Uganda

Citizen Journalists: The “Watchdogs” during the 2010 FIFA World cup

maureen — Mon, 21 Jun 2010 15:22:14 +0200

The 2010 FIFA world cup which is currently taking place in South Africa comes at a point when the use and application of web 2.0 tools has been adapted by many African people.

Globally, technological development has taken the place of face-to-face interaction; with an increasing range of devices for communicating and disseminating information. It is evident that the world is changing rapidly and African Media needs to catch up with the technological revolution. Africa cannot oppose the rise of this technology and the investment in “new and digital media”. But because of the low literacy levels, limited skills and high costs, it seems to be a fantasy than a reality to promote a larger use of online media in Africa. Never the less, this has not kept those who can access and use the technologies/web applications from making the best use of them during this 2010 FIFA worldcup.

Twitter an interactive micro blogging platform based on open publication of 140 character messages is one of the most popular web 2.0 tool being used to share information across the globe about the world cup. Being the largest sporting event in the world, twitter introduced the idea of having a picture of a ball after every tweet that bears the hush tag for the worldcup (#worldcup).

Facebook a privately owned social online networking website having users who can request for or add friends and send them messages as well as update their personal profiles in a chronological order to notify friends about themselves is another powerful tool being used by thousands of both soccer and non-soccer lovers during this 2010 FIFA world cup . It’s on these platforms that you find the latest updates about the different games in terms of the fixture, the winning teams, the “avoidable mistakes ” made during the different games, the online links to follow and watch the games, the vuvuzela discussions and people’s personal opinion about game.

We cannot ignore the blog, a type of website usually maintained by an individual with regular entries of commentary, descriptions of events, or other material such as graphics or video. Many bloggers worldwide are having their blogs populated with the world cup event from all spheres; socially, politically and from an economic point of view.

A number of other tools like Youtube for sharing videos, flickr for photos and RSS for syndication are also being used. However, how are Africans benefiting from this worldcup and the various technologies?

The need to invest in citizen journalism and involve citizens in policies that affect them is now evident with the ongoing 2010 FIFA worldcup. The use of web 2.0 tools has enhanced real time communication, improved information sharing and networking. It is very important for different African governments to take advantage of these platforms to improve on key sectors electronically like health, education, governance and business. Each one of us can be a watch dog in our own societies or localities by reporting and sharing information on issues that affect us but have been left out by mainstream media. We are all citizen Journalist in one way or another.

The writer is a trained Citizen journalist and an Information Officer with Women of Uganda Network (WOUGNET)

Africa So Near Yet Too Far

waiswa — Mon, 05 Jul 2010 11:16:49 +0200

Watching the world cup on African soil for the first time and may be the only and last time for most of us who have been following and enjoying the beautiful game, has really been exciting when you look at the way people debt about the previous and next games, how people get behind their teams be it in the stadiums or in front of their screens not forgetting how African’s could rally behind their fellow African teams, the unite amongst them as they blow the vuvuzelas’ this we shall really miss since we have seen our last hope drop out in a very unfair manner.

This is the first and may be the only time in recent history to see Africans uniting for a common goal regardless of color, nationality or tribe and yet it proved to be disastrous to most of the African Nations save for Ghana who where too near yet too far from making history as the first African Nation to qualify for the semi-finals of a world cup.

Despite Ghana’s elimination from the tournament at the quarter final stage, the team still has a lot to play for given the fact that most of the players are young and have a lot of room to improve on their game I pray that the Ghana football federation does not disorganize the set-up of the team but to only improve on it.

Most African teams did not perform to their expectation e.g. Nigeria, Cameroon and Ivory coast, when you look at these teams they have one thing in common and that is stardom.

What Ghana did should serve as a lesson to all other African nations and that is, if the so called stars can’t perform then go for the youth who still have a lot to prove and want their presence to be felt unlike the so called big names who have nothing to fight for apart from protecting their legs from being hit by the opponents. Why bring players like Kanu, L. Song, Jeremy, players who are past their best and leave out younger players who can learn like the way Ghana did during the Nations cup and indeed these are the very players who have done us pride by reaching the quarter finals as the only Africa nation and this has come after that Nations cup experience.

Although Ghana failed to qualify by just a Wisk of bad luck, other nations should pick a leaf from what they have done and may be emulate it so that next time we have an African team winning the World cup.

