Luwero district bans medical interns from attending to patients without supervisors

Luwero district has banned intern doctors from handling and administering treatment to patients at health centres without the presence of supervisors.

Every year, Luwero district receives over 200 medical students from different institutions to conduct training at health centre IIIs, IVs, and Luwero hospital. This year, the program resumed on January 2 for both medical students and other interns in local governments.

However, it has emerged that several health workers tend to be absent and leave patients to be attended to by trainees who are not yet experienced. According to the notice dated December 27, 2023, issued by Bernard Okello, Luwero district human resource officer on behalf of the chief administrative officer, the complaint has been received by the administration and the kind of practice is unacceptable.

Okello said that they have also got reports that trainees extort or are being used by senior health workers to extort money from the patients which is illegal. Okello warned that any trainee found handling patients without a supervisor, extorting money, and stealing government drugs would be expelled from the program before he is handed over to the police to face criminal charges.

He also asked the residents to report the trainees involved in the misconduct to the district health officer for immediate action. Dr Innocent Nkonwa, Luwero district health Officer says that the trainees are supposed to abide by medical ethics which they are taught and any who fails to abide by them will be expelled.

“We shall not tolerate any student who is non-compliant to the ethics because this may result in serious cases for example if they misdiagnose the patient. We are always reminding them about the ethics and they should abide by them as medical students” Nkonwa said.

The notice was copied to the LC V chairperson, resident district commissioner, and heads of department. In 2021, Luwero district health department installed fingerprint time and attendance devices across government health centres in a move aimed at fighting rampant absenteeism.

The district also threatened to suspend the salaries for the health workers staff who are found to have absconded from work for over 30 days without notifying their supervisors which breaches sections of Uganda Public Service standing orders. However, to date, absenteeism has persisted in the health centers and now the health workers leave most workers to trainees as they attend to side jobs.  

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UNDP, MAK install Shs 6.8tn innovation equipment  

The United Nations Development Programme and Makerere University have jointly commissioned the installation of state-of-the-art equipment at Makerere University Innovation Pod (Mak UniPod) on January 9, 2024.

The activity was done by Vice Chancellor Prof Barnabas Nawangwe and outgoing UNDP Uganda resident representative Elsie Attafuah in the Yusuf Lule Central Teaching Facility building.

The installation will start after five days and take two weeks, after which there will be a formal launch of the unipod during the third South Summit which will take place in Kampala on January 21 to 24, 2024.

Dr Cathy Ikiror Mbidde, the director of the unipod, told The Observer that the multidisciplinary innovation pod is treated as a continental project, estimated to take up $1.9 billion (about Shs 6.8 trillion), while Attafuah said 10 African countries will be coming here to be inspired by this innovation pod.

The purchase, transportation and installation of equipment are financed by the United Nations Development Programme. Nawangwe called it the best equipment from the best makers in the world.

Mbidde said more equipment will arrive later, but the majority was already at the campus. She said the innovation pod will serve to empower student researchers and innovators, faculty and private sector entrepreneurs, and experimentation, project incubation and intellectual property registration.

It will also provide space and opportunity for knowledge exchange and collaboration between various academic institutions and with industry and commerce players.

The joint commissioning was attended by vice chancellors or their representatives from six other Ugandan universities. Makerere University used the occasion to say farewell to Attafuah, who has been serving in Uganda for five years; she has been posted to Nigeria.

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Tax handbook to boost revenue collection among Chinese

Recently, Uganda Revenue Authority (URA) launched a Uganda Taxation Handbook for the Chinese business community in Uganda.

Translated into the Chinese language, the taxation handbook aims to ease the understanding of Uganda’s taxation system. For the last 26 years, China’s exports to Uganda have significantly increased at an annualized rate of 16 per cent, from $21.6 million (Shs 82.3 billion) in 1995 to $1.02 billion (Shs 3.9 trillion) in 2021.

In 2021, Uganda exported $41.2 million (Shs 157 billion) to China. Currently, China is one of the biggest trading partners of Uganda and is
the highest source of foreign direct investment. The Chinese community has greatly invested in manufacturing and engineering sectors in Uganda.

Speaking at the launch of the taxation handbook at Silver Springs hotel, John Musinguzi, the commissioner general of URA, said they had various engagements with the embassy of China and the Chamber of Commerce of China, and they resolved to translate Uganda’s tax laws, and practices into the Chinese language to harness trade relationships and tax compliance.

