ugnet_: Whose DP is it,anyway?
Article Published on: 20th May 2004. Whose DP is it, anyway? By Norbert MaoGUEST WRITER In 2000, fired up with optimism and zeal to revive our party, I penned these lines. Now that the DP factions have agreed to come together and face a common foe, these thoughts may yet provide some good food for thought and, if well digested, may nourish DPs emaciated frame:- NOVEMBER 2000: As we enter into the new millennium serious questions face the Democratic Party. The DP is Ugandas oldest party and Africas second oldest party. Notwithstanding its heroic historical mission, it has not been able to enjoy electoral success or the opportunity to govern. DP president Paul Ssemogerere (L) and former DP breakaway faction leader Francis Bwengye attending a workshop last week (PHOTO: OBSErver MEDIA) Besides the hostile climate of tyranny that has thwarted the party, there are also internal weaknesses that must be diagnosed and treated. Most of these relate to the absence of an inspired leadership. An army of sheep led by a lion can defeat an army of lions led by a sheep. The latter seems to be the DP stereotype. No one can deny that the DP has noble ideals. After all is it not the party of the under-dogs? Is it not the party that challenged the sectarian colonial hierarchy? Is it not the party that has been the most consistent flag bearer of human rights? Is it not the party that is most pro-private enterprise? The DP must make itself capable of launching a political fight for its values, which are also indeed mainstream values cherished by Ugandans. A ship that rides the rough waves must have both a strong anchor and tough sails. While the party cannot drift because it has a firm anchor of values, principles and values, at the same time it cannot embark on its charted voyage to power because it lacks sturdy sails of political strategy to tap the many winds. As a young man who was first introduced to the DP in 1989 by such valiant activists like the late Ojok Mulozi, I have had the honour of being accepted as an asset to the party. I have held discussions with the party leadership at all levels. I have participated actively in many party events. Therefore, I speak as a believer in the partys principles and values, as a long time supporter, and yes, as a member of the party. Nevertheless, I have observed that the party has lacked the will to seize the time and make itself the flag bearer for our national aspirations. I have watched as a dejected membership has drifted either into apathy or petty radicalism. I have watched as the party leadership has been co-opted into the anti-democratic schemes of the hegemonic NRM and its leader Gen. Museveni. I once even toyed with the idea of starting of a new political party. But I have to fight the good fight. So I call upon all party supporters to heed that wisdom and join the struggle to rebuild the party. As Franklin Roosevelt once said, new conditions impose new requirements on government and those who conduct government. Therefore the DP must renew itself, and we need to do five things to remain relevant. First, we must realise that ideas are what make an organisation. Voters will elect us not because of the organisations we stand with, but rather what we stand for. Second, we must clarify our historical fundamentals. Our credibility must be beyond reproach on issues such as human rights and good governance, on private enterprise etc. Third, we must reach out beyond our traditional core constituencies and historical base. We must speak to the middle class and also to those aspiring to get there. Fourth, we must begin to talk to the electorate, as it will be, not as it was. Old messages do not work anymore. We must not churn out party messages as if we were addressing a 1960s electorate. Fifth, we must seek to get elected because the best government is the best politics. There is no point in being mere commentators without transforming ourselves into the party of choice at elections. How can we build a modern, vibrant and progressive DP that deals with Ugandas teething problems with bold and innovative ideas? How do we reverse our partys flagging fortunes in national politics? I have made some proposals in the past to the partys secretary general on how we can strengthen our policy positions. Our party needs a think tank to debate and prepare the policy positions of the party. The party needs a training programme for up and coming leaders. As a beneficiary of these training programmes I want more young people to benefit too. Our goal should be to further traditional DP values with modern means. The old politics are becoming increasingly irrelevant as the voters become more educated, independent and less partisan. Moreover, the composition of the voters is changing. There is a demographic shift. Many of the voters are young people. These new voters hold the key to power. They have to be talked to directly in the language they can understand.
ugnet_: Beauty for purpose or purse?
