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AfDB approves $252 million for Uganda’s rural infrastructure

The African Development Bank Group’s board of directors has approved a loan worth $252.38 million to Uganda, a move aimed at advancing rural connectivity and fostering regional integration.

The loan is for the construction of the Laropi-Moyo-Afoji and Katuna-Muko-Kamuganguzi roads, which are pivotal infrastructure in facilitating the smooth movement of goods and services in the regions where they are located.

The financial support comprises $179.68 million from the African Development Bank and $73.15 million from the African Development Fund, focusing on improving transport connectivity in the districts of Kabale, Rubanda and Moyo.

According to Augustine Ngafun, the African Development Bank’s country manager in Uganda, the Laropi-Moyo-Afoji and Katuna-Muko-Kamuganguzi roads project is designed to enhance rural transport connectivity, facilitating regional integration in Kabale, Rubanda and Moyo.

“It will boost incomes, deepen regional integration and facilitate trade while opening up an alternative transport corridor linking Uganda with South Sudan,” Ngafun emphasized.

Beyond road construction, the project includes a suite of social complementary initiatives to improve overall mobility and economic conditions. This encompasses the construction of five kilometers of roads in small towns, non-motorized traffic facilities, street lighting and a regional bus terminus.

Additionally, market stalls equipped with cold storage facilities will be established in key areas, supporting women traders and enhancing earnings from perishable products such as fish and vegetables.

Addressing climate change concerns, flood protection works in Laropi will strengthen the region’s resilience to drastic weather patterns and reduce disruptions to commercial activities. A one-stop border post in Afoji/Jale on the Uganda-South Sudan border is also planned, aiming to boost trade and transport activities by facilitating customs harmonization and coordination of border-crossing operations and supply chains.

The Laropi-Moyo-Afoji road, situated in northwestern Uganda’s district of Moyo, holds strategic importance, providing access to several refugee camps hosting more than 500,000 refugees from the Democratic Republic of the Congo and South Sudan. With 80 per cent of the districts’ land being arable, the road is expected to support agricultural communities in Kabale and Rubanda districts, benefiting approximately 460,000 inhabitants.

The African Development Bank Group’s active commitment to Uganda now totals $1.9 billion across 23 projects as of November 2023.

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Hungary bestows Order of Merit award on Prof Wavamunno

Businessman and honorary consul of Hungry Prof Gordon Wavamunno was last week bestowed upon the Order of Merit award from the government of Hungary for fostering the bilateral relationship between the two companies.

For 26 years, Wavamunno has served as the honorary consul of Hungary. The award was presented by Peter Szijjarto, the Hungarian Foreign Affairs minister, at Kampala Serena hotel. Szijjarto said Hungary and Uganda are two friends who can count on each other under the currently challenging social situations.

“Both countries are sensitive to their sovereignty, security and identity. In Europe currently, some of the major challenges we are facing are identity and national specificities, migration and terrorism,” he said.

He added that security in Europe starts with security in Africa.

“Under the European Union, we have always worked to promote peace and security in Africa. Africa needs support programs like development advancements and job creation. Due to the high influx of refugees and Uganda’s role in peace and security, Hungary carried out more significant economic assistance towards the healthcare system and cyber security of the financial sector worth $17 million,” he said.

“That’s why we have convened to celebrate Prof Wavamunno. He has been working to improve bilateral relationships since 1997. We could not refer to the Hungarian-Uganda relationship as a true success story without him. You have helped us to establish a personal representation of Hungary in Uganda.”

On his part, Wavamunno said it was a big surprise to be honoured.

“I didn’t know that I would reach this day and get such an award from the Hungarian government. I have been working with one heart. I have made several trips to Hungary and I have always enjoyed the place and the city itself. It is a great honor to receive such an award,” he said.

“My family has supported me to be what I am. When I was initially nominated to become honorary consul for Hungary in Uganda, I suggested a white man be named but they declined. I am happy that I have supported both countries.”

Tom Butime, the minister of Tourism, Wildlife and Antiquities, praised Prof Wavamunno for deserving the honor bestowed on him.

“This order of merit is significant. Dr Wavamunno has done tremendous work to promote both counties,” he said.