Bravo the Government of South Africa and the football federation for making the World cup what it has been and bravo Ghana players and the entire federation may be next time next an Africa Nation will make it, but we still have a long way to go before s lifting the world cup.
When you look at the way Ghana was eliminated you will say Africa so near yet too far was the case during this 2010 World Cup.

Mothers Deserve Better: m-Health And e-Health Must Feature In This AU Summit.

maureen — Fri, 02 Jul 2010 13:50:16 +0200

Prior to the summit, an African Youth forum with the theme “Maternal Infant and Child health: African Youth call for Action” will be held at the Imperial botanical beach hotel in Entebbe from 17th to 19th July 2010. This is a very good initiative by the African governments to involve young people in matters that will affect their future.

Uganda, like many African nations has limited resources in terms of man power and health facilities to enable her provide quality health services for mothers, infants and children. According to the report by Population Action International which based its figures from the Uganda National Health Policy, “supplies and medicines may either be unavailable where they are affordable or unaffordable where they are available”. This prevents low-income women from accessing basic medicines due to the high cost of purchasing drugs from private pharmacies. Worldwide over 350,000 women die due to preventable causes during pregnancy and childbirth.

The main causes are bleeding, infections, abortions and obstructed labour among others. The majority of women who die during or as a result of child birth are low-income earners from marginalized groups. Despite advancement and availability of technology interventions to save mothers and babies, maternal deaths have continued with 99% of deaths in developing countries of Africa and Asia.

As the African heads of state and leaders meet in this 15th AU summit, it is important for them to focus on issues of violence, human rights, education and poverty which are some of the key underlying causes of maternal and infant mortality. They must also not forget to intensively discuss the role Information and communication technologies (ICTs) play in preventing mortality and come up with feasible solutions on how different governments can tap into this potential of ICTs. With an increasing range of devices for communicating and disseminating information, Mobile and electronic health applications are very powerful tools in solving a number of health related problems. These include; sharing information on health related issues, monitoring treatment of patients as well as monitoring health workers. Given the fact that mobile phones cut across literacy levels and have been adopted by many women in rural areas all over Africa, it is important for the African governments to invest in mobile technology and e-health Applications.

The Ugandan ministry of health should partner with Organisations/ institutions like Text-to-change, Mobile Monday Kampala, Faculty of CIT at MUK, SMS media, UNICEF and Women of Uganda Network(WOUGNET) through her SMS campaigns to tap into the potential of mobile and electronic application as a starting point in solving the problem of high maternal deaths.

If the Millenium development Goal of reducing deaths for newborns and children is to be achieved within the remaining five years, our leaders have to “WALK THE TALK” in the upcoming government leaders meetings like the African Union (AU)- July in Kampala and the G8 summit-September in Canada.

The writer is a trained Citizen journalist and an Information Officer with Women of Uganda Network (WOUGNET)

Foot And Mouth Disease

mercy — Fri, 25 Jun 2010 10:48:05 +0200

Locally known as Omolomol in luo language, the disease is rampant in many parts of the world, including Uganda.It affects cattle, goats, sheep and other hoofed animals. It is highly contagious, but rarely affects human beings.

Symptoms include high fever, blisters inside an animal’s mouth, excessive saliva secretion and ruptures and blisters on the hooves. The animal also drools instead of eating.

The incubation period is two to three days and can be fatal. Many times, the affected animals are culled or slaughtered.

African trypanosomosis
It is referred to as nagana in cattle and sleeping sickness in human beings. It is caused by the trypanosomes parasite, transmitted by tsetse flies which thrive in savannah grasslands in low lying areas. In Uganda, the most affected areas are Busoga, Teso and West Nile.

The affected animal suffers from fever and general body weakness and stops feeding. This results in weight loss and anaemia. If the animal is producing milk, the amounts reduce and finally disappear. If not treated, the disease is fatal.

Anthrax
It is an acute bacterial disease that commonly infects wild and domesticated herbivorous (plant-eating) mammals. It is more acute in cattle, sheep and goats. By the time an animal displays the symptoms, the disease is in an advanced stage.

It kills within three to five days. It has been known to kill animals in large numbers. It does not spread directly from one infected animal or person to another. It spreads through spores.

