Hi Everyone, we can focus the debate now................. On Mon, Apr 26, 2010 at 6:05 PM, Caleb Alaka <[email protected]> wrote:
> Christine Munduru, > > Our Forum believes in freedom of expression. No one will persecute you or > Lee for expressing your intellectualism and thought. You are not like some > local ladies who want to discuss petties on the net > > > > --- On *Mon, 4/26/10, christine munduru <[email protected]>* wrote: > > > From: christine munduru <[email protected]> > Subject: Re: [WestNileNet] Can Northern Uganda cast vote of > self-destruction? > To: "A Virtual Network for friends of West Nile" <[email protected]> > Date: Monday, April 26, 2010, 12:39 PM > > Dear Lee, > I am impressed with the ideas you have put forward. It is the duty of > people who have such knowledge to inform our low educated voters who do not > understand how important their votes can be in shapping the country. If such > ideas are not welcomed in this forum, then I am afraid, we cannot stand for > the voiceless and it will therefore have no meaning for us to be making > noise on this forum that we want to rejuninate our region. What > rejuvinationation if we just want to sit and see ourselves being exploited > by the very government which is supposed to be accountable to her citizens? > Very soon we shall have a compulsary national health insurance and some of > us will be paying 50% taxes out of our salaries. And guess what? The money > will go to buy an expensive presidential jet which will be used for taking > first daugthers to deliver in Germany while our mothers, daughters wives and > sisters will be delivering in Arua hospital with plenty of dont have's. So > we should keep quite and watch? While other regions waited till now to see > the other side of the government, WestNile with always alert citizens show > it come very early. I am very proud to be part of such people who think > ahead. It will be unfortunate of us when everybody is now fed up we make a U > turn without tangible benefits to support what we didnt for the last 24 > years. I am sorry, I dont go by majority and wont support because others are > doing so. Should I be discontinued from this forum, Alleluia! > > I am sorry to say that those who dont like freedom of expression in this > forum are like the government who likes praying on the ignorance of people > and get so annoyed when there are elites with alot of information like this > one. Information is power, we should educate our people about voting and > voting wisely. It is our duty we must fullfill. That is why government is > trembling to close media houses and putting them in limbo. I know some of > you could be government spies. But if you want to spy on your brothers and > sisters, the richness wont take you far and your generation will be finished > when you are still watching. > > Thanks > > Christine > > ------------------------------ > *From:* Sunday Akile <[email protected]> > *To:* A Virtual Network for friends of West Nile <[email protected]> > *Sent:* Sun, April 25, 2010 11:08:15 AM > *Subject:* Re: [WestNileNet] Can Northern Uganda cast vote of > self-destruction? > > Hulo Lee, > > Excellent research. I salute you for your opinion. But be careful not so > many will like this kind of interllectual discourse and intercourse on this > forum. Lest you become history on this forum.They will not think this piece > of mind is developmental. > Akile > > ------------------------------ > *From:* oguzu lee <[email protected]> > *To:* A Virtual Network for friends of West Nile <[email protected]> > *Sent:* Tue, April 20, 2010 6:13:57 PM > *Subject:* [WestNileNet] Can Northern Uganda cast vote of > self-destruction? > > Dear members, > > As we await for the outcome of projects being spearheaded by our > colleagues, if nothing preoccupies you, may you feel able and motivated > to read this hoping it doesn't clash with your political views. You'll > recall that a number of claims have been made by various individuals and > media houses alike claiming victory for NRM party without due consideration > of issues that matter and are bound to influence voters in 2011 elections. > The question is whether Northerners can cast vote of self-destruction. > Through this article, i'm seeking to highlight the key issues > that our region needs addressed for the benefit of her people and vote > seekers. > > > > With 2011 elections drawing nearer day by day, pessimists and optimists of > the various political parties are trying to do SWOT analysis of their > parties in Northern Uganda with a number of analysts predicting a win for > party in a region twice vehemently opposed to NRM in previous elections. My > brothers: Todong and Moses Byaruhanga both presidential advisors and Pakasi, > the former MP of Obongi have provided blanket assumption that with return of > peace to northern Uganda, NRM will win with overwhelming majority without > providing answers to key questions that rationally linger in the minds of > northern people in elections. They seemed to have seriously ignored the > virtues of honesty, truthfulness, and accountability that cannot be replaced > nor whitewashed in the minds of people in a short spell of time in north let > alone poor service delivery. In this hurtful truth which may differ from the > usual comforting advises, I’ll seek to explain why NRM can’t win in West > Nile which is part Northern Uganda—a truth that may hurt many now; unlike > lies