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NGOs launch strategy to improve learning outcomes

To create a more comprehensive and sustainable impact on the education sector, more than 70 local NGOs in Uganda, Kenya, and Tanzania united under the Regional Education Learning Initiative (RELI) have officially launched their strategy in Uganda, writes YUDAYA NANGONZI.

RELI is a member-driven initiative with an approach to building a movement that envisions a society where all children in East Africa receive quality education that enables them to thrive in life.

The platform will convene, nurture, and transform members’ capacity to influence positive shifts in education policies, practices and systems in Uganda. Out of the 70 signed-up member organizations in the region, at least 24 are based in Uganda. The RELI Uganda strategic plan is hinged on four pillars; evidence, collaboration, innovation and scale-up, and self-sustenance.

While launching the four-year strategy at Four Points by Sheraton hotel in Kampala recently, the acting director of Education Standards, Frances Atima, said the launch has come at a critical time when the government is undertaking wide progressive reforms in the education sector.

“We used to look at NGOs and the Education ministry as competitors but we have since appreciated that education is a shared responsibility. Uganda, Kenya and Tanzania have similar challenges in education that can only be achieved if we don’t work in silos anymore,” Atima said.

She added: “The government demands certain standards from schools and you [NGOs] also take your standards to schools. Certainly, after you have left these schools, the teachers will continue with government standards, yet NGOs invest heavily in these interventions.”

Atima said the strategy will relieve schools of being bombarded with several uncoordinated interventions by NGOs in the education sector. She urged RELI members to put more emphasis on engaging teachers.

“We keep asking ourselves about the teachers of the 60s. They weren’t well paid and had no degrees but they were the best at imparting values and skills to learners. We need to go back to the basics of teaching by making our teachers feel guilty for the impact of not teaching well in classrooms,” she said.

Atima quoted the 2019 World Bank report on Learning Poverty in sub-Saharan Africa whose findings indicated that 53% of children aged 10 cannot read and understand a short text by the end of primary school. In Uganda alone, 83% of the children were not proficient in reading. According to the World Bank, such high levels of illiteracy are an early warning sign that all global educational goals and other related development goals are in jeopardy.

“The progress in reducing learning poverty is far too slow to meet the SDG aspirations: at the current rate of improvement, in 2030 about 43% of children will still be learning poor. Even if countries reduce their learning poverty at the fastest rates we have seen so far in this century, the goal of ending it will not be attained by 2030,” reads the World Bank report.

NOT TOO LATE

Despite the Word Bank findings, Atima said it’s not too late for countries to redeem their potential under the new strategy. She believes that every child can achieve as long as there’s a supportive learning environment.

“NGOs have several solutions to our education problems. Let us put these solutions together to improve the quality of education,” she said.

The RELI Uganda country lead, Modern Karema, said the new strategy will foster a collaborative voice towards advancing quality education for all children in Uganda.

“By 2017, we existed as disconnected like islands of excellence, each doing our nice things with no unified voice or collective agency. However, along the way, we realized that there’s a need to get better by having a common local voice to fix issues of education quality and equity,” Karema said.

He added: “As single institutions, each went to the ministry at our own time, to sell our petite evidence instead of collaborating. RELI is now here to implement what we can’t achieve as individual organizations. When RELI is visible, we are all visible as organizations.”

According to Emmanuel Lubaale, the RELI Uganda country coordinator, member organizations have since embraced the power of collaboration which has attracted donor funding. Lubaale said the education sector is a huge one that calls for a paradigm shift in the operations of NGOs in the education sector to identify the most suitable solutions to guarantee quality education.

Minister Mateke commends volunteers’ impact on youth

Sarah Mateke, the state minister for Youth and Children’s Affairs, has expressed her appreciation for the invaluable role played by volunteers in society.

She said this at last week’s celebration of the International Volunteer day at the Uganda Institute of Information and Communications Technology in Nakawa.

Themed “If everyone did engage the community,” it brought together various volunteer-based organizations, including the United Nations Volunteers, Japan International Cooperation Agency Uganda (JICA), Uganda Red Cross Society, KOICA, VSO, Restless Development, Building Tomorrow, Peace Corps, Youth After School and Challenges Worldwide.

During the celebrations, Mateke emphasized the significance of volunteerism in humanitarian efforts.

“As the world commemorates International Volunteers Day, we should acknowledge the role played by all volunteers in all humanitarian platforms,” she stated, emphasizing the historical significance of volunteerism, particularly in the West since World War I.