Article Published on: 20th May 2004. Beauty for purpose or purse? By Benon Herbert OlukaWEEKLY OBSERVER Ugly, how beauty pageants seem to court controversy wherever they are staged. And I am not talking about the my hobbies are smiling type of quotes that reveal the kind of brains our beauties have (or dont have).Brains, in a beauty contest? Yes, more so when the organisers - as we are told - are searching for beauty thats within and without. But how on earth do they search when a stunner of a contestant struts onto the stage, calm and confident, skimpily dressed, smile in place and utters: I love football because it has the same personalities as catwalking. Ops! But that is a story for another day. Today brings to light the fact that pageants have been besieged by controversies and these are not meant to be funny. Beauty pageants are eagerly anticipated as much for their glitz and glamour as for the controversies that come along with them. In some cases, the sceptics have never been disappointed. This is certainly the case when a brand new (sponsors rhetoric) car worth about Shs 10 million is up for grabs, only for the engine to rebel a fortnight later allegedly because it was past its sell-by date. And that is not all. Theres the new phenomenon of every sponsor rooting for a Miss brand competition to be held alongside the main event. If truth were told, these additions water down the competition. Ever attended a pageant where you have all sorts of mickey mouse contests like Miss sponsor of the music system, Miss sponsor of make up products, Miss sponsor of the newspaper adverts and all their other cousins? Didnt the contest get a little overwhelming because you couldnt figure out who was competing for what? Well, like you, I once did and it wasnt the bomb.But dont tell the organisers and their partners in crime, the sponsors. See, most of them market the beauties for a purpose, which purpose is to earn them a fat purse. [EMAIL PROTECTED] Yahoo! Messenger - Communicate instantly..."Ping" your friends today! Download Messenger Now
ugnet_: Making love can be painful. Let's talk...Sex!
Article Published on: 20th May 2004. Making love can be painful Lets talk... Sex!with Carolyne Nakazibwe Is sex a process full of agony for you? Then start considering the reasons why it is happening, because it is not supposed to be that way. Scientifically, painful intercourse is called dyspareunia and once in a while, every one has a go at this. And obviously if it is an occasional yelp, it could be as a result of you trying out positions that allow deeper penetration, hence causing pain. But if all factors are constant, yet each time you make love it brings out a painful cry, wait a minute. Sex therapists attribute this to infections, which obviously can be weeded out with a quick visit to the doctor. Such infections most of them sexually transmitted limit a womans ability to lubricate and adjust accordingly, to enjoy sex. So unless you find your thrill in painful sex which I am convinced would also require a psychiatrist try to overcome it. The other reason psychologists and therapists put across as causing painful sex, is clumsiness on the side of the man. Yes. This is what I want to dwell on. Obviously, for most men, the idea of being well endowed by any standards is good for the ego. And when their wives cry out in pain during love making, to him, it is reason to pump his chest that, I made some impact there. But my friend, it is not that simple where womens matters in the bedroom are concerned. It is more about your ability to make that enormous size comfortable for her that will give you the marks, not the bruises and pain-induced tears. True, there is bittersweet pain, if I may use that description for the kind of pain that transforms into a better feeling as you go on. But the wrong pain is the kind that makes her feel like you are raping her. Selfish lovers will obviously not realize that they are doing things wrong and instead of bringing ecstasy, they are meting out a punishment!It is still about foreplay. You know the common joke among women that most men believe that ten minutes of begging constitutes foreplay. So the minute you yield to his demands, he is in business and done within seconds. If you take more time to try and arouse your wife, the lubrication will kick in naturally and if she has no infections, she will start enjoying sex with you and this will make it better for you too. Besides, when she is not lubricating enough, it will be uncomfortable for you too, so this is a win-win situation if you invest more in the foreplay department. As for the women, many prefer to suffer in silence, because for one culture or the other, criticizing your man about sex matters, however subtle, is considered insolent. But you are not criticizing, you are communicating. Sometimes, when a woman cries out, it is difficult for a man to tell whether it means he found the G-spot or simply hurt her, especially when he is already too carried away. It is up to you to do a postmortem later on what hurt and what