“One of the key challenges that we have faced in the effort to collect revenue is the gap between the taxpayer and the tax collectors. We are working deliberately to narrow that gap. When we deal directly with our clients, we eliminate chances of misrepresentation because many times we have been misrepresented by the middlemen in between,” he said.

“If you read that handbook, we have put in toll-free numbers, emails, and chat numbers to increase the interaction and cooperation between the Chinese community and the tax collection body,” he said.

Meanwhile, URA signed a memorandum of understanding with the Chinese Chamber of Commerce to continue with the sensitization campaign. One handbook will not put everything together and bring that close cooperation.

“We have signed up to continue collaborating, holding engagements and workshops to try and explain tax laws because they are a bit complicated. Continuous engagement and discussions will bring out more light, and when they have complaints, we shall try to solve them smoothly,” Musinguzi said.

“The tax handbook will be helpful to the Chinese investors in Uganda. I met many delegations this year from China. Many of them are looking for business investment opportunities. They first wanted to know tax policies in Uganda but many could hardly understand English.”

Zhang Lizhong, the Ambassador of China, said the publication came at the right time, and thanked URA for the initiative.

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Public debt projected to reach Shs 109.1 trillion

Uganda’s debt stock is expected to increase to Shs 109.1 trillion following the government’s decision to borrow Shs 13 trillion to finance the national budget, the recently tabled national budget framework paper indicates.

Last week, the ministry of Finance tabled a Shs 52.7 trillion national budget framework paper for the financial year 2024/25 for the appropriation of funds to various government agencies, ministries, and departments. The budget framework paper was tabled before the Budget Committee of Parliament.

The documents tabled before the committee show that the government is working around a resource envelope of Shs 52.7 trillion. The budget is comprised of domestic revenues equivalent to Shs 29.9 trillion from Shs 29.6 trillion, domestic borrowing amounting to Shs 4.1 trillion, external project support worth Shs 8.8 trillion, domestic refinancing of Shs 9.4 trillion, among others.

The framework paper shows that Uganda’s support from donors dwindled from Shs 2.781 trillion in 2023/24 to Shs 28.9 billion in the coming budget of 2024/25.

According to the 2022/2023 auditor general’s report, the public debt shot up to Shs 96.1 trillion. It is comprises the domestic debt stock of Shs 43.6 trillion and the external debt stock of Shs 52.4 trillion. This represents an increase of Shs 9.3 trillion compared to Shs 86.8 trillion as of June 30, 2022.

The borrowing is expected to increase the country’s debt stock from Shs 96.1 trillion to Shs 109.1 trillion. Of the Shs 13 trillion, a total of Shs 8.9 trillion is projected as external financing. Of this, Shs 28.9 billion will be obtained as budget financing loans and Shs 8.87 trillion from project loans.

“Government borrowing from the domestic market for fiscal purposes in the financial year 2024/25 is projected at She 4.1 trillion. In the medium term, the government’s policy remains committed to maintaining domestic borrowing at no more than one per cent of GDP to avoid crowding out of the private sector,” the framework paper indicates.

Despite the growing public debt, the secretary to the Treasury, Ramathan Ggoobi, assured Ugandans that the country’s debt stock is sustainable, unlike some nations in Africa that have been blacklisted in the credit market.

“The debt is sustainable; Uganda is fully participating in the credit market. Many countries in Africa are struggling to access the credit market. They can’t be allowed to borrow; they have been blacklisted. We have a good strategy to address the risks, and we know we have risks. We have challenges that we are discussing, but we have a strategy,” he said before the budget committee.

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Israel-Palestine war takes center stage at NAM summit

The Non-Aligned Movement (NAM) Summit, themed “Deepening Cooperation for Shared Global Affluence,” commenced on Monday, January 15, at Speke Resort Munyonyo.

The Israel-Palestine conflict emerged as a focal point during the summit’s official opening. In October 2023, an armed conflict erupted in the Gaza Strip between Israel and Hamas-led Palestinian militant groups. The hostilities began with a surprise attack by Hamas on southern Israel, the Israeli-occupied West Bank, and the Israel-Lebanon border.

This war has escalated significantly, resulting in over 20,000 fatalities and numerous injuries. On Wednesday, January 17, 2024, Uganda’s Foreign Affairs minister, Gen Jeje Odongo, is scheduled to preside over a committee meeting addressing the Palestine issue. Participants, including 120 NAM member states, 18 observer countries, and 10 observer organizations, are expected to deliberate and formulate their stance on the conflict.

