Archive for July, 2008
Joseph Malinga
Mbale LCV chairperson has blamed the persistence of Tuberculosis, Malaria, and HIV/Aids in Uganda on government’s failure to take the health of Ugandans as a priority.
Mr Bernard Mujasi said it is not that the government has no capacity to handle the situation but that the government simply misdirects its priorities.
“There is misdirection of priorities on the side of government. How can we talk of hitting the target when we can not inject money in buying microscopes in health centers III? How will the TB cases be detected? The health workers are not getting paid yet they are the ones working hard to save lives,” Mujasi said.
He said whereas government spent billions of money to host CHOGM most of which, ended up repairing the roads that have already deteriorated within months, it is reluctant to inject money in the health of Ugandans.
Mujasi was speaking at the World TB Day national celebrations held at cricket grounds in Mbale. He said giving good speeches would not save the country from epidemics that are claiming lives every day.
“We are not serious. We are only good at talking and talking ….but without acting. We should stop and take action,” he said.
Mujasi was responding to the speech by Dr Francis Adatu Engwau, the Program Manager National TB and Leprosy programme in the ministry of health indicating that Mbale district had performed well in TB detection but failed in treatment.
“Mbale’s case detection rate is at 82.8% out of the target of 70% but the treatment rate is at 77.2% out of the target of 85%,” Engwau said.
Rakai district won a certificate of recognition for the good performance in both detection and treatment rates. TB detection rate in Rakai district stood at 70% while successful treatment stood at 85%, hitting within the national target.
Sembabule district also won certificate for making improvements. It improved from 30% to 60%, Dr Joseph Kawuma the executive secretary Uganda Stop TB Partnership said.
Mbale district health officer Dr Francis Obwaimo said over 1000 cases of TB have been confirmed in the district of which, 472, tested sputum positive.
He said over congestion, poor ventilation of buildings, and appalling unhygienic conditions especially in the periphery of the town, are responsible for the spread of
the problem.
The minister of health Dr Stephen Malinga in a speech read for him by the Mbale RDC, Mr Paul Moses Lubowa said however, attributed the problem to the community’s failure to seek early medical attention.
“Studies have shown that our people report late to seek medical care. One average TB patient delay 6-8 weeks before seeking care. This leads to continued spread of TB in the
communities and higher death rates which could have been averted,” said Mallinga.
He cautioned the community to consider any cough that lasts three weeks to be TB and therefore seek medical care until it is proved otherwise.
The minister further said whereas the government was committed to fight the problem, efforts were being undermined by the shortage of human resources because the programme heavily relies on laboratory services.
The high association of TB with HIV/Aids, Mallinga said has also complicated the situation saying that 60% of TB patients are also HIV/AIDS positive. Each year in Uganda, there are 80,000 new cases of TB but only half of the number gets detected and treated. And that every one patient who does not get treated infects 10-15 more people every year.
July 28th, 2008
Joseph Malinga
THE Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Local government has ordered Mbale district to implement the recommendations by the commission of inquiry into the running and mismanagement of public affairs in Mbale municipality.
“I want you to take action on these recommendations using the laid down procedures. In this process, I’m expecting you to be professional, impartial and firm. You should not allow any external interference in the process of implementing the said recommendations,” V.B Ssekhono said.
The order, is contained in a March 17, letter addressed to Mbale Chief Administration Officer, Stephen Ouma, a copy of which, the East African Tribune Correspondent has seen. The letter is also copied to the LCV Chairman Mbale district, Bernard Mujasi, and the Municipality Town clerk.
Ssekhono said the commission led by Fiona Egunyu recommends the dismissal of three officials while six are to face disciplinary action. Those that are to be submitted to the District Service Commission for dismissal include Engineer Edward Wodeya, Mr James Wonyema Masaba, the Assistant Town Clerk of the northern division and Mr James Wanasolo, the Land Management Supervisor.
Ssekhono further said Mr Wodeya and Masaba would face dismissal for failing to show remorse or improve their conduct of duty in public office although they had earlier been referred for disciplinary action by Inspector General of Government. Wodeya and Wanasolo are further recommended for dismissal over allegations of incompetence, abuse of office and involvement in illicit land transactions.
Those lined up for disciplinary action include: Mr Michael Malomo, the Chief Finance Officer, the Chief cashier, Mr Haruna Wamusi, the Cashier, Mr Joseph Wambedde, the Assistant Town Clerk Mr Moses Khisa, and Mr James Namago Makabayi, the Accountant of Northern division. They are accused of their involvement in cash payments of contractors and the obvious deals, Ssekhono’s letter, adds.
Ms Joy Manana, the Senior Education Officer of Mbale municipality will also face disciplinary action for among others, colluding with Mr Moses Nangendo to continue being a signatory to the bank accounts of Maluku Primary School after he had been transferred to Wambogo Memorial School.
Mr Stephen Khauka, the Mbale Municipality Chief Finance Officer, (now at the district) will be disciplined for allegedly breaching financial and accounting regulations when he was at the municipality in 2003.