that eventually make their way out and end up hurting much more than > truth could actually have done. > > First and foremost for a region faced with an urgent need of > infrastructural development to meet business opportunities presented by her > strategic location, West Nile was in the year 2009/10 budget excluded from > 1500km optical national fiber backbone-- a major communications > infrastructure the region urgently needed to accelerate her development and > to reduce the digital gap that has littered her history for last 24 years. > The implication is that the divide between West Nile and other regions will > continue to widen, cost of doing business will also go up; businesses and > students will have to part with a lot of money to access information needed > for their daily decisions and research through a low bandwidth--a > frustration bound to translate into 'No Vote' for NRM regime policy makers > responsible for the layout of the infrastructure in 2011. > > > The NRM has also been blamed for 24 years of darkness (unreliable and > unaffordable) electricity in the region. Though government reached an > agreement with WENIRECO for provision of electricity and construction of > Nyagak, the West Nile people as stakeholders feel left out in this project > riddled by counter-accusations between government and WENIRECO. Many in the > region have queried why power wasn’t tapped from Gulu-via Anaka yet the > regime can export power to other regions. This was viewed as a deliberate > attempt to slowdown pace of development in the region and insensitivity to > the long held aspiration. In absence of reliable power, costs of doing > business increases, which if passed onto the poor perpetuates the level of > poverty. This is how the people think the government has kept them in first > class poverty –a situation where people consume all they have and nothing > gets saved for the next day. > > Unchecked exploitation of tobacco farmers has become an issue which will > contribute to outcome of 2011’s election. The region has lost lives, money > and environment through tobacco related dealings. Many have queried the role > of government in supporting farmers if inputs such as fertilizers from > companies can be sold at undisclosed and exorbitantly high prices than > market prices on the watch of government. Though tobacco companies and > farmers contribute estimated 400 billions shs annually to the GDP of the > Uganda, farmers feel their efforts are not rewarded. Delayed payments have > occurred on the watch of NRM government with the most devastating one being > last season’s where many families didn’t send their children to school > because their tobacco isn't paid for and all these happened on the watch of > a legitimate government. Blaming their plight on the inaction and > insensitivity of NRM government, they don’t feel obliged to reward it with > votes. > > The people of West Nile are also frustrated by delayed operationalisation > of the proposed Public University President Museveni consequently directed > Ministry of Education to look into last year in May after he was approached > by a delegation of leaders from West Nile. Because of the high poverty > levels in the region, people had hoped the University would provide an > affordable higher education and console them for missing out on statehouse > scholarship in the last 24 years but almost a year since the directive, > nothing has changed considerably. Given the experience of such projects > stalling under the regime, the people are beginning to think it’s perhaps > the usual political gimmick aimed at collecting votes and ready to be bitten > twice by the same snake. > > Old perhaps most annoying issue is the non-payment of the ex-service men. > To West Nile people, serving in the army was vocation and the patriots that > served Uganda just like patriots of today expected payment for their > courageous services to the nation. President Museveni while on a tour of > West Nile (2005) in Yumbe promised to pay these ex-servicemen in recognition > of their invaluable contribution but to their surprise, the same government > launched an appeal to challenge award of about 4.5 trillion shs to the > ex-servicemen. This became clear double standard on the side of NRM > government. Whereas there are rumors of a few top guys being paid, majority > of the voiceless are languishing in abject poverty. Many of such families > have ended up selling their cows, goats, and chicken in endless paper > processions required to access this money, others have died of poverty and > frustration before receiving fruits of their labour thus causing wide spread > distrust in the government of NRM in the region. > > The poor health service delivery and collapse of health infrastructure: > Whereas mothers and babies are dying each day for lack of basic medical > drugs and equipment, alongside, NRM the ruling government is > busy distributing T-shirts as if lack of clothes is peoples’ problem. Many > have viewed this as broad daylight mismanagement of resources that would > have gone to the health sector to save lives. Arua hospital now uses > charcoal to incubate babies in place of incubators, midwives i told use > candles to lit, and this referral hospital supposed to meet complicated > health needs of over 10 Million people in the impoverished West Nile didn’t > get priority over T-shirts to supporters. Coupled to the above, a number of > people in