Ambassador Riyad Mansour, Palestine’s permanent observer to the United Nations, commended Uganda for its support of Palestine in the conflict with Israel. He appealed to the international community to intervene in ending human rights violations, establishing a ceasefire, and providing humanitarian aid to Gaza’s residents.

“We seek the complete backing of the movement in our collective endeavor to approach the General Assembly for legislating an end to the war and realizing the inalienable rights of the Palestinian people, including independence and refugee rights,” he stated.

He mentioned Palestine’s endorsement of South Africa’s initiative to approach the International Court of Justice (ICJ) for advisory opinions on genocide. He expressed anticipation for the court’s ruling, due later in the month, and the subsequent collective analysis and decision-making based on the verdict.

Mansour also praised Uganda for its solidarity with the Palestinian people during their ordeal. During the summit, Gen Odongo highlighted NAM’s significance, particularly in light of current global complexities. He reaffirmed the pertinence of the ten-point Bandung Principles, which advocate for human rights, sovereignty, mutual interests, and cooperation.

“Given the multitude of global challenges, including terrorism, climate change, debt burdens, and famine, it’s imperative to collaboratively tackle these issues for the benefit of our members and humanity at large,” he stated at the summit in Munyonyo.

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MPs panic over Akii-Bua stadium

Two members of parliament (MPs) made a surprising entrance into a session of the Parliamentary Committee on Education and Sports last Friday, where ministry of Education officials, including Higher Education State Minister John Chrysostom Muyingo and Permanent Secretary Ketty Lamaro, were present.

The two MPs, Dr. Samuel Opio-Acuti representing Kole North and Linda Agnes Auma from Lira district, clarified that they were not committee members but were there on behalf of the Lango Parliamentary Group. Dr Acuti, who is an Independent with an NRM leaning, holds the position of general secretary within the Lango Parliamentary Group, while Auma, affiliated with the NRM, serves as its publicity officer.

These parliamentary groups are common in parliament and are formed by various sub-regions to advocate for shared interests. Their presence and intervention in the meeting were motivated by concerns raised by voters in the Lango sub-region. These voters had conveyed threats to NRM leaders in the region, warning of electoral consequences in 2026 if the budget for the construction of Akii-Bua stadium was not included in the 2024/25 budget.

The stadium’s construction was essential to prepare for hosting the African Cup of Nations (Afcon) in 2027. Dr Acuti emphasized the Lango Parliamentary Group’s demand for the inclusion of the Akii-Bua stadium construction in the 2024/25 budget, considering it a pressing political issue with significant implications.

He likened it to a volcanic issue that required immediate attention. The meeting was presided over by Bunyaruguru MP John Twesigye. The ministry of Education officials had appeared before the committee to present their budget framework paper estimates, which did not prioritize the construction of the Akii-Bua stadium.

Notably, on September 27, 2023, the Confederation of African Football (CAF) awarded hosting rights for the 36th edition of the Africa Cup of Nations (Afcon) 2027 to Uganda, Kenya, and Tanzania as part of the East Africa joint Pamoja bid. This marked a historic moment as the region was set to host this prestigious football tournament for the first time since its inception in 1957.

Following the successful bid, during the parliamentary sitting on October 3, 2023, a motion was debated to commend the government for its success. Several MPs called for the construction and renovation of stadiums across various regions, including Akii-Bua stadium. However, the permanent secretary, Ketty Lamaro, defended the absence of Akii-Bua stadium in the budget, explaining that Afcon facilities had to meet specific criteria set by CAF, which included the presence of an international airport.

Hoima had been chosen as a host city due to the existing Kabalega airport, influencing the decision. In response, Dr Acuti and Auma protested Lamaro’s explanation, asserting that funds should be allocated for the construction of Akii-Bua stadium. They cited previous government statements indicating the intention to build two additional stadiums, one in Lira (Akii-Bua) and another in Hoima, for the purpose of hosting Afcon.

Auma emphasized that the people of Lango, despite their support for the NRM government, deserved to benefit from development projects. She questioned whether Lango MPs should fund the construction of an international airport for the stadium, emphasizing that it was their right to receive government services as citizens.