rocked.Also as food for thought, revisit your choice of contraception if your husband does everything right, but you still find sex painful.Some self-help books by experts suggest that if a pill causes thinning of your natural lubrication, switch to one that is higher in estrogen, or use something else altogether. If you use vaginal deodorants and perfumed soap on your private parts, dont run crying to anybody if your natural lubricants get lost. Therapists say these too cause aridity in women. If you have done everything and sex is still painful, seek medical help. You could have vaginismus, which is a condition affecting the vaginal muscles and sometimes penetration becomes impossible. What to remember DATING TIPS If you have played the dating game before, you will notice certain things about the opposite sex that will cause a storm where you see need for none. The females in particular will expect you to do the small niceties for them, while the males will also look for a girl who is there for them in one way or another. Your girlfriend will most likely expect you to remember every important day in your affair and if you dont, brace yourself for a tirade of accusations about how you are not caring, the relationship means little to you, and many others. So Be flexibleThis is for the ladies. We all agree, the birthdays, the day he walked up to chat you up, the day he leaned over and kissed you, the day you first dated, the day he gave you the engagement ring The list of firsts is endless. Oh, and of course Valentines Day. You obviously expect these days to mean just as much to him and you want him to send a flower on each occasion, but, tough luck. You call and start quizzing him, so, what does this day remind you of sweetheart? and he goes, huh? Dont be so hard on him. People are different. He may be the type who is even reminded about his own birthday, so expecting him to genuinely remember yours, or the day you first kissed, could be too much. It
ugnet_: Uganda,Congo In security meet
Uganda, Congo in Security Meet Email This Page Print This Page Visit The Publisher's Site New Vision (Kampala) May 19, 2004 Posted to the web May 19, 2004 Emmy Allio Kampala Ugandan and Congolese security officials today begin a meeting in the northwestern Congolese town of Beni over the fluid security situation on the Uganda-DRC border, security sources said yesterday. The talks, also attended by a team from the United Nations Mission in Congo (MONUC), is specifically centring on the presence of Ugandan rebels in North Kivu province and Ituri zone. Last week, Bunia-based Radio Kandip reported that the Ugandan rebels had clashed with a splinter faction of RCD-ML rebels of Mbusa Nyamwisi in Beni town. Ugandan security sources said the Allied Democratic Forces and People's Redemption Army are based in Eringeti game reserves and the Kamango forest belt. Uganda's delegation to Beni is led by the deputy Director General of External Security Organisation, Col. Peter Kerim (right). The Beni meeting comes after ESO Chief Maku Iga and Brig. Kale Kaihura, the military assistant to President Yoweri Museveni, discussed the border situation in Kinshasa. Earlier last week, foreign ministers from Rwanda, Uganda and the DRC met for normalisation talks in Washington, DC. Relevant Links Central Africa East Africa Conflict, Peace and Security Uganda Congo-Kinshasa Meanwhile, MONUC and the Kinshasa government have accused Rwanda of sending troops to Congo. The UN Security Council recently called Rwanda and DR Congo to strengthen security along their border. This service is hosted on the Infocom network http://www.infocom.co.ug
ugnet_: Uganda Doomed--Pulkol
Uganda Doomed, Laments Pulkol Email This Page Print This Page Visit The Publisher's Site New Vision (Kampala) May 19, 2004 Posted to the web May 19, 2004 Apollo Mubiru Kampala THE future of Uganda is doomed if politicians do not stop practising politics of patronage, former External Security Organisation director general David Pulkol has said. Currently there are contradictions that we must confront but when some of us try to raise such issues, they character-assassinate us, he said. Pulkol said the politics of patronage should be avoided to ensure effective public contribution to development. He was discussing access to the Information Bill 2004 at a parliamentary consultative workshop on corruption, organised by the African Parliamentary Network at Hotel Africana yesterday. Other speakers were UNDP country representative Daouda Toure and state minister for information Nsaba Buturo, who said Parliament had a duty to pass a Bill that would make Uganda a land of justice. Relevant Links East Africa Legal and Judicial Affairs Uganda Crime and Corruption Pulkol said some of the recent legislations came with restrictions instead of promoting openness, which the bill emphasised. This government came to liberate us and in one way it's forgetting and wants to imprison us again, he said. This service is hosted on the Infocom network http://www.infocom.co.ug
ugnet_: Govt mourns Gulu Victims!