Domestic herbivores contract it from water, pasture, or from the carcass of animals that died of the disease. An infected animal is identified by staggering, trembling, convulsions, bleeding from the body openings, confusion and fever.

Dead animals must be quickly disposed of by burning or burying inside a deep grave to prevent resurfacing of spores or soaked in formaldehyde to kill the spores.

Vaccination is the best weapon against anthrax. It can be acquired from veterinary offices all over. However, it should only be carried out in affected areas. If a farmer identifies the symptoms, he must report to a veterinary officer.

By: Mercy L. Apio

Team Leader

Kubere Information Centre – Apac

Email:mlapio@wougnet.org/kicinfo@wougnet.org

Ugandan Citizen Journalists Among The Top Ten In The E-Learning Phote Competition

maureen — Fri, 21 May 2010 13:34:16 +0200

The recently concluded e-Learning Africa 2010 Photo Competition saw two Ugandan citizen Journalist featuring among the top ten finalist taking up the 4th and 6th position. The photo competition aimed at finding out "How ICTs Are Changing the Way We Live". To know what this has meant for the African continent and to learn more about how digital media (mobile phones, the Internet, computers, radio and the audio-visual) have changed the lives of the people in Africa who use them in their day-today work.(Digital citizens).

More than 100 images were submitted during the competition that lasted for months and only the top ten were chosen and presented.

Ugandan took five of the ten top positions, with two of the TOP ten coming from WOUGNET Staff Members (Ssozi Javie and Maureen Agena in the 4th and 6th positions respectively).
The TOP 10 photos :
•   Will be featured in an exhibition from May 26th – 28th at eLearning Africa 2010 in Lusaka, Zambia
•   Have been announced on the eLearning Africa website: http://www.elearning-africa.com/picturevoting_home.php
•   will also be part of the next eLearning Africa Newsletter, which is distributed to thousands of people in Africa and all over the world (mail out: Thursday, May 20).
•   will be part of the eLA photo book and handed out to high-level conference participants.

HOW CITIZEN JOURNALISM INFLUENCED OUR POSTIONS

Being one of the country focal for the Citizen Journalism in Africa (CJA) project, Women of Uganda Netwok (WOUGNET) was privileged to participate in the two year recently concluded project which targeted Citizen Journalists in six African countries of Uganda, SouthAfrica, Tanzania, Mozambique, Zambia and Zimbabwe. With support from SANGONeT and Hivos, several trainings were conducted in the mentioned countries and Uganda was not an exception.

Among the trained citizen Journalists in Uganda, Maureen Agena and Javie Ssozi from Women of Uganda Network (WOUGNET) were among those specifically trained as trainers. Photography was a major subject matter in all the CJA trainings and this improved on our photography skills. We also learnt about writing skills and how to describe scenes, situations and pictures. BROSDI is the second Country Focal point in Uganda for the CJA project. The key trainers were Brett Davidson, Mathew De Gale and Noma Rangana all from SouthAfrica. With these skills there was no doubt that we would fail to participate and either win or be among the winners. For details about CJA please visit: http://www.citizenjournalismafrica.org

HOW WE FEEL ABOUT THE FINAL RESULTS

Javie Ssozi: I am thrilled that I made it in the Top 10. The participants submitted very powerful photos and this made it even more competitive and interesting. This is a very good initiative that promotes citizen journalism in Africa and most of all shows how ICTs have improved livelihoods around the continent.

Maureen Agena: I feel that the Citizen Journalism trainings I received from the Hivos and SANGONeT team were not in vain, because out of Over 100 photos submitted, mine was the 6th best/relevant photo. Thanks to SANGONeT and Hivos for trusting the power and ability of Citizen Journalists like me. Thanks to the e-learning team that thought of such an innovative competition and for giving us the opportunity to participate. And to all those who voted, thanks for believing in me and seeing the relevance of the photo I submitted.

CONCLUSION

It was a competition worth participating in, because it was the first of its kind especially by the e-learning team. It was interesting and yet challenging but as the saying goes, everything has to eventually come to an end. To all the top ten participants, well done and well won and to the rest of the participants, keep the fire burning with the use and application of technology in all your undertakings. To my fellow Ugandans who participated, thanks for scooping five of the top ten positions. Good luck and enjoy the conference on e-learning.

