Watch your Phone

Beware Of Your Phone
Kampala. As security agents receive orders not to discuss security details over the phone, I literally sense a smell. If the security operatives themselves suspect someone to be tapping their phones, then how safe is the Ugandan telecommunication system? This is a serious item on the agenda.
Kampala is under a red-stand security alert, as we celebrate our political independence.
A 22-page Phone tapping bill, The Regulation of Interception of Communications Bill was tabled before the floor of parliament on 10th April 2008 by security minister, Amama Mbabazi. The bill empowers security operatives to tap phone in ‘matters of national security’. The opposition condemned the move and described it as a move to suffocate the opposition. But now the hunter is hunted.
Other countries in Africa where the phone tapping laws exist include; Zimbabwe, South Africa, and Egypt. Net sources say Angola used the technique of phone tapping against the late Savimbi. Opposition leader Dr. Kizza Besigye once on a local radio talk show with the late Col. Noble Mayombo was involved in a debate arising from tapping Besigye’s phone.
Who is tapping? The revelation by security commanders against using the phones, despite the current security stand is worrying. If our security system cannot guard its own messages and information, how efficient is it then? Also, how secure are national secrets and other intelligence briefings.
The solution is, let’s go manual.

Baruuli Get First Victory

The Baruuli, a dissident group of Ugandans have a better gift for this year’s independence. The Kabaka’s visit to their area was, ironically with help from central government, cancelled/called off/blocked.
Baruuli do not recognize the Kabakaship of Buganda, they instead have their own leader, SaaBaruuli. Buruuli county is one of the ‘lost counties’, that leave a bitter taste between the Baganda and Banyoro.

Pay Before Service

Pay Before Service
Makerere. Internet at Makerere University has been disconnected by the service provider, Uganda Telecom, because of outstanding bills.
As the norm, and in spirit of the ancestors, students are threatening to strike if the university does not pay reconnection fees.
Also, in spirit of the administrative procedure, contradicting responses are coming from the administration.
The spokesman says they have sent the cheque to the service provider.
The amusing vibe is from the vice chancellor, the professor. According to him, most of the students threatening to strike are yet to clear their tuition and other university bills. This in principle means that students should agitate for the services only after paying.
The loud question is; Should the students then deduct internet charges from the money they owe between themselves and university? This is in illogical sense that they are not using the internet.
In the era of global networking, an institution worth a name should maintain internet connection, irrespective of the ‘speed’. For the government’s leading public institution to have its internet disconnected is a testimony of intentions of its care takers.
This is the up tenth time that internet at the once referral university in Africa is disconnected over unpaid fees. Of course recent rankings show the university has taken a fall to about the 50-something placement.
The university administration should develop dynamics of modern day school managent.

the jobless

The Hurdles of Job Searching
From the dry streets of Kampla. The joyous tears of completing tertiary education turn into tears of sorrow when the job hunting errands start.
After the hussle and huddle of compiling the rather still slim curriculum vitae, humbly wording the application letters, the cloth is wrapped around the groins and the feet hit the street.
This is the easiest part of all.
In today’s world, the first person you meet on your way to the office of the company you hope to get your dream job is the gateman. The best way to get past the askari is to evoke your sense of humility, if you show any hint of English-attitude, it may be the start of a bad day.
This is the end of the smooth walk.
Secretaries and receptionist are the nightmare of any one tempting to see the big boss in office. The ladies (usually) seated on the front desk wield more authority than could be described in their terms of work.
According to Richard Mutebi, the best way to get help from a receptionist/secretary is try and be as humble as possible, and show that you recognise her authority.
Mutebi has just completed his Bachelor’s Degree in Social Sciences from Makerere University.
For Allan Atuhairwe, his religious credentials were the factor considered by the Human Resource Manager. “The lady asked me whether I was saved, when I replied in the negative, she started preaching to me,” Allan says. “Yet all I was looking for was a job, which she did not give.” He laments.
Edward Mulindwa and Martin Agaba formed a tag team. “We found that it is better to walk in pairs,” Martin says. “You don’t feel he fatigue like the one who moves alone,” he concludes.
The most common response that is received by applicants goes along these lines, “we shall put your application in our file, and should any opportunity arise, you will be contacted.” Don’t be fooled this id the end of your tour to this prospective employer.
The products of today’s education have been taunted to be job seekers rather than creators. This has seen the unemployment rate catapult into double figures.
While addressing women entrepreneurs on July 7th this year, Mr. Charles Ocici said that “approximately 9,000 new jobs are projected to be created annually against an outlay of 29,000 graduates, representing an unemployment rate of 82 per cent”. Mr. Charles Ocici is the Executive Director of Enterprise Uganda,
But all is not doom, you can create a better resume’ that will attract the employer.
Jim Stroud, a consultant in job recruitment describes the recruiting process as a ‘selling process’, and any candidate without an understanding of basic sales steps is doing him or herself a disservice.
Some graduates have had to work way off what they studied in institute. Grace Akech is a mass communication graduate from U.C.U Mukono, but works with a Coffee exporting firm based in Nakawa as an administrator.
There are very many professionals and entrepreneurs who operate outside of what they studied. According to Ivan Kato, a Human Resource Manager, “the best benefit of any major is mastering the patience, dedication, and organization it takes to achieve a long-term goal.” These traits are transferrable across every discipline.
But Agrrey Kabona has a bitter reservation with graduates themselves. “All graduates expect to get high paying office jobs, if you advise them to start as interns, or volunteers, they scoff at you.” He says.
This however can be attributed to the existing curriculum that is exclusive, a filtration system for excluding all but academic elite.

