso / Karamoja and Jospeh Kony’s two decades of brutality in northern Uganda. A Historical Health Sector Analysis 1889-1962 Advancedmedical care was first introduced in Uganda in 1889 by the Imperial British East Africa Company (IBEAC), a trading company. The IBEAC brought doctors and nurses to look after its own staff and not for the native population. But owing to successive epidemics of plague, syphilis, sleeping sickness and small-pox, IBEAC was forced to extend medical services to native Africans. These services were eventually taken over by the colonial government. It was the missionaries who started medical services devoted to Africans. Dr Albert Cook opened the first hospital at Mengo in 1897. By 1909, three health centres had been established at Mulago, Mityana and Masaka, devoted to the treatment of venereal diseases (VD), a new epidemic brought to Uganda by Europeans and Indians. Mulago became a hospital for treatment of VDs in 1913, and later a general hospital in 1923. More hospitals and dispensaries were established in provincial and district headquarters throughout Uganda. By 1961, 27 hospitals had been established with over 100 outlying health centres and staffstrength of 1,288 for a population of seven million. Basking in the independence glory 1962-1970 After independence in 1962, twenty-two new hospitals were built bringing the total number in the country to 49 by 1970. The period saw the development of one of the most outstanding networks of health services on the continent. It consisted of hospitals, health centres, a medical school for training doctors, and training schools for nursing, medical assistants and health inspectors. The network of health facilities supported by roads and railways, plus public health nurses and health inspectors ensured easy access to healthcare and improved nutrition, food security, and hygiene. Infant mortality rate (IMR), which is a general indicator of health status of a population, declined from about 350 to 120 per 1000 live births between 1900 and 1970. A period marked with total destruction of health infrastructure 1971 – 1985 After the 1971 military coup which led to political upheavals culminating in three decades of devastating civil wars,the country lost many trained personnel who left the country for personal safety abroad , witnessed decline in economic activity that characterized rising inflation, mismanagement, neglect, and wanton destruction of physical health infrastructure that reduced the hitherto excellent health services to an appalling state by 1975. Public outcry about the deterioration of health services led Idi Amin’s government to institute a commission of inquiry in 1977. But the commission’s recommendations were never implemented. In the meantime, NGOs and church missions continued to increase the intensity and scope of their services, contributing up to 40% of the national health services. The private sector, which was small in 1960s, increased rapidly in response to the gaps left by the deteriorating public health services. The breakdown of law and order, however, made it impossible to enforce statutory controls over private practice. This led to an explosion of illegal private clinics with indiscriminate peddling of drugs by quack medical workers. The painful reforms that turned around an ailing health sector: 1986-2013 When the National Resistance Movement (NRM) assumed power in 1986, it inherited a broken down health system. The new government put in place a Health Policy Review Commission in 1987. The commission came up with a two-pronged strategy: rehabilitation of existing health infrastructure and development of primary Healthcare services. Based on this report, the Ministry of Health prepared a ten-year National Health Plan 1990-2000 outlining 8 critical areas to be addressed namely : recommit to Primary Healthcare; promote community participation through health committees; decentralise health care; promote inter-sectoral collaboration and coordination between ministries, NGOs and donors; promote private practice and its regulation and control; integrate traditional medicine into the national health system; reorganise the health system into first, secondary, tertiary and apex levels; promote alternative methods of financing health starting with user-fees and community financing, and later explore the feasibility for health insurance. Innovations reversed by donor interventions Following the prouncement of the new government’s interventions to revap a sick health sector the donor community expressed concern that that the health budget far exceeded available resources . Donors argued that a much smaller “minimal package of services”should be the basis of the national health plan. The World Bank andother donors thusincreased their involvement in the redefinition of Uganda health sector priorities and in 1992; a three-year plan 1992 -1995 was developed. This health sector framework came up with five policy recommendations which included interalia: • No further expansion of health care infrastructure • Restore the functioning of existing health facilities • Reorient the health system to Primary Healthcare • Use a basic health care package approach based on needs and available resources; and promote user-fees as a way of health financing Around the same time $110m grant was extended to the government of Uganda to deal with the HIV/Aids pandemic (1988 to 2002) to promote awareness, the ABC strategy (Abstain, Be faithful and use Condom) of reducing HIV transmission, and to mitigate social and economic impact of AIDS. The same resources were applied to make anti-retroviral treatment to take off. Under the health system, a few selected hospitals and health centres were renovated but not enough to improve the overall health care. Therefore another loan of $75m was subsequently secured in 1995 to reform the health system. Another reform was decentralisation of health servicesto encourage community participation, promote local self-reliance and accountability, overcome administrative obstacles, and promote coordination. But this reform had down side to it, decentralised administrative units began to be created as rewards for political loyalty and not because they were rationally assessed to be viable for effective health service delivery. The health functions of districts and sub-county local governments far outstripped available resources at their disposal. Health statutory bodies born Several other reforms were undertaken and these saw the establishment of the National Medical Stores (NMS) and National Drug Authority (NDA). While the NDA was created to ensure good quality of medicines and promote rational drug use based on an essential drug list, the NMS was created to procure, store and distribute essential drugs to public sector health facilities. Public-private-partnership (PPP) is one of the recent reforms to be introduced. Based on the belief that the private sector is inherently efficient, and the public sector cannot provide all the services people need, a partnership between the two was to be established and promoted. However, although the policy is not yet fully approved, its implementation has been in progress for at least 15 years with the partnership between the government and missionary health services. The latest reform, since 2005, has been to bring in the for-profit private sector on board. Indeed, small scale partnerships with the private sector have been ongoing. But as yet there are no concrete benefits of such partnerships. The Sector-wide approach (SWAP)SWAP has also since been adopted to address the multiplicity of actors and funding channels in the health sector. It was defined as a partnership among donors, the government and other stakeholders for “a negotiated programme of work”. In Uganda, Swap started in 1999, and by 2005 funding in the health sector had increased substantially. Under the SWAParrangement, achievements were made in national programmes such as immunisation, HIV/AIDS, TB management. Writer is a communications, media and legal consultant msserwanga@gmail.com