Govt Mourns Gulu Victims Email This Page Print This Page Visit The Publisher's Site The Monitor (Kampala) May 19, 2004 Posted to the web May 19, 2004 Henry H. Ssali Kampala The Government is sorry that innocent Ugandans are still dying at the hands of the Lord's Resistance Army, Vice-President Prof Gilbert Bukenya has said. He was responding to news about the LRA attack on Pagak internally displaced people's camp in Gulu, where 22 civilians were killed on Sunday. It was done in a very barbaric way. It's extremely unfortunate. We are sorry, Bukenya said. He was addressing a press conference in the Cabinet meeting room at Parliament Building yesterday. Flanked by Ms Betty Akech, the State Minister for Security and Ms Grace Akello, the State Minister for Northern Uganda Rehabilitation, Bukenya expressed his surprise at LRA's Vicent Otti having committed the barbaric act yet he had recently said he was willing to talk peace. Bukenya said despite the attack, the Government would go ahead with its programme of initiating income-generating activities in the camps. A sub-committee of Cabinet is going to the north, including myself to start specific agro-based programmes in those areas. They are very good for sorghum, simsim and upland rice, he said. Bukenya said there was a Bill in Parliament to amend the Amnesty Act and exclude rebel leaders like Joseph Kony and Vincent Otti. We are giving Kony a few days to end his atrocities, he said. Relevant Links East Africa Conflict, Peace and Security Uganda Akello said the Government had earmarked Shs 26 billion for development and rehabilitation projects in the war-torn north for the next three years. Akech said that 76 of the rebels who attacked Pagak had surrendered to the UPDF. This service is hosted on the Infocom network http://www.infocom.co.ug
ugnet_: LRA REBELS kill seven
Some how the NRM military dictatorship is disillusioned into believing that if they say UPDF has killed so many rebels...and that so many rebels have surrended this some how shows that the war is about to end. and that Uganda would now rest assured that the war is coming to an end. On Contrary, the so called LRA rebels, it would seem, ( as the article below would clearly suggest, the killings continue and will probably continue for the next 20 years. until peace loving Ugandans come up with a solution to this NRM created Wars. LRA Rebels Kill Seven Email This Page Print This Page Visit The Publisher's Site New Vision (Kampala) May 19, 2004 Posted to the web May 19, 2004 Chris Ochowun Kampala SEVEN passengers died instantly and ten others were seriously injured when the Lord's Resistance Army (LRA) rebels ambushed their vehicles in Pader and Kitgum districts on Monday morning. Five people died on the spot and nine others were injured when their dyna truck was hit at Porogali village in Acholi-bur sub-county in Aruu county, Pader district. Some of the dead were identified only as Aciro, Santa and Ongom Agoro, a businessman in Kitgum district. Two other passengers died when the rebels ambushed another pick-up vehicle at 10:00am in Mucwini sub-county, Chua county in Kitgum district on the same day. Local leaders in Kitgum said most of the injured passengers were mainly students who were returning to schools as the new term opened on Monday. Relevant Links East Africa Uganda Civil War and Communal Conflict The Army spokesperson for the northern and eastern region, Lt. Paddy Ankunda, said he would contact the army commanders on the ground to get more details. He said the rebels seemed to have launched fresh attacks on the civilian positions. He urged leaders to mobilise people to demonstrate against the atrocities. This service is hosted on the Infocom network http://www.infocom.co.ug
ugnet_: UPDF beats off Pagak Rebels-Museveni
UPDF Beat Off Pagak Rebels Email This Page Print This Page Visit The Publisher's Site The Monitor (Kampala) DOCUMENT May 20, 2004 Posted to the web May 20, 2004 Badru D. Mulumba Kampala President Yoweri Museveni yesterday said the army reacted appropriately to disperse rebels who attacked Pagak camp for internally displaced persons, in Pader district. The president said the UPDF killed six invaders in the process. Separate groups of the Lord's Resistance Army also attacked Lokung IDP and Palabek-Gem IDP on May 16 and May 17. the death toll had by yesterday reached 39. Mr Museveni said this yesterday when he met Mr Conrad Nkutu, managing director of The Monitor, and Mr William Pike, Managing Director of the New Vision to clarify the circumstances surrounding the latest rebel attack. He was reacting to a story on the Pagak attack that appeared in The New Vision on Tuesday. Some civilians, Museveni said, were killed in cross fire as they fled towards the Pagak army detach in search of safety. Eighteen others were abducted