Burning: The cause of drought in Northern Uganda?

nakirya — Wed, 07 Apr 2010 19:18:55 +0200

It looks like its a routine in Northern Uganda,for farmers to burn forests ruthlessly...............

When the Farmers' Sales Increase as a Result of Using the Internet

nakirya — Wed, 07 Apr 2010 17:55:07 +0200

ICT is emerging as an important medium for communication and exchange as well as a tool for development, including at the local and community levels. However, this potential is yet to be effectively leveraged.

Access to information and communication technologies (ICTs) implies access to channels and modes of communication that are not bound by language, culture, or distance.

Information gives improved access to financial systems and access commercial channels via an approach that involves significant use of information technologies.

Farmers' organizations in Uganda have proven that Internet communication and information services are practical and beneficial when developed with full participation of users and proper innovation.
The CELAC farmers, especially in Mayuge go ahead to search for market information using the available internet and as such, they are able to sell their produce.

Road Accidents a Very Big Problem

waiswa — Wed, 24 Mar 2010 11:51:24 +0200

Accidents have become a menace to road users in Uganda. A recent one took place near Mukono on the Kampala-Jinja highway. A heavy lorry collided with and rolled over eight small vehicles. In another incident last week in Magama on the Jinja-Iganga highway a bus from Nairobi collided head-on with a taxi, killing some passengers in the bus, everybody in the taxi, and chopping off the head of the taxi driver in the process. These are just to mention but a few.

Most of these rampant accidents are due to excessive speeding, carelessness by the drivers and lack of seriousness by the traffic police. When you travel using public means all over the country you will realise that firstly, most public service vehicle drivers are young men aged between 20 and 35, secondly, most of their vehicles - especially taxis - have faulty speedometers, and thirdly, all major roads have traffic officers who are always stationed in particular places.

One wonders what this has got to do with accidents. What happens is that most of these young men who drive -- I said most -- take drugs which by themselves disorganise their brains. Then because their speedometers are not counting, this will prompt them to move at a speed they don’t even want to know. Keeping these speedometers faulty is done at their own will since as I said earlier they just don’t what to know at what speed their vehicles are moving.

As if that is not bad enough, there those oolice officers of ours who are always on the roads. I wonder what criteria they use when positioning them selves on the roads, because you will always find them in the same places on a given road. Of course, these taxi drivers will always know where they are located, which will make it easy for them to know what to do. If it is overloading they will offload the extra persons so as to make the required numbers by the time they get where the officers are. If it is speeding, they will as well reduce up to the required speed after which they go back to their usual system of overloading and speeding. This goes on like this day in day out year after year.

You will also realize that when traveling, these drivers will keep on communicating to one another by flashing lights, hooting and using hand signals. This means that they are inquiring on the whereabouts of the traffic officers. in so doing they re-organize and put everything right before they get to where the check point is. Lest I forget by the way, if they know there is nothing they can do to put everything right, they wait for heavy trucks which they follow as they hide their vehicles so that they may not be seen by the police officers. If netted they will always give kitu kidogo (bribe)to the officers and be left to go free.

My advice to the traffic police is that they should always be on the move by changing positions while on the road and also try and find out if speed meters for all vehicles using the roads are in working condition. Because according to my survey this is something they always don’t ask for or look at, save for the driving permit, indicators, side mirrors, tyres and maybe a broken windscreen.

Drug testing should be done to all drivers on a regular basis without any notification, and the ministries responsible for the making of roads should look into increasing the width of roads.

Unless the traffic police wake up and address some of the cases which they think are small like driving under the influence of drugs, then we have only just started crying for our beloved ones who are dying in road accidents.

Workers Strike Over Low Payment

Omanyo — Mon, 22 Mar 2010 11:04:24 +0200

With the exception of the outgrowers section and the administration sections, the other working sections of the Mayuge Sugar Industries, a sugar producing factory based in Mayuge district of Uganda, have downed tools -- not even entering the factory gate. This has led to shutdown and production is not in place -- the reason being that the wage paid to them is very little:2000ug Shs per day for the heavy and risky work performed day long.

Efforts to see that at least there is a simple increment in good moves has failed as many employers have for long kept a deaf ear to the poor Ugandans who have been patient, as before production, the employers used to promise the workers that on offset of production, their wages would be increased.