Minister Mateke urged African youth to embrace volunteering to ensure the momentum of the spirit of volunteerism. Furthermore, Mateke encouraged the youth to leverage volunteerism to develop their leadership skills and gain valuable work experience.

She highlighted the government’s commitment to providing internship and volunteer experiences for young people after completing university education. Mateke also spotlighted the collaboration between the Ministry of Gender and the UNDP in establishing the Graduate Volunteer Scheme, benefitting over 500 volunteers, and placing them in various positions to enhance their skills.

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IFAD advocates for funding for small-holder farmers 

The International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD) has pledged to advocate for more climate adaptation funding for smallholder farmers in Uganda.

According to Uganda Bureau of Statistics (Ubos) annual Agricultural Survey, approximately 7.4 million households operate agricultural land and/or rear livestock. Within these agricultural households, 81 per cent of the adult members are mainly engaged in agricultural activities.

While speaking at Sheraton hotel, Donal Brown, the IFAD associate vice president for program management department, developing countries, said small farmers play a vital role in sustainable food systems on various continents of Africa and Asia; however, there is little funding allocated to them.

“You can’t do sustainable food systems; feed the world, ensure food security without smallholder farmers. Smallholder farmers are affected by climate change; if you need their food, you have to help them adapt. So, we need more money into adaptation for sustainable food systems,” he said during his visit to IFAD-funded farmers in northern Uganda and Kalangala island.

“We are a supervising entity for large global financial institutions like the Green Climate Fund, which is the largest global fund. We support countries like Uganda to put projects forward for the Green Climate Fund, Global Environment Facility, and the adaptation fund,” he said.

Brown said access to green financing is a great challenge for many farmers across the world. It is hard; there are a lot of rules but it is getting easier. We need to streamline bureaucracy and ensure some reforms in the Green Climate Fund to make it simpler and easier for countries to access money.

Last week, the Conference of the Parties (COP28) to the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) in Dubai launched a fund for loss and damage that was agreed last year. There were a number of pledges to the fund. The UK pledged $75 million, the UAE $100 million, among other countries. The problem with climate finance in the past is that 95% of it or more was for mitigation not adaptation, and it was not for agriculture.

Brown stated that if we are to feed this world, we have to feed it in a different way that doesn’t have a negative environmental impact, but also that adapts to climate change to ensure that we continue to produce the much needed food.

He urged smallholder farmers to prioritize drought-resistant crops that are less dependent on irrigation and rainfall such as millet and sorghum. Millet and sorghum are extremely good, drought tolerant crops but everyone grows maize now. We need to go back to drought-resistant crops and conservation of water for irrigation purposes.

He said the IFAD funded the project in northern Uganda to help in rebuilding the livelihoods of the communities affected by war and getting people into commercial agriculture has been successful.

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The Betrayal reveals Sam Njuba’s resilient and outspoken personality

Last week, the family of the former FDC chairman Sam Kalega Njuba released the revised edition of his book, ‘The Betrayal’.

Launched at Kitegomba Church of Uganda in Nangabo, Kyadondo, the book was first released in 2013 after the death of Njuba. The book entails Njuba’s life story and his remarkable contribution to the liberation struggle that brought the National Resistance Movement (NRM) to power.

According to Gertrude Njuba, the book was revised because there were people whom the deceased wanted to contribute to the book. The people include Prof. Kibuuka Collins Sentongo and Gertrude, who wrote forewords in the book.

“The book had to be revised because, at his death, his children emotionally published it with errors. He was a learned person who knew English, so, there is no way we could not revise it,” she told The Observer.

She said the book is aimed at raising funds for the completion of the Kitegomba Church of Uganda primary school. So, she encouraged people to buy copies as a contribution towards the completion of the project. Edward Kakembo Nsubuga, district governor of Rotary District 9213, said Sam Njuba was a reputable lawyer with an excellent track record.

His book, The Betrayal, demonstrates a clear, authentic record of Uganda’s political timeline. It would be a disgrace for anyone delving into Uganda’s political edification to skip a page reading Njuba’s narration of the events that have unfolded for decades and led to Uganda’s current state.

“His contribution as an external committee member to mobilise resources ahead of the struggle since the bush war, was further manifested in his involvement in supporting the boy child’s education in Kyaddondo East when he spearheaded the donation of wheelchairs for little boys to walk to school,” he said.