by the rebels and murdered a few kilometers from the camp. Museveni met the media chiefs in the presence of Defence Minister Amama Mbabazi, Minister in charge of the Presidency Kirunda Kivejinja, and Information Minister Nsaba Buturo. Also present were Mr Onapito Ekomoloit, Acting Press Secretary, Mr Moses Byaruhanga, Political Assistant, and Mrs Joan Magezi, Principal Private Secretary to the President. Below is Museveni's full statement and subsequent interview with Nkutu and Pike. MUSEVENI: There was this incident at Pagak which was presented yesterday when you were talking about... you had a story on the front page (of New Vision). There was a collaborator in that camp who was living there. He coordinated with the terrorists to attack the IDP camp from the side where the army is not camped. This was around 6pm. The small army detach was preparing to go for evening patrol. When they attacked, people started running into the detach. That created some problems for the soldiers - crowds fleeing into the detach (for safety). The soldiers tried to attack from the side. They dispersed the terrorists, killed six of them. But the LRA kidnapped 18 civilians. They ran with them and killed some, a few kilometers ahead. That was the incident at Pagak. The way you wrote was that the army was overpowered. Some people were also killed in the crossfire. Simultaneously, the LRA tried to attack Palabek Gem IDP camp in Kitgum. There was no damage at all. They (also) attacked Lokung in Kitgum. In Pagak, the army handled it well but there was some damage. Yesterday, because of the pressure on the terrorists, 76 of them (led by) a terrorist commander called Okot who apparently has been in terrorism for a long time - he started in 1988 - because of army pressure, he reported to Pajule in Pader with 77 people. This was yesterday. Then, there was another incident in Pader, near Katango, where (another LRA commander) Kamdulu was killed. Finally, yesterday, our gunships attacked Odhiambo whose group massacred people in Barlonyo - 200 people were killed. This was in Lira. Odhiambo himself did not die. He is now near Southern Sudan near the Kit Valley. They were hit by our gunship from Gulu. Thirty-four of his people were killed. It is near Juba. I wanted to inform my partners (The Monitor and New Vision) about these generally positive developments in the anti-terrorism campaign. PIKE: What intelligence do you currently have on Kony himself? MUSEVENI: Kony is in the Kit area. Odhiambo was going to meet him. PIKE: Did you read that interview in a southern Sudanese newsletter purportedly held with Joseph Kony? And do you believe it is genuine? MUSEVENI: That interview was fake. We normally know what happens with Kony. These were Southern Sudanese trying to instigate us against the Arabs. NKUTU: What is the source of the various military successes you have scored against the LRA during the last few months? MUSEVENI: The source of our success is better equipment. For example, Kit is 100 miles (Mbabazi interjects to say it is 80 miles) from the Uganda-Sudan border. But gunships can cover that area in 40 minutes. On foot, it would take four days! In spite of Sudan's backing for LRA, we would have done better with better equipment. This 23% budget cut from other ministries enabled us to get better equipment. PIKE: Are you dropping troops on the ground or are you using gunships only? MUSEVENI: We are using gunships, we are not dropping troops on the ground. We have few helicopters. One crashed, another is in Russia... PIKE: Why don't you get trackers to go after Kony and hit him the way the Israelis have been hitting their enemies in the mosques? MUSEVENI: But you see, the mosques are immobile. Kony is mobile. Kony will be hit. But he is still hiding with a small group. Even the Americans have not been able to get Bin Laden
ugnet_: Subject : Re: Ayume insisted on trip -Ayume murdered by the system!
As of this morning in Kampala, another senior Police officer, John Odwe is said to have dismissed the earlier allegation that the late Ayume's car was hit by a trailer. Odwe spoke to the media and said that the late Ayume's car has been analysed and there is no sign of an impact from a trailer. This is a direct contradiction to what another senior Police officer, Asumani Mugenyi had said earlier when he stated that there was a trailer involved. May be this explains why the late Ayume's car is said to have been towed to a private garage first immediately following the accident instead of towing it directly to the Police yard. The lizard Gook "Rang guthe agithi marapu!" A karamonjong word of wisdomMSN 8 helps ELIMINATE E-MAIL VIRUSES. Get 2 months FREE*. This service is hosted on the Infocom network http://www.infocom.co.ug
ugnet_: And the plot thinkens!---No trailer link in Ayume crash !!!!