ICT in Uganda Police

Will Police’s Computerized System Survive?


The Uganda police force received a computerized crime data machine worth over Shs 200 million from the US government.

This comes at a time when Uganda is witnessing a surging increase in crime rates, coupled with a heavy backlog of cases to cases under police investigation.

Mr Rile, the Usaid chief of party, said the programme, funded by the Millennium Challenge Corporation through United States Agency for International Development (Usaid), will introduce CID officers to the basics in computer operations that will help officers acquire skills to fight fraud and store data on crime.

A countrywide training of criminal investigation officers’ in basic computer skills has been outlined.

The Internal Affairs Ministry and Faculty of Computing, Makerere University has already signed a memorandum of understanding, for the faculty to train police officers how to use computers in crime information gathering and maintenance.
Hajj Moses Balimwoyo, the deputy director CID said the Usaid had done a great job by boosting the capacity of the Police in specialised recovery, preservation, presentation and evaluation of computer-based evidence. He added that most Police officers don’t know how to turn on a computer.

The digital era seem to elude the police, like other government departments.

Last year, towards the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting, over 42 CCTV cameras worth 6 million u.s dollars were installed in strategic areas in Kampala city and along the 40 km road to Entebbe international airport.

However, up to today, no suspect has been produced in court and charged basing on evidence gathered from these CCTV cameras. Some areas where these cameras are standing usually have the frequent traffic jam, like the roundabout on Kampala road at Equatorial Hotel.

Other police equipments like the speed-meter gadgets that were given to the traffic police have since left the roads, and so has the search for speed governors.
According to this year’s police crime report, there was an increase on the death toll on our roads, to 2,334, the majority being pedestrians. These were caused by reckless driving, speeding and equally reckless pedestrians and motorcyclists.
Other police acquisitions like the breathalyzers that have been introduced in the past have disappeared off the streets after a short period.
At one time, the traffic police was vigilant about seat belts, crash helmets and talking on phone while driving, but the vigilance has since depreciated.
In March this year, Motorola Inc. operationalised its TETRA digital trunk radio communications system in Uganda. The state-of-the-art control rooms based in Kampala and Entebbe enable efficient communication between the police and other security agencies.
Wireless communication is an essential tool for the Uganda police during heightened alert, as it enables more efficient deployment of resources and a quicker and more effective response to incidents, says Ron Landenberg, director of communications system operation, part of Motorola’s Government and Public Safety Business Unit.
Causes of the depreciating vigilance of police in all these operations seem to have a similar lining.
They range from lack of expert-trained personnel; Uganda has 2,800 detectives, one ballistics expert and three hand writing experts.
There is also shortage of maintenance costs which leads to depreciation and final breakdown of the equipments, facilitation for the officers which exposes them to bribery, and lack of support equipments like hand gloves, recording equipments and evidence gloves.
In February this year, police in Nakasongola hired a witchdoctor, one Nzoyizoyi at a cost of Uganda shs 200,000, to help them recover a stolen motorcycle. Though his attempts also failed.
The pomp will resurface when a disastrous accident occurs.
The slow speed at which data is availed in the country has been blamed on the manual working of most systems in the country, especially government departments. Examples include the computerization of the land tittles registry office and the laptops to judicial officers.
It was recently reported that police has accumulated a backlog of 400,000 cases in the last seven years. And as the old saying goes, justice delayed is justice denied.
Disappearance of case files from police custody is an equally familiar event.
But as critics have already pointed out, this system is equally bound to fall. First there is shortage of computers in many of our police stations. Some district police stations have no computers in the office, while other stations have no electricity supply at all, therefore the system will have no effect on their services.
The system works with internet. It’s realized that the internet coverage of the country is still in infantry. The police force’s officers will therefore be affected, because due to budget funding, they can’t maintain a continuous internet connection.
Where the few computers exist, it will be a task to continuously update the files, with information.
Although the use of computers is today’s fashion, there is need for trained personnel combined with access to appropriate hardware and software, to be able to utilize the computer.