Furthermore, the MPs challenged Lama- ro’s reasoning behind selecting Namboole national stadium, which lacks an international airport, as an Afcon venue. They argued that Gulu and Soroti airfields could be upgraded to meet the requirements for the tournament.

In conclusion, the situation regarding funding for the construction of Akii-Bua stadium has evolved into a complex and politically charged debate. The Lango MPs are adamant that their region should benefit from hosting Afcon 2027, and they are demanding budgetary allocation for the stadium’s construction. This issue holds broader implications for resource allocation and regional development dynamics in Uganda.

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Meet Ssempasa, Ugandan woman championing Africa’s solar use

DEBORAH KISAKYE SSEMPASA, a renewable energy expert, is overseeing the installation of solar energy systems in East Africa for W.Giertsen Energy Solutions, covering the commercial and private sector, UN and NGOs in the region.

As Frank Kisakye found, her passion for networking and charity has opened up her world to solution-based realities. Deborah Kisakye Ssempasa remains astonished at how she found herself in a new job without even applying – and all this happened within days of resigning from her previous position.

Born in Uganda to the late James and Olivia Ssempasa, she presently serves as the Kenya country manager for W. Giertsen Energy Solutions, a leading regional solar power company. She unintentionally steered herself into a company where she has been employed since 2015.

It was on a flight from Amsterdam to Nairobi, when she recommended an electrical engineer with sales experience to Wilhelm Giertsen, then CEO and owner of W. Giertsen Energy Solutions, who was flying in to interview individuals who would help set up offices in Kenya.

She had just resigned from her role as a project manager (Eastern Africa) at Business Sweden (formerly The Swedish Trade Council). On her way to Nairobi to wrap up her affairs and gather her family, she happened to sit next to Giertsen by coincidence. Perhaps contemplating her next steps post-resignation, she pulled out her laptop to update her CV for the upcoming job search.

“You must be a professor; your CV is very extensive,” Giertsen remarked. Ssempasa is indeed a polymath, having earned a Law degree from Westminster University, an International Relations postgraduate diploma from the University of Stockholm, and a plethora of certificates covering sustainable business practices, responsible leadership, motivational interviewing, customer-centric selling, project management, and consulting skills.

As the conversation during the flight shifted from discussing family inspirations drawn from their own children (Giertsen’s daughters and Ssempasa’s sons) to business matters, Ssempasa offered valuable insights on selecting new staff. Drawing from her previous experience as the group manager at Simba Center in Stockholm, Sweden, where she assisted unemployed foreigners in finding jobs and integrating into Swedish society, she emphasized the importance of looking beyond CVs.

Having been involved in recruitments in Sweden and Kenya, she advised Giertsen to ask uncomfortable questions and seek individuals willing to go out in the field, engage with people, and exhibit a genuine passion for their tasks. Unbeknownst to her, Giertsen was taking mental notes and in Ssempasa, he had found his ideal candidate, despite having pre-arranged interviews with several engineers for the business development manager position.

The serendipity continued when she visited the shared building of the Swedish Invest Trade and Invest Council and the Norwegian Council in Nairobi (Innovation Norway) the following Monday to collect her remaining belongings. While there, the Norwegian trade commissioner, Jens Claussen, accusingly informed her that the scheduled interviews by the Norwegian company had been cancelled, thanks to her, and that the company owners were eager to meet her instead, derailing the initial plans.

Upon entering the conference room, she was shocked to find Giertsen and Bart Van Ouytsel (the senior vice president) waiting for her. Giertsen reminded her about their conversation on the plane and explained that she was their candidate and asked her to name her price.

Still shocked at the turn of events, Ssempasa reminded them that she had recommended hiring a knowledgeable renewable energy engineer. Despite her initial reservations due to her lack of extensive knowledge of renewable energy, Ssempasa accepted the job offer after much thought and consultation with her family.

Fast forward to the present, Ssempasa now oversees a team of over 30 permanent staff at W.Giertsen Kenyan office, having installed over 300 energy systems for the commercial and private sector, UN and NGOs in the East African region. The company has also secured long-term agreements for several UN agencies. WGES products range from commercial large systems, mini-grids and home systems covering mainly Eastern Africa.

She is now eying Uganda where WGES plans to open another office once she has secured some good contracts. Ssempasa is particularly impressed with the East African region’s positive embrace of renewable energy, with solar power becoming one of the renewable energy source and the once-dominant grid power serving as a backup. In Uganda, she notes a slower adoption rate, with many considering solar power only as a backup.