No trailer link in Ayume crash By Mwanguhya Charles Mpagi May 21, 2004 KAMPALA - As details of Sundays accident that killed Attorney General Francis Ayume continue to emerge, Police have ruled out the possibility of a hit and run or head on collision as the cause of the crash. Police said yesterday preliminary investigations have so far ruled out reports that a semi trailer headed in the opposite direction killed the AG. Ayume, 64, was killed in a grisly accident on Sunday night as he travelled to Kampala from Masindi where he had presided over a golf tourney. Ayume and his bodyguard, Mr Michael Geriga, died instantly. The deputy Inspector General of Police, Julius Odwee, told the weekly cabinet briefing at Nakasero that police have abandoned three of the four clues they were initially following. He said they ruled out a head on collision, a hit and run or potholes as likely causes of the accident. Odwee said the only theory still open to investigation is whether the vehicle independently crashed without any obstacle. He said police investigation will be completed within two weeks. He said that initial inspection of the vehicle had not revealed any contact or knock on the vehicle. The accident From the point of the accident, police said, the vehicle zig zagged on and off the road for a stretch of 140 metres. It first reportedly deflected off the road into the bush before it overturned or somersaulted over 12.8 metres, glided in the bush for 46.3 metres, and then zig zagged back into the road for a stretch of 39.0 metres and skidded on the road for an extra 17metres. The bodies were found out of the wreckage. Police said it was not yet clear if they jumped out or the vehicle flung them out. Ayumes body was found 12metres from where the vehicle finally stopped while that of the bodyguard was found six meters ahead. The driver was trapped on his seat while Butele had been flung into the back seats. Police said the indications were that the occupants did not use their seat belts. Odwee said he received information of the accident at around midnight on Sunday, about two hours after it had happened. He recounted a report by a Ministry of Works driver who was apparently the first to arrive on the scene. The driver, whom he did not name, had stopped at Migera trading centre for coffee when the AGs vehicle passed. He followed it in an effort to form a convoy as they drove back to Kampala. A short distance from Migera, the driver apparently met a lorry moving at slow speed. After about two minutes of driving, he realised that the AGs car was not in sight - when he put on full lights he realised it was in the road facing a different direction. On reaching the vehicle, he found the driver trapped in his seat, Mr Butele, who was previously sitting in the co-VIP seat had been thrown to the back of the car. He was crying for help. Odwee said investigations by Police indicate that the vehicle was possibly travelling at high speed. Police are investigating the possibility that the car had a slow puncture or sudden loss of pressure leading the driver to lose control. He said policemen deployed to follow the alleged hit-and-run trailer had come up with no clue. We found no evidence whatsoever that there was any contamination (on all lorries inspected) at Migera, he said. He said so far the police have established that the vehicle had a good record of service having been serviced in February, March and on May 5. Odwee said the accident spot had not been marked a dark spot in police records. In a related development, Housing and Communications minister Mr. John Nasasira told Parliament that Ayumes car did not have contact with a trailer before it lost control. He said the trailer simply flashed full lights at the Attorney Generals car, which later lost control. He said the vehicle rolled four times. Nasasira said in the process of rolling the bodies of the bodyguard and that of Ayume were flung out of the car. But Budadiri West MP Nandala Mafabi wondered why the car had been seen in a garage in Ndeeba. Nasasira said the car was taken there after Police inspection. He said the garage is a government facility. He refuted reports that the road on which they were traveling is full of potholes. He said there is only one eight-inch pothole on that road. Additional reporting by Gerald Walulya. © 2004 The Monitor Publications There is a surviver Butele..why dont they ask him what he saw? Why different versions from the "Murder" state operatives? Fundamental change or clear line? Gook "Rang guthe agithi marapu!" A karamonjong word of wisdomProtect your PC - Click here for McAfee.com VirusScan Online This service is hosted on the Infocom network http://www.infocom.co.ug
ugnet_: Dont bother MPs; the peasants can decide on budget