Efforts to get a comment from CAO were futile as his telephone was off, but the municipality Information officer, Mr James Kutosi, said council was waiting for CAO’s action and that the affected parties are aware of their fate. He said they would not be dismissed without getting affair hearing from the district service commission. “The law is very clear that no civil servant would be dismissed without giving his defense, so we are waiting for CAO’s next step,” he said.
The Minister of Local Government, Maj. Gen. Kahinda Otafiire, last year appointed a commission of inquiry into the running and mismanagement of public affairs in Mbale
municipality following incessant complaints by the public.
July 28th, 2008
By Charles W. Corey
Staff Writer
Washington — There is no better time than now — in the face of record-high food and commodity prices — to expand the African Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA) to further open and enhance U.S.–Africa agricultural trade.
Three specialists on AGOA, a preferential tariff program originally passed by Congress in 2000, made that point July 14 at the AGOA Civil Society Forum held on Capitol Hill in Washington. The annual three-day forum runs July 14-16. The theme this year is “Mobilizing Private Investment for Trade and Growth.”
The three specialists are: Daniel Karanja, a senior fellow at the Partnership to Cut Hunger and Poverty in Africa; Jayme White, legislative director in the office of Washington state Representative Jim McDermott; and Likando Mukumbuta, the chief executive officer of Zambia Agribusiness Technical Assistance Centre (ZATAC Ltd.) in Zambia.
Karanja argued for the agricultural sector in Africa to be more integrated into AGOA.
“If the purpose is to cut hunger and poverty in Africa and to promote economic growth and trade, then AGOA definitely needs to consider how its benefits can reach the rural poor, the small holder who are the foundation of African economies,” Karanja said.
Heralding the trade legislation, Karanja said AGOA has resulted in tremendous growth of U.S.-Africa trade, which now exceeds some $80 billion annually.
“Our concern,” he said, is that “only a few countries have benefited from AGOA and only a few sectors” of their economies have benefited, with oil and gas exports in the lead at about 90 percent of total U.S.-Africa trade, followed by textiles at less than 5 percent and agriculture less than 1 percent in 2005.
“This is a big concern for those people who understand the genesis of AGOA. This bill was introduced to promote trade and economic growth in Africa, but as many … know, agriculture is the major sector of most of the economies in Africa and accounts for the largest share of gross domestic product, largest share of export earnings for African economies, largest share of population with three out of every four Africans living in rural areas and depending entirely on agriculture, and the largest share of employment.”
With ever-higher prices for food and fuel, the issue of broadening AGOA is of “the utmost importance,” he said.
Reinforcing that point, Jayme White, who has worked on the AGOA legislation since its inception on Capitol Hill, said AGOA is a trade program that spells out the U.S. tariff regime for goods imported from sub-Saharan Africa.
Speaking of the original AGOA legislation or AGOA I, which was passed in 2000, he said, “There were a lot of compromises that were made, but in effect, AGOA eliminated tariffs on over 95 percent of imports that come from sub-Saharan Africa,” including some on apparel. “Where we fell short was on full tariff elimination on what we call sensitive agricultural goods — sugar, corn, peanuts, some value-added agricultural products like chocolate and some syrups.”
Since that time, he said, AGOA II in 2002 and AGOA IV in 2006 mainly focused on apparel. AGOA III, he said, did address the need for trade-capacity building in Africa and stipulated that 20 specialists be put in sub-Saharan Africa to help African farmers comply with U.S. laws on importing agricultural goods into the U.S. market.
“We have seen some improvements as a result,” White said, but “we have fallen far short on agriculture because of our focus on apparel.”
He cautioned against making the assumption that only the oil and gas sector is benefiting. The upside of AGOA, he said, is that “we are seeing some diversification” and an “explosion of apparel imports” under AGOA “which has created tens of thousands of jobs in countries like Lesotho, Swaziland, Kenya, Madagascar and Mauritius.
“That is terrific,” he said, while acknowledging that “the downside is that most of the benefits have been in southern Africa in the apparel sector.”
Overall, “we have not seen the explosion of imports and trade and investment that I think the proponents of AGOA would have first liked to see,” White said.
What has been learned over the years, he said, is the importance of both trade and aid and the transfer of agricultural skills and technology.
What is still needed, he said, is coordinated, long-term trade-capacity building, especially as much of AGOA is slated to expire in 2015. Also needed are public- and private -sector investment in Africa and the coverage under AGOA of all African agricultural products.
For all of this to happen, he said, those who work with Africa must “speak with one voice” on Capitol Hill to lobby Congress. “AGOA would not have happened without the African diplomatic corps because they were organized behind the bill and they asked for it,” and that same energy is needed today, he said.
Likando Mukumbuta — who has more than 16 years of agricultural development experience in Africa — reiterated that Africa needs both trade and aid, but what is more important is the active engagement and participation of U.S. business.
“The transactions and exports that are needed are not going to happen in meetings such as this one,” he told his audience. “They are not going to happen at conferences and in legislation. It is actually businesses being able to actually transact, negotiate and to export to each other with facilitative legislation” that will create meaningful economic growth and development.
