Bigirimana's Livelihood Copyright gets Mixed Reactions

Front Desk - An interesting debate about a granted copyright incident has developed in Kampala – Uganda. It all starts with the registrar of copyright granting copyright protection to the Youth Livelihood Model (YLM)) which later gave birth to the Youth Livelihood Programme(YLP) to Mr Pius Bigirimana. The registrar is from Uganda Registration Service Bureau (URSB), the government agency in charge of registering intellectual property rights aspects. Mr Pius Bigirimana is a government employee, Permanent Secretary in the ministry in charge of implementing the model. Copyright in Uganda is regulated by the Copyright and Neighbouring Rights Act 2006. The Youth Livelihood model is a development concept that has been adopted by the government in its anti-poverty campaign. Although Mr Bigirimana has waived his economic right to royalty for the use of his copyright, the debate is whether he should have been granted the rights in the first place. This is from issues that include; as a government employee, the copyright should have been given to the employer, whether the works are original ‘enough’ to grant copyright. This is because copyright protection is given for the expression of an idea, and not an idea in itself. This debate shows an increasing interest in the value of copyright in particular, and intellectual property rights in general, in Uganda. On these two links, are opinions by two lawyers on different sides. http://www.monitor.co.ug/OpEd/Commentary/Bigirimana-s-copyright--raises-more-questions-than-answers/-/689364/2772998/-/10mxgt2/-/index.html and http://www.monitor.co.ug/OpEd/Commentary/Why-Bigirimana-is-entitled-to-copyright-protection/-/689364/2790498/-/xf4lfh/-/index.html

Uganda increases intellectual property rights collection fees.

Intellectual property rights are gaining momentum in Uganda. A number of IP regulation and protection laws have been in the past. The Uganda Registration Service Bureau (URSB) was also activated by an act of Parliament to among others, register components of intellectual property in the country. Ever since URSB was operationalised, "Uganda now collects Uganda shillings 20 billion shillings from intellectual property rights fees, from 5 billion in 2010," According to Mercy Kyomugisha, the deputy director at URSB. Copyrights aspects include trademarks, patents, copyrights, utility models and industrial designs. Muheebwa Hillary is a journalist based in Kampala, specialising in covering intellectual property rights.

China Boosts Uganda’s Road Sector

An ancient Chinese saying says that if you want to be rich, should build a road first. And so it seems, china wants Uganda to develop gauging by the number of road construction projects being undertaken by Chinese construction companies in Uganda. Being a landlocked country, Uganda relies heavily on road transport, carrying over 95 percent of passenger and freight traffic. Air and water transport are used minimally for trans-boundary transactions. This has limited the maximization of the country’s potential, especially in tourism, agriculture trade. Take Fortportal-Bundibugyo road in the western region which runs up to Lamia in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo. Public transport on this road was limited, and travelers had to expect long tenacious drives on the bumpy road on the hilly terrains. But now, Chinese company Chongging International Construction Corporation is upgrading the 103km road to bitumen standard. According to the Uganda national roads authority, “the upgrading is considered to be important not only in terms of completing the national paved road circuit, but also for international transit traffic to the Democratic Republic of Congo.” The Albertine region where this road passes is also endowed with minerals, including oil. The African Development Bank is supporting the project through a loan to the government of Uganda. Another Chinese company China Communications Construction Company is constructing a $350 Kampala – Entebbe expressway. The 37km main road with an additional 13km spur road will join Kampala the capital city to Entebbe, the country’s single international airport. With Kampala’s congestion growing at an estimated annual rate of 4.5% annually, the express highway, the first of its kind in Uganda, is part of the measures to decongest the central business district and enhance trade movement through, within and out of the greater Kampala Metropolitan Area. The project is funded by a preferential loan from China Export and Import Bank. In June last year, the Chinese government handed over to Uganda a batch of road equipment maintenance as part of a 40 year soft loan of about $106m to boost the country’s road sector. The equipment includes 159 graders, 257 tipper trucks, 12 wheel loaders, 7 excavators, 6 dozers and 2 low loaders. The equipment was distributed to the various local governments across the country. Information from Uganda Investment Authority place China as the country’s main source of direct investment, with more Chinese companies eyeing opportunities in the country’s construction, agriculture and oil and gas sectors.