Hello Mr President By David Ouma Balikowa Dont bother MPs; the peasants can decide on budget May 21, 2004 Our beloved President Yoweri Museveni, determined to lift the presidential term limits, says only the peasants and not Parliament will decide on this matter through a referendum. Museveni says absolute power rests with the people, the majority of whom are peasants. The learned judges like Prof. George Kanyeihamba and parliamentarians can go hang for he will not let them touch the constitution. He will instead use the peasants to lift the current two five-year presidential term limit in what is widely seen as a ploy to cling onto power after his fair share ends in 2006. Finance minister Ssendaula signing a million dollar loan agreement with the World Banks Judith OConnor in January. The donor community has stood firm against Mr President Musevenis wishes to have a costly referendum on presidential term limits (File photo).Well, the total disregard of the legislature was before the donors threw out his draft budget for the 2004/2005 financial year. The donors who meet half the three trillion shilling budget, have this time around dug in over what they see as over expenditure on defence and Musevenis planned referendum on term limits. This time round, the President was quick to remind the donors that it is Parliament and not them (donors) to decide on the constitution. But if Museveni trusts the peasants more than anyone else including Parliament and now the donors, he could as well put the budget before them to decide. Strangely, if Museveni were to put the choice between the budget and the constitution to the peasants, they could surprise him by choosing to deal with the budget instead. This is how they would most probably proceed on the budget: Knowing how Museveni now distrusts the donors, the peasants immediate attention would be drawn to the Presidents foreign trips that cost the taxpayer billions of shillings every year. They would quickly cancel that item off the budget and instead ask Museveni to spend more time travelling upcountry to sort out their numerous problems. Since Museveni does not require his presidential jet to travel around the country, the peasants would decide that it be auctioned off immediately to raise money for fixing broken boreholes. Someone might try to remind them that the daughters of the first family need to use the presidential jet to deliver babies abroad. Trust the peasants to come up with brilliant solutions to big national problems like this. The first daughters will not need the jet any longer when the peasants decide the budget. The peasants will gladly provide a traditional birth attendant at some convenient place like State House for the daughters to the first family. They will also gladly provide a herbalist or some witchdoctor for Museveni in case he still mistrusts the doctors at Mulago Hospital. Museveni has often said that he would never allow a Mulago doctor touch him lest he dies. But the peasants will assure him that some of our witchdoctors use remote control to treat their patients. So when Museveni gets backache, the doctors provided by the peasants will not have to travel from Rwakitura or Mawokota to State House in Kampala. All they would do is go in the garden and massage a tree and Musevenis back would be healed by remote control. With modern technology, they could even do it via the Internet, although those are the gadgets peasants would quickly strike out from the national budget. State dinners for foreign dignitaries also cost the country heavily. The peasants will quickly observe that foreign dignitaries sometimes visit us too much. We simply cannot afford the dinners. The peasants will gladly do surgery on that menu; strike off items like spaghetti, butter, beef and replace them with akalo (millet), amazutta (local ghee). Remember the peasants can only afford to eat beef on Christmas days. So they would gladly strike off beef and replace it with molokonyi (cow hoofs) because that is what Uganda can ably afford after all. We should not also forget that for the 17 years as the NRM celebrated anniversary after anniversary of their capture of state power, the rulers ate all the good meat of the carcass and all the peasants were left with was to scramble for the hooves and rectums. The peasants would be too glad to return the favour if given the chance to decide on what goes into the rich tummies of our rulers. Some years ago, Museveni told the nation that his wife fetches the food they eat in State House from their village home in Rwakitrura. The peasants would be too glad to strike out those fat stomached State House suppliers and instead send Museveni kashera (millet porridge) and reduce on the long list of unpaid state suppliers. The peasants would also not be amused to find in the budget items like toilet paper costing the taxpayer hundreds of millions of shillings? Toilet paper for what? Some will
ugnet_: OPEN DOORS
19 May 2004White House Doors Have Been Opened to Africa, Says Ugandan EnvoyAmb. Ssempala credits Bush with new attitude in Africa Society lectureBy Jim Fisher-ThompsonWashington File Staff WriterWashington -- An African ambassador noted for her tireless work promoting greater economic and political ties with the United States has praised President Bush for his unswerving focus on the continent and for reaching out to African leaders and officials.Ugandan Ambassador Edith Ssempala told the Washington File May 18: "I applaud the leadership of President Bush on Africa. He has done tremendous things for our continent. He has literally opened the White House to numerous African heads of state and officials -- I've lost count because there are so many."This is significant because it creates an opportunity for dialogue and for discussion and for better understanding," she added. In addition, "we are happy with his other initiatives for Africa: the emergency HIV/AIDS initiatives, the MCA [Millennium Challenge Account]."Ssempala made her comments at the Ghanaian Embassy as part of the Africa Society's Andrew Young lecture series. General Mamadou Seck, former