To the contrary, when production (of sugar) began, the bosses never bothered to implement increments on the wages of workers. The field coordinators withdrew from delivering cane from the villages and discouraged the outgrowers from supplying. When management realized there was no cane to crush for a week, an increase in the wage was made.

Now the same route is believed to help the other sections.The workers say ''we shall not do any work until management announces an increase in our wage. We shall also block any old worker who sympathizes with the management from entering the factory and also block new ones, until there is a change."

World Heritage Site - Kasubi Tombs - Burns to Ashes.

cissy — Wed, 17 Mar 2010 15:09:57 +0200

The Kasubi tombs -- commonly known as a “Masiro” -- are situated five kilometers away from Kampala City Centre on Kasubi Hill, on the Kampala/ Hoima Road. The place is a burial ground for Buganda Royal Kings and a cultural heritage centre.

The Kasubi Tombs entrance site was inscribed on the UNESCO world heritage list in 2001. The Tombs are marked by a thatched hut. It is a major example of an architectural achievement in organic materials -- principally wood, thatch, reed, wattle and daub. The site's main significance lies, however, in its intangible values of belief, spirituality, continuity and identity.

The grass thatched Kasubi Tombs were gutted by fire in the night of 16th March 2010, at about 8.30 pm. The Uganda Police have yet to establish the cause of the fire. The arrival of Uganda Fire Brigade did not save anything as the fire caught up the grass thatched huts (Esuubi) and gutted them within no time. The raging fire burnt the whole rear hut, and fumes could be seen from a distance by some of us who are neighboring the tombs.

The crowd flocked to the scene of the fire scene singing, the “Ekitibwa kya Buganda”, drumming and chanting, making a lot of noise. This hampered the fire brigade from effectively extinguishing the fire. See http://www.newvision.co.ug/D/8/12/713151

To maintain peace and order, security personnel had to be deployed to protect the remains.

The deployed personnel were forced to fire in the air scaring away the hooligans who would run to and fro. By 11pm, the fumes could still be seen from a distance. The fire brigade team did not save much and the grass thatched huts were burnt to ashes, including most of the traditional tools, which are used to perform some rituals according to Buganda cultural norms.

It is reported that “four people are feared dead in the chaos reigning at the Kasubi tombs” (www.256news.com). The famous heritage site, “Kasubi Tombs” is no more. It’s a pity the traditional rituals could not foretell the incident.

A lot of noise still goes on as the idlers take advantage and disrupt the efforts to safe guard the remains. Chanting and singing have scared Ugandans who have not forgotten the riots last year that cost many lives of innocent Ugandans.

Kasubi Tombs is a very important and historical site for Buganda. The Kings (Kabakas) always built their palaces on strategic hills to control the major roads to the Palace, and find easy ways to escape in case of an invasion or rebellion. When they died, the traditional practice was to bury each Kabaka at a separate site to establish a royal shrine to house his jaw bone, which was believed to contain his spirit.

These shrines were staffed by descendants of the Kabaka's leading chiefs, his wives, his ritual half sister, and by spirit medium through which the dead Kabaka communicated with his successors. Many of the shrines are still maintained today. The four Kabakas have been laid to rest forever at Kasubi Tombs.

The structures of Kasubi Tombs are traditionally built with non permanent materials, and this makes it prone to fire dangers. The gate house was constructed using wooden columns supporting a thatched roof, with walls made of woven reeds. The entire structure is divided into departments. The Bajjabukula leads to a small courtyard which contains the Ndoga-Obukaba, a circular house in which the royal drums are kept.

One enters the main courtyard (Olugya) enclosed by a fence constructed of reeds and several houses built for the widows of the Kabakas and for other Ritual purposes. The entrance into this county yard is a striking experience, as one immediately faces the main tomb building known as Muzibu-Azaala- Mpanga, which is the architectural masterpiece of this ensemble.

The hidden part inside the great house is known as the” forest" or Kibira. It is a sacred and secret area where king’s spirits reside. Only the widows have access to this part behind a bark cloth curtain.