city of mud

The Rainy-Muddy Kampala
It is a rainy session in Kampala and the surroundings. As I went to shop for my child who is returning to school, it rained as we were thick in downtown Kampala. The population was thick, and space was limited. Everyone, including the street sellers rushed to get themselves a dry spot.
The trouble was when it finished raining. In Kampala, when it is raining, even the car owners take cover in houses. It is after the rain that everyone who has been seeking refuge in the house jumps into the car. The result is obvious; dense traffic.
The drainage system on the roads of Kampala is as perfect as that of a swamp. The running-water and its entire luggage, man-made lake on the streets, and the muddy heaps suffering from the zillion trumping by the pedestrians all give a new cover to the roads.
The only relief is that the air is cleared of the smoky and eye-irritating fumes for a few hours.
On this fateful day, not all of us could get cover, some stood on the verandas looking on helplessly as the wetness of their attire increased.
Occasionally an inconsiderate being behind a wheel would sprint past in a dangerously mechanized car, give those standing on the shore a muddy splash. Curses and obscene descriptions of him, his family and entire clan would follow.
As you go downtown kampala on a rainy day, follow these hint:
Don’t wear white, black is preferred.
Open shoes are not recommended.
Practice some skipping skill as you will have to jump some lakes.
When your comrade-in-pedestrian steps on, don’t rumble.

Now I have to go back shopping for my kid –am a responsible parent.

society

The integrity mole diverted
The state minister of ethics and integrity in The Republic Uganda , the Right Honorable Doctor James Nsaba Buturo has said that wearing of miniskirts should be banned. This according to the doctor is the major cause of road accidents in the country.
In his words' context, the ladies wearing the miniskirts destruct the drivers. Such pronouncement is amusing in twofold:
Instead of commenting on the current NSSF-Temangalo land bonanza that is a continuous of the corruption series in the country gifted by nature, the minister (state minister) skillfully dodges the discussion.
Secondly according to the police records, miniskirt induced destruction is not mentioned among the causes of road accidents in the country. It seems the minister does research.
It is such delusionary talk from ancient custodians of morality that diverts issues. In a country with more potholes than roads, where roads(if they still deserve the name), have no road signs and where the credentials of the drivers are of dangerous mechanical vehicles are questionable, the minister would have built the nation better by guiding his comrades in the driver’s seat about improving the road network and traffic control.
In a country where tomato growers are catapulted into discussing ‘issues of national concern’, a statement favored by attendants in parliament, citizens have come to expect a docile response from the farmers.
In the spirit of nationalism and patriotism.