Senegalese ambassador to the United States, gave the keynote address and Nancy Walker, former director of the African Center for Strategic Studies (ACSS), received an achievement award.The Ugandan envoy spoke the day President Bush invited six African leaders to the upcoming summit of G-8 nations in Sea Island, Georgia, June 10. According to a statement by the White House press secretary, "President Bush has invited the leaders of Algeria, Ghana, Nigeria, Senegal, South Africa and Uganda to meet" and have a "wide-ranging discussion on topics that include, among others, famine/food security, peacekeeping, development, HIV/AIDS and corruption."In the area of peace and security, the release noted, "Senegal, Uganda, Nigeria, and soon South Africa, participate in the United States' peacekeeping training program, ACOTA (African Contingency Operations Training and Assistance)."Asked about ACOTA, which since 1997 has helped train 12,000 African peacekeepers, Ssempala said, "I think it is basically a continuation and strengthening of the [conflict resolution] relationship" with African nations. "Anything that helps us to be stronger so that we can help ourselves is always welcome."On the economic front, the White House noted: "The five sub-Saharan African leaders are among Africa's strongest free trade advocates and their countries benefit from tariff-free export to the U.S. under the African Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA). The commitment of Senegal and Ghana to governing justly, investing in their people, and promoting economic freedom was recognized by their recent selection as beneficiaries of President Bush's groundbreaking new development assistance program, the Millennium Challenge Account."Ssempala said Ugandans are excited about MCA because of its goal "to create a strong economy based on private sector investment. This is the type of aid that helped Europe climb out of destruction and poverty" caused by World War Two, and "we hope it will do the same thing for us in Africa."Returning to the attention Africa is getting, Ssempala said, "I'm extremely delighted to note the support for Africa that has been increasing under the Bush administration. It is a bipartisan relationship [on the part of Congress] and a bilateral relationship that is growing from strength to strength."(The Washington File is a product of the Bureau of International Information Programs, U.S. Department of State. Web site: http://usinfo.state.gov) Yahoo! Groups Sponsor
ugnet_: Fw: [rwanda_revolution] Vatican Warns Catholics Against Marrying Muslims
Vatican Warns Catholics Against Marrying Muslims By Shasta Darlington VATICAN CITY (Reuters) - The Vatican warned Catholic women on Friday to think hard before marrying a Muslim and urged Muslims to show more respect for human rights, gender equality and democracy. Reuters Slideshow: Pope John Paul II Calling women "the least protected member of the Muslim family," it spoke of the "bitter experience" western Catholics had with Muslim husbands, especially if they married outside the Islamic world and later moved to his country of origin. The comments in a document about migrants around the world were preceded by remarks about points of agreement between Christians and Muslims but they seemed likely to fuel mistrust between the world's two largest religions. The document said the Church discouraged marriages between believers in traditionally Catholic countries and non-Christian migrants. It hoped Muslims would show "a growing awareness that fundamental liberties, the inviolable rights of the person, the equal dignity of man and woman, the democratic principle of government and the healthy lay character of the state are principles that cannot be surrendered." When a Catholic woman and Muslim man wanted to marry, it said, "bitter experience teaches us that a particularly careful and in-depth preparation is called for." It said one possible problem was with Muslim in-laws and advised future mothers that they must insist on Church policy that children born of a mixed marriage be baptized and brought up as Catholics. If the marriage is registered in the consulate of a Muslim country, the document said, the Catholic must be careful not to sign a document or swear an oath including the shahada, the Islamic profession of faith, which would amount to converting. DIFFERENT APPROACHES The document highlighted the contrasting approaches the Vatican has taken in recent years toward Islam, which has emerged as a strong rival for souls, especially in Africa. Pope John Paul has broken ground in dialogue with Muslims and even prayed in a mosque in Damascus. He won plaudits in the Muslim world for his strong opposition to the Iraq war. But Vatican officials and leading Catholic prelates have expressed increasingly critical views about the spread of Islam and the challenge this poses for Catholicism. The Vatican's top theologian, Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger, said earlier this week the West "no longer loves itself" and so was unable to respond to the challenge of Islam, which was growing because it expressed "greater spiritual energy." The migration document also discouraged churches from letting non-Christians use their places of worship. This issue arose last month when Muslims in Spain asked to be able to pray in Cordoba cathedral, which was once a mosque. A senior Vatican official said this would be "problematic."