He praised the United States for doing so much in Zambia to help streamline the Zambian economy and stimulate private-sector growth and development. He said that while the United States has helped improve the investment environment in Africa, it has not always been a participant in the actual investment.
“When it comes to taking advantage of that very environment that has been created,” he said, “you tend to find that it is other players who are there who take advantage.” He called for more American investment, and said he would like to see Americans “at the table when the deals are being done.”
The AGOA Civil Society Forum began earlier in the day with digital video conferences linking American and African civil society groups in the United States with their counterparts in Kenya, Malawi, Tanzania, Cameron, Mauritania and Togo.
The forum also features a ministerial session, which will be addressed by Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice, and a private-sector forum. The event alternates its venue annually between the United States and Africa.
(This is a product of the Bureau of International Information Programs, U.S. Department of State. Web site: http://www.america.gov)
July 27th, 2008
UPDF/INFO/6S 8th July 2008
PRESS RELEASE
The Chief of Defence Forces, Gen Aronda Nyakairima, in a radio message dated 07 July 08 has made the following appointments and transfers in the UPDF.
1.Brig S Wasswa from Nakasongola Cantonment to Special Presidential Advisor and Intelligence Co-ordinator for Special Duties. To be specified by Gen D. Tinyefuza.
2.Brig E Kayanja from Special Presidential Advisor and Intelligence Co-ordinator back to GHQs, appointed to carry out Special Tasks in the Department of Doctrine.
3.Brig J Sebagala, from Kabamba Cantonment Appointed Cantonment Commandant Nakasongola.
4.Col Dr P Bukenya Appointed Director Medical Services UPDAF.
5.Lt Col M Kaganda from Commandant Non Commissioned Officers Academy (NCOA) Jinja Gadaffi Barracks to Bihanga Training School Commandant.
6.Lt Col Bashaija Kayoora, from Chief of Personnel and Administration (CPA), Appointed 1Division Admin Officer
7.Lt Col P Mugarura from CPA, 2Division Admin Officer
8.Lt Col J Woguwale from UPDAF to Artillery as Division Admin Officer.
9.Lt Col J Abeka from 501Bde to Chief of Operation and Training, Appointed as Staff Officer
10.Lt Col Willy Mugisha, from Motorized Infantry, Appointed Director Logistics, UPDAF
11.Lt Col Mubarak Nkutu from UPDAF to GHQs Appointed Staff Officer D/CDF’s Office for Air Force Reserve Matters.
12.Lt Col Lutaya from UPDAF Appointed Staff Officer in Engineering Brigade (for Civil Engineering Tasks).
13.Maj Rebecca Mpagi from UPDAF Appointed Staff Officer in the to be created Directorate of Women Affairs.
14.Maj Festus Lubega, from CPA Appointed Service Brigade Admin Officer.
15.Maj Sam Bishuba from CPA, Appointed 45Bn Commanding Officer, Chieftaincy of Mubende Rehabilitation Centre (CMRC)
16.Maj Francis Kashaka from CPA, Appointed as 2Bn Commanding Officer (CMRC)
17.Maj Turyahikayo from CPA, Appointed 2Division Logistics Officer.
18.Maj Moses Lutaya Appointed Commandant, Non Commissioned Officer Academy Gadafi Barracks Jinja.
19.Maj I Nsubuga from CPA to Chief of Training as Logistics Officer.
20.Maj Bosco Mutambi from CPA Appointed Director Personnel and Administration UPDAF.
21.Maj G Wamala from CPA Appointed 305Brigade Admin Officer
22.Maj Paul Sonko from CPA to CPC Staff Officer
23.Maj Muhamed Bisa Appointed Director Engineering.
24.Maj Chris Rwakasisa Appointed Director Maintenance, Verification, Standadization and Inspection.
25.Maj A Kabogoza Appointed Deputy Director Engineering UPDAF.
26.Maj Bonny Bamweseki from CPA to 301 Brigade Admin Officer.
27.Maj Francis Irumba Appointed Director Training UPDAF
28.Maj G Turuma Appointed Chief Technical Officer (COT) UPDAF
29.Capt Hasan Oinebye from 2Div to Chief Logistics and Engineering as Staff Officer
30.Capt M Katambira from CPA – COT Appointed Staff Officer.
31.Capt Peter Ndiobo Appointed Director Airworthiness UPDAF.
32.Capt CS Lukoba to CPA
33.Capt Mboni Walimbwa from COT to Non Commissioned Officers Academy appointed Chief Instructor.
34.Capt Aloysius Beyoreka Appointed Motorized Infantry Brigade as Admin Officer
35.Capt Johnson Nuwamanya Appointed Director, Policy and Plans, UPDAF.
36.Capt Christine Nyangoma Appointed Staff Officer, in the to be created soon Directorate of Women Services Personnel Directorate.
The transfers and appointments which take immediate effect are aimed at improving the efficiency of service delivery as well as implementing recommendations of the Defence Reform Unit (DRU) in the professionalisation of the bi-service UPDF.
We wish all the Officers success in their new assignments.
CHRIS MAGEZI
Capt
Ag DEFENCE/UPDF SPOKESMAN
July 10th, 2008