Apart from the Royal burial ceremonies, other traditional rituals are carried out throughout the year. They include the new moon ceremony and the consultation of the mediums. But the main spiritual life is not visible to the ordinary visitor as many ceremonies are performed secretly inside the buildings. The Baganda observe the myths concerning the origin of death. People believe that every person's death has a spiritual origin.

The government will assist in the restoration of the vandalized Buganda Kingdom tombs at Kasubi in Kampala, according to a statement from State House. We hope this historical Buganda cultural site will be restored to its original state.

Private and Government Schools: Why not work hand in hand?

Maria Namirembe — Thu, 11 Mar 2010 16:20:11 +0200

Children are now in the middle of the term since they commenced studies on February 1st 2010. But the question is; what have they done since they went to school and what have the teachers done both in private and Government schools to achieve the intended goal of students and the schools in general?

It should not be an issue of competition between the government and private schools but an issue of producing excellent quality students in future for both private and government schools. This would be of great advantage as when these children finally become future responsible graduate citizens, they would move the country ahead as far as development is concerned and for their own benefits and the generation to come, since they will be working as living examples in future. This is because they will have achieved the skills and experience needed to achieve development strategies.

Private investors for schools should come on Board with the government to see that at all levels, quality education education is achieved. The private schools should work with the government to see that quality education is achieved down from the bottom line ''Infant stage''. It is so sad that most government schools care less/little or even not all to take a step to groom the children at the infant stage, whereas for the private schools, this is their core value if in future they are to produce responsible and fruitful citizens. Still the question is, can't the government and private schools work hand in hand to see to it that they produce equal standards up to the higher level of learning??

Its high time, I think, that the government comes up, collaborates and works with private schools to see that they all produce equal and reliable academic output.

How can this be achieved??

*Exam exchange program: With this I mean the government schools exchange their set exam papers with those of the private schools so that both are able to share each other's ideas.

*School committees for both government and private schools should take a round table discussion at least every year to share new ideas, find solutions for the existing school problems of all parties, and discuss more issues as far as academics is concerned.

*Exchange seminar visits and student discussions. For example, students of a particular class and from a government school take a seminar visit to a private school and carry on discussions on a particular subject. This will help to improve the competence of students from both government and private schools.

*Teachers for both private and government schools should share ideas and experiences for each other in achieving quality education for their schools and the country in general.

In conclusion, I would in my view urge the government to collaborate with the private schools if in future they are to produce useful and powerful citizens. This should be directly deep down from the grassroots ''Infant stage'' up to the University ''upper level.''

Move to Empowerment Status!

Samuels — Tue, 23 Feb 2010 23:14:58 +0200

Traditionally, both men and women, or boys and girls for that matter, fetch water. If we are to ask ourselves, is gender sensitivity about the head carrying vs hand carrying or pot vs jerry can?

A few weeks a ago, I was visiting my rural village and came across a young boy and girl coming from a well (do not ask how many kilometers they have to walk to access a well). The boy was carrying his 5 litre jerry can in his hands while the girl, probably his sister, was head-carrying hers, so I photographed them. As I continued past them, I kept thinking about whether we should continue depicting the gender stereotypes as I witnessed between these two innocent children or should we not we rather depict where we want to be -- i.e. women’s empowerment and gender equality.

One way to help women move to empowerment status is to make them aware of their rights, target men as women's rights campaigners and empower women to start businesses, among other things -- but above all develop, their confidence. The change in the socio-economic status of the household will involve a change in gender relations: namely the wife doing business together with the husband rather than the wife staying at home to attend to routine home chores.

Again as I was on my field work, I came across a husband and wife running a roadside charcoal business together and also a lady doing stone quarrying as her business, moving to empowerment status.

Million Man March Staged Against Homosexuality in Uganda

nthateng — Thu, 18 Feb 2010 15:35:27 +0200

UGANDA: Anti-gay Pastor Martin Ssempa will be spearheading a million-man march on 17 February, in support of the proposed Anti Homosexuality Bill -- an event he says will give Ugandans a chance to show how they feel about homosexuality.

Ssempa maintains that homosexuality is illegal, breaks the laws of God and that it breaks the laws of nature which stipulate that a male goes with a female. “It [homosexuality] breaks the laws of our culture and tradition as Africans and it’s a taboo,” he adds.