Sports Betting; The Leading Employer of Ugandan Youth

For a starting price of Shs 500, and prospects of having it multiplied over a number of times within 90 minutes, betting has become the highest money earning venture for the bigest potion of unemloyed youth in Uganda. The over 10 sports betting companies in Uganda are expanding rapidly to meet the ever growing clientele in networked sports betting and virtual games. From early morning, to late evening, the youth swam the betting halls, watch the screens, surf the internet, and buy the playing ticket to take his bet. They will return the folowing morning to check on whether it was that lucky day, or another gamble gone bad. A gamble gone bad wont deter, and a lucky win gives inspiration to take a bigger bet next time. Once in a while, someone earns a huge amount. This once in a period moment entices more keep betting, the way an employee of the month award motivates in the corporate sector. According to statistics from the Uganda Bureau of Statistics (Ubos) of the more than 400,000 young Ugandans who enter the labour market each year, only about 113,000 are absorbed in formal employment, leaving the rest to forage for jobs in the informal sector. While the national unemployment rate stands at 3.5 per cent, that of the youth is a whopping 32.2 per cent. Available data shows that youth unemployment is worse in urban areas, at about 40 per cent. This explains why the betting agencies have more braches in urban areas. For instance, Sports Betting Africa, one of the operational betting agencies, has over 200 branch locations around Kampala alone. Managers at SBA, another betting agency, once revealed to the media that over 100,000 individuals flock its head office halls on weekends with an average 60,000 individuals during the week days. Uganda became the Second African Nation to Legalise Sports Betting, after South Africa.

Ugadan Photojournalist Nominated for 2012 CNN Awards

Newsroom; The Observer newspaper photojournalist, Edward Echwalu is among the 27 journalists nominated for the 17th edition of the 2012 CNN Multichoice African Journalism awards. This years awards are scheduled for July 21 in Lusaka, Zambia. Known for his calm and laidback demeanour, Echwalu is one of the most respected photojournalists in Uganda. Yet it had to take the efforts of editors and friends to convince him to submit his works for nomination. "After weeks of pleading, Echwalu reluctantly submitted in five photos just a day to the submission deadline. The rather chilling, cinematic photos were all taken during last year’s walk-to-work riots. He hence dubbed his submission folder ‘Walk to Work or Walk to Death’." reads a story on The Observer's website. Reacting to news of his nomination, Echwalu, in his trademark solitary voice had this to say: “My pictures depict terror and that is a reminder to all photojournalists that we do not work for ourselves but rather for the good of society no matter what it takes.” Other Ugandan journalists that have won the award include last year's winners: Norman Katende (Photojournalism), Farouk Kayondo (TV News) and Benon Herbert Oluka (Tourism). Leone Ssenyange, (2010 Sports Award), Carolyne Nakazibwe (2002’s Health Reporting category) and Richard Kavuma (overall accolade in 2007). Earlier this year, Police officers allegedly beat Edward Echwalu as he was trying to cover the arrest of opposition leader Kizza Besigye at Kira Road Police Station in the capital, Kampala. On April 5th, he recorded a statement with the police's Professional Standards Unit. Police promised to thoroughly investigate the matter within three weeks and hold anyone found responsible accountable, but by press time, the case was not yet resolved.

Journalist charged with incitement to violence, remanded

Uganda Press; Daily Monitor Ntungamo-based reporter, Perez Rumanzi, has been charged with incitement to violence and remanded in custody for 14 days. The new charge, preferred before the Ntungamo Grade One Magistrate Machenga Francis, was amended from the terrorism and obstruction charges that were initially brought against him before he was released on police bond in April. Rumanzi, 27, was arrested by Special Forces Group (SFG) guarding the first Lady Janet Museveni on Sunday, April 29 for allegedly interfering with the security of the first lady. Prosecution alleges that Rumanzi conducted himself in a manner that got the security concerned. It is alleged that he interfered with the movement of security people, and hurled insults at them, saying their time will come like it happened with Muammar Gaddafi. Ms Janet Museveni was the chief guest at the installation ceremony of the members of South Ankole Diocese synod at Kyamate Cathedral. Rumanzi nearly escaped jail when the magistrate said that the charge of “incitement to violence” was not on the charge sheet, and ordered him to produce two sureties so that he could be released pending amendment of the charge sheet. However, he failed to provide the sureties, and was remanded to Ntungamo Government prison until May 30. Rumanzi says he was cleared to cover the ceremony, but left the venue to off-load pictures from his camera’s memory card. On coming back he was denied access to the venue by Ms Museveni’s security personnel who said he was not cleared. “When they told me to go away, I went and kept the camera and returned to attend the service because I had just been cleared in the morning. They then said they did not want me there. They arrested me and called police to take me to the cells,” Rumanzi says. He will appear before court on May 30.

Journalist Killed in Kasese

Uganda Press; Journalists in Kasese District have condemned the killing of there colleague, Amon Thembo Wa'Mupagashya. According to Kasese Central Police, Thembo was attacked and shot dead by unknown armed thugs at about 1am in Kyogha village, Bwera Sub-county, on friday night as he returned from covering a wedding. Thembo, 42, was the director of the Mupagashya Community television centre in Kasese Town. Police say a witness, the deceased’s son, Arnold Mumbere, said men immediately took off with his father’s video camera, a jacket and a bag after being shot. The boy survived unhurt in the process. In a meeting chaired by the district information officer, Mr John Thawithe, journalists said their professional work is at risk if the security personnel do not intervene in curbing insecurity. In a joint statement, the journalists said: “It is tragic that our colleague Amon Thembo died in such a manner. We condemn with strongest terms the killing of our colleague. May the police and other security personnel intensify their operations and investigations so that the assailants are brought to book.” Thembo is survived by a wife and three children. He was buried in Kyogha yesterday.