the brewery

Tonto Brewing Supporting Education
A rowdy murmur, punctutuated with hearty laughs and chopping sound emerge from the banana plantation. A burnt smell combined with a juicy scent wave through the compound. Five of Nania’s grand children, who are on school holiday and their two aunts are making numerous trips to the well downhill. They carry jerry cans, which were formerly blue, pouring the water in a wooden trough.
The sun’s rays are starting to peep through the heavy foliage, and the dew is starting to melt. A dizzy atmosphere hangs over the hilly terrain. This is at Nania’s home in Makopo, a village deep in Rwampara, Mbarara district.
The buzzing activity continues.
Nania, smoking a pipe from his command post of banana tree trunks observes the execution; he has just finished overseeing the peeling of the ripe bananas. The bananas have been thrown into a shallow ground trough. The trough’s floor is covered by two layers. The first one is of well laid banana leaves, and on top is an equally thick layer of banana tree husks. A heap of bananas now fill this trough.
Two crossing ropes have been tied a metre crossing above the trough. On the side, Nania’s two younger sons and their friend prepare to mash the bananas. “These give support, as it becomes slippery”, explains Balaamu.
A bunch of grass has all long been laying aside. Frank, who I later learn is the youngest of Nania’s son, collects a panga. Using a cut tree branch as his base, gets down on one knee and attacks the grass, throwing the chopped pieces onto the banana heap.
Balaamu, the elder brother and Kasaija their friend, roll their trousers into shorts and holding on the ropes jump onto the heap, and vigorously start mashing it under their feet.
A grinding sound from the hut, where a trail of smoke meanderingly emerges and fades into the atmosphere, fill the compound. Another neighbor’s daughter is helping Nania’s wife to grind the sorghum, which was being fried a few minutes earlier.
All this began a week ago when Frank and Balaamu got home for holidays. They have been doing this every holiday to help their parents raise their school fees. Frank is in S.2, Balaamu and Kasaija in S.4
Bunches of specific breeds of banana were cut, put in a ground hole, and covered with soil. A small hole is left partially covered. This hole is used to smoke the bananas, which is done daily. On the third day, the soil cover is removed, the bananas exposed to the sun for about an hour, then covered again, this time with banana trunks and leaves. Two days later, they are ready for squeezing.
After about thirty minutes of an energy and technique oriented foot stumping, white bubbles start to ooze from the mashed banana-grass combination.
Traces of relief appear on everyone face. Few minutes later, a brownish juice starts to increasingly collect in every hole. Nania and Frank meanwhile have brought another wooden trough, which Nania rinsed with some herbs. “These make the beer sweeter”, he replied.
Balaamu creates a funnel, puts in grass and inserts it into a jerrycan. This acts as a sieve as for the juice. Balaamu and Kasaija continue to stump on smaller heaps of the dough. Frank sieves the juice into the jerrycan. When it’s full, he pours the juice into a wooden trough.
A few more neighbors’ come around. They pick a cup, pour in juice and sip on, chatting. A few jokes are cracked, and some update information on a variety of topics also shared
When the juice has been collected, the mash is then loosened and water is poured in. Kasaija and Balaamu start again, stumping on. This though takes a shorter time. The water removes any juice that could have remained. This is then collected and mixed with the other juice.
In a calculating mode, Nania mixes the sorghum floor and the juice in a wooden trough. Some juice is put in a jerrycan aside for drinking. The sorghum floor –juice mixture is covered for the night.
During this time, as my chemistry teacher said back when I was a student, the juice under goes a process called fermentation. By the next day, even the name has changed from juice, eshande, to tonto, its local name.
The next day it collected into jerrycans. Women enjoy the still warm tonto, while men prefer one that has spent another night.
Most of the tonto is taken to the local bars, either by bicycle or carried on the head. About one or two jerrycans stay at home. Nania and his comrades sit under the mango tree in the evening, with a gourd filled with tonto moves around.
Even Balaamu, Kasaija, Frank are joined by their peers and the talk is dominated by the usual ‘adolescent-teenager’ issues.
A jerrycan of tonto is sold at about four thousand shillings. The bar retailer sells a half litter to the patrons at two hundred shillings.
Tonto from Rwampara is sold as far as Mbarara town, Ntungamo and other neighboring towns. Its quality is highly regarded.
It’s a common sight in the evening to meet a local resident stagling back home on the effect of taking an overdose of tonto. To some people, they will drink tonto to quench the thirst, others for pleasure. It’s a must have on any get together.
By the end of holidays, Balaamu and his group will have done this about two more times, and hopefully raised enough money to meet their school fees.
Talk of tradition supporting modernisation.