Bernard Oundo, the Uganda Law Society president, said, “Reading The Betrayal, you will encounter this quote in a chapter that offers you the opportunity to appreciate Sam Njuba’s commitment to the rule of law during one of Uganda’s despotic political regimes".

Former FDC president Dr Kizza Besigye said Sam Njuba’s story offers rare and authentic insights into Uganda’s post-independence political turmoil, mostly from personal vantage points. The book highlights important times, concerns, and challenges as Njuba navigated through the tricky NRM transitional government. Njuba was the rock on which all pro-democracy activists stood during the many trials and tribulations of the ensuing struggle.

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Unlock the Mind: Bolingo’s life from refugee to initiator

Dr JOHN BOLINGO NTAHIRA, the executive director of Hope of Children and Women Victims of Violence, is among the survivors of the atrocities of the war that affected the DR Congo after escaping to Uganda.

A former refugee and now a refugee rights advocate, 47-year-old chronicles his life’s trials and tribulations through the book titled Unlock the Mind and, as Geofrey Serugo writes, it highlights the plight of refugees, the sacrifices they make to integrate with citizens, and is an inspiration to those without hope.

On December 8 at Freedom City, Namasuba, Dr Bolingo launched his book to showcase his overcoming adversity and thriving during hard times. From running from insecurities in DR Congo to spending three months in police cells, to sleeping on the streets without water, food or shelter in Kampala. In his book, Bolingo said he even turned down an opportunity from UNHCR to relocate to the USA.

“I decided to stay and battle my challenges. Through the challenges, I am seeing the fruits, and people must learn to confront their challenges,” he said.

In line with changing people’s minds, Bolingo intends to establish a citizen diplomatic centre and equip them with various skills in tailoring for them to work for themselves and impact the world.

BACKGROUND

Studying was almost impossible as the situation worsened each day that passed by. In early 2000, his home village was attacked, but he managed to escape without anything to Bunagana, where he found a truck heading to Uganda, and that is how he entered Uganda.

He arrived in Kisoro town where he reported to the nearest police station and had his story recorded in their registry. At police, he was told the safest place for him at night was to join prisoners in the cell. He would spend the night with them and be out in the morning, as they would not allow him to hang outside during the night.

Rev George Mbonye later availed him of transport to Kampala. He spent one week at Central Police Station (CPS) cells before shifting to Old Kampala police station. In his book, Bolingo says he later went to UNHCR offices, where he was told that they don’t support refugees in urban areas.

Later, he met Fr Antony Musaala and Mary Serumaga and narrated his ordeal. They raised money and got him a house in Ndejje, off Entebbe road. While there, Bolingo founded the Jesuit Refugee Service (JRS), which acted as a transit centre for refugees but he later folded it due to financial difficulties.

That, however, did not deter him from founding several other initiatives to help stranded refugees through enlightening their them about self-belief. Through the years, he has used his experience to help change the mindsets of people. Speaking at the launch, Bolingo said Africans have the capacity to succeed if they have the right mindset.

“When you look at how we live, you will find that our minds are locked, and that is why you see our youth wanting to go abroad to end up in slavery. This book will unlock your mind because everything starts with your perception. We always yearn for opportunities, but we don’t want to face challenges. They forget that businesses are born out of challenges. Each time you run away from challenges, you are running away from businesses,” he said.

“When you look at our generation, I believe that the future of Africa is in the hands of youths, but every single day, they are processing travel documents to go abroad and end up in slavery. We can still make this continent a place where everyone wants to stay.”

In a bid to fight mental slavery, Bolingo advocates for revamping education systems that offer theories in practical classes that promote innovation and creativity.

“The current education system encourages memorization rather than creativity and innovation. I want to make sure that the education system changes so that students are given a question or a problem and think of solutions. When you think for yourself, you cease to be a slave,” he said.

“I also want to see that the church changes in its teachings because you find that our teachings encourage believers to beg. We need to empower people to start working because, when you work, you have everything you need. But when you start begging, you lose even the respect. Nobody will ever respect a beggar.”

Who is Bolingo?

He was born on April 1, 1976, in DR Congo. He completed primary school at Busumba PS and secondary school at Lycee Mapema. He continued his studies in Uganda at Cavendish University and holds an honorary doctorate in Christian mission from Zoe Theological College, USA.