GIVING BACK

Perhaps one of the attributes that endeared her to Giertsen was the shared vision to give back to society. For Ssempasa, it stems from the support her family received from Swedish society when they fled a volatile Uganda in the seventies posed by President Idi Amin’s regime.

Her father faced peril when soldiers attempted to burn him alive during a raid on their home in Mukono. They wanted to forcefully take his cars. After this incident, the formerly apolitical Ssempasa and his family would join Yoweri Museveni’s NRA rebels. She recalls the scary nights in the bush with the rebels and the roasted Irish potatoes that they used to feed on. The family’s relocation to Sweden via Nairobi, Kenya was facilitated by the Uganda Red Cross Society and UNHCR.

They landed in Stockholm but, her foresighted parents knew the importance of connections and networking and insisted that they move further south to the industrial town of Jönköpings, where it would be easier to get attached to a Swedish family and assimilate into the Swedish society. Little wonder that except only two of her siblings (six female and six male) all are married to or Swedish natives. FIRST

RETURN TO UGANDA

Although her father preached assimilation, he also always reminded his family about the need to return to Uganda someday and contribute towards its development. By 1986, her father, a strong supporter of President Museveni, was already back in Uganda and died a staunch NRM supporter.

Ssempasa’s first return to Uganda was in 2004 through a six-month Swedish exchange program and soon after she established Modernahems Institute in Lubaga, a Kampala suburb, where she trained over 500 nannies and maids. She got her inspiration for business from her parents. Her mother, co-founded one of the first kindergartens [Our Lady Nursery School] in Mukono in the seventies and its still operational to this day.

Some of her clients included prominent people like Tooro princess Elizabeth Bagaya. She says many of her nannies were taken abroad to Europe, America, Tanzania and Kenya by the families they had worked for. She also worked at Dembe FM as a corporate accounts manager, legal counsel at Kalenge, Bwanika, Kimuli & Co advocates and financial advisor at HQ.SE (Stockbrokers) in Stockholm as well as an administrative intern at the Uganda High Commission in London.

Despite Modernahems project initial success, health complications forced Ssempasa to return to Sweden abruptly, leading to the institute’s unceremonious closure.

“I didn’t want the [Modernahems] name to fall and I wasn’t sure when I would be back; so, I closed the institute. That is the unfortunate
bit of thinking that I would come back and reopen it but I took forever and I’m not back even yet. Life took another turn,” she said.

CHANGE OF COURSE

Subsequently, she excelled in media sales at Newsfactory AB Stockholm, where she admits to accumulating a lot of money through effective sales strategies and an understanding of her product. Her yearly targets would be met within just three to four months.

“I’m not a salesperson at all, but I know how to speak to people and I look for the need...I’m a people person. I build relations,” she said.

Ssempasa also credits her uncle, George Baguma, the cofounder and chief commercial officer and marketing director at Cipla Quality Chemical Industries Limited, for inspiring her.

“He has always been there for me and continues to motivate me to strive for excellence,” she says.

One of Ssempasa’s professional journey highlights is assisting Swedish companies in entering the East African market.

“It was really a nice thing to see that you could bring a Swedish company into the region and they do well. By then, Swedish companies were not doing a lot of business with UN, for instance. We conducted a study and found out that UN has a big presence in East Africa. Kenya is where all the regional offices are and in Uganda the peacekeeping with the Entebbe base and it is quite huge,” she says.

“Over 60% of the procurement for the regional conflict areas was done here, which very few people knew and Swedish people needed to understand – from quality solutions, technical solutions and so forth. So, we did a study and understood what we needed to do and started soliciting. And we were very successful and Swedish companies got business even up to now,” she told The Observer.

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Uganda Takes Kenya to the East African Court Over Fuel Import Quarrel

[Capital FM] Nairobi -- Uganda has taken Kenya to the East African Court of Justice after it was denied a permit to operate in the country as well as export fuel.

Export of Kenyan Products to Uganda Grows

[Capital FM] Nairobi -- Exports of goods from Kenya to Uganda grew in the first 10 months to October last year compared to a similar period in the preceding year, new data show.

Nigeria to Extend Suspension of Academic Degrees From Kenya, Uganda and Niger

[Capital FM] Nairobi -- The Federal Government of Nigeria says it will extend the suspension of accreditation and evaluation of degree certificates to include those from Kenya, the Niger Republic, and Uganda.

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