Asked to comment on President Yoweri Museveni’s statement cautioning those advocating for the Bill to “go slow” and allow for further consultation Ssempa said, “The president has challenged us on how we feel about homosexuality and this march will give Ugandans a chance to show how they feel.” In addition, Edward Ssekandi, Uganda’s parliamentary speaker, reportedly stated that there is no way Ugandans can be intimidated by remarks from the President to stop this bill.

Meanwhile Kasha Jacqueline, Director for Freedom and Roam Uganda, states that the gay community in Uganda is “very much aware” of the million man march and that individual safety is a priority at present as they [members of the gay community] do not want to be harmed or abused during this time.

“It is frightening that millions of people are willing to leave their jobs to protest about what other people do in their bedrooms and private lives, instead of focusing on more important issues. But on a positive note this shows that people are listening to our issues and if it wasn’t for the advocacy around this Bill there wouldn’t be even these kind of talks around”, she added.

Emily Craven of the Joint Working Group believes “it is disappointing that Museveni is not calling for the Bill to be dropped, but rather talking from an economic point of view instead of the human rights point of view.”

“We want a tougher stance saying that the Bill is morally wrong. It’s good that he is feeling the pressure, it shows the power of activism which took place around the Bill”, Craven adds.

Ssempa had earlier said that the Bill was written to meet specific challenges and make equal protection provisions. “We want the bill to pass but with certain amendments. What we need is equal punishment for homosexuals and heterosexuals," he said.

Uganda’s National Pastors Task Force Against Homosexuality, chaired by Ssempa, has resolved to support the Bill with amendments that include reduction of the sentence from death penalty to 20 years for aggravated homosexuality and the inclusion of a provision of “counselling and rehabilitation [by the church] to persons experiencing homosexual temptations.”

The taskforce represents The National Fellowship of Born again Churches, The Seventh Adventists Church, The Uganda Joint Christian Council which also represents the Orthodox Church in Uganda and The Roman Catholic Church in Uganda.

Article by: Simangele Mzizi (Behind The Mask intern)

Third Lango Forum on e – Agriculture: Improving information access for agricultural and rural development

maureen — Fri, 05 Feb 2010 12:29:08 +0200

The Women of Uganda Network with support from the Technical Centre for Agricultural and Rural Cooperation AC–EU (CTA), holds a bi-annual event called the Lango Forum on e-agriculture. This event is held twice times in a year in Apac District, Northern Uganda. This year the third Lango forum on e–agriculture will be held on the 18th of February, 2010 .

The Purpose

The purpose of the forum is to sensitise rural women and the community at large on the role of ICTs in rural and agricultural development. Forum participants share knowledge and experiences on how ICTs have been or could be applied in agriculture and rural development within the region, highlighting both the benefits and the challenges. Participants include farmers, district leaders, civil society organisations from Apac, Gulu, Lira, and Oyam districts, and stakeholders from other areas of Uganda.

Why Apac District?

WOUGNET has initiated various ICT initiatives including research work in Apac District since 2003. The most significant initiative was started in 2005, and this particular project works directly with rural women farmers. The project, which is in its fifth year and supported by CTA, is called Enhancing Access to Agricultural Information using ICTs to Rural Women Farmers.

The project also established a rural information centre called Kubere Information Centre, located in Apac town. Other significant ICT processes in Northern Uganda that WOUGNET has been involved in, include the Agricultural Research Extension Network - ARENET project that was implemented by FAO and Kawanda Agricultural Research Information Services, the Rural Women’s Voices Project, the e-Society Programme and the Knowledge Network of African Community Telecentres - KNACT, among others.

About WOUGNET

Women of Uganda Network is a non-governmental organization established in 2000 by several women's organisations in Uganda to develop the use of information and communication technologies (ICTs) among women as tools to share information and address challenges collectively. It is wupported by CTA, HIVOS, and Dimitra.

WOUGNET’s mission is to promote and support the use of information and communication technologies by women's organisations as well as individuals. This is done with the aim of improving the conditions of life for Ugandan women through enhancing their capacities and opportunities for exchange, collaboration and information-sharing using ICTs. WOUGNET’s information channels include its websites: www.wougnet.org, http://kic.wougnet.org/, and www.wib.or.ug as well as mailing lists, print publications and the Kubere Information Centre (KIC) located in Apac district, Northern Uganda.