From 2005 to date, he has worked with refugee organisations to promote their rights and freedoms. He has also mentored several people about self-belief and mindset change. Since April 2022 to date he has been working with Citizen For God’s Kingdom as the founder and representative.

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Worst year on record for grasshopper lovers

As night falls on Masaka’s industrial zone, Karim Damba’s work begins. He hauls large, corrugated steel sheets into place and attaches them to empty oil drums lined with black polythene bags, propped up by long pieces of wood.

At 8pm, he flicks on the fluorescent lights and waits for the grasshoppers to arrive.

“I have been doing this since 25 October,” says Damba, adjusting his skullcap. Damba is a grasshopper trapper in central Uganda.

Between October and December his nights are spent waiting for the insects to hit the metal sheets and fall into the drums. The protein-rich bugs are wrapped and transported to market. If the wind settles, it could be a good night for Damba and his fellow trappers.

“Sometimes they come at midnight, sometimes at 5 am,” he says.

The insects are a welcome part of Ugandans’ daily diet: they are high in fibre and omega-3 fatty acids and when fried and sprinkled with salt, make a nutritious crunchy snack. The insects, locally known as nsenene, appear twice a year, in April and May and from October to December. During these months, professional catchers set up their traps while excited children run around trying to catch the bugs before they fly away.

This year has been different, however. November is known as “musenene” in Luganda – the month of the grasshopper – because swarms are seen, and caught, almost every day, particularly in central Uganda, their main breeding ground. But the insects appeared for just seven days last month. The no-show prompted concern at the highest levels in the country.

“This is Musenene [sic],” Ugandan President Yoweri Museveni wrote on X (formerly Twitter). “Where are they? Climate change? ... I always wish the nsenene good luck.”

Grasshopper populations have been dwindling for years as the forests, grassland and swamps in which they feed and breed are destroyed.
The country has lost almost a third of its forests in the last three decades. The central region has seen the most intense clearance of protected habitats. This year has been the worst on record for grasshopper populations. By 6am, Damba has only managed to fill half a sack.

“It wasn’t a good night,” he says. On a good day during Musenene he can fill up to 80 sacks, which can fetch about 60,000 Uganda shillings (£12.50) each. He has got nowhere near that number this year.

After paying council taxes, rent for land to erect the traps, employing casual labour and using electricity every night, Damba is worried he may not get a return on his investment this year. Quraish Katongole, head of the Old Masaka Basenene Association, which represents grasshopper trappers, says he is worried that one day the grasshoppers will disappear for good.

“Every time we destroy forests, the weather changes. The wind just pushes them [grasshoppers] far away from here,” he says.

“We have spent money buying lighting bulbs, iron sheets and paying for electricity and land. Electricity alone, if one has to switch on lights every day for two months, costs 1.7 million Uganda shillings. We borrowed money and we are in debt. Our hope is to get back the money to pay back debts.”

Dr Giregon Olupot, an academic and agricultural scientist at Makerere University in the capital, Kampala, says: “The grasshoppers’ extinction may be looming. The environment has become hostile for them. When they are gone, it spells doom for people who can’t afford alternative sources of protein but could easily access grasshoppers.”

On a drizzly grey November morning, grasshopper traders wait expectantly for the insects to arrive at Katwe market in Kampala. They are not happy with the day’s delivery – just three half-filled sacks.

“I am disappointed if this is what is coming from upcountry,” one trader remarks.

Traders haggle with harvesters over the price before settling at 400,000 shillings for each half sack – shortages have pushed up trading prices. The buyers sell the few insects in small cups for 15,000 shillings apiece. In abundant times, a cup would sell for about a quarter of that price.

Fewer grasshoppers mean less work for the market’s casual labourers whose job it is to clean the insects and pluck off their wings and legs before they are sold.

“We are paid 700 shillings per cup of grasshoppers we clean. When the insects are not delivered, we don’t work,” says Jesca Nanyanzi, who works at Katwe.

Early December saw an increase in the number of grasshoppers and last week, a bigger stash arrived at the market. But that did not help shopper Nelson Abamanya.

“I usually buy fresh grasshoppers ... but I have not been able to find them. Missing out is not how I planned to end the year.”

From The Guardian, UK.

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