rural areas still share drinking water sources (unprotected > springs) with other animals thus making them question their governments’ > commitment to provision of clean water infrastructure to her people. Unless > otherwise addressed, this is a clear no vote statement. > > Failure of government programmes to change lives. Whereas the Prosperity > For All song is being sung aloud, many have not heard and danced it. A > number of innovations supposedly aimed at improved livihoods have not > translated into improved standard of living. Majority of people still > languish in absolute poverty insisting programmes such as NAADs, SACCOs, and > NUSAF have never reached them or are not helping them, intended > beneficiaries. Today virtually all NUSAF phase I project sign posts point > to nothing except miserable state of life in the areas they point to. Many > SACCOs formed in West Nile have never received funds from government because > of incapacitation that is neither built. With some SACCO charging interest > as high as 4.2% per month, farmers feel poorer and more exploited than > before. Such failures being blamed on corruption in the ruling ranks, the > appointing authority which in public eyes is NRM regime is bound to be > punished. Unfortunately, the built up frustration will unveil in 2011 during > voting. > > Many farmers have been frustrated with lack of market for agricultural > produce promoted by NRM government through Prosperity For All programme. > Whereas farmers expected their government to act like other regional > governments in guaranteeing market by buying at a price which guarantees > farmers a break-even (enables them meet production costs), NRM government > has never allocated stabilization funds in the budget for agricultural > sector that employs over 90% of West Nile population. This has caused > production to oscillate between surplus and scarcity something food > security analysts say is a major cause of food insecurity and skyrocketing > prices in the region. This continued policy gap has made farmers in the area > very susceptible to food insecurity and low incomes from produce—something > being seen as a deliberate attempt to keep people in vicious circle of > poverty for easy ruling. > > To add salt on to a cronic wound, the alarming corruption levels in the > ruling ranks as reported by World Bank and other organizations is what > angers most a region whose people are built on the virtues of honest and > integrity. The people wished the 500 billion lost each year through > corruption was invested in quality education, clean water, anti-poverty > agenda, health service delivery to mention a few. Because corruption > naturally clashes with cultural believes and identities on West Nile people, > any party perceived to be corrupt will not be on peoples’ voting list in > 2011. With this vice being blamed for lack of drugs in health centres, poor > roads, poor quality education, and increased poverty levels in northern > Uganda which currently stand at 74% among women, with West Nile contribution > to national coffers being abused and those in the ruling ranks blamed for > squandering these resources, no expression other 'No Vote, we want change' > will suffice the people’s expression of heartfelt feeling of poor > stewardship in NRM. > > However, all this will depend on whether the adage and beacon of north: an > average northerner is not interested in money but the truth will hold up to > 2011. Money which many view as lubricant of situations may never turn votes > in favor of NRM to qualify the party for votes as insinuated. The history of > north can not be bet on when it comes to voting for principle, whether they > vote alone, they always cherish the sweetest reflection that their votes are > not lost but symbolise truth. Whatever the come, the day after 2011 > elections presumably 13th February will prove me and my brothers right or > wrong but the truth:' a northerner will never take a decision of > self-destruction' will hold even after 2011 for centuries! > > > > > > -----Inline Attachment Follows----- > > > _______________________________________________ > WestNileNet mailing list > [email protected]<http://us.mc464.mail.yahoo.com/mc/[email protected]> > http://orion.kym.net/mailman/listinfo/westnilenet > > WestNileNet is generously hosted by INFOCOM http://www.infocom.co.ug/ > > All Archives can be found at > http://www.mail-archive.com/[email protected]/ > > The above comments and data are owned by whoever posted them (including > attachments if any). The List's Host is not responsible for them in any way. > _______________________________________________ > > > > _______________________________________________ > WestNileNet mailing list > [email protected] > http://orion.kym.net/mailman/listinfo/westnilenet > > WestNileNet is generously hosted by INFOCOM http://www.infocom.co.ug/ > > All Archives can be found at > http://www.mail-archive.com/[email protected]/ > > The above comments and data are owned by whoever posted them (including > attachments if any). The List's Host is not responsible for them in any way. > _______________________________________________ > > -- Ejiku Robert, Group Manager, Igara Growers Tea Factory Ltd, P.O. Box 110, Bushenyi Office Tel:+256-772-700-797, Mobile:+256-772-522-619, +256-702-522-619 Office e-mail: [email protected], Personal e-mail: [email protected].
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